Orange Zone Guidelines
New York State's Cluster Action Initiative enacts new rules and restrictions that directly target areas with the highest transmission of COVID-19 cases & surrounding communities. Refer to the New York Forward website and the ESD website on the State’s cluster action initiative for the most up-to-date information on the currently designated zones. To determine whether you are located within a zone, you can check your address here.

As of 1/27/21, the City of Buffalo is NOT currently under a Yellow, Orange, or Red Zone.

The percent positive rate is down across New York, and because of this, all Orange/Yellow Zone designations for Western New York have been dropped.

All businesses must still follow the NY Forward Guidance and Reopening Rules for your industry.

Cluster Action Initiative

  • Action Plan: The Cluster Initiative will take the most significant action within the cluster, moderate action in the area surrounding the cluster to stop the spread, and precautionary action in the outlying communities.
  • Process: The initiative will divide clusters and the areas around them into three categories with successively greater restrictions within each one: Red Zone - Cluster Itself, Orange Zone - Warning Zone, Yellow Zone — Precautionary Zone. To review information regarding restrictions within the clusters, click here.
  • Enforcement: The enforcement of the zones will go into effect as soon as October 7 and no later than October 9. The new rules will be in effective for a minimum of 14 days. Fines for the sponsors of mass gatherings in violation of state public health rules will be increased to $15,000. 

    Review New York's Cluster Strategy here.

Additional Resources

Review the Empire State Development's Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) in response to New York's Cluster Action Initiative by clicking here.

For guidance related to determining whether a business enterprise is subject to a workforce reduction under executive order 202.68, related to New York's Cluster Action Initiative to address COVID-19 hotspots, click here.