New York state Senator Fred Akshar over the weekend released a survey on his website seeking input on the second phase of the coronavirus response: the reopening of the state’s economy.
The survey asks constituents whether they would want a tiered approach to the effort, such as allowing upstate New York businesses to open first, and whether constituents would go to bars and restaurants if restrictions were eased.
“Throughout this crisis, I’ve stayed in constant communication with our local and state leaders, health officials and hospitals to make sure our community’s needs were met,” Akshar said. “But I’ve also been listening to struggling business owners who have been forced to shut down, employees who were laid off and families struggling to keep food on the table for their children. While we all work together now to stop the spread of this virus and save lives, it's also important to plan for the hard work ahead of us in restarting our economy and our lives.”
Governor Andrew Cuomo has indicated he wants to take a gradual approach to restarting the economy and schools while coordinating with other northeastern states to do so.
Hospitalizations and the daily mortality count has declined in recent days after a month of non-essential businesses closing and workers staying home to prevent the spread of the virus.