In announcing a slew of reopenings planned for next week, Governor Andrew Cuomo said at his Sunday press briefing from Jones Beach on Long Island, “We have been talking about the light at the end of the tunnel and we are dealing with it today in the here and now but we also have one eye on the future and, when we finish getting through this, which we are, we have to start talking about building back better — not just building back — building back better.”

Cuomo said that New York professional sports leagues will be able to begin training camps in the state while following appropriate health protocols.

“I believe that sports can come back without having people in the stadium, without having people in the arena ... We want people to be able to watch sports to the extent people are still staying home. It gives people something to do,” Cuomo said.

He also announced the Mid-Hudson Region is on track to enter the first phase of reopening on Tuesday, May 26, while Long Island is on track to reopen on Wednesday May 27, if deaths continue to decline. Both regions’ contact-tracing operations are expected to be online by those dates.

That would leave just one of the state’s 10 regions — New York City, which was the epicenter of the coronavirus pandemic — still on pause.

Cuomo announced, too, that campgrounds and parks for recreational vehicles will be allowed to open statewide on Monday, May 25.

Finally, veterinarian practices will also be allowed to open in all regions beginning Tuesday, May 26. “That is a service that is necessary,” said Cuomo.

— Melissa Hale-Spencer