Schools In NYC Coronavirus Hotspots Will Shutdown Tuesday: Cuomo

NEW YORK CITY — New York City schools nestled in coronavirus hotspots must close Tuesday as officials look to stop the virus' spread, Gov. Andrew Cuomo said.

Cuomo's announcement Monday applies to public and private schools in nine ZIP codes in Brooklyn and Queens. He also threatened religious institutions with closures if they don't agree to enforce restrictions on mass gatherings.

The state will take over enforcement on social distancing, mask wearing and other similar measures from the city, he said.

The governor said the measures are necessary to stop the virus' spread from those hotspots — which he compared to embers in a field of dry grass.

"The only course is to run to those embers and stamp them out immediately and dramatically," he said.

Cuomo's plans tweak Mayor Bill de Blasio's proposal to close schools and non-essential businesses in hotspot neighborhoods starting Wednesday.

The hotspot neighborhoods, with ZIP codes, positive test rate and number of days above 3 percent positivity as of this weekend, are:

• Borough Park — 11219 — 8.31 percent — 14+
• Gravesend/Homecrest — 11223 — 7.59 percent — 14+
• Midwood — 11230 — 6.98 percent — 14+
• Bensonhurst/Mapleton — 11204 — 6.47 percent — 14
• Flatlands/Midwood — 11210 — 5.94 percent — 14+
• Edgemere/Far Rockaway — 11691 — 5.63 percent — 14+
• Gerritsen Beach/Homecrest/ Sheepshead Bay — 11229 — 4.36 percent — 11
• Kew Gardens Hills/Pomonok — 11367 — 3.86 percent — 7
• Kew Gardens — 11415 — 3.81 percent — 14+

Schools potentially could spread the virus more than non-essential businesses and require immediate closures, Cuomo said. Many city schools also don't have adequate testing data, he said.

And mass gatherings, particularly in Orthodox Jewish communities where the coronavirus is largely spreading, are a close second, he said.

“If you do not agree to enforce the rules, we will close the institutions down,” he said. “I am prepared to do it.”

Cuomo said he's meeting with Orthodox community leaders on Tuesday.

State officials will also take over enforcement of coronavirus restrictions in hotspot areas from the city, Cuomo said. He said they'll enlist and direct city health inspectors and other "agency-type" officials to conduct the enforcement efforts.

He said people who are unhappy with enforcement can "blame" him. It's a kindness to enforcement restrictions that stop the coronavirus' spread and save lives, he said.

"Lack of enforcement is not kind," he said.

Cuomo said officials will take a look at changing the focus from ZIP codes toward other geographic areas that more accurately track the virus' spread. COVID-19 doesn't follow ZIP codes, he noted.

Further closures remain on the table and could happen after that change, he said.