Audio & Rush Transcript: Governor Cuomo is a Guest on ABC's Good Morning America https://www.governor.ny.gov/news/audio-rush-transcript-governor-cuomo-guest-abcs-good-morning-america
Governor Cuomo: "It's not fighting the last war, it's fighting the next war. The next war is going to be overwhelming our hospital systems. You look at any of these projections and you see that coming. When you see that chart of the curve, I see it as a wave and the wave is going to break on the hospital system. We don't have the capacity as a state to build more hospitals quickly. The only way would be if the Army Corps of Engineers came in, worked with the states to retrofit existing buildings. Take my college dorms. Take my surplus property and retrofit it for more hospital beds, because, George, that is going to be the need.
Cuomo: "Only the federal government can build. It's the Army Corps of Engineers, that's what they do. Let them come in today, today, because time is short, and this federal government has to get more engaged. There's been no country that has handled this that has not nationalized it. You just did a piece on all the different things different states are doing. This patchwork quilt of policies doesn't work."
Cuomo: "I closed the schools yesterday. New York city, Nassau, Suffolk and Westchester, the main density of our cases, but I closed them with the condition that those local governments come up with a child care plan, because again, if you follow the reasoning I laid out, your crisis is in the hospitals. You must have a child care program and a food program because many students get their food as you know from their schools."
Earlier today, Governor Andrew M. Cuomo was a guest on ABC's Good Morning America to discuss New York's latest measures to reduce the spread of the novel coronavirus.
A rush transcript of the Governor's interview is available below:
George Stephanopoulos: Let's bring in New York Governor Andrew Cuomo now. Governor, thank you for joining us. I know it's been a trying time. Let's start with this hospital situation. You've warned that the hospitals in New York and across the country could be overwhelmed and think it's time to call in the military?
Governor Cuomo: Yes, good morning. Good to be with you, George. Look, we have been behind this disease from day one. We saw the disease developing in China back in November. We weren't ready for it, and we've been playing catchup ever since. You have to get ahead of this, right? It's not fighting the last war, it's fighting the next war. The next war is going to be overwhelming our hospital systems. You look at any of these projections and you see that coming. When you see that chart of the curve, I see it as a wave and the wave is going to break on the hospital system. We don't have the capacity as a state to build more hospitals quickly. The only way would be if the Army Corps of Engineers came in, worked with the states to retrofit existing buildings. Take my college dorms. Take my surplus property and retrofit it for more hospital beds, because, George, that is going to be the need.
George Stephanopoulos: I know you've spoken with the President about this. Has he accepted your argument?
Governor Cuomo: We've talked. I sent an open letter to him yesterday. I did talk to him about the testing which was going very slow and Isaid let the federal government get out of the testing business and allow the states to take it over. He allowed us to take over the testing, and we've made great progress on the testing. But again, that was yesterday. Tomorrow is going to be the wave breaking on the hospitals. Now, just to give you an idea, the state of New York, major health care system, I only have 50,000 hospital beds. I only have 3,000 intensive care unit beds, and these people are going to need the intensive care unit beds. The only hope we have now at this late date, retrofit existing facilities. Get some of the people from the hospitals into those new medical facilities and then back fill the hospital beds with the coronavirus.States can't build, George, as you know. Only the federal government can build. It's the Army Corps of Engineers, that's what they do. Letthem come in today, today, because time is short, and this federal government has to get more engaged. There's been no country that has handled this that has not nationalized it. You just did a piece on all the different things different states are doing. This patchwork quilt of policies doesn't work. It makes no sense for me to do something in New York and New Jersey to do something else. I close the bars, they go to New Jersey.
George Stephanopoulos: Is this new federal standard enough that basically no gatherings of 50 or more for eight weeks?
Governor Cuomo: George, no. You need the specific rules. Just take that litany that you went through. Every state cannot come up with its own rules. You'll just have people going from state to state. If I say you can't go to a bar in New York, you know you'll go to New Jersey, you'll go to Connecticut, you'll go to wherever you can be served. That's the last thing we want. Set the national standards and let's live with them. Otherwise, again, you come up with this ad hoc system that's not going to work.
George Stephanopoulos: I know you were reluctant to close the schools, especially because of concerns about child care and student meals, but the schools are closed right now. Have those issues been resolved?
Governor Cuomo: Well, I closed the schools yesterday. New York city, Nassau, Suffolk and Westchester, the main density of our cases, but I closed them with the condition that those local governments come up with a child care plan, because again, if you follow the reasoning I laid out, your crisis is in the hospitals. That is what is going to happen. The crisis of hospital capacity - you close schools, nurses don't come to work. Health care workers don't come to work. Now you have a real problem. So, I never had an issue with closing the schools, but I want to make sure and I demanded New York City, Westchester, Rockland, Nassau, Suffolk - I 'm closing the schools. You must have a child care program and a food program because many students get their food as you know from their schools.
George Stephanopoulos: That is so important. Okay, Governor, thank you for your time this morning.
Governor Cuomo: Thank you.
March 16, 2020.
Audio & Rush Transcript: Governor Cuomo is a Guest on CNN New Day. https://www.governor.ny.gov/news/audio-rush-transcript-governor-cuomo-guest-cnn-new-day-0
Governor Cuomo: "We've been behind this all along. The federal government has to step up. Nationwide rules, school closings, bars, whatever and then understand that we have an impending catastrophe when this wave of growth crashes on the hospital system and we don't have the capacity. Start now, bring in that Army Corps of engineers. This is what they do. They build. I'll give them dormitories. Build temporary medical facilities, but they have to do it. I'm not shy, but a state doesn't have the capacity to build that quickly to that level."
Earlier today, Governor Andrew M. Cuomo was a guest on CNN's New Day to discuss New York's latest measures to reduce the spread of the novel coronavirus.
A rush transcript of the Governor's interview is available below:
John Berman: More than 32 million public school children are about to be out of school, if they're not already. Classes have been canceled around the country. In New York City that means more than one million students. Joiningme now to discuss, the Governor of New York, Andrew Cuomo. Thanks for being with us, we have a lot of ground to cover so we'll get through this quickly. Number one, you closed the schools in New York City, Westchester, Nassau. These are the surrounding counties to New York City. Why? And why not the whole state?
Governor Cuomo: Good morning, John. Good to be with you. First of all, you respond to the science, the data in the situation. All throughout the state we have a different situation. Some counties have no cases. Our density is in downstate New York. So I closed the schools in New York City, Nassau, Suffolk,which is Long Island, and Westchester on the proviso they have a plan to provide child care for first responders and health care workers. We don't want to see our nurses, health care workers not being able to work because they have to stay home, our police officers not being able to work because they stay home. So on that basis with those plans, we closed the schools.
John Berman: The CDC issued guidelines suggesting limits of gatherings of more than 50 people. How does that address the need that you see this morning?
Governor Cuomo: Yeah. John, I think -- let me say this. We've been behind handling this disease from day one. Right? We knew it was in China in November and then we look like we got caught by surprise and we're always playing catch up. The only way to deal with it a situation like this is to get ahead of it. We need to see the federal government set up to the plate here and set up national rules. It makes no sense, you look at your broadcast, all these states doing different things, cities doing different things. It doesn't work that way. In an emergency, someone has to take charge. New York State, I'm in charge, that's the law, because I can't have one set of rules in New York City, a different rules in Nassau County, surrounding counties. If you close the bars in New York Citybut don't close them in Nassau County all it means is everybody drives to Nassau County to a bar. So you have to have consolidated, centralized authority. You can't -- it makes no sense for all these states to be doing different things. I make rules. People can drive to New Jersey. They can drive to Connecticut. We need the federal government to stand up and say here are the rules. And secondly, John, the coming crisis is we're overwhelming our health care system. That is going to happen. That curve is a wave, and it's going to break on the hospital system. We need additional beds and we need the army corps of engineers to come in here and retrofit state buildings, dormitories, et cetera for additional hospital beds. And that's the federal government.
John Berman: We need more beds. We need more ventilators, which is why Iwant to know what you think of what the Secretary of HHS said over the weekend where he refused to disclose the number of ventilators for, he claims,national security reasons. Listen.
Secretary Azar: We don't disclose concrete numbers on particular items for national security purposes. But we have many ventilators, thousands and thousands of ventilators in our system.
John Berman: What's the national security imperative not to tell the American people how many ventilators they have available?
Governor Cuomo: National security imperative is people would get very nervous if they knew how few they had. Thousands and thousands, what does that mean? We're looking at an overrun in New York in the tens of thousands. That's what I said. We've been behind this all along. The federal government has to step up. Nationwide rules, school closings, bars, whatever and then understand that we have an impending catastrophe when this wave of growth crashes on the hospital system and we don't have the capacity. Start now, bring in that Army Corps of engineers. This is what they do. They build. I'll give them dormitories. Build temporary medical facilities, but they have to do it. I'm not shy, but a state doesn't have the capacity to build that quickly to that level.
John Berman: True on both counts, you are not shy and a state does not have that capacity. Governor, you keep on saying we have been behind. We are behind, you say. So then how do you assess this proclamation from the President yesterday where he said this virus is under tremendous control? Listen.
President Trump: There's a very contagious virus. It's incredible, but it's something we have tremendous control of.
John Berman: How does that describe the reality you see?
Governor Cuomo: Look, I think this is not the time to be hypercritical, right? I think the generous view is the President is trying to keep people calm, which is a very legitimate function for leadership. I'm trying to keep my people calm. I'm trying to say look at the facts because the fear is a bigger problem than the virus right now. My way of keeping people calm is not telling them placebos. I tell them the facts. I tell them the truth. I tell them what we're doing. I say we have the capacity to do it. And I go through the numbers and the facts and I say it's going to be okay. I don't think it's enough just to say it's going to be fine and tell people what they don't believe. I don't believe that makes people calm. I believe it makes them more nervous because they doubt what they're hearing.
John Berman: Governor Cuomo, we appreciate you.
Governor Cuomo: And John, when I said I was shy, I'm not shy. I meant that as a nice thing.
John Berman: I pass no judgment. I'm merely agreeing with you that you're not shy. Governor Cuomo, we appreciate you being with us. We expect to see you again soon.
Governor Cuomo: Thank you.
March 16, 2020.
Audio & Rush Transcript: Governor Cuomo Is a Guest on MSNBC's Morning Joe. https://www.governor.ny.gov/news/audio-rush-transcript-governor-cuomo-guest-msnbcs-morning-joe
Cuomo: "We don't have any options. We know the health care system will become overwhelmed. ... The only alternative is to build, develop more beds, retrofit. You're not going to build anything new. Get some of the people out of the hospitals into those new medical facilities and do the best we can. It's still not going to be good, but just to be wasting day after day after day - this is nonsensical and it cannot happen without federal resources, period."
Earlier today, Governor Andrew M. Cuomo was a guest on MSNBC's Morning Joe to discuss New York's plan to combat the novel coronavirus crisis.
A rush transcript of the Governor's interview is available below:
Joe Scarborough: Let's bring in Governor Cuomo. Thank you for being with us. You certainly have been on the forefront of governors across America responsible, pushing for, asking for help from the federal government, but also understanding you're going to have to take matters into your own hands because it's sort of like Katrina. I was on the ground in Katrina for the first two weeks before the federal government did anything. Anybody waiting for the government to respond to Katrina kept waiting. It seems like we're at the same place, here, 15 years later, but this time it's not a hurricane. it's a pandemic.
Governor Cuomo: You're 100 percent right, Joe. I said that this is the Hurricane Katrina version of a public health situation and we are taking matters into our own hands, frankly. We are doing drive-throughs. We didn't wait for the federal government and we're doing everything we can do. But you and I were both in the federal government. We understand the capacity. There has been no country that has handled this, Joe, without a national response and we have been behind on it from day one. I'm not giving up. There are things we need the federal government to do. You look at today, the news, all these patchwork acts by these different states. It makes no sense for me to take an action. I close bars and then people drive to New Jersey or Connecticut, my neighboring states. You need a federalized response, especially on the looming crisis, and the looming crisis is that curve that everybody talks about - is not a curve. It is a wave and the wave is going to break on the hospital system. There is no projection that says our hospital system can handle this. We need the Army Corps of Engineers in here now retrofitting old buildings, dormitories, etcetera, for more hospital capacity. That's what China did, that's what South Korea did, that's what Italy didn't do, and I have one of the largest state governments in the nation but I can't build hospital beds in three weeks. I need the Army Corps of Engineers.
Mika Brzezinski: Also, governor, don't you need these people separated from the rest of the hospital population? You have an op-ed out this morning which is a call to President Trump to mobilize the military to help fight coronavirus. I mean, military hospitals being set up around the country would do a lot to stop the clusters inside the medical community and among the people who are on the front lines of helping the sick.
Governor Cuomo: That is exactly right and look, they say life has options. We don't have any options. We know the health care system will become overwhelmed. That's how people die. I only have 3,000 intensive care unit beds in the State of New York. About 80 percent are already occupied so I only have about 600 beds available. I already have 60 people in those beds. This is a disaster waiting to happen. We know it. The only alternative is to build, develop more beds, retrofit. You're not going to build anything new. Get some of the people out of the hospitals into those new medical facilities and do the best we can. It's still not going to be good, but just to be wasting day after day after day - this is nonsensical and it cannot happen without federal resources, period.
Joe Scarborough: Now, you talked about how we were both in the federal government before. A guy who was Speaker of the House, I think it's safe to say, had an up and down relationship with, was Newt Gingrich. Of course I haven't agreed with much of what he said over the past three years since Donald Trump has been elected President of the United States, but it's interesting that finding Newt Gingrich is writing an op-ed saying I'm in Italy, the coronavirus is deadly serious and America better wake up. I'm finding more and more Republicans who have blindly defended the President over the past three years are waking up to the reality that we can't bluff, we can't BS our way out of this pandemic. Are you finding that as well in New York? Are you finding that Republicans are more willing to work with you despite the fact that the President is still sending reckless mixed signals?
Governor Cuomo: Yeah, I think what's happening, Joe, is first of all, people are frightened. They're truly frightened. They're frightened for themselves, frightened for their families, and that overrides partisan loyalty, right. It's about them now. It's not about loyalty to their political party. Secondly, it's unavoidable on the facts. People know what's coming. You look at that projection, Dr. Fauci puts up that curve every day. You know that curve is going to crash, and we can't handle it. And also, I think people, the President is trying to show leadership, and he's trying to show leadership by calming people and that is a responsibility of leadership. But, you don't calm people unless you tell them the truth. You're not going to deceive people. You're not going to say it's all going to be fine, take two aspirin and call me in the morning. So they know it's not working and it's actually making things worse. And when the federal government then is not doing its role and you have these broadcasts of every city, every state doing all these different things, people see pandemonium and it is frightening. You put pandemonium on top of a pandemic, it is a bad situation.
Joe Scarborough: Yeah. Katty Kay is with us in Washington. She has a question for you. Katty?
Katty Kay: Governor, you have seen the pictures from Europe of countries like Italy and Spain on near total lockdown. Do you think we're going to get to that stage here in the United States? Do you think you're going to get to that stage in New York City? In Rome at the moment, you cannot go out in the streets unless you have a special pass that lets you go out in the streets. Police will stop you and check your paperwork. Is that where a state like New York is heading?
Governor Cuomo: I hope not, and I don't believe so, and I don't even believe you could do that in this society. But I'm going to be announcing more actions today. I closed the schools yesterday, making sure there's child care for health care workers because, again, this all comes back to hospital capacity. Some of these states have closed schools that made no capacity for child care and now you see health care workers and nurses not showing up. So closing the schools, closing bars, closing restaurants, closing mass gatherings. We'll be doing more of that because right now, the numbers are continuing to spike. So you have to ratchet down on the density control if you're going to get those numbers anywhere near where you can manage them in the hospital system. But for me, my priority is turning to the hospital system because that's where we're going to have a major crisis, and it's weeks away.
Mika Brzezinski: Governor Andrew Cuomo, thank you very much. We appreciate it. Appreciate your leadership.
March 16, 2020.
Audio & Rush Transcript: Governor Cuomo is a Guest on NBC's The Today Show. https://www.governor.ny.gov/news/audio-rush-transcript-governor-cuomo-guest-nbcs-today-show
Governor Cuomo: "I actually believe that we have been behind on this disease from day one. It was in China in November. We were on notice and we've been behind. It's time to take this seriously, for the federal government to stand up and do its job. There's no country that has dealt with this, not China, not South Korea, that has not nationalized the effort. You look at your report that just went on. All these different cities, all these different states, doing all these different things, we shouldn't have a patchwork quilt. Let the federal government stand up and say here are the rules. This the rule on movie theaters. This the rule on bars, et cetera."
Cuomo: "Here in New York, we make the decisions on the science, on the data, and you look at the increase in the number of cases, and you know you have to do more."
Earlier today, Governor Andrew M. Cuomo was a guest on NBC's the Today Show to discuss New York's plan to combat the novel coronavirus crisis.
A rush transcript of the Governor's interview is available below:
Savannah Guthrie: We're joined now by New York's Governor Andrew Cuomo. Governor Cuomo, good morning. Thank you for taking the time this morning, sir.
Governor Cuomo: Good to be with you, Savannah, Hoda.
Savannah Guthrie: Our first question has to do with this notion of a lockdown. First of all, I'm sure you're aware there's tons of rumors around New York City that the city could be locked down. But we've seen what has happened in places like Italy. If something like that, in other words, a mandatory closure, do you see that as something that might happen in the future?
Governor Cuomo: There's a lot of rumors, a lot of panic, a lot of fear, frankly not justified by the facts, but it's there. In the case of New York, no city in the state can close down without the state government's approval, and no city in the state will do that.
Savannah Guthrie: And what about just in general? Do we anticipate - we were just talking about Vice President Pence who indicated that there were going to be further guidelines. Do you anticipate some more drastic measures? Right now the CDC, for example, is recommending, I believe, no gatherings larger than 50 people. Do you think it's going to get tougher than that?
Governor Cuomo: It has to because the numbers keep going up, right? Here in New York, we make the decisions on the science, on the data, and you look at the increase in the number of cases, and you know you have to do more. I actually believe that we have been behind on this disease from day one. It was in China in November. We were on notice and we've been behind. It's time to take this seriously, for the federal government to stand up and do its job. There's no country that has dealt with this, not China, not South Korea, that has not nationalized the effort. You look at your report that just went on. All these different cities, all these different states, doing all these different things, we shouldn't have a patchwork quilt. Let the federal government stand up and say here are the rules. This the rule on movie theaters. This the rule on bars, et cetera.
Hoda Kotb: Governor Cuomo, let's move forward. Let's talk testing because we've heard from the federal government that there are millions of tests now out there. Do you feel we have the adequate number of tests in New York and are there like drive-through testing situations set up? What's happening here?
Governor Cuomo: We are ramping up on the testing, again much later than we should have been. I said to the President earlier this week, let New York take care of its own testing. If I have to wait for the FDA and the CDC, we'll be here forever. He's allowed New York to do its own testing. We'll be ramping up the testing. Bur Hoda, the next challenge, right? Let's get ahead of this. Plan forward, the next challenge is that the curve that everybody talks about, I see as a wave, and it is going to crash on the hospital system. We do not have the capacity to manage this number of cases. That's what happened in Italy. I called on the president to use Army Corps of Engineers. Let's start building temporary hospital facilities before that happens because it will happen.
Savannah Guthrie: Governor, unfortunately we've got to leave it there. Thank you for your time.
March 16, 2020.
Amid Lack of Federal Direction, Governor Cuomo, Governor Murphy and Governor Lamont Announce Regional Approach to Combatting COVID-19. https://www.governor.ny.gov/news/amid-lack-federal-direction-governor-cuomo-governor-murphy-and-governor-lamont-announce
The three States will limit crowd capacity for recreational and social gatherings to 50 people - effective by 8 PM tonight
Restaurants and bars will close for on premise service and move to take-out and delivery only effective 8 PM tonight
Movie theaters, gyms and casinos will temporarily close effective 8 PM tonight
Uniform approach to social distancing will slow spread of COVID-19 throughout the tri-state area
Amid a lack of federal direction and nationwide standards, New York Governor Andrew M. Cuomo, New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy and Connecticut Governor Ned Lamont today announced a regional approach to combating the novel coronavirus - or COVID-19 - throughout the tri-state area.
These uniform standards will limit crowd capacity for social and recreational gatherings to 50 people, effective 8 PM tonight. This follows updated guidance that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued yesterday recommending the cancellation or postponement of in-person events consisting of 50 people or more.
The three governors also announced restaurants and bars will close for on premise service and move to take-out and delivery services only. These establishments will be provided a waiver for carry-out alcohol. These measures will take effect at 8 PM tonight.
Finally, the three governors said they will temporarily close movie theaters, gyms and casinos, effective at 8 PM tonight.
This uniform approach to social distancing is meant to slow the spread of the novel coronavirus, or COVID-19.
"Our primary goal right now is to slow the spread of this virus so that the wave of new infections doesn't crash our healthcare system, and everyone agrees social distancing is the best way to do that," Governor Cuomo said. "This is not a war that can be won alone, which is why New York is partnering with our neighboring states to implement a uniform standard that not only keeps our people safe but also prevents 'state shopping' where residents of one state travel to another and vice versa. I have called on the federal government to implement nationwide protocols but in their absence we are taking this on ourselves."
Governor Murphy said, "With all we are seeing in our state - and across our nation and around the world - the time for us to take our strongest, and most direct, actions to date to slow the spread of coronavirus is now. I've said many times over the past several days that, in our state, we are going to get through this as one New Jersey family. But if we're all in this together, we must work with our neighboring states to act together. The work against coronavirus isn't just up to some of us, it's up to all of us."
Governor Lamont said, "The only way to effectively fight the spread of COVID-19 is by working together as states. We have shared interests, and a patchwork of closures and restrictions is not the best way forward. I know that because of this collaboration, we will save lives."
March 16, 2020.
During Coronavirus Briefing, Governor Cuomo Issues Executive Order Allowing State to Increase Hospital Capacity. https://www.governor.ny.gov/news/during-coronavirus-briefing-governor-cuomo-issues-executive-order-allowing-state-increase
State Will Organize National Guard, Building Unions and Private Developers to Identify Sites to Retrofit Existing Buildings and Convert Them to Medical Facilities - Goal of Creating 9,000 Additional Beds
Directs Nonessential State Workforce Statewide to Work from Home Starting Tomorrow
Directs Local Governments to Reduce Workforce by 50 Percent and Allow Nonessential Employees to Work from Home
NYC, Nassau, Suffolk, Westchester & Rockland must have childcare, educational services & meal programs in place by midnight and ultimately approved by State
State to Open Drive-Through Mobile Testing Facility on Staten Island — the First in New York City - and in Rockland County
NYS will waive all park fees in state, local and county parks
During a novel coronavirus briefing, Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today issued an Executive Order allowing the state to increase hospital capacity to prepare the state's healthcare system to handle the potential influx of patients suffering from COVID-19.
The State will organize the National Guard and work with building unions and private developers to find existing facilities -- such as dormitories and former nursing homes -- that can most easily be converted to medical facilities, with the goal of creating an additional 9,000 beds. The Governor also asked local governments, especially those in the most impacted areas, to help identify available facilities for this purpose. The State Department of Health is also suspending regulations to allow existing hospitals to increase space and capacity.
The Governor has asked the Greater New York Hospital Association President Ken Raske and Northwell Health President Michael Dowling to lead a council to develop hospital surge capacity.
"Our main priority right now is reducing the rate of spread of this virus so it can be managed by our healthcare system," Governor Cuomo said. "We have never fought a virus like this with this potential consequence, and I am taking executive action to reconfigure and increase capacity at hospitals across the state to ensure our healthcare facilities can handle a potentially massive surge of patients. We are fighting a war against this virus and the state will continue taking every step necessary to prepare for and mitigate the impacts of this virus."
The Governor directed nonessential state employees statewide to work from home starting tomorrow. The Governor also directed local governments to reduce their overall workforce by 50 percent and allow nonessential employees to work from home.
We are fighting a war against this virus and the state will continue taking every step necessary to prepare for and mitigate the impacts of this virus.
Governor Andrew M. Cuomo
Following the Governor's directive to close schools in Westchester, New York City, Nassau and Suffolk yesterday, Governor Cuomo said that the counties are required to submit their childcare and meal plans to the state for approval by midnight tonight.
The Governor also announced New York State will waive all fees for state, local and county parks.
Additionally, the Governor authorized the State to open a drive-through mobile testing facility on Staten Island - the first drive-through facility in New York City - and in Rockland County. This follows the success of the New Rochelle mobile testing center, which opened March 13th. Drive-through mobile testing facilities help keep people who are sick or at risk of having contracted coronavirus out of healthcare facilities where they could infect other people. These facilities are a critical part of the Governor's nation-leading program to test thousands of people per day for COVID-19 by this week.
Congressman Max Rose said, "It's critical to expand testing in a manner that doesn't overwhelm our hospitals and healthcare providers. Drive-through testing is a proven way to do that and I thank the Governor working with us to make Staten Island be the first site in the city. This kind of decisive action is what our constituents expect from our leaders in a crisis and I will continue to work with the Governor to make sure New Yorkers have every resource available to them in order to beat the epidemic."
The Governor also strongly advised that only essential services and businesses - groceries, gas stations, pharmacies and medical facilities - stay open after 8 pm. Earlier today, Governor Cuomo, New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy and Connecticut Governor Ned Lamont announced a regional approach to combating COVID-19 throughout the tri-state area, including uniform standards to limit crowd capacity for social and recreational gatherings to 50 people, and mandates that restaurants and bars temporarily suspend on premise service.
March 16, 2020.
Video, Audio, Photos & Rush Transcript: During Coronavirus Briefing, Governor Cuomo Issues Executive Order Allowing State to Increase Hospital Capacity. https://www.governor.ny.gov/news/video-audio-photos-rush-transcript-during-coronavirus-briefing-governor-cuomo-issues-executive
State Will Organize National Guard, Building Unions and Private Developers to Identify Sites to Retrofit Existing Buildings and Convert Them to Medical Facilities – Goal of Creating 9,000 Additional Beds
Directs Nonessential State Workforce Statewide to Work from Home Starting Tomorrow
Directs Local Governments to Reduce Workforce by 50 Percent and Allow Nonessential Employees to Work from Home
NYC, Nassau, Suffolk, Westchester & Rockland must have childcare, educational services & meal programs in place by midnight and ultimately approved by State
State to Open Drive-Through Mobile Testing Facility on Staten Island — the First in New York City – and in Rockland County
NYS will waive all park fees in state, local and county parks
Cuomo: “I believe we’ve taken more dramatic actions than any state in the United States. I believe we have the most effective response of any state in the United States. I don’t believe we’re going to be able to flatten the curve. Enough. To meet the capacity of the healthcare system. So, this business, plan ahead. Plan forward. Anticipate what’s coming down the road and get ready for it. Expanding the capacity of the healthcare system, for a state, is virtually impossible. Building a hospital is a very elaborate, extensive, expensive undertaking. Again, we need federal government to play its role.”
“Assume the federal government doesn’t do what the federal government is supposed to do. Which would not be a wild assumption as it hasn’t happened to date. Well then as a fall back, the states have to do whatever they have to do. The state has to mobilize to create back up medical facilities and that is what we are going to do. We’re going to organize the National Guard, work with the building unions, and work with private developers to find existing facilities that could most easily be adapted to medical facilities.”
Earlier today, during a novel coronavirus briefing, Governor Andrew M. Cuomo issued an Executive Order allowing the state to increase hospital capacity to prepare the state's healthcare system to handle the potential influx of patients suffering from COVID-19.
The State will organize the National Guard and work with building unions and private developers to find existing facilities -- such as dormitories and former nursing homes -- that can most easily be converted to medical facilities, with the goal of creating an additional 9,000 beds. The Governor also asked local governments, especially those in the most impacted areas, to help identify available facilities for this purpose. The State Department of Health is also suspending regulations to allow existing hospitals to increase space and capacity.
The Governor has asked the Greater New York Hospital Association President Ken Raske and Northwell Health President Michael Dowling to lead a council to develop hospital surge capacity.
VIDEO of the Governor's remarks is available on YouTube here and in TV quality (h.264, mp4) format here.
PHOTOS of today's remarks will be available on the Governor's Flickr page.
A rush transcript is available below:
Happy Monday. I love this new configuration. Less density. Everybody knows everyone who's here. To my far right, James Malatras, President of the SUNY Empire State College. Doctor Howard Zucker, our Health Commissioner. Melissa DeRosa, Secretary to the Governor. Robert Mujica, Budget Director. A lot going on. Situation is accelerating. The numbers are accelerating, everything is accelerating and action is accelerating.
First, as I've said before, this is a national problem and we need federal leadership. You look at the countries who have handled this, I don't care if it's China, South Korea, if it's Italy - they were all handled by national leadership. This is a national problem. It cannot be done in a piecemeal method. You need federal parameters to stop the national patchwork of density reduction closings. I did a few national interviews this morning and I was watching the national news.
You see a whole hodgepodge of efforts being taken across the country. This state is doing, this state is doing this, this city is doing this. It's chaos. I think that actually feeds the feeling that the country is out of control. And there is no clear direction and there is no clear path. California is doing this, New York is doing this, Illinois is doing this. It's the same problem across the country. The density may shift temporarily, but it is the same problem. Let the federal government say these are the guidelines. Here are the guidelines on schools, here are the guidelines on businesses, here are the guidelines on travel. Rather than having us scramble every local government, state government trying to figure it out on its own. It makes no sense.
It is also counterproductive, because then what it is does, it allows what I call state shopping. In other words, you don't like the rules in New York, well then you go to Pennsylvania. You don't like what California is doing then you can come to New York. That's the last thing you want. That is the last thing you want. But when you allow this pattern of desperate policies that's exactly what you're driving. And look, I manage the State of New York.
All the local governments in the State of New York must have the same policy. Why? Otherwise, we would be creating this same problem that the federal government is creating. You can't have Albany with one set of rules, but Schenectady with a different set of rules and Rensselaer with another set of rules. People will be confused and again, if you don't like the rule you get in your car, you drive 15 minutes, you're in a different jurisdiction, subject to a different set of rules. So in New York, you cannot shop New York City versus Westchester versus Nassau versus Albany versus Schenectady. It's one set of rules for the entire state. And it should be one set of rules for the entire nation. And that is the role of the federal government and national leadership and it is lacking.
The federal government should put one position in place and coordinate it with the states. If the federal government isn't going to do what it should do, then the states have to try their best, right. And the best way is for me, not only to have a uniform policy within the State of New York, but to the extent you can, cooperate with surrounding states so you all have a common set of practices. I don't want to close down bars in New York, but Connecticut leaves the bars open. Why? Because many people will get in their car and they'll drive to Connecticut to go to a bar. It's the last thing you want. Now we have people who are drinking and driving. It makes no sense. I don't want to have one set of rules here and a different set of rules in New Jersey, because then I close down the bars, you'll get in the car, you'll drive to New Jersey. It makes no sense.
Well then get the states to coordinate themselves. Yes. Very hard to do. Luckily, we have set a template where our regional states work together. Many of you came to our regional meeting on marijuana laws. And I have a good relationship that I've developed with the surrounding governors. So we have actually deployed that here and I just did a call with Governor Phil Murphy of New Jersey and Governor Ned Lamont of Connecticut and we are adopting the same polices. So, there is no benefit to try to shop New York versus Connecticut versus New Jersey. There will be no more gatherings of 50 plus people. So, if you were hoping to plan a graduation party. You can't do it in the State of New York. You can't go do it in the State of New Jersey and you can't go do it in the State of Connecticut.
Casinos, we all have casinos. If I close my casinos and New Jersey keeps their casinos open, we are going to have the same problem. All casinos will be closed effective 8pm tonight and they will stay closed until further notice. All of these closings, they are until further notice and hopefully I can coordinate with the other governors so we can have the same opening period - just the way we have the same closing period. Gyms are closed effective 8pm tonight. I know that is a specific hardship for the people in this room because I can see you are all in masterful shape, buff even. There are other ways to exercise.
Theaters closing at 8pm tonight until further notice. Any bar or restaurant closes at 8pm tonight. However, there is a silver lining for these establishments because we are also very aware of the consequences for these establishments. So, the State Liquor Authority is going to change its rules, they will have guidance up by 5pm this evening that will allow bars, restaurants, distilleries to sell their products off premises.
So, whatever you could order in the bar, restaurant, distillery, or winery, you can purchase through takeout. And we hope that goes a long way toward alleviating any economic hardship. Stay home and order from your favorite restaurant, order from your favorite bar, order from your favorite winery, order from whatever establishment that you were thinking of patronizing. Just order it and stay at home. And again the Liquor Authority will change their rules to allow that. It is not currently allowed. It is only allowed during this period of closure, but I think it I will help those businesses. As you know, we have done a lot of work with the wineries and distilleries to grow that industry in New York and I want to make sure we protect them.
Now everybody is at home and they are at home with their kids. My kids are a little older but I remember the old days when you were in the house with the young kids. The house can get very small very quickly. The kids can get very rambunctious very quickly. We are going to wave all park fees in all state parks, local parks and county parks. So you want to get out of the house, great. Go to the park. The weather is changing. Take a walk. Enjoy your family and do it in an environment that is not a dense environment, which is exactly what the parks provide.
Other actions, all local governments must reduce their workforce by 50 percent minimum. I am directing all local governments to allow their non-essential personnel to stay home, work from home, with a 50 percent minimum. Local government can go higher than 50 percent but it must be 50 percent minimum. Work from home which is the same thing I am asking private businesses. If we can ask private businesses to do that, government I think leads by example. So not just for New York State government, which will do this also, all local governments, non-essential people work from home and a minimum of 50 percent of the workforce must stay at home.
Second, I am directing local governments to make sure that all their local police departments and emergency management services are supplied with masks, surgical masks. You have police officers who are encountering people in all different circumstances. EMS workers who traditionally wear masks, police officers who traditionally do not. But I was at the New Rochelle drive-thru testing center the other day. If you are a police officer, you are walking up to a car, stopping a driver, they roll down the window, by definition you are within more than 6 feet. You don't know who you're talking to, people are positive who don't even know that they're positive. I want all the police officers who are showing, all first responders, are showing great courage, getting up, great courage, getting up and going out and doing their job every day. I want them to know that we understand the situation they're putting themselves in and we're providing the necessary precautions. So every local government must provide their local police department EMS workers with masks.
New York City, Nassau, Suffolk, Westchester and Rockland must have childcare educational services and meal programs in place by midnight. We said that those schools will be closing but we need to take care of the negative downside of closing the school. This is not an easy decision. There are negatives when you close a school. Most notable you don't have child care for central personnel. You don't have childcare for health care workers. Remember, remember, please, the greatest challenge and the greatest damage is going to be done by an overwhelmed health care system. Nurses, health care workers, 1199 members, don't have alternatives to child care. Public education is also this state's child care system. It's this nation's child care system and it's not that easy to say well let them get a babysitter. They can't afford it, it's hard to find, and we would have created a true negative situation if we lost health care workers or first responders because we closed the schools and they had to stay home with their children.
This is solved easily enough. You're closing schools? Don't close all the schools. Leave a couple of schools open or parts of schools open to provide child care for the essential personnel. We also have to have meal programs and meal services in place and educational services in place. On that condition I ordered the schools closed - but it's on that condition and I want those plans and I want them in place by midnight and they have to be approved.
