April 26, 2020

Albany, NY

Plan Will Be Implemented in Phases and Based on Regional Analysis and Determinations

State Will Closely Monitor Hospitalization Rate and Public Health Impact During Each Phase of Re-Opening and Will Adjust Plan and Make Other Decisions Based on Those Indicators

Confirms 5,902 Additional Coronavirus Cases in New York State - Bringing Statewide Total to 288,045; New Cases in 48 Counties

Amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today outlined a phased plan to re-open New York and re-imagine a new normal for the state starting with construction and manufacturing. The plan will be implemented in phases and will be based on regional analysis and determinations. Based on CDC recommendations, once a region experiences a 14-day decline in the hospitalization rate they may begin a phased re-opening. The State is closely monitoring the hospitalization rate, the infection rate and the number of positive antibody tests, as well as the overall public health impact, and will make adjustments to the plan and other decisions based on these indicators.

  • Phase one will include opening construction and manufacturing functions with low risk.
  • Phase two will open certain industries based on priority and risk level. Businesses considered "more essential" with inherent low risks of infection in the workplace and to customers will be prioritized, followed by other businesses considered "less essential" or those that present a higher risk of infection spread. As the infection rate declines, the pace of reopening businesses will be increased.
  • The region must not open attractions or businesses that would draw a large number of visitors from outside the local area.
  • There will be two weeks in between each phase to monitor the effects of the re-opening and ensure hospitalization and infection rates are not increasing.
  • This plan will be implemented with multi-state coordination, especially in downstate New York. The plan will also coordinate the opening of transportation systems, parks, schools, beaches and businesses with special attention on summer activities for downstate, public housing and low-income communities, food banks and child care.
  • The phased re-opening will also be based on individual business and industry plans that include new measures to protect employees and consumers, make the physical work space safer and implement processes that lower risk of infection in the business. The state is consulting with local leaders in each region and industry to formulate these plans.

"We've been talking about re-opening the state and re-imagining a new New York, and to do that we're going to have to make governmental decisions in partnership with business decisions," Governor Cuomo said. "Every business leader understands that we can't just re-open and go back to where we were and what we were doing before - we have to move forward in light of the circumstances that have developed. So we are going to re-open the economy in phases, based on regional and specific industry determinations and CDC guidelines, and in the midst of all this continuing to monitor the public health impact because all that progress we made by flattening that curve we could lose in a matter of days if we're not careful."

  

Finally, the Governor confirmed 5,902 additional cases of novel coronavirus, bringing the statewide total to 288,045 confirmed cases in New York State. Of the 288,045 total individuals who tested positive for the virus, the geographic breakdown is as follows:

County

Total Positive

New Positive

Albany

948

49

Allegany

35

0

Broome

257

6

Cattaraugus

45

0

Cayuga

47

0

Chautauqua

29

2

Chemung

106

3

Chenango

93

2

Clinton

57

3

Columbia

143

3

Cortland

28

0

Delaware

58

0

Dutchess

2,729

69

Erie

2,954

181

Essex

24

0

Franklin

14

0

Fulton

62

1

Genesee

144

3

Greene

110

3

Hamilton

3

0

Herkimer

57

1

Jefferson

60

1

Lewis

9

0

Livingston

60

2

Madison

123

2

Monroe

1,316

31

Montgomery

47

1

Nassau

34,522

724

Niagara

368

24

NYC

158,258

3,145

Oneida

384

20

Onondaga

692

28

Ontario

84

2

Orange

8,106

133

Orleans

80

5

Oswego

61

4

Otsego

60

0

Putnam

904

19

Rensselaer

242

21

Rockland

11,256

165

Saratoga

330

10

Schenectady

449

18

Schoharie

35

2

Schuyler

7

0

Seneca

38

2

St. Lawrence

167

11

Steuben

207

3

Suffolk

32,059

691

Sullivan

724

35

Tioga

71

0

Tompkins

126

0

Ulster

1,190

24

Warren

135

3

Washington

127

14

Wayne

65

0

Westchester

27,664

433

Wyoming

59

2

Yates

17

1

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