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Dear Friends,

Today, Friday, February 11 is the last day for all New Yorkers to participate in the NYC Speaks survey, which is the first step in a citywide engagement initiative to inform the priorities and policies of Mayor Adams and his administration and the future of our City. There are 27 policy questions on issues ranging from workforce development to housing to health and more. Feel free to complete the whole survey or click through to the sections that matter most to you. Just be sure to complete the survey before 11:59pm on February 11 to make your voice heard.

COVID-19 UPDATES

Mask Requirements

This week, Governor Hochul announced that the State’s “vax or mask” mandate for businesses expired on February 10. Mask mandates remain in place for schools, childcare, public transportation, healthcare, and congregate settings. Businesses and other private establishments may implement their own mask requirements for staff and patrons.

The CDC highly recommends everyone over the age of 2 who can medically tolerate a mask—regardless of vaccination status— wear one in public indoor settings. Unvaccinated individuals should wear masks in all public settings—indoors and outdoors. Key to NYC, the private employer mandate, and all other City vaccine and mask requirements in NYC remain. (See below for more information.)

Testing

All New Yorkers should get tested for COVID-19 if they have symptoms or were recently exposed to someone with COVID-19. If you test positive after taking a home self-test, call your provider or 212-COVID19 (212-268-4319) to be linked to care.

Free COVID-19 tests are available as follows:

For individuals with symptoms of COVID-19 or a positive COVID-19 test:

• City-run testing sites listed on NYC.gov/covidtest.

• To request four free at-home rapid antigen tests by mail, visit COVIDtests.gov (available in English, Spanish and Chinese), or call 800-232-0233 (TTY: 888-720-7489; several languages available).

• At-home testing for COVID-19 is available to all immunocompromised New Yorkers and those ages 65 and older. Appointments for at-home testing are available seven days a week, from 9am to 7pm. New Yorkers may schedule an appointment by calling 929-298-9400.

• Since January 15, private health insurers, Medicaid, and the Children's Health Insurance Program are required to cover some at-home COVID-19 tests for free. Contact your health coverage provider for more information.

Find more information about when to get tested, the types of COVID-19 tests available and how to interpret tests results, including what to do if you test positive or negative on the NYC Department of Health’s website.

The NYS Health Department’s website has additional information about quarantine and isolation if you test positive, were exposed to someone with COVID-19, or have COVID-19 symptoms.

Key to NYC

Under the Key to NYC Program, proof of vaccination is required for indoor dining, indoor fitness, and indoor entertainment and certain meeting spaces. Individuals 12 and older must show proof that they have received two vaccine doses, except for those who have received one dose of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine. Children ages 5 to 11 are required to show proof that they received at least one dose of a vaccine.

Tip: The NYC COVID Safe app (Android/iPhone) has been updated to allow parents to upload their children’s vaccination information on the same account. The app is an excellent resource for patrons visiting from outside of New York State!

Vaccine Requirement for Private Sector Businesses

Generally, employees who work in-person at private sector businesses must have received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine and employers must check for proof. For complete information, please visit www.nyc.gov/vaxtowork.

Non-Resident Performing Artists:

Non-City residents who are performing artists and individuals who are accompanying such performing artists are not required to provide proof of vaccination under the Order of the Commissioner of Health and Mental Hygiene to Require COVID-19 Vaccination in the Workplace (December 13, 2021), but an employer may opt to require them to provide proof of vaccination to keep coworkers safe.

COVID-19 Vaccine Resources

The Vaccine Command Center offers resources and information on how to access vaccines by appointment and at walk-up sites, mobile units, and at home. You can find your nearest COVID-19 vaccine site online or call 844-VAX-4NYC.

As of January 6, 2021, over 95% of New York City adult residents and over 63% of children 5 to 17 have received at least one COVID-19 vaccination dose.

People ages 5 and older are eligible for the vaccine. And COVID-19 vaccine booster shots are available for all fully vaccinated people ages 12 and older. The NYC Department of Health recommends a booster shot for eligible individuals who received the second dose of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine at least five months ago, or one dose of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine at least two months ago.

Your booster shot can be any of the three authorized or approved vaccines. If you are not sure whether to get a booster shot or which type of vaccine you should get for your booster, talk to your health care provider. Please read this FAQ about booster shot recommendations.

People who are moderately to severely immunocompromised are eligible for a third dose of the vaccine, as part of their initial vaccination series.

Reminder: Labor Law section 196-b allows employees to use sick leave for the recovery of any side effects of the COVID-19 vaccination and section 197-c allows leave to receive vaccinations.

Travel

The NYC Department of Health recommends that everyone who is traveling should get tested before they leave New York City and before they return home. The CDC advises: Do not travel if you are sick or while you are waiting for the result of a COVID-19 test. Do not travel internationally until you are fully vaccinated. Up to date means a person has received all recommended COVID-19 vaccines, including any booster dose(s) when eligible.

All international air travelers (regardless of vaccination status) must provide a negative COVID-19 test taken within 1 day of arrival in the U.S. For guidance about traveling to the United States from a foreign country by airplane, refer to this helpful flow-chart from the CDC. For guidance about traveling to the United States from a foreign country by land or ferry, see the Department of Homeland Security’s guidance and FAQ. The CDC advises that individuals should avoid traveling on cruise ships, including river cruises, worldwide, regardless of vaccination status, especially travelers who are at increased risk of severe illness.

All travelers, domestic and international, should continue to follow all CDC travel requirements. More information about international travel requirements is available on the State Department’s website.

Airborne Infectious Disease Prevention Plan

New York State requires all employers to implement an Airborne Infectious Disease Prevention Plan. Employers can find the regulation with requirements for the plan and anti-retaliation requirements and templates for the plans in English and Spanish on the NYS Department of Labor website (under Resources, near the bottom of the webpage). This plan is different than the Key to NYC implementation plan, so be sure to review the NYS DOL guidance carefully.

