Governor Cuomo says local regions in New York should start to prepare to reopen as the May 15th New York Pause order expires. Cuomo told county executives and local mayors it's an exciting new phase, but "we want to do it smartly."
The Mohawk Valley, which includes Fulton, Montgomery and Schoharie Counties, meet requirements for phase one of reopening Friday. The Finger Lakes, Southern Tier and Capital Region hit 5 of 7 metrics to reopen.
Regions must meet CDC guidelines first before they reopen, which includes the number of hospitalizations and testing and tracing is in place.
Starting May 15 certain low-risk businesses and recreational activities will open. These include landscaping and gardening, outdoor, low-risk recreational activities like tennis, Drive-in movie theaters.
Cuomo said the state is "on the other side of the mountain" with 161 deaths reported yesterday, which is about the same number of lives lost since March 19th.
Listen to WGY for the latest updates on reopening New York.