Astoria Becomes A 'Yellow Zone' Amid Increased Coronavirus Rate

ASTORIA, QUEENS — The longstanding Central Queens "yellow zone" has been expanded to include the northern section of Astoria, according to Gov. Andrew Cuomo.

The Ditmars-Steinway portion of Astoria will now be categorized as a yellow zone, which applies to regions where more than 2.5 percent of coronavirus tests come back positive over 10 days.

The coronavirus positivity rate, a measure of the percentage of tests coming back positive, has surged in that section of Astoria in recent days. The ZIP code 11105 at one point had the third-highest rate citywide.

Yellow zones are considered "precautionary" areas and are the third tier of Cuomo's color-coded system for tracking local COVID-19 spikes and enacting restrictions, with red zones bearing the most severe measures.

Under the "yellow zone" designation, restaurants may offer indoor and outdoor dining with a maximum of four people per table, gatherings of up to 25 people are allowed and houses of worship can operate at 50-percent capacity.

Schools, however, will be closed: Mayor Bill de Blasio announced that New York City schools would halt in-person learning starting Thursday.

Astoria joins a swath of Central Queens, including Rego Park and Forest Hills, that have carried the state's "yellow zone" designation for the last month.