Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced Friday that the first of four phases of reopening businesses will likely begin next week in the Hudson Valley, one of the last regions in the state to satisfy the state’s seven coronavirus requirements for resuming business.
Cuomo said during his daily briefing that the seven-county Mid-Hudson must still meet the standards for declining hospital deaths and hiring enough contact tracers to help limit the spread of the infection. But the region is close enough to hitting those marks that he said construction businesses – one of the industries covered by the first phase – can start staging their work sites today, he said.
The Mid-Hudson, one of 10 regions in New York, consists of Orange, Ulster, Sullivan, Rockland, Westchester, Putnam and Dutchess counties. Seven other regions have entered the first reopening phase in the last week, leaving only the three that were hardest hit by COVID-19 and have not gotten the green light: New York City, Long Island and the Mid-Hudson.
The first reopening phase includes construction, manufacturing, wholesalers and retail sales for curbside pickup only. Two weeks must elapse between phases to monitor infections, although Cuomo has suggested that wait could be shortened if cases don’t rise.
If cases and deaths to not increase, the state can move to the subsequent phases in two-week intervals.
Here’s what could open in the four phases:
Phase 1: Construction, manufacturing; wholesale supply chain; and select retail, mainly curbside pickup
Phase 2: Professional services; finance and insurance; retail; administrative support; real estate/rental leasing.
Phase 3: Restaurants/food services; hotels/accommodations.
Phase 4: Arts/entertainment/recreation; education.
