New York – Coronavirus State Actions

This page lists select actions through 31 July 2020 as Governors responded to the novel coronavirus. It is not intended to be exhaustive but is meant to highlight key actions and resources that may inform other states and territories. A full archive of NGA COVID-19 related material can be found here.

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New York Department of Health Coronavirus resource page.

• March 2, 2020—Governor Cuomo announced the state will institute a new cleaning protocol at schools and in the public transportation system to help stop any potential spread of the virus.    
• March 2, 2020—The Governor will also propose legislation to clarify authority for governor to take certain statewide actions and measures in response to the novel coronavirus outbreak as needed.  
• March 2, 2020—The public health laboratory housed within the State Department of Health (DOH) is partnering with hospitals to expand surge testing capacity to 1,000 tests per day statewide for the novel coronavirus. The Wadsworth Center will provide these hospitals with instructions on how to replicate the State’s test, as well as help them purchase some of the equipment necessary to develop and validate the test. 
• March 2, 2020—DOH is convening local health departments and hospitals statewide to review protocols, best practices and procedures to help ensure they are prepared to combat the spread of the novel coronavirus. 
• March 2, 2020—Under a directive by the Governor, the State Department of Financial Services will require health insurers to waive cost sharing associated with testing for coronavirus.
• March 3, 2020—Governor Cuomo signed into law a $40 million emergency management authorization for New York State’s novel coronavirus response.  
• March 3, 2020—The Governor also announced he will amend his Paid Sick Leave budget proposal to specifically protect from termination people who are required to stay home from work because they are being isolated or quarantined as a result of the novel coronavirus. 
• March 3, 2020—State university institutions will bring back students who are in study abroad programs in countries with high prevalence of novel coronavirus and review all study abroad programs ahead of potential expanded travel restrictions by the federal government.  
• March 5, 2020—The Governor has activated their statewide emergency operations center in Albany, along with two outposts in Westchester County.  
• March 7, 2020—Governor Cuomo declared a disaster emergency in the state. 
• March 10, 2020— Governor Cuomo deployed National Guard troops to a Health Department command post in New Rochelle to assist with the outbreak – an area with 108 confirmed cases at the time of mobilization. 
• March 11, 2020—Governor Cuomo announced that New York will contract with 28 private labs to increase COVID-19 testing capacity. Additionally, he announced that the state will provide two weeks paid leave for workers who are quarantined as well as $200,000 to local food banks in New Rochelle for families who rely on free school lunches.  
• March 12, 2020—Governor Cuomo announced that gatherings larger than 500 people should be cancelled or postponed.
• March 13, 2020- The FDA issued enforcement discretion and is not objecting to the New York State Department of Health authorizing certain laboratories in New York to begin patient testing after validating their tests and notifying the state. 
• March 15, 2020- The Governor sent a letter to President Trump calling for comprehensive federal action to combat COVID-19, including a national strategy for testing, school closures, and hospital surge capacity.
• March 15, 2020- The Governor announced that all NYC, Westchester, Suffolk, and Nassau Public Schools are closed for two weeks beginning on March 16.
• March 16, 2020- The Governor issued an executive order which:
  • Increases hospital capacity in the state;
  • Directs all nonessential state workers to work from home;
  • Opens drive-through mobile testing facilities in State Island and Rockland County; and
  • Waives all park fees in state, local, and county parks.
• March 16, 2020- The Governor issued an executive order delaying village elections until the April 28 primary election.
• March 16, 2020- The Governor issued an executive order directing all New York schools to close from March 19 – April 1.
• March 16, 2020 – The Governors of Connecticut, New York and New Jersey announced a regional approach to combatting the novel coronavirus throughout the tri-state area.
• March 17, 2020- The Governor announced legislation that guarantees job protection and pay for New Yorkers who have been quarantined. The bill also includes comprehensive paid sick leave.
• March 17, 2020- The Governor and State Attorney General announced that the state will temporarily halt the collection of medical and student debt for at least a 30-day period.
• March 17, 2020- The New York Empire State Development Corporation posted COVID-19-Related Resources: Novel Coronavirus FAQ for Businesses.  
• March 18, 2020 – The Governor announced the United States Navy Ship Comfort, a 1000-bed hospital ship, will be deployed to New York harbor.
• March 18, 2020 – The Governor directed all non-essential businesses to implement work from home policies, with exceptions for specific essential services determined by the state.
• March 18, 2020 – The Governors of Connecticut, New York and New Jersey announced that the Governor of Pennsylvania is joining their coalition to implement a regional approach to combatting COVID-19. The Governors expanded their previous orders to include:
  • Limiting crowd capacity for social and recreational gatherings to 50 people;
  • Closing restaurants and bars for on premise service and move to take-out and delivery services only; and
  • Temporary closing of movie theaters, gyms, and casinos.
• March 19, 2020 – The Governor signed an executive order requiring in-office personnel to decrease in-office workforce by 75 percent, with exceptions for essential businesses.
• March 19, 2020 – The Governor announced the Department of Financial Services issued a new directive providing 90-day mortgage relief for all New Yorkers.
• March 19, 2020 – The Governor created an online portal for retired health care professionals to sign up to enlist as reserve medical staff.
• March 19, 2020 – New York waived the one-week waiting requirment for accessing Unemployment Insurance. 
• March 20, 2020 – The Governor, together with Governor Murphy, Governor Lamont, and Governor Wolf directed the temporary closure of barber shops, nail and hair salons, and related personal care services.
• March 20, 2020 – The Governor issued guidance on essential services under the New York State on PAUSE executive order, a ten-point policy to assured uniform safety for everyone signed on Friday, March 20.
• March 22, 2020 – The Governor unveiled a suite of strategies aimed at equipping the state prepare for a medical surge, including:
  • Leveraging the Army Corps of Engineers to repurpose four temporary hospital sites in New York State;
  • Implementing drugs trials and acquiring hydroxychloroquine, Zithromax, and chloroquine as treatment candidates;
  • Announcing that all hospitals will be required to develop plans to expand capacity with hospitals; and,
  • Suspending all elective, non-critical surgeries to help expand hospital capacity.
• March 21, 2020 – The Governor issued Executive Order 202.9 which continues the temporary suspension and modification of laws relating to the disaster emergency.
• March 25, 2020 – The Governor issued a statement on the third supplemental package that passed the Senate on March 26.