We strongly advise that only services and businesses that are essential stay open after 8 p.m - grocery store, gas stations, pharmacies, medical facilities. We want people home, we want less density. We strongly advise this. This is not mandatory but it is strongly advised and it's not mandatory at this time and it may be in the future. But it is strongly advised at this time.
Testing - we have had a phenomenal increase in testing. We've been able to use our laboratories. Our emergency management team has done a very good job of reaching out to our state labs, getting them on track, getting them coordinated. Our testing numbers are way up as you'll see. Next week, by the end of this week, we think we'll be up to about 7,000 tests per day which is an exponential increase of what we have done. I made this suggestion to the Vice President. I made it to the President. I often tell you when I am unhappy with the federal response to the state. Fairness dictates that kudos where kudos are due and here the Vice President and the President responded very quickly so I want to thank them for that.
We started a drive-through testing facility in New Rochelle, Westchester, where we have one of the highest clusters - one of the first in the United States. I believe it's actually the first on the Eastern seaboard. It has worked very well. It's safe for everyone. You drive up in your car. You never get out of your car. You're tested in your vehicle. They take the test kits back. The time that it takes to take the test is actually faster than we thought. That doesn't normally happen in government. We allotted 15 minutes per car. It's actually running ahead of that schedule. We want to replicate that because it's just smart. The worst thing is a person walking into an emergency room. If you are positive you infect other people. If you're negative you may get infected by walking into the emergency room. So this is the best way to test someone.
We said we were going to open one on Long Island after the positive New Rochelle experience. We're also going to open one on Staten Island. Staten Island does not have an abundance of hospitals. Staten Island is a community where people drive. And Staten Island, I believe, is an appropriate location for this. I also think that Staten Island feels that they have not gotten the level of attention of health services that they need. I've spoken to Max Rose, I've spoken to Senator Andrew Lanza, and I believe this is going to make a difference. We're also going to open one on Rockland County on the same day. We're going to a new phase of this entire process. We talked about early detection, we talked about testing, we talked about containment.
You see those numbers are going up, that means we're moving towards a mitigation phase, and you're moving towards a phase where you must expect a significant inflow into the hospital healthcare system. Now again, this is the great curve they talk about. Plus or minus. Flatten the curve, flatten the curve, flatten the curve, that's what you hear every day on TV, you see this curve, we must flatten the curve. Concept is right. Flatten the curve, slow the spread so the healthcare system can handle it. When they say this, I don't think of a curve. I think of a wave. And the wave is going to break and the wave is going to break on the hospital system. We're doing everything we can to flatten the curve.
I believe we've taken more dramatic actions than any state in the United States. I believe we have the most effective response of any state in the United States. I don't believe we're going to be able to flatten the curve. Enough. To meet the capacity of the healthcare system. So, this business, plan ahead. Plan forward. Anticipate what's coming down the road and get ready for it. Expanding the capacity of the healthcare system, for a state, is virtually impossible. Building a hospital is a very elaborate, extensive, expensive undertaking. Again, we need federal government to play its role.
The federal government has tremendous capacity. I was in the federal government. I was a cabinet secretary. I worked with the military. I worked with the Army Corps of Engineers. They have tremendous capacity. This is what they do. This is what they do. They build airports. They build bridges. They build hospitals. This is exactly what they do. Deploy the Army Corps of Engineers to come work with states to build temporary medical facilities. Get us backup bays, so when the hospital is overwhelmed, we can have some of the people who are in the hospital beds go to a backup medical facility. It makes all the sense in the world. And if you don't do it, you know what is going to happen. You're going to overwhelm the hospitals. You only have 53,000 hospital beds. You only have 3,000 ICU beds. Why? Because our health system is basically a private system. They don't build capacity that they don't need. They don't build extra ICU beds just in case, and intensive care beds are very expensive. They don't build a wing of ICU beds that sit vacant for 10 years on the off chance that there's going to be a public health emergency and you'll need the beds. They don't. It's not economics. It's not their business model. So we don't have them.
We have the capacity that people use day in and day out. And that's not just New York, that's every state in the United States. You now have this influx, you can't handle it. And you overwhelm the hospitals. You have people on gurneys in hallways. That is what is going to happen now if we do nothing. That is what is going to happen now if we do nothing. And that, my friends, will be a tragedy. We know what lies ahead. Look at the numbers from China, South Korea and Italy. You don't have to guess. You just have to project. The numbers are on a chart. Our numbers are on a chart. Just extend the current trajectory. Just go dot, dot, dot, dot, and you'll see the numbers rise, and you compare those numbers to our hospital capacity, and it's still math at the end of the day. And it doesn't work.
The federal government must do this. Assume the federal government doesn't do what the federal government is supposed to do. Which would not be a wild assumption as it hasn't happened to date. Well then as a fall back, the states have to do whatever they have to do. The state has to mobilize to create back up medical facilities and that is what we are going to do. We're going to organize the National Guard, work with the building unions, and work with private developers to find existing facilities that could most easily be adapted to medical facilities. Meaning what? Meaning dormitories, meaning former nursing homes, facilities that have that basic configuration that could be retrofit. Even that is easy because you have the construction element and you also have the equipment element. It is very, very hard to get medical equipment now because everybody on the globe is trying to buy this same medical equipment. Everybody wants to buy a ventilator, everybody wants to buy oxygen, everybody is trying to buy the same equipment and it's terribly scarce. That's why you go back again to the capacity of the federal government, which operates and maintains a medical emergency stock where they have stocked medical equipment for domestic issues or for wartime. When you go to war and they set up a wartime hospital, they have equipment. They have a stockpile. That's why they're uniquely suited to do this. In any event, we're going to do the best we can.
I need, first and foremost, to find available facilities that can be converted. I'm asking local governments, especially in the most dense area, to immediately identify a number of beds in facilities that are available. Frankly, I hope they're surplus because we don't have - this is very expensive and I don't want to pay money for acquisition of property and real estate. But we need the communities that are most effected to begin finding available beds. New York City, we estimate conservatively, at this point should identify 5,000 additional beds, Nassau 1,000 additional beds, Suffolk 1,000 additional beds, Westchester 2,000 additional beds. Why more for Westchester? Westchester has the New Rochelle cluster which, as you know, has a significant number of people who tested positive. We will do everything we can, but we need federal assets and we need federal assistance.
I am very proud of this state government and what it can do and we have done things that no state government has done before. We've built bridges, we've built airports, we've responded to emergencies. But know what you can't do. We don't have the billions of dollars that you would need to implement an immediate emergency hospital construction program. This state can't do it, no state can do it.
To increase hospital capacity of the existing hospitals in the meantime, DOH is going to be suspending its regulations to allow existing hospitals to increase their space and capacity. DOH has regulations about how many beds per rooms and how much space between beds, et cetera, how wide a hallway has to be. Those are going to be suspended so hospitals can actually use their physical space with more efficiency. We're leaving it up to the hospitals for their discretion and prudence in making these decisions. We do have to get very aggressive about them better using their existing space.
I want the private hospitals to be on notice that we may soon be canceling elective surgery. We are not doing it now. Elective surgery is between 25 and 35% of the beds. Some of the elective surgery is critical. Some is not critical. The non-critical elective surgery may be canceled on a mandatory basis. I'm asking them now as a precaution to start to plan to cancel elective surgery that is not necessary. We will need that capacity in the hospitals when those numbers peak. Michael Dowling, who was the former health commissioner for the state of New York, phenomenal fellow, he worked with my father and was in my father's administration, he was Health Commissioner, he was Deputy Secretary. He's just a jewel of a human being and he's one of the best healthcare professionals in the United States of America. He runs Northwell now, which is a magnificent organization. But Michael and Ken Raske - Ken Raske runs Greater New York Hospital Association, they coordinate all the hospitals. I asked them to convene all the hospitals and now start developing the maximum surge capacity. So if a hospital's capacity is 500, okay, what if we bring in more beds, how many more beds can you hold? What if we brought in more staff, et cetera? We also have a number of efforts going on finding more staff, more doctors, et cetera, not just for the surge capacity but also for the additional facilities we may open.
These are the new number of tests. We're up to 7,000 tests, so it's a dramatic increase, 1,600 new tests. What happens when the testing capacity increases? The number of positives increase by definition. So the number of new cases has gone up from 221 to 950 cases. And you can see New York City is increasing, Westchester is still disproportionate to the population of Westchester that still represents the New Rochelle cluster. Nassau 109, Suffolk 63, Rockland 16, Albany 12, orange 11, Dutchess 10, Monroe 9, Ulster 7. Number of new cases, New York City and Westchester, some in Nassau, some in Suffolk, but you'll see the cases rise in the most dense areas because that's where people are transferring the virus among themselves.
Counties with new cases today - Allegany, Onondaga, Ontario and Wyoming. So you see the spread continues. Most impacted states in the United States, we are now at 950, number one in the country, 676 for Washington State. Again, these cases are more an example of how many tests you are doing and who you're testing rather than a raw number of cases in that area.
Our deaths have increased to seven. Washington is the next highest at 42. Total deaths in the United States - 67. Hospitalizations - 158 out of 950, that's 17 percent of the cases. When we talk about hospital capacity, just take that 17 percent and it's always if you notice, 14 percent, 15 percent, 16 percent, 17 percent, run that 17 percent against whatever you think the total infected population will be and then compare that to our hospital capacity and that will keep you up at night. Hence the situation that Dr. Zucker and myself and my colleagues are in.
Again, perspective, perspective, perspective. I went through the numbers in Italy, I went through the numbers in South Korea and China last night. You look at all these numbers, they're the same story. You look at the deaths in New York, it's the same story. People who had underlying illnesses, if they got the flu in a normal season they would be in grave trouble. Instead they got the coronavirus and they had existing illnesses and they passed away. Remember, before any of this somebody would pass away in a hospital, an older person, and you would say, "How did they die?" And they would say, "Pneumonia." You'd say, "Pneumonia? How did they catch pneumonia?" And they'd say, "Well it wasn't really pneumonia, it was they had heart disease, they had emphysema, they were struggling with cancer, and then the pneumonia comes the accelerant to a bad situation." And that's what's happening here.
March 16, 2020.
Audio & Rush Transcript: Amid Lack of Federal Direction, Governor Cuomo, Governor Murphy and Governor Lamont Announce Regional Approach to Combating Covid-19https://www.governor.ny.gov/news/audio-rush-transcript-amid-lack-federal-direction-governor-cuomo-governor-murphy-and-governor
The three States will limit crowd capacity for recreational and social gatherings to 50 people - effective by 8 PM tonight
Restaurants and bars will close for on premise service and move to take-out and delivery only effective 8 PM tonight
Movie theaters, gyms and casinos will temporarily close effective 8 PM tonight
Uniform approach to social distancing will slow spread of COVID-19 throughout the tri-state area
Governor Cuomo: "[T]he federal government should have set up a uniform set of rules but absent that having regional coordination at a minimum is imperative and that's what we're doing today.
Cuomo: "[W]e have agreed to a common set of rules that will pertain in all of our states so don't even think about going to a neighboring state because there's going to be a different set of conditions."
Amid a lack of federal direction and nationwide standards, earlier today New York Governor Andrew M. Cuomo, New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy and Connecticut Governor Ned Lamont today announced a regional approach to combatting the novel coronavirus - or COVID-19 - throughout the tri-state area.
These uniform standards will limit crowd capacity for social and recreational gatherings to 50 people, effective 8 PM tonight. This follows updated guidance that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued yesterday recommending the cancellation or postponement of in-person events consisting of 50 people or more.
The three governors also announced restaurants and bars will close for on premise service and move to take-out and delivery services only. These establishments will be provided a waiver for carry-out alcohol. These measures will take effect at 8 PM tonight.
Finally, the three governors said they will temporarily close movie theaters, gyms and casinos, effective at 8 PM tonight.
This uniform approach to social distancing is meant to slow the spread of the novel coronavirus, or COVID-19.
A rush transcript of the conference call is available below:
Governor Cuomo: Thank you all very much for joining us and thank you for joining us on short notice. It's my true pleasure to be with my colleagues Governor Phil Murphy of New Jersey and Governor Ned Lamont of Connecticut.
We work very well together, we've had a lot of good outings together with Governor Lamont up to Lake Ontario. We went fishing he promised he was going to return the favor. I've heard nothing from Governor Lamont since then. With Governor Murphy, I'll give you an idea - the striped bass is starting to come up. They're going to pass New Jersey first so if you have an inkling you have a ready, willing and able fishing partner.
But I tell you the truth - I've been in this position a number of years and I'm really blessed to have Governor Lamont and Governor Murphy as my colleagues. There is no doubt especially today with what's going on that when states can work together well it makes all the difference in the world.
With this coronavirus I think it's fair to say that we need the federal government to do a better job than they have been doing and this is my opinion. The federal government has to step up. They have been behind from day one on this crisis. We knew this was happening in China back in November. That we are surprised in March and still scrambling to get testing in place and getting a health care system in place is inexcusable, and states frankly don't have the capacity or the power to make up for the federal government. So we're doing the best we can but we really need the federal government to do what it's supposed to be doing.
There are two areas that I think the federal government should be most helpful. On closings to reduce density, you watch the national news today and it's a hodgepodge of different actions by different states and different cities all across the country. Different places taking different actions.
And secondly, in hospital capacity where we're going to have a real problem is when these cases hit their apex and descend on the healthcare system and we will not have enough hospital beds, period. I sent the president a letter saying we need the Army Corps of Engineers to come in here now to start building temporary healthcare capacity. In the meantime, we do what we can as states on density reduction policies, and coming up with the same rules for closings is imperative. In New York State, my state, like Governor Murphy's state and Governor Lamont's state, I'm in charge of my state so I make sure all the rules are the same in my state. New York City can't do anything different than Nassau County or Suffolk County or Westchester County because if that happens people will just shop among the different locales. You close a bar in Nassau but you leave it open in New York city all you're doing is having people drive from Nassau County to New York City, which is the last thing we want to do. It's also true among states. If I take certain actions, or Governor Lamont takes certain actions, we're all in the same area, any one of our residents can get in the car and just drive to the neighboring state to do whatever they want to do. So we have agreed to a common set of rules that will pertain in all of our states so don't even think about going to a neighboring state because there's going to be a different set of conditions.
I believe that we are the only region in the country that has done this and I applaud Governor Murphy and Governor Lamont for that. As I said before, I think the federal government should have set up a uniform set of rules but absent that having regional coordination at a minimum is imperative and that's what we're doing today. We all agree that there will be no crowds with gatherings of over 50 people so if you can't do a party in New York City, you can't do a party in New Jersey, you can't do a party in Connecticut over 50. The casinos, which we all have, will close at 8pm tonight, gyms will close at 8 p.m. tonight, movie theaters will close at 8pm tonight. And bars and restaurants will close at 8 p.m. tonight and will only offer takeout services.
I want to thank, again, my colleagues for their cooperation and their foresight. It's not easy to get states on the same page. It sort of runs against the normal jurisdictional orientation. But Governor Lamont and Governor Murphy realized that this is not the normal times. And in extraordinary times, extraordinary leaders step up to the plate.
Governor Lamont and Governor Murphy are extraordinary leaders, in my opinion, and I'm blessed to have them as my colleagues and my friends.
Governor Murphy: Governor Cuomo, Phil Murphy here. Thank you so much for your comments and would say the same thing right back to you. I would echo many of the things you said, including, I don't know if there are any three governors in the country right now who are harmonizing and coordinating as much as the three of us are, and I think that is a good thing and can hopefully set an example. In fact, I do back and forth exchanges with our good friend and colleague Tom Wolf of Pennsylvania, to New Jersey's west, and I hope that we can mimic a similar harmony there.
I have said several times over the past number of days in our state, and I know this goes for all three of our states, we are going to get through this. We are going to get through this as one family - in our case one Jersey family. We will get through it all doing our part. It is undeniable that we have many good friends and neighbors in our case in New York and Connecticut, beginning with the two of you guys. We are all in this together. And folks know this, but let's remind everybody that the work against this coronavirus isn't just up to some of us. It has got to be up to all of us. And that by the way includes the members of the media, who have been on this call, to keep people informed with facts. I know my fellow governors join me in thanking them for their diligence.
Later today, we are going to go into a lot more detail on the Jersey agenda. Again, a lot this is harmonized with New York and Connecticut, and again I want to thank Governor Cuomo and Governor Lamont. I'll be announcing our plans for closing our schools and institutions of higher education. That is a big step but it is just part of a broader effort to encourage the so-called social distancing and get residents to stay home and play their role in slowing the spread of illness - the so-called flattening of that curve. In addition, again Governor Cuomo alluded to a lot of this and a lot of this is in harmony across our three states. All non-essential travel and non-emergency travel in Jersey is strongly discouraged beginning tonight at 8 p.m. until 5 a.m. each day. This will remain in effect for the foreseeable future. We want everybody to remain at home not out. Businesses that will play a direct role in our response efforts, are necessary for the public welfare and you all can figure out who they are - supermarkets, grocery stores, pharmacies, medical offices, gas stations, etcetera, among a very limited list. They'll be able to stay open until after 8 p.m. After 8 p.m. all non-essential businesses must close and then during the daytime hours, as Governor Cuomo alluded to, businesses may remain open if they limit their occupancy to no more than 50 persons and adhere social distancing guidelines.
All bars and restaurants across our states are closed for eat-in services. Eat-in services effective 8 p.m. tonight. After 8 p.m. these establishments may open for takeout and delivery orders only again until further notice. All movie theaters, gym, casinos and racetracks, again as Governor Cuomo has alluded to, will also close. I'll give more details on the Jersey specifics later on this afternoon. Online gaming by the way will continue.
As Governor Cuomo also said all public events with 50 or more persons are cancelled effective 8:00 p.m. tonight and we can't say this enough that everyone needs to stay in and be safe. Just because you don't feel sick and this is a particular shutout to our young people, it doesn't mean you aren't carrying the virus. The last thing anyone should be thinking about is going out and potentially spreading the disease.
As I mentioned we got a lot of specific steps in New Jersey that I'll be speaking to the media in a few hours and after I get my full overnight briefing from our health commissioner and public safety team.
Again you're known by the company you keep. I couldn't be in better company than with Governor Andrew Cuomo and Governor Ned Lamont. I thank them for their partnership and their own leadership in their own states and again their cooperation in getting through this emergency and again if we all do our part, each and every one of us, we will get through this and we'll get stronger. We'll have the strongest region in the country if not the world.
With that we turn things over to Connecticut, Governor and friend Ned Lamont.
Governor Lamont: Phil and Andrew, thank you, and as you say Phil, we are in this together and we are in it together not as towns, cities, states but now increasingly as a region and that's what Governor Cuomo emphasized so much. We went there fishing in Lake Ontario about seven or eight months ago - we talked just about everything but COVID-19 was not on the horizon at that point. This is changing so fast that we've got to work together on a coordinated basis to make sure this is how we go. I've got to say we had New Rochelle and Westchester and a lot of the infections start there, came right through Fairfield County. That is a region and this is a virus that knows no boarders and that's what we're trying to do. The first region in the state to work together on such a coordinated basis, as Governor Cuomo said.
I'm looking around the rest of the states and the rest of the countries in terms of what we can learn and I've seen - you look overseas, you look at [11:14], Hong Kong, in Asia, where they really have strong, forceful social-distancing measures and how they were able to flatten that curve and to save hundreds of thousands of lives. We also look at Italy and France where it's a freer society. Perhaps they weren't able to be quite as forceful. I think you see what's going on there and the epidemic and as Governor Cuomo said, it's overwhelming the hospital situation. So, this is why we've got to work together on a united basis and give people that sense of urgency that we're doing what we can. I noticed pictures of Disneyworld yesterday, packed until they closed it last night. Many of our bars and even restaurants were busy just this past weekend and that's why we're stepping forward in a very clear, demonstrative way to say we're going to work on this together on a unified regional basis. As Phil said, if you have any option at all, stay home. If you're over 60, 70, stay home. If your grandchild wants to visit you, stay home and say you're going to learn to FaceTime because these are the folks who are, by far, the most vulnerable.
I've got to say, in terms of our restaurants, we're think long and hard in terms of takeout as a way that we can support them. We have a lot of people who are buying gift certificates. They're not going to go to the restaurant this week or next month, but we're doing everything we can that they can keep going. As we close down the last of our schools by the end of the day, we're thinking long and hard about folks with free and reduced lunches. We're keeping those cafeterias open and making sure we have pick up service there so people don't have to go without their meals.
We're working very hard in terms of daycare prioritizing our public health workers, and those that have to be at work, say public safety as well, and making sure those folks know that their kids are taken care of so they can take care of us. Something I'd like to work on with Phil and Andrew, we're working with online scholastic folks and we're going to have a free service available to all those kids who are home from school, so that we can at least maintain some semblance of education and also give them added reasons why they oughtn't to be out on the streets, but at home. And I just cannot repeat what both Phil and Andrew said, we'd better work through this together. The feds have been asleep at the switch, they've been slow off the trawl, we're the ones trying to figure out how to add capacity for our hospitals, we're the ones trying to make sure we have necessary ventilators and masks. If we do this on a regional basis, we're going to get through it. I found one story sort of hopeful, that was when Apple closed down all their stores in China some months ago. And we said what the heck's going on? And just recently they closed down all their stores in the United States. The thing maybe you noticed is China, they started opening their stories just last week. This things made me think we have the chance to slowly get back to normal if you're cautious about it. And if you're working to get through this you have to work together, but we cannot take our eye off the ball and I think standing together with my fellow governors is the right way to proceed. Back to you, Andrew.
Governor Cuomo: Thank you. Thank you governor. And as you well said, and I think your point is profound, you look at the history, the faster and better societies close down, the sooner they reopen. So that's a word to the wise. Just a point of clarification, when we say these facilities close down at 8 p.m. tonight, they will then remain closed until further notice, and the governor Phil Murphy, Governor Lamont and myself will be talking about the opening date to see if we can also coordinate the opening date.
March 16, 2020.
Amid COVID-19 Pandemic, Governor Cuomo Issues Executive Order Delaying Village Elections Statewide Until April 28 Primary https://www.governor.ny.gov/news/amid-covid-19-pandemic-governor-cuomo-issues-executive-order-delaying-village-elections
In an effort to keep New Yorkers safe during the COVID-19 pandemic, Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today issued an executive order delaying village elections statewide until the April 28 primary election.
"Our top priority has been keeping New Yorkers safe and stopping the spread of the novel coronavirus," Governor Cuomo said. "Public health officials have been clear that reducing density is one of the most effective ways to stop the spread, and delaying village elections will help ensure poll workers and voters are not potentially exposed to the virus and at the same time maintain integrity in our election system."
March 16, 2020.
Governor Cuomo Signs Executive Order Closing Schools Statewide for Two Weeks. https://www.governor.ny.gov/news/governor-cuomo-signs-executive-order-closing-schools-statewide-two-weeks
School Districts Required to Submit Plans to the State Including Addressing Childcare and Meal Program Contingencies
Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today signed an executive order directing all schools in New York to close by Wednesday, March 18 for two weeks ending April 1.
At that time, the state will reassess whether to extend the school closures further and continue to suspend the 180-day instructional requirement. Schools that exceed the closure period without state authorization will not be exempted from the 180-day rule.
This action will ensure consistency and uniformity across the state in instructional time for this extraordinary school year.
"The single most effective way to slow the spread of this virus is to reduce close contacts, and that includes in our schools," Governor Cuomo said. "I am directing the closure of all schools throughout the state for two weeks as we continue working aggressively to ramp up testing, isolate those who are sick and mitigate the impacts of this virus. Every district will be required to submit a plan to ensure children of healthcare workers and first responders have access to child care so these closures do not strain our hospitals and that children who depend on school meal programs continue getting the support they need."
School districts will be required to develop a plan for alternative instructional options, including distance learning; distribution and availability of meals; and daycare, with an emphasis on children of parents of first responders and healthcare workers. Those plans must be submitted to the State Education Department, who can amend or modify those plans in consultation with the State Department of Health and the Office of Children and Family Services at any time.
School districts in Westchester, Nassau, Suffolk and the City of New York must submit a plan from each respective municipality to the state for approval no later than midnight tonight.
March 16, 2020.
Audio & Rush Transcript: Governor Cuomo is a Guest on CNN's Cuomo Prime Time. https://www.governor.ny.gov/news/audio-rush-transcript-governor-cuomo-guest-cnns-cuomo-prime-time-0
Governor Cuomo: "This has to be a national effort. There is no country that has done this that didn't make it a national effort ... You look at the national headlines today, every state doing their own thing ... It's confusing. It's chaos. They don't know which way to go."
Cuomo: "The federal government should come up, step in, and say this is what we're going to do. This is what we do in schools, this is what we do in businesses, here are the rules, and then the states can adjust the rules to their particular circumstances."
Cuomo: "I see a wave and the wave is going to break on the health care system ... You take any numerical projections on any of the models and our health care system has no capacity to deal with it."
Earlier tonight, Governor Andrew M. Cuomo was a guest on CNN's Cuomo Prime Time to discuss New York's plan to combat the novel coronavirus crisis.
A rush transcript of the Governor's interview is available below:
Chris Cuomo: It's good to see you, brother. What is the reality on the ground? What is working and not working for you?
Governor Cuomo: Well, the reality is exactly what you said, Chris. We have to engage this. We have to engage it fully. This is a war. It's a long-term war. This is not a few weeks. We have to get the American people set for it. They have to get the facts. They hear so much different information. They don't know what to believe. It makes them for anxious rather than more confident and I think the president is getting it.
This has to be a national effort. There is no country that has done this that didn't make it a national effort - China, South Korea, Italy. It's the federal government that has to do this. You look at the national headlines today, every state doing their own thing, different cities doing their own thing. It's confusing. It's chaos. They don't know which way to go. The federal government should come up, step in, and say this is what we're going to do. This is what we do in schools, this is what we do in businesses, here are the rules, and then the states can adjust the rules to their particular circumstances.
Second, what you said about capacity is exactly right. They all talk about flattening the curve, flattening the curve. I don't see a curve. I see a wave and the wave is going to break on the health care system and I am telling you, my little brother, it is going to be a tsunami. You take any numerical projections on any of the models and our health care system has no capacity to deal with it. We in New York have 3,000 ICU beds - in case you don't understand, intensive care unit beds.
Chris Cuomo: I get it.
Governor Cuomo: We already used 60. We need multiples of that. You're talking about thousands because the people who are going to come in are the older people with the underlying illnesses,emphysema, heart disease, etcetera. They need acute care. We don't have those beds. What I'm saying now is we've been behind this disease all along. Let's get ahead of it. Let's get ahead of it and let's bring in the army corps of engineers and let's start building temporary medical facilities because we know we're going to need them, as many as we produce, if we started today. As many as we can produce, we would need twice.
Chris Cuomo: Too scary. Too scary. You wrote the op-ed. I obviously read the op-ed. Too scary, they say. The military? I don't want tanks, I don't want guys, I don't want marshal law. It's too scary. We should have enough hospitals. Do it another way.
Governor Cuomo: No marshal law. The Army Corps of Engineersbuilds. I used to be in the federal government. I worked with the Army Corps of Engineers. They build bridges. They build airports. They're builders. They're engineers. Army Corps of Engineers. Right? Look at the word 'engineers'. They build. Let them come in, build with me. I'll find an old dormitory, an old nursing home, let's convert it to a hospital and let's do it quickly so we have somebackup space when the wave crashes on the health care system.
Chris Cuomo: You can't do that. You don't have the resources and you don't have the control. It has to be the federal government. The question becomes it is no secret that the people around the President, let's take him out of the equation, they know that you have capacity issues. They have not enlisted the military. What does that tell you?
Governor Cuomo: I think they have not yet fully owned this. I think they've been watching it. I think they don't understand the capacity of the federal government and what it can do, and I think they have to own it, step into it, understand this is not working, every state do your own thing, figure it out. Look, in truth, I'm very proud of my state. We're New Yorkers. We have that New York arrogance. I don't have the strength and capacity and resources to build thousands of hospital beds in a matter of weeks. This state builds more than any state in the United States. Bridges, airports, tunnels, but we can't build thousands of hospital beds. It's a federal response.
Chris Cuomo: You say weeks, that's the window, crises. You think bad numbers are coming your way in a matter of weeks.
Governor Cuomo: Yeah. I think you look at that trajectory, just go dot, dot, dot, dot, connect the dots with a pencil. You look at that arc, we're up to about 900 cases in New York. It's doubling on a weekly basis. You draw that arc, you understand we only have 53,000 hospital beds total, 3,000 ICU beds, we go over the top very soon.
Chris Cuomo: What about all these social contacting? What you're asking us to do. You know, because I want to make sure people don't hear this and say, Andrew, well, then I'm not going to do it, I'm going to go where I want to go then and open everything back up because you're saying I can't. Doesn't make a difference, you're going to be over capacity. What is the message to people about what they need to do to give us the best chance of controlling this spread and giving the system a chance to deal with the worst cases?
Governor Cuomo: Well, we're talking about, you know, it's also deep breath time, right? because we have all this fear, all this anxiety, I think part of it is people hear so much information, they don't know what to believe, and I think part of it is they hear some federal official say one thing then they say something else, and that, that adds to the anxiety. This is what is going to happen. The numbers are going to go up. we're going to run out of capacity on the ICU beds if we don't actually engage the Army Corps of Engineers, etcetera. and the disease is going to affect older people, immune compromised people, people with underlying illnesses. We have [nine] deaths. There's a common denominator. Older people, emphysema, heart disease, cancer. It's pneumonia. When someone is sick, they get pneumonia, they say, well, pneumonia killed them. Yeah well the pneumonia killed them but, by the way, they had cancer. That's what's going to happen. We're only talking about the vulnerable population, but won't to save as many of them as we can.
Chris Cuomo: What about all the economic victims of this, Andrew? How do you deal with that? you know, look you're got going to get the virus, a lot of people won't get it, but you're going to have more people out of work because of this than probably at any other time since the Great depression. How do you deal with that at the same time?
Governor Cuomo: Yeah, two quick points. One, don't give up on America. and don't give up on what America can do when she steps up full force. You bring in the Army Corps of Engineers, you're working in partnership with the states. I was there post-9/11. That spirit, that energy, we can do anything and we'll be the better for it. Economically, the bill is going to come due. It is a big bill and it's going to take a long period of time. You just start to add up, because we've never done this, Chris. Add up all the costs. Add up all the businesses closed. All the people who are going to be unemployed. The economy was teetering to begin with. They were talking about when the recession was going to start. I believe this has triggered a recession. I believe the bill and the bailout is going to be the second big federal episode here. You're going to have mortgages foreclosed like 2008. Going to have business loans you're going to have to repay. No, no, this is a deep, deep economic hole. You'll have businesses close that never re-open, Chris. And you'll have billions of dollars, not just in loss, but billions of dollars spent in getting ready for everything that we have to do.
Chris Cuomo: Let me do this, gov.
Governor Cuomo: Ask me a tough question. Come on, ask me a tough question.
Chris Cuomo: I have a few. Let me do this. Let me keep you a second block. I'm going to take a quick commercial. You can prepare yourself what's going to happen on the other side of the break because I want to ask you about what the eventualities are. Let me take a quick break. I'm going to change this show because this is an important conversation. The governor is going to stay with us. Believe me, it's harder for me than it is for anybody else, but we do have to understand, where is the federal government in terms of giving him what he just asked for? Because other states are going to ask for it also. And how do you balance that with the economic pain? You know, what are our solutions and where will they come from? We'll be right on that right after this.
...
Chris Cuomo: You and the President go back and forth a little bit. He cleans it up later up in a press conference. The substance of the back and forth was about what needs to happen and who needs to do it. And in a rejoinder tweet you that you sent to President, you said you'd love to be doing more, give me control of the Army Corps of Engineers and I'll take it from there. First of all, do you have any reason to believe that you will get that kind of assistance?
Governor Cuomo: Look, you don't know. You don't know how he's going to react and you are right, we go back and forth. Look, I tell him the truth, right? And I said, by the way, a week ago, I said the testing is a debacle and we're not testing fast enough in this country. We knew China was coming in November. Why didn't we start ramping up testing? And the federal government should decentralize testing and give it to the states. I have 200 labs in this state. Let me use my 200 labs. Why am I waiting on the FDA and CDC? And the president, to his credit - I credit the president. He said, you're right, and he gave New York the authority to do the testing -
Chris Cuomo: Good, what about on this?
Governor Cuomo: New York still needs more authority to do the automated testing. So he heard it. Now I'm saying, look, I don't have a crystal ball and it's not that I'm making a prophecy. If you track the numbers of China, South Korea, Italy, and overlay the United States, you know where it's going.
Chris Cuomo: Why haven't they done anything?
Governor Cuomo: It overwhelms the healthcare capacity - Because I don't know, you'd have to ask him. But it's a big step. You have to know how to mobilize the federal government. You have to know how to manage the federal government. You have to get that Army Corps of Engineers which is not that easy to move around. I worked with them when I was in Washington. They a big, huge, bureaucracy, but has a lot of power. You have to get that mobilized. It's not easy. But I think he hears it. I think he gets that this is now a national issue. I think he gets what he says matters. Calm leadership matters. That you're not going to assuage the American people by just saying, don't worry, don't worry, take two aspirin and call me in the morning. That's not going to work. They need to hear the facts. They need to hear the truth. It has to be consistent and you need the federal government to stand up and do it.
Chris Cuomo: What if they don't?
Governor Cuomo: - and the mechanism is the Army corps of Engineers.
Chris Cuomo: What if they don't? What if they say they are not going to do it? They don't think the need is there. You have got a lot of facilities, you have got a lot of different resources, you say it all the time, use what you have. Then what?
Governor Cuomo: If they don't do it, then I'm on my own. But by the way, I assumed I was on my own from day one.
Chris Cuomo: But can you handle the capacity?
Governor Cuomo: This has not been an - I cannot create enough hospital beds in time.
Chris Cuomo: So then what happens?
Governor Cuomo: - with the Army Corps of Engineers, we probably won't. We'll have a shortage of ICU beds. It will be ugly. The good news is, or the moderate news is, the people who are in danger are going to be in danger anyway. These are going to be older people with underlying illnesses. If it wasn't the coronavirus, they would be in danger if they got a flu, Chris. That's what people are missing in this overreaction. But we won't have the intense ICU beds to take care of all the people who need it, that's what happens in the worst case.
Chris Cuomo: More curfews, more restrictions, shutting down the city. Every day I get like 500 people saying I hear it's coming, there's going to be a federal shutdown of the entire country. New York City is shutting down, you're not going to be able to go on the roads, curfews. Do you have any reason to believe that you need to do any of that as of now?
Governor Cuomo: Look, because there's been no federal or national guidance, what I did today is I joined with my neighboring states, with Connecticut Governor Ned Lamont who's a great guy, New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy who's a great guy, and we came up with a common set of rules. I believe it's the only region in the nation, because you can't do this state by state, so we said we're going to close all the bars, the movie theaters, etcetera, 8:00 tonight, everything closes, don't try to go for a drink after this show. So we came up with a common set of rules for the three states because there's been no federal leadership. It will ratchet up if the numbers don't come down. This is pure data and science. You watch those numbers, the numbers keep going up, you tighten the valve more to get less density, less density, less spread. Curfew, I don't like the word curfew. Dad tried to have a curfew for me. I never got past the resentment. But I do believe you'll see more tightening if the numbers don't slow.
