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Rochester and the Finger Lakes region took tentative first steps to reopening today, joining other regions of the state with the lowest coronavirus infection and hospitalization rates. Those also include Central New York, the Southern Tier, the Mohawk Valley and the North Country.
Manufacturing and construction are starting up again with appropriate safeguards for social distancing. Retail is opening for curbside pickup. The Central Library will reopen for curbside pickup of pre-ordered materials on Monday.
Monroe and other county officials are now watching infection and hospitalization rates to make sure they don’t start to spike with the partial reopening.
Monroe County Health Commissioner Dr. Michael Mendoza says they’re watching to make sure we don’t reopen too quickly and undo what we accomplished in the lockdown. More females than males have tested positive for COVID-19, and the fatalities are heavily skewed towards older county residents. He says doctors are watching closely for the newly-reported inflammation syndrome in children. He says we’re now in the “deceleration phase” of the pandemic.
Greater Rochester Chamber of Commerce President Bob Duffy says we should be proud to be the first region okayed by the Governor’s Office to reopen. He says getting to Phase Two means keeping the infection numbers down, and will be at least two weeks from now if there’s no change in the daily metrics. Duffy recommends businesses keep people working remotely if they can and he says that’s what the chamber is doing. Duffy says a bar in Lockport that opened despite state orders lost its liquor license on Thursday and he doesn’t want to see that happen to any other businesses. Duffy urged businesses to keep up with social distancing, sanitizing and hand washing to make sure we don’t get off track.
Monroe County Executive Adam Bello says the “Control Room” for the region consists of a daily call of county and health officials across the Finger Lakes, looking at how they’re doing compared to the state’s seven metrics for reopening. They also deal with questions from businesses and others about reopening and COVID-19. Starting today and over the next two weeks, Bello says those calls become critically important as they monitor the community’s health. Dr. Mendoza says it’s important to remember this is a regional response and no one county can reopen something before another county.
Officials say they’ve received numerous questions about when specific businesses can open, particularly barbershops and hair salons. Bob Duffy says they’re waiting on that information from the state. He says it depends on how these first days go, measured over the next two weeks.
Vinnie Esposito of New York State Economic Development says pet grooming is allowed under animal care rules, but not yet barbershops and hair salons.
With schools closed, County Executive Bello says the county is providing all the daycare service and subsidies through the state that it can and working to support daycare centers. Bello says county parks are open with social distancing in effect. Shelter reservations are not being taken because mass gatherings are still not allowed.