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Dear Friends,

The Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade and the lighting of the Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree, together with the annual celebrations of light, are the hallmarks of New York City’s holiday traditions. As we enter the holiday season, please remember to support the small businesses in your community.

The holidays are also a time when we typically gather with family and friends. The NYC Department of Health recommends that when you meet up with others, keep it small, get tested before you go, and keep your plate to yourself. More tips for a safer holiday season are available from the NYC Department of Health.

Above all, remember to keep doing what we know works: get vaccinated, wash your hands, and, if you’re sick, get tested and stay home.

COVID-19 UPDATES

Yesterday, the City announced that New Yorkers should assume that there is community spread of the Omicron coronavirus variant in New York City, and encouraged New Yorkers to take precautions like wearing masks indoors in public spaces, testing, and getting boosters. (See details below.) As of December 2, there are five known cases of the Omicron variant in New York State. You can listen to a joint statement about how the City and State are working together to protect New Yorkers from the Omicron variant issued by Governor Hochul and Mayor de Blasio on YouTube.

The City and State are aware of a case of the Omicron coronavirus variant identified in Minnesota that is associated with travel to an anime conference in New York City. Governor Hochul and Mayor de Blasio are encouraging everyone who attended the AnimeNYC Conference at the Javits Center from November 18 to 22 to get tested immediately and take additional precautions, including social distancing and monitoring for symptoms.

Masks Strongly Encouraged Indoors

In light of the Omicron coronavirus variant, this week, NYC Department of Health Commissioner Chokshi issued an advisory to strongly encourage all individuals, regardless of vaccination status, to wear a mask when indoors and in a public setting in New York City. This includes grocery stores and other kinds of stores, building lobbies, offices, and other common or shared spaces where individuals may interact such as restrooms, hallways, elevators, and meeting rooms. The advisory applies to individuals over the age of two years who are able to medically tolerate wearing a mask. The advisory does not apply in cases where an individual is actively performing an activity that cannot be done while wearing a face covering such as actively eating or drinking or performing, including playing music, delivering a speech, and acting in a theater.

Remember: If you are unvaccinated, the NYS Department of Health regulations require you to wear a mask or face covering in public (outdoors and indoors) unless you can maintain social distancing. Masks are required on public transit and at indoor train stations, regardless of vaccination status. And New York State mandates universal mask requirements at NYS-regulated child care facilities, residential congregate programs, and certain other NYS-licensed or NYS-regulated facilities.

Key to NYC

Key to NYC requires indoor entertainment and recreation, indoor dining, and indoor fitness establishments to check workers and patrons ages 12 and over for proof that they have received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccination. The Key to NYC website offers guidance and resources, including Frequently Asked Questions and Guidance for Businesses on Equitable Implementation. In addition, you can watch a video recording of a multi-agency Key to NYC webinar hosted by MOME’s Office of Nightlife with representatives from City Hall, NYC Department of Small Business Services, Department of Information Technology and Telecommunications, Department of Health and Mental Hygiene and Commission on Human Rights.

COVID-19 Vaccine Resources

The Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine is now available for children ages 5 to 11. The vaccine dose for this age group is smaller than the dose given to people 12 and older. (Youth ages 12-17 are also eligible for the Pfizer vaccine.) Children can get vaccinated at their doctor’s office, pharmacies and vaccine sites across the city. For more information, please read the FAQ about the vaccine and children.

COVID-19 vaccine booster shots are now available are now available for all fully vaccinated people 18 and older. These shots boost your immunity from an initial vaccination series.

The NYC Department of Health recommends a booster shot for any adult who received the second dose of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine at least six 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 immunocompromised:

• There has been no change to the August guidelines about third doses for people with underlying conditions like organ transplants or active cancer. Adults who received the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine at least 28 days ago, and are moderately to severely immunocompromised, are still eligible for a third dose of the vaccine, as part of their initial vaccination series.

• Eligible New Yorkers can access third doses citywide and need to attest to their eligibility.

As of December 2, 2021, 81% of New York City adult residents are fully vaccinated. It’s never been easier to get a vaccination. 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.

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

Travel may involve crowds and going to places with high levels of COVID-19. The NYC Department of Health recommends avoiding travel if you are not fully vaccinated. Everyone who is traveling should get tested before they leave New York City and before they return home. Also, wear a mask, follow CDC travel guidance and stay at a hotel when possible.

In light of the Omicron coronavirus variant, the federal government is prohibiting entry of certain travelers into the United States, with some exceptions. As of December 6, 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 new flow-chart from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control. 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 has announced plans to ease restrictions on international cruise travel starting January 16, 2022.

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

Arts and Entertainment

On Monday, December 6 at 11:00 am, join MOME and Situation for Becoming Broadway: an Introduction to a Career in the Theatre. This program will provide the next generation of changemakers to peek behind the curtain of Broadway’s vast job market in this special, virtual “open house” for college students, recent grads, and aspiring young professionals. The speaker lineup offers an acclaimed and established list of seasoned professionals from all walks of life in the theatre industry - producers, stage managers, technical directors, musicians, sound designers, physical therapists, makeup artists, merchandise managers, lawyers, accountants, playwrights, choreographers, talent agents, and many more. Spots are limited! Sign up and RSVP NOW on Eventbrite.

The New York State Council for the Arts (NYSCA) announced virtual office hours to answer questions about the Capital Funding for the Arts program, starting December 9. Guidelines and an FAQ for the Capital Funding for the Arts program are available on-line. Support in this round will assist organizations facing health and safety issues in their spaces and venues, among other needs. Facilities program and capital support will be available in this round. Any New York State nonprofit arts and culture organization is encouraged to apply. Applications are due January 14, 2022.

