Long Island will enter phase three of economic reopening Wednesday. Indoor dining at half capacity and personal care services, like nail salon and spas, will resume with safety measures in place.
Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone says he is excited for more Long Islanders to get back to work.
“This crisis period which began about three months ago, will not end until we get our economy fully reopened, so this is a big, important milestone for us as a region, for Long Island to enter Phase Three.”
Many Long Islanders who lost their jobs work in the service industry, like restaurants and salons. At one point, one in five Long Islanders was unemployed.
Outdoor dining brought some waitstaff back to restaurants, but indoor dining is expected to bring a lot more.
Nassau County Executive Laura Curran says they are already preparing for Phase Four.
“It includes education, it includes more arts, museums and things like that. Of course, I would make the case that we could do museums and non-profit parks and open spaces now. We can do it safely, but we’re looking forward to talking about Phase Four once we get through Phase Three.”
Curran says the county library system has also expanded its contactless options for books and movies, including curbside pickup and delivery services to maintain social distancing.
Phase Four will also allow the reopening of gyms and amusement parks.
Bellone says while it is not clear yet, he is hopeful the region can enter Phase Four on time, in two weeks.
