Some NY regions set to reopen, but Nassau and Suffolk still a few steps away

The reopening process is set to begin in some regions across New York -- but on Long Island, there are still a few boxes that need to be checked before that can begin.

News 12 Staff

May 11, 2020, 9:03 PM

Updated 1,720 days ago

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The reopening process is set to begin in some regions across New York -- but on Long Island, there are still a few boxes that need to be checked before that can begin.
May 15 will end the statewide closure of some businesses in upstate areas, but not much is expected to change in Nassau, according to County Executive Laura Curran.
"I find it very unlikely. But you know this virus continues to throw curveballs at us, so we don't know for sure," she says.
The state has set metrics that each region must reach to begin reopening. Curran says Nassau has not met two of the seven metrics needed -- a 14-day decline in hospital deaths and a set level of new hospitalizations.
The other five metrics include a decline in total hospitalizations over a 14-day period, at least 30% availability of hospital and ICU beds, widespread diagnostic testing and a certain number of contact tracers.
Suffolk Executive Steve Bellone says his county is meeting four of seven metrics - as they do not yet have the roughly 450 contact tracers needed. He says while he agrees with Curran that Friday is an unlikely target, he doesn't want to speculate on a reopening date just yet.
"We have been communicating with businesses here, stakeholders, business associations and gathering the information necessary to be able communicate to the state that says our businesses are ready to reopen," says Bellone.