New York City cleared to enter Phase 4 of reopening, Cuomo says
Governor Andrew Cuomo announced Friday that New York City has been cleared to enter its fourth and final phase of reopening after shutting down four months ago as it became the epicenter of the coronavirus pandemic. Every region of the state is now in Phase 4, Cuomo said.
Phase 4 permits low-risk outdoor activities and entertainment at 33% capacity, Cuomo said. It also allows for media production, and professional sports played without fans.
The city will enter the new phase on July 20. It will not include any additional indoor activity like the reopening of malls or cultural institutions, Cuomo added.
"This is what we said from day one, reopen smart, and if you reopen smart and you reopen in phases, and you follow the data, it's actually a better way for the economy to reopen because if you rush the reopening then you risk the probability of a viral increase," Cuomo said.
Cuomo said the state now has less than a 1% positive rate on COVID-19 tests, and that daily hospitalizations are at their lowest point since March 18.
"I applaud all New Yorkers, because the New Yorkers did it. Government did nothing here," he said. "It's what people did. All we did was explain the facts to New Yorkers and then New Yorkers rose to the occasion. So I'm very proud to be a New Yorker."
But Cuomo warned that despite the milestone, New Yorkers shouldn't get complacent — especially because many other states are seeing alarming spikes in cases.
"We are painfully aware now that an outbreak anywhere is an outbreak everywhere," Cuomo said. "The virus is in Arizona and is in Texas and is increasing in states all across the country and the virus will get on a plane in one of those states and will come to New York, or the virus will get in a car and will drive to New York, or the virus will get on a train and come into Penn Station in New York and that is almost inevitable."
"I want all New Yorkers to be on high alert," Cuomo added. "The virus is spreading. It's all across the country. It's getting worse and it will have an effect on New York."
