BUFFALO, N.Y. (WCBS 880) — Gov. Andrew Cuomo on Monday announced that the state will begin to reopen some parts of the economy as COVID-19 statistics continue to decline.
The governor said when COVID-19 rates in the state go down, the state can adjust the economic “valve” to reopen some industries that had to be closed amid spikes.
“I think we’re at a new place now and we can start to adjust that valve and start to open up more economic activity and reduce some of the restrictions and reduce, what we call the microcluster zones,” Cuomo said.
While the state will announce reopenings in the coming days, the governor said on Monday that elective surgeries – which had been stopped in Erie County – can resume again.
“We now feel comfortable about (Erie), elective surgeries can start once again,” Cuomo said. “And as I said, we’re going to have more adjustments over the next couple of days.”
For those who were hoping to see indoor dining return to New York City, however, the governor said they are “not contemplating any changes” concerning that reopening at this time.
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Andrew Rigie, executive director of the NYC Hospitality Alliance, said keeping restaurants in the city closed to indoor dining is harmful to the industry.
“Governor Cuomo’s never-ending restrictions keeping indoor dining closed at New York City restaurants, while keeping it open around the rest of the state where infection and hospitalization rates are higher than in New York City, is discriminatory and is destroying the livelihoods of small business owners and workers," Rigie said. " Multiple legal actions have been filed to reopen indoor dining in New York City and we are exploring all additional legal options on behalf of the city’s restaurant industry to ensure equitable treatment and application of the Governor’s Executive Orders.”
Still, the numbers are showing a good trend as compared to the post-holiday spike that New York saw at the beginning of the year.
"Not only are we on the way down, but the experts tell us that's going to continue,” he said.
However, the governor stressed that we cannot “get cocky with COVID” as the virus is constantly changing and developing. For example, scientists previously said the strain of COVID-19 first discovered in the UK was more contagious, but less deadly – and they are now rethinking that guidance.
While the UK strain has already arrived in New York, Gov. Cuomo says the best way to combat COVID-19 spikes is by getting as many people vaccinated as possible.
So far, New York has administered around 1.5 million vaccine doses, or about 91% of the state’s total allocation from Weeks 1-6.
He is now warning local governments to avoid scheduling vaccine appointments if they do not have the supply.
“The people who took their first dose, you will get the second dose. The federal government protects that second dose allocation so, don't worry about ‘91%, will I get my second dose?’ You'll get your second dose and if you have a scheduled appointment, that appointment will be fulfilled from the allocation that we're receiving this week,” the governor said. “But we are going week to week in terms of the allocation.”
Cuomo added that 72% of health care workers in New York State have been vaccinated, which will prevent hospitals from begin short staffed, should there be anymore COVID-19 spikes in the coming months.
Should that happen, Gov. Cuomo also announced a new public health plan that includes a stockpiling of personal protective equipment, training citizens online to be ready for the next public health emergency and training the National Guard to be public health screeners at border crossings.
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