Last reviewed January 19, 2021, 9:55 a.m. EST

Overview

New York City now has outdoor dining, open museums, and in-person schooling for pre-K to fifth grade—except for parts of Staten Island.

Social Distancing

NYers are required to wear masks when in public and within six feet of others. NYC residents who are not working in Phase 4 should stay at home as much as possible, avoiding unnecessary travel and other unnecessary activities. More info here.

Vaccines

Vaccines are available to certain essential workers and everyone age 65 and over. Here are details on how to get a COVID-19 vaccine appointment, and here are details on the vaccine rollout overall.

Businesses

Phase 4 businesses include zoos, botanical gardens, museums, hair salons, and gyms all at reduced capacity. See how we're doing here.

Events

Houses of worship can operate at 33% of capacity. Non-essential gatherings of up to 50 people are allowed in Phase 4, if social distancing and proper disinfection procedures are followed.

Healthcare status

As of January 19th, about 20% of NYC hospital beds are available. See NYC's public health milestones, NY State's regional monitoring dashboard, and Gothamist's statistics tracking.

Schools

Public schools have reopened for students through the 5th grade; currently the city does not have plans to reopen middle or high schools for in-person learning.

Students and any New Yorkers who need meals can receive Grab-n-Go meals at these locations.

How to help

If you're interesting in donating supplies, support, time, etc., here are some suggestions.

How to get help

The city is offering free meals to all New Yorkers at 211 meal hubs. They are open Monday through Friday. Here's a list of locations. You can call 311 for information; for instance, if you are a senior citizen, you can get food delivery.

You can also call 311 for additional resources for assistance.

Public Transport

Public transportation has increased service for Phase 4, but subways are still shut down between 1 a.m. and 5 a.m. every day for cleaning (essential workers can find bus options or request a ride here). Transit riders must wear masks while commuting. The Staten Island Ferry is resuming rush-hour service.

COVID-19 and antibodies testing

You can see if you're eligible for a coronavirus test at this NY State website.

If you're curious about antibody testing, see our guide to some of the city's testing sites.

More NYC COVID-19 news

See Gothamist's daily Coronavirus Updates posts, which are updated multiple times a day.

Also, check out our "Ask An Epidemiologist" series, which answers questions like "Is it safe to socialize in open air" and "Can I take an elevator".