As we previously detailed, last week New York State Governor Andrew Cuomo outlined guidelines for when Empire State businesses can reopen and return to “in-person” operations. Under the Governor’s plan, reopenings will be determined, first, on a region-by-region and then, once a region is eligible to reopen, on a phased industry-by-industry basis.
In the wake of Governor Cuomo’s announcement, New York businesses have been clamoring for additional information on the reopening requirements. Yesterday, the Governor provided such information – specifically, he:
- Unveiled a regional monitoring dashboard – available here – showing where each of the Empire State’s 10 regions stands with regard to satisfying the Governor’s criteria for reopening.
According to the dashboard, the Finger Lakes, Southern Tier, and Mohawk Valley regions have each satisfied all seven of the Governor’s reopening criteria. This means that, starting on May 15 (when the State’s “stay at home” order lifts), these three regions can likely reopen “phase one” businesses, which include construction, manufacturing, wholesale trade, select retail for curbside pickup only, agriculture, forestry, and fishing (a comprehensive list can be found here).
New York City has, thus far, satisfied the fewest reopening criteria – four – of any region.
- Released a comprehensive, 51-page “New York Forward Reopening” plan –available here. The plan addresses business reopenings plus a host of other COVID-19-related issues.
- Announced that certain low-risk businesses and recreational activities, including landscaping, gardening, tennis, and drive-in movie theaters, will reopen statewide on May 15.