Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced today that the statewide "PAUSE" shutdown of all but essential businesses will be extended for another month through May 15.
"One month is a long time," Cuomo said, adding that he understood people needed "clarity" and "certainty" to be able to plan their lives.
"What happens after that I don't know," the governor continued, saying that he plans to work with the group of regional governors he has convened to present a coordinated response to the pandemic and the economic havoc it has caused. "We will see depending on what the data shows."
President Donald Trump has suggested that he wanted to move to reopen the nation's economy starting May 1, with experts saying that a phased approach is likely the only way forward.
Cuomo also announced that 606 New Yorkers have died from coronavirus over the past 24 hours, which is the first time the daily death toll has declined significantly since the crisis started. The death rate dropped about 20 percent from the 752 toll reported yesterday.
"You still have 2,000 people walking into a hospital and being diagnosed with (COVID-19)," the governor said. “That’s still a lot of people."