As Coronavirus Rates Dip, Forest Hills Becomes A 'Yellow Zone'

FOREST HILLS, QUEENS — Coronavirus-related restrictions in Central Queens will ease up starting Thursday, after a decline in rates of the virus prompted Gov. Andrew Cuomo to downgrade the area from "red zone" to "yellow zone."

Non-essential businesses will be permitted to reopen and houses of worship will be able to host larger services as of Thursday, Cuomo said.

Schools will reopen Monday, though there will be mandatory weekly testing of students, teachers and staff.

"When we make progress, we adjust the targets," Cuomo said during a news conference Wednesday.

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 can resume and houses of worship can operate at 50-percent capacity.

Those restrictions are in effect in parts of Forest Hills, Rego Park, Kew Gardens and Kew Gardens Hills, according to a map released by Cuomo's office.

The designation applies to regions where more than 2.5 percent of coronavirus tests come back positive over 10 days.