LONG ISLAND – State beaches will be open for Memorial Day, Governor Cuomo said in today’s briefing. RV parks and campgrounds are also open.
“We’re at the beach,” the governor said at this morning’s daily briefing. “What do New Yorkers do Memorial Day Weekend?”
ALBANY – On Long Island, the number of coronavirus deaths is continuing to drop and contract tracing is coming online, and if this trend continues Long Island could be ready to open by Wednesday, Governor Cuomo announced today at his daily briefing.
After New York City, Long Island and Westchester County were the hardest his areas in the state.
ALBANY – Governor Cuomo today launched the $100 million New York Forward Loan Fund to provide flexible and affordable loans to help small businesses, focusing on minority and women-owned small businesses, that did not receive federal COVID-19 assistance.
The state will take a smart, targeted approach for distributing these loans, focusing on businesses with 20 or fewer employees and less than $3 million in gross revenues. Businesses interested in receiving a loan should visit esd.ny.gov/nyforwardloans.
Cuomo also announced:
ALBANY – Governor Cuomo today announced that, beginning Thursday, religious gatherings statewide will be allowed, but limited to 10 people practicing strict social distancing and wearing masks. Additionally, drive-in and parking lot services will also be allowed beginning Thursday.
The Governor also announced the state is convening an Interfaith Advisory Council to discuss proposals to safely bring back religious services. For list of the members of the Interfaith Advisory Council, click here.
ALBANY – At today’s briefing, Governor Cuomo said he will issue an Executive Order allowing town and village clerks to perform wedding ceremonies via video conference, a practice banned under current law.
He will also allow engaged couples to obtain marriage licenses remotely.
ALBANY – Seeing testing as the route to the “un-PAUSING NY” and the “new normal,” Governor Cuomo today announce announced he will direct all public and private labs in New York to coordinate with the state Department of Health to prioritize coronavirus diagnostic testing.
Executive Order will help ensure the 301 laboratories and hospitals in the state that are licensed to perform virology operate in a coordinated fashion to overcome the testing challenges that every state in the nation is now facing.
ALBANY – Governor Cuomo today announced the state Department of Health has developed a test to detect antibodies to the COVID-19 infection in an individual’s blood. This test is an important step towards determining whether New Yorkers are developing immunity and when they could potentially return to work or school.
At today’s briefing, he also the state will invest in private companies to bring rapid COVID-19 testing to scale and accelerate testing capacity.
ALBANY – Earlier today, Governor Cuomo announced all “NYS on Pause” functions will be extended for an additional two weeks. He also directed schools and nonessential businesses to stay closed for an additional two weeks, through April 29. The state will re-evaluate after this additional two-week period.
The governor also announced:
• The state is increasing the maximum fine for violations of the state’s social-distancing protocol from $500 to $1,000 to help address the lack of adherence to social-distancing protocols. The He reminded localities that they have the authority to enforce the protocols.
ALBANY – Here are the highlights of today’s briefing by Governor Cuomo of New York State’s battle against coronarivus:
• Central Coordinating Team Will Help Implement Statewide Public-Private Hospital Plan to Share Information, Supplies, Staff and Patients Among Hospitals Across the State