How many New Yorkers have died from COVID-19? The answer is very different depending on who you ask. Already facing criticism for undercounting COVID-19 deaths in nursing homes, state health officials and Gov. Andrew Cuomo are trying to explain why their death toll is dramatically smaller than the federal government’s.

The number of deaths from COVID-19 in New York State is in the tens of thousands. But while the tally is kept by both the federal government and the Cuomo administration, those numbers don’t come close to matching.

Igor Yakovlev’s company is quite the buzz on Staten Island.

He started Beezy Beez Honey about seven years ago.

Mayor Bill de Blasio on Tuesday scolded vaccine holdouts in the city and pleaded with people to get their shots, promising further announcements later this week on the city’s approach to stemming the spread of COVID-19.

De Blasio came under criticism Monday after he played down the importance of a mask mandate to stop the virus relative to the power of vaccinations, which he and city health advisers have called a permanent solution to the pandemic. Los Angeles has reinstated a mask mandate to curb the spread of the highly contagious delta variant, while San Francisco has issued a mask advisory to residents.

Over 18,000 city health care workers are demanding hazard pay. Joan Wright is a nursing assistant and said she’s frustrated with the city. Like many municipal health care workers, she worked throughout the pandemic and doesn’t understand why the city hasn’t given hazard pay or extra compensation for that time.

“I think we should get hazard pay because we work very hard and we don’t get recognized because we do more than one shift because some people can’t come in,” said Wright.

Ranked-choice voting was America's biggest experiment with that type of polling when New York City used it in its primaries last month. But with a botched rollout of vote counts, many are questioning if the practice was worth it and if it should stick around. Pat Kiernan speaks with the NY1 team that has been following the primaries and this new process from the beginning.

Join the conversation using #NY1Crosstown.

The numbers are not in dispute: COVID-19 is on the rise in New York City, with cases now topping 500 a day.

With the spread of the more contagious Delta variant and a slowdown in vaccinations, some want to see the return of an indoor mask mandate, including Public Advocate Jumaane Williams and City Councilman Mark Levine, a prominent voice on the issue.

Rose Nochella and Kathy Catania are headed to the 9/11 Museum and Memorial unmasked. Rose is vaccinated. Kathy is not.

“I’m not vaccinated. I had COVID, and I still have antibodies," Catania said.

Broadway is finally ready to return after more than 15 months of being shuttered by the COVID-19 pandemic. Dozens of shows have announced reopening dates for the 2021-22 season, and more are still to come.

COVID-19 protocols are still being worked out for most shows, but check back for updates on what's ahead for the Great White Way.

NEW YORK — The Yankees’ COVID-19-related delay to the second half lasted just one day.

The Bronx Bombers began their crucial series against the Boston Red Sox as scheduled Friday night, after the Thursday game was postponed due to positive COVID-19 tests within the Yankees’ organization.

NEW YORK — The Yankees' post-All-Star break opener against the Boston Red Sox on Thursday night was postponed because of positive COVID-19 tests within New York's organization.

Major League Baseball said the postponement was to allow for more testing and contact tracing.

As the city moves to make its outdoor dining plan permanent, residents across the city say they don’t want the pandemic-era expansion in their neighborhoods.

From trash issues to noise complaints, people have been gathering at community board meetings over the past week as the city’s Department of Transportation introduces a long-term plan.

NEW YORK — Upper West Side resident Caroline Attayek lives and works along the 1 train line, but recently that has not been very convenient.

"I literally have an interaction with my boss with me texting her, me leaving an hour early thinking that would get me there in time and I still end up at work 15 minutes late,” Attayek explained.

The city is urging New Yorkers to get vaccinated against COVID-19 as the delta variant pushes cases higher.

At a news conference Wednesday, Mayor Bill de Blasio reiterated the city’s “five pillars” to combating the virus; mobile vaccine sites in undervaccinated communities, door-to-door canvassers, in-home vaccination services, expanding a referral bonus program for local nonprofits, and driving more doctors to reach out to their patients.

