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As Dining Takes to the Streets, New York Restaurants Hit a Speed Bump As Dining Takes to the Streets, New York Restaurants Hit a Speed Bump
(14 days later)
For restaurants and the New Yorkers who love them, the outdoor cafes that have sprung up across the city over the past two weeks have been one of the few bright spots in a grim season.For restaurants and the New Yorkers who love them, the outdoor cafes that have sprung up across the city over the past two weeks have been one of the few bright spots in a grim season.
Under an emergency program that began on June 22, about 6,800 establishments have been authorized to serve food and drinks at outdoor tables, turning patches of sidewalks and streets into cheerfully ragtag villages of patio umbrellas, beach canopies, outdoor fans and potted palm trees.Under an emergency program that began on June 22, about 6,800 establishments have been authorized to serve food and drinks at outdoor tables, turning patches of sidewalks and streets into cheerfully ragtag villages of patio umbrellas, beach canopies, outdoor fans and potted palm trees.
Another 2.6 miles of roadway, including several blocks along some of the city’s best-known restaurant rows, will be available for eating and drinking from Friday afternoons until Sunday nights starting this weekend, Mayor Bill de Blasio announced Thursday. Under the plan, an extension of the city’s Open Streets program, portions of 22 commercial strips in every borough will be closed to driving but open for dining.Another 2.6 miles of roadway, including several blocks along some of the city’s best-known restaurant rows, will be available for eating and drinking from Friday afternoons until Sunday nights starting this weekend, Mayor Bill de Blasio announced Thursday. Under the plan, an extension of the city’s Open Streets program, portions of 22 commercial strips in every borough will be closed to driving but open for dining.
“Arthur Avenue in the Bronx, Fifth Avenue in Park Slope, Little Italy — Mulberry Street — think about what is possible if we make them into centerpieces of outdoor dining,” Mr. de Blasio said.“Arthur Avenue in the Bronx, Fifth Avenue in Park Slope, Little Italy — Mulberry Street — think about what is possible if we make them into centerpieces of outdoor dining,” Mr. de Blasio said.
Many restaurateurs were quick to build street and sidewalk seating areas as soon as it was allowed. But some of the earliest adapters have almost immediately run afoul of the city Department of Transportation, which is overseeing the temporary outdoor cafes.Many restaurateurs were quick to build street and sidewalk seating areas as soon as it was allowed. But some of the earliest adapters have almost immediately run afoul of the city Department of Transportation, which is overseeing the temporary outdoor cafes.
The department’s first set of guidelines permitted outdoor seating areas on streets with one or two lanes of traffic, to be set off by “stanchions, barricades or planters, spaced at maximum 5 feet apart.” Late last week, though, some new requirements appeared, including one that has caused problems for many owners: All barriers, on any kind of street, have to be at least 18 inches thick.The department’s first set of guidelines permitted outdoor seating areas on streets with one or two lanes of traffic, to be set off by “stanchions, barricades or planters, spaced at maximum 5 feet apart.” Late last week, though, some new requirements appeared, including one that has caused problems for many owners: All barriers, on any kind of street, have to be at least 18 inches thick.
Julie Reiner, who owns two bars on Smith Street in Boerum Hill, Brooklyn, said that on Monday, an inspector from the department told her that the enclosures she had built around the bars, Leyenda and Clover Club, did not meet city standards.Julie Reiner, who owns two bars on Smith Street in Boerum Hill, Brooklyn, said that on Monday, an inspector from the department told her that the enclosures she had built around the bars, Leyenda and Clover Club, did not meet city standards.
This surprised her. She had printed the specifications on the department’s website and handed them to her contractor, who followed them to the letter, she said. He fashioned matching barriers for her bars and two other restaurants on the street out of wooden garden trellises anchored by paint buckets filled with cement.This surprised her. She had printed the specifications on the department’s website and handed them to her contractor, who followed them to the letter, she said. He fashioned matching barriers for her bars and two other restaurants on the street out of wooden garden trellises anchored by paint buckets filled with cement.
The inspector informed Ms. Reiner that her breezy latticework barriers were too thin; they had to be at least 18 inches thick. She was given 24 hours to change them.The inspector informed Ms. Reiner that her breezy latticework barriers were too thin; they had to be at least 18 inches thick. She was given 24 hours to change them.
“My contractor needed to fix four places on the block in 24 hours,” Ms. Reiner said. The cost to each restaurant of taking apart the original barriers and building new planters was $1,000, or about three-quarters of its average nightly revenue.“My contractor needed to fix four places on the block in 24 hours,” Ms. Reiner said. The cost to each restaurant of taking apart the original barriers and building new planters was $1,000, or about three-quarters of its average nightly revenue.
Losing money because the city changed the guidelines “is really infuriating after all this,” she said.Losing money because the city changed the guidelines “is really infuriating after all this,” she said.
