Upper East Side Racks Up Social Distancing Complaints: Data

UPPER EAST SIDE, NY — New York City streets have come back to life as the city advances through the state's phased reopening plan, but with new activity comes renewed fears over the danger of spreading the novel coronavirus.

The Upper East Side's 10028 zip code ranked within the city's top 10 zips with the highest number of 311 complaints for social distancing, according to data released by the city. Fifty-three social distancing complaints have been made within the zip code since New York City entered phase two of its reopening on June 22, tying an Astoria zip code for the third most complaints in the city.

New Yorkers have made a total of 2,400 social distancing complaints to 311 since Phase Two began on June 22, data shows.

Social distance snitches are nothing new during the coronavirus pandemic — New Yorkers made about 59,000 complaints about their neighbors getting too close for medically-advised comfort since late March, data shows.

Here are the city's top ten neighborhoods for social distancing complaints since phase two:

• 10014 zip code, Greenwich Village — 70 complaints, as of July 2
• 11209 zip code, Bensonhurst - Bay Ridge — 57 complaints
• 11101 zip code, Long Island City - Astoria — 53 complaints
• 10028 zip code, Upper East Side — 53 complaints
• 10036 zip code, Chelsea - Clinton — 36 complaints
• 10002 zip code, Union Square - Lower East Side — 35 complaints
• 11372 zip code, West Queens — 34 complaints
• 10019 zip code, Chelsea - Clinton — 33 complaints
• 11375 zip code, Ridgewood - Forest Hills — 32 complaints
• 11249 zip code, Williamsburg — 31 complaints

Complaints in Manhattan are on the rise since the launch of phase two, according to the data. After June 22, Manhattan had 745 complaints compared to Brooklyn's 604.. Brooklyn was leading Manhattan in complaints prior to phase two, according to the data.

Restaurants and bars resumed outdoor table service at the start of phase two. More than 7,000 businesses have been approved for outdoor service as of July 6. City and state officials scrapped the return of indoor dining for phase three — which begins Monday — over fears that the indoor service would cause a spike in coronavirus infections.

Patch's Matt Troutman contributed to this report.