Jacky Wong is frustrated. He’s a translator helping Cantonese and Mandarin speakers in Chinatown apply for the state’s COVID Emergency Rental Assistance Program or E-RAP. The online portal opened on June 1, and the six people he helped apply haven’t received a dime yet.

“A lot of landlords are really worried because they might be forced to evict their tenants if they don’t receive the E-RAP money. And also, the tenants are very scared because if they don’t get that money they might be kicked out,” Wong said.

NEW YORK — Last month, as COVID-19 numbers continued to fall, Mayor Bill de Blasio announced a ticker-tape parade to honor those essential workers who helped guide the city through the pandemic.

“We’re always going to remember the pain and the tragedy of COVID,” the mayor said at a news conference. “No one is ever going to forget those we lost and what families are still going through.”

NEW YORK — As the city’s iconic dining scene continues its comeback, Restaurant Week is back for the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic began — and longer than ever — hoping to give businesses an extra boost.

“I am excited. I think it is a rebirth on all levels," said Leah Abraham, the owner of Settepani, an Italian restaurant in Harlem.

Mayor Bill de Blasio announced Monday that for now, all New York City public school students will continue to be required to wear masks while inside classrooms come September, regardless of their COVID-19 vaccination status.

The news comes after the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) loosened their masking guidance on Friday, recommending that vaccinated students and staff no longer need to wear a face covering inside the classroom.

Mayor Bill de Blasio faced questions Monday on what his administration is doing to address low vaccination rates in some neighborhoods as the city faces a growing number of COVID-19 cases caused by the delta variant.

In eastern Brooklyn and southeast Queens just over a third of residents are fully vaccinated, while in much of the Bronx just 40% of residents are fully vaccinated, according to city data. In much of Manhattan, western Brooklyn and northern Queens, two-thirds or more of residents are fully vaccinated.

NEW YORK — At 17 years old, Maggie Ornstein became a caregiver when her mom suffered a frontal lobe aneurysm.

"It's very much like Alzheimer's or dementia right, so she needs someone around all the time," said Ornstein, describing her mother's illness

Adela Tapia has been busier than ever lately.

Her business, Miss Adela Tapia's Day Care, is thriving. She's been operating out of her Greenwich Village apartment for 13 years.

The COVID-19 vaccine site at the Javits Center will be shut down as part of an ongoing downscaling of mass vaccination sites, Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced Wednesday.

July 9 will be the site's last day of operation.

The Hometown Heroes Parade marched up the Canyon of Heroes Wednesday, giving people across the city the opportunity to say thank you to all the essential workers who kept New York going through the darkest days of the pandemic.

“It’s like a big hug from New York, so thank you” said Sandra Lindsay, grand marshal of the parade.

The school year is over, but student artwork still adorns P.S. 76 in Harlem.

"We decided to leave it up for a couple of weeks, for the beginning of ‘Summer Rising,’” Principal Charles Deberry said.

The Canyon of Heroes will come alive for the first time in two years Wednesday at a ticker-tape parade to honor the city’s front-line workers who helped fight the COVID-19 pandemic.

But the heat is forcing some changes to the event that is expected to draw thousands of participants to the march, which will feature 14 floats representing 260 different sectors of essential workers.

After a difficult pandemic summer, the small businesses of the Rockaways are open and ready to welcome visitors for the new season. Pat Kiernan chats with NY1 Reporter Clodagh McGowan, who spoke with shop owners along the beach about how businesses have bounced back.

NEW YORK — Monday afternoon marked a celebration of victory for residents of the newly formed community group, the Battery Park City Neighbors Association.

After a week of protests and sit-ins inside Rockefeller Park, the group was successful in saving local trees and pausing construction on the “Circle of Heroes” memorial.

