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New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced this week that shopping malls, gyms, and movie theaters are among the businesses that will not be reopening with regions approaching Phase 4.
Long Island and the mid-Hudson Valley are both on track to enter Phase 4 in approximately two weeks, with half of the state’s five regions to reach the benchmark as of Friday, June 26.
"There are some things that don’t fit neatly into a phase that are going to require further study and we’re going through that right now," Cuomo spokesman Richard Azzopardi stated. "We’re not going to be like other states that are inviting a second wave.”
Cuomo said that the state continues to review new information each day, and that “anyone who thinks this is a static situation is wrong.”
“We’re continuing to study the most recent developments in other states, and there are some reports that malls and bars or social clubs with air conditioning that opened may just be re-circulating the virus,” he said. “We’re studying all of the information to make an informed decision.”
When malls, theaters, and fitness centers reopen, there will be strict restrictions in place set forth by the state, including social distancing, limited occupancy inside buildings, and mandated face coverings.
Cuomo said that it is unclear when those businesses will be permitted to reopen, however, deferring to the state's top health officials.
“We don’t know … Dr. (Howard) Zucker (State Health Commissioner), has guided me through all of the studies into the data,” he said. “We’re not saying there’s going to be a Phase 5, just saying that we’ve gotten some new information.
“We’re still studying the new information, and we'll have a decision on those (businesses) at a later date.”
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