Like most regions across the state, Central New York is in Phase 4 of reopening, but many businesses are still on the sidelines. Lieutenant Governor Kathy Hochul stopped by SUNY Upstate on Tuesday and said New York only has one chance to get reopening right.

What You Need To Know

  • Gyms, casinos, wedding venues, and theaters are still closed.
  • NY leaders are concerned about increasing COVID-19 cases in other states.
  • We only have one chance to get reopening right, Lt. Governor Kathy Hochul said.
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“We will get there, I guarantee everything will open," said Hochul. "We’ve tried to do it in a risk-reward situation, an essential situation and we’ve accomplished that successfully. You cannot argue with the results we have in New York state. But it could go backwards like that. And we are not prepared to let that happen.”

Hochul says state leaders are concerned with the rising number of COVID-19 cases around the country.

Movie theaters, event spaces, casinos, and gyms are some of the businesses still closed. Hochul says she’s talked with doctors, so gyms are one of her biggest concerns.

“As much as you think you’re socially distanced, you’re in one place, indoors, and by nature you’re expelling bodily fluids and what you’re expelling could be aerosol and linger in the air literally for hours," said Hochul. "That is a risk we are not willing to take here in the state of New York until we find a solution that we think is safe.”

The good news is the state has found solutions for other businesses. Malls just got the green light to open last week. They have to install certain air filtration systems to minimize the spread of the virus.

“We didn’t even know they could do that two months ago, so we are using emerging technologies to help us find solutions,” said Hochul. Hochul says she knows it’s frustrating for business owners, but she doesn’t want them to open and have to close again a few weeks later.