New York: non-essential shops soon to be closed in certain neighborhoods

Non-essential businesses will have to close and synagogues and other places of worship drastically reduce their number of worshipers for at least two weeks in New York neighborhoods where the spread of the coronavirus has resumed, the governor of the United States said on Tuesday (October 6). New York State.

These restrictions, which are in addition to the closure of schools, will apply by Friday at the latest in several areas of Brooklyn and Queens, said Andrew Cuomo.

It is in these neighborhoods, many of which have a large Orthodox Jewish population, that the rate of Covid-19 positivity has increased sharply in recent weeks, often in favor of the Jewish holidays of Rosh Hashanah, and Yom Kippur.

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The governor, who has authority over these kinds of restrictions, has therefore modified the re-containment measures proposed Sunday by the mayor of New York, Bill de Blasio.

The latter had not spoken of places of worship, and provided for the closure of non-essential businesses on Wednesday.

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said Andrew Cuomo.

he added, as some critics accuse the restrictions of discriminating against the Jewish community.

The governor decided to impose a limit of ten people on places of worship located in the “red” zone, in the heart of these districts which have many synagogues, sometimes welcoming hundreds of people every day.

And a limit of 25 people for less heavily affected neighborhoods, in so-called “orange” areas around red areas.

The governor said he warned officials of the Orthodox Jewish community, with significant political influence, Tuesday morning and asked for their cooperation.

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After being hit hard by the virus in the spring and mourning nearly 24,000 deaths, New York City managed for weeks to keep the spread of the virus low.

But since September, the positivity rate has started to rise, to approach 9% in some neighborhoods.