• March 26, 2020 – The Governor announced the state received significant donations from several major corporations, philanthropic organizations and celebrities to help increase the states medical material supply capacity.
• March 26, 2020- The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) approved New York’s request for a Section 1135 Medicaid waiver. The approved waiver enables New York to provide flexibilities in Medicaid provider screening and enrollment, forgo certain pre-admission screening and annual resident review assessments, lift prior authorization requirements, allow for reimbursement facility services in alternative settings, and extend fair hearing timelines.
• March 27, 2020 – The Governor issued Executive Order 202.11 continuing the temporary suspension and modification of laws relating to the disaster emergency.
• March 28, 2020 – The Governor issued Executive Order 202.12 moving the presidential primary from April 28 to June 23 and enabling the tax filing deadline for personal and corporate taxes to be pushed back to July 15
• March 28, 2020 – The Governor made several announcements detailing recent actions the state has taken to increase testing and health system capacity:
  • The State Department of Health Wadsworth Lab is working in partnership with other labs to evaluate antibody testing;
  • The first 1,000-bed temporary hospital at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center is expected to open March 30, one week after construction started;
  • Three additional sites – South Beach Psychiatric Center, Westchester Square, and Health Alliance will add 695 more emergency beds; and,
  • The Empire State Development Board of Directors approved $7.5 million in business counseling support to 70 non-profit partners across the state.
• March 29, 2020 – The Governor announced a mobile testing site in Northeast Bronx, which will prioritize individuals that are among the highest risk population. There will be no walk-ins allowed and all patients must be in a vehicle.
• March 30, 2020 – The Governor issued Executive Order 202.13 continuing the temporary suspension and modification of laws such as extending the grace period for the payment of premiums and fees to 90 days for any life insurance holder, allowing schools to pay for child care services, and postponing all elections until at least June 1, among other things.
• March 30, 2020 – The Governor announced a public-private partnership whereby the Department of Health will work with the statewide healthcare system to create a command center to share information between hospitals about the supplies each hospital has in stock and the supplies each hospital is ordering.
• March 30, 2020 – The New York Department of Labor published an unemployment insurance flow chart to clearly outline how different eligible individuals can access unemployment compensation and what levels of compensation are available.
• March 30, 2020 – The Governor publicly asked that healthcare workers from communities across the U.S. that are not facing a crisis come to New York to help alleviate the strain on their healthcare system.
• March 31, 2020 – The Governor announced the formation of the Central Coordinating Team (the Team), a hospital network tasked with facilitating a coordinated and strategic approach to implement the statewide public-private partnership announced by the Governor on March 30. Specifically, the Team will:
  • Organize upstate and downstate staffing
  • Assist Elmhurst hospital and other stressed hospitals;
  • Establish patient thresholds for hospitals;
  • Organize patient transfers to other hospitals and the USNS Comfort;
  • Coordinate State-City stockpiles and individual hospital stockpiles; and,
  • Facilitate staffing recruitment.
• April 1, 2020 – The Governor announced that New York-based Regeneron Pharmaceuticals is manufacturing 500,000 test kits for the state at no charge. Additional private sector donations include:
  • Regeneron is donating 25,000 kits per day;
  • Apple donated 1.9 million masks; and
  • Corning donated 100,000 tubes and provided an additional 500,000 tubes to the state at reduced cost and expedited delivery.
• April 1, 2020 – The Governor announced that New York City playgrounds will close to address the lack of compliance to social distancing protocols.
• April 1, 2020 – The Governor announced the launch of a PSA that provide information on how to apply for unemployment benefits and reassures New Yorkers if their unemployment filing is delayed, they will still receive full unemployment benefits. Read the PSA in Spanish here.
• April 2, 2020 – The Governor announced several updates related to the state’s ongoing response:
  • The state Department of Health approved Northwell’s protocol allowing BiPAP machines to be converted into ventilators;
  • The state is conducting a hospital-by-hospital survey on a nightly basis to take inventory of every state’s medical materials;
  • 21,000 out-of-state individuals have volunteered to work in New York’s hospital system on a temporary basis as part of the state’s surge healthcare workforce; and,
  • Consumers and businesses experiencing financial hardship due to the pandemic may defer paying premiums under individual and small group health insurance policies.
• April 2, 2020 – The Governor announced and the President approved allowing the state-owned Javits Center, a 2-500 emergency medical facility being operated by the U.S. Army, to accept COVID positive patients.
• April 3, 2020 – The Governor announced an executive order allowing the state to redistribute ventilators and personal protective equipment from institutions that don’t currently need them and redeploy the equipment to other hospitals with the greatest need.
• April 3, 2020 – The Governor launched a website that will provide New York State’s comprehensive coronavirus testing data to the public, which will be updated daily with the latest data.
• April 5, 2020 – The Governor announced the federal government is deploying approximately 1,000 personnel to New York, including doctors, nurses, respiratory technicians and therapists.
• April 6, 2020 – The Governor announced the following response activities the state is undertaking:
  • Extending the NYS on Pause functions through April 29, after which the state will reevaluate if additional social distancing measures are necessary;
  • Allowing the USNS Comfort hospital ship to be used for COVID-19 patients;
  • Partnering with Headspace to offer free meditation and mindfulness content for all New Yorkers as a mental health resource for residents coping;
  • Announcing that 802 ventilators have been distributed downstate through the “Surge and Flex” system where all hospital systems are working together as one and sharing supplies, equipment and staff; and
  • Creating the First Responders Fund to assist health care workers and first responders with expenses and costs, including child care.
• April 7, 2020 – The Governor signed an executive order allowing the state to redistribute ventilators and personal protective equipment to hospitals with the highest need, and extended the NYS on Pause functions for an additional two weeks until April 29. The order also allows medical schools that are slated to graduate to begin practicing immediately to assist with the state’s surge health care force.
• April 7, 2020 – The Governor announced the state will invest in private companies to bring rapid COVID-19 testing to scale and accelerate testing capacity.
• April 7, 2020 – The Governor sent a letter to New York’s Congressional Delegation outlining the state’s needs in the next federal relief package.
• April 7, 2020 – The Governor announced an agreement with the largest student loan servicers in New York to secure relief for student loan borrowers, a category of individuals that are not eligible for loan relief under the CARES Act.
