Gov. Cuomo rides subway to work on first day of New York City reopening

A masked Gov. Andrew Cuomo rode the subway to work in Manhattan on Monday as New York City entered Phase One of its reopening plan amid the coronavirus.

The governor took the No. 7 train in Queens to his office in Midtown.

“Today, I took a ride on the 7 train,” Cuomo said at a daily press briefing. “They 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 said. “For me it’s very simple, I just assume I’m making the decision for myself and for my children.”

He had told NY 1 10 days ago, “I won’t open the city if I’m not comfortable, and when I open the city, I will ride the subway.”

Cuomo chatted with several straphangers, who were also wearing masks as required, as he grabbed a train pole during his ride. He was not wearing gloves.

Meanwhile, Mayor Bill de Blasio said Monday that he “intends” to ride the subway, although he didn’t say when.

“Sure, I intend to,” he told reporters at an event at the Brooklyn Navy Yard, when asked whether he’d be riding the rails in a show of support for the transit system during the pandemic.

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

MTA officials have said the subway system would be at 95 percent pre-pandemic service by Monday, although ridership would only be back to 10 to 15 percent levels.