Four upstate regions in New York have now been cleared to begin reopening their economy this week, but Long Island is expected to stay closed for a couple more weeks.
Low-risk businesses like landscaping and some recreational activities will be permitted to reopen statewide starting Friday.
Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone says the slower reopening on Long Island is because the pandemic is not just one crisis.
“The core of this is a public health crisis, but we very quickly understood that right behind that would be an economic crisis and a human services crisis. And in the middle of all of that is a budgetary crisis for all local governments and state governments as well.”
Suffolk County has started to provide government assistance to small businesses to help transition them online.
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