• April 8, 2020 – The Governor launched a multi-platform, multi-language education and awareness campaign to emphasize the state’s core message to stay at home and will expand outreach and awareness to wider audiences, including hard-to-reach communities.
• April 8, 2020 – The Governor announced several actions as part of the state’s ongoing response efforts:
  • Partnering with SUNY Albany to increase testing in minority communities and determine why more people in minority and low-income communities have higher rates of infection;
  • Directing the State Department of Labor to make $600 in additionally weekly unemployment benefits available to all New Yorkers;
  • Acquiring 2,400 BiPAP machines through a generous donation by Mercury Medical; and,
  • Partnering with Delta, JetBlue and United to offer free travel to New York for medical workers to serve as part of the state’s surge healthcare force.
• April 9, 2020 – The Governor announced five testing facilities downstate in primarily minority communities, bringing the state’s total number of testing facilities to nine.
• April 9, 2020 – The Governor announced the “New York Loves” initiative to coordinate all foundations, philanthropies, non-profits, charities and other entities that want to donate resources to assist local government response efforts.
• April 9, 2020 – The Governor appealed to all New Yorkers who have recovered from COVID-19 to contact the state and donate blood plasma, which has antibodies against the virus and could assist with treatment development.
• April 9, 2020 – The Governor issued an executive order continuing the temporary suspension and modification of laws.
• April 10, 2020 – The Governor announced the state is ramping up antibody testing through a collaborative effort with Connecticut and New Jersey to create a regional testing partnership.
• April 10, 2020 – The Governor announced an additional $200 million in emergency food assistance will be available for more than 700,000 low-income households enrolled in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program.
• April 10, 2020 – The Governor announced new partnerships with the private sector to provide housing for frontline medical workers.
• April 11, 2020 – The Governor announced a partnership with the New York State Court System to create a pro bono network of volunteer lawyers.
• April 11, 2020 – The Governor issued a letter calling on the U.S. Treasury to ensure New Yorkers do not have their stimulus payments frozen by banks or seized by creditors, a practice known as garnishment.
• April 11, 2020 – The Governor joined Maryland Governor Larry Hogan in a bipartisan effort calling for $500 billion in aid to states to offset drastic state revenue shortfalls. 
• April 12, 2020 – The Governor returned ventilators to the Pathways Nursing Home and Rehabilitation Center in Niskayuna, who donated their machines to assist hardest hit areas in the state.
• April 13, 2020 – The Governor announced the formation of a regional coalition with New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy, Connecticut Governor Ned Lamont, Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolf, Delaware Governor John Carney, Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker, and Rhode Island Governor Gina Raimondo to develop a unified regional framework to gradually lift the states’ stay at home orders while minimizing the risk of increased spread of the virus.
• April 15, 2020 – The Governor announced the state will begin conducting antibody tests using a finger prick method to test up to 2,000 New Yorkers per day, beginning this week with frontline health care workers and other essential workers.
• April 15, 2020 – The Governor announced the state will provide 100 ventilators to Michigan and 50 ventilators to Maryland.
• April 15, 2020 – The Governor issued an executive order requiring all people in New York to wear a mask or a face covering when in public and in situations where social distancing cannot be maintained, such as on public transportation.
• April 15, 2020 – The Governor announced that the State University of New York and The City University of New York are using 3D printers to produce critical personal protective equipment, such as face shields, for New York’s frontline workers.
• April 16, 2020 – The Governor announced all NYS on Pause restrictions and closures will be extended until May 15, after which the states will re-evaluate additional closure periods.
• April 16, 2020 – The Governor announced the state will provide 100 ventilators to New Jersey, building on previous interstate sharing of medical resources with Michigan and Maryland.
• April 16, 2020 – The Governor outlined a blueprint to unpause New York, getting people back to work and easing social distancing policies without triggering renewed spread of the virus. The plan lays out four key steps:
  • First – continue control the rate of infection and embracing the “do no harm” principle;
  • Second – continuing the surge and flex strategy to ensure anyone who needs medical attention gets it, while continuing to share resources amongst states and localities;
  • Third – ramping up a massive testing and contact tracing operation; and,
  • Fourth – phasing into a “new normal.”
• April 16, 2020 – The Governor issued an executive order that, among other things, allows health professionals in good standing in any province or territory of Canada to practice in New York without civil or criminal penalty related to lack of licensure.
• April 17, 2020 – The Governor launched an awareness campaign encouraging low-income New Yorkers to claim their Economic Impact Payments under the CARES Act.
• April 17, 2020 – The Governor issued an executive order directing the Department of Health to establish a single, statewide coordinated testing prioritization process that requires all laboratories in the state (public and private) to complete COVID-19 diagnostic testing in accordance with such process.
• April 17, 2020 – The Governor, together with the nation’s governors, called on Congress to allocate $500 billion in unrestricted to aid  to shore up budget shortfalls.
• April 18, 2020 – The Governor called for federal coordination of the supply chain to bring testing to scale so states can satisfy the necessary preconditions to begin reopening.
• April 18, 2020 – The Governor issued an executive order allowing any town or city clerk to officiate a wedding via teleconference.
• April 18, 2020 – The Governor, together with New Jersey Governor Murphy and Connecticut Governor Lamont, announced that marinas, boatyards and marine manufacturers will be allowed open for personal use as long as strict social distancing and sanitization protocols are followed.
• April 19, 2020 – The Governor announced the state will begin an antibody testing survey that will sample 3,000 individuals to help determine the percentage of the population that is now immune to the virus, allowing more individuals to safely return to work.
• April 19, 2020 – The Governor announced the state is ready to transport 400 ventilators to Massachusetts within 24 hours if necessary.
• April 19, 2020 – The Governor expanded the April 18 executive order to allow any authorized officiant to perform marriage ceremonies using online video technology.
• April 19, 2020 – The Governor, along with the governors of Connecticut, New Jersey, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Pennsylvania and Delaware, announced their appointees that will serve on the multi-state, regional council to restore the economy and get people back to work. The appointees include a health expert, an economic development expert and the respective chief of staff from each state.
• April 20, 2020 – The New York State Department of Labor launched a one-stop-shop for unemployment benefits that will connect New Yorkers with benefits through a streamlined application.
