On Monday, Governor Andrew Cuomo said he will be working with local governments to ensure a controlled reopening of the regional economy.
That said, he confirmed that the Finger Lakes region, or Greater Rochester area will be eligible to enter ‘Phase I’ on May 16th.
“Every business that reopens will have to meet certain conditions,” he said. “Local communities may add conditions.”
Local officials will be largely responsible for monitoring hospitalization rates and the communication between various county governments. “It won’t be a county-by-county reopening. There is no county-by-county reopening,” he said.
“They have to understand how we reopen,” Cuomo said. “They have to have a plan. They have to know the facts, and know what we’re doing.”
He stressed the importance of following the guidance that’s been set out by the Centers for Disease Control, and state health officials.
“People have to wear a mask, they have to be smart when they show up to work, when they shop,” he continued. “Be smart. No one is going to protect your health except for you.”
The region will be responsible for slowing the reopening of the economy if certain measures are being exceeded too quickly. In two weeks, the region will be able to consider if it can enter ‘Phase II’.
“You can’t overwhelm your hospitals, because then people die,” Cuomo said. “You watch the dials and coordinate that locally.”
First phase of reopening includes construction, manufacturing, and select retail. The second phase includes professional services, retail, real estate, and finance. Restaurants and hotels are part of the third phase.
It means that restaurants will likely not be able to reopen until mid-June.
This content is brought to you by the FingerLakes1.com Team. Support our mission by visiting www.patreon.com/fl1 or learn how you send us your local content here.