Schools in COVID cluster zones to reopen as cases drop in NYC

NEW YORK - New York officials have announced an agreement allowing schools in red and orange cluster zones to reopen to in-person learning, with only children and staff who test negative allowed inside school buildings. 

“It will also give us an idea about homes and households in that area,” Governor Andrew Cuomo said. “If a child tests positive, we can contact trace it back to the family.”

A day after officials called increases in the city’s COVID-19 infection rate ‘worrisome,’ there was some better news Friday morning as the number of newly reported cases dropped from 532 to 514.

• De Blasio: NYC COVID rate is ‘worrisome’

The number of New Yorkers hospitalized for COVID-19 also dropped from 81 to 68, but the rolling seven-day average remains a concern.

Friday morning, Mayor Bill de Blasio said that even though the seven-day average number decreased from 1.9 to 1.87, there is still reason for concern. 

“So a little bit of stabilizing, a little bit of better news today but we’ve got a long way to go,” de Blasio said. 

Health officials are looking at a variety of factors for what’s causing the increase in cases. One of those is indoor dining, as restaurants have been serving New Yorkers inside their doors at reduced capacities for several weeks now. 

Governor Cuomo was asked about restaurants and possible restrictions on indoor dining and called the situation “fluid,” adding that they are watching all the data and will act accordingly.