“The news from Governor Andrew Cuomo about the Mid-Hudson Region being eligible for Phase 1 re-opening on Tuesday is very encouraging. We have been preparing for this moment for several weeks now, and I am confident that if we all work together we can and will re-open safely. We have held four Small Business Virtual Town Halls with hundreds of Ulster County businesses and our Department of Economic Development has been working non-stop to help our business owners by providing them the tools needed to open their doors in a safe and prudent manner. While this is welcome news from New York State, it is now even more important that we all do our part to wear masks, maintain social distancing, and wash our hands. Every single resident has a role to play in making sure we re-open responsibly and safely."

All businesses in New York State will be required to develop their own safety plans before reopening, in alignment with Governor Cuomo’s NY Forward Plan. 

Phase One: 

• Construction

• Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting

• Retail – (Limited to curbside or in-store pickup or drop off)

• Manufacturing

• Wholesale Trade

While plans do not have to be submitted to New York State for approval, they must be retained on the premises of the business and be made available to the New York State Department of Health (DOH) or local health or safety authorities in the event of an inspection. 

Safety plan templates are available by visiting  https://forward.ny.gov/industries-reopening-phase and guidance and resources specific to Ulster County can be found at https://covid19.ulstercountyny.gov/businesses/

There are currently 1,656 confirmed cases of COVID-19 and 72 fatalities in Ulster County. 

For additional information about COVID-19 visit: https://ulstercountyny.gov/coronavirus

Ulster County COVID-19 Hotline: 845-443-8888

845-443-8888 NYS Coronavirus Information Hotline: 888-364-3065

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