ALBANY (WBEN) — Gov. Andrew Cuomo on Tuesday announced New Yorkers exposed to COVID-19 will only be required to quarantine for 10 days, so long as they do not exhibit any symptoms.
The governor made the decision in alignment with guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Cuomo said in a press release.
Any resident who completes a 10-day quarantine should continue to monitor for symptoms for an additional four days and “immediately self-isolate and contact the local health department or their healthcare provider” if they feel sick, the governor said.
Cuomo says all New York State residents should still be wearing face coverings in public, practice social distancing and avoid large gatherings.
“As we approach the New Year and the end of the holiday season, all New Yorkers must remember one simple truth: celebrating smart stops shutdowns,” Gov. Cuomo said.
Cuomo added that the holidays have “always been synonymous with socialization” but stressed that the “vast majority of new cases are stemming from private gatherings.”
On Tuesday, the state reported 124 new COVID-19-related deaths as hospitalizations climbed to 7,914.
When looking at graphs presented by the governor, it’s clear to see that New York State is once against climbing up a mountain of new cases and hospitalizations.
In fact, the state now has an overall positivity rate of 7.14%.
The governor notes that just 31% of all hospital and ICU beds in the state remain available.