Cuomo Confirms All New York School Districts Are Allowed to Reopen in the Fall

New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) announced the reopening of all New York school districts for the fall semester as the state continues to mitigate the coronavirus.

On Friday, Cuomo took to Twitter with a brief statement confirming that all school districts in the state of New York are now authorized to hold in-person classes for the upcoming school year.

“Every region is well below our COVID infection limit; therefore, all school districts are authorized to open,” Cuomo said.

Due to the state’s vast outbreak at the beginning of the pandemic, Cuomo has made it clear that mitigation measures may “change accordingly” if cases spike again.

“If the infection rate spikes, the guidance will change accordingly,” he added.

The Democratic governor also noted that each school district will be required to submit reopening plans for continued mitigation of the virus which will ensure the safety of both students and faculty members.

“School districts are required to submit plans to NYS for review,” he concluded.

Cuomo’s latest remarks follow a turbulent spring as New York emerged as the United States’ coronavirus epicenter. The outbreak in New York was far different from the battle most states faced.

With 10,765 cases in a single day on April 25 and an alarming death rate considered six times worse than the normal level seen in other states during the month of April, Cuomo opted to enforce a strict shutdown.

In fact, New York did not enter phase one of reopening until June 8.

The state has a 1% positivity rate for the coronavirus, as of Tuesday. As of Friday afternoon, 448,168 coronavirus cases have been reported in the state of New York. The state’s death toll stands at 32,817. However, the pace of the death toll has declined drastically.