NEW YORK (WABC) – The first US cruise in 15 months has returned after a 7-day voyage.
The Celebrity Edge docked in Port Everglades in Fort Lauderdale on Saturday.
Passengers had traveled to Mexico and the Bahamas.
The ship sailed at less than 40% capacity to allow social distancing.
13 unvaccinated children on board were tested for COVID-19 prior to arrival and all tested negative.
The rest of the passengers and crew members are fully vaccinated, the shipping company said.
Here are more headlines from today:
FDA approves batch of vaccines from troubled factory
The FDA has approved the controversial Baltimore Johnson and Johnson plant to ship more vaccines. Earlier this year, regulators stopped the site from manufacturing the vaccines because of quality concerns. However, the FDA has just cleared a batch of several million vaccines for shipping. You are still keeping an eye on the facility and have not yet given everything the go-ahead. More than 60 million cans have been rejected at the site.
US falls behind in global vaccine donation commitments
The Biden administration is falling behind with its commitment to distribute COVID vaccines worldwide. The president announced a plan on June 4 to donate 80 million cans by July 1, but so far the US has only delivered 24 million. The plan was to help 50 countries, but 40 of them have not yet received a single dose. The White House says it is currently increasing supplies.
NJ ended the public health emergency on July 4th
Governor Phil Murphy on Friday highlighted several aspects of the legislation that will enable the end of the health emergency with effect from July 4th. On June 4, 2021, Governor Murphy declared governor signed legislation Enabling the end of the COVID-19 public health emergency that began March 9, 2020. Immediately after signing the law, Murphy signed an executive order to end the COVID-19 public health emergency. According to the law, the majority of the enacted implementing ordinances based on the existence of the public health emergency expire on July 4, 2021, with exceptions set out in the laws.
Staten Island communities among NYC’s highest COVID positivity rates
New York City may begin to celebrate the end of the pandemic, but some communities on Staten Island do prove it’s not over yet. There are 145 zip codes in New York City, and the one with the highest COVID positivity is 10308 on Staten Island, a number of shopping malls and single-family homes in the Great Kills section, where the positivity rate is over 5%. Why is COVID rising here? Well that’s COVID.
“It’s an opportunist,” said New York City Health Commissioner Dr. David Chokshi. “It goes to places where it has a chance to spread.”
Robin Roberts hosts town hall ceremony to crown the ticker tape parade “Hometown Heroes”
The City Hall ceremony that will crown the Hometown Heroes Ticker Tape Parade in New York City next Wednesday will be moderated by Robin Roberts of Good Morning AmericaMayor Bill de Blasio announced on Friday. The parade begins at 11:00 AM in Battery Park and then marches north up the Canyon of Heroes. It ends in the town hall, where a ceremony takes place at 2 p.m. Nurse Sandra Lindsey, the first person in the US to receive the coronavirus vaccine, is honored.
“It will be a very special moment for the city,” said de Blasio.
“Happily Ever After” fireworks return to Disney World
Disney World guests saw fireworks fade and explode for the first time since the amusement park closed in March 2020 due to the coronavirus pandemic in person around Cinderella Castle. Just in time for the Independence Day celebrations, Magic Kingdom’s “Happily Ever After” and EPCOT’s “EPCOT Forever” spectacles returned to Disney World on Thursday evening. The fireworks shows had been put on hold to deter people from congregating after the parks reopened after closings due to COVID last year.
Glen Island Park will reopen this weekend
The city of Westchester County, where the first case of COVID-19 was discovered in New York, will mark an important milestone this weekend. Glen Island Park, including Glen Island Beach, in New Rochelle will fully reopen on Saturday. Until last week, the park served as a drive-thru test site since March 2020.
“I’m delighted that Glen Island is open this summer. I’m delighted that families are back enjoying the cool breezes of the sound and kids are splashing in the water,” said George Latimer, Westchester County executive director.
The beach is open from Saturday, July 3 through Labor Day, Monday, September 6, daily from 10 a.m. to 6.30 p.m., with the last entry at 6 p.m.
St. John the Divine Cathedral resumes personal services
Starting July 6th, St. John the Divine Cathedral in New York City will celebrate a personal Eucharist on a weekday Monday through Friday at 12:15 pm. Masking and physical distance are respected. Holy Communion is only received in the form of bread. Participants will gather in the Chapel of St. Jacob and attendance will be limited according to public health guidelines. Funerals are also possible with limited capacity. The Church plans to resume personal Sunday services on September 12.
Headliners for the 1st Central Park Homecoming Concert announced
Homecoming Concert in Central Park, New York City will include legendary artists Paul Simon, Jennifer Hudson and Bruce SpringsteenMayor Bill de Blasio announced on Thursday. The show is tentatively scheduled for August 21st.
NYC vaccination rates by zip code
There are about a dozen communities in the New York City area where three out of four people are not yet vaccinated. 7 Determined on your side created a map where the darkest zip codes have the most vaccinated New Yorkers and the lightest have the least.
MORE CORONAVIRUS COVID-19 COVERAGE
New York City COVID-19 Vaccine Tracker York
New Jersey COVID-19 Vaccine Tracker
How to get the vaccine in NYC, Tri-State Area
Centers for the control and prevention of diseases related to the coronavirus
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