New York is set for Phase 3 of reopening, but indoor dining is still off-limits

• New York City is set to enter Phase 3 of its reopening from coronavirus lockdowns on Monday, allowing businesses like personal care services to welcome customers with heightened safety guidelines.
• Despite promising improvements in positive tests and hospitalizations, the city is still a step behind the rest of the state and indoor dining is not an option, Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced last week.
• "As we end this holiday weekend, I urge everyone to be New York Tough: wear a mask, socially distance, use hand sanitizer and continue the smart practices that have made our state a national leader in combatting this virus," Cuomo said ahead of the city's expanded reopening.

New York City is set to enter Phase 3 of its reopening from coronavirus lockdowns on Monday, July 6.

Under the new guidelines, people in the city can enjoy more businesses including tattoo parlors, nail salons, and other personal care services. Indoor dining, however, is still off-limits.

Though indicators like new cases and hospitalizations have been promisingly low, the city's reopening is a phase behind New York state's rollback of lockdowns due to the unique nature of trying to maintain safety measures in the city, particularly in restaurants.

"We are going to postpone phase three indoor dining for New York City until the facts change and it is prudent to open. At this point, it isn't prudent. This is a New York City-only modification because frankly it's a problem that is most pronounced in New York City," Gov. Andrew Cuomo said on July 1.

New York City restaurants have been open for outdoor seating since June 22. Mayor Bill de Blasio said he would work with the state to figure out when the city could move forward with indoor dining.

In a statement on the new phase, Cuomo pleaded with New Yorkers to practice the recommended hygiene and safety measures.

"As we end this holiday weekend, I urge everyone to be New York Tough: wear a mask, socially distance, use hand sanitizer and continue the smart practices that have made our state a national leader in combatting this virus," Cuomo said.

The city will open several recreation venues in Phase Three, including dog runs, and courts for basketball, tennis, volleyball, handball, and bocce.

The newly opened businesses will have to follow strict safety protocols, including closing waiting rooms and limiting capacity inside businesses to 50%. Workers should maintain six feet of distance from customers except during the service, and face masks should be worn at all times.

Any personal care services that require customers to remove face coverings, like facial waxing or piercings, are prohibited, according to official guidelines.

After the state and city announced positive coronavirus test rates were hovering around 1.3% last week, businesses will be tasked with requiring employees to get tested for COVID-19 every 14 days, in addition to health screenings like symptom questionnaires or temperature checks.

Customers won't be subject to health screenings, according to the guidelines, but businesses are encouraged to maintain a log of employees and customers should contact tracing be necessary.

New York City was previously the epicenter of the novel coronavirus pandemic, with new daily cases peaking in early April around 6,300, according to city data. As of July 3, that number had fallen to 50.