NEW YORK — Before Thai Rock even opens for lunch service, kitchen staff preps furiously for the lunch rush.

Owner Robert Kaskel is happy his restaurant is fully staffed once again.

New York City is pushing ahead with loosening pandemic-era restrictions for city office workers even as the threat of the Delta variant of the COVID-19 virus grows.

Mayor Bill de Blasio announced at a Tuesday morning news conference that vaccinated city employees will soon be able to work in their offices without masks or physical distancing. Unvaccinated employees, as well as those who interact with the public directly, will still be required to wear masks.

NEW YORK — Homeless men left the Lucerne hotel on the Upper West Side. There were about 280 homeless men living there at one point, but about 70 men were moved Monday.

"They pick and choose! We've been here for three years in the shelter!" said one man who was moved from the Lucerne. "They put their people in the apartment!"

NEW YORK — Battery Park City residents at a sit-in say they're hoping to convince Gov. Andrew Cuomo to drop plans for a monument to essential workers in their neighborhood, worried that they'll lose a vital part of Rockefeller Park.

"Our primary objective is to preserve this green space," Jennifer Haran said.

BROOKLYN, N.Y. — Ask a kid their favorite thing about a visit to Lulu's Cuts and Toys and it's not hard to predict what they'll say.

"Seeing all the toys and sometimes getting one," said Lillian Kaiser. The 8-year-old and her mother, Nora Kaiser, say the selection and the personal touch have kept them loyal to the Brooklyn mom and pop store. “We made sure that we kept shopping throughout the pandemic," Kaiser said. "We probably bought more toys during the pandemic than at other times." For 20 years, owner Brigitte Prat has been bringing joy to little ones in the store she named after her daughter back in 2001.

COVID-19 hospitalizations in New York state have reached their lowest level since the start of the pandemic, Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced Saturday.

The 371 patients hospitalized breaks the previous low of 410 reached on September 5, 2020.

NEW YORK — After more than 15 months in the dark, it's thrilling to know that Broadway is officially back! On Saturday night, the St. James Theatre will play host to "Springsteen On Broadway," the first Broadway show to be performed since March 11, 2020.

"Springsteen On Broadway" St. James Theatre 246 W. 44th Street Through Sept. 4, 2021 Tickets: seatgeek.com ------ "Seven Deadly Sins" Meatpacking District Through July 18, 2021 Tickets: sevendeadlysinsnyc.com ------ "June Rites" Governors Island June 25-27 Tickets: waterwell.org/junerites ------

BRONX, N.Y. — Nicole Lehoczky recently filmed her latest TikTok video at Hudson River Park.

She is an elementary school teacher in the Bronx who made a TikTok account to engage her students during remote learning.

A Circle of Heroes monument honoring essential workers during the pandemic will open on Labor Day this year, Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced Wednesday morning.

The monument was designed by representatives of essential workers and will be located in Battery Park City.

The Mets will return to full capacity at Citi Field when they begin their next home stand with a doubleheader against the Braves Monday, June 21.

Fans will no longer need to show proof of vaccination or a negative COVID-19 test to enter the stadium. Social distancing and mask requirements also have been eased.

NEW YORK — Now that 70% of adults in New York state have received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, almost all related restrictions on businesses, gatherings and masks can now be lifted, Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced Tuesday.

The news is a major boon for New York economically and culturally, but after adhering to ever-changing safety guidelines for about 15 months, many are unsure about what’s allowed and what isn’t under the new guidance.

Public schools will no longer have to limit the number of attendees at outdoor graduation ceremonies, the city's Department of Education told principals Wednesday afternoon, though attendees will still have to keep six feet apart, wear masks and fill out health screening forms.

Capacity limits for indoor graduations will remain in place. They are capped at 250 people.

NEW YORK — With chants of “New York City is back,” onlookers gathered in Battery Park on Tuesday night as fireworks went off in New York Harbor, celebrating almost all COVID-19-related restrictions on businesses, gatherings and masks being lifted as the state’s partial vaccination rate for adults reached 70%.