Chris Cuomo: The least of your problems, by the way. Your problems with the curfew were the least of your problems, just so you know.
Governor Cuomo: I never -- you violated the curfew all the time, caused much pain. But that's a different story.
Chris Cuomo: I don't believe in rules. Governor Andrew Cuomo, I appreciate you coming on the show. I love you. I'm proud of what you're doing. I know you're working hard for your state, but no matter how hard you're working, there's always time to call mom. She wants to hear from you, just so you know.
Governor Cuomo: Yeah. I called mom. I called mom just before I came on the show.
Chris Cuomo: Not what she said.
Governor Cuomo: By the way, she said I was her favorite.
Chris Cuomo: She never said that.
Governor Cuomo: Good news, she said you are her second favorite, second favorite son, Christopher.
Chris Cuomo: We both know neither of us are mom's first or second favorite in the family. I can't believe you're lying to my audience. You've blown the credibility of the entire interview. I should have ended it before.
Governor Cuomo: Second favorite son, listen to the word.
Chris Cuomo: Politicians are very tricky, throw a word in there after the first time you said it, it creates a lot of doubt.
Governor Cuomo: Not me. Straight across the plate. Straight across the plate.
Chris Cuomo: Stay strong. Stay for your people and I appreciate you being here. I love you, brother.
Governor Cuomo: You, too, brother.
March 17, 2020.
Video, Audio, Photos & Rush Transcript: During Coronavirus Briefing, Governor Cuomo Calls for National Unity in Face of Historic Coronavirus Pandemic https://www.governor.ny.gov/news/video-audio-photos-rush-transcript-during-coronavirus-briefing-governor-cuomo-calls-national
Governor Cuomo: "This is an extraordinary time in this nation's history. It will go down in the history books as one of those moments of true crisis and confusion and chaos. I lived through 9/11. I remember the fear and the panic that existed on 9/11 where a single moment your whole concept of life and society can be shaken, where you need to see government perform at its best, you need to see people perform at their best. Everybody is afraid. Everybody is nervous. How you respond, how you act, this is a character test for all of us individually. It is a character test for us collectively as a society. What did you do at that moment when all around you lost their head?... That is this moment. What does government do in this moment? It steps up, it performs, it does what it's supposed to do. It does it better than it's ever done it before." "
Cuomo: "We're not Democrats and we're not Republicans. We are Americans at the end of the day. That's who we are and that's who we are when we are at our best so this hyper-sensitivity about politics and reading every comment and wanting to pit one against the other - there is no time for this."
Cuomo: "Be a little bit more sensitive, understand the stress, understand the fear, be a little bit more loving, a little bit more compassionate, a little bit more comforting, a little bit more cooperative... we are going to get through it and we are going to get thought it together. But understand the pressures that everyone is feeling and let's be considerate of those feelings that are now collective and societal."
Cuomo: "Last point is this, keep it all in focus. There's a gentleman who used to be here who used to come through that back door, wheel himself through this room, get behind a desk, dealt with every hardship, raised himself up from a wheelchair every time he had to speak. Franklin Delano Roosevelt. He said most things better than anyone has said them since. He said, paraphrased, things are going to get worse and worse before they get better and better and the American people deserve to hear it straight from the shoulder. Tell the people the truth, tell them the facts. The facts are comforting. That's my job and what I've been trying to do. These are the facts, this is the truth. I tell you the truth when it's pretty and when it's not pretty, but knowing the truth, I think, is reassuring. As I know the truth, I tell the people of the State the truth. That's the first step, then we do what we have to do, and we will. Thank you, God bless you."
Earlier today during a coronavirus briefing, Governor Andrew M. Cuomo issued a call for national unity in the face of the historic coronavirus pandemic. The Governor urged President Trump to partner with New York and to mobilize the Army Corps of Engineers and the full strength of the federal government to help stop the spread of the virus.
VIDEO of the Governor's remarks is available on YouTube here and in TV quality (h.264, mp4) format here.
VIDEO of the Governor speaking on FDR's leadership is available on YouTube here and in TV quality (h.264, mp4) format here.
AUDIO of the Governor speaking on FDR's leadership is available here.
PHOTOS of today's remarks will be available on the Governor's Flickr page.
A rush transcript is available below:
This is an extraordinary time in this nation's history. It will go down in the history books as one of those moments of true crisis and confusion and chaos. I lived through 9/11. I remember the fear and the panic that existed on 9/11 where a single moment your whole concept of life and society can be shaken, where you need to see government perform at its best, you need to see people perform at their best. Everybody is afraid. Everybody is nervous. How you respond, how you act, this is a character test for all of us individually. It is a character test for us collectively as a society. What did you do at that moment when all around you lost their head?
That is this moment. What does government do in this moment? It steps up, it performs, it does what it's supposed to do. It does it better than it's ever done it before. What does government not do? It does not engage in politics, or partisanship. Even if you are in the midst of an election season. Even if you are in the moment in time in history when you have hyper-partisanship, which we now have. The President of the United States, Donald Trump, it is essential that the federal government works with the State and that this state works with the federal government.
We cannot do this on our own. I built airports, I built bridges, we have made this government do things that it's never done before. This government has done summersaults, it's performed better than ever before. I am telling you, this government cannot meet this crisis without the resources and capacity of the federal government. I spoke to the President this morning again. He is ready, willing, and able to help. I've been speaking with members of his staff late last night, early this morning. We need their help, especially on the hospital capacity issue.
We need FEMA. FEMA has tremendous resources. When I was at HUD I worked with FEMA I know what they can do. I know what the Army Corps of Engineers can do. They have a capacity that we simply do not have. I said to the President, who is a New Yorker, who I've known for many, many years. I put my hand out in partnership. I want to work together 100 percent. I need your help. I want your help and New Yorkers will do everything they can to be good partners with the federal government. I think the President was 100 percent sincere in saying that wanted to work together. In partnership, in the spirit of cooperation I can tell you the actions he has taken evidence that. His team has been on it. I know a team when they're on it. I know a team when they're not on it. His team is on it. They've been responsive. Late at night, early in the morning, and they've thus far been doing everything that they can do and I want to say thank you and I want to say that I appreciate it and they will have nothing but cooperation and partnership from the State of New York.
We're not Democrats and we're not Republicans. We are Americans at the end of the day. That's who we are and that's who we are when we are at our best so this hyper-sensitivity about politics and reading every comment and wanting to pit one against the other - there is no time for this.
The President is doing the right thing in offering to step up with New York and I appreciate it and New York will do the right thing in return.
Also on a personal level, this is, we use the word disruption, such a clinical, antiseptic word, it's a period of disruption. Life has turned upside down, it's just turned upside down. Remember those snow globes when you were a kid and you shook the globe and the snow went all over and the whole picture changed as soon as you picked up and shook that snow globe? Somebody picked up our country and just shook it and turned it upside down. And it's all chaotic and things are flying all over. And there's new information and there's misinformation. And people don't know what to do and businesses are closing and the rules change every minute. And can I go out, can I not go out, how do I get the virus, how do I not get the virus. And now I'm at home and I'm stuck at home and the kids are at home. And then there's a whole component to this, don't touch anyone. Don't hug, don't kiss. We're human being - that interaction is so important to us, that emotional affirmation is so important to us. And now you have all those weighty decisions - should I go out, should I not go out? Is this safe for my kids? Is this not safe for my kids? I'm stuck in my house.
I've used my experience just as a metaphor to communicate and relate. Having the kids in the house sounds great, having the kids in the house, yay the kids are in the house. I remember when my kids were young, I was divorced, my kids were three girls, they were six and seven and eight years old. Six and seven and eight years old in a small apartment in Manhattan, that's a lot of fun and then that gets old very fast. Right? The claustrophobia just sets in, it sets in for the kids and it set in for me. What I would do then is I would go to my mother and father's apartment in times of fear, in times of stress, to feel connected to someone, to feel comforted by someone. I mentioned my daughter. I have not seen my daughter in over two weeks. It breaks my heart. And then this concept of maybe I can't get next to her because of this virus, there is a distance between me and my daughter because of this virus, its saddens me to the core and it frightens me to the core. And I had her on the phone this morning and I said it to her. I just said it to her. I said I can't tell you how hard this is for me not to be able to be with you, not to be able to hold you in my arms, not to be able to kiss you all over your face - which she hates anyway. And that plays out a thousand different ways, you put all of this together - it is a hard time. It is a hard time on every level. It is a frightening time on every level.
At the same, it is this much time. Is it 3 months, is it 6 months, is it 9 months? I don't know but it is this much time. We will get through this much time. Understand what we are dealing with, understand the pressures that we are feeling, but we will get through this much time. Be a little bit more sensitive, understand the stress, understand the fear, be a little bit more loving, a little bit more compassionate, a little bit more comforting, a little bit more cooperative. And we will get through this time.
We will lose people, yes, like we lose people every year with the flu. We are going be challenged and tested. There are going to be periods of chaos, yes. We have been through that before also. But this is all we are talking about and we will learn from it and we will be better prepared the next time because this is not the last time my friends. This has been a growing rate of this emergencies and health situations and storms. But we are going to get through it and we are going to get thought it together. But understand the pressures that everyone is feeling and let's be considerate of those feelings that are now collective and societal.
Last point is this, keep it all in focus. There's a gentleman who used to be here who used to come through that back door, wheel himself through this room, get behind a desk, dealt with every hardship, raised himself up from a wheelchair every time he had to speak. Franklin Delano Roosevelt. He said most things better than anyone has said them since. He said, paraphrased, things are going to get worse and worse before they get better and better and the American people deserve to hear it straight from the shoulder. Tell the people the truth, tell them the facts. The facts are comforting. That's my job and what I've been trying to do. These are the facts, this is the truth. I tell you the truth when it's pretty and when it's not pretty, but knowing the truth, I think, is reassuring. As I know the truth, I tell the people of the State the truth. That's the first step, then we do what we have to do, and we will. Thank you, God bless you.
Governor's Program Bill Guarantees Job Protection and Pay for New Yorkers Quarantined as a Result of Novel Coronavirus
Legislation Also Adopts Comprehensive Paid Sick Leave Proposal First Advanced in Governor's Executive Budget
Follows Governor's Announcement Last Week that the State Will Provide Two Weeks Paid Leave for Quarantined State Workers
Drive-Through COVID-19 Mobile Testing Facility Opens Today in Nassau County - Follows Success of Similar Facility in New Rochelle
State to Open Drive-Through Mobile Testing Facilities in Suffolk County, Rockland County and Staten Island
State is Reaching out to Retired Nurses and Doctors to Supplement Medical Personnel at Hospitals - Part of Governor's Hospital Capacity 'Surge' Efforts
Directs Greater NY Hospital Association and Healthcare Association of NYS to Work with 1199 SEIU to Develop Plan to Create Drop-In Child Care and Expand Child Care Facilities at Hospitals to Ensure Child Care for Hospital Workforce
Confirms 432 Additional Coronavirus Cases in New York State - Bringing Statewide Total to 1,374; New Cases in 18 Counties
Cuomo: "This is an extraordinary time in this nation's history, and it will go down in the history books as one of those moments of true crisis and confusion. So my message to New Yorkers is this: Be a little bit more sensitive, understand the stress, understand the fear, be a little bit more loving, a little bit more compassionate, a little bit more comforting, a little bit more cooperative. We are going to get through it and we are going to get through it together."
Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today announced a three-way agreement with the Legislature on a bill guaranteeing job protection and pay for New Yorkers who have been quarantined as a result of novel coronavirus, or COVID-19. The program bill also includes the permanent comprehensive paid sick leave policy first advanced in the Governor's FY 2021 Executive Budget proposal.
This follows the Governor's announcement last week that the state will guarantee two full weeks of paid leave for all state workers who are subject to a mandatory or precautionary order of quarantine as a result of the novel coronavirus.
The Governor announced that the state's drive-through COVID-19 mobile testing facility opens today on Long Island. The Governor also authorized the State to open drive-through COVID-19 mobile testing facilities in Suffolk County, Rockland County and on Staten Island. This follows the success of the New Rochelle mobile testing center, which opened March 13th. Drive-through mobile testing facilities help keep people who are sick or at risk of having contracted coronavirus out of healthcare facilities where they could infect other people. These facilities are a critical part of the Governor's nation-leading program to test thousands of people per day for COVID-19 by this week.
The Governor also announced that the state is reaching out to qualified former doctors, nurses and other healthcare professionals to supplement the personnel at hospitals. The State Department of Health and the State Education Department have sent letters to retired health care professionals and all schools of nursing, public health and medicine encouraging qualified health care personnel to sign up for on-call work during the COVID-19 crisis. Healthcare professionals who wish to sign up can contact the State Department of Health at health.ny.gov/assistance.
Governor Cuomo also directed the Greater New York Hospital Association and the Healthcare Association of New York State to work with 1199 SEIU to develop a plan to create drop-in child care opportunities and expand child care facilities at their hospitals to ensure child care for hospital workforce. They will submit a joint plan to the state by Friday.
The paid sick leave measure we've agreed to today expands those protections to all new Yorkers - because no New Yorker should lose their job or income for following a critical public health order.
Governor Andrew M. Cuomo
"The single most effective way to contain the spread of this virus is to ensure people who may have come into contact with it do not interact with others. Last week I said we would lead by example by guaranteeing two weeks' pay for state workers who have been quarantined as a result of covid-19," Governor Cuomo said. "The paid sick leave measure we've agreed to today expands those protections to all new Yorkers - because no New Yorker should lose their job or income for following a critical public health order. This is an extraordinary time in this nation's history, and it will go down in the history books as one of those moments of true crisis and confusion. So my message to New Yorkers is this: Be a little bit more sensitive, understand the stress, understand the fear, be a little bit more loving, a little bit more compassionate, a little bit more comforting, a little bit more cooperative. We are going to get through it and we are going to get through it together."
To address the immediate need of employees affected by COVID-19 who are subject to mandatory or precautionary orders of quarantine or isolation, the Governor's legislation will provide the following:
Employers with 10 or fewer employees and a net income less than $1 million will provide job protection for the duration of the quarantine order and guarantee their workers access to Paid Family Leave and disability benefits (short-term disability) for the period of quarantine including wage replacement for their salaries up to $150,000.
Employers with 11-99 employees and employers with 10 or fewer employees and a net income greater than $1 million will provide at least 5 days of paid sick leave, job protection for the duration of the quarantine order, and guarantee their workers access to Paid Family Leave and disability benefits (short-term disability) for the period of quarantine including wage replacement for their salaries up to $150,000.
Employers with 100 or more employees, as well as all public employers (regardless of number of employees), will provide at least 14 days of paid sick leave and guarantee job protection for the duration of the quarantine order.
The provisions of the quarantine legislation are set to take effect immediately upon passage, ensuring that New York workers will be able to take advantage of these benefits.
The legislation also includes the comprehensive paid sick leave proposal that was advanced by the Governor as part of his State of the State and FY 2021 Executive Budget, which will be effective 180 days after enactment. Specifically, the legislation provides:
Employers with 4 or fewer employees and a net income less than $1 million will provide at least 5 days of unpaid sick leave each year.
Employers with 5-99 employees and employers with 4 or fewer employees and a net income greater than $1 million will provide at least 5 days of paid sick leave each year.
Employers with 100 or more employees will provide at least 7 days of paid sick leave each year.
Finally, the Governor confirmed 432 additional cases of novel coronavirus, bringing the statewide total to 1,374 confirmed cases in New York State. Of the 1,374 total individuals who tested positive for the virus, the geographic breakdown is as follows:
New York City: 644 (187 new)
Westchester County: 380 (157 new)
Nassau County: 131 (24 new)
Suffolk County: 84 (21 new)
Albany County: 23 (11 new)
Rockland County: 22 (9 new)
Dutchess County: 16 (6 new)
Orange County: 15 (4 new)
Monroe County: 10 (1 new)
Saratoga County: 9 (4 new)
Ulster County: 8 (1 new)
Erie County: 7 (1 new)
Schenectady County: 5 (1 new)
Allegany County: 2
Greene County: 2
Onondaga County: 2 (1 new)
Putnam County: 2
Tompkins County: 2 (1 new)
Broome County: 1
Clinton County: 1 (1 new)
Delaware County: 1
Herkimer County: 1
Montgomery County: 1
Ontario County: 1
Rensselaer County: 1 (1 new)
Sullivan County: 1 (1 new)
Tioga County: 1
Wyoming County: 1
March 17, 2020.
Video, Audio, Photos & Rush Transcript: Governor Cuomo Announces Three-Way Agreement with Legislature on Paid Sick Leave Bill to Provide Immediate Assistance for New Yorkers Impacted By COVID-19. https://www.governor.ny.gov/news/video-audio-photos-rush-transcript-governor-cuomo-announces-three-way-agreement-legislature
Governor's Program Bill Guarantees Job Protection and Pay for New Yorkers Quarantined as a Result of Novel Coronavirus
Legislation Also Adopts Comprehensive Paid Sick Leave Proposal First Advanced in Governor's Executive Budget
Follows Governor's Announcement Last Week that the State Will Provide Two Weeks Paid Leave for Quarantined State Workers
Drive-Through COVID-19 Mobile Testing Facility Opens Today in Nassau County - Follows Success of Similar Facility in New Rochelle
State to Open Drive-Through Mobile Testing Facilities in Suffolk County, Rockland County and Staten Island
State is Reaching out to Retired Nurses and Doctors to Supplement Medical Personnel at Hospitals - Part of Governor's Hospital Capacity 'Surge' Efforts
Directs Greater NY Hospital Association and Healthcare Association of NYS to work with 1199 SEIU to develop plan to create drop-in child care and expand child care facilities at hospitals to ensure child care for hospital workforce
Confirms 432 Additional Coronavirus Cases in New York State - Bringing Statewide Total to 1,374; New Cases in 10 Counties
Cuomo: "This is an extraordinary time in this nation's history, and it will go down in the history books as one of those moments of true crisis and confusion. So my message to New Yorkers is this: Be a little bit more sensitive, understand the stress, understand the fear, be a little bit more loving, a little bit more compassionate, a little bit more comforting, a little bit more cooperative. We are going to get through it and we are going to get through it together."
Earlier today, Governor Andrew M. Cuomo announced a three-way agreement with the Legislature on a bill guaranteeing job protection and pay for New Yorkers who have been quarantined as a result of novel coronavirus, or COVID-19. The program bill also includes the permanent comprehensive paid sick leave policy first advanced in the Governor's FY 2021 Executive Budget proposal.
This follows the Governor's announcement last week that the state will guarantee two full weeks of paid leave for all state workers who are subject to a mandatory or precautionary order of quarantine as a result of the novel coronavirus.
VIDEO of the Governor's remarks is available on YouTube here and in TV quality (h.264, mp4) format here.
PHOTOS of today's remarks are available on the Governor's Flickr page.
A rush transcript is available below:
Good morning. Happy Saint Patrick's Day. I would use my brogue, but I was mocked mercilessly last time I did that - for good cause. But happy Saint Patrick's Day anyway. Sporting a little green just to carry on the tradition. Everybody knows James Malatras. Our great Health Commissioner Doctor Zucker. Melissa DeRosa, Secretary to the Governor. Robert Mujica, Budget Director.
Let me go through and update. As you know the situation changes daily now, which is expected. This is an evolving situation. The numbers ramp up, that's been the experience in every county this has visited. So we want to make sure that you understand that as the facts change, our strategy changes. We have a plan. We're sticking with the plan. The plan adjusts or moves as the facts move.
First step was testing and second step was containment and they work together. The testing has ramped up. It's continuing to ramp up. We'll be in thousands per day. That is going very, very well. The state is managing its testing capacity. We're working with the federal government on bringing on automated testing. That is all going very, very well and the numbers are going up.
Containment - we've taken a number of measures. Significant measures to do containment. And that is working very well. On the containment side, we had a tri-state strategy, which is highly unusual, but highly effective. We worked with Connecticut and New Jersey. We announced the same rules, Connecticut, New Jersey, New York. Why? You don't want people shopping different states because different states have different rules. You don't want people driving to Connecticut or New York or New Jersey because there's a different set of rules. So, uniformity works. It's hard to do, but we can do it.
Uniformity works and we did that yesterday with restaurants, bars, gyms - all closing 8 o'clock last night and staying closed today. With the caveat that they could sell off-premises by delivery and the State Liquor Authority changed their rules to make that possible. We closed schools. All schools are closed for a period of 2 weeks. And the 180-day ESD requirement is waived for 2 weeks. At the end of 2 weeks, we may renew that period of time, but all schools have the same period. Why? Because once again, you need uniformity. You don't want a business having some employees in one school district that is open and one school district is closed.
So, in all this disruption and all this change, try to keep it as uniform as possible and the rules as uniform as possible so to the extent businesses can operate, people can live their lives. Keep it uniform.
My phone has been ringing off the hook with a number of local officials saying people are very, very upset. Who's upset about the gym being closed, who's upset about their restaurant is closed, who's upset about the bars closed. Actually I've had the highest number of calls being complained about bars being closed. I don't know if that is statistically representative of anything, but that's just anecdotal.
Some people are upset about schools being closed. I said to the local officials and I want to say to the people of the State of New York, if you are upset by what we have done, be upset at me. The County Executive did not do this. The village mayor did not do this. The city mayor did not make these decisions. I made these decisions. These are all state ordered rules. It's not their local elected officials. I made them because I believe they are in the best interest of the state. I know they cause disruption. I know people are upset. I know businesses will be hurt by this. I don't feel good about that. I feel very bad about that because I know we're going to have to then deal with that issue as soon as this immediate public health issue is over, but my judgement is do whatever is necessary to contain this virus and then we will manage the consequences afterwards.
The old expression, "the buck stops on my desk." The buck stops on my desk. Your local mayor did not close your restaurants, your bars, your gyms or your schools. I did. I did. I assume full responsibility. Again, these are all statewide rules because we don't want people shopping among different jurisdictions. We closed the bars in New York City, but if you keep them open in Nassau all you would see is the flood of cars going to the bars in Nassau, so the uniformity is important.
It's also important that no local government puts any rules in place without first checking with the Department of Health so the Department of Health can make sure they are consistent with all other rules that we're about to put in place.
Mitigation is continuing and is ramping up. There are many rumors out there - part of the fear, the anxiety. People spread rumors. Well, maybe you're going to quarantine New York City. We hear New York City is going to quarantine itself. That is not true. That cannot happen. It cannot happen legally. No city in the state can quarantine itself without State approval and I have no interest whatsoever and no plan whatsoever to quarantine any city.
Well, you contained New Rochelle. We did a containment zone on New Rochelle which was actually misunderstood. Nobody was contained in New Rochelle. There was no cordon around New Rochelle. You could come and go in New Rochelle as you wanted. The containment referred to the virus. All we did in New Rochelle was close the schools and close places of large gatherings so nobody was contained within New Rochelle and nobody is going to be contained in any city in this state. So that's a deep breath moment.
And the last part of the strategy is dealing with the health care system and this is where we are now going to shift our emphasis and I want people to understand what we're going to have to do with the health care system because that is now our top priority and remember what we've been saying all along.
There is a curve, everyone's talked about the curve, everyone's talked about the height and the speed of the curve and flattening the curve. I've said that curve is going to turn into a wave and the wave is going to crash on the hospital system.
I've said that from day one because that's what the numbers would dictate and this is about numbers and this is about facts. This is not about prophecies or science fiction movies. We have months and moths of data as to how this virus operates. You can go back to China. That's now five, six months of experience. So just project from what you know. You don't have to guess.
We have 53,000 hospital beds in the State of New York. We have 3,000 ICU beds. Right now the hospitalization rate is running between 15 and 19 percent from our sample of the tests we take. We have 19.5 million people in the State of New York. We have spent much time with many experts projecting what the virus could actually do, going back, getting the China numbers, the South Korea numbers, the Italy numbers, looking at our rate of spread because we're trying to determine what is the apex of that curve, what is the consequence so we can match it to the capacity of the health care system. Match it to the capacity of the health care system. That is the entire exercise.
The, quote on quote, experts, and by the way there are no phenomenal experts in this area. They're all using the same data that the virus has shown over the past few months in other countries, but there are extrapolating from that data.
The expected peak is around 45 days. That can be plus or minus depending on what we do. They are expecting as many as 55,000 to 110,000 hospital beds will be needed at that point. That my friends is the problem that we have been talking about since we began this exercise. You take the 55,000 to 110,000 hospital beds and compare it to a capacity of 53,000 beds and you understand the challenge.
As many as 18,000 to 37,000 beds, okay? An ICU bed is different than a hospital bed. An ICU bed has additional equipment, most notable ventilators and that's why you hear on the news ventilators are very hard to get globally. Why ventilators? Because we're all talking about acutely ill mainly senior citizens who have an underlying illness. They have emphysema, they're battling cancer, they have heart disease, and then they get pneumonia on top of that. That's the coronavirus. They need to be intubated, they need an ICU bed, and that's the challenge. And that is, remains the challenge. And the numbers are daunting. What are we doing? Everything we can.
First, flatten the curve. Continue to flatten the curve so you reduce that peak demand. We announced dramatic closings yesterday. To reduce the density, it's possible we will be doing more dramatic closings. Not today, but I'm talking to the other governors in the other states. Slowing that expected flow into the hospitals, it's clear we can't manage that flow. How can you reduce the flow? You reduce the spread. How do you reduce the spread? You close down more interaction among people. How do you close down more interaction? Well, yesterday we closed the bars, the gyms, et cetera. You would continue to close down things such as businesses. Italy got to the point where the only things they left open were grocery stores and pharmacies. Those were central services, but they closed down everything else. We're not there yet, but I am telling you, we have to get down that rate of spread. Because whatever we do on the hospital side, we cannot accommodate the numbers that demand on the hospital system.
So again, we just enacted rules yesterday. We're not enacting any other rules today, but it is very possible because the numbers as you'll see in a moment, are still going up. Whatever rules we come up with will be statewide rules. Hopefully, it could be done with our surrounding states. Because the best way to do this is uniformity. No shopping. Among states, among cities, among counties. Everybody lives with the same rules. So we don't have people on the road going back and forth, trying to game the system. At the same time that you're trying to reduce the numbers coming into the hospitals, you're trying to increase the capacity of the hospitals. How do you do that? The hospital surge capacity. What is the surge capacity? Getting the existing hospitals to hold more people. Right now there are rules and regulations about how many people can be in a hospital, how many people per room, how many square feet per bed, etcetera. That's for normal operating conditions. These are not normal operating conditions.
We're examining the entire hospital system. What is the maximum capacity per hospital? If Department of Health waives their special rules, how many people can you get into hospitals? There is a meeting today with all the hospital administrators that I've asked Michael Dowling and Ken Raske to run. Michael Dowling is a former deputy secretary for health and human services, former health commissioner. Michael has worked for my father as health commissioner, I've known him 30 years. He's extraordinary. Ken Raske, he represents all the hospitals. Sitting down with the hospitals saying, change your headset. This is not about how you normally do business.
Frankly, forget the economics. What's the maximum number of people we can get into your hospital and what do you need to do that, and what equipment do you need to do that, and what staff do you need to do that? We're going back to retired staff, and we're asking them to contact us at this website, health.ny.gov/assistance. To get former nurses, former doctors to sign up to be on the call. We're also going to medical schools, nursing schools, to try to get additional medical personnel. And then we're talking about temporary construction of medical facilities. Obviously when you're talking about 45 days, you have a limited capacity of what you can actually get done. But, I'm working with governments and organizations all across the state right now. How do we set up temporary hospital facilities, even if they're not intensive care units? You can take people who are in the hospital beds, move them into a temporary medical care facility and then backfill the bed.
We're also working with FEMA, the Army Corps of Engineers and the National Guard and the building trades unions to help us on this issue. The numbers, total people tested to date, we're up to 10,000 people. Which is obviously exponentially higher than it was and is continuing to grow. Positive cases, up to 1,300. New positive 432. Number of counties with cases continues to grow. Clinton County, Rensselaer County have been added to that. Our cases are, again, number one in the nation. Our number of deaths now up to 12. Two hundred and sixty-four out of those cases are hospitalized. That's a hospitalization of 19 percent. That's higher than the normative hospitalization rate, which is at about 15 percent, but the 19 percent is higher. Again, keep this all in focus with what we know. The facts we of what this disease does and what the impact is, which is the Johns Hopkins study, which has tracked every case since China.
A couple of other points and then we'll take your questions. We have and will open today in Nassau County, a drive through testing office. We opened one in New Rochelle, it worked very well. We'll open Nassau today. We're going to open a Suffolk drive through testing office and we're going to open a Staten Island drive through testing office. We're going to send up the Paid Family Leave bill to the legislature today. I believe we have a three-way agreement on that. It will also have a provision to cover all people who are quarantined. And we will be doing that, also. We'll also be opening a Rockland drive through testing facility.
Two other points. One, this is an extraordinary time in this nation's history. It will go down in the history books as one of those moments of true crisis and confusion and chaos. I lived through 9/11. I remember the fear and the panic that existed in 9/11 where a single moment your whole concept of life and society can be shaken. Where you need to see government perform at its best. You need to see people at their best. Everybody's afraid, everybody's nervous. How you respond, how you act, this is a character test for all of us individually. It's a character test for us collectively as a society. What did you do at that moment when all around you lost their head? Rudyard Kipling. That is this moment.
What does government do in this moment? It steps up, it performs, it does what it's supposed to do. It does it better than it's ever done it before. What does government not do? It does not engage in politics or partisanship. Even if you are in the midst of an election season. Even if you are at a moment in time and history where you have hyper-partisanship, which we now have. The President of the United States, Donald Trump, it is essential that the federal government works with the state and that this state works with the federal government.
We cannot do this on our own. I built airports, I built bridges. We have made this government do things that it's never done before. This government has done summersaults, it's performed better than ever before. I am telling you, this government cannot meet this crisis without the resources and capacity of the federal government. I spoke to the President this morning again. He is ready, willing, and able to help. I've been speaking with members of his staff late last night, early this morning. We need their help, especially on the hospital capacity issue.
We need FEMA. FEMA has tremendous resources. When I was at HUD I worked with FEMA, I know what they can do. I know what the Army Corps of engineers can do. They have a capacity that we simply do not have. I said to the President, who is a New Yorker, who I've known for many, many years. I put my hand out in partnership. I want to work together 100 percent. I need your help. I want your help and New Yorkers will do everything they can to be good partners with the federal government. I think the President was 100 percent sincere in saying that wanted to work together. In partnership, in the spirit of cooperation I can tell you the actions he has taken evidence that. His team has been on it. I know a team when they're on it. I know a team when they're not on it. His team is on it. They've been responsive. Late at night, early in the morning, and they've thus far been doing everything that they can do and I want to say thank you and I want to say that I appreciate it and they will have nothing but cooperation and partnership from the State of New York.
We're not Democrats and we're not Republicans. We are Americans at the end of the day. That's who we are and that's who we are when we are at our best so this hyper-sensitivity about politics and reading every comment and wanting to pit one against the other - there is no time for this.
The President is doing the right thing in offering to step up with New York and I appreciate it and New York will do the right thing in return.
Also on a personal level, this is, we use the word disruption, such a clinical, antiseptic word, it's a period of disruption. Life has turned upside down, it's just turned upside down. Remember those snow globes when you were a kid and you shook the globe and the snow went all over and the whole picture changed as soon as you picked up and shook that snow globe? Somebody picked up our country and just shook it and turned it upside down. And it's all chaotic and things are flying all over. And there's new information and there's misinformation. And people don't know what to do and businesses are closing and the rules change every minute. And can I go out, can I not go out, how do I get the virus, how do I not get the virus. And now I'm at home and I'm stuck at home and the kids are at home. And then there's a whole component to this, don't touch anyone. Don't hug, don't kiss. We're human being - that interaction is so important to us, that emotional affirmation is so important to us. And now you have all those weighty decisions - should I go out, should I not go out? Is this safe for my kids? Is this not safe for my kids? I'm stuck in my house.
I've used my experience just as a metaphor to communicate and relate. Having the kids in the house sounds great, having the kids in the house, yay the kids are in the house. I remember when my kids were young, I was divorced, my kids were three girls, they were six and seven and eight-years-old. Six and seven and eight-years-old in a small apartment in Manhattan, that's a lot of fun and then that gets old very fast. Right? The claustrophobia just sets in, it sets in for the kids and it set in for me. What I would do then is I would go to my mother and father's apartment, which was also in Manhattan, to get out of my apartment. And I would go to my mother and father's apartment, and they had a little apartment in Manhattan, and my mother was magic with the girls, and she would play with them and she could play with them all day. My mother's pure sugar, she's just pure love, my mother. But I'd be there for a couple of hours and I'd be sitting there with my father, we'd be sitting on the couch and we'd watch a ball game. And after a couple of hours, now the kids are running around and the kids are picking up this and they're picking up this and they're picking up his picture frame and my father says, "Put that down, put that down, don't touch that." After a couple of hours my father would say, "I think you have to go to work now pal." I'd say, "No, I don't have to go to work." "No, I think you have to go to work now pal." You know?
Having all the kids in that tight environment, that's very stressful. That's why yesterday we said all the fees on all the parks are waived. Get out of the house, go to a state park, we have beautiful state parks. By the way, traffic is down, put the kids in the car, go to a state park, go to a county park, go to a city park - Shirley Chisholm Park in Brooklyn is beautiful, it's open, it's air, the weather is getting better. Spend the time with the kids.
There's also tension among families. I mentioned my mother who is numerically a senior citizen, although not in her reality. I wanted her to stay home, I want her to be isolated. She's my mom, I want her protected. One of my siblings said, "I want to take mom to my house and we're going to have a party at my house and I want her to see the kids." I said, "That's a mistake. You shouldn't do that. You should let mom stay home. I'm more protected." The sibling was saying, "I want to take mom, get her out of the apartment, it's closer to the kids." I said, "You don't know. All you need is one kid." All day long, all I hear about it is people coming up to me saying I didn't know, but my daughter was with this person. So I can even see the tensions in the families. And that's real too and people should expect that.
And lastly, there is something to this lack of ability to connect. Don't hug, don't kiss, stay six feet away. We are emotional beings and it is important for us, especially at times of fear, times of stress, to feel connected to someone, to feel comforted by someone. I mentioned my daughter. I have not seen my daughter in over two weeks. It breaks my heart. And then this concept of maybe I can't get next to her because of this virus, there is a distance between me and my daughter because of this virus, its saddens me to the core and it frightens me to the core. And I had her on the phone this morning and I said it to her. I just said it to her. I said I can't tell you how hard this is for me not to be able to be with you, not to be able to hold you in my arms, not to be able to kiss you all over your face - which she hates anyway. And that plays out a thousand different ways, you put all of this together - it is a hard time. It is a hard time on every level. It is a frightening time on every level.
At the same, it is this much time. Is it 3 months, is it 6 months, is it 9 months? I don't know but it is this much time. We will get through this much time. Understand what we are dealing with, understand the pressures that we are feeling, but we will get through this much time. Be a little bit more sensitive, understand the stress, understand the fear, be a little bit more loving, a little bit more compassionate, a little bit more comforting, a little bit more cooperative. And we will get through this time.
We will lose people, yes, like we lose people every year with the flu. We are going be challenged and tested. There are going to be periods of chaos, yes. We have been through that before also. But this is all we are talking about and we will learn from it and we will be better prepared the next time because this is not the last time my friends. This has been a growing rate of this emergencies and health situations and storms. But we are going to get through it and we are going to get thought it together. But understand the pressures that everyone is feeling and let's be considerate of those feelings that are now collective and societal.
