New York state may start reopening manufacturing and construction after May 15, Governor Andrew Cuomo said Sunday, according to AFP.
Cuomo, however, stressed that any easing of measures would take place first in the north of the state and not in the New York City metropolitan region, which is by far the hardest-hit area in the United States from COVID-19.
"The regions that would be more likely able to open sooner would be the upstate regions," Cuomo told reporters. "Downstate New York is going to be more complicated."
He added that any potential reopening of New York City, the country's most populous city, could need to be coordinated with authorities in the adjacent states of New Jersey and Connecticut.
A lockdown of New York ordered by Cuomo is set to expire on May 15. Under a plan for reopening, the first sectors would be construction and manufacturing.
Cuomo said on Sunday the state was operating with a caveat: "Don't do anything that's going to bring people in from all across the board."
The Governor has called for a two-week delay before the next stage of reopenings, which would include most offices, to ensure that the first phase does not trigger a resurgence of the virus.
He stressed that any final decision would be conditioned on a downturn in COVID-19 hospitalizations between now and May 15.
New York state on Sunday reported 367 fatalities in the previous 24 hours, the lowest number since March 30 when 332 people died.
COVID-19 has now killed 16,966 people in New York state, accounting for around a third of the deaths in the United States.
Last week, Cuomo said that New York had passed the coronavirus plateau but also stressed, “We have a long way to go and a lot of work to do. This virus has been ahead of us every step of the way. We still have to make sure that we keep that beast under control."
On Sunday, Cuomo said that no full-scale return to normal could come until the reopening of schools, which would allow parents to work outside of home.
New York state has not made a decision on reopening the education system, although Mayor Bill de Blasio has said that he considers the rest of the school year cancelled in the city.
Cuomo made clear earlier this month that de Blasio does not have the authority to make such a decision.
"He didn't close them, and he can't reopen," Cuomo said, noting that de Blasio's statement is essentially a statement of his "opinion" on the issue. "It is my legal authority in this situation."