A look at the fireworks display in New York Harbor tonight, celebrating 70% of adults in the state getting at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. Most pandemic restrictions have been lifted with New York hitting the threshold. #OneNewYork https://t.co/5WH3KusIsS pic.twitter.com/Ypnnubh5zE

A free box of groceries could not have come at a better time for South Bronx resident Madeline.

“I just lost my job. I have to try to do unemployment,” she explained.

NEW YORK (AP) — Nearly 900 people received expired COVID-19 vaccine doses at a vaccination site in Times Square this month, health officials said Tuesday.

The 899 people who received doses of the Pfizer vaccine at the former NFL Experience building in Times Square between June 5 and June 10 should schedule another Pfizer shot as soon as possible, the New York City Health Department said.

The city will host a parade honoring essential workers on Wednesday, July 7, in the Canyon of Heroes, Mayor Bill de Blasio announced on Monday.

We promised the heroes who led the fight against #COVID19 a celebration like our city had never seen. Save the date: July 7, 2021. The Hometown Heroes Parade. #SummerOfNYC https://t.co/fiWArfoubE

NEW YORK — Even after being battered by a deadly pandemic, New Yorkers are generally optimistic about the city’s future, but also see themselves increasingly less able to afford living here, according to the results of our latest Spectrum News NY1/Ipsos poll.

Fifty-eight percent of those polled said they see a future for themselves in the city, versus 27% who don’t.

For the first time since the pandemic started, there are plenty of clothes to wash and press at Iris Cleaners and Tailors in East Elmhurst.

Co-owner Carlos Landazabal said business finally started to improve a few weeks ago, when more New Yorkers started to return to the office.

NEW YORK — Nearly a quarter of New Yorkers, 23%, remain vaccine-hesitant despite widespread efforts to combat the problem in recent months, our latest Spectrum News NY1/Ipsos poll found.

That figure includes 12% of New Yorkers who say they don’t plan to receive the vaccine, and 11% who are not sure if they’ll choose to receive it.

NEW YORK — The 20th Tribeca Festival kicked off Wednesday with a bang as the stars came out for the red carpet world premiere of “In the Heights,” which took place — where else? — in Washington Heights at the United Palace Theater.

Stars from the musical-drama, including New York’s own Lin-Manuel Miranda, who wrote the music and lyrics, talked about the film opening the festival, and their first in-person red carpet since the coronavirus pandemic began.

Mayor Bill de Blasio admitted defeat at a news conference Wednesday on a key goal of the city’s COVID-19 recovery: He acknowledged that the city will not hit 5 million fully vaccinated people by the end of this month.

“It’s gonna be very very tough at this point to hit 5 million by the end of June,” de Blasio said, laying the blame with the federal government for briefly withdrawing use of the Johnson & Johnson one-shot vaccine over safety concerns.

Jessica Cruz contracted COVID-19 earlier this year, but she refuses to get vaccinated. She just doesn’t trust the vaccine.

“I have family that done it and I’m just praying later on in the future, symptoms you know, nothing happens years down the line because you took the vaccine,” said Cruz.

NEW YORK — The vast majority of New Yorkers say they’re comfortable going back to work in an indoor setting. But that doesn’t mean they want to.

According to our latest Spectrum News NY1/Ipsos poll, 68% of employed New Yorkers would be comfortable working in an office or other indoor setting once pandemic restrictions are lifted.

NEW YORK — Emily Tow and Maureen Falvey were thrilled to catch the first in-person performance at The Public Theater on Tuesday, since the shutdown of live performances in March of 2020.

