Cuomo Hints at Opening New York Schools

Gov. Andrew Cuomo says New York schools will reopen across New York State as long as one thing happens.

Cuomo was interviewed by WAMC on Friday and said he plans to open schools if the rate of COVID-19 infections stays at where it is currently at.

"Yes, if things stay where they are today, we're going to open schools," Cuomo said during the WAMC interview. "If you see a shift, then it will be different.

Over the past few weeks, about 1 percent of coronavirus tests performed across New York State have come back positive. Cuomo said on Friday if new COVID-19 cases remain where it has been in recent weeks schools will reopen.

Cuomo is expected to make an announcement on if schools will open in the fall later this week. If schools do reopen, the New York State Education Department recently released guidance to help schools and school districts as they plan to reopen.

Back in July, Cuomo said there is a formula that will determine if schools will reopen. He added, reopening schools has to be like reopening the economy, based on facts, data and science. He said you can't reopen schools if the virus is out of control.

"You reopen if it is safe to reopen. How do you know its safe? You look at the data," Cuomo said in July. "If you have the virus under control, reopen. If you don't you can't reopen. We aren't going to put our children in a place where their health is endangered."

Schools will reopen if a region is in Phase 4 and the daily infection rate remains below 5 percent or lower during a 14-day average. Schools can still close if the infection rate increases. Schools will close if the regional infection rate is greater than 9 percent using a 7-day average after August 1.

"It's purely on the numbers, purely on the science," he said.