ROCHESTER, N.Y. (WKBW) — Governor Cuomo provided his daily update on COVID-19 response in Rochester, and said total hospitalizations and new cases are declining.
He said hurried reopening will have deadly consequences; the state will open on a regional basis while taking into consideration data, measures and science.
Core factors that will determine when a region can reopen are:
- monitoring new infections
- healthcare capacity
- diagnostic testing capacity
- contact tracing capacity
The state's PAUSE order expires on May 15, and Cuomo said regions should start working now on their reopning plans to meet guidelines and criteria from the CDC:
- Regions must have at least 14 days of decline in total hospitalizations and deaths on a three-day rolling average.
- In regions with few COVID-19 cases, they cannot exceed 15 new total cases or 5 new deaths on a three-day rolling average.
- A region must have fewer than two new COVID-19 patients admitted per 100,000 residents per day.
- Regions must have at least 30 percent total hospital and ICU beds available.
- Hospitals must have at least 90 days of PPE stockpiled.
- 30 tests for every 1,000 residents per month. New York's National Guard made nearly 300,000 testing kits to collect samples. On Monday, 60,000 kits are being sent to labs and hospitals across the state.
- Regions must have a baseline of 30 contact tracers for every 100,000 residents, and additional tracers based on the projected number of cases in the region.
Gov. Cuomo said the reopening of businesses will happen in phases, and the most essential and lowest risk businesses will be opened first.
Phase one will include construction, manufacturing and supply chain, select retail and curbside pickup.
Phase two will include professional services, finance and insurance, retail, administrative support, real estate and rental leasing.
Phase three includes restaurants, food services and hotels. Phase four will include arts, entertainment, recreation and education.
In addition, businesses must reimagine their operations to be safe and in compliance with new standards.