March 17, 2020.
Governor Cuomo and Attorney General James Temporarily Suspend State Debt Collection in Response to Coronavirus. https://www.governor.ny.gov/news/governor-cuomo-and-attorney-general-james-temporarily-suspend-state-debt-collection-response
New Yorkers with Student, Medical, and Other State-Referred Debt Will Have Payments Frozen for At Least 30 Days
Governor Andrew M. Cuomo and Attorney General Letitia James today announced that — effective immediately — the state will temporarily halt the collection of medical and student debt owed to the State of New York and referred to the Office of the Attorney General for collection, for at least a 30-day period, in response to growing financial impairments resulting from the spread of 2019 novel coronavirus, or COVID-19. Countless New Yorkers have been impacted — directly or indirectly — by the spread of COVID-19, forcing them to forgo income and business. In an effort to support these workers and families and ease their financial burdens, the OAG will halt the collection of medical and student debt owed to the State of New York and referred to the OAG for collection from March 16, 2020 through April 15, 2020. After this 30-day period, the OAG will reassess the needs of state residents for a possible extension. Additionally, the OAG will accept applications for suspension of all other types of debt owed to the State of New York and referred to the OAG for collection.
"As the financial impact of this emerging crisis grows, we are doing everything we can to support the thousands of New Yorkers that are suffering due to disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic," Governor Cuomo said. "This new action to temporarily suspend the collection of debt owed to the state will help mitigate the adverse financial impact of the outbreak on individuals, families, communities and businesses in New York State, as we continue to do everything we can to slow the spread of the virus."
"In this time of crisis, my office will not add undue stress or saddle New Yorkers with unnecessary financial burden," said Attorney General James. "New Yorkers need to focus on keeping themselves safe and healthy from the coronavirus, and therefore can rest assured that state medical and student debt referred to my office will not be collected against them for at least 30 days. This is the time when New Yorkers need to rally around each other and pick each other up, which is why I am committed to doing everything in my power to support our state's residents."
The OAG collects certain debts owed to the State of New York via settlements and lawsuits brought on behalf of the State of New York and state agencies. A total of more than 165,000 matters currently fit the criteria for a suspension of state debt collection, including, but not limited to:
Patients that owe medical debt due to the five state hospitals and the five state veterans' home;
Students that owe student debt due to State University of New York campuses; and
Individual debtors, sole-proprietors, small business owners, and certain homeowners that owe debt relating to oil spill cleanup and removal costs, property damage, and breach of contract, as well as other fees owed to state agencies.
The temporary policy will also automatically suspend the accrual of interest and collection of fees on all outstanding state medical and student debt referred to the OAG for collection, so New Yorkers are not penalized for taking advantage of this program.
New Yorkers with non-medical or non-student debt owed to the State of New York and referred to the OAG, may also apply to temporarily halt the collection of state debt. Individuals seeking to apply for this temporary relief can visit the OAG's coronavirus website to learn more about the suspension of payments. If an individual is unable to fill out the online form, they can also call the OAG hotline at 1-800-771-7755 to learn more.
March 17, 2020.
Statement from Secretary to the Governor Melissa DeRosa Regarding Blanket Quarantine or 'Shelter in Place' Policies. https://www.governor.ny.gov/news/statement-secretary-governor-melissa-derosa-regarding-blanket-quarantine-or-shelter-place
Statement from Secretary to the Governor Melissa DeRosa Regarding Blanket Quarantine or 'Shelter in Place' Policies
"The emergency policies that have been issued are of statewide impact, and the Governor is making every effort to coordinate these policies with our surrounding states. Any blanket quarantine or shelter in place policy would require State action and as the Governor has said, there is no consideration of that for any locality at this time."
March 17, 2020.
Audio & Rush Transcript: Governor Cuomo is a Guest on NY1 with Errol Louis. https://www.governor.ny.gov/news/audio-rush-transcript-governor-cuomo-guest-ny1-errol-louis-0
Governor Cuomo: "You have local officials all across the state who are considering different options. Different communities have different ideas. But at the end of the day, they have to be approved by the state, Errol, because it has to be statewide. There's no such thing as geographically isolated initiative that doesn't affect everyone else."
Earlier today, Governor Andrew M. Cuomo was a guest on NY1 with Errol Louis to discuss New York's plan to combat the novel coronavirus crisis.
A rush transcript of the Governor's interview is available below:
Errol Louis: We're joined right now by Governor Cuomo. He joins us by phone. Good to hear from you, Governor.
Governor Cuomo: Good to be with you, Errol.
Errol Louis: There's a little bit of a controversy, hopefully we can squash this. It developed in the course of the day. At your press conference earlier today, you mentioned among other things, that localities in the State of New York, including New York City, would have to get state approval before imposing something as drastic as a quarantine or a shelter in place order. We heard hours later from the Mayor saying that it was under consideration and would be talked about or considered over the next 48 hours. Those are not necessarily incompatible, but what's your understanding of the status of this question and are you considering it?
Governor Cuomo: They are incompatible. You have local officials all across the state who are considering different options. Different communities have different ideas. But at the end of the day, they have to be approved by the state, Errol, because it has to be statewide. There's no such thing as geographically isolated initiative that doesn't affect everyone else. If Nassau closed bars - they decided to close bars - all that would do be to cause the people in Nassau to drive into New York City or to drive to Suffolk. If New York City says, well you can't come out of your house, all that will do is cause the people of New York City to go stay with their cousin in Westchester, right. So it's one state, but we all have to be coordinated.
I've taken it so far this year that I actually coordinate with the surrounding states. Because even if New York takes an action, I say no restaurants, no bars, you just drive everyone to New Jersey or you drive everyone to Connecticut. As broader and as geographic region as we can determine is better. We're bringing, hopefully, Pennsylvania into our group. So you'll have Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania hopefully all adopting the same policies so you're not, what I call, shopping different jurisdictions.
Also we have a problem with the virus, Errol. We have a bigger problem with the fear and the panic around the virus. You look at what's going on in stores. You look at the mania. It's deep breath time. There's not going to be any quarantined, where we contain people within an area or we block people from an area. Individual mobility is what we're all about. There's not going to be any "you must stay in your house" rule because again, that will just cause people to go somewhere else and it would just be counterproductive.
Errol Louis: Okay, so, it's good to hear that. And I don't want to press the point further than I have to but when you say localities can't make this decision without approval from the state and that it needs to be statewide or possibly regional, that's a practical consideration. What's the legal status of that question?
Governor Cuomo: It's the law also. Look, Westchester can't put in place rules that are going to negatively impact New York City. Nassau can't put in place rules that are going to negatively impact New York City. And New York City can't do that to Westchester and Nassau. And again, on a voluntary basis, not a legal basis. I'm doing that with the Governor of New Jersey and the Governor of Connecticut. I don't want to cause people to rush to Connecticut or New Jersey. So the larger the geographic area that we can keep the same rules the better. And that's working very well.
Errol Louis: I want to ask you about something that we heard from the mayor which is that he's established a deal with a private provider to conduct through New York City public hospitals as many as 5,000 tests per day, which even for New York City if you start adding up the days, we can get through a sizeable percentage of the population fairly quickly. Are similar testing capabilities being developed across the state and at what point will you feel satisfied that we can actually test as much as we need to statewide?
Governor Cuomo: Good question. What was happening with testing is it was being controlled by the federal government, and the federal government frankly had higher standards of reason for central control, but it was slowing the process. I spoke to President Trump last week, I said let the states control the testing, decentralize the testing. New York State has 200 laboratories within it, let New York State control the testing. And the president, to his credit, agreed, and now New York State is controlling the testing. So the lab that is doing business in the city.
For example, John Combs Lab, it's from New Jersey, it's called the BRC I think, they have automated testing capacity. NYU Langone - automated testing capacity. Mt. Sinai - automated testing capacity. We're up statewide to 10,000 test capacity. Now, 10,000 per day sounds like a lot. It's more than we've done to date, by the way, as a state. But, 10,000 is still nothing compared to the demand. We have 19 million people in this state. If you put out a sign today, Errol, that said anyone who wants a test can get one, you'd get 18,999,000. The fear is that high right now. So 10,000 a day sounds like a lot but we still have to have a statewide protocol that basically prioritizes who can get a test. And we have that up on the website.
You have to have symptoms that would suggest you actually have the test, you know. I deal with phone calls all day long, people who say well I feel this, I feel this, I'd better get a test. Yeah, I get it. Everyone's nervous. Everyone believes, you know you could have a touch of a cold, a touch of the flu. But we still can't give everybody who wants a test a test. You need a doctor to check the symptoms.
But the testing capacity is way up. We're actually to a different phase, Errol. The testing capacity was the first step. It was to find people who are positive, isolate the positive, and slow the spread. The second way to slow the spread is reduce density. And that's what we did yesterday, closed bars, closed restaurants, closed gyms, etcetera. We may need to take another step on density reduction. Another step would be businesses, you must reduce your workforce, something like that. Because what we are seeing is the numbers are continuing to rise. The healthcare system cannot manage the increase in the number of cases, and that's where we're really going to have a problem in this situation.
They talk about flattening the curve. I see the curve as a wave, and the wave is going to break on the hospital system. Our current projections are we're almost double the capacity of the healthcare system. And that's why I'm working with the president, in partnership, spoke to him this morning, we're looking for the U.S. Army corps of engineers to come in and help. To build temporary hospital space. We're looking to increase our intensive care unit capacity. Because the people who are coming to the hospitals who most likely have underlying illnesses. We had a meeting today with all the hospital administrators in the state. To plan out our capacity and to plan out how to increase our capacity.
Errol Louis: When you say that, governor, does that include the VA hospitals? My understanding is that they have a lot of capacity and that they are supposed to have a lot of capacity when mobilized in a federal emergency, of which this would certainly qualify.
Governor Cuomo: The VA hospital capacity is part of it. But I can tell you this Errol, the current projection is for almost double the current capacity. So, we need additional capacity, be it converting dorms, be it opening old senior citizen centers to use as hospitals and that is why we need the President, for the Army Corps of Engineers and FEMA. I was the HUD Secretary. I worked with FEMA during the Clinton administration. When they are good, they can be very good. And I personally said to the President, look I have a lot of differences with the President, I don't know if you have noticed. But I said forget all that. We are not Democrats, we are not Republicans, we are Americans. I want to work with you in partnership. New York needs you. We need those federal resources and I believe the President was sincere and he said the same thing. He then said it at a press conference. And that partnership is going to be very important to us.
Errol Louis: There is a question, Governor, that has been coming up and I know you might not have exact numbers right now, but we don't want to make it seem as if the question of who has been hospitalized, who has been tested, who has died and so forth is only going in one direction. And there are people who have been hospitalized, who have been diagnosed and get better, then leave the hospital, right? There is a net number out there. Will that be part of what we are hearing from your office and other places in the future?
Governor Cuomo: You are exactly right. I say that every day. The hysteria is so high that people are not hearing the facts. You know, Johns Hopkins has traced every coronavirus case since China - about 150,000 cases plus or minus. About 5,000 people passed away. Now, that is terrible. But by the way we lose tens of thousands of people every year to the flu. If you have an underlying illness, you have emphysema, you are battling cancer and you get pneumonia, yes, you're in a grave situation. If you get the normal flu, you're in a grave situation. How many times have you heard a person in a hospital and they say well he died of pneumonia but he had heart disease. He died of pneumonia but he had emphysema. That's what you're going to see here. Eighty percent of the people will self-resolve. They won't even go into a hospital. You're talking about that vulnerable population. We've had our first, some of our first cases that we had on coronavirus. They recovered. The people we have to watch are the senior citizens, the vulnerable populations. The places we have to watch are the senior citizen centers, the nursing homes. That's where it's dangerous.
So the facts, yes, you're going to have a recovery rate of 97, 98 percent, and the people who will fall victim most likely were seriously ill to begin with. They had a compromised immune system. Those are the facts and that's why I said the panic is worse. There is not going to be any quarantine. No one is going to lock you in your home. No one is going to tell you, you can't leave the city. That's not going to happen.
We do need to increase our hospital capacity. We have to get aggressive about it. The federal partnership is very important but that's what this is and the hysteria is not factually based.
Errol Louis: Okay, we are going to leave it on that note for now. We're getting up to the top of the hour. Thanks so much, Governor Cuomo, for the update and I think the take-home message was heard loud and clear. Thanks for joining us.
March 17, 2020.
Audio & Rush Transcript: Governor Cuomo is a Guest on MSNBC With Rachel Maddow and Brian Williams. https://www.governor.ny.gov/news/audio-rush-transcript-governor-cuomo-guest-msnbc-rachel-maddow-and-brian-williams
And I need the help of the federal government - I need that partnership. I said I put out my hand in partnership. I want to work with you. I'll be a good partner. I need your help. Let's do what we were elected to do. Let's fulfill our constitutional duty and the President said yes."
Cuomo: "I believe he's sincere. More than just belief, he has acted on it, Rachel. I spoke to the Secretary of Defense today. I got a call from the White House team late last night, early this morning. I have the Army Corps of Engineers coming in here tomorrow."
Earlier today, Governor Andrew M. Cuomo was a guest on MSNBC with Rachel Maddow and Brian William to discuss New York's plan to combat the novel coronavirus crisis.
A rush transcript of the Governor's interview is available below:
Rachel Maddow: Governor Cuomo, thank you for taking the time. I know this is an incredibly busy time for you.
Governor Cuomo: My pleasure. Good to be with you, Rachel.
Rachel Maddow: You announced as far as New York State can tell from the current models, the number of cases in the state may not peak for another 45 days. Could you explain it to our audience what that means and how you arrived at that and how sobering that is in terms of New York's capacity to deal with this?
Governor Cuomo: Well, this is all sobering, right? If you go back and you study the China model, the China trajectory, South Korea, Italy, etcetera, some of the other countries, the big question is what is the apex, what is the rise of the number of cases, and can the health care system handle it? That's what this is really about, right? We know the mortality rate with this virus. We know who it affects. The problem is it communicates so quickly, can your health care system handle it? That's the problem Italy has. So we're trying to project when the numbers get highest and the models that we've run suggest that in about 45 days you'll be at the high point. As you said, 55,000 to 100,000 cases which does overwhelm our health care system. Even worse, Rachel, most people will need ICU beds. Most people will need ventilators. That's why you hear so much about the ventilators. It's a respiratory illness. We only have about 3,000. We would need about 30,000. And by the way, you can't get ventilators. So that's what it's all about - overwhelming the health care system.
Rachel Maddow: In terms of the options that New York has to try to avoid that eventuality or try to minimize that as much as possible, obviously every day brings an evolution in the policy response here. Today, it seemed like you and the Mayor of New York City might have been at odds over whether the city specifically should consider a shelter in place, stay in your home order like has been instituted in the San Francisco Bay area. Mayor de Blasio said it's under consideration but your office put out a statement saying it's not under consideration. What's going on there?
Governor Cuomo: Well, they are talking about it in New York City as a possible option, shelter in place. We have a lot of local communities across the state talking about different options and everybody has an opinion in this case. From my point of view, I need a statewide plan that works and a plan that doesn't shift people from one place to another place. The population in New York is very mobile. If New York City puts a policy in place that people don't like, they'll just move to Nassau, they'll go to Westchester, they'll stay with their brother, they'll stay with their sister. I've gone through this with other emergencies. So whatever we do, we have to do it statewide. But we've taken it a step further in New York. I'm doing policies jointly with New Jersey and Connecticut and now we're bringing in Pennsylvania, because none of these policies work unless you have a big enough geographic area.
We just closed bars, for example. If you close the bars in New York, people will drive to New Jersey or they'll drive to Connecticut. That actually makes the situation worse. So you need policies that are a big enough geographic area that they'll work, rather than people just move to the next suburb where they can stay with a friend or family member. And that's very important. You say to a New Yorker, Iwas born and bred New York City Queens boy - we're very good at getting around rules, Rachel. So if you say to me, well if you're in queens, you have to shelter in place, you can't leave, I'll go stay with my sister in Westchester. That's how I'll handle it. We need statewide policies that work.
Rachel Maddow: Well are you considering a statewide shelter in place order or indeed a tri-state order? I ask because what's happening in California right now doesn't seem to be a parochial decision. It's about 7 million people who are within the range of that six county shelter in place order. I've spoken with epidemiologists including some of the most prominent epidemiologists in the world who say that is the direction that we're going. Is it something, if it were statewide, if it was in conjunction with the tri-state governors, that you would consider as a larger-scale order?
Governor Cuomo: Yeah, well, I think you have to have more than a comprehensive approach. You tell people for example, you close schools. Okay. We close schools. Sounds good. Okay, now what happened to child care? And how does my policeman come to work or my firefighter come to work or my nurse come to work which is essential because it's about the healthcare system. So if you really want to close schools, then if you wanted shoes, then you have to put a child care system in place which we did. You want to shelter in place, what you're really saying is we're closing the businesses, right? Because if you can't come out of your house, then every business shuts down in the city. If that's what you want to do, do it that way. Shut down businesses, that will reduce the density. So, what is the goal and what is the best way to get there and how do you do it on a geographic basis? To shut down all businesses in the State of New York is a very big deal, especially when other states aren't shutting down, right? Because now you'll have a question for a business, "Well maybe I go to Miami, maybe I go to North Carolina, maybe I go to Chicago. So all these policies have to be thought through, I get it, the optimum would be, just from a disease control point of view, everybody stay home, nobody go outside, we'll figure out how to get you a meal. No doubt that's the best strategy to stop the spread of the disease.
Brian Williams: Governor, it's Brian. Do you have a formula or theory for how many positive cases are likely out there in your state if we, in fact, were able to test on demand?
Governor Cuomo: Tens of thousands. I think we're kidding ourselves, Brian, with these tests. All the tests are telling us is how many tests we are taking. We were so slow on testing that the virus got way ahead of us. I believe there were tens of thousands of people in New York who had the virus and resolved and never knew they had it. So we now look at these numbers like we're looking at the stock market. The numbers are just a reflection of how many tests we're taking, we're up to 10,000 tests. So now we have close to 1,500 people who tested positive. That's only because we took 10,000 tests. We were so slow in the testing as a nation, but I would bet you dollars to donuts that the number of cases are exponentially larger than what we're actually seeing. And I think there's actually good news in that. I think if we could test, and we're trying to test the antibodies in New York, you would find that people had it and resolved and I think that would relax some of this fear. You know, we're talking about it like it's a death sentence, right? I handled the Ebola situation. Ebola was close to a death sentence. Coronavirus is not, but that's how we're talking about it. And I literally want to find ways to test people to prove that they were exposed and resolved and I think that would actually bring some calm rather than having the fear so outpace the facts on this situation.
Brian Williams: You were the first to raise the Army Corps of Engineers, people who come in and build big projects on little or no notice. Project for us into the future. Do you see a New York City, New York State where adjacent to your major hospitals you're going to have tent cities, certainly outdoor triage, maybe containerized shipping, maybe RVs where people are living.
Governor Cuomo: Yeah. Brian, we have only three possible strategies. Number one, flatten the curve as they all say. They talk about a curve. I see it as a wave. It's not a curve. It's a wave. The question is when does that wave break and when does it crash onto the hospital system. So you flatten the curve by tightening the density controls. We did that yesterday closing bars, restaurants, gyms, etcetera. The next move is to start limiting businesses. Second, increase the existing hospital capacity. I spoke to all the hospital administrators today. We have about 50,000 beds. I said, tell me how we can just maximize your physical space in your existing hospital, and how high can we get that 50,000 beds up. And then, third, build more medical facilities. You can't build an ICU bed, it's too technical, you don't have enough ventilators. You could build a medical facility to get people from the hospital into that medical facility and then open up that hospital bed. But I'm looking at dormitories, I'm looking at closed senior citizen homes. I don't want to get to the point of tents, et cetera. And on that regard I've been talking to president trump. We're working in partnership. And he has activated the federal government. We're looking at the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to come in and help us build and construct, FEMA to help us come in with emergency supplies but that's the third strategy if you will, build new beds in 45 days if that's even possible.
Rachel Maddow: Governor, just to be clear in terms of your partnership as you described it with President Trump, there's obviously been friction there, there always is, even in normal political times between federal and state leaders in times like this. Do you feel like you're working constructively with the federal government now, with that kind of urgent planning process thatyou're talking about right now for getting those things built in a matter of weeks. Do you feel like you and the federal government are growing in the same direction?
Governor Cuomo: I think it's fair to say, Rachel, that my relationship with the President went beyond mere state and federal institutional frictions. We have had significant differences, there is no doubt about that. I have for many years and I have been very outspoken about it as has he. But I had a very good conversation with the President where I said, look, forget Democrat and Republican. We're Americans and we're talking life and death. We're going to have a tragedy in this state. We have the highest number of cases in the United States. We are going to have a real tragedy where people die because they couldn't get the right health care.And I need the help of the federal government - I need that partnership. I'm a former cabinet secretary in the Clinton administration. I was Secretary of Housing and Urban development. I did disasters all across the country. I know the potential of the federal government and we need it here. And I said I I put out my hand in partnership. I want to work with you. I'll be a good partner. I need your help. Let's do what we were elected to do. Let's fulfill our constitutional duty and the President said yes. I believe he's sincere. More than just belief, he has acted on it, Rachel. I spoke to the Secretary of Defense today. I got a call from the White House team late last night, early this morning. I have the Army Corps of Engineers coming in here tomorrow. So, I believe he is doing - He's doing what he has to do and I respect him for it. I respect him for it.
Brian Williams: Andrew Cuomo, Governor the State of New York as we are wishing, imploring all of our guests tonight, thank you, and be well most importantly.
Governor Cuomo: Thank you.
March 18, 2020.
Audio & Rush Transcript: Governor Cuomo is a Guest on The Daily Podcast. https://www.governor.ny.gov/news/audio-rush-transcript-governor-cuomo-guest-daily-podcast
Governor Cuomo: "But what we do between now and then matters greatly. Do everything you can. Do everything you can to flatten that curve...Be responsible. Be civic-minded. Be kind. Be considerate. Think of one another. Yes, we're going to have an inconvenient period for a few months. We are. Deal with it and deal with it gracefully and deal with it with kindness and intelligence."
Earlier today, Governor Andrew M. Cuomo was a guest on the The New York Times' The Daily podcast with Michael Barbaro to discuss New York State's response to the novel coronavirus crisis.
A rush transcript of the Governor's interview with Michael Barbaro is available below:
Michael Barbaro: As one of the earliest states with confirmed cases of the coronavirus and with the most confirmed cases so far, New York State has begun to aggressively move to control its spread. Taking a series of increasingly drastic steps over the last few days. Today, a conversation with Governor Andrew Cuomo. It's Wednesday, March 18th. So, I want to thank you for letting us...
Governor Cuomo: I'm just examining the microphone.
Michael Barbaro: That's a window screen, it will keep your...
Governor Cuomo: Keep the wind down.
Michael Barbaro: So Governor, I want to thank you for letting us in in the middle of an extraordinary crisis and tell you how much we appreciate it. I want to start this conversation by asking you where New York is in this pandemic. It's Tuesday afternoon around 3pm, how many New Yorkers do we understand have the coronavirus at this point?
Governor Cuomo: We have, right now, over 1,000 cases. It's a little misleading because we're talking about these tests as if it's taking a random sample, right? But it's not. The test results are purely symbolic of how many tests you're taking. We are now taking more tests than most states and we're finding more positives, which would make sense also because we are the most dense state and this is a function of density at the end of the day. You're getting on a subway train, on a bus, you're in a crowded restaurant, you're in a crowded office space, and this transfers in the crowds. So that it would be here first is not surprising. That is would communicate most easily here is not surprising. And that we would have the sophisticated health system that would detect it here first is not surprising.
Michael Barbaro: So, if these are the front lines of this epidemic, and I've heard you describe this as a kind of war that we're in right now, what stage of the war are we at in a place like New York?
Governor Cuomo: We are seeing the enemy on the horizon and they are approaching very quickly. And we don't have our defenses in place.
Michael Barbaro: We don't?
Governor Cuomo: We don't. Testing was the first level of defense. Right? The testing was slow nationwide. We're now ramping up in this state because the federal government, I think, made a wise decision. We were the first to ask for it, I asked the president for it directly. Basically I said, "Decentralize the testing, leave it to the states." We have 200 laboratories in this state. I said, "Decentralize it, let the states do it."
Michael Barbaro: But you weren't allowed at first. To do it.
Governor Cuomo: Right. The federal government was controlling it and you were running all the national tests through the CDC which was then sending them to Atlanta. So, we're now ramping up on testing. That's why our numbers are high. But testing is no longer going to keep the genie in the bottle, right. The genie is out of the bottle now. Where this all comes down to, is when they talk about flattening the curve, flattening the curve. They're trying to slow the advance of the enemy until we can get enough of our defenses in place. What are the defenses? A healthcare system that can handle the injured, to torture the metaphor. And we're not there. If you look at the speed, the increase in the rate, the spike in the increase of the number of cases, we're looking at a possibility of an apex being about 45 days away.
Michael Barbaro: The peak of this pandemic here.
Governor Cuomo: That's one projection, 45 days. Needing 110,000 hospital beds. In this state you have 50,000 hospital beds. Needing 37,000 intensive care unit beds, and having 3,000 ICU beds.
Michael Barbaro: Needing 37,000, having three. That's a pretty extraordinary gap.
Governor Cuomo: Yeah, because the injured here are going to be predominately senior citizens, compromised immune systems, underlying illness. And those people need ICUs. When they're coming to the hospital, they don't need a normal bed and moderate healthcare. They need an ICU.
Michael Barbaro: So, I want to talk about your leadership in this war, to similarly torture the metaphor. The work you've done in the past few days to flatten the curve. Because, you've made some extraordinary decisions in the past 72 hours or so. Efforts to start essentially, kind of start shutting down systematically elements of our life here in New York. So, help me understand the information that you've been receiving, the calculations that you've been weighing, and the very real trade-offs that you understood would have to be made.
Governor Cuomo: I'm watching the increase in cases, and you take one measure and you see what the effect was. You take another measure, and you see what the effect was. And nothing was having an effect. Nothing we were doing.
Michael Barbaro: What steps did you take that were not effective?
Governor Cuomo: The testing was supposed to be step one. That was supposed to slow the spread. That didn't work. Ok, the enemy keeps coming. You start moderate social distancing. Businesses, voluntary basis, work from home. That didn't make any difference. The numbers have kept going up, regardless of everything we did. When you keep seeing those numbers increase, your efforts have to become more and more dramatic. Yesterday, we went to the point of closing bars, restaurants, gyms and schools, with the precaution of providing childcare for essential workers, especially nurses, healthcare workers. The next level of efforts to control density, control the spread, would be to start closing, mandatory closing of businesses.
Michael Barbaro: Let me focus in on that decision. Bars, restaurants. Because that is billions of dollars in lost revenue, it's tens of thousands of people out of work. On my way here, I got a text from a friend who said he had just laid off 90 employees, and he was crying the whole time he had to do it. So let's talk about how you made that decision because of that impact that that is immediately going to have. It's a huge part of the economy in the state. So how did you get to that decision?
Governor Cuomo: Michael, you are past the point of monetizing these decisions.
Michael Barbaro: What do you mean?
Governor Cuomo: You are at the point of deciding, how many people are going to live, how many people are going to die. That's where you are. Closing restaurants reduces the spread of the disease. The disease transfers very quickly, not just in the coughs or the droplets, etcetera. There are some studies that say the disease can live, the virus can live up to two or three days on a surface.
Michael Barbaro: Like a table at a restaurant.
Governor Cuomo: Just think about that. Like a table in a restaurant. Like a sink. Like a handrail in a bus. Two or three days. I mean it's why this virus is so vicious. And we know the trajectory right now overwhelms the hospital system. Three or four-fold. It's not even close. People will die because they can't get the healthcare service they need.
Michael Barbaro: You're reducing the number of people who die because they can't get into a hospital bed, for every restaurant you close and every transmission you prevent in closing that restaurant?
Governor Cuomo: Yes.
Michael Barbaro: Those are pure numbers.
Governor Cuomo: Yes and it's not even just New York. The whole nation is past the point of let's try to save money, right. You look at the damage on the market, you look at all the businesses that are closing. This is now a national phenomenon that this economy is going to be very badly hurt. The recovery of this economy is going to be an economic feat never seen before. You're going to have to go back to the Great Depression to come up with a revival plan for the economy like we're seeing now. You're going to see mortgage foreclosures. You're going to see bankruptcies. Massive unemployment - claims across the board.
Michael Barbaro: I don't see you sugar coating this at all.
Governor Cuomo: No. This is going to be -- our state finances are decimated. How does the state work? The state is just a percentage of every other business. Those businesses are all closed or they're revenues have been cut by 50, 60, 70 percent. But I think the good thing is as a nation we said, "So what?" So what? What value on a human life? If I can save here, 5,000 lives, 10,000 lives, I don't care what it costs, Michael. That's what I'm going to do.
Michael Barbaro: I wonder what you want to say to somebody who has just lost their job, because there are a lot of them, who may not be able to pay their rent, who may not be able to pay their mortgage, may lose their housing and are really scared because of these economic consequences. What do you want them to hear you say?
Governor Cuomo: I would say, first, I hope no one in your family or no one you know dies because of this. Because that's what we're trying to accomplish. I hope no one in your family dies. Second, we all understand the economic consequences. It's not just you, it is everyone. And by the way, take solace in that fact. Because maybe if it was just you, you could be forgotten and left on the side of the road. It's not just you. It's everyone and it's everywhere. The Italians have an old saying that the rich man is the man who has health, right. If you have your health, you can figure anything else out. And it's true. We'll figure out the economy. You know I went through 9/11. Oh downtown Manhattan is devastated, we have to rebuild, how are we going to do this? We're alive, first of all. And if we are alive, we'll figure out the rest. We'll figure out the money. It's making sure we live through this.
Michael Barbaro: Governor, I want to understand how you're thinking about something else which is, hospitals, supplies and readiness. You started to signal that there's a major shortage of ICU units. What about respirators? What does the picture start to look like in a couple of weeks and are we ready for it?
Governor Cuomo: We are not ready for it, certainly today. The picture looks like you have tens of thousands of people coming to the hospital. These are respiratory illnesses, they can't breathe, they need an ICU bed with a ventilator. Okay, buy more ventilators. Okay, you can't.
Michael Barbaro: You can't?
Governor Cuomo: Because the entire world is trying to buy ventilators.
Michael Barbaro: So you tried to buy ventilators?
Governor Cuomo: We try every which way to buy ventilators, we're trying to go to China, which is now over it, trying to buy their ventilators. I mean it is a global competition to buy ventilators. The federal government has an emergency medical stockpile, I reached out to the president, federal cooperation is everything, Michael, because it's whatever the federal government has in that stockpile is going to be our main access point.
Michael Barbaro: Did you ask to tap into the stockpile and what did the President say?
Governor Cuomo: Yes, he has said he will be very helpful. We are looking at the Army Corps of Engineers to try to build additional hospital beds, convert hospital beds, etc., because you are overwhelming the capacity of the healthcare system by two or three times. You need back up staff, back up nurses, back up doctors, and more space, more equipment, more gloves, more food, more everything.
Michael Barbaro: Is there a version where hospitals can handle this influx or is it just a matter of how short they fall?
Governor Cuomo: There is no way they can handle this.
Michael Barbaro: So then do you accept that some incredibly difficult decisions are going to need to be made inside hospitals in the coming days - decisions of who lives and who dies, who gets a bed and who does, who gets a respirator and who does not, who to prioritize? Is that something doctors should be deciding or is that something government should be playing role in?
Governor Cuomo: It will be a question of triage. Remember, most of these people will have serious underlying conditions already. And in some ways it will become self-selecting depending on how ill you were when you came in.
Michael Barbaro: Right, but when the decision has to be made, do I put the 85 year old with underlying conditions in the ICU who might have a 50-50 chance, or do I put a 45 year old in the ICU who has come in with respiratory problems who has a 60% chance? We just talked to a doctor in Italy who had to make these choices. Do you want to be the one issuing protocols? Do you want the President to be issuing those protocols? Who should be guiding those kinds of awful decisions?
Governor Cuomo: Well, I pray that we don't get there. It should be a medical decision unless God intervenes and God makes the determination first.
Michael Barbaro: What is the ideal role of the federal government right now in your mind?
Governor Cuomo: Right now, crank up the Army Corps of Engineers which does have building capacity. Add to hospital capacity in the states that need it, New York would be at the top of the list. That is what they do, right? They build the infrastructure for war. They go into a country where nothing exists and they cut down trees, they build roads, they build camps, because the states don't have the capacity or the resources. I don't have a workforce. Mobilize FEMA, which has tremendous potential when it works well, right? FEMA did Hurricane Katrina which was FEMA not doing a good job. FEMA can be extraordinarily good when it's staffed and funded. So we need them fully deployed here.
Michael Barbaro: So, are they doing that?
Governor Cuomo: The President has now, I believe yesterday, the President's tone was 100% serious. He showed more sobriety on this issue than he has shown. I spoke with him twice today already. I know he has his team working. I was on the phone with them late last night, early this morning. So, I believe he is fully committed and he understands the role and he understand the severity, and that is good news.
Michael Barbaro: Let me ask you directly, what do you think of President Trump's leadership in this moment? It began with some skepticism about the severity of the situation. It has changed like you just signaled. Is the President your partner here?
Governor Cuomo: Let me say this. I have had a tumultuous relationship with this President. I have opposed many of his policies vociferously. You can probably say there has been no governor in the country who has been as aggressive in his opposition to the President as I have, both ideologically and practically. And I probably have sued the President more than any governor in the United States. So, having said that, I said to the President again this morning, look forget everything. Forget Democrats, forget Republicans, we are Americans and that always came first and that is where we are. I put out my hand in partnership. I need your help. I am grateful for your help. I'll be a committed partner. Let's get this done. Let's save lives.
Michael Barbaro: Did he say anything to make you feel like that was to be reciprocated?
Governor Cuomo: Yes, he said yes - exactly. You know the country has gotten itself into this hyper-partisan hype, this ideological intensity. And I understand why, it has been for me too in truth. But then something happens and it changes your whole perspective, right? You can be fighting with your family and your siblings, and I am not going to go to your birthday party. And then the parent dies and you say to each other, what have we been doing? What a waste of time.
Michael Barbaro: Do you think we're at a moment that may transcend?
Governor Cuomo: You're talking about Americans dying here - that's what you're talking about. Americans dying. Forget everything else. Life is as life and death and that changes your perspective. We can have the arguments another day. It also changes by the way, your perspective on government. Think about this - when was the last time this country actually needed government? Needed it to be competent and qualified and needed leaders to be real leaders - not celebrity leaders, not good-looking, handsome, charismatic leaders. "I like this one, this one's sexy, this one's funny." It's a totally different lens - no, this thing called government is very serious. It's a serious business. You have to know what you're doing - you have to mobilize - what is this Army Corps of Engineers and FEMA and how do you build a hospital in 45 days and how do you triage and how do you make all these things happen and state-local relations and passing emergency appropriations and how do you get emergency funding for purchasing and emergency orders. "Wow I didn't know government did that."
Michael Barbaro: Right, this is what government is actually for and every so often we have a moment that demonstrates why government exists.
