Gov. Andrew Cuomo is extending New York’s stay-at-home order to May 15 to fight the spread of the novel coronavirus.

The stay-at-home order, called “New York on Pause,” extends to schools and all nonessential businesses and workers. It was set to end on April 29.

The state’s social-distancing guidelines — remaining home as much as possible and keeping at least 6 feet away from others — will remain until May 15 as well, Cuomo said.

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“We must stay the course,” Cuomo said during his daily coronavirus update from Albany on Thursday.

The May 15 date was developed as part of a regionally coordinated plan among governors of East Coast states including Connecticut, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania.

New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio said on Thursday that there was “no plan” to open the city’s beaches, including Rockaway and Coney Island, this summer. The city’s budget also cut funding for public pools, meaning many New Yorkers likely won’t be able to go for a swim this summer.

Cuomo also said an executive order set to take effect on Friday would direct all New Yorkers to wear a mask or cloth face covering when using public transit and in grocery stores and pharmacies.

Cuomo said he wasn’t ready to reopen New York because the virus isn’t yet under control.

“‘Why don’t you open tomorrow?’ Because we’re afraid the infection rate will go up,” he said. “And everything we’ve been doing is to slow the infection rate.”

Cuomo said that while the state was targeting May 15 for a phased reopening, “we will see, depending on what the data shows.”

He said plans for a phased reopening relied on boosted diagnostic and antibody testing capabilities, as well as on developing an effective system to track people with the coronavirus, trace their contacts, and isolate them.

The Article was published on businessinsider.com