Mayor de Blasio says there’s a possibility that New York City could lift some social distancing restrictions and allow non-essential businesses to open in June. This comes as data showed that daily indicators were trending downward on Monday. 

Despite daily indicators dropping, the mayor remains cautiously optimistic about fully reopening the city. 

In his weekly “Mondays with the Mayor” segment with Errol Louis, Mayor de Blasio said that NYC must be careful to avoid a boomerang effect of the virus. He also says he will rely on evidence and that right now  New York City does not see the optimal progress that’s needed to fully move forward. 

“Today was a good day,” he told NY1. “We haven’t seen that multiple days in a row yet. So that means by definition it’s going to be weeks more because we need to see that pattern.”

De Blasio says that a healthcare advisory panel would play a role in deciding when and how the city reopens. The mayor also says the panel, which will consist of healthcare leaders from around the city, will meet in a matter of days. 

“Their input is going to be crucial, added to everything I get every day from the healthcare leadership of the city government,” he told NY1. 

De Blasio says although he would like to see the city fully functioning, his priority is the health and safety of New Yorkers.

“I want to be really clear. I very much want the economy to get going again like everyone else does, but the first question is always going to be health and safety,” he said. 

The number of patients admitted to hospitals for COVID-19 fell from 69 Friday to 55 Saturday. Patients in ICUs dropped from 540 on Friday to 537 Saturday. The number of people who’ve tested positive for COVID-19 citywide fell from 20% to 17%.​