Governor Cuomo: And it doesn't matter, until it matters.
Michael Barbaro: Is there more coming, Governor? What kind of measures should your constituents - all New Yorkers - maybe even people beyond New York be taking to get ready to take on? As we walked into this room, we got word, for example, that it looks like New York is essentially going to order a shelter in place condition, which means basically you can't leave your house. What more is coming?
Governor Cuomo: Yes - that is not going to happen, shelter in place, for New York City. For any city or county to take an emergency action, the State has to approve it. And I wouldn't approve shelter in place. That scares people, right? Quarantine in place - you can't leave your home. The fear, the panic is a bigger problem than the virus.
Michael Barbaro: It is?
Governor Cuomo: Yes. And I shut that down immediately. The density control measures would be more - we're going to close businesses or close -
Michael Barbaro: You're going to close all businesses?
Governor Cuomo: Potentially. Potentially - Italy took the most drastic density control that only essential businesses, grocery stores, first responders, pharmacies, et cetera. But I am against quarantines, "You must stay in your home." You can come out of your house. Just don't be in a crowded situation. Don't cause more density. Don't sneeze in someone's face within six feet. Go for a walk in the park. I mean that as a nice thing - that's a positive suggestion, "Go walk in the park."
Michael Barbaro: No I appreciate the suggestion. I try to take any walk I can.
Governor Cuomo: In the old neighborhood, they used to say, "Go take a walk in the park." That was a bad thing.
Michael Barbaro: In Queens?
Governor Cuomo: Yes. In Queens.
Michael Barbaro: If we're at a moment where it's too late to look back and say, "If only we had done this, if only we done that," and instead we're at a moment where the government steps up in every way we want it to, everyone now has to do their part as well. What's your message to them?
Governor Cuomo: First of all, welcome to life - "If I had only done this, if I had only done this, if I had only done this" - that's life, my brother. That's all of us. I forget that - you're here now. What do you do now, and that's all that matters. The enemy has not advanced to a point where they are in the foxhole, right? We still have some time.
Michael Barbaro: Not much.
Governor Cuomo: Not much. But what we do between now and then matters greatly. Do everything you can. Do everything you can to flatten that curve. Yes your friend who owns the restaurant I'm sure is very angry at us, but you know what, I did it because I believe it was necessary to save lives. We're going to have to take more actions like that to reduce density and flatten the curve. Do everything you can to build more hospital beds in 45 days. "Well it's impossible" - yeah well I'm going to try my damndest to show you it's not impossible. Do everything that you can humanly, possibly do - extend your imagination in a way you never thought and extend your ambition beyond yourself because it's not about you. It's about us, it's about the collective, it's about society. Don't expose yourself to other people. Don't indulge yourself. Yeah, I know you really want to go out and go shopping - yeah I know you do, but don't think of just yourself. Save as many lives as you can. Be responsible. Be civic-minded. Be kind. Be considerate. Think of one another. Yes, we're going to have an inconvenient period for a few months. We are. Deal with it and deal with it gracefully and deal with it with kindness and intelligence.
Michael Barbaro: Governor, I really appreciate your time. Thank you for having us in and good luck getting through all this.
Governor Cuomo: Thank you.
Michael Barbaro: We're going to walk into this office but we're going to keep our space.
Lisa Tobin: Can I just ask a quick question? If it says New York City tells 8 million people to be prepared to shelter in place, that is not going to happen?
Governor Cuomo: No.
Lisa Tobin: But it's playing on the television right now.
Governor Cuomo: Yeah, I know. I don't know anyone at CNN.
Lisa Tobin: What are you going to do?
Governor Cuomo: Yeah, but see how scary that is?
Lisa Tobin: Yes.
Michael Barbaro: Your brother is an anchor on CNN.
Governor Cuomo: That was a joke. Bada boom, bada boom. I normally hold up a little sign that says, joke coming.
Lisa Tobin: No, but I'm sorry to interrupt, but in all seriousness, if that's on CNN.
Dani Lever: We already put a statement out that said we're not considering it so it will be clarified hopefully in the next five minutes.
Governor Cuomo: But that's why the fear, why the panic - because you watch things like that all day and everybody, somebody says something and then it's on the screen right away, "Oh my God, I'm going to be locked in my home, I better go to the store and buy stuff now."
March 18, 2020.
Amid Ongoing COVID-19 Pandemic, Governor Cuomo Announces Deployment of 1,000-Bed Hospital Ship 'USNS Comfort' to New York Harbor. https://www.governor.ny.gov/news/amid-ongoing-covid-19-pandemic-governor-cuomo-announces-deployment-1000-bed-hospital-ship-usns
Issues Executive Order Directing Non-Essential Businesses to Implement Work from Home Policies Effective Friday, March 20
Businesses that Require In-Office Personnel Must Decrease In-Office Workforce by 50 Percent
Exceptions Made for Essential Services — Including Shipping Industry, Warehouses, Grocery and Food Production, Pharmacies, Media, Banks and Related Financial Institutions, and Businesses Essential to Supply Chain
Confirms 1,008 Additional Coronavirus Cases in New York State - Bringing Statewide Total to 2,382; New Cases in 20 Counties
Governor Meeting Today with Army Corp of Engineers to Discuss Hospital Surge Capacity
Amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today announced the USNS Comfort will be deployed to New York harbor and is expected to arrive in April. The 1,000-bed hospital ship has 12 fully-equipped operating rooms and will significantly increase New York's hospital surge capacity. The Governor is meeting with leadership of the Army Corp of Engineers today to discuss ways to increase hospital capacity in New York.
The Governor also announced he will issue an executive order directing non-essential businesses to implement work-from-home policies effective Friday, March 20. Businesses that rely on in-office personnel must decrease their in-office workforce by 50 percent. The executive order exempts essential service industries, including shipping, media, warehousing, grocery and food production, pharmacies, healthcare providers, utilities, banks and related financial institutions, and other industries critical to the supply chain.
"We are fighting a war against this pandemic and we know that two of the most effective ways to stop it is by reducing density and increasing our hospital capacity so our healthcare system is not overwhelmed," Governor Cuomo said. "The deployment of the USNS Comfort to New York is an extraordinary but necessary step to help ensure our state has the capacity to handle an influx of patients with COVID-19 and continue our efforts to contain the virus. Partnering with the private sector to require nonessential employees to work from home will also go a long way toward bending the curve. My number one priority is protecting the public health so that a wave of new cases doesn't crash our hospital system, and we will continue taking any action necessary to achieve that goal."
The deployment of the USNS Comfort to New York is an extraordinary but necessary step to help ensure our state has the capacity to handle an influx of patients with COVID-19
Governor Cuomo
Finally, the Governor confirmed 1,008 additional cases of novel coronavirus, bringing the statewide total to 2,382 confirmed cases in New York State. Of the 2,382 total individuals who tested positive for the virus, the geographic breakdown is as follows:
Albany County: 36 (13 new)
Allegany County: 2
Broome County: 1
Chenango County: 1 (1 new)
Clinton County: 1
Delaware County: 1
Dutchess County: 20 (4 new)
Erie County: 7
Essex County: 1 (1 new)
Greene County: 2
Hamilton County: 1 (1 new)
Herkimer County: 1
Monroe County: 14 (4 new)
Montgomery County: 2 (1 new)
Nassau County: 183 (52 new)
New York City: 1339 (695 new)
Onondaga County: 2
Ontario County: 1
Orange County: 32 (17 new)
Putnam County: 2
Rensselaer County: 4 (3 new)
Rockland County: 30 (8 new)
Saratoga County: 14 (5 new)
Schenectady County: 14 (9 new)
Suffolk County: 116 (32 new)
Sullivan County: 1
Tioga County: 1
Tompkins County: 3 (1 new)
Ulster County: 9 (1 new)
Warren County: 1 (1 new)
Washington County: 1 (1 new)
Westchester County: 538 (158 new)
Wyoming County: 1
On Monday, Governor Cuomo directed nonessential state employees statewide to work from home. The Governor also directed local governments to reduce their overall workforce by 50 percent and allow nonessential employees to work from home.
Also on Monday, Governor Cuomo, New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy and Connecticut Governor Ned Lamont announced a regional approach to combating the novel coronavirus - or COVID-19 - throughout the tri-state area. These uniform standards limited crowd capacity for social and recreational gatherings to 50 people, and required restaurants and bars to close on premise service and move to take-out and delivery services only. The three governors also temporarily closed movie theaters, gyms and casinos.
March 18, 2020.
Video, Audio, Photos & Rush Transcript: Amid Ongoing Covid-19 Pandemic, Governor Cuomo Announces Deployment of 1,000-Bed Hospital Ship 'USNS Comfort' to New York Harbor. https://www.governor.ny.gov/news/video-audio-photos-rush-transcript-amid-ongoing-covid-19-pandemic-governor-cuomo-announces
Issues Executive Order Directing Non-Essential Businesses to Implement Work from Home Policies Effective Friday, March 20
Businesses that Require In-Office Personnel Must Decrease In-Office Workforce by 50 Percent
Exceptions Made for Essential Services — Including Shipping Industry, Warehouses, Grocery and Food Production, Pharmacies, Media, Banks and Related Financial Institutions, and Businesses Essential to Supply Chain
Confirms 1,008 Additional Coronavirus Cases in New York State - Bringing Statewide Total to 2,382; New Cases in 20 Counties
Governor Meeting Today with Army Corp of Engineers to Discuss Hospital Surge Capacity
Governor Cuomo: "[T]oday we are announcing a mandatory statewide requirement that no business can have more than 50% of their workforce report to work outside of their home. ... I'm going to do that by executive order and that is statewide. That will exempt essential services, meaning food, food delivery, pharmacies, healthcare, shipping supplies, et cetera."
Cuomo: "I understand that this is a burden to businesses. ... There is going to be an impact on the economy, not just here in New York but all across the country and we're going to have to deal with that crisis, but let's deal with one crisis at a time. Let's deal with the crisis at hand and the crisis at hand is a public health crisis."
Amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, earlier today Governor Andrew M. Cuomo announced the USNS Comfort will be deployed to New York harbor and is expected to arrive in April. The 1,000-bed hospital ship has 12 fully-equipped operating rooms and will significantly increase New York's hospital surge capacity. The Governor is meeting with leadership of the Army Corp of Engineers today to discuss ways to increase hospital capacity in New York.
The Governor also announced he will issue an executive order directing non-essential businesses to implement work-from-home policies effective Friday, March 20. Businesses that rely on in-office personnel must decrease their in-office workforce by 50 percent. The executive order exempts essential service industries, including shipping, media, warehousing, grocery and food production, pharmacies, healthcare providers, utilities, banks and related financial institutions, and other industries critical to the supply chain.
VIDEO of the Governor's remarks is available on YouTube here and in TV quality (h.264, mp4) format here.
PHOTOS of today's remarks are available on the Governor's Flickr page.
A rush transcript is available below:
Good morning. I want to give you an overview of where we are today. I'm going to do this in a little bit of a hyper-speed because the President is going to do a press conference soon and I would like to give you a state overview before.
The context is important. Remember for everyone what we're trying to do on the overall management. The bottom line here is very simple. The number of coronavirus cases we have coming in to the health care system has to match the capacity of the health care system. That's what this whole conversation has been about from day one. We keep talking about the curve, the curve, the curve. What they're trying to say is the curve, the increase in the number of cases has to be reduced to a rate of admission that your hospitals can handle and right now we have 53,000 hospital beds, 3,000 ICU beds. That's what the entire country is doing. That's what the federal government is trying to do.
What is the particular problem here? That this is a respiratory illness - the people who come in often have an underlying illness. They need an ICU bed. An ICU bed is the equivalent of a ventilator. It's all about the ventilators. That's why you see so much about how we get additional ventilators.
Right now in New York specifically the rate of the curve suggests that in 45 days we could have up to an input of 110,000 beds, people needing 110,000 beds that compares to our current capacity of 53,000 beds. Thirty-seven thousand ICU units, ventilators, which compares to a capacity currently of 3,000 ventilators. That's our main issue. And again that's a projection and projections can change or you can change projections but that's the problem we're dealing with.
So what is the plan of action? Flatten the curve, flatten the curve, flatten the curve. Reduce the spread. How do you reduce the spread? Testing, isolate the positives, but frankly more move towards density reduction. Reduce the number of people in contact.
Second, increase the current hospital capacity. Hospitals currently have 53,000 beds. How do you get more beds in your hospital?
Third, identify new hospital beds - how do we increase the supply of hospital beds? Well, that's very hard. We are only talking about 45 days. So what? This is New York. There's nothing we can't do.
And, do all three of those things simultaneously, which is what we're doing. And identifying new hospital beds - we met yesterday with all the hospital administrators. I spoke to them. I said we have to increase the number of beds you have in your hospital. We're going to waive the Department of Health regulations for the time being. Department of Health says how many beds you can have in a room, the space between the beds, all good regulations by the way, but waive them so we can get more beds into existing hospitals.
We also have to make sure those beds are staffed. So more staff, reserve staff, we are reaching out to retired nurses, retired doctors, nursing schools, medical schools to build up a reserve capacity because also you have to anticipate that some hospital workers will get sick during this so you need a reserve capacity for that basis.
How do you create new hospital beds? That's probably the greatest challenge. First convert facilities and take people who are in current hospital beds and move them into a converted facility, who need a lower level of care. Second, the federal partnership which is key, and as we discussed yesterday, the State cannot do this on its own. We don't have the capacity, we don't have a workforce, we're very ambitious, we're very aggressive but the most important thing in life to know is to know what you cannot do. Know your limitations.
We can't build new hospitals in 45 days. The federal government can be extremely helpful here, and we need the federal government's help. I had a conversation with the president yesterday. It was an open and honest conversation. We've always had a very good dialogue. Even when we don't agree, we've always had a very good dialogue. But the president and I agreed yesterday. Look, we're fighting the same war. And this is a war. And we're in the same trench. And I have your back, you have my back and we're going to do everything we can for the people of the State of New York. And the president agreed to that. And I agreed to that. And his actions demonstrate that he's doing that. I've had a number of conversations with White House staff who are working on this. I had a conversation with the secretary of the army. President sent the Army Corps of Engineers here this afternoon. I'll be meeting with them this afternoon. I spoke to the president this morning about specific actions the president is going to take. I can tell you he is fully engaged on trying to help New York. He's being very creative and very energetic and I thank him for his partnership. As I said, the secretary of defense, they can be very helpful. The army corps of engineers, they can be very helpful. And FEMA, can be very helpful. And we're speaking with all of them and we're working with all of them as we speak, and we have been around the clock and all through the night. So if Commissioner Zucker looks a little tired today, that's why. Young people have no stamina.
The president, I spoke to this morning, he's going to be making arrangements to send up this hospital ship, which is called the US Comfort. It has about 1,000 rooms on it. It has operating rooms. And the president is going to dispatch the Comfort to us. It will be in New York City harbor. This will be, it's an extraordinary step, obviously. But, it's literally a floating hospital, which will add capacity and the president said that he would dispatch that immediately. The president also spoke about the mobile hospitals that the federal government has and where we could set up; mobile hospitals, where they come in with a mobile hospital that has a capacity of 200 people, 250 people. I told the president that we would do everything that we need to do to expedite siting of those facilities. We're talking about a couple of locations now. But that is also specific and concrete help. And something that we can get done within the 45 days.
At the same time, as I said we're proceeding on all these tracts simultaneously. Density reduction, we've taken a number of dramatic steps but I think they are necessary steps. You've seen the curve, we can't handle the number of cases in the healthcare system at that current rate of spread. We have to get it down. We've taken dramatic steps. I've said, and I'm going to repeat today, I'm asking all businesses voluntarily, if it is at all possible, work from home. And have your people work from home. We also have already announced a mandatory requirement that all schools are closed statewide. Mandatory requirement that no more than 50 percent of any government's employees can show up for work. Essential personnel yes, but no more than 50 percent of city, local governments.
We also have a mandatory requirement, as you know, of a tri-state agreement. Pleased to announce that Pennsylvania is going to be joining our state coalition, and that's very exciting because none of these measures work unless you have a large enough geographic basis. Makes no sense for a county to try to put its own rule into effect or a city to put its own rule into effect because people will just move. If I can't go to a bar in Queens, I'll drive to Nassau and go to a bar. If I can't go to a restaurant in Albany I'll go to Schenectady. So the geographic footprint, by definition, is essential for these to work. And frankly, even if I come up with a rule for the entire state, people will drive to New Jersey or Connecticut or Pennsylvania and that's why the first ever we have this statewide coalition. I want to thank Connecticut Governor Ned Lamont and New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy very much and Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolf who've been great colleagues and I thank them very much.
Again, I'm asking all businesses to work from home, but today we are announcing a mandatory statewide requirement that no business can have more than 50% of their workforce report to work outside of their home. No more than 50% of the workforce can report for work outside of the home. That is a mandatory requirement. I'm going to do that by executive order and that is statewide. That will exempt essential services, meaning food, food delivery, pharmacies, healthcare, shipping supplies, et cetera. Society has to function. People stay at home, people still need to be able to order food, et cetera, they need to be able to shop. So, you have to keep those essential services running.
I understand that this is a burden to businesses. I get it. I understand the impact on the economy. But in truth, we're past that point as a nation. There is going to be an impact on the economy, not just here in New York but all across the country and we're going to have to deal with that crisis, but let's deal with one crisis at a time. Let's deal with the crisis at hand and the crisis at hand is a public health crisis. Once we get past that, then we'll deal with the economic crisis. There's an old Italian expression that basically says, a rough translation, "a rich person is a person who has their health, everything else you can figure out." That's true for society, also. Let's maintain the public health, we'll figure out the economy afterwards.
We've consulted with a number of business organizations and I want to thank them for their cooperation and their receptivity. The Business Council, The Retail Council, ABNY, The Partnership for New York City, they're the main business groups in this state. They understand the concern and the crisis that we're dealing with and they're helping communicate the message. I thank them for their understanding and for their civic consciousness in this matter.
You can see from the number of cases why we're taking these actions. We are responding to science and data, there's no politics here. The health commissioner and health officials advise us of what we should be doing. The number of cases is way up. The number of cases is up because we're taking more tests. But the numbers are going up, hence the increased actions to reduce the spread, the density reduction. You see total positive cases, 2,300. New positive cases 1,000. You see the number of counties that now have cases spreading just as you see it spreading across the United States of America. This is just a metaphor for the entire country. You see our number of tests has gone way up. We've now tested over 14,000 people. That's a dramatic increase. Again, that's why you see the number of positive cases going up.
We have the highest number of cases in the United States, again, by a significant margin. We're now about double the next state. I don't know how much of that is due to our increased testing, but we are a more dense environment. We have more people than Washington State, so science would dictate, mathematics would dictate, that you'll have a higher rate of spread. Current hospitalizations at 549. Again, that is the number we watch because that's the number that are flowing into the healthcare system. That's the rate of cases flowing into the healthcare system. 23%, we had 20% yesterday, we had 14% last week. So, the number of hospitalizations is going up and again, this is all about the capacity of the healthcare system and it always has been. So the number of hospitalizations is going up and again, this is all about the capacity of the healthcare system and it always has been.
Again, perspective, perspective, perspective. I understand the anxiety; I understand the fear. You look at the pictures on television, empty grocery shelves - it's easy to get caught up in the emotion, but you also have to remember the facts of the situation, and the facts are still very clear. We know what this virus does, we know who it is, we know where it lives, we know what it does to people. It's been tracked since China. 200,000 cases have been tracked. 8,000 people have passed away. 80,000 have recovered. 113,000 are still pending.
We even know what it's done in the State of New York. Of the numbers we've seen in New York since it started, 108 people have already recovered and been discharged from the hospital. The first case we had in New York, which was the healthcare worker and her husband who returned from Iran and tested positive. She never went into a hospital. She was at home quarantined. She has now been recovering at home. She actually took a second coronavirus test and tested negative, okay? So 39-year-old female, came home, was at home, was on quarantine, recovered, two weeks later, tests negative, which means she has resolved the virus in her body, right? And now tests negative. And as we've said 80 percent of the people that's what will happen. She was never hospitalized and she resolved two weeks later. That's what people have to keep in mind.
And look, this is a health issue. It's a public health crisis, but more than that, I'm telling you worse than the virus is the fear that we're dealing with and the rumors and how they spread and "I'm going to be quarantined, I'm going to be locked out, they're not going to allow me to leave my house, I better stock up on groceries." That's not going to happen. So deep breath. We know what is going to happen here. People will get ill, they will resolve. People who are vulnerable we have to be careful. But the panic and the fear is wholly disconnected from the reality.
The only way I know to communicate it is just what I experience in my own life, and I get those calls every day and people are just disconnected from the reality of the situation. One of my sisters called me yesterday, "I have to have my daughter tested for coronavirus." "Why?" "She has a fever, she's sick, she has flu-like symptoms." I said, "Has she been exposed to someone positive?" "No, not that we know of." "Did she travel to a hotspot?" "No." Then I said there's no test and there's no reason for a test - leave her home, help her, be careful that she doesn't infect you, but that's it. And flu-like symptoms, couple of weeks she'll feel better and she'll get on with it. The one thing I said to my sister is, "Don't let her go near mom." That's my mother - my mother's in a different situation. Again, senior citizen - senior citizens, compromised immune systems and underlying illness. I said, "Don't let her go near mom, otherwise treat her as if she has the flu." "Well what do I do? What's self-quarantine?" Self-quarantine is what we used to do when somebody had the flu, right? My father would say, "Go in the room, stay there until you feel better." That's crude self-quarantine. Don't get infected, stay away, throw things away, use hand sanitizer, et cetera. That's the reality of the situation. I get the drama, I get the anxiety, but all in moderation and all in connection with the facts.
March 18, 2020.
Pennsylvania Joins New York, New Jersey and Connecticut's Regional Coalition to Combat COVID-19. https://www.governor.ny.gov/news/pennsylvania-joins-new-york-new-jersey-and-connecticuts-regional-coalition-combat-covid-19
Governor Cuomo, Governor Murphy, Governor Lamont and Governor Wolf Direct Temporary Closure of All Indoor Portions of Retail Shopping Malls, Amusement Parks & Bowling Alleys - Effective by 8 PM Thursday
Follows Directive Monday Limiting Crowd Capacity for Recreational & Social Gatherings to 50 People - Temporary Closure of Movie Theaters, Gyms and Casinos as well as On Premise Service at Restaurants & Bars
Uniform Approach to Social Distancing Will Slow Spread of COVID-19 Throughout the Four States
New York Governor Andrew M. Cuomo, New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy and Connecticut Governor Ned Lamont today announced Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolf is joining their coalition to implement a regional approach to combatting COVID-19.
The four governors announced indoor portions of retail shopping malls, amusement parks and bowling alleys in the four states will close by 8 PM Thursday - an expansion of the guidance that the three governors from the tri-state area issued Monday.
The guidance issued Monday - which Pennsylvania also adopted - limits crowd capacity for social and recreational gatherings to 50 people. The governors also announced restaurants and bars would close for on premise service and move to take-out and delivery services only. The governors also temporarily closed movie theaters, gyms and casinos.
"We are doing everything we can as states to reduce density and contain the spread of the virus," Governor Cuomo said. "It is critical that we remain on the same page as our neighboring states, and so far we are the only region in the country partnering to create uniform, regional density reduction policies that prevent 'state shopping.' We will continue working together to update our regulations and guidance as the situation evolves while keeping a consistent standard across the region."
Governor Murphy said, "Given the population density of the Northeast, a coordinated response effort to encourage social distancing benefits all of our residents and strengthens our greater regional preparedness. By working together to identify and enact these measures, we can potentially slow the spread of coronavirus and save thousands of lives."
Governor Lamont said, "This is a fast moving and quickly evolving public health emergency, and making these kinds of important decisions as a region makes more sense than a patchwork approach. We will combat this virus by working together and remaining consistent across our borders and I'm proud to work with my fellow governors in this effort."
Governor Wolf said, "Pennsylvania is working aggressively to mitigate the spread of COVID-19. A regional approach to this threat is smart, and I am grateful for all of the work by my colleagues in neighboring states. Joining these leaders will help Pennsylvania mitigate the spread of COVID-19 with a coordinated approach."
Businesses and individuals in Pennsylvania should continue to refer to the Wolf administration's existing guidance for detailed closure information and other recommendations.
March 18, 2020.
Governor Cuomo Signs Bill to Guarantee Paid Leave for New Yorkers Under Mandatory or Precautionary Quarantine Due to COVID-19. https://www.governor.ny.gov/news/governor-cuomo-signs-bill-guarantee-paid-leave-new-yorkers-under-mandatory-or-precautionary
View Photo of Governor Cuomo Signing the Bill Here
"I just signed into law legislation to provide immediate relief to working New Yorkers whose lives are being turned upside down by COVID-19.
"No one should have to make the impossible choice between losing their job or providing for their family and going to work, especially during this pandemic. We seek to build upon this effort with guaranteed sick leave for all in this year's budget.
"In New York we stand with our workers in sickness and in health."
March 19, 2020.
Audio & Rush Transcript: Governor Cuomo is a Guest on NBC's The Today Show. https://www.governor.ny.gov/news/audio-rush-transcript-governor-cuomo-guest-nbcs-today-show-0
Governor Cuomo: "We have to treat it like a war here in New York."
Cuomo: "In this war ventilators are what the missiles were in World War II. We have to make those missiles, we have to make those ventilators, get them made and that's what the President's talking about. But the question is, how will we manage it now? How will we operationalize and mobilize, and that's why the federal government is going to be key."
Earlier today, Governor Andrew M. Cuomo was a guest on NBC's The Today Show to discuss New York's plan to combat the novel coronavirus crisis.
A rush transcript of the Governor's interview is available below:
Savannah Guthrie: We are joined by New York's Governor Andrew Cuomo. Governor, good morning. It's good to see you again.
Governor Cuomo: Good morning, Savannah.
Savannah Guthrie: I know the cases in New York State have really shot up overnight. I think according to the stats I have, a thousand more just in a day. For you is that a function of more testing or do you think this is a spike in the virus itself?
Governor Cuomo: It's your first point. The testing is so accelerated. We're doing so many more tests that the positives have to go up. These tests were never indicative of how many people actually had the virus in society because we didn't have the tests in time, frankly. So there are tens of thousands of people who have the virus, who had the virus, who probably had the virus and resolved themselves. But as the number of tests go up the number of positives go up. But it doesn't mean that that's the rate of increase in society.
Savannah Guthrie: Governor, there's been a bit of a back and forth between you and New York City's Mayor Bill de Blasio. He was on our show just yesterday and I asked him if he's getting close to the point where he will recommend to you, it's your decision, but recommend that city residents shelter in place. I know it's something you've said you don't want to do. But can you rule it out? I mean, we've seen it in places like Italy, in France. Is that likely to happen?
Governor Cuomo: You know, we're fighting two things right now, Savannah. We're fighting the virus and we're fighting fear and panic, and the fear and the panic is actually a worse problem in my opinion than the virus right now. We know what we have to do on the virus. It's going to be hard, it's going to be disruptive, but we know what we have to do there. The fear and the panic can actually get out of control more than the virus can and I think that's what you're seeing. You're seeing confusion. You're seeing a population that doesn't even know what some of these terms mean. They're all new. They don't know the rules. So we're doing everything we need to do with the virus and reduce density, etcetera—
Savannah Guthrie: Okay, but to the question.
Governor Cuomo: Are we reducing density? Yes. Do we want people to stay home? Yes. Are we going to do quarantine, are people imprisoned in their homes? No.
Savannah Guthrie: You've asked the Army Corps of Engineers to come in and start building capacity to house the sick. I believe the President has met that request. What do you expect them to do?
Governor Cuomo: I think that's the best news, frankly, that has happened. This is a war, Savannah. We have to treat it like a war here in New York. We had 9/11 which basically immediately oriented us to a possible war scenario and in a war you need the federal government. States don't fight wars. They did once but that was a big mistake and the federal government stepping up and saying we're in this, Army Corps of Engineers to build more hospitals, equipment, equipment, equipment is going to be key. Ventilators is going to be key and the federal government recognizing that responsibility and fully mobilizing the way the President now has, I believe, that's a very positive step.
Savannah Guthrie: I mean just taking a step back here, everything that Americans are being asked to do and are doing is to prevent the onslaught, the sudden onslaught of the virus that would overwhelm the healthcare system. Do you think it's already in a sense a fait accompli? In other words, do you already think the healthcare system is going to be overwhelmed?
Governor Cuomo: The health care system is going to be overwhelmed. The question is, now, to what extent and with what consequence, Savannah. That's what we're dealing with. We know that by all projections we're going to have more people than we can deal with in the healthcare system so we're trying to increase capacity in hospitals. We are trying to build more hospital beds. That's the Army Corps of Engineers. We have a major problem on equipment, the gloves, the protective equipment and, again, the ventilators. In this war ventilators are what the missiles were in World War II. We have to make those missiles, we have to make those ventilators, get them made and that's what the President's talking about. But the question is, how will we manage it now? How will we operationalize and mobilize, and that's why the federal government is going to be key.
Savannah Guthrie: Governor, very quickly, you know, some have said that it seems like prominent politicians, athletes, celebrities seem to be getting access to these tests regardless of whether they're showing mild symptoms or any symptoms at all. What say you about that?
Governor Cuomo: I say that should not happen. It would be terrible if it happened. We have a very specific protocol in New York because we don't have enough tests to test everyone. If you just put up a sign in New York,Savannah, that said come get a test if you want a test, we have 19.5 million New Yorkers, you'd have 19 million on the list. So we have a protocol. You have to have -
Savannah Guthrie: Do you think it's happening?
Governor Cuomo: I believe it's happening. I have no reason to believe it's not happening. And if someone is getting a priority, that's 100 percent wrong.
Savannah Guthrie: New York Governor Andrew Cuomo, another busy day for you, sir. Thank you for your time. We appreciate it.
Governor Cuomo: Thanks. Thanks, Savannah.
March 19, 2020.
Audio & Rush Transcript: Governor Cuomo is a Guest on CNN's New Day. https://www.governor.ny.gov/news/audio-rush-transcript-governor-cuomo-guest-cnns-new-day
Governor Cuomo: "Do we have enough beds, do we have enough gloves, enough PPE equipment? There is something called the Federal Defense Procurement Act. This is a war. Treat it like a war. Say to the manufacturers in this country, I need you to build these pieces of equipment quickly, certainly the gear, the machine next to me, the ventilator, this is going to be the matter of life and death for people. We now have about 5,000, 6,000 ventilators in New York State. We are going to need about 30,000 ventilators because these people who have come in all have respiratory illnesses."
Cuomo: "That's the war time mentality. You can't buy a ventilator right now. Globally, you can't buy them. We're going to have to make them or make something like them. And that's why the federal government is stepping up and ordering the manufacturers to now come together and make this happen is going to be imperative."
Earlier today, Governor Andrew M. Cuomo was a guest on CNN's New Day to discuss New York's plan to combat the novel coronavirus crisis.
A rush transcript of the Governor's interview is available below:
Alisyn Camerota: Joining us now is New York Governor Andrew Cuomo. Governor, we appreciate you coming on. There are so many developments every morning. What about that? This is just - Sanjay Gupta just reported there are two new guidelines on the CDC website this morning that say healthcare workers who are asymptomatic, but who have been exposed to a patient with coronavirus, can continue to work if they wear a face mask and, by the way, here is the other new guidance, if you don't have a proper face mask, you can consider using homemade masks like bandannas and scarves. Will this - will we see this in New York hospitals?
Governor Cuomo: Good morning, Alisyn. I'm not a doctor, obviously, but I hope we don't see that in New York. But it is making the right point, where this is going to become real and we have been saying this from day one, but we're seeing it now, s this is a crisis for our healthcare system management. it is our -- the capacity of our healthcare system. Do we have enough beds, do we have enough gloves, enough PPE equipment and the answer is no. And that's why the federal government is now fully engaging, and I believe the president now gets it. That's where they have to focus. We shouldn't have to go to scarves and bandannas. There is something called the Federal Defense Procurement Act. This is a war. Treat it like a war. Say to the manufacturers in this country, I need you to build these pieces of equipment quickly, certainly the gear, the machine next to me, the ventilator, this is going to be the matter of life and death for people. We now have about 5,000, 6,000 ventilators in New York State. We are going to need about 30,000 ventilators because these people who have come in all have respiratory illnesses.
Alisyn Camerota: I hear your plea. How fast do you believe those 30,000 can be built?
Governor Cuomo: Well, that's the war time mentality. You can't buy a ventilator right now. Globally, you can't buy them. We're going to have to make them or make something like them. And that's why the federal government is stepping up and ordering the manufacturers to now come together and make this happen is going to be imperative.
Alisyn Camerota: Governor, the last numbers we had from New York that had spiked overnight again, of course, we expect that: 1,871. Do you have any new numbers this morning?
Governor Cuomo: We have - we did 8,000 tests overnight, Alisyn, which is probably a new record in the country. We don't have the results of the 8,000 tests, but when you do 8,000 tests, the numbers are going to go up exponentially. And, again, reality in all of this, it doesn't mean that it is indicative of how many people have the virus, it is how many people you are testing. And when you do 8,000, you're going to see a major increase.
Alisyn Camerota: Governor, there has been a rather public debate going on between you and the Mayor of New York City, Bill de Blasio, about shelter in place policies and whether or not that's appropriate for New York City. As you know, San Francisco and the Bay Area has implemented that, basically people should stay in their homes and just on - that's their thinking and that I think is the Mayor's thinking - and so just on Tuesday, you had said at a press conference the people should get out of the house, they should go to a state park, the state parks here are still open, there are reports of people in central park still. Do you still feel as sanguine as you did on Tuesday that people should be going out to parks and not sheltering in place?
Governor Cuomo: Yeah, Alisyn, this is an important point. What I am least sanguine about is that we are battling two things, a virus and fear and panic. And I'm as afraid of the fear and the panic as I am of the virus and I think that the fear is more contagious than the virus right now. You take a place like New York City, we are at near panic levels, so what you say and how you communicate is very important. Should everybody stay home? Of course. Are we imprisoning people? No. Can you stay inside 24 hours a day? No. When you go out to shop or go out to take a walk and get exercise, social distancing. But look at your words, shelter in place, you know where that came from? That came from nuclear war. What it said is people should go into an interior room of their home with no windows, stay there until they get the all clear sign. Now, that's not what people really mean, but that's what it sounds like. And I spent half my day knocking down rumors that we're going to imprison people in their homes, there is going to be a roadblock around New York City, you will panic, 9 million people who will be fleeing New York City in 24 hours if we don't clearly communicate what we mean.
Alisyn Camerota: I hear you, but Governor, I'm sorry to interrupt, but then we also hear we are on a war footing. President Trump says we are on a war footing. This is being likened to war time, and so it is very hard for people to know whether they should be going out to a park or staying home on their version of lockdown, whatever that looks like in your house.
Governor Cuomo: Yeah. Yes, I agree with that. But say that, don't say I'm imprisoned in my home. And let's take a step back, we are on war footing. Build ventilators, manufacture PPE and gloves, et cetera. People stay home. Reduce density. Close businesses. But you're not imprisoned. You're not quarantined. You're not a prisoner. We're not going to put a roadblock around New York City so you have to pack up and get out today. This is going to go on for months. Communicate what you mean without using terms that nobody understands and only incites panic, because that's what we're doing in too many situations. You can get -- you can communicate what you want, but just say it in a more clear way, rather than using these buzzwords that are panicking people. I am not going to imprison anyone in the State of New York. I am not going to do Martial Law in State of New York. That's not going it happen.