• April 20, 2020 – The Governor launched a partnership with Ready Responders to bring health care services, including diagnostic testing, to residents of public housing in New York City.
• April 20, 2020 – The Governor announced the state will deliver 500,000 cloth masks and 10,000 gallons of hand sanitizer to public housing communities.
• April 20, 2020 – The Governor created the Reimagine NY Task Force, intended to improve systems in downstate New York once the state is no longer on pause.
• April 20, 2020 – The Governor announced the State University of New York will distribute more than 8,000 laptops and Chromebooks to students in need who are currently completing their spring semester coursework online.
• April 20, 2020 – The Secretary to the Governor, Melissa DeRosa, and the New York State Council on Women and Girls created a COVID-19 maternity task force to examine the best approach to authorizing and certifying additional birthing centers to provide mothers a safe alternative for low-risk pregnancies. Additionally, the task force will review literature and make recommendations on the impact of COVID-19 on pregnancy.
• April 21, 2020 – The Governor announced hospitals will be able to resume elective outpatient treatments on April 28^th if the hospital capacity is over 25 percent for the county and if there have been fewer than 10 new hospitalizations of COVID-19 patients in the county over the past 10 days.
• April 21, 2020 – The Governor announced the state will take a regional approach to reopening and will make decisions on which counties and regions to open and when to open them based on the facts and the data specific to that area.
• April 22, 2020 – The Governor announced a partnership with Vital Strategies to launch a contact tracing program in coordination with the downstate region as well as New Jersey and Connecticut.
• April 22, 2020 – The Governor announced that the New York State Department of Financial Services will direct insurers to provide cash flow relief to, and ease administrative burdens on, New York State hospitals in response to COVID-19. Relief includes immediate payment of outstanding accounts receivables, suspension of preauthorization requirements for all hospital services, and prohibition of the retrospective review of claims.
• April 23, 2020 – The Governor announced that the New York Department of Health is partnering with the state Attorney General to investigate nursing homes who violate Executive Orders requiring these facilities to communicate COVID-19 test results and deaths to residents’ families.
• April 23, 2020 – The Governor announced a directive requiring nursing homes to immediately report to the Department of Health (DOH) the actions they have taken to comply with all DOH and CDC laws, regulations, directives and guidance. Facilities could be fined $10,000 per violation or potentially lose their operating license.
• April 23, 2020 – The Governor and Attorney General launched an employment portal to increase staffing through the state and expand training and technical assistance for nursing homes to use the professional staffing portal.
• April 23, 2020 – The Governor announced preliminary phase one results of the state’s antibody testing, which found that 13.9 percent of the population have COVID-19 antibodies and are immune to the virus.
• April 23, 2020 – The Governor announced an initiative to ramp up testing in African-American and Latino communities by partnering with churches and places of worship in those communities as a network or possible testing sites.
• April 23, 2020 – The Governor announced the state will provide childcare scholarships to essential workers, such as health care providers, firefighters, and grocery store employees.
• April 23, 2020 – The Governor announced the CARES funding will be used to purchase supplies for statewide childcare providers who remain open, including masks, gloves, diapers, baby wipes, baby formula and food.
• April 24, 2020 – The Governor issued an executive order that directs the New York State Board of Elections to automatically mail every New Yorker a postage-paid application for an absentee ballot.
• April 25, 2020 – The Governor announced the state expanded its testing criteria to include all first responders, health care workers and essential employees to be tested even if they aren’t symptomatic.
• April 26, 2020 – The Governor outlined a phased plan to reopen the state and re-imagine a new normal for the state starting with construction and manufacturing. Based on CDC recommendations, once a region experiences a 14-day decline in the hospitalization rate they may begin a phased re-opening.
• April 27, 2020 – The Governor announced the results of phase two of the state’s antibody testing survey, which found 14.9 percent of the population have COVID-19 antibodies.
• April 27, 2020 – The Governor announced the state is opening five drive-through testing facilities in Monroe, Erie, Broome, Niagara and Oneida counties.
• April 27, 2020 – The Governor announced the state is providing $25 million from the state’s special public health emergency fund for food banks and providers most impacted by the pandemic.
• April 27, 2020 – The Governor announced the launch of Nourish New York initiative, which is intended to purchase food and products from Upstate farms and direct it to food banks across the state.
• April 27, 2020 – The Governor announced that two million bottles of NYS Clean hand sanitizer have been distributed across all counties in the state.
• April 27, 2020 – FuzeHub, the statewide center for the New York Manufacturing Extension Partnership (NY MEP), announced the winners of its COVID-19 Manufacturing Grants initiative, a competitive grant program to accelerate production of ventilators and N95 respirators in New York State. FuzeHub awarded a total of $300,000 in grant funding to four New York manufacturers. 
• April 28, 2020 – The Governor outlined additional guidelines for the phased plan to re-open New York on a regional basis.
• April 28, 2020 – The Governor announced the creation of the New York Forward Re-Opening Advisory Board to help guide the state’s re-opening strategy.
• April 29, 2020 – The Governor announced 35 counties were approved to resume elective outpatient treatments.
• April 29, 2020 – The Governor announced results of the state’s FDNY and NYPD antibody testing survey, which found 17.1 percent of FDNY officers and EMTs have antibodies and 10.5 percent of NYPD officers have antibodies.
• April 29, 2020 – The Governor announced the state is partnering with BioReference to provide antibody tests to first responders and other essential workers from the MTA, State Police, DOCCS and others.
• April 29, 2020 – The Secretary to the Governor issued a report to the Governor outlining the COVID-19 Maternity Task Force’s initial recommendations, which were accepted in full. The recommendations include:
  • Implementing measures to diversify birthing site options and support patient choice;
  • Extending the period of time a healthy support person can accompany a mother post-delivery;
  • Mandating testing of all pregnant New Yorkers;
  • Ensuring equity in birthing options;
  • Creating an educational campaign; and,
  • Reviewing the impact of COVID-19 on pregnancy and newborns with a special emphasis on reducing racial disparities in maternal mortality.
• April 30, 2020 – The Governor announced the state’s contact tracing pilot program will begin in the coming weeks, which will include a baseline of 30 contact tracers for every 100,000 individuals and will utilize additional tracers based on the projected number of cases in each region.
• May 1, 2020 – The Governor issued an executive order delaying school board elections and budget votes statewide until June 9.

