1 Hospital In Hudson Valley To Allow Visitors

WESTCHESTER COUNTY, NY — The Westchester Medical Center is one of 15 hospitals in New York that will allow visitors in, under a new pilot program coordinated with the re-opening of the state's economy following the new coronavirus outbreak's decline.

WMC is the only hospital in the Hudson Valley to become part of the program which Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced during his Tuesday briefing.

At his daily coronavirus briefing Tuesday, Cuomo delivered "good news" amid a "bittersweet reality," as the state continued to see downward trend in coronavirus-related hospitalizations, intubations, intensive care admissions and deaths.

A seventh New York region can begin phase one of reopening businesses.

The Capital Region satisfied its tracing requirement and can begin phase one of reopening May 20, Cuomo said. Long Island, Mid-Hudson and New York City will remain closed for nonessential business though the first two are closer.

New York state requires regions to have a new hospitalization rate under 2 per 100,000 residents to begin phase one of the reopening plan. The Mid-Hudson posted a rate of 1.74 per 100,000 as of May 18, the state dashboard reported Tuesday afternoon. The Mid-Hudson must reach a rate of fewer than 5 COVID-19 deaths in hospitals per day as well as have enough contact tracers lined up that everyone who may have been exposed to infected people can be warned to self-quarantine.

Additionally, Cuomo said local governments can decide whether to have small ceremonies for the Memorial Day holiday, an annual day of remembrance that honors those who died serving the United States during peace and war. He said he hopes the events will be televised and that vehicle parades are both appropriate and "should be encouraged."

"This is important to many, many families all across this state and the nation," Cuomo said.