Coronavirus Updates: NY schools reopening decision to be made in August, Cuomo says

ByEyewitness News WABC logo

Wednesday, July 8, 2020

Decision on reopening New York schools to be made next month

Mike Marza has the latest on the decision for when schools in New York should reopen.

NEW YORK (WABC) -- New York state will announce a decision on whether schools will reopen during the first week of August, Gov. Andrew Cuomo said Wednesday.

New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy signed an executive order Wednesday mandating wearing a face covering in outdoor public areas if social distancing is not possible.

Meanwhile, New York, New Jersey and Connecticut added three additional states to the quarantine list, from which travelers are required to self-isolate for 14 days.

SPORTS ALERT

The Ivy League has called off fall sports, including football, for its eight schools, according to an AP source. The league left open the possibility of moving some seasons to the spring if the outbreak is better controlled by then.

NEW YORK CITY

Mayor Bill de Blasio says that he believes the city's "Blended Learning" plan will preserve "health and safety while maintaining an understanding that the best way to educate our kids is in the classroom."

He added, "We're going to move forward according to the data, according to the state of New York," Mayor de Blasio said. He also warned that the situation could change along the way.

Blended Learning

- Students learning 5 days a week

- Mix of in-person and remote learning

- Most students in school 2 or 3 days a week

- Ensure safety in every school

The city showed off several different schedule models that schools may choose from.

NEW YORK STATE

As New York State works on its decision on reopening schools, Cuomo's office is now consulting with "all stakeholders" on guidance which he expects to be finalized and distributed to schools on July 13th.

On July 31st, local school districts will submit their plans on how they will reopen. There are more than 700 school districts in the state.

Meanwhile, Mayor Bill de Blasio unveiled New York City Public Schools "Blended Learning" plan for the start of the school year in the fall.

New York reported just 97 patients on breathing machines Tuesday, that's the first time since March 16 that the number of patients on ventilators has been below 100, Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced Wednesday.

New York reported 11 new deaths, while out of the 57,585 tests conducted, 692 or 1.2% tested positive. The statewide total is now 398,237.

Cuomo announced that all county fairs will be cancelled until further notice.

The governor also announced that beginning Friday, July 10, malls can open in Phase IV regions so long as they have enhanced HVAC filtration system and measures in place.

NEW JERSEY

New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy signed an executive order Wednesday mandating masks or face coverings outdoors when social distancing is not possible.

The face coverings would be required outside only when people are in public and are unable practice social distancing.The state already requires wearing a face covering at indoors public spaces.

Additionally, New Jersey will be allowing restaurant dining spaces with fixed roofs that have two open sides comprising over 50% of the total wall space to be considered outdoors.

Murphy also exempted New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission personnel from any work furloughs as the department is working through a massive backlog.

Beginning on Monday, MVC offices will be open six days a week.

Murphy said Tuesday visitors from three more states must quarantine for two weeks under an advisory aimed at travelers from COVID-19 hotspots.

Residents from neighboring Delaware as well as Kansas and Oklahoma should self-quarantine for 14 days if visiting New Jersey, according to the governor. The new states bring the total to 19.

LONG ISLAND

As Long Island enters Phase 4 Wednesday and more tourist attractions can open, officials warn that 15% to 25% of Nassau County's positive test results are people from out of state.

Nassau County Executive Laura Curran said that while visitors are welcomed, those coming from states with rising numbers of cases are asked to quarantine. Curran said Phase 4 is "very exciting" and includes reopening zoos, museums, historical sites, botanical gardens and aquariums.

CONNECTICUT

Gov. Ned Lamont said Connecticut will pause going into Phase 3, "erring on the side of caution," after seeing what happened in other states. The decision means bars will not reopen and gatherings will be limited to 25 people inside and 100 outside.

"We never opened our bars," Lamont said. "We never opened our restaurant up to 50% capacity. Let's take a pause. Let's keep it to 25% inside and 100 people outside."

Connecticut's Phase 3 reopening was expected sometime in mid-July. On Tuesday, the state announced zero new deaths from the coronavirus for the first time since March.

CORONAVIRUS CASES SURPASS 3 MILLION IN U.S.

Johns Hopkins Coronavirus Resource Center confirmed COVID-19 cases in the United States has topped 3 million.

FIGHTING COVID-19

The Environmental Protection Agency has begun to approve surface disinfectants specifically proven to kill SARS-CoV-2, the novel coronavirus, in laboratory testing.

The agency announced Monday that two products, Lysol Disinfectant Spray and Lysol Disinfectant Max Cover Mist, were both approved last week. Lysol said in a news release that Lysol Disinfectant Spray "was found to kill the virus at two minutes of use."

WATCH EYEWITNESS TO A PANDEMIC (Episode 4)

It overwhelmed the health care industry, it put millions out of work, it drowned social services in an ocean of need and threatened the food supply Americans had long since taken for granted. At the apex of the crisis and for the weeks that followed, no part of life, or even what followed life, was spared.