• May 4, 2020 – The Governor outlined additional guidelines for when regions can re-open. The state will monitor four core factors to determine if a region can re-open:
  • New Infections: Based on guidelines from the CDC, regions must have at least 14 days of decline in total net hospitalizations and deaths on a 3-day rolling average;
  • Health Care Capacity: Every region must have the health care capacity to handle a potential surge in cases;
  • Diagnostic Testing Capacity: Each region must have the capacity to conduct 30 diagnostic tests for every 1,000 residents per month; and,
  • Contact Tracing Capacity: Regions must have a baseline of 30 contact tracers for every 100,000 residents, and additional tracers based on the projected number of cases in the region.
• May 4, 2020 – The Governor announced New York’s National Guard has made nearly 300,000 testing kits to collect samples, 60,000 of which are being sent to labs and hospitals across New York State.
• May 4, 2020 – The Governor announced the special enrollment period through the NY State of Health Health Plan Marketplace will remain open through June 15.

• May 5, 2020 – The Governor announced a partnership with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to develop a blueprint to reimagine education in the new normal.
• May 5, 2020 – The Governor extended an executive order allowing out-of-state health care professionals to practice in New York State.

• May 6, 2020 – The Governor announced that Schmidt Futures will help integrate New York State practices and systems to improve telehealth and broadband access.
• May 6, 2020 – The Governor outlined the results of hospitalization data that was collected from hospitals in a targeted effort to further reduce the number of new hospitalizations per day. The state found that a majority of individuals were:
  • Not working or traveling;
  • Predominately located downstate;
  • Predominately minorities and older individuals;
  • Predominately non-essential employees; and
  • Predominately at home.
• May 6, 2020 – The Governor announced that JetBlue is donating 100,000 pairs of round-trip flights for medical personnel and nurses to honor their efforts, beginning with 10,000 pairs of tickets for New York medical professionals.

• May 7, 2020 – The Governor announced the state’s moratorium on COVID-related residential or commercial evictions will be extended for an additional 60 days until August 20.
• May 7, 2020 – The Governor announced the state’s $25 million Nourish New York Initiative has purchased food and products from more than 2,100 New York farms and provided support to nearly 50 food banks, soup kitchens, and food pantries.

• May 7, 2020- The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) approved New York’s second request for a Medicaid 1135 waiver. The waiver allows New York to waive consent requirements for Home and Community-Based Services(HCBS) and to allow for HCBS in additional settings.
• May 8, 2020 – The Governor announced the state will extend the window for victims to file otherwise time-barred cases under the Child Victims Act for an additional five months until January 14, 2021.
• May 8, 2020 – The Governor announced the composition of New York’s Reimagine Education Advisory Council. This Council will help districts reimagine schools as they prepare to reopen.
• May 8, 2020 – The Governor announced the State Department of Health is investigating several cases of severe illness in children and child deaths that may be related to COVID-19; additionally, the State Department of Health issued an advisory about this serious inflammatory disease to inform providers of the condition, as well as to provide guidance for testing and reporting.
• May 9, 2020 – The Governor launched an initiative to expand access to testing in low-income communities of color.
• May 9, 2020 – The governor announced preliminary results of the state’s antibody testing survey of more than 1,300 transit workers in the New York City region which show 14. 2 percent have antibodies, compared to 19.9 percent of the general population in New York City.
• May 9, 2020 – The Governor announced the state is helping the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) develop the national criteria for identifying and responding to COVID-19 related illness in children.
• May 10, 2020 – The Governor announced the state is notifying 49 other states across the country of emerging cases of COVID-19 related illness in children.
• May 10, 2020 – The Governor announced the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is distributing a promising treatment called Remdesivir to treat 2,9000 people at 15 hospitals and will send more doses in the coming weeks to treat 500 more patients, including children, at additional New York Hospitals.
• May 10, 2020 – The Governor issued an executive order mandating, among other things, that all nursing homes and adult care facilities test all personnel for COVID-19 two times per week and report any positive test results to the State Department of Health by the next day.

• May 11, 2020 – The Governor announced the Finger Lakes, Southern Tier and Mohawk Valley Regions have met all seven-metrics required to begin phase one of the state’s regional phased reopening plan when the stay at home orders expire on May 15.
• May 11, 2020 – The Governor announced that certain low-risk businesses and recreational activities will be ready to reopen statewide on May 15, including landscaping and gardening; outdoor, low-risk recreational activities such as tennis; and drive-in movie theaters.
• May 11, 2020 – The Governor announced the members of the regional control rooms that will monitor regional metrics during the reopening process, such as hospitalization rate, death rate, number of new hospitalizations, hospital bed capacity, ICU bed capacity, testing and contact tracing within its region during reopening and alert the state if the region’s metrics no longer meet the reopening guidelines and adjust the reopening plan for that region accordingly.
• May 12, 2020 – The Governor, in a joint statement with Maryland Governor Hogan, called on Congress to focus the next stimulus bill on funding state and local governments, working families, state testing and tracing efforts and a real economic stimulus with no handouts to corporations who do not protect their workers.

• May 13, 2020 – The Governor announced the North Country has met all seven metrics required to begin phase one of the state’s regional phased reopening plan on May 15.
• May 13, 2020 – The Governor announced the results of the state’s antibody testing survey of 2,750 members of the New York State Police show 3.1 percent of the members have COVID-19 antibodies.
• May 13, 2020 – The Governor announced 12 more counties are now eligible to resume elective surgeries, bringing the total number of eligible counties up to 47.

• May 14, 2020 – The Governor announced Central New York has met all seven metrics required to begin phase one of the state’s regional phased reopening on May 15.
• May 14, 2020 – The Governor announced an initial $3 million in grants are available to businesses to manufacture emergency medical supplies and equipment.
• May 14, 2020 – The Governor issued an executive order that, among other things, extends the stay at home order through May 28 for regions of the state that haven’t met the state’s gating criteria.

• May 15, 2020 – The Governor, together with New Jersey Governor Murphy, Connecticut Governor Lamont, and Delaware Governor Carney, announced a multi-state agreement to reopen public and private beaches with certain restrictions in place on May 22.
• May 15, 2020 – The Governor announced five regions will begin reopening after successfully meeting all seven-metrics required for reopening.
• May 16, 2020 – The Governor announced horse racing tracks across the state and Watkins Glen International Racetrack will be allowed to reopen without fans as of June 1.
• May 16, 2020 – The Governor announced Westchester and Suffolk Counties are now eligible to resume elective surgeries and ambulatory care.
• May 17, 2020 – The Governor announced the state doubled testing capacity to reach 40,000 diagnostic tests per day and expanded eligibility to include:
  • Any individual who has COVID-19 symptoms;
  • Any individual who has had contact with a person known to be positive with COVID-19;
  • Any individual who is subject to a precautionary or mandatory quarantine;
  • Any individual who is employed as a health care worker, nursing home worker or first responder;
  • Any individual who would return to the workplace in phase one of the state’s reopening plan; and
  • Any essential worker who directly interacts with the public while working.
• May 17, 2020 – The Governor launched a website where New Yorkers can easily find the nearest COVID-19 testing sites. 
• May 17, 2020 – The Governor announced a partnership with CVS to bring testing to more than 60 CVS pharmacies across the state. Each site has the capacity to conduct 50 or more tests per day.
• May 17, 2020 – The Governor announced that the state has delivered over three million free bottles of NYS Clean hand sanitizer to date, including:
  • More than 275,000 bottles to the Metro Transit Authority;
  • 188,492 bottles to the New York City Housing Authority; 
  • More than 117,000 bottles to food banks;
  • 32,512 bottles to farms via the Cornell Cooperative Extension; and
  • 24,060 bottles to the Boards of Cooperative Educational Services.

