Cuomo rides subway on first day of New York City reopening

New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) rode the New York City subway on Monday as the city enters phase one of its reopening plans amid the coronavirus outbreak.

“Today, I took a ride on the 7 train,” Cuomo said during his daily press conference on the state’s COVID-19 response, according to the New York Post. “The subways are cleaner than they have ever been in my lifetime.”

“If it wasn’t safe, I wouldn’t ask anyone to go on the subways,” he added. “For me, it’s very simple, I just assume I’m making the decision for myself and for my children.”

The city had shut down the Metropolitan Transportation Authority system between 1 a.m. and 5 a.m. for regular cleaning and sanitation purposes in an attempt to prevent the virus from spreading, but it has still seen ridership plummet. Vehicle traffic on New York streets has also dropped to historically low levels.

New York has dealt with the highest caseload of coronavirus in the nation and reported 454 new cases on Sunday. Across the U.S., more than 110,000 Americans have died from the disease and nearly 2 million have been infected.

Mayor Bill de Blasio (D), who has clashed with the governor on some issues related to the city’s coronavirus response, told the Post that he “intend[s] to” ride the subway in the near future.

“I think it’s really important to show people that really important work is being done on subways and buses to keep people safe,” he said.