“I just, signed me up for the first day we can come back,” Tow said. The friends share a passion for the arts and say virtual shows just aren’t the same. “I think we had a chance to see what we miss the most and there was tremendous deprivation with the theater, it’s the place where I experience my greatest joy, so I can’t believe it’s true, I can’t believe it’s here,” Falvey said. After a year of going dark, The Public Theater is just one of the many venues filling up its schedule. Madison Square Garden announced Tuesday it will host the first concert at 100% capacity on June 20. All fans will be vaccinated to see the Foo Fighters take the stage. Plus, according to multiple reports MTVs Video Music Awards, or the VMAs, will return to Barclays Center in September. Falvey says she’s missed the human connection that in-person events offer. “Just a shared experience with people at the same time, not on a Zoom but just the added effect of like we’re all experiencing something special at the same time is everything,” she said. That goes for Broadway too. Mayor Bill de Blasio expressed his excitement Tuesday about Bruce Springsteen returning to the stage on June 26 with "Springsteen on Broadway". “Broadway epitomizes New York City. Broadway coming back means New York City's coming back. Broadway coming back means our arts and culture are coming back, the life of the city coming back, jobs coming back, tourists coming back;” De Blasio said. At The Public Theater, proof of vaccination is not required to attend shows but guests must wear a mask, maintain social distancing, and undergo a temperature check at the door. Tickets can be purchased at publictheater.org.

Around 17,000 fans gathered inside the Barclay's Center to cheer on the Nets this week. But at Tottenville High School, no more than 500 people will be able to celebrate graduation on the school’s outdoor football field.

That doesn’t make much sense to student body president — and soon to be graduate — Robert Malyar.

NEW YORK — As New York begins to emerge from the pandemic, there’s little doubt that a functioning transit system is essential to the city’s recovery.

The problem is, New Yorkers aren’t comfortable using it — and that unease has only grown in recent weeks, according to the our latest Spectrum News NY1/Ipsos poll. The poll also found New Yorkers more eager to participate in other aspects of city life, but not yet ready to completely ditch their masks.

Free ice cream, a DJ and giveaways were just some of the perks for kids who showed up at a “pre-vacation vaccination” site at Bronx Writing Academy.

Aaliyah Jennings, 14, was first in line Friday.

BRONX, N.Y. — You don’t have to get on a plane to travel through the seven continents. By visiting the Bronx Night Market, your tastebuds can be transported to different parts of the world.

This week, the event is celebrating it’s 4th anniversary. One of the most popular stands is Arepa Baby. It serves up a gluten free version of Venezuelan arepas mixed in with unique ingredients.

NEW YORK — Even after a full day of work at the Institute for Family Health in the Bronx, Cheikhou Ann goes out into his own neighborhood to sign people up for the COVID-19 vaccine.

Currently, data from the city puts vaccination rates in the south Bronx among the lowest in the city, at about 40%. Ann is trying to change those numbers.

Schools will now offer vaccinations on site for students over the age of 12 beginning this Friday, Mayor Bill de Blasio announced on Wednesday.

The effort will begin at four schools in the Bronx, with a focus on middle schools, but expand in the coming weeks to all five boroughs.

NEW YORK — For more than 27 years, Cubbyhole has been a fixture in the West Village, with its eclectic design and rainbow-covered ceilings.

But according to “The Lesbian Bar Project,” there are only three lesbian bars left in New York City, Cubbyhole being one of them.

City senior centers can now reopen, Mayor Bill de Blasio announced Tuesday at a news conference, giving thousands of residents access to hot meals, old friends and classes for exercise, art and more.

Centers can begin offering outdoor activities immediately, and resume indoor activities on June 14.

New York City saw the lowest rate of people testing positive for COVID-19 since it began keeping track of the city’s positivity rate, Mayor Bill de Blasio said Tuesday at a news conference.

The city began tracking test positivity in March 2020, hitting a high that month of 71% of tests performed coming back as positive for COVID-19.

Harry Panagiotopoulos, the owner of the Sweet Spot in Astoria, had been waiting months for the curfew on indoor dining to be lifted.