• May 18, 2020 – The Governor announced that Western New York has met all seven-metrics required to begin reopening, joining the Central New York, North Country, Finger Lakes, Southern Tier and Mohawk Valley Regions.
• May 18, 2020 – The Governor announced that the State Department of Health granted Erie County Medical Center a waiver to restart elective procedures.
• May 18, 2020 – The Governor announced new efforts to connect nursing home facilities with labs to increase testing in these facilities. The labs have reserved at least 35,000 tests per day to help meet new guidelines that requires adult care facilities to test all personnel twice a week.

• May 19, 2020 – The Governor announced the Capital Region has met all seven-metrics required to begin phase one of the state’s regional phased reopening plan starting May 20.
• May 19, 2020 – The Governor announced Nassau County is eligible to resume elective surgeries and ambulatory care.
• May 19, 2020 – The Governor announced a collaboration with the Greater New York Hospital Association and the Healthcare Association of New York State to implement a two-week hospital visitation pilot program in 16 hospitals across the state to allow increased visitations for family members and loved ones.
• May 19, 2020 – The Governor announced the state will allow Memorial Day ceremonies of 10 people or less, with final decisions about ceremonies being left to local governments.
• May 19, 2020 – The Governor called on the FDA to take steps now to ensure pharmaceutical corporations that produce a COVID-19 vaccine release the rights to the vaccine to provide for immediate widespread distribution to make the vaccine available to all individuals.

• May 20, 2020 – The Secretary to the Governor announced the creation of a task force to find innovative solutions to the domestic violence crisis.
• May 20, 2020 – The Governor announced the results of the state’s antibody testing survey at churches in lower-income communities and communities of color, which show 27 percent of individuals tested positive for COVID-19 antibodies, compared with 19.9 percent of New York City’s overall population.
• May 20, 2020 – The Governor announced the state will continue its partnership with Ready Responders to expand testing from 8 to 40 public housing developments across New York City.
• May 20, 2020 – The Governor announced that beginning May 21, religious gatherings of no more than 10 people will be allowed to gather statewide.
• May 21, 2020 – The Governor announced summer school will be conducted through distance learning this year to help reduce the risk of spread. Meal programs and childcare services for essential employees will continue.
• May 21, 2020 – The Governor issued an executive order continuing temporary suspension and modification of laws relating to the disaster emergency.
• May 22, 2020 – The Governor announced the launch of the $100 million New York Forward Loan Fund to provide flexible and affordable loans to help small businesses, focusing on minority and women owned small businesses that did not receive federal COVID-19 assistance.
• May 25, 2020 – The Governor announced that state and local governments will provide death benefits for frontline workers who died from COVID-19.
• May 26, 2020 – The Governor announced the winners of the Wear a Mask New York Ad Contest – “We Heart New York” and “You Can Still Smile” – with both winning videos running as public service announcements.
• May 26, 2020 – The Governor announced the Mid-Hudson Region has met all seven metrics to begin phase one of reopening.
• May 26, 2020 – The Governor announced they will meet with President Trump on May 27 in Washington D.C. to discuss infrastructure projects that need federal approval to help supercharge the economy.
• May 26, 2020 – The Governor announced the state will fast-track the construction of the new Empire Station at Penn and new LaGuardia Airport while rail ridership and air traffic is down.
• May 26, 2020 – The Governor announced the state is continuing to direct resources and focus targeted efforts on reducing the spread in lower-income and predominately minority neighborhoods in New York City.

• May 28, 2020 – The Governor issued an executive order authorizing businesses to deny entry to individuals who do not wear masks or face coverings.
• May 28, 2020 – The Governor announced a partnership with Rosie Perez and Chris Rock, who will assist New York with building communication and education on the importance of wearing a mask and social distancing and the availability of testing and healthcare in the state.
• May 28, 2020 – The Governor announced the state will distribute 1 million masks to New York City’s hardest-hit neighborhoods.
• May 28, 2020 – The Governor announced the Metropolitan Transit Authority will pilot the use of proven UV light technology to kill COVID-19 in subway cars and crew facilities.

• May 29, 2020 – The Governor announced New York City will enter Phase 1 of reopening on June 8 and that five other regions can enter Phase 2 of reopening.
• May 29, 2020 – The Governor announced the implementation of an early warning dashboard that aggregates the state’s expansive data collection efforts for New Yorkers, government officials, and experts to monitor and review how the virus is being contained on an ongoing basis.
• May 29, 2020 – The Governor issued an executive order authorizing business operators and building owners to use their discretion to deny admittance to individuals who fail to comply with the requirement to wear face coverings.
• May 29, 2020 – The Governor issued an executive order lifting reductions and restrictions on the in-person workforce at non-essential businesses designated as Phase 2 industries in those regions that have been authorized to advance to Phase 2.
• May 30, 2020 – The Governor signed into law S.8427/A.10528, a bill that establishes a COVID-19 death benefit for the families of state and local government employees that have been on the front lines of this public health emergency.
• May 30, 2020 – The Governor announced the state will open 10 additional testing sites – one for each zip code – in New York City COVID hotspots.
• May 31, 2020 – The Governor announced that New York dentists can reopen statewide beginning June 1.
• June 1, 2020 – The Governor announced Western New York is expected to enter Phase 2 of reopening on June 2 and the Capital Region is expected to enter Phase 2 of reopening on June 3.

• June 2, 2020 – The Governor announced Western New York entered phase two of reopening, with the Capital Region on track to enter phase two on June 3.
• June 2, 2020 – The Governor announced summer camps statewide can open on June 29.
• June 2, 2020 – The Governor issued an executive order allowing low-risk, outdoor recreational activities and business providing such activities to open in regions that have met the public health and safety metrics required for phase one.
• June 3, 2020 – The Governor announced outdoor dining at restaurants will be permitted in phase two of reopening. 
• June 3, 2020 – The Governor announced Erie County is now eligible to resume elective surgeries and ambulatory care.

