Buffalo, NY (WBEN) As hospitalization rates increase in Erie County, the wait continues for the Buffalo-Niagara region to begin the reopening process. That won't be the case for three counties east of us, as they can start reopening Friday.
Gsell says things are not clear about what will be part of phases two through four. "The state has not been totally clear as to what will be in each of the phases," says Gsell. "It's not clear as to what the regional control rooms will also weigh in with working with Empire State Development, with regards to who can start reopening."
Meanwhile, New York's North Country, a sprawling, rural swath that includes the Adirondack Mountains, has been added to the regions of the state poised to restart some economic activity in the days ahead as the state slowly relaxes pandemic-induced social restrictions, Gov. Andrew Cuomo said.
The region, which draws hikers, boaters and campers up from New York City and beyond during warmer months, met all seven benchmarks the state requires before selected businesses can be approved for reopening, according to the administration.
It joins New York's Southern Tier, along the Pennsylvania border, the Mohawk Valley and the Finger Lakes regions in preparing to reopen in phases as early as Friday.
None of those parts of the state have been particularly hard hit by the virus, but all are within a few hours drive of still locked-down metropolitan areas where the virus has killed thousands of people.
New York’s 10 regions can start reopening once they demonstrate that COVID-19-related deaths and hospitalizations are down; that there are enough hospital beds to meet any new surge in cases; and that there is sufficient local testing and contact-tracing efforts.
The economic reopenings will proceed in phases, starting with construction, manufacturing, retail with curbside pickup, agriculture, forestry and fishing.
New York state recorded 166 new deaths from the virus Tuesday, bringing the total since March to more than 22,000. That tally does not include the more than 5,100 additional deaths in New York City that were attributed to the virus on death certificates but weren’t confirmed by a lab test.
Though hospitalizations are down, New York still averages more than 400 COVID-19 admissions a day.