NEW YORK (1010 WINS) -- Mayor Bill de Blasio said Sunday that non-essential businesses and schools in nine ZIP codes with high COVID rates should close starting Wednesday, pending approval from the state.
The closures would include closing public and private schools, as well as daycares, in an attempt to stop the spread of the coronavirus.
Non-essential businesses would also be closed. Indoor and outdoor dining would be closed, but restaurants could still offer delivery and pickup.
The ZIP codes in Brooklyn and Queens are: 11691, 11219, 11223, 11230, 11204, 11210, 11229, 11415 and 11367.
The mayor said the ZIP codes have seen positivity rates above 3% for seven consecutive days.
“The goal here is to prevent the spread. The goal here is to do everything we can to stop something bigger from happening right now,” the mayor said.
De Blasio said the move would need approval from the state and that the city would be working with state officials over the next couple of days to get that approval.
There are two paths to reopening the ZIP codes, de Blasio said. The first would involve a 14-day pause requiring the last 7 days be below a 3% positivity rate. The second would involve a 28-day pause with the positivity rate being below 3% at the end of the pause.
In addition to the nine ZIP codes, de Blasio said the city was also monitoring 11 more ZIP codes that are "areas of real concern." The ZIP codes have not yet reached a positivity rate of 3% for seven consecutive days.
These are the 11 ZIP codes: 11205, 11211/11249, 11235, 11234, 11213, 11218, 11374, 11366, 11432 and 11365.
While nonessential businesses and schools won't be closed in the 11 ZIP codes, the city will shut down high-risk activities, including indoor dining, gyms and pools.
De Blasio said outreach, enforcement, mask distribution and testing will continue in the 20 impacted ZIP codes in addition to their respective closures.