On Monday, the curfew ended. Now, indoor dining at NYC establishments can continue past midnight.

New York’s seven-day average COVID-19 positivity rate has dropped to 0.71%, a new record low, Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced Sunday.

The news comes as New York registered 55 straight days of declining coronavirus cases in the state.

It may have been a wet start to Memorial Day weekend, but the weather had nothing on 16-year-old Kristen McQuaid, who was looking to combine relaxation with vaccination.

“Nothing is really stopping me,” McQuaid said, “Even if it was snowing I would come out here to get it.”

Tasha Graham is a Knicks super fan and a season ticket holder.

"You know, Knicks fans, we get heartbroken a lot, but I’ve always been a faithful fan, no matter what," Graham said. "I always love the Knicks, I always rock my Knicks gear, whether they’re winning, they’re losing."

Amalia Mendoza has been hesitant to get vaccinated against COVID-19.

“I’m scared. It’s many information. You think, is it a good decision or not,” said Mendoza, a Sunnyside resident.

After more than a year of being cooped up or kept close to home, many kids will be heading to sleepaway camps this summer. With new state guidelines to keep children safe, parents we spoke with, like Jamie Witover, said they're confident that their kids will be OK.

"Everyone is like, ‘Get them to camp. They need to be in camp this year,’” Witover told NY1. Witover said she's like most moms she knows — eager to see her kids enjoy some semblance of a regular childhood this summer.

Starting this weekend visitors to New York City's parks and beaches can get the COVID-19 vaccine from mobile vaccination sites, Mayor Bill de Blasio said at a news conference Tuesday.

The initiative comes as city beaches open for the season over Memorial Day weekend, and as the city's vaccination effort has slowed dramatically. About 42% of the city's total population is fully vaccinated five months into the immunization effort, according to city data.

QUEENS, N.Y. — When the Mets and Yankees made the initial announcement that they planned to offer two different types of seating, based on a person’s vaccination status, it was unclear how they would be able to implement their proposal.

On Monday, however, the Mets began to implement their plan for the first time.

NEW YORK — The New York City Pride March will once again be presented virtually to help prevent the spread of the coronavirus.

"Pride is how I celebrate just how much I've loved myself, to be exactly who I am and how I help others do that as well," said actor and 2021 Pride March Grand Marshal Wilson Cruz.

NEW YORK — Mayor Bill de Blasio on Monday announced schools will fully reopen this fall with no remote option for the city's one million public school students.

“New York City public schools, one million kids, will be back in their classroom in September, all in-person, no remote,” Mayor de Blasio said Monday morning on MSNBC’s “Morning Joe.” “That's the news I think parents, kids, everyone's been waiting for, to know we're going to be back strong, ready, safe.”

NEW YORK — For the first time in more than a year, Catholic churches in Brooklyn and Queens held Sunday mass at full capacity this weekend.

The Brooklyn Diocese announced all churches could operate without capacity restrictions, per CDC guidelines.

The owner of a beloved Italian-American gift shop that has been in business for more than 100 years is desperately looking to stay afloat at a time when the pandemic has delivered a blow both to his shop and to his family.

Ernie Rossi recently returned to E. Rossi and Co, located on Grand St in the heart of Little Italy, for the first time in more than three months.

Outside the entrance gate to the 39th Street Pier in Brooklyn, a small collection of stones has piled up.

That's the spot where Rabbi Regina Sandler-Phillips keeps vigil roughly every two to three weeks for the hundreds of bodies the city has stored in refrigerated trucks beyond the gate.

Sholakunmi Olukogbon investigates the worst child abuse allegations in the city.

“Some things I've heard, witnessed, that's happened to children is definitely horrifying," he told NY1.

The city’s health department has spent "the vast majority" of its more than $140 million media budget to raise awareness about the COVID-19 vaccines, a top agency official said at a budget hearing Wednesday.

