Rochester, Finger Lakes on TrackTo Enter Phase 4 on Friday

Rochester and the Finger Lakes region is on schedule to enter Phase 4 this Friday. Wyoming County is considered as in Finger Lakes region for the purpose of phasing during the pandemic.

“It will not be all encompassing with all of the activities that are currently closed, there will be decisions made,” said Bob Duffy, Greater Rochester Chamber of Commerce President and CEO, who is also the Special Adviser on Reopening for the Finger Lakes Region.

Duffy says Phase 4 Reopening will include some low risk outdoor and indoor activities. Some of those activities include outside entertainment, art galleries, and museums, but not other popular places people have been waiting to get back to.

Duffy said, “areas such as the malls, gyms, movie theaters, casinos, will not open on the first day of Phase 4, but will open at some time during Phase 4, those guidelines are still being reviewed, there’s a lot of data they’re analyzing right now.”

Duffy also said that Zoos and Amusements Parks were not mentioned nor included to possibly reopen this Friday. The YMCA of Greater Rochester released a statement about the lack of guidance regarding gyms and fitness clubs that said:

“We just found out gyms and fitness centers will not be allowed to reopen at the beginning of Phase 4, which was anticipated to start in three days. We are shocked, deeply saddened and need to regroup. When we are able to share our next steps we will do so. In the meantime, we appreciate your continued support.​”

Duffy said the state is concerned about opening certain areas too as other states have seen spikes in COVID-19 cases.

“If we let our guards down, if we go back to how things were in February, we’ll be back at that point pretty soon and look at other states and the infection rates going up, it just shows when people relax and we’re back to normal, this virus is really relentless,” said Duffy.

The Special Adviser on Reopening for the Finger Lakes Region said there will be no Phase 5, and some industries will open at different points based on guidelines and virus data in the region.

More information and guidelines will come out this week about Phase 4.

BY LOWELL ROSE. ROCHESTER

Courtesy spectrum news coronavirus