COVID-19 Resources

General Resources / Updates

*Please Note:  information is always changing and we cannot keep up-to-date information at all times, however we will strive to make the most pertinent information available in a timely manner.*

  • The COVID-19 vaccine is available in NY! Click here to find out where to get vaccinated.

  • COVID-19 restrictions have been lifted in New York and the state has adopted the CDC's guidelines for fully vaccinated people. To learn how this impacts New York specifically,  read the New York State guidance that implements the CDC's recommendations.

  • Key to NYC: Vaccination Requirements for Indoor Public Activities (for businesses & recreation). More information can be found here, but some of the biggest requirements include:

    • People ages 5 to 12 are required to show proof they have received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, and people 12 and older must show proof of two doses (except for Johnson & Johnson recipients), for:

      • Indoor dining

        • Includes restaurants, catering halls, hotel banquet rooms, bars, nightclubs, cafeterias, coffee shops, fast food restaurants, grocery stores with indoor dining and other indoor dining spaces

      • Indoor fitness

        • Includes gyms, fitness centers, fitness classes, pools, dance studios and other indoor fitness studios, such as yoga or Pilates

      • Indoor entertainment and certain meeting spaces

        • Includes movie theaters, music and concert venues, museums, aquariums and zoos, professional sports arenas, indoor stadiums, convention centers, exhibition halls, hotel meeting and event spaces, performing arts theaters, bowling alleys, arcades, pool and billiard halls, recreational game centers, adult entertainment and indoor play areas

    • People 18 and older are also required to show identification along with their proof of vaccination. These requirements — called the Key to NYC — also means employees working at these locations must be vaccinated.

    • Proof of vaccination may include:

    • To report a location that is not following these requirements, call 311.

    • If your business is covered by this requirement, you are required to check the vaccination status of all staff and customers 5 and older. You may not permit entry to anyone ages 5 to 12 who has not received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine (or people 12 and older who have not received two doses, or one dose of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine), unless an exception in the Executive Order for Key to NYC or the Frequently Asked Questions document.

    • Businesses that do not comply with this policy will be subject to fines.

    • To implement this policy:

      • Place the Vaccination Required Poster for Businesses (PDF) in a place that is clearly visible to people before they enter your business.

      • Become familiar with the accepted proofs of vaccination listed above.

      • Develop a written implementation plan that will be available for inspection. This should include how you will check the vaccination status of staff and customers before they enter — or immediately after they enter — your business.

      • Help your staff get vaccinated: Consider hanging posters about the COVID-19 vaccines in break rooms and provide information about where to get vaccinated.

  • Large-Scale Indoor Events Venues, Pre-K to 12 Schools, Public Transit, Homeless Shelters, Correctional Facilities, Nursing Homes and Health Care Settings Must Still Adhere to Existing COVID-19 Health Protocols Per CDC Guidelines.

  • Further, all new NYC government hires must be vaccinated against COVID-19. There is no testing alternative for people who are not vaccinated

  • Unvaccinated Individuals must continue to wear a mask, per Federal CDC Guidance.

  • Vaccinated or unvaccinated individuals must continue to wear masks when riding MTA buses and trains, and other public transportation.

  • CDC Quarantine Guidelines

    • CDC has updated their quarantine guidelines for those who are exposed and/or test positive for COVID-19.​

    • Some of the new guidelines include:

      • Quarantine for 5 days: stay home and quarantine for at least 5 full days, isolated from other household members.​

        • Wear a well-fitted mask around others in your home.​

      • End Isolation 5 days after your positive COVID-19 test if your symptoms improved but continue to wear a mask in home and in public for 5 additional days after your isolation and quarantine period ends.

    • Read the full CDC Quarantine & Isolation Guidelines.

  • Business Restart Hotline at 888-SBS-4NYC (888-727-4692).

  • The New York State moratorium on residential and commercial evictions has been extended until January 15, 2022. The new bill also:

  • Free COVID-19 testing is now available to ALL New Yorkers. More info here.

  • Booster Shots: CDC and NYSDOH strongly encourage all eligible New Yorkers to get their booster dose. This includes:

    • New Yorkers 12 years and older who received their Pfizer-BioNTech initial vaccine series at least five months ago are eligible for the Pfizer-BioNTech booster. 

    • New Yorkers 18 years and older who received the Moderna initial vaccine series at least five months ago or the Janssen/Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine at least two months ago are eligible for a booster dose. 

  • Additional Dose

    • 5-11-year-olds with certain immunocompromising conditions who received their Pfizer-BioNTech initial vaccine series at least 28 days ago are eligible for an additional dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine.

  • Learn more and schedule your appointment for a Booster Dose.