Alisyn Camerota: Governor Andrew Cuomo, we really appreciate you coming on, so many mornings and giving us all the latest information. Obviously we'll speak to you again very soon. Thank you.
March 19, 2020.
Video, Audio, Photos & Rush Transcript: During Coronavirus Briefing, Governor Cuomo Calls on Young People to Understand the Risks Around Coronavirus and Do What is Best for the Public Health. https://www.governor.ny.gov/news/video-audio-photos-rush-transcript-during-coronavirus-briefing-governor-cuomo-calls-young
Governor Cuomo: "Young people can get coronavirus. That's one of the other myths, young people don't get it. Young people do get it and young people can transfer it and you can wind up infecting someone, and possibly killing someone, if you're exposed to it."
Cuomo: "These pictures of young people on beaches, these videos of young people saying, this is my spring break, I'm out to party, this is my time to party - this is so unintelligent and reckless I can't even begin to express it."
Cuomo: "The risk does not justify the reward."
Earlier today during a coronavirus briefing, Governor Andrew M. Cuomo issued a call on young people to understand the risks around coronavirus and do what is best for the public health.
VIDEO of the Governor's call on young people is available on YouTube here and in TV quality (h.264, mp4) format here.
AUDIO of the Governor's call on young people is available here.
PHOTOS will be available on the Governor's Flickr page.
A rush transcript is available below:
Governor Cuomo: "To the younger people in our great state and in our great society - and that's why I invited our special guest here today, Michaela - my grandfather Andrea, my grandfather on my father's side, his name was Andrea, I'm named for my grandfather, Andrew, Italian American immigrant, when I was young-ish - sixteen, seventeen, eighteen - and I would do something that he didn't like he would just look at me and he would say, we grow too soon old and too late smart. I would say, what does that mean, grandpa? Is that criticism? We grow too soon old, too late smart.
These pictures of young people on beaches, these videos of young people saying, this is my spring break, I'm out to party, this is my time to party - this is so unintelligent and reckless I can't even begin to express it.
I had a conversation with my daughter about this. I'm Governor of the state. I can order a quarantine of 10,000 people but I can't tell my daughter to do anything. All right? And I have to be careful because there's almost an inverse response to a direct action.
But I did say to all three of them from as soon as they could crawl, I used one line. What is the one line I used to say?"
Michaela Kennedy-Cuomo: "Risk, reward."
"Risk, reward. Risk, reward. Just pose the question. I couldn't offer an answer because whatever answer I would offer they would do the other.
Risk, reward. It makes no sense to go expose yourself to these conditions and expose other people. Expose other people.
Michaela, was graduating this year and her school closed to online courses. So she's not going to have the graduation. We're going to have a big party at the appropriate time. We don't know what that time is going to be, if it's going to be 2 months, 4 months, 6 months, 9 months. But, at the first opportunity, we're going to have a big party, so that's going to happen. But she was deprived of the last year and the last few months of college which I am sure were very intense study period and that's what she's deprived of that intense study period of those last few weeks. I remember those last few weeks, a lot of studying. But, that's a shift in life. But she was going to take a vacation on spring break and go with friends and take a trip and risk, reward. Luckily, she made the right decision and I'm proud of her for that. No prompting from me, besides the question: risk, reward.
What these people are doing is the risk does not justify the reward. They're putting themselves at risk. Young people can get coronavirus. That's one of the other myths, young people don't get it. Young people do get it and young people can transfer it and you can wind up infecting someone, and possibly killing someone, if you're exposed to it. Risk, reward."
March 19, 2020.
Video, Audio, Photos & Rush Transcript: Governor Cuomo Calls on Americans to Support Each Other in Face of COVID-19 Pandemic. https://www.governor.ny.gov/news/video-audio-photos-rush-transcript-governor-cuomo-calls-americans-support-each-other-face-covid
Governor Cuomo: "The impact I think is greater and probably greatest as a social phenomenon and on people and on families. This is tremendously disruptive on all sorts of levels. It came out of the blue. For me, in New York, it reminds me of 9/11 where one moment, which was inconceivable, just changed everything, changed your perspective on the world, changed your perspective on safety."
Cuomo: "This is a situation like that. It is obviously a totally different magnitude, but it's like that, it's a moment that just changes your whole life. Yesterday, you were going to work and you were going to go to the office party. Today, you are at home and the kids are at home. You are worried about health, you are worried about your job and you are worried about economics. And you are dealing with personal issues and you are dealing with family issues - and it is all happening at once."
Cuomo: "The stress, the emotion, is just incredible, and rightfully so. It is a situation that is one of the most disruptive that I have seen, and it will change almost everything going forward. It will. That is a fact. It's not your perception. It's not just you. It's all of us and it's true and it's real. Nobody can tell you when this is going to end... these are major shifts in life and in the most emotional, stressful conditions that you can imagine, and I think my own personal advice is understand it for what it is and that it's not just you."
Earlier today, Governor Andrew M. Cuomo called on Americans across the nation to understand the individual stress and emotion felt by their friends, family, neighbors and colleagues during the COVID-19 pandemic, and to remember that they are not alone during this moment of unprecedented disruption.
VIDEO of the Governor's remarks is available on YouTube here and in TV quality (h.264, mp4) format here.
PHOTOS of today's remarks are available on the Governor's Flickr page.
A rush transcript is available below:
We talk about this as a government response. The federal government is doing this. The state government is doing this. Government, government, government. This manifests on a number of levels and the government response is obviously very important.
But the impact I think is greater and probably greatest as a social phenomenon and on people and on families. This is tremendously disruptive on all sorts of levels. It came out of the blue. For me, in New York, it reminds me of 9/11 where one moment, which was inconceivable, just changed everything, changed your perspective on the world, changed your perspective on safety. Children who were young at that time, but of school age, watched on TV. They did not know if their parents were coming home. I think it changed their whole outlook on life after 9/11.
This is a situation like that. It is obviously a totally different magnitude, but it's like that, it's a moment that just changes your whole life. Yesterday, you were going to work and you were going to go to the office party. Today, you are at home and the kids are at home. You are worried about health, you are worried about your job and you are worried about economics. And you are dealing with personal issues and you are dealing with family issues - and it is all happening at once. Then you turn on the TV and there is all this different information and nobody can tell you this is going to be 30 days or 60 days or 4 months, 5 months, 9 months.
The stress, the emotion, is just incredible, and rightfully so. It is a situation that is one of the most disruptive that I have seen, and it will change almost everything going forward. It will. That is a fact. It's not your perception. It's not just you. It's all of us and it's true and it's real. Nobody can tell you when this is going to end. Nobody can tell you. I talked to all the experts. Nobody can say two months, four months, nine months - nobody.
It's hard living your life with that big a question mark out there. Nobody can tell you when you'll go back to work. People can tell you that it's not just you economically. It's everyone. Take comfort in that federal government is actually acting on an economic package. But it's true, having your family all together is a beautiful thing. It's also different for a lot of people, especially for a prolonged period of time.
So these are major shifts in life and in the most emotional, stressful conditions that you can imagine and I think my own personal advice is understand it for what it is and that it's not just you. It has changed everything and it will for the foreseeable future and think through how you're going to deal with it and what it means and even try to find a positive in it, right?
It's a very negative circumstance but you're going to have time on your hands. You're going to have time with your family. You're going to have time at home in this busy hurry-up world, all of a sudden somebody said you have a couple of months where you're going to be home with the family, no work, you work from home, but it's a totally different situation. How do you use that? How do you adjust? It's not going to be done overnight but it is something that everybody has to think through.
March 19, 2020.
Governor Cuomo Signs Executive Order Mandating Businesses That Require In-Office Personnel to Decrease In-Office Workforce by 75 Percent. https://www.governor.ny.gov/news/governor-cuomo-signs-executive-order-mandating-businesses-require-office-personnel-decrease
Exceptions Made For Essential Services
Announces 90-Day Mortgage Relief for New Yorkers, Including Waived Mortgage Payments Based on Financial Hardship and No Negative Reporting to Credit Bureaus - Waived Fees for Overdrafts, ATMs and Credit Cards
New DFS Regulation to Free Up Staff and Speed Hospital Admission and Discharge Process
Implements New Regulations and Waives Department of Health Rules to Add Hospital Bed Capacity
Confirms 1,769 Additional Coronavirus Cases in New York State - Bringing Statewide Total to 4,152; New Cases in 30 Counties
Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today signed an executive order mandating businesses that rely on in-office personnel to decrease their in-office workforce by 75 percent. This follows the Governor's directive yesterday that all businesses implement work-from-home policies. Exemptions will be made for essential service industries, including shipping, media, warehousing, grocery and food production, pharmacies, healthcare providers, utilities, banks and related financial institutions, and other industries critical to the supply chain.
The Governor also announced the Department of Financial Services has issued a new directive to New York State mortgage servicers to provide 90-day mortgage relief to mortgage borrowers impacted by the novel coronavirus. The directive includes:
Waiving mortgage payments based on financial hardship;
No negative reporting to credit bureaus;
Grace period for loan modification;
No late payment fees or online payment fees; and
Postponing or suspending foreclosures.
Additionally, the Governor has asked DFS to instruct state chartered banks to waive ATM fees, late fees, overdraft fees and fees for credits cards to help lessen the financial hardship of the COVID-19 pandemic on New Yorkers.
It's going to be hard, it's going to be disruptive, but we will get through this together.
Governor Andrew M. Cuomo
"We know what we have to do to contain the spread of this virus - reduce density and person to person contact - and based on new facts we are getting every day, we're taking further steps to keep more New Yorkers at home while keeping essential services running," Governor Cuomo said. "At the same time, we know there is going to be an economic impact across the state and we are taking new actions to support the thousands of New Yorkers and small businesses who are suffering. It's going to be hard, it's going to be disruptive, but we will get through this together."
The Governor also announced an executive order allowing the State Department of Health to identify space within existing hospitals to increase bed capacity. This builds on the Governor's efforts to increase the state's hospital surge capacity and help ensure our healthcare system can handle an influx of patients due to COVID-19.
The Governor also announced new measures to free up staff and speed up the admission and discharge process at hospitals for 90 days. The Department of Financial Services will issue a directive to health insurers allowing scheduled surgeries and admissions without insurer preapproval and allowing inpatient hospital services without insurer approval. Under the measure, insurers will pay inpatient hospital services and emergency services without waiting to review for medical necessity. It will also allow the discharge of patients to a rehabilitation center or nursing after an inpatient hospital stay without insurer preapproval, and encourage self-funded plans to adopt these same provisions.
Finally, the Governor confirmed 1,769 additional cases of novel coronavirus, bringing the statewide total to 4,152 confirmed cases in New York State. Of the 4,152 total individuals who tested positive for the virus, the geographic breakdown is as follows:
Albany County: 43 (7 new)
Allegany County: 2
Broome County: 2 (1 new)
Chenango County: 2 (1 new)
Clinton County: 2 (1 new)
Delaware County: 1
Dutchess County: 31 (11 new)
Erie County: 28 (21 new)
Essex County: 1
Fulton County: 1 (1 new)
Genesee County: 1 (1 new)
Greene County: 2
Hamilton County: 2 (1 new)
Herkimer County: 1
Jefferson County: 1 (1 new)
Monroe County: 27 (13 new)
Montgomery County: 2
Nassau County: 372 (189 new)
Niagara County: 1 (1 new)
New York City: 2469 (1129 new)
Oneida County: 2 (2 new)
Onondaga County: 5 (3 new)
Ontario County: 1
Orange County: 51 (19 new)
Putnam County: 5 (3 new)
Rensselaer County: 6 (2 new)
Rockland County: 53 (23 new)
Saratoga County: 18 (4 new)
Schenectady County: 18 (4 new)
Schoharie County: 1 (1 new)
Suffolk County: 178 (62 new)
Sullivan County: 3 (2 new)
Tioga County : 1
Tompkins County: 6 (3 new)
Ulster County: 10 (1 new)
Warren County: 1
Washington County: 1
Wayne County: 1 (1 new)
Westchester County: 798 (260 new)
Wyoming County: 2 (1 new)
March 19, 2020.
Video, Audio, Photos & Rush Transcript: Governor Cuomo Signs Executive Order Mandating Businesses That Require in-Office Personnel to Decrease In-Office Workforce by 75 Percent. https://www.governor.ny.gov/news/video-audio-photos-rush-transcript-governor-cuomo-signs-executive-order-mandating-businesses
Exceptions Made For Essential Services
Announces 90-Day Mortgage Relief for New Yorkers, Including Waived Mortgage Payments Based on Financial Hardship and No Negative Reporting to Credit Bureaus - Waived Fees for Overdrafts, ATMs and Credit Cards
New DFS regulation to free up staff and speed hospital admission and discharge process
Implements New Regulations and Waives Department of Health Rules to Add Hospital Bed Capacity
Confirms 1,769 Additional Coronavirus Cases in New York State - Bringing Statewide Total to 4,152; New Cases in 30 Counties
Governor Cuomo: "We said voluntary work from home, mandatory closing of schools statewide, mandatory of state and local workforce, mandatory tristate agreement on bars, restaurants, and gyms. Mandatory in-office workforce cut by 50%. We said that yesterday. The numbers have gone up overnight. I'm going to increase the density control today. No more than 25% of people can be in the workforce. Yesterday was 50%, we're reducing it again, except the essential services that we spoke about yesterday. That means 75% of the workforce must stay at home and work from home. Again, voluntarily, I'm asking all businesses to have people work from home. As a mandate, 75% of your employee base must work from home."
Earlier today, Governor Andrew M. Cuomo signed an executive order mandating businesses that rely on in-office personnel to decrease their in-office workforce by 75 percent. This follows the Governor's directive yesterday that all businesses implement work-from-home policies. Exemptions will be made for essential service industries, including shipping, media, warehousing, grocery and food production, pharmacies, healthcare providers, utilities, banks and related financial institutions, and other industries critical to the supply chain.
VIDEO of the Governor's remarks is available on YouTube here and in TV quality (h.264, mp4) format here.
PHOTOS of today's remarks are available on the Governor's Flickr page.
A rush transcript is available below:
Good morning, everyone. Let me introduce the people who are with us today. We want to give you an updated briefing. From my far right our Health Commissioner Dr. Howard Zucker, to my immediate right special guest Michaela Kennedy Cuomo, to my left Secretary to the Governor Melissa DeRosa, to her left Budget Director Robert Mujica.
Let me make a couple of points if I can today. Again, the context perspective is probably what's most important. Coronavirus is a critical governmental situation. It's a public health crisis. Government has to respond to it and that's what the coverage is all about.
It is a war in many ways and government has to mobilize as if it is a war. Federal government is now engaged in a way they haven't been. I think that is very good news. I worked in the federal government. I was cabinet secretary. I'm one of the more senior governors in the nation. I know what a state can do. I know what the federal government can do and states don't fight wars. They did it one time in this nation's history. It was a tragedy. The federal government has the capacity to mobilize the way we need society to mobilize today.
I've had numerous conversations with the President. I spoke with him again last night. He is mobilizing. He is mobilizing the federal government. We had a number of meetings with different federal officials yesterday and I think that is the best positive sign that the federal government is actually stepping up to the plate.
You will see that this has been diagnosed, pardon the pun, as a healthcare crisis from moment one. This has always been about one thing: reducing the rate of spread so the health care system can manage it and it's been a question of math and projections and it is still exactly that - can we get the spread down to a rate that the health care system can manage.
What is going to be the issue in the health care system? It's going to be the number of hospital beds. It's going to be the amount of protective equipment and most of all it's going to come down to ventilators, a piece of equipment that up until now was relatively inconsequential but when you have respiratory illnesses and then there is volume of respiratory illnesses all of a sudden the number of ventilators becomes critical.
Just to give you a sense of scope, we have about 5,000, 6,000 ventilators that we can identify. We need about 30,000 ventilators. This is a nationwide problem. I was on the phone with the governors from the other states with the National Governors Association yesterday. Every state is shopping for ventilators. We're shopping for ventilators. We literally have people in China shopping for ventilators which is one of the largest manufacturers. So this is a major problem. It's an issue that the federal government can actually play a very constructive role. It's something called the Federal Defense Procurement Act where the federal government can basically order companies to produce certain materials and we're going to need protective equipment in hospitals. We're going to need protective equipment and hospitals. We are going to need ventilators. And that is something that a state can't do but the federal government can do. As this has gone on, we said we are fighting a war on two fronts. We are fighting the virus and we are fighting fear. And they are two totally different situations that you have to deal with. In many ways, the fear is more dangerous than the virus.
I started working on disasters, emergency situations, when I was in my thirties. My first experience was Hurricane Andrew in Homestead, Florida. And I felt it, I saw on the ground what happens when people panic. And the panic and the fear is as dangerous or more dangerous than the hurricane. I have seen it in floods. I have seen it in fires. We now have misinformation and fear and panic, which is as contagious or more contagious than the virus. And we have to deal with both of them.
I have had some conversations that are just irrational with people who heretofore were wholly rational. I had a conversation last night with a businessperson from New York City, who I know, who was panicked that New York City was going to be locked down, that there were going to be roadblocks, that there were going to be mandatory quarantines. He was going to be imprisoned in his house. And I said where did you hear that? "Well, that's what they say. That is what I am hearing." And I was saying I would know, right? Because I would have to authorize those actions legally. It is not going to happen. "Well, I hear it is going to happen." But I would have to do it and I am telling you I am not doing it. It must have taken me 25 minutes just to slow him down to hear the information.
When you get that emotional, that fearful, you literally don't process information the same way. We have to be very aware of that. Clear communication from everyone, from our friends in the media, from healthcare professionals, from all elected officials, clear communication, consistent communication because misinformation, emotion, fear, panic, is truly more dangerous than the virus at this position in my opinion. Because the facts on the virus we know, we watched it from China, South Korea. We studied it here, we know the numbers. It is exactly what we said it was. It is exactly what we said it was from day one. We talked about the increased spread. We talked about the vulnerable populations - seniors, compromised immune systems, people with underlying illnesses.
So we know what this virus does, we know how it communicates, and we know how to deal with it. It is not going to be easy. It is not going to be pretty. But we know the trajectory of the virus. Let's just take a deep breath and make sure we are all we're acting on facts as opposed to acting on fear. When you act on fear, then you're in a dangerous place. The facts we can handle.
Let me give you a couple of the new facts today. Just to recap, we said we have a plan of action and there are three steps. Flatten the curve, slow the spread, increase the current hospital capacity, and number three, identify new hospital beds. Do them all at the same time, which is the challenge. Make government work, mobilize, operationalize, get it all done, get it all done today. On density reduction, this is a data driven decision. Look at the increase in the number of cases, look at the hospital capacity, and do adjust and do everything you can to slow the increase of the spread so that your hospital system can deal with the growth. We've been taking increasing steps on density reduction because the numbers have been increasing. Again, this is driven by science and by data.
We said voluntary work from home, mandatory closing of schools statewide, mandatory of state and local workforce, mandatory tristate agreement on bars, restaurants, and gyms. Mandatory in-office workforce cut by 50%. We said that yesterday. The numbers have gone up overnight. I'm going to increase the density control today. No more than 25% of people can be in the workforce. Yesterday was 50%, we're reducing it again, except the essential services that we spoke about yesterday. That means 75% of the workforce must stay at home and work from home. Again, voluntarily, I'm asking all businesses to have people work from home. As a mandate, 75% of your employee base must work from home.
In terms of increasing current hospital capacity, our current hospital capacity is about 50,000 beds statewide. Majority of those beds are in downstate New York. Commissioner Zucker is working with the hospital industry. He's going to put out new regulations assessing how many more beds we can get in our existing hospitals. Waiving Department of Health rules, waiving Department of Financial Service rules, how many more beds can we get in those hospitals? We're working on that aggressively.
At the same time, identifying new hospital beds. The Army Corps of Engineers was with us yesterday. We had a very good meeting. We're looking at sites across the state to find existing facilities that could expeditiously be turned into healthcare facilities. Again, I said the federal response is very welcome. I want to thank the President. He said he would bring the Army Corps of Engineers here, they came here the next day. I spoke to him last night to follow up on the meeting.
So, this is going forward aggressively. We're also going to take a bold action, but a necessary action offering 90 day relief on mortgage payments. Waiving mortgage payments based on financial hardship. Meaning if you are not working, if you're working only part-time, we're going to have the banks and financial institutions waive mortgage payments for 90 days - that will be a real life economic benefit, it will also be a stress reliever for families. Waiving these payments will not have a negative effect on your credit report, there will be a grace period for loan modification, we're not exempting people from the mortgage people, we are just adjusting the mortgage to include those payments on the back end, no late fees or online payment fees. Postponing or suspending any foreclosures during this period of time and waiving fees for overdrafts, ATM credit cards. This is a real life benefit, people are under tremendous economic pressure, making a mortgage payment can be one of the number one stressors. Eliminating that stressor for 90 days I think will go a long way. Again, we'll reassess as the situation goes on if that should be extended or not.
Number of positive cases - total positive 4,000. Number of new positive 1,769. You see additional counties that are being added to counties that have cases, spread mirrors what is happening in the country just as the spread is going through all states, the spread is going through our counties. It was downstate first, it's now moving upstate. New York now has 2,000 cases, Washington State, 1,100 cases. Washington State had cases earlier because it went through a nursing home if you remember, but New York State has more cases than Washington State. More cases than any state in the nation, and I've made that point to the federal government and the president and he understands that if there's a state that needs help, the state by the number of cases is New York.
In terms of testing, we have tested now 22,000 - we tested 7,500 people last night. Why are you seeing the numbers go up? Because you are taking more tests. People see those numbers go up, they get nervous, they panic, "Oh look how many more people have the virus." That's not how many more people have the virus. You're just taking more tests so you're finding more positives. There are thousands and thousands of people who have the virus who we're not testing - there were thousands and thousands of people who had the virus before we started testing. There are thousands and thousands of people who had the virus and resolved and never knew they had the virus. We're still testing because you want to find those positive cases, track them down, isolate people and stop the spread. But you can't watch these numbers like the stock market and say, "Well that's the indicator of anything other than how many tests we're taking." It is good news that we're now up to 7,500 tests. We were at one time doing 200 tests per day - just to put that 7,500 in focus - so that's a tremendous increase in the number of tests and you're going to see the numbers go up.
The hospitalization rate is very relevant because remember this is all about the flow into the health care system. So 777 out of 4152, perspective, perspective, perspective. We know the virus. We know what it does. We know it hurts. We know who it effects. Johns Hopkins, since day one, has tracked this virus through China, 222,000 cases, 9,000 deaths, 84,000 recoveries, 129,000 pending.
One last point, we talked about how this is a government response. Federal government is doing this. State government is doing this. Government, government, government. This manifests on a number of levels and the government response is obviously very important. But the impact that I think is greater and probably greatest, as a social phenomenon and on people and on families. This is tremendously disruptive on all sorts of levels. It came out of the blue for me in New York it reminds me of 9/11 where one moment which was inconceivable just changed everything. Changed your perspective on the world, changed your perspective on safety. Children who were young at that time, but of school age, watched on TV. They didn't know if their parents were coming home. I think it changed their whole outlook on life after 9/11. This is a situation like that. It's obviously totally different magnitude, but it's like that. It's a moment that just changes your whole life.
Yesterday, you were going to work and you were going to go to the office party. Today, you're at home and the kids are at home and you're worried about health and you're worried about your job and you're worried about economics and you're dealing with personal issues and you're dealing with family issues. And it's all happening at once. And then you turn on the TV and there's all this different information and nobody can tell you if this is going to be 30 days or 60 days or 4 months or 5 months or 9 months. The stress, the emotion is just incredible. And rightfully so. It is a situation that is one of the most disruptive that I have seen and it will change almost everything going forward. It will. That is a fact. It's not your perception, it's not just you. It's all of us. And it's true and it's real.
Nobody can tell you when this is going to end. Nobody can tell you. I talked to all the experts. Nobody can say 2 months, 4 months, 9 months. Nobody. It's hard living your life with that big question mark out there. Nobody can tell you when you go back to work. People can tell you that it's not just you economically, it's everyone. Take comfort in that. Federal government is actually acting on an economic package, but it's true. Having your family all together is a beautiful thing, it's also different for a lot of people. Especially for a prolonged period of time. So, these are major shifts in life and in the most emotional stressful conditions that you can imagine. And I think my own personal advice is, understand it for what it is and that it's not just you. It has changed everything and it will for the foreseeable future. And think through how you're going to deal with it and what it means. Even try to find a positive in it. It's a very negative circumstance, but you're going to have time on your hands. You're going to have time with your family, you're going to have time at home in this busy, hurry up world. All of a sudden somebody said you have a couple of months where you're going to be home with the family. No work. You work from home. But it's a totally different situation. How do you use that? How do you adjust? It's not going to be done overnight, but it is something that everybody has to think through.
My last, last point is to the younger people in our great state and in our great society. And that's why I invited our special guest here today, Michaela. My grandfather, Andrea, my grandfather on my father's side - his name was Andrea, I'm named for my grandfather, Andrew. Italian-American immigrant. When I was young-ish. When I was like 16, 17, 18 and I would do something that he didn't like, he would just look at me and he would say, "We grow too soon old and too late smart." And I would say, "What does that mean, Grandpa, is that a criticism?"
We grow too soon old, too late smart. These pictures of young people on beaches, these videos of young people saying this is my spring break, you know, I'm out to party. This is my time to party. This is so unintelligent and reckless, I can't even begin to express it. Now, I had a conversation with my daughter who got this. I'm Governor of the state. I can order a quarantine of 10,000 people but I can't tell my daughter to do anything, alright. And I have to be careful because there's almost an inverse response to a direct action. But, I did say to all three of them, from as soon as they could crawl, I used the one line. What is the one line I used to say?
Michaela Kennedy Cuomo: Risk, reward.
Risk, reward. Risk, reward. Just pose the question. I couldn't offer an answer because whatever answer I would offer they would do the other.
Risk, reward. It makes no sense to go expose yourself to these conditions and expose other people. Expose other people.
Michaela, was graduating this year and her school closed to online courses. So she's not going to have the graduation. We're going to have a big party at the appropriate time. We don't know what that time is going to be, if it's going to be 2 months, 4 months, 6 months, 9 months. But, at the first opportunity, we're going to have a big party, so that's going to happen. But she was deprived of the last year and the last few months of college which I am sure were very intense study period and that's what she's deprived of that intense study period of those last few weeks. I remember those last few weeks, a lot of studying. But, that's a shift in life. But she was going to take a vacation on spring break and go with friends and take a trip and risk, reward. Luckily, she made the right decision and I'm proud of her for that. No prompting from me, besides the question: risk, reward.
What these people are doing is the risk does not justify the reward. They're putting themselves at risk. Young people can get coronavirus. That's one of the other myths, young people don't get it. Young people do get it and young people can transfer it and you can wind up infecting someone, and possibly killing someone, if you're exposed to it. Risk, reward."
March 20, 2020.
Amid COVID-19 Pandemic, Governor Cuomo, Governor Murphy, Governor Lamont and Governor Wolf Direct Temporary Closure of Barber Shops, Nail and Hair Salons and Related Personal Care Services Effective by 8pm Saturday. https://www.governor.ny.gov/news/amid-covid-19-pandemic-governor-cuomo-governor-murphy-governor-lamont-and-governor-wolf-direct
Follows Directive Monday Limiting Crowd Capacity for Recreational & Social Gatherings to 50 People - Temporary Closure of Movie Theaters, Gyms and Casinos as well as On Premise Service at Restaurants & Bars
Follows Temporary Closure of All Indoor Portions of Retail Shopping Malls, Amusement Parks & Bowling Alleys - Effective by 8 PM Thursday
Part of Uniform Approach to Social Distancing to Slow Spread of COVID-19 Throughout the Four States
New York Governor Andrew M. Cuomo, New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy, Connecticut Governor Ned Lamont and Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolf announced new density reduction restrictions to help slow the spread of COVID-19 - part of their uniform, multi-state approach to combating the virus.
All barbershops, hair salons, tattoo or piercing parlors, nail salons, hair removal services, and related personal care services will be closed to members of the public effective Saturday, March 21 at 8PM, as these services cannot be provided while maintaining social distance.
Yesterday, the four governors announced indoor portions of retail shopping malls, as well as amusement parks and bowling alleys in the four states would close by 8 PM Thursday. Earlier in the week, the Governors announced limits on crowd capacity for social and recreational gatherings to 50 people. The governors also announced restaurants and bars would close for on premise service and move to take-out and delivery services only. The governors also temporarily closed movie theaters, gyms and casinos.
"We know how the novel coronavirus spreads, and we are making data-driven decisions as the situation evolves to continue to reduce density and slow the spread of the virus," Governor Cuomo said. "We remain in constant communication with our neighboring states to ensure we are establishing a set of uniform rules and regulations for the entire region. These temporary closures are not going to be easy, but they are necessary to protecting the health and safety of New Yorkers and all Americans."
Governor Murphy said, "The fact remains that social distancing is paramount to our broader strategy to slow the spread of COVID-19 and protect the most vulnerable members of our community. While we understand the challenge these restrictions pose to our region's small businesses, we are actively working with the federal government to ensure that financial relief is made available to our business owners and workforce as quickly as possible."
Governor Lamont said, "Continuing to work collaboratively and quickly throughout this evolving public health emergency, we have made a very difficult decision to direct the closure of establishments that could impact public health—such as barbers, nail and hair salons. Continuing to confront these critical decisions as a region and across our borders will protect all of our state's residents."
Governor Wolf said, "Pennsylvania continues to work with our neighboring states to implement mitigation strategies that will fight the spread of COVID-19 in our region. All Pennsylvanians are greatly appreciative of the aggressive approach our neighbors our taking, which will help all of our residents as we address this public health crisis."
Businesses and individuals in Pennsylvania should continue to refer to the Wolf administration's existing guidance for detailed closure information and other recommendations.
March 20, 2020.
Governor Cuomo Signs the 'New York State on PAUSE' Executive Order. https://www.governor.ny.gov/news/governor-cuomo-signs-new-york-state-pause-executive-order
0-Point Policy that Assures Uniform Safety for Everyone
100% Closure of Non-Essential Businesses Statewide, Effective 8pm Sunday — Exceptions Made For Essential Services Such as Groceries and Healthcare
"Matilda's Law" Will Provide New Protections for Most Vulnerable Populations - New Yorkers Age 70 and Older, People with Compromised Immune Systems and Those With Underlying Illnesses
Directs 90-Day Moratorium on Any Residential or Commercial Evictions
Asks PPE Product Providers to Sell Non-Essential Products to the State and Encourages Companies to Begin Manufacturing PPE Products
Confirms 2,950 Additional Coronavirus Cases in New York State - Bringing Statewide Total to 7,102; New Cases in 23 Counties
Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today announced he is signing the "New York State on PAUSE" executive order, a 10-point policy to assure uniform safety for everyone. It includes a new directive that all non-essential businesses statewide must close in-office personnel functions effective at 8PM on Sunday, March 22, and temporarily bans all non-essential gatherings of individuals of any size for any reason.
Governor Cuomo also announced "Matilda's Law" - named for the Governor's mother - to protect New York's most vulnerable populations, including individuals age 70 and older, those with compromised immune systems and those with underlying illnesses. The measure requires this group of New Yorkers to stay home and limit home visitation to immediate family members or close friends in need of emergency assistance. If it is necessary to visit such individuals, the visitor should get prescreened by taking temperature and seeing if person is exhibiting other flu-like symptoms. Both individuals should wear a mask for the duration of the visit.
The Governor also announced a 90-day moratorium on any residential or commercial evictions.
Additionally, amid a shortage of personal protective equipment — or PPE — products in the state, including gloves, masks and gowns, the Governor is asking all PPE product providers to sell to the state any products that are not essential or not currently being used. Businesses interested in selling products to the state should contact Simonida Subotic at 646-522-8477 or covid19supplies@exec.ny.gov.
The Governor is also encouraging any company with the proper equipment or personnel to begin to manufacture PPE products if possible. The state is willing to provide funding to any company to obtain the proper equipment and personnel. Businesses interested in receiving state funding to manufacture PPE products should contact EricGertler at 212-803-3100 or COVID19supplies@esd.ny.gov.
We know the most effective way to reduce the spread of this virus is through social distancing and density reduction measures.
Governor Andrew M. Cuomo
"We know the most effective way to reduce the spread of this virus is through social distancing and density reduction measures," Governor Cuomo said. "I have said from the start that any policy decision we make will be based on the facts, and as we get more facts we will calibrate our response accordingly. This executive order builds on the actions we have taken to reduce the spread of the virus and protect the wellbeing of our friends, colleagues and neighbors. But again, I want to remind New Yorkers that the panic we are seeing is outpacing the reality of the virus — and we will get through this period of time together."
The Governor's 10-point NYS on PAUSE plan is as follows:
Effective at 8PM on Sunday, March 22, all non-essential businesses statewide will be closed;
Non-essential gatherings of individuals of any size for any reason (e.g. parties, celebrations or other social events) are canceled or postponed at this time;
Any concentration of individuals outside their home must be limited to workers providing essential services and social distancing should be practiced;
When in public individuals must practice social distancing of at least six feet from others;
Businesses and entities that provide other essential services must implement rules that help facilitate social distancing of at least six feet;
Individuals should limit outdoor recreational activities to non-contact and avoid activities where they come in close contact with other people;
Individuals should limit use of public transportation to when absolutely necessary and should limit potential exposure by spacing out at least six feet from other riders;
Sick individuals should not leave their home unless to receive medical care and only after a telehealth visit to determine if leaving the home is in the best interest of their health;
Young people should also practice social distancing and avoid contact with vulnerable populations; and
Use precautionary sanitizer practices such as using isopropyl alcohol wipes.
"Matilda's Law" includes the following rules for vulnerable populations:
Remain indoors;
Can go outside for solitary exercise;
Pre-screen all visitors and aides by taking their temperature and seeing if person is exhibiting other flu-like symptoms;
Do not visit households with multiple people;
Wear a mask when in the company of others;
To the greatest extent possible, everyone in the presence of vulnerable people should wear a mask;
Always stay at least six feet away from individuals; and
Do not take public transportation unless urgent and absolutely necessary.
Finally, the Governor confirmed 2,950 additional cases of novel coronavirus, bringing the statewide total to 7,102 confirmed cases in New York State. Of the 7,102 total individuals who tested positive for the virus, the geographic breakdown is as follows:
County
Total Positive
New Positive
Albany County
61
18
Allegany County
2
0
Broome County
2
0
Chenango County
2
0
Clinton County
2
0
Columbia County
1
1
Delaware County
1
0
Dutchess County
36
5
Erie County
31
3
Essex County
1
0
Fulton County
1
0
Genesee County
1
0
Greene County
2
0
Hamilton County
2
0
Herkimer County
2
1
Jefferson County
1
0
Livingston County
1
1
Monroe County
32
5
Montgomery County
2
0
Nassau County
754
382
Niagara County
3
2
New York City
4408
1939
Oneida County
2
0
Onondaga County
8
3
Ontario County
3
2
Orange County
84
33
Putnam County
7
2
Rensselaer County
8
2
Rockland County
101
48
Saratoga County
24
6
Schenectady County
21
3
Schoharie County
1
0
Suffolk County
371
193
Sullivan County
8
5
Tioga County
1
0
Tompkins County
7
1
Ulster County
12
2
Warren County
1
0
Washington County
1
0
Wayne County
1
0
Westchester County
1091
293
Wyoming County
2
0
March 20, 2020.