In a statement, the Department of Transportation said: “We’ve worked closely with the industry and city agencies to find processes that put small businesses back to work and kept New Yorkers safe. This program is a brand-new arrangement, enacted at an unprecedented pace, and restaurants have been generous with their patience. Our adjustments to Open Restaurants have been to make sure this program works safely for everyone.”In a statement, the Department of Transportation said: “We’ve worked closely with the industry and city agencies to find processes that put small businesses back to work and kept New Yorkers safe. This program is a brand-new arrangement, enacted at an unprecedented pace, and restaurants have been generous with their patience. Our adjustments to Open Restaurants have been to make sure this program works safely for everyone.”
Interpretations of the department’s guidelines have varied. An informal tour of neighborhoods in Queens, Brooklyn and Manhattan this week turned up a wide array of materials used to set off seating, from heavy plastic Jersey barriers to colored tape.Interpretations of the department’s guidelines have varied. An informal tour of neighborhoods in Queens, Brooklyn and Manhattan this week turned up a wide array of materials used to set off seating, from heavy plastic Jersey barriers to colored tape.
Some owners say they lost revenue, too. On Sunday, inspectors handed out cease-and-desist orders to an undisclosed number of restaurants, forcing them to shut down until they brought their seating areas into compliance with the new standards.Some owners say they lost revenue, too. On Sunday, inspectors handed out cease-and-desist orders to an undisclosed number of restaurants, forcing them to shut down until they brought their seating areas into compliance with the new standards.
In the East Village, the sandwich shop Foxface and the dusty nautical bar that adjoins it, the William Barnacle Tavern, had surrounded their in-street dining zone with metal barricades of the kind used to control crowds. On Sunday, an inspector informed an owner of Foxface, Ori Kushnir, that he would have to close until he came up with new, compliant barricades.In the East Village, the sandwich shop Foxface and the dusty nautical bar that adjoins it, the William Barnacle Tavern, had surrounded their in-street dining zone with metal barricades of the kind used to control crowds. On Sunday, an inspector informed an owner of Foxface, Ori Kushnir, that he would have to close until he came up with new, compliant barricades.
Mr. Kushnir lost two days of business, he said, in addition to the more than $3,000 he had to spend on new, 18-inch-deep planters. “Anybody who tried to do the right thing the first time, and is trying to do the right thing now, is spending thousands of dollars on this,” he said.Mr. Kushnir lost two days of business, he said, in addition to the more than $3,000 he had to spend on new, 18-inch-deep planters. “Anybody who tried to do the right thing the first time, and is trying to do the right thing now, is spending thousands of dollars on this,” he said.
Restaurateurs say they have also heard mixed messages about whether they can seat customers in parking spaces that are cut off from the sidewalk by a bike lane, known as floating parking spaces. The answer is yes, according to the Department of Transportation. Some restaurateurs say they were told otherwise by inspectors.Restaurateurs say they have also heard mixed messages about whether they can seat customers in parking spaces that are cut off from the sidewalk by a bike lane, known as floating parking spaces. The answer is yes, according to the Department of Transportation. Some restaurateurs say they were told otherwise by inspectors.
Frank Prisinzano, the chef and owner of three Italian restaurants in the East Village and Lower East Side, said he hopes he misunderstood the inspector who showed up last weekend. “I spent close to $25,000 on all three restaurants,” Mr. Prisinzano said. “I wanted to do it right.”Frank Prisinzano, the chef and owner of three Italian restaurants in the East Village and Lower East Side, said he hopes he misunderstood the inspector who showed up last weekend. “I spent close to $25,000 on all three restaurants,” Mr. Prisinzano said. “I wanted to do it right.”
Updated July 7, 2020
The coronavirus can stay aloft for hours in tiny droplets in stagnant air, infecting people as they inhale, mounting scientific evidence suggests. This risk is highest in crowded indoor spaces with poor ventilation, and may help explain super-spreading events reported in meatpacking plants, churches and restaurants. It’s unclear how often the virus is spread via these tiny droplets, or aerosols, compared with larger droplets that are expelled when a sick person coughs or sneezes, or transmitted through contact with contaminated surfaces, said Linsey Marr, an aerosol expert at Virginia Tech. Aerosols are released even when a person without symptoms exhales, talks or sings, according to Dr. Marr and more than 200 other experts, who have outlined the evidence in an open letter to the World Health Organization.
Common symptoms include fever, a dry cough, fatigue and difficulty breathing or shortness of breath. Some of these symptoms overlap with those of the flu, making detection difficult, but runny noses and stuffy sinuses are less common. The C.D.C. has also added chills, muscle pain, sore throat, headache and a new loss of the sense of taste or smell as symptoms to look out for. Most people fall ill five to seven days after exposure, but symptoms may appear in as few as two days or as many as 14 days.
Scientists around the country have tried to identify everyday materials that do a good job of filtering microscopic particles. In recent tests, HEPA furnace filters scored high, as did vacuum cleaner bags, fabric similar to flannel pajamas and those of 600-count pillowcases. Other materials tested included layered coffee filters and scarves and bandannas. These scored lower, but still captured a small percentage of particles.
