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When the clock strikes midnight, five regions in New York will have the green light to “unpause” selected non-essential businesses.
Central New York has joined the Finger Lakes, Mohawk Valley, North Country and Southern Tier as regions that have met the seven metrics set forth by the state that will allow them to reopen.
Of the five other regions, the Capital Region and mid-Hudson Valley have met five of seven metrics, while Long Island, New York City, and Western New York have met four.
According to New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, provided nothing changes, the five regions can begin opening businesses for phase one as of 12:01 a.m. on Friday, May 15, which includes construction; manufacturing and wholesale supply chain; retail for curbside pickup, and drop-off or in-store pickup; and agriculture, forestry, and fishing.
“We’re following the data, and we know enough now to know that every action has a reaction,” he said. “By the criteria we have, there are certain regions that are poised to reopen tomorrow, while other regions, where the numbers do not suggest they are in a position to reopen will not.
“We’re doing this based on the numbers, looking at if cases are going up or down, making sure testing and tracing is in place, and checking the rate of infection,” he added. “The numbers are different across the state, hence the variance in opening times.”
Cuomo said that regions will have to be vigilant and evaluate the numbers and data each day to ensure they haven’t fallen in the red in any particular metric.
“It’s like checking your blood pressure or your cholesterol every morning, and it’s not just for the elected officials. This is about what all people do,” he said. “If you see a change in the numbers, you have to react immediately, or we’ve seen what will happen."
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