What are the social and public place restrictions in NY?

The covid-19 restrictions that were in place from December until the end of January in New York State for gatherings at private residences was limited to no more than 10 people. These were lifted on 27 January in some areas as Governor Andrew Cuomo deemed that the state had seen the worst of its post-holiday coronavirus outbreak. The easing of restrictions on indoor private social activity was not the only restriction to change.

“I think at this point it’s safe to say the holiday surge was anticipated, the holiday surge did happen, but the holiday surge is over,” Cuomo said during a press briefing in Albany at the end of January.

New York restrictions on social gatherings and public spaces

The lifting of restrictions will eliminate harsher limits on indoor dining, gathering sizes and businesses such as gyms, barbershops and hair salons in zones deemed to be a lower risk of transmission for coronavirus.

Governor Cuomo is also going to allow catering facilities to host weddings at 50% capacity up to 150 people, starting March 15.

Restrictions were lifted on gatherings and some non essential businesses across most of the state, except in parts of the greater New York City area, including Washington Heights, the Bronx and Queens, and the Newburgh area upstate. These areas are all so-called “yellow zones” indicating a contained area of higher risk, aimed to target restrictions at specific zones to ease economic reopenings.

In those spots, non-residential gatherings are restricted to 25 people, residential gatherings are limited to 10, houses of worship can operate at 50% capacity and indoor and outdoor dining are restricted, according to Bloomberg. The areas no longer under so-called yellow zone restriction include portions of central and western New York and the southern border.

Further coronavirus health advice for New York

On the New York State coronavirus health website, general guidance remains as follows: