Gov. Andrew Cuomo says every region in the state still faces hurdles as they look to reopening amid the coronavirus pandemic – however some regions are in a position to reopen sooner than others.

During his daily briefing Monday in Rochester, the governor outlined the key factors each region will need to have lined up before they can begin the reopening process, and what businesses will be opening under each phase of the process.

The governor has stressed a reopening in New York should be done cautiously, so as to not follow in the footsteps of other nations and regions in the world which have reopened – only to see a subsequent surge in cases.

Albany has separated the state into separate regions, saying some areas may be able to reopen sooner than others depending on the local impact of the virus. Regions including the Finger Lakes and Central New York are considered at lower risk, for example, than downstate regarding the potential for new outbreaks.

At the core of the reopening question are a number of factors, including monitoring for new infections, as well as capacities for healthcare and hospital space, diagnostic testing and contact tracing.

In Rochester Monday, the governor outlined 10 criteria regions must meet in order to move forward with reopening. Among them, guidelines regarding trends in hospitalizations and deaths.

Monday, the governor said 226 people died from coronavirus in New York in the preceding 24 hours. Hospitalization and intubation rates continue to trend downward.

Statewide, New York continues to see a drop in new COVID-19 cases. In the past 24 hours, the state recorded about 700 new cases.

The governor has said numerous times that hospitals will need to keep at least 30% of their capacities available in the event of another wave of the virus.

On Sunday, the governor announced New York is partnering with seven other northeastern states to form a regional buying consortium to jointly procure PPE, tests, ventilators, and other medical equipment. The consortium includes New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Delaware, Massachusetts, and Pennsylvania.

Testing capacity and contact tracing remain key factors in the reopening process, too. The governor says, while work still remains for the state on overall testing processes, New York is leading the way in the U.S. in terms of testing – even exceeding what’s being done in some countries.

Meanwhile, New York continues to look toward building an “army” of contact tracers. Regions will be required to have at least 30 tracers per every 100,000 citizens. The state previously announced it has teamed up with Bloomberg Philanthropies, Johns Hopkins University and other organizations to help recruit and train tracers.

Then, there is the question of which businesses will reopen first. The governor previously stated construction and manufacturing businesses will likely begin opening on May 15 – again, based on factors including the virus’ impact on a given region. However, Monday provided a first glimpse of what future phases in the reopening process may look like.

Once regions reach a point where businesses can begin reopening their doors, the question of which ones do so first boils down to how essential they are, and what risks they could potentially pose to the spread of the virus.

While construction and manufacturing are among the first businesses to reopen, subsequent phases will include retail, real estate, restaurants, hotels and entertainment-focused business. Education is listed among the fourth and final phase.

Yet businesses will need to be prepared for a new normal when they reopen. The governor stresses that companies must “re-imagine” how they conduct businesses and must do so in a way that does not put customers or workers at risk.

Meanwhile, the governor says each specific region will have its own so-called “Control Room” of leaders focusing on the reopening process. Cuomo said these leaders will be monitoring the situation in their given area daily to gauge when reopening can occur. For example, in the Finger Lakes Region, Monroe County Executive Adam Bello, Rochester Mayor Lovely Warren and Greater Rochester Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Bob Duffy are being tasked with working together to help monitor the process.

While some regions are closer to being on track to reopen ahead of others, the governor says each region still faces challenges they must overcome. Cuomo broke down each state’s progress by region Monday:

For example, both Central New York and the Finger Lakes Region, while meeting most of the criteria, are still behind in terms of testing and tracing capabilities, according to Albany.

Overall, the governor stressed the state, and individual regions, must reopen based on facts and data, not emotion – and he emphasized leaders in individual regions must begin working now for their reopenings, and not wait until the last minute.

“We have a couple of weeks, but this is what local leaders, this is what a community has to deal with to reopen safely and intelligently, in my opinion,” Cuomo said Monday. “This just can’t be, ‘We want to get out of the house, we’re going’. No. Let’s be smart, let’s be intelligent. Let’s learn from the past, do it based on facts.”

It also comes down to individual citizens taking steps to prevent the virus’ spread, too. The governor said an estimated 100,000 lives in New York were saved thanks to citizens taking social distancing measures seriously, and he urged people to continue their efforts.

“We need every citizen to be a part of this,” said Monday. “You know who’s going to keep you safe? You are. You are. Not me, you are, by your actions. You know who’s going to keep your family safe? Your family and you are, by being responsible and reasonable in this situation.”

— 13 WHAM