Mayor Bill de Blasio said Friday that New York City will advance to Phase IV of its coronavirus reopening on Monday.
De Blasio made the announcement ahead of final confirmation from Gov. Andrew Cuomo on some of the details.
Phase IV in the city will look different than it does elsewhere around the state, likely without the return of many indoor activities that have resumed elsewhere.
Officials are concerned that reopening of indoor malls, museums, restaurants and bars is largely responsible for the lethal spikes in COVID-19 cases in nearly 20 other U.S. states. New York City's congestion is believed to have been a major factor in making it one of the world's epicenters for the virus this past spring.
On Thursday, the U.S. shattered its own single-day record, reporting more than 75,000 new coronavirus cases. The majority of the new cases came from Florida and Texas.
Gov. Cuomo said he would issue a decision on NYC by 4 p.m. Friday after consulting a panel of experts from around the globe.
Phase IV will allow low-risk outdoor venues like zoos and botanical garden to reopen but with strict capacity limits and mandatory COVID precautions in place. Production of media and television can also resume, as well as live professional sports without fans in attendance.
Throughout the COVID crisis, Cuomo has been resistant to offering a time table for reopening, insisting that the state would be guided by data and the recommendations of experts on the subject.
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