Gov. Cuomo unveils steps to re-open with the New York Forward Plan

A re-opening monitoring dashboard has been added to ny.gov/nyforward

A re-opening monitoring dashboard has been added to ny.gov/nyforward

 

Step one: 14-day decline in hospitalizations, fewer than two COVID patients per 100K residents per day

New York remains on PAUSE through May 15. The state will re-open on a regional basis “as each region meets the criteria necessary to protect public health as businesses re-open.” The Hudson Valley region currently does not meet the criteria to re-open according to guidelines set by the CDC. 

The CDC recommends a region must have a 14-day decline in hospitalizations and deaths on a three-day rolling average. “Regions with few COVID cases cannot exceed 15 new total cases, or five new deaths” over a three day period.

A region must also have fewer than two new COVID patients admitted per 100,000 residents per day. 

The seven metrics measured to re-open include:

  1. A 14-day decline in net hospitalizations OR under 15 new hospitalizations (based on a 3-day average)

  2. 14-day decline in hospital deaths OR fewer than five deaths (3-day average)

  3. New hospitalizations under two per 100K residents (3-day rolling average)

  4. 30% share of total hospital beds available

  5. 30% share of ICU beds available

  6. 30 per 1K residents tested monthly (7-day average of new tests per day)

  7. 30 contact tracers per 100K residents

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Step two: Re-open industries in phases

Businesses in each region will re-open in phases. Businesses considered "more essential" with inherent low risks of infection in the workplace and to customers will be prioritized, followed by other businesses considered "less essential" or those that present a higher risk of infection spread. “Density is not your friend here,” Gov. Cuomo said about the industries able to re-open.

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Phase one industry includes: 

  • Construction

  • Manufacturing and wholesale supply chain

  • Select retail – using curbside pick-up only

Phase two industry includes:

  • Professional services

  • Finance and insurance

  • Retail

  • Administrative support

  • Real estate and rental leasing

Phase three industry includes:

  • Restaurants and food service

  • Hotels and accommodations

Phase four industry includes:

  • Arts, entertainment, and recreation

  • Education 




Step three: Make sure businesses are being safe

Each business and industry in New York State that re-opens must have a plan in place to protect both their employees and consumers, including:

  • Adjust workplace hours and shift design as necessary to reduce density in the workplace

  • Enact social distancing protocols

  • Restrict non-essential travel for employees

  • Require all employees and customers to wear masks if in frequent contact with others

  • Implement strict cleaning and sanitation standards

  • Enact a continuous health screening process for individuals to enter the workplace

  • Continue tracing, tracking and reporting of cases

  • Develop liability processes



Step four: Make sure hospitals are ready, and keep testing

Hospitals in each region must keep a 90-day stock of PPE, and limit their capacity to 70-percent – leaving 30-percent of their total beds and ICU beds available in the event of a surge of cases.

Regions must also monitor their area’s infection rate, and “implement a testing regimen” prioritizing symptomatic individuals, as well as establish a baseline of 30 contact tracers for every 100,000 residents. Regions must also plan for isolation facilities for people who test positive for COVID-19 but cannot self-isolate.




Step five: Plan in coordination with other regions

Regions must “coordinate the re-opening of schools, transportation systems, testing and tracing with other surrounding regions.”

 
May 4, 2020 - Rochester, NY

Link to the NY Forward Guide as a PDF: LINK

More info and updates on the coronavirus in the Hudson Valley: LINK

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