• June 4, 2020 – The Governor announced the state is expanding COVID-19 testing criteria to include any individual who attended any of the recent protests across the state.
• June 5, 2020 – The Governor announced the state has reached the lowest number of deaths and hospitalizations since the COVID-19 pandemic began.
• June 6, 2020 – The Governor signed legislation banning price gouging of personal protective equipment.
• June 7, 2020 – The Governor signed legislation extending the deadline to submit absentee ballots until the day of the election.
• June 7, 2020 – The Governor announced outdoor, socially distanced graduations of up to 150 people will be allowed beginning June 26.
• June 8, 2020 – The Governor announced the MTA is accelerating construction on $2 billion in capital projects during this period of reduced ridership caused by the pandemic.
• June 8, 2020 – The Governor announced that as New York City enters phase one of reopening, the city is now eligible to resume elective surgeries and ambulatory care. He also the announced the state is opening 14 new temporary testing sites at churches located in communities particularly impacted by the pandemic.
• June 8, 2020 – The Governor signed legislation authorizing local governments to extend the deadline for filing property tax abatements to July 15.

• June 9, 2020 – The Governor announced Long Island will proceed to phase two of reopening on June 10.
• June 9, 2020 – The Governor announced the Mid-Hudson Valley entered phase two of reopening.
• June 9, 2020 – The Governor unveiled a daily testing results dashboard to complement the early warning dashboard for New Yorkers and local governments to easily track daily test results by region and county as all regions in the state are now reopening.
• June 9, 2020 – The Governor announced the state has established 11 testing sites in hardest hit communities.
• June 9, 2020 – The Governor announced the state delivered 500,000 masks, as well as 10,000 gallons and 100,000 2-oz. bottles of hand sanitizer to Metro North.
• June 9, 2020 – The Governor announced the state has distributed over four million free bottles of NYS Clean hand sanitizer statewide to date.

• June 11, 2020 – The Governor announced that five regions – Central New York, Finger Lakes, Mohawk Valley, North Country and Southern Tier – will enter phase three of reopening on June 12.
• June 11, 2020 – The Governor announced the state is allowing localities to open public pools and playgrounds at their discretion while following state guidance beginning June 11.
• June 11, 2020 – The Governor announced he accepted in full the recommendations by the COVID-19 Domestic Violence Task Force to reimagine New York’s approach to services for domestic violence survivors.
• June 13, 2020 – The Governor signed legislation suspending the forfeiture of unemployment benefits during the COVID-19 state of emergency, aligning with the Executive Order issued by the Governor on May 14.
• June 13, 2020 – The Governor signed legislation repealing criminalization of wearing a mask in public.
• June 14, 2020 – The Governor announced low-risk sports for regions in Phase Three of reopening can begin on July 6 with up to two spectators allowed per child.
• June 14, 2020 – The Governor announced the state is extending the special open enrollment period in the New York State of Health Plan Marketplace through July 15.
• June 14, 2020 – The Governor reminded bars and restaurants that any violations of reopening rules and guidelines can result in the loss of that establishment’s liquor license. Additionally, individuals can be fined for open container and social distancing violations.
• June 14, 2020 – The Governor signed legislation requiring the State Department of Health to conduct a study on the health impacts of COVID-19 on minorities in New York State.
• June 15, 2020 – The Governor announced gatherings of up to 25 people will be allowed in Phase Three of reopening, up from the limit of 10.
• June 15, 2020 – The Governor announced Western New York has been cleared to enter Phase Three on June 16, and the Capital Region is on track to enter Phase Three on June 17.
• June 15, 2020 – The Governor issued an executive order continuing the declaration of disaster emergency in the counties of Cayuga, Jefferson, Monroe, Niagara, Orleans, Oswego, St. Lawrence, and Wayne.

• June 16, 2020 – The Governor directed the State Department of Health to allow midwife-led birthing centers in New York for the first time.
• June 17, 2020 – The Governor announced that New York City is on track to enter Phase Two of reopening on June 22.
• June 17. 2020 – The Governor announced that the Mid-Hudson Valley is on track to enter Phase Three of reopening on June 23 and Long Island is on track to enter Phase Three of reopening on June 24.
• June 17, 2020 – The Governor signed legislation prohibiting health care employers from penalizing employees for making complaints of employer violations.
• June 17, 2020 – The Governor announced that the New York State Department of Financial Services has reached an agreement with New York’s credit reporting industry to help residents facing hardship caused by COVID-19 to avoid unjustified negative impacts on credit reports.

• June 19, 2020 – The Governor announced New York City is cleared to enter Phase Two of reopening on June 22.
• June 20, 2020 – The Governor announced the Yankees and Mets baseball teams will hold spring training in New York this year, while following proper health and safety protocols.
• June 20, 2020 – The Governor announced the Mid-Hudson region is on track to enter Phase Three on June 23.

• June 23, 2020 – The Governor announced that $65 million in federal CARES Act funding is available for childcare providers statewide through the New York Child Care Expansion Incentive program. The funding available includes:
  • $20 million to assist childcare programs with reopening and expansion of capacity by providing materials to support a more socially distant model, and for supplies and activities associated with reopening and expansion.
  • $45 million in childcare Reopening and Expansion Incentive funds to pay for 50 percent of the cost of a newly opened classroom as an incentive to open the classroom.
• June 24, 2020 – The Governor, together with New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy and Connecticut Governor Ned Lamont, announced a joint incoming travel advisory that all individuals traveling from states with significant community spread of COVID-19 quarantine for a 14-day period from the time of last contact with the identified state (Alabama, Arkansas, Arizona, Florida, North Carolina, South Carolina, Texas, Utah and Washington – this list is subject to change).
  • This quarantine applies to any person arriving from a state with a positive test rate higher than 10 per 100,00 residents over a 7-day rolling average or a state with a 10 percent or higher positivity rate over a 7-day rolling average.
• June 24, 2020 – The Governor announced that five regions – Central New York, the Finger Lakes, the Mohawk Valley, the North Country and the Southern Tier – are on track to enter Phase IV of reopening on June 26.
• June 24, 2020 – The Governor issued an executive order requiring all travelers entering New York from a state with a positive test rate higher than 10 per 100,000 residents or higher than a 10 percent test positivity rate, over a seven day rolling average, will be required to quarantine for a period of 14 days consistent with Department of Health regulations for quarantine.

