Global Public Health Experts Have Cleared Western New York to Enter Phase Three Tomorrow
Capital Region Still on Track to Enter Phase Three Wednesday, June 17th
Announces Lowest Number of Hospitalizations and Deaths On Three-Day Average Since Pandemic Began
Only 1.10 Percent of Yesterday's COVID Tests were Positive
Confirms 620 Additional Coronavirus Cases in New York State - Bringing Statewide Total to 383,944; New Cases in 33 Counties
Governor Cuomo: "On the civil unrest, I said from day one, I stand with the protesters. The outrage was right, the outrage was justified. What we do in New York is we take the outrage and we seize the moment, right? Carpe momentum. It's about people wanting change. Well, New York will be the place that actually makes the change, and we've passed laws that have done just that."
Cuomo: "We are now entering Phase Three for some regions across the state. We're going to modify Phase Three given this new data, and we're going to allow gatherings up to 25 people in Phase Three, which is up from ten people. Again, because the numbers are good in most parts of the state. Western New York will enter phase three tomorrow and that's exciting. The Capital Region will be entering phase three on Wednesday. That's exciting. The rules and regulations of phase three are very clear. They're all set out. People should follow the guidelines because the guidelines have been working. They have been working. We have months of data now that says the guidelines make sense, keep following them because they are working. And everyone has a role to play in all of this as we're reopening."
Cuomo: "Our accomplishment over these past 106 days will go down in the history books. Just remember what we did here: when we started on the base-side of the mountain—we had the worst infection rate in the United States of America. Today we have the best infection rate in the United States of America. You want to talk about a turnaround? You want to talk about an accomplishment? You want to talk about people doing something they never did before? Yes. They built that bridge, the largest infrastructure project in the country. And New York scaled the highest mountain and went from the worst situation with this COVID virus to the best situation with this COVID virus. New Yorkers did it because we did it together."
Governor Andrew M. Cuomo announced gatherings of up to 25 people will be allowed in Phase Three of reopening, up from the limit of 10. Five regions have already entered Phase Three - Central New York, the Finger Lakes, the Mohawk Valley, the North Country, the Southern Tier. The Governor also announced global public health experts have cleared Western New York to enter Phase Three tomorrow, and the Capital Region is still on track to enter Phase Three on Wednesday, June 17th. Business guidance for Phase Three of the state's reopening plan is available here.
The Governor also announced the state has reached the lowest number of hospitalizations and deaths on the three-day average since the pandemic began. The number of total hospitalizations was down yesterday to 1,608 to lowest level since the pandemic began. Twenty-five people in New York passed away yesterday due to COVID-19, which is the lowest level on a three-day average since the pandemic began.
