Politics & Government

Dramatic Turnaround As Hudson Valley Enters Phase 2: Cuomo

Speaking in Westchester, the governor reported no deaths from COVID-19 in the Hudson Valley overnight, for the first time since March 14.

As the Hudson Valley entered phase 2 of NY's economic re-opening Tuesday, Gov. Andrew Cuomo spoke from New York Medical College in Valhalla.
As the Hudson Valley entered phase 2 of NY's economic re-opening Tuesday, Gov. Andrew Cuomo spoke from New York Medical College in Valhalla. (New York Medical College)

WESTCHESTER COUNTY, NY — The Hudson Valley entered phase 2 of New York's economic reopening Tuesday as Gov. Andrew Cuomo celebrated the dramatic turnaround in the local pandemic.

"Westchester, Rockland, Hudson Valley, enter Phase 2 today," he said during his daily news briefing. "Congratulations, long time coming but you did it, the numbers are down, because you brought the numbers down. This is not government action. It's not an act of God. It's an act of the people. They got disciplined, they got smart, they did what they had to do, they brought the numbers down. And the numbers are dramatically down. And this is a national, if not international, success story."

However, with 600,000 people coming back to work in the metropolitan region, health officials are watching closely for a spike in positive tests for new coronavirus, he said, speaking from New York Medical College in Valhalla.

Find out what's happening in Pleasantville-Briarcliff Manorwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

The Hudson Valley has dramatically lowered the number of residents hospitalized with COVID-19.

There were no deaths reported from COVID-19 in the region's hospitals on Monday.

Find out what's happening in Pleasantville-Briarcliff Manorwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Some states and some countries that opened their economies rapidly have seen spikes in the number of new cases, Cuomo said.

But New York is being smart, he said, and keeping a close eye on the situation. State officials have designed a new dashboard to let the public and local officials track new positive coronavirus tests easily.

(Last time, he said, he had asked one that looked like a 1967 Corvette, "the best dashboard ever designed" and this time he said he wanted something like 1968 GTO dashboard, the "second-best" ever designed.)

Here's what the new dashboard actually looks like for the Hudson Valley:

Source: New York State Health Department

"If you see the numbers start to move you want to know why and how," Cuomo said. That's what the contact tracers do, to find any clusters of cases and to notify people who may have been exposed.

State and local officials will watch the daily test results and Cuomo invited residents to do so as well. He said not to be alarmed by day-to-day fluctuations but focus on trends.

Meanwhile, people can finally get a haircut and eat at a restaurant that has outdoor seating.

Hair salons and barbershops are reopening with certain restrictions, as are professional offices. Retailers are allowing in-store shopping, and real estate offices may reopen their doors.

Furthermore, car dealerships are open for sales and leases, and film work will be allowed to resume, which creates millions of dollars in economic activity and hundreds of jobs.

But even as the industries are allowed to resume operations, customers and workers should get used to a new normal.

Businesses in each industry must remain at or below 50 percent capacity and individuals must social distance.

Restaurants that offer outdoor dining must have tables spaced 6 feet apart, and all staff must wear masks. Patrons will also be required to wear face coverings when not seated.

Retail stores must give workers face coverings for free, and employees must wear them at checkout registers. Retail stores also have to install physical barriers such as plastic shield walls in certain areas.

At barbershops and hair salons, people must keep 6 feet apart inside when not receiving or giving hair services. Waiting rooms must remain closed, masks will be required, lines will be prohibited and nonessential amenities — including product samples, magazine areas and water fountains — are banned. And men can forget about beard trims — masks have to stay on.

Office workers will also have to remain 6 feet apart, and wear face coverings when they come close to others. In-person gatherings will be limited, while tele- and video-conferencing are encouraged. Moreover, employees will have to stagger their arrival and departure times to reduce congestion in lobbies and elevators.

Click here to see more details about how each industry is reopening.

As the Hudson Valley entered phase 2 and New York City started phase 1 Tuesday, the MTA added trains on the Hudson, Harlem, and New Haven lines. West of Hudson is still operating a weekend schedule.

  • Remember to wear a mask or face covering. They’re required.
  • Off-peak fares remain in effect.
  • No ticket counters are open. Use the MTA eTix app on your phone.


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