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No decision has been made yet on reopening New York public schools, Gov. Andrew Cuomo said Monday during a briefing on the coronavirus pandemic.
The governor said that the state wants to reopen schools in the fall for a number of reasons, but said, "We're not going to say children should go back to school until we know it's safe."
The state had previously directed its 700 school districts to submit plans on what reopening would look like, but there has been no overall decision yet on whether that would happen.
The governor also announced Monday that the New York State Fair in Syracuse has been canceled this summer, noting that the "risk is too high" to hold it.
Cuomo's briefing came as numbers in New York continue to trend in a positive direction despite spiking cases in other U.S. states. Cuomo said that total hospitalizations are at their lowest level since March 18 -- despite the continued reopening.
"We're actually down from where we were when we started reopening," the governor said.
New York City entered Phase 3 of reopening on Monday, but without indoor dining permitted. The Mid-Hudson region is on track to enter Phase 4 tomorrow, and Long Island is set for Phase 4 on Wednesday.
On casinos and movie theaters, Cuomo said the state is still looking at the data, but for now they will remain closed.
BRIEFING NOTES:
-Gov. Cuomo says the daily numbers continue to trend well. Total hospitalizations are down to lowest levels since March 18.
-NY lost 9 lives yesterday. More than 54,000 tests were performed yesterday and there was a .95% positive rate.
-Cuomo notes that the state started reopening May 15 and the case numbers have continued to decline despite the increased activity. "We're actually down from where we were when we started reopening," he says.
-Cuomo notes that NYC is entering Phase 3 today, without indoor dining. There are also other rules and restrictions to what services can resume.
-Tomorrow starts Phase 4 for Mid-Hudson region. Long Island is on track for Phase 4 on Wednesday.
-On school reopenings, Cuomo notes that the state has directed the state's hundreds of districts to come up with a plan for how they would reopen and what it would look like.
-NYC is coming up with a plan on what it would look like to reopen, but Cuomo says, "there has been no decision as to whether or not we are reopening schools." He says, "We're not going to say children should go back to school until we know it's safe."
-On casinos and movie theaters, Cuomo says the state is still looking at the data but for now they will remain closed.
-The governor announces the New York State Fair in Syracuse will be canceled this summer.
-The governor spoke about how data shows that surfaces are less of a concern, but airborne transmission is more of a concern in regards to the spread of the virus. He spoke about air filtration systems that can help remove the virus from the air.
-On social distancing enforcement, Gov. Cuomo says local governments must enforce the law. He says, "If we don't do it, there's going to be a serious problem."
-Gov. Cuomo spoke about what he called a lack of leadership and a tendency to be in denial about the seriousness of the pandemic among federal leadership.
-Addressing the president directly, Cuomo said, "Mr. President, don't be a co-conspirator of the virus." He called on President Trump to acknowledge the virus and its seriousness, and by wearing a mask. "I've been asking him to do it for weeks," he says. "Just wear the mask, and say to the American people, this is real... and we have to do our part."
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