The spending revelation comes as the city’s vaccination effort has slowed dramatically — 52% of city residents have not had a first dose. Mayor Bill de Blasio pledged in January to have 5 million New Yorkers fully vaccinated by June.

The doors at the Bel Aire Diner in Astoria have been open all year, but starting Wednesday you can walk through them unmasked, if you’re fully vaccinated against COVID-19.

Plus, restaurants like Bel Aire can officially operate at 100% capacity, but with limits.

NEW YORK — Families with children in public school want to know what the next school year will look like. They are getting a chance to ask questions and offer input in a series of virtual forums with Chancellor Meisha Porter.

“We are going to share some of our thinking. But we really, really, really want to hear from all of you,” Porter said at the first of these forums.

NEW YORK — Jairo Rodriguez has a unique workout routine. He likes to walk on his hands along the indoor track at Chelsea Piers Fitness in Manhattan. With capacity limits going away, he expects less room for this workout.

“I will have to find a different spot where I can do this," said Rodriguez, who includes a little bit of everything as part of his workout at the club along the Hudson River.

NEW YORK — Mayor Bill de Blasio hopes that the Brooklyn Nets’ upcoming participation in the NBA Playoffs can give the city an assist in its efforts to vaccinate more New Yorkers.

While wearing a Nets jersey and hat, the mayor announced Tuesday that the city and the Nets were teaming up.

A sign reading "no face mask, no entry" outside of Blend on 30th Avenue in Astoria will be taken down before the restaurant begins serving lunch Wednesday afternoon.

"We just want to get things back to normal,” said one of the restaurant’s owners, Daniel Perez. “I hate to say it, but if you don't fell comfortable going out, don't go out, but other people who want to go out, enjoy, let them do it.”

In New York City, life appears to be headed back to normal. Sidewalks are filling up with maskless pedestrians, restaurants are expanding indoor dining and stadiums can now seat whole sections at full capacity with vaccinated fans.

Many changes are going into effect May 19, under planned rule changes put forth by Gov. Andrew Cuomo shortly after Mayor Bill de Blasio announced his plan to fully reopen the city on July 1.

NEW YORK — The sounds of spring are back in Bryant Park, with lawnmowers cutting the grass and even office workers gabbing over lunch in the sun.

However, the largest green space in Midtown, Manhattan, normally fills with office workers this time of year:

NEW YORK — Edward Mermelstein started running the New York City Marathon to mark his 50th birthday. He did it every year after, as a way to stay healthy.

“There is nothing like running with 30, 40, 60,000 people from all over the world,” Mermelstein said.

NEW YORK — Monday was supposed to mark the end of a midnight curfew on outdoor dining across New York state.

That was not the case, however, for many New York City restaurants that only started outdoor dining when the coronavirus pandemic began.

NEW YORK — Mayor Bill de Blasio on Monday night backed the CDC’s guidance easing mask mandates for people fully vaccinated against COVID-19, but signaled those who work inside city-run buildings will continue wearing face coverings for now.

“It’s the right thing to do at this point,” de Blasio told “Inside City Hall” anchor Errol Louis in his weekly “Mondays with the Mayor” interview.

The head of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Sunday defended the decision to ease mask-wearing guidance for fully vaccinated people, stressing that increasing political pressure had nothing to do with the abrupt shift in guidelines.

“I’m delivering the science as the science is delivered to the medical journals. And it evolved,” CDC Director Rochelle Walensky said on FOX News Sunday. “I deliver it as soon as I can when we have that information available.”

The Gjocaj family is enjoying a day at Bronx park. The father, Querim, said despite the pandemic, he wants his kids, to just be kids.

“Outside, they are running. They are playing and cannot breathe. They need air, fresh air. We are tired of having a mask on for almost a year and a half,” said Querim Gjocaj.

Ian Conroy is feeling hopeful about the future of Mustang Harry’s after a tough year. He thinks new CDC guidance saying that fully vaccinated people do not need to wear masks indoors in many settings will make people more inclined to go out.

