A pair of U.S. governors on Sunday outlined plans to ease stay-at-home orders in the days and weeks ahead but cautioned constituents that the coronavirus remained a threat in their communities.
"What matters a lot more than the date that the stay-at-home ends is what we do going forward, and how we have an ongoing, sustainable way _ psychologically, economically and from the health perspective _ to have the social distancing we need," said Colorado Gov. Jared Polis, a Democrat, on CNN's "State of the Union."
Polis has announced that, beginning Monday, elective surgeries can be performed and retail businesses with curbside delivery can reopen. Bars, restaurants and gyms must remain shuttered.
Colorado has seen nearly 13,000 confirmed cases of coronavirus and nearly 700 deaths.
Polis said that in the weeks ahead he and his administration would look at data and "adjust in real time."
"We expect that we'll have to adjust the degree of social distancing in real time, meaning we're going to look at those early indicators, the mobility data," Polis said. "We're going to look at disease data. We're going to look at a number of different proxies and, as we need to, adjust it in real time."
Nationwide, the death toll from COVID-19 topped 54,000 in the United States on Sunday, according to Johns Hopkins University. The reported U.S. death toll is the highest globally.
Stay-at-home orders in several states _ Alabama, Arizona, Florida and Tennessee, to name a few _ are set to expire later this week.
In New York, Gov. Andrew Cuomo outlined plans at a news conference Sunday for a phased reopening of the economy, noting that any changes will be based on a "regional analysis." Cuomo has signed a pact with governors from six other Northeast states to work collaboratively toward reopening.
"Look at the regional analysis. Make a determination. And then monitor whatever you do," he said of his plan. The state's stay-at-home order is currently in place until May 15.
New York has been a hotbed of the coronavirus outbreak in the U.S., with 282,000 cases and nearly 16,600 deaths.
Speaking to reporters from Albany, Cuomo said that implementing a safe reopening of the economy would require changes at a societal level.
"People don't like change," Cuomo said. "It's hard to make change in your own life let alone on a societal collective level."
In recent days, as the coronavirus death toll continues to climb, states including Georgia and Oklahoma have lifted some restrictions, allowing for such businesses as barbershops, gyms, movie theaters and bowling alleys to reopen.
Images of long lines outside businesses have raised concerns among federal officials.
President Trump, who on social media has urged the liberation of some states, has done an apparent about-face in recent days, saying he does not support a swift reopening of businesses and questioning a move by Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp, a Republican, to lift stay-at-home orders.
