Westchester Enters Phase 3 on Tuesday

Westchester Enters Phase 3 on Tuesday: Westchester County has been approved for Phase 3 of the NY Forward Economic Reopening Plan and will kick off on Tuesday, June 23. Under Phase 3, Westchester County Restaurants will reopen for indoor dining under limited capacity guidelines and strict hygiene, sanitation and disinfectant practices mandated by the New York State Department of Health.

Additionally, non-hair Personal Care Businesses will also reopen under their own set of Phase 3 Guidelines. Personal Care Businesses set to reopen include spas, massage therapy, nail salons, cosmetology, UV and non-UV tanning, or waxing, tattoo and piercing facilities, and appearance enhancement practitioners. However, face waxing, face massages and any personal care service that would require a customer removing their facemark are excluded from Phase 3 eligibility – and remain prohibited. Gatherings of up to 25 people are also allowed under Phase 3. Phase 2 guidelines capped public gatherings at 10 people.

Some of the safety practices outlined by NYS DOH include: Nail salons and waxing services must ensure that manicure and pedicure baths and bowls, and wax containers are cleaned and disinfected between each use. Plus, no double-dipping of wax applicators, and single use practices of towels, finger bowls, spatulas is required. Spa facilities must close saunas, steam rooms, or any other services that take place in enclosed spaces. And, as you can imagine, there are some very detailed guidelines for tattoos parlors and piercing services.

Pools, Parks, Mini-Golf, Youth Sports & Playland Beach

Youth Baseball Returns July 6

Outside of the articulated Phase 3 reopening’s Governor Andrew Cuomo has released a series of announcements over the past week outlining additional easing. They include: pools and playgrounds can reopen at the discretion of local governments. Most towns have already announced pool reopening beginning as between June 29 and July 3. He also announced that Playland Pool will remain closed for the season. However, Playland Beach opened last weekend. And it will open from Wednesday through Sundays beginning Friday, June 26. Mini-Golf also opened last weekend at Rye Playland, Saxon Woods Park in White Plains and Tibbets Brook Park in Yonkers. In another case of good news/bad news, after announcing that summer day camps can open on June 29, the Governor announced that sleep away camps will not be allowed to reopen this year.

Finally, Governor Andrew Cuomo announced on Sunday that some “low risk” youth sports would be allowed to resume in all regions that have qualified for Phase 3 reopening on July 6. Youth sports allowed to reopen on July 6 include baseball, softball, gymnastics, field hockey, crew and cross country. These recreational activities were originally slated for Phase 4. But make sure you are wearing face masks in the stands.

New York Infection Rate Drops Below 1%

On Sunday, June 21, 56,780 COVID tests were administered state-wide yielding 552 positive cases for an infection rate of .97%. Westchester County had just 36 new cases on Sunday and 230 last week. And according to Governor Andrew Cuomo, 10 people died from COVID-19 in New York State yesterday – down from a single-day peak of 800. And the state hit another COVID era low with about 1,000 people hospitalized statewide for COVID-19.

Regional Infection Rates for NY, Source: Governor Cuomo’s Office