Long Island is preparing to enter the fourth and final phase of reopening from the coronavirus shutdown on Wednesday.
Phase four includes education, recreation, and arts and entertainment. But New York State officials recently bumped malls, gyms, and movie theaters from phase four as health experts study the best practices to avoid the spread of COVID-19 in such facilities.
“All indications are that we are moving strongly into phase four,” Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone told reporters Sunday during his daily coronavirus news briefing. “The numbers continue to look good.”
Most of the state have already entered phase four except New York City, which joined LI in phase three on Monday. The latest phase comes as Gov. Andrew Cuomo mandated 14-day quarantines for anyone arriving in the state from 16 states nationwide where virus cases are spiking.
Included in phase four are museums, higher education, zoos, aquariums, historical sites, and public gardens. Nassau County Executive Laura Curran said that while catering halls can reopen as restaurants, it’s uncertain when they can begin hosting large gatherings again.
“There’s still no clarity on that,” Curran told reporters Monday.
It is also unclear when casinos will be able to reopen.
Gov. Andrew Cuomo said Monday that no decision has yet been made regarding the plan for schools to resume in-person classed in September, but he has directed school administrators to devise plans for the upcoming semester.
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