Delaware Valley Governors Join Forces With Group Of 7 States To Determine When, How To Reopen Economy

Alexandria Hoff reports.

AND IN DELAWARE MORE THAN 1700PEOPLE HAVE THE VIRUS AND 41LIVES HAVE BEEN LOST.GOVERNORS IN THE TRI-STATEREGION SAY WE ARE NOT READY TOREOPEN THE ECONOMY YET, BUTLEADERS ARE WORKING TOGETHER TOPLAN WHAT THAT REOPENING WILLLOOK LIKE WHEN THEY DO FINALLYLIFT THE STAY-AT-HOME ORDERS.ALEXANDRIA HOFF EXPLAINS.Reporter: GOVERNOR TOM WOLFSAYS THAT PENNSYLVANIA IS STILLIN THE FIRST THREE STAGES THAT APENNSYLVANIA REOPENING WOULDREQUIRE.THIS STAGE IS MAKING SURE OURHEALTHCARE SYSTEM IS NOTOVERBURDENED OR OVERWHELMED.THE SECOND STAGE IS ATRANSITIONARY ONE AND THE THIRDIS THE NEW NORMAL.THE GOAL IS TO GET TO THEPOINT WHERE WE CAN FULLY RESUMEOUR NORMAL LIVES.Reporter: IN ORDER FOR THATTO HAPPEN MORE AND BESTERTESTING FOR COVID-19 ANDANTIBODIES IS REQUIRED.WE DON'T A HARD OR FASTMETRIC BUT WE KNOW WE NEED TODEVELOP ONE.Reporter: WHILE A RECOVERYTIME FRAME HAS NOT BEENESTABLISHED A INDIVIDUALSRYBOARD FOR OPENING UP SOCIETY INTHE NORTHEAST HAS.IN THE MONDAY AFTERNOONCONFERENCE CALL, THE GOVERNORSOF SIX STATES, NEW YORK, NEWJERSEY, PENNSYLVANIA, DELAWARE,RHODE ISLAND AND CONNECTICUTANNOUNCED THEY WILL BE WORKINGAS A GROUP.ON DESIGNING A REOPENINGPLAN, TAKING INTO CONSIDERATIONTHE PUBLIC HEALTH CONCERNS ANDISSUES AND THE ECONOMICRE-ACTIVATION.THIS WILL HELP US AS WE THINKTHROUGH WHAT IT TAKES TO REENTERAND TO GET OUR ECONOMIES MOVINGAGAIN.LET'S JUST DO THAT ONCE.LET'S LEARN FROM THIS AND LET'SRESPONSIBLY AS A REGIONCOORDINATE IT, HARM NIIZEDREOPENED OUR SOCIETIES ANDECONOMIES.Reporter: AFTER THIS BOARDWAS ANNOUNCED, PRESIDENT TRUMPSTATED THAT THE POWER TODETERMINE IF AND WHEN TO REOPENSTATE BUSINESSES EXISTS ON THEFEDERAL LEVEL.IT'S A DECISION FOR THEPRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES.NOW WITH THAT BEING SAID, WE'REGOING TO WORK WITH THE STATES.Reporter: BUT THE GOVERNORSDISAGREE, SAYING THAT IF THEBURDEN TO ENFORCE CLOSURES FELLON THEM, THE DECISION TO ONE DAYOPEN UP SCHOOLS AND BUSINESSESONCE AGAIN MUST BE THEIRS ASWELL.AGAIN THERE IS NO TIMETABLE ONWHEN ANY STATES IN THE REGION