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(Reuters) - New York City's mayor on Tuesday threatened to fine
anyone caught in public without a mask, and the Walt Disney Co said
it would lay off some 28,000 employees as its flagship California
theme park remains closed during the coronavirus pandemic.
More than 205,000 people have died in the United States and nearly
7.2 million people have been infected since the pandemic began in
March, according to a Reuters tally.
At Disney <DIS.N>, about two-thirds of the employees facing layoffs
are part-time workers, the company said in a statement. The
company's original theme park, Disneyland, remains closed by order
of California state officials. [L1N2GQ209]
"We have made the very difficult decision to begin the process of
reducing our workforce at our parks...," Josh D'Amaro, chairman of
Disney's parks unit, said in a statement, citing Disneyland's
ongoing closure.
In New York, Mayor Bill de Blasio said the city will fine residents
or visitors up to $1,000 if they refuse to wear a mask in public.
The rate of positive COVID-19 tests has risen above 3% in New York
City for the first time in months.
"We don't want to fine people, but if we have to, we will," de
Blasio said at a news conference announcing the penalty, which will
be enforced by police and health officials who will offer a mask to
those caught not wearing one before fining them.
The state-controlled Metropolitan Transportation Authority imposed a
similar policy earlier this month, fining commuters who refuse to
wear a mask on public transit $50.
STUDENTS RETURN TO NYC SCHOOLS
De Blasio's announcement came as many students returned to New York
City public elementary schools for the first time on Tuesday, part
of an effort to provide a mix of in-person and virtual learning that
had twice been delayed amid opposition by teachers unions.
The city has said it will shut schools again if the seven-day
average reaches 3% or more.
New York Governor Andrew Cuomo, who has boasted of his state's
success in reducing transmission of the virus, on Tuesday warned
that he might ban indoor dining again or bring back other
restrictions, although he said such moves were not yet warranted.
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"(But) if the local governments do not do the compliance and attack the
clusters, you will be there in the short-term future."
Cuomo has bickered with de Blasio over who has the authority to clamp down
further on residents and businesses. The governor said he would meet with
leaders of Orthodox Jewish communities in Brooklyn as well as Nassau, Orange and
Rockland counties, where infections have ticked up.
Rabbi Asher Bush, who leads the Orthodox Jewish Congregation Ahavat Yisrael in
Rockland County, said some synagogues have been more strict than others,
particularly as infection rates waned during the summer months.
“There is a very large gamut of how different congregations are conducting
themselves,” he told Reuters in a telephone interview, adding that his
congregation was being very careful by enforcing social distancing and
mask-wearing.
Beyond New York state, 28 other states were seeing upticks in new coronavirus
infections over the past two weeks, and COVID-19 hospitalizations were on the
rise in several Midwestern states.
Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota and Wisconsin have all reported
record numbers of hospitalized patients in the past seven days. On Monday, North
Dakota reported 105 hospitalizations and Wisconsin 640.
The Tennessee Titans and Minnesota Vikings professional football teams suspended
activities after some members of the Titans tested positive for COVID-19
following a game on Sunday, according to statements from the National Football
League and the teams.
(Reporting by Jonathan Allen, Gabriella Borter and Peter Szekely in New York,
Lisa Shumaker in Chicago and Lisa Richwine and Dan Whitcomb in Los Angeles;
Writing by Jonathan Allen and Dan Whitcomb; Editing by Chizu Nomiyama, Bill
Berkrot, Jonathan Oatis and Cynthia Osterman)
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