RESOURCES

NYC Small Business Services

NYC Business Quick Start provides small businesses a sole point of contact to help navigate City regulations, guarantees a 48-hour response to all small business inquiries and will cut processing time by 50 percent. The program is a collaboration between several key agencies including SBS, Department of Buildings (DOB), Department of Environmental Protection (DEP), Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH), and the New York City Fire Department (FDNY). For more information, visit the NYC Business Quick Start website or call 888-SBS-4NYC (888-727-4692).

Arts and Entertainment

Applications for NYC Council discretionary expense funding are due February 22. Applications for NYC Council discretionary capital funding are due on February 24 (for applications requesting funding from a borough president) and March 24 (for all others).

Media Production

Productions in NYC (and all other private employers) must follow the City’s new vaccination requirement starting on December 27. MOME will not require proof of compliance to receive a film permit, but film permittees are subject to inspection for compliance like any other business. To assist productions with promoting COVID-safe protocols on set, MOME has available for download production-specific educational posters. We will be updating the guidance on our film permit webpage in the coming days.

Note: The Film Office is currently closed to walk-in visitors. If you need assistance, please call (212) 489-6710.

Nightlife

On January 20, the NY State Liquor Authority issued an advisory that will allow new liquor license applications to move forward without having obtained a Certificate of Occupancy. The advisory says that the SLA will continue require the Certificate of Occupancy for license renewals.

This follows recent legislation that allows for temporary retail permits to be issued for license applicants opening in New York City, and Governor Hochul’s proposal to introduce legislation permanently legalizing the sale of to-go drinks, which are currently not permitted.

The New York State Office of Cannabis Management is hosting Cannabis Conversation webinars across the state to talk about the recent passage of the Marijuana Regulation and Taxation Act (MRTA) and next steps for cannabis in New York. Find out how to attend the February 17 meeting of the Cannabis Control Board here.

MEND NYC Mediation & Conflict Resolution Program provides free mediation and conflict resolution services to address neighborhood disputes. A collaboration between the Office of Nightlife and the Office of Administrative Trials and Hearings' Center for Creative Conflict Resolution (CCCR), the program is an opportunity to create direct communication and compromise, establishing respectful and ongoing relationships that help New Yorkers co-exist peacefully in their communities while ensuring that small businesses thrive.

The Office of Nightlife in partnership with the NYC Department of Health promotes a harm reduction approach to substance use, bringing life-saving opioid overdose prevention tools and resources to the nightlife and hospitality community through education and FREE naloxone and fentanyl test strip trainings, that can teach venue owners and workers to become a Certified Opioid Overdose Responder and receive Overdose Rescue Kits with naloxone--a medication that can help SAVE A LIFE by reversing the effects of an opioid overdose. To learn about NARCAN training or other harm reduction methods, visit the Office of Nightlife webpage.

Elevate Nightlife is a program of the Office of Nightlife, in partnership with the Mayor’s Office of Community Mental Health and Backline, to connect the nightlife community directly with mental health resources and services. As part of the Elevate Nightlife Mental Health Initiative, people who work in the nightlife industry in New York City can participate in a free and confidential weekly mental health support group moderated by a Backline Care licensed therapists, every Monday at 4pm.

STATE ASSISTANCE

New York State continues to accept applications for the New York State COVID-19 Pandemic Small Business Recovery Grant Program. The program provides $800 million for small businesses (including small for-profit independent arts and cultural organizations), experiencing financial hardship from COVID-19. Flexible grants up to $50,000 can be used for operating expenses, including payroll, rent or mortgage payments, taxes, utilities, PPE, or other expenses incurred during the pandemic. Assistance is available at 877-721-0097.

Note: There are additional eviction protections available to NYC Tenants. Up-to-date information and resources are available on NYC’s 311 portal and NYC Human Resources website for renters at risk of eviction or entering shelter.

The State will accept applications for the Homeowner Assistance Fund

until February 18, 2022

. The program will provide up to $539 million to help eligible homeowners avert mortgage delinquency, default, foreclosure, and displacement. Visit the State Homeowner Assistance Fund’s webpage to apply now.

NYC homeowners at risk of being displaced from their communities can get help from the expanded Homeowner Help Desk. You can call 1-855-HOME-456 or stop by a Help Desk event. Support includes helping homeowners resolve housing challenges due to COVID-19, managing a home as a small landlord, understanding a home’s flood risk, and more.

FEDERAL ASSISTANCE

Borrowers may be eligible for Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan forgiveness. The SBA launched a streamlined application portal to allow borrowers with Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans $150,000 or less through participating lenders to apply for forgiveness directly through the SBA. Information about PPP loan forgiveness is available on SBA’s website.

Roughly 850 NYC-based applicants received Shuttered Venue Operator Grants (SVOG) according to the SBA’s September 20, 2021 report. New York State applicants have received a combined total of $2,029,880,960 as of February 7, 2022. For more information, visit the SBA website.

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Tax Prep

The tax season officially starts on February 12, and changes to federal and State tax credits mean that many filers will be eligible for more money. Workers who earn $72,000 or less can file with NYC Free Tax Prep. Learn more about Free Tax Prep at nyc.gov/taxprep.

For the latest updates, sign up for MOME’s newsletter, follow our social media channels on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram, or visit our website at www.nyc.gov/mome.

Stay safe and stay NYC strong,

Anne del Castillo, Commissioner

The City of New York

Mayor's Office of Media and Entertainment

www.nyc.gov/mome

@NYCMOMECommish

Mayor's Office of Media and Entertainment

nyc.gov/mome

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