A commentary published this month on the website of the British Journal of Sports Medicine points out that covering your face during exercise “comes with issues of potential breathing restriction and discomfort” and requires “balancing benefits versus possible adverse events.” Masks do alter exercise, says Cedric X. Bryant, the president and chief science officer of the American Council on Exercise, a nonprofit organization that funds exercise research and certifies fitness professionals. “In my personal experience,” he says, “heart rates are higher at the same relative intensity when you wear a mask.” Some people also could experience lightheadedness during familiar workouts while masked, says Len Kravitz, a professor of exercise science at the University of New Mexico.
The steroid, dexamethasone, is the first treatment shown to reduce mortality in severely ill patients, according to scientists in Britain. The drug appears to reduce inflammation caused by the immune system, protecting the tissues. In the study, dexamethasone reduced deaths of patients on ventilators by one-third, and deaths of patients on oxygen by one-fifth.
The coronavirus emergency relief package gives many American workers paid leave if they need to take time off because of the virus. It gives qualified workers two weeks of paid sick leave if they are ill, quarantined or seeking diagnosis or preventive care for coronavirus, or if they are caring for sick family members. It gives 12 weeks of paid leave to people caring for children whose schools are closed or whose child care provider is unavailable because of the coronavirus. It is the first time the United States has had widespread federally mandated paid leave, and includes people who don’t typically get such benefits, like part-time and gig economy workers. But the measure excludes at least half of private-sector workers, including those at the country’s largest employers, and gives small employers significant leeway to deny leave.
So far, the evidence seems to show it does. A widely cited paper published in April suggests that people are most infectious about two days before the onset of coronavirus symptoms and estimated that 44 percent of new infections were a result of transmission from people who were not yet showing symptoms. Recently, a top expert at the World Health Organization stated that transmission of the coronavirus by people who did not have symptoms was “very rare,” but she later walked back that statement.
Touching contaminated objects and then infecting ourselves with the germs is not typically how the virus spreads. But it can happen. A number of studies of flu, rhinovirus, coronavirus and other microbes have shown that respiratory illnesses, including the new coronavirus, can spread by touching contaminated surfaces, particularly in places like day care centers, offices and hospitals. But a long chain of events has to happen for the disease to spread that way. The best way to protect yourself from coronavirus — whether it’s surface transmission or close human contact — is still social distancing, washing your hands, not touching your face and wearing masks.
A study by European scientists is the first to document a strong statistical link between genetic variations and Covid-19, the illness caused by the coronavirus. Having Type A blood was linked to a 50 percent increase in the likelihood that a patient would need to get oxygen or to go on a ventilator, according to the new study.
If air travel is unavoidable, there are some steps you can take to protect yourself. Most important: Wash your hands often, and stop touching your face. If possible, choose a window seat. A study from Emory University found that during flu season, the safest place to sit on a plane is by a window, as people sitting in window seats had less contact with potentially sick people. Disinfect hard surfaces. When you get to your seat and your hands are clean, use disinfecting wipes to clean the hard surfaces at your seat like the head and arm rest, the seatbelt buckle, the remote, screen, seat back pocket and the tray table. If the seat is hard and nonporous or leather or pleather, you can wipe that down, too. (Using wipes on upholstered seats could lead to a wet seat and spreading of germs rather than killing them.)
If you’ve been exposed to the coronavirus or think you have, and have a fever or symptoms like a cough or difficulty breathing, call a doctor. They should give you advice on whether you should be tested, how to get tested, and how to seek medical treatment without potentially infecting or exposing others.
While he waits to hear from the city, he said he would continue to seat customers in the floating parking spaces outside Lil’ Frankie’s on Second Avenue. “It really is helping,” he said.While he waits to hear from the city, he said he would continue to seat customers in the floating parking spaces outside Lil’ Frankie’s on Second Avenue. “It really is helping,” he said.
Indoor dining, which had been scheduled to return on July 6, was put off indefinitely this week as other cities that had allowed restaurants to reopen began to see alarming surges in new Covid-19 cases. Noting that the delay would hurt the hospitality business, Mr. de Blasio said Thursday that one goal of handing the streets over to diners was to “give maximum options to restaurants and their employees.”Indoor dining, which had been scheduled to return on July 6, was put off indefinitely this week as other cities that had allowed restaurants to reopen began to see alarming surges in new Covid-19 cases. Noting that the delay would hurt the hospitality business, Mr. de Blasio said Thursday that one goal of handing the streets over to diners was to “give maximum options to restaurants and their employees.”
Mr. Prisinzano has little interest in reopening his dining rooms. “I don’t even want the indoors,” he said. “I don’t feel comfortable seating people indoors. As long as we can put people outdoors, we can get through the summer.”Mr. Prisinzano has little interest in reopening his dining rooms. “I don’t even want the indoors,” he said. “I don’t feel comfortable seating people indoors. As long as we can put people outdoors, we can get through the summer.”
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