New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo laid out the first steps the state will take to reopen after facing the largest outbreak of the coronavirus in the country.
On Sunday, Cuomo announced that the state will begin reopening in phases as early as May 15 if certain criteria are met. He explained that parts of upstate New York are not densely populated and have had smaller outbreaks of the coronavirus, which could allow them to reopen before New York City. The state has already allowed hospitals in some areas to resume elective surgeries.
He noted the regions that will be allowed to reopen will be based on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guideline that advises states to maintain strict social distancing measures until there have been 14 consecutive days of decline in COVID-19 virus hospitalizations.
“We said in this state it’s a very diverse state, upstate regions are like states in the Midwest, even out West, and we have very different hospitalization rates, so we look at the rates all across the state as well as across the regions,” Cuomo explained.
He continued, “We’re going to reopen in phases, a regional analysis on what we call our economic regions that we’ve been working with the state on, and those regions have been working together on economic policy, etc.”
Cuomo said that manufacturing and construction businesses would be the first to reopen during phase one. He said other businesses would be assessed on a case-by-case basis for the second phase. He noted that some businesses are interdependent and would need to open at the same time, including schools.
“Transportation, parks, schools, beaches, these are all coordinated activities, right? You turn one, they all have to turn,” he said.
Cuomo also said he is working to come up with plans to allow more activity in the summer and called on professional sports teams to consider playing without fans.
“You can’t tell people in a dense urban environment, all through the summer months, we don’t have anything for you to do, stay in your apartment with the three kids. You know? That doesn’t work,” Cuomo said. “There’s a sanity equation here, also, that we have to take into consideration.”
