Rockland Coronavirus Red Zone Remains

ROCKLAND COUNTY, NY — Restrictions on schools and businesses in Rockland County's "red zone" will remain in effect for now as the coronavirus test positivity rate remains above 3 percent.

The center of Orange County's micro-cluster was downgraded from red to orange on Wednesday.

"Orange County has made very good progress," Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo said at a news briefing. The Rockland County "Red Zone" focus area and Brooklyn "Red Zone" focus area have also shown great progress, however they have not yet met the metrics to transition to a new zone, he said.

"There has been progress in other areas in micro-clusters, but nothing at this point that would cause us to change any classifications this week," he said. "We'll watch it over the next week for possible alterations."

In Rockland, as of Tuesday there were 915 active cases, down from a peak of 1,649 cases 18 days ago. There were 24 people hospitalized with COVID-19.

The red zone is centered on Spring Valley and Monsey, where high infection rates have been found in the ultra-Orthodox communities.

Within the 7 square miles of Rockland County's high-risk, or "red," zone, there are 133 synagogues, 20 yeshivas, and 14 Jewish day schools, according to a lawsuit brought by three rabbis on behalf of their congregations: two synagogues in Rockland's red zone and one in the yellow, or moderate-risk, zone: Congregation Yesheos Yakov, through Rabbi Moshe Rosner, Congregation Oholei Shem D'Nitra, through Rabbi Samuel Teitelbaum, and Congregation Netzach Yisroel, through Rabbi Chaim Leibish Rottenberg.

Cuomo said many in the ultra-Orthodox communities of New York had not ever followed the pandemic protocols set in the spring.

The suit said the new restrictions have caused considerable pain and frustration to all observant Jews, given their timing as well as the governor's "express vitriol aimed at them as a religious and ethnic group."

But a recent opinion piece in The New York Jewish Week called it a "false persecution narrative". "The problem was no one could compete with the actions of charedi Orthodox leaders who were regularly found not to be complying with regulations. Massive indoor events with no masks led by those very leaders were held regularly," argued writer Naftuli Moster.

County Executive Ed Day reminded residents that the county's COVID-19 Hotline, 845-238-1956, is available 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday-Friday and it's also possible to email COVIDCallCenter@co.rockland.ny.us. The NYS COVID-19 24-hour hotline is 1-888-364-3065.