New York City is hopefully moving into phase 3 on Monday, July 6, just two weeks after its crucial phase 2 began (salons, barbershops, indoor retail, and outdoor dining resumed).
The Big Apple, which was at the epicenter of the Coronavirus pandemic with almost 18,000 deaths confirmed so far, has seen a significant downturn in the number of people who have been infected and/or died with this condition in recent weeks.
NYC was in quarantine mode for quite a long time ever since the impact of COVID-19 hit hard beginning in late March. Now the situation have turned around for the positive to the point where things could go back to somewhat normalcy during the hottest months of the year.
But does this mean that we can finally head back to the gay bars we’ve known and love soon? Not just yet, but we do remain hopeful that iconic spots like Gym Sportsbar, Pieces, The Stonewall Inn and more places will open in the near future.
The categories set to return for phase 3 are the following: personal care, restaurants and food service. This does mean that New Yorkers and its visitors can finally eat indoors but there are still a ton of guidelines that each location must follow.
The indoor capacity will be reduced to no more than 50%, keeping tables and people separated by six feet, and requiring that everyone where face masks at all times, regardless of distance.
On the personal care tip, you’ll be able to experience the following again per Time Out New York: non-hair-related personal care services, including tattoo and piercing facilities, appearance enhancement practitioners, massage therapy, spas, cosmetology, nail specialty, UV and non-UV tanning, or waxing.
Movie theaters, gyms, event venues, colleges and universities are slated to be open again for phase 4. If all goes well then NYC could be back and running in full by Monday, July 20, but only time will tell.
In the meantime do your best to support gay-owned businesses so that they can have an amazing future when COVID-19 will hopefully become a thing of the past very soon!