As New York City begins the reopening process, Governor Andrew Cuomo announced that the five boroughs are now eligible to resume elective surgeries and ambulatory care.
Previously, it was announced that the state will allow elective outpatient treatments to resume in counties and hospitals without significant risk of COVID-19 surge in the near term.
“Today we are turning the page on the COVID-19 virus as we reopen New York City — we didn’t just flatten the curve, we bent it, and we did it all based on data and facts,” Governor Cuomo said. “You look at where we are now with our testing results and we now have the lowest levels in the state since March 16th, and that’s why I have confidence saying to New Yorkers that we are ready to reopen. All this progress has been made because of our hard work, and we can’t get sloppy now or else we’ll see those numbers start to go back up.”
In New York City, 14 new temporary testing sites will open at churches in the city’s hotspot areas that have been impacted the most. The testing sites will be created in partnership with Northwell Health and SOMOS Community Care as a part of the state’s ongoing efforts to help these areas of New York City.
Those participating in the recent protests are encouraged to go get tested for coronavirus. Out of the 240 total testing sites, 15 will be prioritized for protest participants. More information on where and how to get tested for COVID-19 is available at coronavirus.health.ny.
This story originally appeared on amny.com.