  • Vaccine Incentives: New Yorkers can get $100, free tickets, memberships, or gifts for getting vaccinated against COVID-19. These giveaways will be available for a limited time.

    • If you get your first vaccine dose at a New York City-run vaccine location or through the City's in-home vaccination program, you will be eligible to choose one of the incentives listed below, including a $100 pre-paid debit card as of July 30, 2021. Once your first COVID-19 vaccine dose is complete, you will receive an email with instructions on how to select your money or incentive. You can also call 877-VAX4NYC (877-829-4692) to learn more. Please note: The $100 incentive program for boosters has ended.

    • Book an appointment at any eligible site with "$100 incentive available" listed on the nyc.gov/vaccinefinder or call 877-VAX4NYC (877-829-4692) to find a participating site.

    • If you already received your first vaccine dose at an eligible site and would like to pick up your $100 pre-paid debit card for vaccination in person, please see further instructions at nyc.gov/vax100pickup. Please note this option is not available for eligible booster doses. You will receive your incentive via email or in the mail.

  • Vaccination Sites: Most sites are offering walk-up vaccinations for New Yorkers who are 12+. You do not need an appointment at these sites.

    • If you are 65 and older, or have a disability, you can schedule free transport by ambulette or taxi:

      • For ambulette service, call 516-812-9827.

      • For taxi service (including wheelchair accessible vehicles), call 646-349-0289.

    • If you are a minor under the age of 18, you must have your parent or guardian call to book the trip on your behalf.

  • In Home Vaccinations: You can also sign up online for an in-home vaccination or by calling 877-VAX-4NYC (877-829-4692). Anyone 12 and older is eligible for in-home vaccination.

  • Testing Sites: Locations can be found here

  • COVID-19 Aftercare to Support New Yorkers Living with Long COVID. More information here. 

Find more info here.

General Business Links and Overviews

NYC Small Business Services Overview of City Assistance

Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce

  • Overview of COVID-19 programs

  • Business webinar recordings of pass discussions

  • Upcoming webinars

Pace Small Business Development Center

  • Constantly updating with new grant and loan opportunities

Indoor Public Place Face Covering Requirement

  • Governor Kathy Hochul today masks will be required to be worn in all indoor public places unless businesses or venues implement a vaccine requirement.

NYC Business Quick Start 

Mayor Bill de Blasio and SBS Commissioner Jonnel Doris recently launched NYC Business Quick Start, a historic, $11 million concierge service for small businesses.

 

This new interagency initiative will cut red tape and make New York City the easiest place in the United States to open or reopen a small business. NYC Business Quick Start will provide small businesses a sole point of contact to help navigate City regulations, as well as a public dashboard.

 

The program guarantees a 48-hour response to all small business inquiries and will cut processing time by 50 percent. 

 

Read the press release. BIDs & CBDOs – download a social media toolkit here. 

Hospitality Hire

Hospitality Hire is a new initiative to help meet the immediate staffing needs of restaurant businesses citywide.  The campaign has two goals: (1) to make more NYC restaurant operators aware of existing Workforce1 hospitality-specific, no-cost recruitment services, and (2) to generate interest among New Yorkers not currently employed in seeking good jobs/careers in the NYC restaurant industry.   

 

SBS and its Workforce1 Career Centers (WF1) can tap its pool of 100,000+ candidates to identify qualified individuals to meet your Front-of-House and Back-of-House hiring needs by: 

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  • Sourcing job seekers through its candidate databases, paid advertisements (at no cost to you) and through local partner organizations; 

  • Recruiting and screening candidates based on your needs—and referring the most qualified to your restaurant; and 

  • Scheduling interviews. 

 

To view the Hospitality Hire presentation or a recording of the informational webinar, please click on the following links: Webinar presentation / Webinar recording 

 

Employers interested in taking advantage of this program should reach out to Alexandra Greene (agreene@sbs.nyc.gov).  

Commercial Lease Assistance

Free legal services are available through the Commercial Lease Assistance program.

 

Eligible businesses can get help with signing a new commercial lease; amending, renewing, or terminating an existing commercial lease; or addressing a commercial lease-related issue.

 

To learn more and apply go to nyc.gov/commlease 

Brooklyn EXCELerate Loan Fund

The $2.5MM Brooklyn EXCELerate Loan Fund supported by the Social Justice Fund of the Joe & Clara Tsai Foundation will target BIPOC-owned business owners in Brooklyn, providing "character-based" loans to help them get back on their feet post-pandemic and support equitable economic momentum in Brooklyn.

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Eligibility Criteria

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  • Be a BIPOC-owned small business operating in Brooklyn.  (At least 51% of ownership must be BIPOC)

  • Was operating as of January 1st, 2019.