MOME and the NYC Department of Cultural Affairs have partnered with the Mayor’s Office of Community Mental Health to offer mental health resources for creative workers, including a list of resources for performing arts professionals and a webinar on “Promoting Mental Health for Creative Workers” featuring a discussion on mental health resources for NYC creatives. A recording of the program is available on YouTube.

A.R.T./New York announced three grant programs providing flexible, general operating support to small theatres:

1. The NYSCA-A.R.T./New York Creative Opportunity Fund provides grants of $2,000-$5,000 to theatres throughout New York State with annual budgets of under $500,000.

2. The Strengthening NYC Theatres Grant Program (formerly the Nancy Quinn Fund) gives New York City-based theatres with annual budgets under $250,000 one-year grants of $1000-$2000.

3. The New York City Small Theatres Fund, in partnership with the Howard Gilman Foundation, will provide around 10 New York City theatres with annual budgets under $250,000 with two-year general operating support grants of $5,000-$10,000 annually.

The application deadline for each of the three A.R.T./New York programs is 5:00 pm on Tuesday, December 14, 2021.

Media Production

Film permittees must follow State regulations on face coverings and social distancing and implement an Airborne Infectious Disease Prevention Plan, but the NYS DOH Interim Guidance for Media Production During the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency is optional. Additional guidance for on location filming is available on MOME’s film permit webpage. Please read the FAQ on Production Activity on Public Property in New York City During the COVID-19 Pandemic for answers to questions about remaining health and safety requirements and limitations on film permits. To assist productions with promoting COVID-safe protocols on set, MOME has available for download production-specific educational posters.

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

Nightlife

NYC Department of Transportation (DOT) is conducting a public survey to inform the future design rules for the permanent Open Restaurants program. In addition, they will be hosting in-person and remote roundtables throughout this fall and winter. These discussions will offer opportunities for New Yorkers to share their thoughts on how Open Restaurant structures should be designed to ensure that the final program rules balance creativity, feasibility and cost as they seek to enhance comfort and safety for all New Yorkers. More information is available here.

Propane heaters are no longer allowed in Open Restaurants. The NYC Department of Small Business Services will be providing grants up to $5,000 for restaurants with annual revenue of $1 million or less, which may be used to swap out propane heaters for either electric or natural gas radiant heaters. (We will provide more information when it is available.) Electric radiant heaters are allowed on both sidewalk and roadway. Natural gas radiant heaters are allowed on the sidewalk only.

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.

NYC BUSINESS QUICK START

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).

STATE ASSISTANCE

This week, Governor Hochul announced a statewide initiative to connect New York jobseekers to employment. A record 220,000 jobs are available in the New York State Job Bank in all regions of the state, including New York City. Information for jobseekers is available on the NYS Department of Labor website. In addition, the New York City Department of Small Business Services offers free services at Workforce1 Career Centers to prepare and help New Yorkers to find jobs.

On November 8, Governor Hochul announced a new recovery package and campaign called, “Bring Back Tourism, Bring Back Jobs.” This comprehensive strategy will support unemployed workers and struggling businesses in the critically important tourism and hospitality sector, which was New York's third-largest industry prior to the pandemic; incentivize the rehiring of these critical workers; and jumpstart demand for the State’s tourism and hospitality attractions. The package consists of the following programs:

• $100 million in one-time payments to support hardest-hit tourism workers: Under the Tourism Worker Recovery Fund, the State will issue one-time payments of $2,750 to as many as 36,000 qualified workers in tourism sector industries. New Yorkers who are eligible will be contacted directly from the State via text or email. More information is available on the New York State Department of Labor website.

• $100 million in grants to encourage tourism employers to rehire staff: Qualifying tourism businesses will be eligible for grants of up to $5,000 per net new full-time employee, or $2,500 per net new part-time employee, hired to offset their labor costs. More information, including a sign-up for program-related email alerts, is available on the Empire State Development (ESD) website. It is anticipated that arts and cultural organizations and entertainment businesses will qualify for program funding when ESD releases detailed eligibility criteria in the coming weeks.

• $25 million to attract convention center and hotel events; additional $25 million for global and domestic marketing efforts. For information about the NYS “Meet in New York” grant program, visit the ESD website.

A moratorium on COVID-related residential and commercial evictions for New York State is in effect until January 15, 2022. Under the new law, all protections of the Tenant Safe Harbor Act for residential tenants who are suffering financial hardship as a result of the pandemic will remain in place, along with new protections on commercial evictions. You can read the new law on the New York State Senate’s website.

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.

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

Eligible small businesses, nonprofits, sole proprietors and independent contractors can still apply for a COVID-19 Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) from the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA). Earlier this month, the SBA announced that it improved the EIDL program to better meet the needs of small businesses, especially those hardest hit industries and smallest entities that still need relief. Among other changes, the SBA has increased the amount of funding that can be borrowed from $500,000 to $2 million for qualified applicants. Learn more about EIDL and the Targeted EIDL Advance and Supplemental Targeted Advance and how you can take advantage before December 31, 2021.

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 $1,936,114,767 as of November 29. For more information, visit the SBA website.

The American Rescue Plan extends a number of critical tax benefits, particularly the Employee Retention Credit and Paid Leave Credit, to small businesses. Find out more on the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s website.

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. The new forgiveness platform will begin accepting applications from borrowers on August 4, 2021. Information about PPP loan forgiveness is available on SBA’s website.

The arts, entertainment, and hospitality industries were hit hard by the pandemic, with high unemployment rates. Many workers are experiencing housing insecurity and challenges with rent and mortgages. Please visit the federal Consumer Finance Protection Bureau’s webpage to find help, whether you are a renter, homeowner, or landlord.

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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

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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