Gov. Andrew Cuomo says New York is loosening cluster restrictions for certain parts of Queens amid a fall in key coronavirus figures for those areas, even as the state continues to see an overall uptick in new infections.

The adjustments come after the state earlier this month issued shutdown orders for coronavirus clusters in pockets of Queens, Brooklyn and Rockland and Orange counties. The shutdown mandates are targeted at coronavirus clusters and aimed at preventing a broader outbreak. 

Under the color-coded cluster restriction plan, law firms and other nonessential businesses located in red-zone areas were required to close down, sparking a flurry of legal challenges in federal court.

In red-zone areas, nonessential gatherings are banned, indoor and outdoor dining is prohibited and schools are closed.