  • Must have been adversely impacted by COVID in one or more of the following ways:

    • Temporarily shut down due to COVID-19

    • Permanently shut down due to COVID-19

    • Showed a significant decline in revenue (33% or more) in 2020 compared to 2019

    • Need access to capital to restart, reopen, or remain open.

    • Are unable to raise/borrow capital from traditional sources on reasonable terms.  (Some exceptions apply - see loan products below.)

    • Have the potential to generate or retain incremental jobs in Brooklyn.

    • Agree to present and adhere to an updated business plan with three-year financial projections.

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Click Here to learn more and apply.

New York State Pandemic Small Business Recovery Grant

The New York State COVID-19 Pandemic Small Business Recovery Grant Program was created to provide flexible grant assistance to currently viable small businesses, micro-businesses and for-profit independent arts and cultural organizations in the State of New York who have experienced economic hardship due to the COVID-19 pandemic.  

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Grant awards will be calculated based on a business’s annual gross receipts for 2019 (see below for more information). Grant amounts and calculations are subject to change by Empire State Development.

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Small businesses, Micro-businesses and For-profit independent arts and cultural organizations (collectively, “Eligible Applicants”) must be currently viable and have begun operation on or before March 1, 2019 and continue to be in operation as of the date of application (may be shuttered due to COVID restrictions). See FAQ section below for definitions of business categories above.

Eligible Applicants will be required to show loss of gross receipts as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic or compliance with COVID-19 health and safety protocols which resulted in business modifications, interruptions, or closures.

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Click Here to learn more about the grant and how to apply.

Small Business Administration: Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL)

In response to the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, small business owners, including agricultural businesses, and nonprofit organizations in all U.S. states, Washington D.C., and territories can apply for an Economic Injury Disaster Loan. The EIDL program is designed to provide economic relief to businesses that are currently experiencing a temporary loss of revenue due to COVID-19.

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If you have already applied via the streamlined application portal, please do not resubmit your application.

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Notice: COVID EIDL is no longer accepting new applications but will continue to accept requests for increases, reconsideration, and appeals.

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As of January 1, 2022, we are not able to accept applications for new COVID EIDL loans or advances. 

  • The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) will accept and review reconsideration and appeal requests for COVID EIDL applications received on or before December 31 if the reconsideration/appeal is received within the timeframes in the regulation. This means six months from the date of decline for reconsiderations and 30 days from the date of reconsideration decline for appeals – unless funding is no longer available.

  • Borrowers can request increases up to their maximum eligible loan amount for up to two years after their loan origination date, or until the funds are exhausted, whichever is soonest.

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Economic Injury Disaster Loans

Small Business Administration: Restaurant Revitalization Fund (RRF)

The American Rescue Plan Act established the Restaurant Revitalization Fund (RRF) to provide funding to help restaurants and other eligible businesses keep their doors open. This program will provide restaurants with funding equal to their pandemic-related revenue loss up to $10 million per business and no more than $5 million per physical location. Recipients are not required to repay the funding as long as funds are used for eligible uses no later than March 11, 2023.

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Applications are now open. See How to apply for more detail.

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Sign up to receive email alerts from SBA as additional information about the Restaurant Revitalization Fund becomes available.

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Eligible entities who have experienced pandemic-related revenue loss include:

  • Restaurants

  • Food stands, food trucks, food carts

  • Caterers

  • Bars, saloons, lounges, taverns

  • Snack and nonalcoholic beverage bars

  • Bakeries (onsite sales to the public comprise at least 33% of gross receipts)

  • Brewpubs, tasting rooms, taprooms (onsite sales to the public comprise at least 33% of gross receipts)

  • Breweries and/or microbreweries (onsite sales to the public comprise at least 33% of gross receipts)

  • Wineries and distilleries (onsite sales to the public comprise at least 33% of gross receipts)

  • Inns (onsite sales of food and beverage to the public comprise at least 33% of gross receipts)

  • Licensed facilities or premises of a beverage alcohol producer where the public may taste, sample, or purchase products

 

Cross-program eligibility on SBA COVID-19 relief options

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Click here to learn more.

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You can apply through SBA-recognized Point of Sale (POS) vendors or directly via SBA in a forthcoming online application portal: https://restaurants.sba.gov. Participating POS providers include Square, Toast, Clover, NCR Corporation (Aloha), and Oracle. If you are working with Square or Toast, you do not need to register beforehand on the https://restaurants.sba.gov application portal.

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Registration with SAM.gov is not required. DUNS or CAGE identifiers are also not required.

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If you would like to prepare your application, view the sample application form. You will be able to complete this form online.

New York City Department of Finance