BUFFALO, N.Y. — Right now, a large part of Erie County is inside a Yellow Precautionary Zone.
What would have to happen for us to move into an Orange Warning Zone? Not much.
Wednesday, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo announced new statewide restrictions for businesses with liquor licenses, gyms, and house parties because the number of COVID-19 cases is rising.
"Bars and restaurants are one of the identified spreaders, so they will close at 10 p.m.," Cuomo said.
Some places also changed zone colors Wednesday, but Erie County did not. It is still a Yellow Zone.
To move from a Yellow Precautionary Zone to what the state is calling an Orange Warning Zone, it means we'd have to have a seven-day rolling average positivity above 3-percent for 10 days and 10 or more new daily cases per 100,000 residents on a seven-day average.
As of Tuesday, all of Erie County, including the parts outside the Yellow Zone, had a seven-day rolling average of 25 new cases per 100,000 residents, so that's more than 10. And, the seven-day rolling average has been above 3-percent in Erie County for less than a week, so it hasn't been 10 days.
Moving into the Orange Zone also triggers new restrictions, but Wednesday, the governor announced those new statewide restrictions including a 10 person maximum limit if you're having people over.
"The states around us have capped parties at private residences to no more than 10 people in a residence unless your household happens to be more than 10, and then it's your household," Cuomo said. "But Halloween parties, football parties, just let's get together and have a party, this is the third one of the three great spreaders as identified by our contact-tracing."
"It's psychological, you know, you go to a party with just your friends. Only 10 people. You know these people. They wouldn't hurt me. They're my friends. Yeah, I know, but they can be infected," Cuomo said.
Tuesday, the CDC came out with new guidance for safely celebrating Thanksgiving this year. It says the safest way is to celebrate with people in your own household. But, if you choose to spend the day with people you don't live with, you can be safer by wearing a mask, staying at least 6 feet away from the people you don't live with, washing your hands, bringing your own food, drinks, plates, cups, and utensils, and avoid going into the kitchen where food is being prepared. It also suggests using single-use salad dressing and condiment packets.
While the CDC is saying that, going from yellow to orange in New York State means both indoor and outdoor mass gatherings would be limited to 10 people matching the governor's new statewide restriction of no more than ten people at a house party. And, if you're going out to eat on Thanksgiving, outdoor dining is your only option in the Orange Zone unless you do takeout. You'd still be limited to four people per table just like in the Yellow Zone.
"If these numbers keep going crazy, you have some scientists who believe we're going to go back to a close-down," Cuomo said. "I'm just praying that doesn't happen. But, these are all calibrations, right? Remember, restaurants, bars at one time were at zero, and then we started to open them up. Now, the positivity rate is up and we're starting to back off. If we don't get the compliance, if the numbers don't come down, we will back off more."
There are also Red Zones, and they have the most restrictions.