Parts of Region Meet All Metrics to Reopen, But Must Wait

More of the Mid-Hudson Region meets all the metrics needed to start a phased reopening from the COVID-19 shutdown but must wait to start reopening.

Last week, Ulster County Executive Pat Ryan announced Ulster County meets all seven guidelines established by Gov. Andrew Cuomo to start reopening.

On Wednesday during his latest online COVID-19 Town Hall, Dutchess County Executive Marc Molinaro said Dutchess County meets all metrics required to reopen as per the criteria reviewed by the Mid-Hudson Regional Control Room, led by representatives from the Governor’s office.

Both counties must wait to reopen because the reopening process is being down by region and not the county. The Mid-Hudson region includes Dutchess, Orange, Putnam, Rockland, Sullivan, Ulster and Westchester counties.

As of this writing the Mid-Hudson region meets five of the seven metrics needed to reopen.

Cuomo previously laid out seven metrics, based on CDC recommendations, that regions must meet to reopen.

Each region must meet the following seven metrics:

• 14 Day Decline in Total Hospitalizations
• 14 Day Decline in Hospital Deaths or Fewer than 5 Deaths for a 3-day average
• New Hospitalizations Under 2 per 100,000 Residents
• Hospital Bed Capacity of 30% Available
• ICU Bed Capacity of 30% Available
• Diagnostic Testing Capacity
• Contact Tracing Capacity

A region can start Phase 1 of the reopening process if all seven metrics are hit. Phase 1 includes the reopening of construction, manufacturing, retail with curbside pickup, wholesale trade, agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting. As of this writing, seven on of the 10 regions in New York are started reopening.

As of this writing seven of New Yorkers 10 regions are in Phase 1 of the four-phased reopening process.