Coronavirus

The George Eastman Museum  will reopen to the public on Sunday, July 19, at 11 a.m.

The museum, which has been closed since March 13 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, was unable to open when Phase IV began in the Finger Lakes due to the ongoing construction of the Thomas Tischer Visitor Center. Some other area museums opened back up, with some restrictions, in late June.

The museum will be open for museum members only on Friday, July 17, and Saturday, July 18, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., before opening to the general public on Sunday, July 19.

The Monroe County public health department said Wednesday that one more person has died of COVID-19 in the county, bringing the death toll to 277.

The number of people in hospitals for COVID-19 treatment in the county fell by four, to 65, the health department said. Of those hospitalized, five are on ventilators in intensive care units -- a drop of one from Tuesday and the lowest number recorded since March 23.

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer stood with operators of small businesses and Geva Theatre Wednesday calling for more help for those businesses in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic.

Schumer, a New York Democrat, said that Congress has already passed a five-week, short-term extension for the original Paycheck Protection Program. Now, he is proposing legislation that would extend the loan program to the end of the year and provide the option for a second loan for eligible small businesses, the so-called, Prioritized Paycheck Protection Program Act or P4.

Wilmorite, the company that owns the major shopping malls in Rochester, said that after comments by Governor Andrew Cuomo on Wednesday, it is ready to reopen Eastview, The Mall at Greece Ridge, and The Marketplace Mall on Friday.

Cuomo said that the malls can reopen on Friday, provided certain HVAC filtration measures are in place. So malls will be allowed to open in regions that are in the 4th phase of reopening, which includes the Finger Lakes-Rochester area.

New York will decide if schools will reopen this fall in the first week of August, Gov. Andrew Cuomo said Wednesday, and tasked districts across the state with coming up with plans in the event that they’re allowed to resume in-person learning.

Cuomo also responded to comments from President Donald Trump, who has publicly pressured governors to reopen schools this fall despite a rise in coronavirus cases nationwide.

A new survey from the Rochester City School District asks students, parents and staff their concerns and questions about reopening schools. 

“The survey was released to help better understand the concerns and/or questions individuals have regarding the reopening of schools this fall,” a statement from the district said.

The feedback is expected to be used along with guidance from Gov. Andrew Cuomo and national, state and local health officials.