The coronavirus pandemic is far from over but several states have already started the process of reopening the economy. Many states in the South have allowed non-essential businesses to open up again in accordance with regional and state laws. New York, however, has been hit incredibly hard by the coronavirus pandemic but it appears that there's finally a light at the end of the tunnel.

New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo unveiled plans for parts of New York state to re-open. As the numbers have fallen, Cuomo said that the hospitalization figure "takes us right back to where we started this hellish journey."

"Where we are today is basically, with the number of new cases, is basically right where we were when we started. It has been a painful period of time between March 20 to May 9," he said, per CNBC, after it was reported that 571 people have been hospitalized and 207 deaths due to the disease on Saturday.

In the new phase against COVID-19, Cuomo unveiled the criteria for reopening seven regions in the New York state. Among those are a decline in hospitalization over a 14-day period as well as a decline in coronavirus deaths. 

Cuomo's executive order to shut down the state will expire on May 15th. Check out Cuomo's plan to reopen New York state below.