“Every bit of positive news means that first of all, the confidence comes into the people, and then more confidence, then business kicks on, because we really can’t survive unless businesses are kicking over,” he said.

BRONX, NY — After putting it off for months, Bronx resident Matthew Benn finally got vaccinated Thursday .

“I had a busy schedule work, you know, and raising a child — stuff like that,” said Benn.

New Yorkers are now receiving vaccines against COVID-19, and the state recently expanded eligibility rules for who can receive them. Nearly all New York adults are currently eligible to get vaccinated.

Here are answers to some of the common questions:

NEW YORK — The New York Yankees are now dealing with seven positive COVID-19 cases, all among their coaches and support staff.

All seven have been vaccinated.

The phones at the Fitzpatrick Hotel in Midtown are ringing more often lately. After dropping to 10% during the height of the pandemic, occupancy levels have shot up to 30%.

Owner John Fitzpatrick recently reopened the location he closed last year. He also just rehired 35 of the 130 employees he was forced to lay off.

NEW YORK — Amid the din of train announcements and commuters shuffling to work it was a most unusual moment Wednesday: Workers at Grand Central Terminal, an historic landmark, doling out vaccines to anyone who wanted one.

“You get everybody coming and going here and there so it’s a good idea,” said one of the first in line, Eric Bethea. Grand Central is one of six train and subway stations citywide opening up vaccine sites, giving out the one-dose Johnson & Johnson shot on a first come, first serve basis. It’s part of an initiative by the state to vaccinate more people. Numbers show just under 40% of New Yorkers are fully vaccinated. “Driving up the vaccination rate is the key to opening up strong and rebuilding back better," said MTA Chairman and CEO Pat Foye. "We get only one shot at this, pun intended, and we can’t miss the moment. I’m bullish on New York and I know that we can rise to the challenge if we all pull together." Wednesday through Sunday, anyone - not just New Yorkers - can get vaccinated at six city subway stations. From 8 a.m. to 1 p.m., shots will be distributed at Grand central, the East 180th Street stop in the Bronx, the 179th Street station in Queens, and the Coney Island stop in Brooklyn. Then starting at 3 p.m. until 8 p.m. you can get the shot at Penn Station, or the Broadway Junction subway stop in Brooklyn. Outside of the city, there will be sites at the Long Island Rail Road stop in Hempstead, and a Metro-North station in Ossining. Mauricio Perez, visiting from Colombia, was the first in line at Grand Central. “We come here to take advantage of this vaccine I think it’s good for tourists and to increase the economic activity here in the country, I’m very happy for this vaccine,” Perez said. There’s another big incentive for getting your shot here: As a bonus, you can get a free 7-day MetroCard or two one-way LIRR or Metro-North tickets. It's something Felix Poma, who’s worked at a restaurant throughout the pandemic, is grateful for. “I came to collect my free rides and get the vaccine at the same time,” Poma said. Officials said each site has the capacity to give out between 200 and 300 shots per day, but have more supply available if necessary.

More than a year since trucks arrived at the 39th Street Pier in Brooklyn storing hundreds of bodies of COVID-19 victims, elected officials and nearby residents are demanding answers.

Councilman Carlos Menchaca, whose district includes the Brooklyn neighborhood of Sunset Park, criticized the lack of communication from the city.

Going out to one of her favorite restaurants in Astoria is more enjoyable for Courtney Aportela now that she’s three weeks fully vaccinated.

“I feel safer, I do, 100%,” said Aportela."

NEW YORK — Adolescents between the ages of 12 and 15 could begin receiving the COVID-19 vaccine as soon as Thursday, Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced Tuesday.

"The COVID-19 vaccine is our best weapon to defeat the virus, and we're taking all the appropriate precautions to ensure the safety and effectiveness of our vaccine program," Cuomo said in a statement.