We are again overflowing with reopening news, as vaccine eligibility further expands and the CDC greenlights travel for those who've got their shots. Live theatre, music, and comedy have returned at least in part—even Jerry Seinfeld is back.

Hibernations are ending in NYC. We're seeing green shoots of growth both figurative and literal, including openings and reopenings of Frick Madison, Balthazar, Intrepid, Circle Line, Film Forum, and the Loeb Boathouse.

The spate of recent changes reaffirms the city's comeback is on. In the past few days we've seen added restaurant capacity, extended closing times, and the return of movies, amusement parks, weddings, and catered events. We've also seen COVID positive rates plummet and hospitalizations remain low. A major bump in vaccines is on its way.

The Thanksgiving weekend saw the most U.S. travel since the pandemic began. It's an indicator that people are anxious to get out, although the substantial dropoff from 2019 also points toward plenty of COVID caution. The next couple of weeks will tell us how successful prevention efforts were, and whether we can minimize the damage of the virus between here and the arrival of vaccines. On the latter front, the news continues to be excellent, with Moderna reporting its vaccine 100% effective in preventing severe infections.

The vaccine news of the last few days is nothing short of spectacular. Pfizer and Moderna have both developed 95%-effective candidates, and Moderna's has less of a deep freeze requirement, making the logistics side more promising. Accordingly, travel stocks have been shooting up. Less publicized is a recent NYU study showing that hospitalized patients with COVID had a 26% chance of dying in March; that's been cut all the way down to 8% now. The FDA just approved an at-home COVID test. All of it bodes well for continued recovery. 

More data points toward recovery. The city's unemployment rate dropped in September, now back into single digits. Schools have reopened but the positivity rate among students is minuscule—0.2%. In fact, New York state has the third lowest positivity rate in the nation (and that's with ample testing). Nationally, the Domestic Travel Safety Barometer score rose above 50% for the first time since the pandemic began. The TSA screened over a million air travelers for the first time since March. (Those passengers are primarily leisure travelers, too.) Despite the small spike in infection rates, indicators are looking good for a New York comeback.

Another week brings some major stories—no in-person ball drop for New Year's, no Met Opera season—and also several opportunities for rebirth. Indoor dining is back today. New York's outdoor restaurant program will be made permanent and new rules will make cooler-weather dining easier. Continuing innovation will get us out of this—read on for more links of interest.

As the Times put it yesterday, "if you’re worried about Covid-19, at this point New York is one of the safest places in America." Not exactly the fiery hellscape some have suggested this week. Enjoy the long weekend!