Gov. Andrew Cuomo echoed Dr. Anthony Fauci's words about the dangers of reopening the state too soon from COVID-19 shutdowns.

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Cuomo's New York State on PAUSE order expires on Friday. Cuomo has laid out seven metrics, based on CDC recommendations, regions must meet to reopen, including hospital capacity, daily deaths and new infections.

On Wednesday, he announced the North Country joined the Finger Lakes, Mohawk Valley and the Southern Tier regions in meeting the metrics to start Phase 1 of the reopening process on May 15. As of this writing, the Mid-Hudson region continues to meet 5 of the 7 metrics

Phase 1 includes reopening manufacturing, construction, and retail businesses with curbside pick-ups.

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Cuomo warns that even after reopening, every region must continue to act slowly and closely monitor all of the seven metrics in real-time.

“You get up, get your coffee, and look at how we are doing," Cuomo said.

Cuomo took a shot at President Trump and reiterated what Fauci said Tuesday during a Senate hearing about the dangers of reopening too soon and not following CDC reopening guidelines.

“The key is if you open too soon. If people are not taking the precautions, you have gatherings, the virus will transfer, and you’ll see a spike in hospitalizations and you’ll see a spike in deaths,” Cuomo said during his COVID-19 briefing on Wednesday.

On Tuesday, Fauci warned of terrible consequences if the country reopens too quickly. He believes if the country is too quick to reopen, there will be needless suffering and death.

"There is a real risk that you will trigger an outbreak that you may not be able to control, which in fact, paradoxically, will set you back, not only leading to some suffering and death that could be avoided but could even set you back on the road to try to get economic recovery," he said.

Testifying via video during a Senate hearing the nation's leading infectious disease expert claimed if CDC guidelines aren't followed, there could be a number of new outbreaks of COVID-19.

"My concern that if some areas jump over those various checkpoints and prematurely open up, without having the capability of being able to respond effectively and efficiently, my concern is we will start to see little spikes that might turn into outbreaks," Fauci said.

New York's Phased Reopening Tops This Week's Hudson Valley News

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