The Finger Lakes region is on target to enter Phase 4 of the reopening process on Friday. That’s what Bob Duffy, the Greater Rochester Chamber of Commerce president and CEO, who also is an adviser on the region to Gov. Andrew Cuomo, said on Tuesday.
Duffy had been on a call with Cuomo administration officials earlier in the day, and he said the data looks good for entering the next phase on Friday.
However, Duffy said some businesses will not reopen right away when this region enters Phase 4.
“Areas such as the malls, gyms, movie theaters, casinos, will not open on the first day of Phase 4, but will open at some time during Phase 4,” Duffy said.
And while most phases have lasted about two weeks, Duffy said it’s too early to say when the malls, gyms and theaters will open. He says it could take longer than two weeks for that to happen.
“Phase 4 could last two months, it could last three months. There won’t be a Phase 5, so it’s going to be a gradation of certain activities just based on some of the research and feedback that the state is getting. And really it’s the measurement of these activities, region by region.”
Duffy expects more guidelines to be released this week.
He said that Phase 4 will likely include the reopening of arts venues, like museums, but with limits on how many people could be inside those buildings.
Duffy emphasized that the Finger Lakes region is doing well in terms of infection rates of COVID-19, but he said that continued success hinges on things like wearing masks and observing guidelines about social distancing.