Video, Audio, Photos & Rush Transcript: Governor Cuomo Signs The 'New York State on Pause' Executive Order. https://www.governor.ny.gov/news/video-audio-photos-rush-transcript-governor-cuomo-signs-new-york-state-pause-executive-order
10-Point Policy that Assures Uniform Safety for Everyone
100% Closure of Non-Essential Businesses Statewide, Effective 8pm Sunday — Exceptions Made For Essential Services Such as Groceries and Healthcare
"Matilda's Law" Will Provide New Protections for Most Vulnerable Populations - New Yorkers Age 70 and Older, People with Compromised Immune Systems and Those With Underlying Illnesses
Directs 90-Day Moratorium on Any Residential or Commercial Evictions
Asks PPE Product Providers to Sell Non-Essential Products to the State and Encourages Companies to Begin Manufacturing PPE Products
Confirms 2,950 Additional Coronavirus Cases in New York State - Bringing Statewide Total to 7,102; New Cases in 23 Counties
Governor Cuomo: "We need everyone to be safe. Otherwise no one can be safe."
Cuomo: "These provisions will be enforced. These are not helpful hints. This is not if you really want to be a great citizen. These are legal provisions. They will be enforced."
Earlier today, Governor Andrew M. Cuomo announced he is signing the "New York State on PAUSE" executive order, a 10-point policy to assure uniform safety for everyone. It includes a new directive that all non-essential businesses statewide must close in-office personnel functions effective at 8PM on Sunday, March 22, and temporarily bans all non-essential gatherings of individuals of any size for any reason.
Governor Cuomo also announced "Matilda's Law" - named for the Governor's mother - to protect New York's most vulnerable populations, including individuals age 70 and older, those with compromised immune systems and those with underlying illnesses. The measure requires this group of New Yorkers to stay home and limit home visitation to immediate family members or close friends in need of emergency assistance. If it is necessary to visit such individuals, the visitor should get prescreened by taking temperature and seeing if person is exhibiting other flu-like symptoms. Both individuals should wear a mask for the duration of the visits
The Governor also announced a 90-day moratorium on any residential or commercial evictions.
Additionally, amid a shortage of personal protective equipment — or PPE — products in the state, including gloves, masks and gowns, the Governor is asking all PPE product providers to sell to the state any products that are not essential or not currently being used. Businesses interested in selling products to the state should contact Simonida Subotic at 646-522-8477 or covid19supplies@exec.ny.gov.
The Governor is also encouraging any company with the proper equipment or personnel to begin to manufacture PPE products if possible. The state is willing to provide funding to any company to obtain the proper equipment and personnel. Businesses interested in receiving state funding to manufacture PPE products should contact Eric Gertler at 212-803-3100 or COVID19supplies@esd.ny.gov.
VIDEO of the Governor's remarks is available on YouTube here and in TV quality (h.264, mp4) format here.
PHOTOS will be available on the Governor's Flickr page.
A rush transcript of the Governor's remarks is available below:
Happy Friday, it is almost time for the weekend. Is there a weekend if you did not work during the week? Let me introduce who we have here today starting at the far left, James Malatras who everybody knows, Budget Director Rob Mujica, Secretary to the Governor Melissa DeRosa, Dr. Howard Zucker from the Health Department and General Patrick Murphy. We call him General Patrick Murphy.
General Patrick Murphy was in charge of our National Guard for many years and did an outstanding job. I have been with him in many emergency situations over the years. He is a man who leads from the front, so he is my type of leader. He had so much fun that he retired and then he came and joined us as Commissioner of Homeland Security.
This team and the team that is working on this, New Yorkers should have total confidence because they have done it before. They have been in this situation, not this exact situation, but they have handled emergencies and they have handled them all pretty well, so they are proven.
Let's go through this for an update on where we are today. Overview of the system, everybody knows what we are dealing with. It is preventing an overload of the healthcare system. So the number of acute cases that are coming into the health care system, the growth in the number of acute cases must match the capacity of the healthcare system and that is what we have been working on. We watched the rate of hospitalizations. We watched the rate of ICU hospitalizations, even more closely. The difference between how many beds you need versus how many ICU beds. And the real focal point, the rate of ventilated patients because that goes to the number of ventilators as we have been discussing. So, those are the three most critical points.
We need more beds. We have been saying that. We know that. We have been working on it. There was a discussion with all the hospitals across the State of New York today. There is about a 50,000 bed capacity that has to be increased. It has to be increased in the existing hospitals. We are planning to cancel all non-critical elective surgeries. By definition elective surgeries can be done at a different time and now is the time not to do that. We have informed the hospitals of that. We are going to set a date probably next week for that. That will free up between 25-35% of the existing hospital beds. We have also instructed all of the hospitals to maximize capacity. We want to know from each hospital how many beds can you get in your hospital? We are waiving the Department of Health and DFS regulations about space, etc. This would be for a term emergency basis. But we want a plan from every hospital. If you use every available space, how many beds can you get in the hospital? And we started that a few weeks ago and that is now coming to a critical point.
With the more beds you need more staff, so we are going to nursing schools, medical schools, asking retired doctors and nurses to come back into surface. Supplies are a major issue - PPE, gloves, gowns, masks, suppliers. I am now asking all product providers, all companies who are in this business, we will pay a premium for these products. If you are a business that does not manufacture these exact items, but you have equipment and personnel and you believe you could manufacture these items, they are not complicated, a mask is not a complicated item to make. A PPE gown is not a complicated item to make. Gloves, are not a complicated item. If you can make them, we will give you funding to do it and we will give you funding to get the right equipment, to get the right personnel, etc.
I am asking businesses to be creative. I am even looking on the State side. As you know, we went into the hand sanitizer business which we are now increasing by the way. We have opened additional hand sanitizer manufacturing areas. But I have also spoken to the State facilities that make uniforms. If you can make a uniform, why can't you make a mask? And we are researching that.
But it is that kind of creativity that we need from businesses. I can't mandate that businesses make something, but I can offer financial incentives and that is what we are doing. Any business that is interested should contact Empire State Development. They will get on it right away. Eric Gertler is the head of that. Any company that wants to sell product should contact my office, the Chamber, Simonida Subotic at that number. There are also a number of companies that have masks. Goldman Sachs donate 100,000 masks to the State of New York and I want to thank them. But if you have masks, offices that are non-essential right now. There are dentist's offices that are closed. There are clinics that are closed. We need those masks, those gowns, gloves and we need them now.
In terms of building more beds, as I have said we had the Army Corps of Engineers here and we are working with them. There is Lieutenant General Todd Semonite, who is really top professional. Ironically, I worked with him when I was at HUD building housing on Native American reservations at the Pine Ridge Reservation. So, he has been at the Corps a long time. He is top shelf.
We're looking at a possible number of locations for large, temporary facilities - Javits Center, number of CUNY sites, number of SUNY sites, St. Johns University wants to be helpful, Fordham University, so we're looking at all these sites and they're all under analysis, where do we have the space, where can we get up a temporary facility, how quickly?
It's ventilators, ventilators, ventilators. That is the greatest need. We're notifying any health department in the state, if you have a ventilator and you are not using it at this time or it's non-essential for your use, we want it. If you are a regulated health facility we are asking you by order of the Department of Health to make that ventilator available. We will purchase it from you. You could lend it to us but we need ventilators and anyone who has them now please call the New York State Department of health at that number. Again, there are a lot of medical offices that have ventilators that are not operational now and they're just in the corner of the office.
We need those ventilators. The ventilators are to this war what missiles were to World War II? Right? Rosie the Riveter? We need ventilators. That is a key piece of equipment. We can get the beds. We'll get the supplies. But a ventilator is a specific piece of equipment. These are people with a respiratory illness. We need the ventilators.
The number one opportunity to make a difference here is to flatten the curve, flatten the increase in the number of cases like we've talked about, flatten the increase of the number of cases coming into the hospital system. The best way to do that is by reducing density - density control, density control valve, right? That's what we have been doing all along. We're going to take it to the ultimate step which is we're going to close the valve. All right? Because the rate of increase in the number of cases portends a total overwhelming of our hospital system.
So we're going to put out an Executive Order today. New York State on pause. Policies that assure uniform safety for everyone. Uniform safety for everyone. Why? Because what I do will affect you and what you do will affect me. Talk about community and interconnection and interdependence. This is the very realistic embodiment of that.
We need everyone to be safe. Otherwise no one can be safe.
We've studied all the other countries. We've talked to people all across the globe about what they did, what they've done, what worked, what doesn't work, and that has all informed this policy.
Two basic rules: only essential businesses will be functioning. People who can work at home, God bless you. But only essential businesses can have workers commuting to the job or on the job.
Second rule: remain indoors to the greatest extent to protect physical and mental health. On the businesses, on the valve, we reduced it to 50 percent of the workforce. We then reduced it to 75 percent of the workforce must stay home and today we're bringing it to 100 percent of the workforce must stay home.
These are non-essential services. Essential services have to continue to function. Grocery stores need food, pharmacies need drugs, your Internet has to continue to work, the water has to run on when you turn the faucet. So there are essential services that will continue to function but 100 percent of the workforce. When I talk about the most drastic we can take this is the most drastic action we can take.
We also have specific rules for people's conduct. First is for what we call the quote on quote vulnerable population, and remember many people will get this disease. Different countries estimate 70, 80 percent of the population. People will get it, people will recover, that's what's going to happen for the vast majority. That's what's happening in this state for the vast majority. Who are we worried about? Seniors, compromised immune system, people with underlying illnesses. Where are the places we're really worried about? Nursing homes, senior congregate facilities.
We need real diligence with vulnerable populations and there's been a lot of confusion and a lot of different theories and a lot of mixed information. I've gone through it myself with my own family. As I said we have my mother who lives alone. Everybody wants to help and we've gone back and forth. Who should go visit mom? Should mom go to my sister's house? Should mom go to this house? Nobody knows for sure. I asked Commissioner Zucker speak to every health official, get the best rules to protect our senior citizens and people with vulnerable populations and that's what these rules are.
Remain indoors, go outside for solitary exercise. Pre-screen all visitors and aides. Don't visit households with multiple people. Don't go to your daughters house. Mom doesn't want to be alone - I understand, but you bring her into your house and you have 10 people there and they're coming in and out and your daughters have friends. That is a mistake. That is a mistake. Well we're going to go visit mom, I'm going to bring the whole family to see mom. Umm..no. Not now. A vulnerable person should wear a mask when in the company of others. To the greatest extent, everyone in the presence of a vulnerable person should wear a mask. They shouldn't be on public transportation unless it is urgent and absolutely necessary.
Well what does that mean? It means urgent and absolutely necessary. It means what the word says. I call it Matilda's Law. My mother's name is Matilda. Everybody's mother, father, sister, friend in a vulnerable population - this is about protecting them. Protecting them. What you do, what you do highly, highly effects their health and well being. The instinct to love - I want to be with them. I want my kids. Mom wants to see the kids. Be smart. My mother and your mother.
For non-vulnerable populations, these are the rules. No non-essential gatherings. Any concentration of individuals is because you're an essential business and an essential workforce. When in public, social distancing at least 6 feet. Outdoor recreation is a solitary recreational exercise. It's running, it's hiking. It's not playing basketball with 5 other people. That's not what it is. It's not laying in a park with 10 other people and sharing a beer. That's not what this is. There are people and places in New York City where it looks like life as usual. No. This is not life as usual and accept it and realize it and deal with it.
Sick individuals should not leave their home unless to receive medical care, et cetera. Young people need to practice social distancing. Avoid contact with vulnerable populations. Precautionary alcohol wipes. We talk a lot about hand sanitizer. Since I went in to the hand sanitizer business I'm a semi-expert on hand sanitizer. Hand sanitizer is alcohol. That's what it is. If you can't get hand sanitizer, get a bottle of alcohol, pour it on wipes, paper towels, that's an alcohol wipe. Hand sanitizer now, according to the CDC, has to be over 60 percent alcohol to be effective.
These provisions will be enforced. These are not helpful hints. This is not if you really want to be a great citizen. These are legal provisions. They will be enforced. There will be a civil fine and mandatory closure for any business that is not in compliance. Again, your actions can effect my health. That's where we are. So there is a social compact that we have. Government makes sure society is safe for everyone. What you do can effect my health. There's some bad information, especially among young people, if you look at some of these videos that are going around on some of these newscasts on what young people are saying. "I can't get it" Yeah, that's wrong. That is wrong. Well, young people can't get it - that is wrong. That is not a factual statement.
Twenty percent of coronavirus cases, according to CDC, ages 20-44, okay. France, more than 50 percent of patients in ICU under 60-years-old. You can get it. Well I can't transmit it if I'm not symptomatic. No, you can transmit it if you're not symptomatic. And even if you're young and strong and everybody is superman, superwoman, I can deal with it. Oh yeah? You can give it to your grandparent, you can give it to your parent and you can put somebody else's life in danger. So, just factually a lot of these premises are wrong.
This is nothing that people don't know. It's nothing we haven't been talking about. But we have to do it. And we have to be serious and again, it is a government responsibility. Everyone has personal freedom, everyone has personal liberty and I'll always respect that and I'll always protect that, but everyone also has a responsibility to everyone else. And this is a specific case of that.
I believe in regional actions, none of these policies work unless the geographic area is an area that works. I have spoken to the Governor of New Jersey, Governor of Connecticut about the actions that we're taking today. I'm going to speak with them later this afternoon. We have been coordinating to the greatest extent possible. And they're going to be considering these policies, which again, are very dramatic and I said I would like to do it coordination. I understand we have somewhat of a different circumstance in New York, but they are considering it. We have added Pennsylvania and Delaware to the states we're working with. And again, you can have businesses in New Jersey, if they don't close then their workers are driving into New York. Businesses in Connecticut stay open, you need New Yorkers to drive up to those businesses. So, regional action is the best. We're talking. I'll speak with them later today.
The number of cases and you can see why we've taken these dramatic actions. Total positive up to 7,000; 2,900 new positive cases. Now I've told you in the past that the number of cases is relative to the number of tests. I've also said that New York has been very aggressive about increasing our number of tests. We went to the federal government, we asked for the authority to allow the state to run the tests as opposed to waiting for the federal government. The President granted us that ability. I ramped up all the labs in our state. We opened drive-thru all across the state. We have the testing so high in New York right now that we are testing per-capita more than China or South Korea, okay? And China and South Korea obviously had a much longer time to ramp up. So, we have done a great job at ramping up the number of tests, but when you ramp up the number of tests you are going to get more positive cases.
"Well, now we are more worried." No, because it was the reality. The test are just demonstrating what was. And again, if we could do more tests, you would find more positives, and finding positives is a good thing because we can isolate and we can track back. The number of counties continues to increase and it will until that entire state is blue. Blue is not a political statement by the way, it's just blue versus yellow. New York now has 7,000 cases - that compares to State of Washington that has 1,000, California that has 1,000 and change. So you can see that New York is in a dramatically different position, and you can see why we're taking these actions. Now, again, New York may very well be testing at a multiple of the other states. So does New York necessarily have 7 times more people who are infected than California? You don't know. You know that we are doing more tests per capita, but you don't know what the actual infection rate is. In total, we have tested 32,000 people - we did 10,000 tests last night. I had said last week that we had hoped to get to 6,000 tests - we've gotten to 10,000 tests which again I'm very proud of the operation but again that's why you see the number going up. The rate of hospitalization, watch this number, it's 18 percent, 1,200 out of 7,100. Again, overall perspective, look at the Johns Hopkins numbers - people will get sick, people will resolve. You look at our cases, the first case we had, first healthcare worker, that case she was never hospitalized, she stayed home and she now tests negative. That's what's going to happen with 80 percent of the people.
So why is New York taking these dramatic actions? We know from past history that what a locality does matters. The 1918 Spanish flu which also reminds us that this has happened before in society, right? This tendency to think, oh this is something new, it's a science fiction movie. Yeah, well in 1918 they had a flu epidemic, but St. Louis took one course of action, Philadelphia took another course of action, and it made a dramatic difference in the number of people that died. What government did at that moment made a dramatic difference. And not nationally. Locally.
Yes, New York has the tightest controls in the country. You look at those numbers and you understand why. Look at the increase in the number of cases. Sixteen days ago we were at zero. Today we are at 2,900. Those numbers are why we are taking these actions. Just increase that curve and you will see it more than doubles our healthcare system capacity. It more than triples the number of ICU beds with ventilators that we could possibly arrange. That's why we're taking these actions.
These actions will cause disruption. They will cause businesses to close. They'll cause employees to stay at home. I understand that. They will cause much unhappiness. I understand that also. I've spoken to my colleagues around the state, the elected officials. I've spoken to business leaders. There's a spectrum of opinion. Some people say that we don't need to do this, it's going to hurt the economy. I understand that. Some people want to make it clear that they are disassociated from these actions. I understand that. And just so we're all clear, this is a statewide order. It's not what your county executive is doing, it's not what your mayor is doing, it's not what anyone else but me is doing. And I accept full responsibility. If someone is unhappy, somebody wants to blame someone, people complain about someone, blame me. There is no one else who is responsible for this decision.
I've been in public service for many years on every level of public service. I've managed dozens of emergencies. The philosophy that's always worked for me is prepare for the worst, hope for the best. That's what we're doing here. When we look back at this situation ten years from now, I want to be able to say to the people of New York I did everything we could do. I did everything we could do. This is about saving lives and if everything we do saves just one life, I'll be happy.
Last point I'd also like people to think about, and I don't have an answer for this and it's not what I do, but the isolation that people are feeling and the mental health consequences of what we are doing. When we quarantined people, we quarantined about 10,000 people, 14 days you have to stay at home, and I spoke to many of them and what they would say is physically, operationally it was difficult. But most of all they would all talk about the sense of isolation and the feeling of isolation and not having human contact and how difficult that was. I, as you know, had my daughter who was in isolation and I was very aware of what she was dealing and what she was feeling. And I'll tell you the truth, I had some of the best conversations with her that I have ever had. She was alone for two weeks with her own thoughts, not talking to anyone else, no noise, no activity, and we talked about things in depth that we didn't have time to talk about in the past or that we didn't have the courage or the strength to talk about in the past. Feelings that I had about mistakes that I had made along the way that I wanted to express my regret I talked through with her. People are in a small apartment, they're in a house, they're worried, they're anxious. Just be mindful of that. Those three word sentences can make all the difference. I miss you, I love you, I'm thinking of you, I wish I was there with you, I'm sorry you're going through this, I'm sorry we're going through this. That's going to be a situation that's going to develop because we're all in quarantine now. I mean, think about it, we're all in various levels of quarantine. It's hard. It's hard economically, it's hard everywhere, but it's going to be hard here. It takes each of us to try to help with that.
Last announcement. With all that's going on I want to protect the people of the state of New York as much as I can. I'm going to stop any evictions of any residential or commercial tenants for 90 days. There'll be a moratorium on evictions, residential or commercial, for 90 days. I understand that may affect businesses negatively and I've spoken to a number of them. I don't know who you think you're going to rent an apartment to now anyway if you kick someone out. By my mandate, you couldn't even have your real estate agent out showing the apartment. Same with the commercial tenants. But I know that we're going to put people out of work with what I did. I want to make sure I don't put them out of their house.
March 20, 2020.
Governor Cuomo Issues Guidance on Essential Services Under The 'New York State on PAUSE' Executive Order. https://www.governor.ny.gov/news/governor-cuomo-issues-guidance-essential-services-under-new-york-state-pause-executive-order
Earlier today, Governor Andrew M. Cuomo announced he is signing the "New York State on PAUSE" executive order, a 10-point policy to assure uniform safety for everyone. It includes a new directive that all non-essential businesses statewide must close in-office personnel functions effective at 8PM on Sunday, March 22. Guidance on essential services under the executive order is as follows:
ESSENTIAL BUSINESSES OR ENTITIES, including any for profit or non-profit, regardless of the nature of the service, the function they perform, or its corporate or entity structure, are not subject to the in-person restriction.
(Essential Businesses must continue to comply with the guidance and directives for maintaining a clean and safe work environment issued by the Department of Health).
This guidance is issued by the New York State Department of Economic Development d/b/a Empire State Development and applies to each business location individually and is intended to assist businesses in determining whether they are an essential business and steps to request such designation. With respect to business or entities that operate or provide both essential and non-essential services, supplies or support, only those lines and/or business operations that are necessary to support the essential services, supplies, or support are exempt from the restrictions.
For purposes of Executive Order 202.6, "Essential Business," means:
1. Essential Health Care Operations, Including:
research and laboratory services
hospitals
walk-in-care health facilities
emergency veterinary and livestock services
elder care
medical wholesale and distribution
home health care workers or aides for the elderly
doctor and emergency dental
nursing homes, or residential health care facilities or congregate care facilities
medical supplies and equipment manufacturers and providers
2. Essential Infrastructure, Including:
utilities including power generation, fuel supply and transmission
public water and wastewater
telecommunications and data centers
airports/airlines
transportation infrastructure such as bus, rail, or for-hire vehicles, garages
hotels, and places of accommodation
3. Essential Manufacturing, Including:
food processing, manufacturing agents, including all foods and beverages
chemicals
medical equipment/instruments
pharmaceuticals
sanitary products
telecommunications
microelectronics/semi-conductor
agriculture/farms
household paper products
4. Essential Retail, Including:
grocery stores including all food and beverage stores
pharmacies
convenience stores
farmer's markets
gas stations
restaurants/bars (but only for take-out/delivery)
hardware and building material stores
5. Essential Services, Including:
trash and recycling collection, processing and disposal
mail and shipping services
laundromats
building cleaning and maintenance
child care services
auto repair
warehouse/distribution and fulfillment
funeral homes, crematoriums and cemeteries
storage for essential businesses
animal shelters
6. News Media
7. Financial Institutions, Including:
banks
insurance
payroll
accounting
services related to financial markets
8. Providers of Basic Necessities to Economically Disadvantaged Populations, Including:
homeless shelters and congregate care facilities
food banks
human services providers whose function includes the direct care of patients in state-licensed or funded voluntary programs; the care, protection, custody and oversight of individuals both in the community and in state-licensed residential facilities; those operating community shelters and other critical human services agencies providing direct care or support
9. Construction, Including:
skilled trades such as electricians, plumbers
other related construction firms and professionals for essential infrastructure or for emergency repair and safety purposes
10. Defense
defense and national security-related operations supporting the U.S. Government or a contractor to the US government
11. Essential Services Necessary to Maintain the Safety, Sanitation and Essential Operations of Residences or Other Essential Businesses, Including:
law enforcement
fire prevention and response
building code enforcement
security
emergency management and response
building cleaners or janitors
general maintenance whether employed by the entity directly or a vendor
automotive repair
disinfection
12. Vendors that Provide Essential Services or Products, Including Logistics and Technology Support, Child Care and Services:
logistics
technology support for online services
child care programs and services
government owned or leased buildings
essential government services
If the function of your business is not listed above, but you believe that it is essential or it is an entity providing essential services or functions, you may request designation as an essential business.
Houses of worship are not ordered closed however it is strongly recommended no congregate services be held and social distance maintained.
Businesses and entities that provide other essential services must implement rules that help facilitate social distancing of at least six feet.
Requests by businesses to be designated an essential function as described above, should only be made if they are NOT covered by the guidance.
To request designation as an essential business, please click here.
Restrictions on requesting designation as an essential business:
Any business that only has a single occupant/employee (i.e. gas station) has been deemed exempt and need not submit a request to be designated as an essential business.
Businesses ordered to close on Monday, March 15, 2020 under the restrictions on any gathering with 50 or more participants, including but not limited to, bars, restaurants, gyms, movie theaters, casinos, auditoriums, concerts, conferences, worship services, sporting events, and physical fitness centers, are presumed to be compliant with NYS issued restrictions and must remain closed and are not eligible for designation as an essential business for purposes of this guidance.
For Guidance on cleaning and disinfection of facilities, refer to the New York State Department of Health Interim Guidance for Cleaning and Disinfection of Public and Private Facilities for COVID -19 at:
Video, Audio, Photos & Rush Transcript: Governor Cuomo Urges New Yorkers to Practice Humanity in the Face of COVID-19 Pandemic. https://www.governor.ny.gov/news/video-audio-photos-rush-transcript-governor-cuomo-urges-new-yorkers-practice-humanity-face
Governor Cuomo: "My last point is practice humanity. We don't talk about practicing humanity, but now if ever there is a time to practice humanity the time is now. The time is now to show some kindness, to show some compassion to people, show some gentility - even as a New Yorker."
Cuomo: "Yes, we can be tough. Yes, this is a dense environment. It can be a difficult environment. It can also be the most supportive, courageous community that you have ever seen that is why I am proud to be a New Yorker and to be Governor of this great state."
Earlier today, Governor Andrew M. Cuomo urged New Yorkers to practice humanity and to show one another kindness and compassion as the state works to combat the COVID-19 pandemic.
VIDEO of the Governor's remarks is available on YouTube here and in TV quality (h.264, mp4) format here.
PHOTOS will be available on the Governor's Flickr page.
A rush transcript of the Governor's remarks is available below:
My last point is practice humanity. We don't talk about practicing humanity, but now if ever there is a time to practice humanity the time is now. The time is now to show some kindness, to show some compassion to people, show some gentility - even as a New Yorker.
Yes, we can be tough. Yes, this is a dense environment. It can be a difficult environment. It can also be the most supportive, courageous community that you have ever seen.
And this is a time for a little gentility. It is a time for a smile when you are walking past someone. It is a time for a nod. It is a time to say hello. It is a time for patience and don't let the little things get you annoyed. That's New York at its best. That was New York after 9/11.
Yes, we have a problem. Yes, we will deal with it. Yes, we will overcome it. But let's find our better selves in doing it, and let New York lead the way in finding their better selves and demonstrating their better selves. That is the New York destiny and that is the New York legacy. And that is why I am proud to be a New Yorker and to be Governor of this great state.
March 21, 2020.
Governor Cuomo Announces Four Sites Identified by Army Corps of Engineers on Initial List of Temporary Hospital. https://www.governor.ny.gov/news/governor-cuomo-announces-four-sites-identified-army-corps-engineers-initial-list-temporary
Governor Will Visit Sites - Jacob K. Javits Convention Center, SUNY Stony Brook, SUNY Old Westbury & Westchester Convention Center
Announces New Actions to Increase State's Supply of Personal Protective Equipment
Issues Executive Order Temporarily Closing DMV In-Office Transactions; Online Transactions Still Available
Announces FEMA Granted New York's Request for Major Disaster Declaration
Asks New York's Congressional Delegation to Fix the Coronavirus Federal Aid Law that Currently Exempts New York from Receiving Aid
Department of Health Commissioner Recommends Trials for New Drug Therapy
New Yorkers Can Sign Up for Email Updates Here and Ask Questions About COVID-19 Here
New Yorkers Can Find More Information About the New COVID-19 Paid Sick Leave Law Here
Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today announced the recommendation of the Army Corps of Engineers regarding four initial sites in New York State for locating temporary hospitals - the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center, and locations at SUNY Stony Brook, SUNY Old Westbury and the Westchester Convention Center. Over the past days, an inspection team led by the Army Corps of Engineers, and including state officials from the Office of General Services, the Dormitory Authority of the State of New York, the Department of Health and the New York State Division of Military and Naval Affairs, has visited more than a dozen sites to review for temporary hospital use. Upon the Governor's determination, the Army Corps is expected to immediately begin work to construct the temporary hospitals. The Governor is also requesting FEMA designate four field hospitals with 250 beds each for the state, intended for use in the Javits Center in addition to the temporary hospital to be constructed by the Army Corps.
Governor Cuomo also announced that the state is taking new actions to increase the supply of personal protective equipment - or PPE. The state has identified two million N95 masks for purchase and will send one million to New York City and 500,000 to Long Island. Apparel manufacturers in the state are converting their operations to begin manufacturing masks and other medical equipment, and the state is also exploring manufacturing masks. Additionally, the state is gathering ventilators from different health facilities from across the state to be used in the most critical areas and has already purchased 6,000 additional ventilators.
The Governor also issued an executive order temporary closing the Department of Motor Vehicles for all in-office visits. Online transactions, including for license renewals, are still be available. License and permit expirations will be extended.
The Governor also announced that federal government approved New York's request for a major disaster declaration that allows FEMA to step in financially and assist the state. Under the current declaration FEMA will pay 75 of the funding and New York is responsible for 25 percent. The Governor is urging the President and his administration to grant a 100 percent federal cost share under this declaration. The Governor urges the federal government to quickly grant the state's pending request to support homeowners through additional individual assistance programs and statewide hazard mitigation assistance.
After meeting with the Army Corps of Engineers and hearing their recommendations, we stand ready for the building of temporary hospitals at four facilities in New York State.
Governor Andrew M. Cuomo
The Governor is also asking New York's Congressional delegation to modify federal coronavirus legislation to ensure New York is eligible for $6 million in aid. Due to a current technical issue in the bill, New York State is not eligible to receive aid.
Additionally, the Governor announced that State Department of Health Commissioner Dr. Zucker has recommended trials for new drug therapy to help combat COVID-19. The FDA is acquiring 10,000 doses of Hydroxychloroquine and Zithromax for New York State to use on a trial basis.
New Yorkers can sign up to receive daily email updates on the evolving COVID-19 situation here and can ask questions about COVID-19 here. New Yorkers can also find more information about the new COVID-19 Paid Sick Leave Law here.
"Every day we see the number of cases of novel coronavirus continue to rise, and we know that by all projections we're going to have more hospitalizations than we can deal with in our healthcare system," Governor Cuomo said. "We have a plan of action to help stop the spread of this virus, including expanding hospital capacity and identifying new hospital beds, and after meeting with the Army Corps of Engineers and hearing their recommendations, we stand ready for the building of temporary hospitals at four facilities in New York State. This is a public health crisis, but worse than the virus is the fear, but we have a plan and we are doing everything we can to keep the people informed and save lives."
March 21, 2020.
Video, Audio, Photos & Rush Transcript: Governor Cuomo Announces Four Sites Identified by Army Corps of Engineers on Initial List of Temporary Hospitals. https://www.governor.ny.gov/news/video-audio-photos-rush-transcript-governor-cuomo-announces-four-sites-identified-army-corps
Governor Will Visit Sites - Jacob K. Javits Convention Center, SUNY Stony Brook, SUNY Old Westbury & Westchester Convention Center
Announces New Actions to Increase State's Supply of Personal Protective Equipment
Issues Executive Order Temporarily Closing DMV In-Office Transactions; Online Transactions Still Available
Announces FEMA Granted New York's Request for Major Disaster Declaration
Asks New York's Congressional Delegation to Fix the Coronavirus Federal Aid Law that Currently Exempts New York from Receiving Aid
Department of Health Commissioner Recommends Trials for New Drug Therapy
New Yorkers Can Sign Up for Email Updates Here and Ask Questions About COVID-19 Here
New Yorkers Can Find More Information About the New COVID-19 Paid Sick Leave Law Here
Governor Cuomo: "We're working on every level. Every pistol is firing. Everything that can be done is being done."
Governor Cuomo: "We're requesting 4 field hospitals at 250 capacity each. That would give us 1,000 field hospital beds. We're going to be looking at Javits as a location for those field hospitals. We're also requesting 4 Army Corps of Engineers temporary hospitals. Those are the sites I mentioned earlier that I'm going to take a look at. The SUNY Stonybrook, Westbury, Westchester Convention Center and also Javits That would give us a regional distribution and a real capacity if we can get them up quickly enough and then increasing supplies which is one of the most critical activities."
Cuomo: "We're going to send 1 million N95 masks to New York City today We're [also] gathering ventilators. Ventilators are the most important piece of equipment and the piece of equipment that is most scarce. We're gathering them from all different health facilities across the state and then we're going to use those in the most critical areas. We also identified 6,000 new ventilators that we can actually purchase so that's a big deal."
Cuomo: "We're also asking our Federal congressional delegation to fix a law that was passed on the coronavirus Federal aid because of a technical issue in the way the bill was written, New York State does not qualify for aid. That's over $6 billion, that is a lot of money and we need the Federal delegation to fix that bill, otherwise New York State gets nothing. New York State has more coronavirus cases than any state in the United States of America. That we should not be included in the bill, obviously makes no sense."
Cuomo: "My last point is practice humanity. We don't talk about practicing humanity, but now if ever there is a time to practice humanity the time is now. The time is now to show some kindness, to show some compassion to people, show some gentility - even as a New Yorker."
Earlier today, Governor Andrew M. Cuomo announced the recommendation of the Army Corps of Engineers regarding four initial sites in New York State for locating temporary hospitals - the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center, and locations at SUNY Stony Brook, SUNY Old Westbury and the Westchester Convention Center. Over the past days, an inspection team led by the Army Corps of Engineers, and including state officials from the Office of General Services, the Dormitory Authority of the State of New York, the Department of Health and the New York State Division of Military and Naval Affairs, has visited more than a dozen sites to review for temporary hospital use. Upon the Governor's determination, the Army Corps is expected to immediately begin work to construct the temporary hospitals. The Governor is also requesting FEMA designate four field hospitals with 250 beds each for the state, intended for use in the Javits Center in addition to the temporary hospital to be constructed by the Army Corps.
VIDEO of the Governor's remarks is available on YouTube here and in TV quality (h.264, mp4) format here.
PHOTOS will be available on the Governor's Flickr page.
A rush transcript of the Governor's remarks is available below:
Good morning. Happy Saturday. Welcome to the weekend. I want to give you an update and briefing on where we are today and then we're going to go out and do some real work, get out of this building before we get cabin fever. You know the people who are here today. From my far right, Simonida Subotic who is in charge of managing supplies which is a major function for us, Robert Mujica, Director of Division of the Budget, Melissa DeRosa, Secretary to the Governor, the great James Malatras who has been a tremendous help here.
Go through the facts, the numbers are still increasing. We have been seeing that. That's the line that we're tracking. This is all about the increase in the number of cases and managing the increase in the number of cases to the capacity of our health care system. What are we doing? We're reducing the spread and the rate of the spread to match the increase in the number of cases and increasing hospital capacity at the same time - just how do our hospitals manage the rate of the spread.
We're trying to reduce the spread to over a period of months. Over a period of months our healthcare system can deal with the numbers. We have moved to zero non-essential workers. You can't go below zero so we're doing everything we can there and we put out new rules on personal conduct and what people should be doing and how they should be behaving and where they should be.
Matilda's Law which is for the vulnerable population, senior citizens, people with compromised immune systems, underlying illnesses - that was very specific. As I mentioned we named it for my mother Matilda because I went through this with my own siblings. How do we help mom? Where do we bring mom? There was a difference of opinion. The best health professionals put together guidelines that not only help senior citizens but also their families who are trying to deal with this. I know it was helpful to my family and the question among siblings these laws and guidelines answered. I don't want to mention which sibling but it turns out that he was wrong.
The personal conduct rules and regulations are also very helpful. I want to thank Dr. Fauci who is really an extraordinary American and has given me great guidance and help and assistance in putting together these policies so I'd like to thank him and we're doing those.