• June 26, 2020 – The Governor announced the state will offer to assist states with high infection rates.
• June 26, 2020 – The Governor announced the New York Department of Health’s contact tracing program has identified and is investigating two clusters related to COVID-19 in Upstate New York. For each cluster, isolation and quarantine measures are in place for positive cases and known contacts.
• June 27, 2020 – The Governor directed the State Department of Health to investigate the potential COVID-19 exposure at a high school graduation ceremony in Westchester County after an individual who had recently traveled to Florida and attended the ceremony subsequently began showing symptoms and tested positive for COVID-19.
• June 27, 2020 – The Governor issued an executive order that makes New York employees who voluntarily travel to high-risk states after June 25 ineligible for COVID-19 paid sick leave.
• June 29, 2020 – The Governor announced the state will decide on July 1 whether to slow down the reopening of indoor dining in New York City as part of Phase 3 of reopening.
• June 29, 2020 – The Governor announced the state has cleared Western New York to enter Phase 4 of reopening on June 30.
• June 29, 2020 – The Governor announced the 2020 MTV Video Music Awards will be held at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn on August 30, with limited to no audience.
• June 29, 2020 – The Governor announced that air conditioning filters with a Minimum Efficiency Reporting Value (MERV) rating capable of filtering COVID-19 particles (approximately 0.125 microns in diameter) or similar air exchange measures will be mandatory for large mall reopenings.

• June 30, 2020 – The Governor announced that eight additional states (California, Georgia, Iowa, Idaho, Louisiana, Mississippi, Nevada and Tennessee) meet the metrics to qualify for the travel advisory requiring individuals who have traveled to New York from those states, all of which have significant community spread, to quarantine for 14 days.
• June 30, 2020 – The Governor directed the State Department of Health to investigate reports of potential COVID-19 exposures associated with a religious service held on June 21 in Ticonderoga, Essex County.
• June 30, 2020 – The Governor announced the Capital Region has been cleared to enter Phase 4 of reopening on July 1.
• July 1, 2020 – The Governor announced that the reopening of New York City indoor dining, originally part of the city’s expected entry into Phase Three on July 6, will be postponed as states across the country that previously reopened indoor dining are experiencing upticks in COVID-19 cases.
• July 1, 2020 – The Governor announced the state will expand its testing criteria to all New Yorkers statewide.
• July 1, 2020 – The Governor announced the state will create an enforcement department to supplement the local enforcement of COVID-19 guidance and restrictions.

• July 2, 2020 – The Governor announced $4.3 million in federal funding is being made available to county emergency management agencies and the City of New York to support COVID-19 planning and operational readiness.
• July 2, 2020 – The Governor announced state outdoor pools across New York will open for swimming for the July 4 weekend under the standard operating schedule of the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation.
• July 5, 2020 – The Governor announced that New York City will enter Phase Three of reopening on July 6, but that indoor dining will remain closed.
• July 6, 2020 – The Governor announced that the New York State Department of Health is finalizing guidance on the possible reopening of schools in September.
• July 6, 2020 – The Governor announced that casinos and movie theaters will remain closed as the state government continues for best practices to emerge.
• July 6, 2020 – The Governor announced that the New York State Fair will be cancelled this summer.
• July 6, 2020 – The Governor announced that New York State will make industry recommendations on the use of air filtration technology to potentially eliminate the spread of COVID-19 through air conditioning systems. 

• July 7, 2020 – The Governor announced three additional states (Delaware, Kansas, and Oklahoma) meet the metrics to qualify for the travel advisory requiring individuals who have traveled to New York from those states, all of which have significant community spread, to quarantine for 14 days.  
• July 7, 2020 – The Governor announced Long Island will enter Phase 4 of reopening on July 8.  
• July 8, 2020 – The Governor announced that New York State will decide in early August whether schools will reopen in the fall. 
• July 8, 2020 – The Governor announced that all county fairs will be canceled until further notice out of an abundance of caution.  
• July 8, 2020 – The Governor announced that beginning on July 10, malls can open in regions that have entered Phase 4 of reopening if they have implemented an enhanced Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning (HVAC) filtration system and follow proper ventilation protocols.  
• July 8, 2020 – The Governor announced that New York State will provide 1,000 masks and 1,000 2-ounce bottles of hand sanitizer for the Fire Island COVID Destroyers – a partnership that includes GMHC and Fire Island community leaders – to distribute on Fire Island. 

• July 10, 2020 – The Governor announced the state will send Remdesivir – a promising investigational COVID-19 treatment – to Florida to help the state care for 280 COVID-19 patients until the federal shipment arrives.
• July 10, 2020 – The Governor issued a statement allowing concessions to open with restrictions at state ocean and lakefront beaches beginning July 12.
• July 12, 2020 – The Governor announced the state will deploy testing and contact tracing teams to Atlanta as the city continues to experience an increase in the number of cases. 

• July 14, 2020 – The Governor announced four additional states (Minnesota, New Mexico, Ohio and Wisconsin) meet the metrics to qualify for the travel advisory requiring individuals who have traveled to New York from those states to quarantine for 14 days.
• July 14, 2020 – The Governor announced an emergency rental assistance program, funded through the Coronavirus Relief Fund, that will help keep low-income families throughout New York stably housed.
• July 15, 2020 – The Governor announced that New York State will send PPE and test kits to Atlanta to help with ongoing COVID-19 response efforts.
• July 15, 2020 – The Governor announced that the Special Enrollment Period for uninsured New Yorkers will be extended for another 30 days, through August 15.

• July 16, 2020 – The Governor launched the national “Mask Up America” education and awareness campaign to urge all Americans to wear a mask while in public to help stop the spread of the virus.
• July 16, 2020 – The Governor announced that New York State has established two church testing sites in COVID-19 hotspots in Houston, Texas.
• July 16, 2020 – The Governor announced new regulations for bars and restaurants in New York City, where any establishment that receives three violations will be closed for business.
• July 17, 2020 – The Governor announced $1.5 million in funding for “Feeding New York State” to support its network of 10 regional food banks, as well as local farms to help provide milk and produce to food insecure New Yorkers.
• July 17, 2020 – The Governor announced New York City will enter Phase 4 of reopening on July 20.

• July 28, 2020 – The Governor announced the state has suspended liquor licenses for 12 New York City bars after finding violations of pandemic-related executive orders.
• July 28, 2020 – The Governor announced that three additional states (Illinois, Kentucky and Minnesota), Puerto Rico and Washington, D.C. meet the metrics to qualify for the travel advisory requiring individuals who have traveled to New York from those areas to quarantine for 14 days.
• July 29, 2020 – The Governor announced that New York State will establish a testing site in St. Petersburg, Florida, which will provide up to 500 tests per day.
• July 29, 2020 – The governor announced that the U.S. Open Championship will be held at Winged Foot Golf Club from September 14 – 20 without fans.
• July 29, 2020 – The Governor announced that DMV-licensed driving schools can now conduct distance learning Pre-Licensing Courses.