Governor Cuomo announced on Thursday that Delaware County, along with the rest of the Southern Tier region and four other regions, will move to phase 3 of the state's reopening plan on Friday.
Phase three means restaurants can reopen, with modifications for social distancing, and spas, tattoo parlors and other personal service providers may also reopen with modifications to protect public health.
Restaurants in the area have already been cleared to resume outdoor dining. Arts, entertainment, and education are considered phase four industries, and are not yet considered safe for reopening anywhere in the state.
Cuomo also reopened playgrounds and said local officials could reopen pools at their discretion, urging them to base their decision on the infection rates updated daily by the state. In New York City, Mayor Bill DeBlasio said playgrounds and pools will stay shut for now.
States across the country are reporting spikes in new cases of COVID-19, while all of New York is reopened in at least phase one.
As of yesterday, Delaware County health officials say the total number of active COVID cases in the county stands at eight. Sixteen people are in mandatory quarantine. Otsego County reports there have been three new cases in the past week.
