This week, the Governor has continued to hold daily briefings regarding the COVID-19 situation. The numbers the Governor has been revealing seem to indicate that New York is still at a plateau of its apex and has not yet begun to curve downward. Although the numbers have not started to decline, the Governor has been increasingly discussing the delicate task of eventually reopening the economy. However, the Regional Working Group still has not announced a plan on reopening. Because of this, the Governor announced this morning that NY on Pause will be extended until May 15th. This means that all schools and non-essential businesses will have to remain closed until May 15th. On, or around May 15th, the Governor will reassess the COVID-19 situation, and whether the Regional Working Group has a plan to reopen the economy in phases, and decide how the state will move forward.
Also, the Governor announced during yesterday’s press briefing that he has amended his Executive Order 202 to require all New Yorkers to wear a mask or mouth/nose covering when out in public in a situation where they cannot abide by social distancing requirements. Such situations would include, utilizing public transit, going to the grocery store, and going to the doctor or hospital. Also, when the Governor was asked about people going to parks or for walks, his response was that, if someone is walking down the street and no one is around them, they do not need to cover their mouths. However, if they will walk by other people, they will then need to cover their mouths. The Governor did say that there are no plans to implement civil violations for non-compliance right now, but if his administration is informed of widespread non-compliance, they may change that. The requirement to wear masks/mouth coverings will go into effect Friday April 17th at 8 PM.
Everyone at Shenker Russo & Clark is still monitoring the COVID-19 situation closely by watching all the daily briefings and checking all state agency websites for any updates. We will continue to keep you updated with all the latest information that is announced, while also working hard on your issues and concerns.
If you have any questions or concerns, please call us directly. We are here for you 24/7.