At one point in April, New York State was reporting between 9,000 and 10,000 new cases of Covid-19 a day. In a clear-cut signal that progress is being made against the virus, the share of virus tests coming back positive has stayed below 1 percent for 30 straight days in New York.
Even as parts of the economy gradually reopened and more tests were conducted, the state’s positivity rate remained below 1 percent. Despite the progress, the lower positivity rate doesn’t mean the virus has been defeated. As the colder months approach and more people spend their days indoors, there is the possibility that cases will rise once more.
The low positivity rate is a reflection of increased testing, contact tracing, and strict compliance with state safety measures. In addition to boosting testing capacities, the state has also conducted inspections of over 1000 establishments to ensure businesses are complying with safety protocols.
The promising reduction in cases shows that New York’s cautious, sometimes aggressive approach to containing the outbreak has worked and could provide a blueprint for other states as they try to quell the virus.
