Gov. Cuomo Ties Economic Reopening to Seven Public Health Metrics
/Here's Where the Greater New York Area Stands
The Downstate area still has some ways to go before its economy and businesses are fully able to reopen. Achieving this goal is critical for reinstating a strong workforce and boosting the local economy so businesses, including ours, can see the way to profitability.
State and local leaders acknowledged this reality this week after Gov. Andrew Cuomo unveiled his "New York Forward" plan. According to the strategy, before any of the state's 10 regional economies reopens, they must meet seven public health metrics or criteria related to the COVID-19 pandemic. At the end of this week, only four Upstate regions will be allowed to start reopening fully.
The criteria for reopening are:
Decline in Total Hospitalizations
Decline in Deaths
New Hospitalizations
Hospital Bed Capacity
ICU Bed Capacity
Diagnostic Testing Capacity
Contact Tracing Capacity
The Governor’s plan breaks the state up into ten distinct regional economies. The state assesses each region continuously using the seven metrics before allowing any individual region to reopen.
According to the regions set up by the Governor, GNYADA members operate in these three regions: Mid-Hudson, New York City, and Long Island. The Mid-Hudson Region includes Dutchess, Orange, Putnam, Rockland, and Westchester Counties. Dealers can see the status for each region by following this link.
A summary of where the GNYADA regions stand before they can reopen are as follows:
The Mid-Hudson and Long Island Regions need to improve in the same two areas:
Decline in Deaths: A region must see its three-day average of COVID deaths drop for 14 straight days to meet this criterion. Unfortunately, both regions have only seen a drop for two consecutive days.
New Hospitalizations: A region's COVID hospitalization rate must drop below 2.0 people per 100,000 residents to satisfy this criterion. Right now, Long Island's hospitalization rate is 2.31. The Mid-Hudson Region's is 2.38.
New York City has only satisfied four of the seven criteria to reopen. The three areas NYC needs to improve are:
New Hospitalizations: New York City needs to drop its hospitalization rate from 2.67/100,000 to under 2.0.
Hospital Bed Capacity: Regions must also keep 30% of their hospital beds free. Right now, NYC only has 28% of its beds available.
ICU Bed Capacity: Regions must also keep 30% of ICU beds available but, NYC only has 24% of its ICU beds free right now.
NYC Mayor Bill de Blasio said he expects New York City, which has been the hardest-hit region of the state, to start reopening businesses sometime in June. GNYADA will keep dealers updated on this and other news about the Metro NY Area region's progress.
As we have reported previously, GNYADA working along with other Dealer Association across New York State were able to secure new guidelines from the Governor's office, which allow dealers to sell or lease cars by appointment only at their dealership facilities.
Click here to review the protocols and best practices dealers need to follow to allow dealership sales operation to open.
