Businesses

COVID-19 Information for Businesses

NY State's COVID-19 restrictions and NY Forward industry guidance has been lifted across commercial settings, including retail, food services, offices, gyms and fitness centers, amusement and family entertainment, hair salons, barber shops, personal care services, among others. 

Nursing homes and health care settings, pre-k to 12 schools, large-scale indoor events venues, public transit, homeless shelters, and correctional facilities must still adhere to existing COVID-19 health protocols per CDC guidelines.

Unvaccinated individuals are responsible for continuing to wear a mask, per federal CDC guidance.

For more information and questions go to forward.ny.gov or call 1-888-364-3065.  

CDC no longer recommends that employers require negative test results before returning to work if an employee has already completed their isolation period.

CDC now advises that individuals without critical illnesses can return to work and resume other routine activities if they meet ALL of the following three criteria:

  1. At least 5 days have passed since the onset of COVID-19 symptoms (or 5 days have passed since their initial positive test date if they never experienced any symptoms).
  2. They have been fever-free for 24 hours without the use of fever reducing medication (acetaminophen, ibuprofen, etc.).
  3. All other symptoms related to COVID-19 continue to improve.

Individuals with severe critical illness (ie: hospitalization, ventilation or ICU support) or who are severely immunocompromised may need to isolate for 10 or more days, which can be determined by a clinician.

Not requiring negative tests from employees before returning to work relieves employees from the undue burden of getting tested multiple times and, more importantly, allows them to get back to work sooner. In addition, it is possible for individuals to continue to test positive for COVID-19 after completing their isolation period, even though they are no longer infectious. Additional information from CDC can be found here.