New York City Will Fully Reopen July 1, Mayor de Blasio Says
The city of New York will be "fully reopened" on July 1. That good news came in a televised statement issued by the city's mayor, Bill de Blasio, Thursday morning.
The city will be ready for stores, businesses, offices, and theaters to reopen in "full strength" on July 1, de Blasio said in a televised interview with MSNBC's Morning Joe.
The state of New York will need to approve the plan, but there is hope as vaccinations increase that the city will be able to fully reopen.
"What I'm saying as leader of New York City, we are ready to come back and come back strong," de Blasio said. "The data and the science are saying out loud, it's time to come back."
The mayor declared, "This is going to be the summer of New York City."
We'll Learn More Later Today When the Mayor Makes an Official Announcement
It wasn't immediately clear what (if any) requirements may be necessary to reopen businesses (such as gyms, restaurants, and arenas) at full capacity. Could proof of vaccination be required? The mayor is expected to share more info later today.
The mayor expected smaller theaters to open this summer and thinks Broadway should reopen by September.
"Broadway full strength in September, but I'd love to see some of the smaller shows up in July and August," he said.
As for the city's schools, he anticipated they'll be at "full strength" this fall too.
Vaccinations Will Be Key To The City Reopening
It's estimated that about 6 million of the city's residents are fully vaccinated against the virus, but the mayor says that continued vaccinations are key to the city's plans as hospitalizations continue to decrease.
"Help us out by going out and getting vaccinated if you haven't already, and it's free and it's all over the city and now we're doing walkups at sites all over the city," de Blasio said. "We've got some work to do but I'm quite confident we'll be ready for full strength by July 1."