We're working on every level. Every pistol is firing. Everything that can be done is being done. New Yorkers are lucky. We have a very experienced team that's doing this. This is not their first rodeo. They've been through a number of emergencies on a number of levels.
Increasing hospital capacity - we want to get the capacity of 50,000 thousand up to a minimum of 75,000. We told the hospitals we're going to be ending elective surgeries. We are now working with hospitals to reconfigure the space in the hospital to get more beds and to find more staff to manage those beds. We're working on building new beds. We're going to go out and review a number of sites today. I'd like to give the final list to the federal government and the Army Corps of Engineers today but we're looking at Javits, SUNY Stony Brook, SUNY Westbury, the Westchester Convention Center, and I'm going to go out and take a look at those sites today or the ones I can get to. That would give us a regional distribution and a real capacity if we can get them up quickly enough and then increasing supplies which is one of the most critical activities.
We are literally scouting the globe looking for medical supplies. We've identified 2 million N-95 masks which are the high protection masks. We have apparel companies that are converting to mask manufacturing companies in the State of New York in all sorts of creative configurations and I want to thank them. I put out a plea yesterday to ask them for help and we've been on the phone with all sorts of companies who are really doing great work. We're also exploring the State of New York manufacturing masks ourselves.
We're going to send 1 million N95 masks to New York City today. That's been a priority for New York City and 1 million masks won't get us through the crisis but it'll make a significant contribution to New York City's mask issue and I want to thank Mayor de Blasio for working in partnership. We're sending 500,000 N95 masks to Long Island. We've been working with County Executive Laura Curran and County Executive Steve Bellone and I want to thank them.
We're gathering ventilators. Ventilators are the most important piece of equipment and the piece of equipment that is most scarce. We're gathering them from all different health facilities across the state and then we're going to use those in the most critical areas. We also identified 6,000 new ventilators that we can actually purchase so that's a big deal.
From the federal government's point of view I've spoken to the President a number of times. I spoke to the Vice President a number of times. They've issued a federal disaster declaration which is a technical act by the federal government but what it basically does is it allows the federal emergency management agency called FEMA to step in and assist financially. By that declaration FEMA would pay 75 percent of the cost of a disaster. New York State would pay 25 percent of the cost. The federal government can waive the 25 percent of the cost. I'm asking them to waive that 25 percent in this situation. I've worked on many disasters, FEMA has waived the 25 percent. If there's any situation where FEMA should waive the 25 percent, this is the situation. We're also working with the federal government. We're requesting 4 field hospitals at 250 capacity each. That would give us 1000 field hospital beds. We're going to be looking at Javits as a location for those field hospitals. We're also requesting 4 Army Corps of Engineers temporary hospitals. Those are the sites I mentioned earlier that I'm going to take a look at. The SUNY Stonybrook, Westbury, Westchester Convention Center and also Javits. Javits is so big that it can take the 4 field hospitals and an Army Corps of Engineers temporary hospital. We're also requesting assistance with medical supplies which has been a very big topic of conversation all across the country.
We're also asking our federal congressional delegation to fix a law that was passed on the coronavirus federal aid because of a technical issue the way the bill was written, New York State does not qualify for aid. That's over $6 billion, that is a lot of money and we need the federal delegation to fix that bill otherwise New York State gets nothing. New York State has more coronavirus cases than any state in the United States of America. That we should not be included in the bill, obviously makes no sense.
We're also going to conduct immediately trials for the new drug therapy which we have been discussing. I spoke to Dr. Zucker about it. There is a theory that the drug treatment could be helpful. We have people who are in serious condition and Dr. Zucker feels comfortable, as well as a number of other health professionals, that in a situation where a person is in dire circumstance, try what you can. The FDA is going to accelerate to New York 10,000 doses. As soon as we get those doses we will work with doctors, nurses and families on using those drugs and seeing where we get.
I spoke to the President, he spoke to this drug therapy in his press conference yesterday and I spoke to him afterward. I said that New York would be interested and we have the most number of cases and health professionals have all recommended to me that we try it, so we'll try it. We're also working on a number of other drug therapies, an anti-body therapy, a possible vaccine. We have a company here in New York called Regeneron that's really showing some promising results. I exempted them from the no work order, because they couldn't possibly have a really significant achievement for us. The new numbers, the more tests you take, the more positives you find, and I give this caution because I think people misinterpret the number of new cases. They take that number of new cases as if it is reflective of the number of new cases, the spread. It is not. The number of new cases is only reflective of the number of cases you are taking, right. Where our goal is to find the positive cases, because if we find a positive case we can isolate that person, and that stops the spread. So we're actually looking for positives. The more tests you take, the more positives you will find.
We are taking more tests in New York than anyplace else. We're taking more tests per capita than China or South Korea. We're also taking more tests than any state in the United States of America. That is actually a great accomplishment. Because if you remember back, two weeks, which seems like a lifetime now, the whole question was coming up to scale on tests. How do we get the number of tests up and how do we get it up quickly? I spoke to the president and the vice president and said decentralize the testing, let the states do it. I have 200 labs. I can mobilize quickly. Let us do the tests. They agreed. We're doing more tests than any state, so for example, we've done 45,000 tests. California has done 23,000, Washington has done 23,000, so you see how many more tests we are doing. And again, I credit the team that's working here, because this is exactly what the mandate was. Perform as many tests as quickly as you can, and that's the drive-thrus we've put in place, the hospital management, et cetera. So our numbers should be higher. And they are.
Total number of positive cases now is up to 10,000, number of new cases has increased by 3,000, let's go back in case you can't read as fast as I can read. 6,000 New York City, 1,300 Westchester, 1,200 in Nassau. You see the Westchester number is slowing. We did a New Rochelle containment area. The numbers would suggest that that has been helpful. So I feel good about that. You see Nassau increasing, you see Suffolk increasing. So that's just the wide spread increase that we have been anticipating. But our hotspot of Westchester is now slowing, and that's very good news. New York City, it is the most dense environment. This virus spreads in density, right. And that's what you're seeing in New York City, obviously, has many more people than any other specific location in the state. Number of counties are increasing. You see the blue. I said to you early on that blue is going to take over the whole state, just the way every state in the United States has now been covered. Most impacted states, you look at the cases in New York is 10,000, Washington, California, 1,000 each. Does that mean that we have ten times the number of cases as California or Washington? Or does that mean we're doing more tests than California or Washington? The truth is somewhere in the middle, and nobody can tell you. Total number of people tested, we're up to 45,000. Number of new tests. This is a rate that we watch. What is the rate of hospitalization? Again, because this is all about hospital capacity, right, 1,500 out of 10,000, it's roughly 15 percent of the cases. It's been running about 14, 15. It's gone as high as 20 percent, 21 percent. So actually 15 percent rate of hospitalization is not a bad number. It's actually down from where it was. The more refined number is, of those who are hospitalized, how many require the ventilators, because the ventilators are the piece of equipment that is most scarce. That's the next refinement of these numbers that we have to do.
And again, the context on the numbers is important. We're talking 10,000 et cetera. You look at any world health organization or the NIH, or what any of the other countries are saying. You have to expect that at the end of the day, 40 percent to 80 percent of the population is going to be infected. So the only question is, how fast is the rate to that 40 percent, 80 percent, and can you slow that rate so your hospital system can deal with it. That is all we're talking about here. If you look at the 40 to 80 percent, that means between 7.8 million and 15 million New Yorkers will be affected at the end of the day. We're just trying to postpone the end of the day. Again, perspective, Johns Hopkins, this is not a science fiction movie. You don't have to wait to the end of the movie to find out what happens. Johns Hopkins has studied every case since it started, 284,000, 11,000 deaths, almost 90,000 recoveries, 183,000 still pending. Which tracks everything we know in the State of New York. Our first case, first case, healthcare worker, 39-year-old female who was in Iran. She went home, she never went to a hospital, she recovered, she's now negative. You get sick, you get symptoms, you recover. That is true for the overwhelming number of people. Again, context, people who died in the flu, from the flu, in 2018-2019: 34,000 Americans. 34,000, so when you hear these numbers of deaths, keep it in perspective. 34,000 people died of the flu. Over 65, 74 percent of the people were over 65. 25 percent were under 65. So, if you have an underlying illness, you catch the flu, you can die. More likely if you have an underlying illness, senior citizens, et cetera, but not necessarily. You have 25 percent under 65 years old die from the flu.
Also, in terms of context, perspective. Don't listen to rumors. I mean, you have such wild rumors out there, and people call me with the craziest theories. Just, I understand there's anxiety and stress, but let's remember some basic context and facts. Society functions. Everything works. There's going to be food in the grocery stores. There's no reason to buy a hundred rolls of toilet paper. There really isn't. And by the way, where do you even put a hundred rolls of toilet paper? The transportation system functions. The pharmacy system functions. These things are all going to work. Nonessential workers, stay home, but the essential workers are staying home, especially the healthcare workers. There is not going to be any roadblock when you wake up in the morning that says you can't leave this place, you can't leave that place, right? So if you have a real question, because you think there's a real concern from a credible source, contact my team. We have a special website: coronavirus.health.ny.gov, and ask the question and you will get a real, truthful, factual response.
I have not hidden anything from the people of this state. I have not tilted facts. Franklin Delano Roosevelt, the American people deserve the truth, they can handle the truth, give them the truth. When they don't get the truth and if you don't get the facts, that's when people should get anxious. If I think I'm being deceived or there's something you're not telling me, or you're shading the truth, now I'm anxious. Everything I know, I've told you, and I will continue to tell you, and these are facts, and you hear a rumor, and you want to check it out, go to that website, these are people who work for me directly, and you will have the truth. We do have an issue with younger people who are not complying, and I've mentioned it before but it's not getting better. You know, you can have your own opinion. You cannot have your own facts - you want to have an opinion, have an opinion, but you can't have your own facts. "Well young people don't get this disease." You are wrong - that is not a fact. 18-49 years old are 54 percent of the cases in New York State. 54 percent. 18-49 years old. So you're not Superman, and you're not Superwoman, you can get this virus and you can transfer the virus and you can wind up hurting someone who you love or hurting someone wholly inadvertently. Social distancing works and you need social distancing everywhere. There's a significant amount of non-compliance, especially in New York City, especially in the parks - I'm going to go down there today, I want to see what situation is myself, but it has to be stopped because you are endangering people and if it's because of misinformation, if it's because of noncompliance, I don't care frankly - this is a public health issue and you cannot endanger other people's health. You shouldn't be endangering your own. But you certainly have no right to endanger someone else's.
This is my personal opinion, this is not a fact, you know to me it's very important in a situation like this, tell me the facts and then tell me your opinion - this is my opinion. We talk about social responsibility, especially young people talk about social responsibility and they should - we pass a lot of legislation in this building, groundbreaking legislation, national firsts, on economic rights, highest minimum wage in the United States of America, human rights, first state to pass marriage equality, which I believe was a human rights issue, we talk about environmental responsibility and this state has the most aggressive environmental laws in the United States of America and I am proud of it, but I also want people to think about the social responsibility when it comes to public health. We haven't talked about it before, not really a field, it's not really an issue, it's not really a hashtag, but social responsibility applies to public health just as it applies to human rights, and economic rights and environmental rights - public health, especially in a moment like this, is probably most critical. So let's think about that and let's act on that. In this crisis, think of yourselves, we are all first responders - your actions can either save or endanger a life, so we are all first responders. What's going to happen? We're going to get through this. We don't know how long it's going to take us to get through this. Fact is we're trying to slow the spread of the virus to a number of months so the healthcare system can deal with it, so therefore by definition it's going to be a number of months. I know people want to hear, "It's only going to be a matter of weeks and then it's going to be fine." I don't believe it's going to be a matter of weeks. I believe it is going to be a matter of months, but we are going to get through it, and how long and how well it takes us to get through it is up to us. It depends on what we do - you know when you're sick and you say to the doctor, "Well how long until I get better?" And the doctor says, "It depends on what you do. If you follow the advice, you'll get healthy faster, but it depends on what you do." This depends on what we do. China is now reporting no news cases. Let's assume that's true - look at that trajectory, look at that turnaround, look at what they did, we do have data we can follow. So how long is it going to take? It depends on how smart and how we responsible are and how diligent we are. You tell me the percentage of compliance and intelligence and discipline on social disciplining et cetera? I'll tell you how long it takes for us to get through it.
Also something that people aren't really talking about but I think we should start talking about - we talk about the economic consequences of this situation and they are going to be significant, and we are going to have to deal with it and New York will be right on top of it and as aggressive as we are with everything else. But economic consequences come second - first, is dealing with this crisis. We talk about the economic consequences but we also need to talk about the social consequences. There is no Dow Jones index that we can watch on the screen that is measuring the social consequences and the social decline. But the stress, the anxiety, the emotions that are provoked by this crisis are truly significant, and people are struggling with the emotions as much as they are struggling with the economics. And this state wants to start to address that. I'm asking psychiatrists, psychologists, therapists who are willing to volunteer their time to contact the state and if this works out I would like to set up a voluntary network where people can go for mental health assistance where they can contact a professional to talk through how they are feeling about this. They are nervous, they are anxious, they are isolated. It can bring all sorts of emotions and feelings to the surface. When you are isolated you do not have people to talk to. So I am asking the professional mental health establishment to contact us. Let us know that you are willing to volunteer time. It would obviously be all electronic. It would not be in person. It would be telephone, it would be Skype, etc. But I would ask you to seriously consider this. Many people are doing extraordinary things during this public health crisis. I ask the mental health community, many of them are looking for a way to participate, this is a way to participate. And if we get enough mental health professionals willing to volunteer their time, we will set up a mental health electronic help center. And we will talk more about that the next few days.
What happens besides how long? What happens? The bigger question to me is what do we learn about ourselves through this? As a society, we have never gone through this. We have never gone through a world war. We have not gone through any great social crisis. Here in New York, we went through 9/11 which I think is relevant in terms of some feelings that people are now experiencing. 9/11 transformed society. I was there. I was part of it. You were never the same after 9/11. You had a sense of vulnerability that you never had before which I feel to this day. There was a trauma to 9/11. But as a society, as a country, we have been blessed in that we have not gone through something as disruptive as this.
So what do we learn about ourselves? I think what we are saying already is a crisis really brings out the truth about ourselves first of all and about others. And your see people's strengths and you see people's weaknesses. You see society's strengths and you see society's weaknesses. You see both the beauty and the vulnerability. You see the best in people and you see the worst in people. You see people rise to the occasion and you see people fall from the burden of the emotion. So, I think - You take a step back.
First, there are people doing extraordinary work who deserve our thanks. And when you see a healthcare worker on the way to work, when you see a grocer who has been working a double shift, trying to deal with the demand in these stores. When you see a pharmacist who is overwhelmed with a long line, when you see a police officer or firefighter who are out there doing their job. They are opening doors. They don't know who is on the other side of the door. They are walking up to car windows. These are just extraordinary heroes. Heroes, ask yourself, would you do that. I mean what kind of selflessness and courage. You talk about public service. What does public service mean? This is public service. This is public service in stereo and on steroids. These are people really stepping up. When you see them say thank you. The bus drivers, the subway drivers, the public transit workers, these are people showing up, leaving their family, as nervous as you are. But they are doing their jobs. Healthcare workers and people who are watching healthcare worker's children so they can go work in a hospital. They deserve our thanks. And I think understanding what they do in some ways gives us perspective on how beautiful people can be and how courageous people can be, and how great Americans can be.
My last point is practice humanity. We don't talk about practicing humanity, but now if ever there is a time to practice humanity the time is now. The time is now to show some kindness, to show some compassion to people, show some gentility - even as a New Yorker. Yes, we can be tough. Yes, this is a dense environment. It can be a difficult environment. It can also be the most supportive, courageous community that you have ever seen. And this is a time for a little gentility. It is a time for a smile when you are walking past someone. It is a time for a nod. It is a time to say hello. It is a time for patience and don't let the little things get you annoyed. That's New York at its best. That was New York after 9/11.
Yes, we have a problem. Yes, we will deal with it. Yes, we will overcome it. But let's find our better selves in doing it, and let New York lead the way in finding their better selves and demonstrating their better selves. That is the New York destiny and that is the New York legacy. And that is why I am proud to be a New Yorker and to be Governor of this great state. And we are going to do it like we have always done it before.
March 22, 2020.
Video, Audio, Photos & Rush Transcript: Governor Cuomo Calls COVID-19 Pandemic the 'Challenge for This Generation,' Reminds Americans We Will Overcome This Together. https://www.governor.ny.gov/news/video-audio-photos-rush-transcript-governor-cuomo-calls-covid-19-pandemic-challenge-generation
Governor Cuomo: "They talk about the greatest generation, the generation that survived World War II. Dealing with hardship actually makes you stronger. Life on the individual level, on the collective level, on the social level. Life is not about avoiding challenges. Challenges are going to come your way. Life is going to knock you on your rear end at one point. Something will happen. And then life becomes about overcoming those challenges. That's what life is about. And that's what this country is about."
Cuomo: "America is America because we overcome adversity and challenges. That's how we were born. That's what we've done all our life. We overcome challenges and this is a period of challenge for this generation. And that's what has always made America great and that's what going to make this generation great. I believe that to the bottom of my soul."
Cuomo: "We will overcome this and America will be the greater for it. And my hope is that New York is going to lead the way forward and together we will."
Earlier today, Governor Andrew M. Cuomo called the COVID-19 pandemic a defining challenge for this generation. The Governor reminded Americans that we will overcome this challenge together as we have during each great challenge in our history.
VIDEO of the Governor's remarks is available on YouTube here and in TV quality (h.264, mp4) format here.
PHOTOS will be available on the Governor's Flickr page.
A rush transcript of the Governor's remarks is available below:
Personal advice, this is not factual. I try to present facts. I try to present everything I know. I try to present unbiased facts. I try to present numbers because people need information. When you get anxious, when you get fearful, when you don't get the information or you doubt the information, or you think people do not know what they are talking about, or you think you are getting lied to, so I present facts. This is personal advice. This is not factual. So it is all gratuitous. You can take it and you can throw it in the pail.
But we have to think this situation through. Don't be reactive at this point to this situation. Yes, you are out of control in many ways. You are out of control to this virus. You are out of work. Situations are changing. They are not in your control. You don't even know how long this is going to go on. This is a very frightening feeling, that is true.
You can also take back some control. Start to anticipate and plan for what is going to go on. Plan for the negatives and plan for the positives. There are going to be negative and there are going to be positives. There are real economic on sequences. How do you handle the economic consequences? You are not alone. It is everyone in the United States, that is why you see this federal government acting quickly to get funding into the pockets of families who need it. But think through what the economics mean.
Think through the social issues and the social impact of this. Think through the emotional issues of this. It would be unnatural if you did not have a flood or emotions going on. It would be unnatural, if you didn't have a lot of emotions going on. It would be unnatural. Either you wouldn't understand what was happening or you wouldn't appreciate it, but if you know the facts and you understand what's going on, you have to have a flood of individual emotions, positive and negative and anticipate it. You know, "Stay home, stay home, stay home," well when you stay home, remember the old expression, "Cabin fever," right? You stay home alone - you don't want to be isolated emotionally. You can be isolated physically - you don't want to be isolated emotionally. You want to keep those physical connections. You want to talk to people, you want to write letters, you want to have emotional connectivity. That is very important. If you're not alone and you're in the house with the family, and the kids and everybody's together - that's a different set of emotional complexities.
Being in that enclosed environment, normally the kids are out, everybody's going to work, you're only together a short period of time of the day. Now you're all in the same place for 24 hours. I remember when the kids were young, what it was like, it was pure joy, but I remember what it was like to be with them for multiple hours and it's complicated. I live alone - I'm even getting annoyed with the dog, being in one place. So think that through because that is real, and it's going to go on for a period of time.
This is not a short-term situation. This is not a long weekend. This is not a week. The timeline, nobody can tell you, it depends on how we handle it, but 40 percent, up to 80 percent of the population will wind up getting this virus. All we're trying to do is slow the spread but it will spread. It is that contagious. Again, that's nothing to panic over. You saw the numbers. Unless you're older with an underlying illness, etcetera, it's something that you're going to resolve but it's going to work its way through society. We'll manage that capacity rate but it is going to be four months, six months, nine months.
You look at China, once they really changed the trajectory which we have not done yet, eight months, we're in that range. Nobody has a crystal ball. Nobody can tell you. Well I want to know. I want to know. I need to know. Nobody can tell you. I've spoken to more people on this issue than 99 percent of the people in this country. No one can tell you. Not from the superb Dr. Fauci to the World Health Organization to the National Institute of Health, but it is in that range so start to plan accordingly.
It's going to be hard. There is no doubt. I'm not minimizing it and I don't think you should either but at the same time it is going to be okay. We don't want to overreact either. The grocery stores are going to function, there is going to be food, the transportation systems are going to function, the pharmacies are going to be open, all essential services will be maintained. There's not going to be chaos, there's not going to be anarchy, order and function will be maintained.
Life is going to go on. Different - but life is going to go on. So there's no reason to be going to grocery stores and hoarding food. You see all this overreaction on the TV everyday which makes you think maybe I'm missing it, maybe I should run to the store and buy toilet paper. No. Life is going to go on. The toilet paper is going to be there tomorrow. So a deep breath on all of that.
But I do believe that whatever this is 4 months, 6 months, 9 months - we are going to be the better for it. They talk about the greatest generation, the generation that survived World War II. Dealing with hardship actually makes you stronger. Life on the individual level, on the collective level, on the social level. Life is not about avoiding challenges. Challenges are going to come your way. Life is going to knock you on your rear end at one point. Something will happen. And then life becomes about overcoming those challenges. Thats what life is about. And that's what this country is about.
America is America because we overcome adversity and challenges. That's how we were born. That's what we've done all our life. We overcome challenges and this is a period of challenge for this generation. And that's what has always made America great and that's what going to make this generation great. I believe that to the bottom of my soul. We will overcome this and America will be the greater for it. And my hope is that New York is going to lead the way forward and together we will.
March 22, 2020.
Amid Ongoing COVID-19 Pandemic, Governor Cuomo Accepts Recommendation of Army Corps of Engineers for Four Temporary Hospital Sites in New York. https://www.governor.ny.gov/news/amid-ongoing-covid-19-pandemic-governor-cuomo-accepts-recommendation-army-corps-engineers-four
New York State is Ready for Army Corps to Start Construction at SUNY Stony Brook, SUNY Westbury, Westchester County Center and Jacob K. Javits Center
Announces FEMA Will Erect Federal Hospitals within Javits Center - Four 250-Bed Fully-Equipped and Fully-Staffed Facilities
Announces State Has Leased 600-Bed Capacity Nursing Home Facility in Brooklyn to Convert into Temporary Hospital
Calls on Federal Government to Immediately Implement Defense Production Act — Nationalize Medical Supply Chain
Calls on Federal Government to Prioritize Sending Stimulus Funding to Individuals, State and Local Governments and Businesses - Taxpayers Must Share in Success of Corporations
Acquires 70,000 Doses of Hydroxychloroquine, 10,000 doses of Zithromax and 750,000 Doses of Chloroquine to Implement Drug Trials - Trials Will Start Tuesday
Urges FDA to Immediately Approve Serological Testing for COVID-19 Antibodies
Announces Department of Health Emergency Order for All Hospitals to Come Up with a Plan to Expand Capacity by a Minimum of 50 Percent with a Goal of 100 Percent
Cancels All Elective, Non-Critical Surgeries - Effective Wednesday March 25th
Directs New York City to Come Up with a Plan for Review within 24 Hours to Address Lack of Adherence to Social Distancing Protocols
Confirms 4,812 Additional Coronavirus Cases in New York State - Bringing Statewide Total to 15,168; New Cases in 31 Counties
Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today accepted the recommendation of the Army Corps of Engineers for four temporary hospital sites in New York State in an effort to address imminent capacity issues resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic. The Governor visited the four sites - the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center, and locations at SUNY Stony Brook, SUNY Old Westbury and the Westchester Convention Center — yesterday, and New York State is ready for the Army Corps of Engineers to begin construction immediately. Hospitals at the SUNY campus sites will be constructed indoors with outdoor tent support and the dormitories on the campuses will be used for healthcare staff to stay while working at the sites.
Governor Cuomo also announced that FEMA will erect four additional federal hospital facilities within the Javits Center, in addition to the temporary hospital to be constructed by the Army Corps. Each of the four federal hospitals will have 250 beds and come fully equipped and fully staffed by the federal government.
The Governor also announced that the state is continuing to quickly identify sites to repurpose existing healthcare facilities to be used as temporary hospitals. The state on Saturday leased the Brooklyn Health Center for Rehabilitation and Healthcare to serve as a temporary hospital with capacity up to 600 beds.
Additionally, Governor Cuomo called on the federal government to immediately implement the Defense Production Act and nationalize the contracting and acquisition of medical supplies. New York State is already seeing a shortage in medical supplies and personal protective equipment - or PPE - including masks, gloves, gowns and ventilators. This shortage is also impacting other states, leading to price gouging by companies, hospitals competing with one another and states competing with other states and even other countries for supplies. Implementing the Defense Production Act would give the federal government legal authority to mandate private companies to manufacture these critical supplies for all states.
The Governor also called on the federal government to prioritize sending stimulus funding to individuals, state and local governments and businesses. As part of his call, the Governor made it clear that funding to corporations should not be a gift at the expense of taxpayers, and that taxpayers must share in the success of corporations.
We will overcome this challenge and America will be greater for it, and my hope is that New York will lead the way forward.
Governor Andrew M. Cuomo
The Governor also announced that the state will begin to implement drug trials and has acquired 70,000 doses of Hydroxychloroquine, 10,000 doses of Zithromax and 750,000 doses of Chloroquine. The trials will start Tuesday.
Governor Cuomo also urged the FDA to immediately approve serological testing for COVID-19 antibodies, which will help determine which individuals already had the virus and resolved. This will allow more individuals to return to work, including healthcare workers to help address the shortage of medical staff in hospitals.
Governor Cuomo also announced a new State Department of Health Emergency Order requiring all hospitals to develop plans to expand capacity within hospitals. The plan must expand capacity by a minimum of 50 percent with a goal of expanding capacity by 100 percent.
The Governor also announced that the state will mandate that all hospitals must cancel all elective, non-critical surgeries to help expand hospital capacity - effective Wednesday, March 25th.
After visiting New York City yesterday, the Governor is also directing New York City to come up with a plan for review by the state in the next 24 hours to address the lack of adherence to social distancing protocols in the area, including at parks and other public spaces.
"To get through this crisis we need to be sure our hospitals and healthcare system have the equipment, facilities and staff they need to treat patients and save lives, and we also need to make sure that New Yorkers whose lives have been turned upside down by the virus are getting financial relief to help cope with this crisis," Governor Cuomo said. "In New York we have a plan in place to increase our hospital capacity and supplies and lessen the financial burden on New Yorkers. We are doing everything we possibly can as a state, but we can't do it alone — we need the help of the federal government. I am asking the President for expeditious approval and execution of these hospital facilities, to nationalize the acquisition of medical supplies and to prioritize sending stimulus money to individuals. Time matters and minutes count because there are lives at stake. We are a nation capable of overcoming any challenge — we will overcome this challenge and America will be greater for it, and my hope is that New York will lead the way forward."
Finally, the Governor confirmed 4,812 additional cases of novel coronavirus, bringing the statewide total to 15,168 confirmed cases in New York State. Of the 15,168 total individuals who tested positive for the virus, the geographic breakdown is as follows:
County
Total Positive
New Positive
Albany
123
35
Allegany
2
0
Broome
3
1
Chenango
3
1
Clinton
4
0
Columbia
5
3
Cortland
1
1
Delaware
3
2
Dutchess
82
33
Erie
54
16
Essex
3
1
Fulton
1
0
Genesee
1
0
Greene
2
0
Hamilton
2
0
Herkimer
4
1
Jefferson
1
0
Livingston
2
0
Madison
1
1
Monroe
57
15
Montgomery
3
0
Nassau
1,900
667
Niagara
6
2
New York City
9,045
2,832
Oneida
5
1
Onondaga
29
12
Ontario
6
2
Orange
247
84
Putnam
37
15
Rensselaer
26
6
Rockland
455
193
Saratoga
41
6
Schenectady
39
7
Schoharie
1
0
St. Lawrence
1
1
Steuben
3
1
Suffolk
1,034
373
Sullivan
16
4
Tioga
1
0
Tompkins
13
2
Ulster
26
8
Warren
1
0
Washington
1
0
Wayne
3
0
Westchester
1,873
486
Wyoming
2
0
March 22, 2020.
Video, Audio, Photos & Rush Transcript: Amid Ongoing COVID-19 Pandemic, Governor Cuomo Accepts Recommendation of Army Corps of Engineers for Four Temporary Hospital Sites in New York. https://www.governor.ny.gov/news/video-audio-photos-rush-transcript-amid-ongoing-covid-19-pandemic-governor-cuomo-accepts
New York State is Ready for Army Corps to Start Construction at SUNY Stony Brook, SUNY Westbury, Westchester County Center and Jacob K. Javits Center
Announces FEMA Will Erect Federal Hospitals within Javits Center - Four 250-Bed Fully-Equipped and Fully-Staffed Facilities
Announces State Has Leased 600-Bed Capacity Nursing Home Facility in Brooklyn to Convert into Temporary Hospital
Calls on Federal Government to Immediately Implement Defense Production Act — Nationalize Medical Supply Chain
Calls on Federal Government to Prioritize Sending Stimulus Funding to Individuals, State and Local Governments and Businesses - Taxpayers Must Share in Success of Corporations
Acquires 70,000 Doses of Hydroxychloroquine, 10,000 doses of Zithromax and 750,000 Doses of Chloroquine to Implement Drug Trials - Trials Will Start Tuesday
Urges FDA to Immediately Approve Serological Testing for COVID-19 Antibodies
Announces Department of Health Emergency Order for All Hospitals to Come Up with a Plan to Expand Capacity by a Minimum of 50 Percent with a Goal of 100 Percent
Cancels All Elective, Non-Critical Surgeries - Effective Wednesday March 25th
Directs New York City to Come Up with a Plan for Review Within 24 Hours to Address Lack of Adherence to Social Distancing Protocols
Confirms 4,812 Additional Coronavirus Cases in New York State - Bringing Statewide Total to 15,168; New Cases in 31 Counties
Governor Cuomo: "I'm requesting today from the federal government that the Army Corps immediately proceed to erect temporary hospitals. I went out yesterday - I surveyed the sites. There are several good options that give us regional coverage. An Army Corps temporary hospital at Stony Brook, which is on Long Island, Westbury, which is on Long Island, Westchester, where we have that terrible cluster, which is thank goodness reducing, and the Javits Center which is a very large convention center in New York, and New York City, which is where we have the highest number of cases. I met with the Army Corps. They've reviewed these sites. I approve it. I approve it on behalf of the State of New York, and now we just have to get it done and get it done quickly."
Cuomo: "The Defense Production Act, where the federal government has the legal authority to say to companies you must produce this now. It is invoking a federal law. It is mandating that that private companies do something. But I think it is appropriate. If I had the power, I would do it in New York State because the situation is that critical. I think the federal government should order factories to manufacture masks, gowns, ventilators, the essential medical equipment that is going to make a difference between life and death."
Cuomo: "We need the product[s] now. We have cries from hospitals around the state. I have spoken to other governors across the country. They have the same situation. They need these materials now and only the federal government can make that happen. So I believe the federal government should immediately utilize the Defense Production Act. Implement it immediately, let's get those medical supplies running and let's get that moving as quickly as possible."
Cuomo: "America is America because we overcome adversity and challenges. That's how we were born. That's what we've done all our life. We overcome challenges and this is a period of challenge for this generation. And that's what has always made America great and that's what going to make this generation great. I believe that to the bottom of my soul. We will overcome this and America will be the greater for it. And my hope is that New York is going to lead the way forward."
Earlier today, Governor Andrew M. Cuomo accepted the recommendation of the Army Corps of Engineers for four temporary hospital sites in New York State in an effort to address imminent capacity issues resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic. The Governor visited the four sites - the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center, and locations at SUNY Stony Brook, SUNY Old Westbury and the Westchester Convention Center — yesterday, and New York State is ready for the Army Corps of Engineers to begin construction immediately. Hospitals at the SUNY campus sites will be constructed indoors with outdoor tent support and the dormitories on the campuses will be used for healthcare staff to stay while working at the sites.
VIDEO of the Governor's remarks is available on YouTube here and in TV quality (h.264, mp4) format here.
PHOTOS will be available on the Governor's Flickr page.
A rush transcript of the Governor's remarks is available below:
Good morning, happy Sunday. Thank you for being here. We want to give you an update on where we are and some suggest actions going forward. The numbers are still going up, as we've discussed. If you watch the other countries you will see that trajectory and trying to turn that trajectory, but as of now the numbers are continuing to increase. What we're working very hard to do is keep the rate of increase of the spread of the disease to a level that we can manage it in our hospital system. We have 53,000 hospital beds available. Right now, the curve suggests we could need 110,000 hospital beds and that is an obvious problem and that's what we're dealing with.
You have the nation's role in this situation, you also have the state's role. This is what they call an emergency management situation and there are rules for emergency management - who does what. Basically, the state governments, local governments manage an emergency unless the emergency overwhelms the capacity of the local government. Then, the higher level of government takes over. That happens even on the state level. A city will be in charge, a county will be in charge unless it overwhelms their capacity and then the state comes in and takes over. The federal government has made a decision to leave the states in charge of deciding quarantine procedures, whether to open, whether to close. That's why you see New York taking certain actions, Illinois taking certain actions, different states taking certain actions. Because the federal government, this far, has said different situations in different states, let the states decide dependent upon the number of cases they have. I think that has been right, to date. That could change, but it's been right to date. However, the federal government should nationalize medical supply acquisition. The states simply cannot manage it. This state cannot manage it, states all across the country can't manage it. Certainly the states who are dealing with the highest case load can't handle it. But you're hearing it all across the country from states - they just can't deal with finding the medical supplies that they need. That's why I believe the federal government should take over that function of contracting and acquiring all the medical supplies that we need.
Currently, when states are doing it, we are competing against other states. In some ways, we're salvaging other states. I'm trying to buy masks - I'm competing with California and Illinois and Florida and that's not the way it should be, frankly. Price gouging is a tremendous problem and it's only getting worse. There were masks we were paying 85 cents for, we're not paying 7 dollars. Why? Because I'm competing against every other state and, in some cases, other countries around the world. Ventilators, which are the most precious piece of equipment for the situation, they range in price from 16,000 dollars to 40,000 dollars each. And New York State needs 30,000 ventilators. This is just an impossible situation to manage. If we don't get the equipment, we can lose lives that we could have otherwise saved if we had the right equipment.
The federal government has two options to handle this. Voluntary partnership with companies, where the federal government says to companies I would appreciate if you would work with us and do this. And the President has done that and he seems to have gotten a good response on a voluntary basis. The other way is what is called the Defense Production Act where the federal government has the legal authority to say to companies you must produce this now. It is invoking a federal law. It is mandating that that private companies do something. But I think it is appropriate. If I had the power, I would do it in New York State because the situation is that critical. I think the federal government should order factories to manufacture masks, gowns, ventilators, the essential medical equipment that is going to make a difference between life and death.
It is not hard to make a mask or PPE equipment or a gown, but you need companies to do it. We have apparel companies that can make clothing, well then you can make a surgical gown and you can make a mask. But they have to be ordered to do it. If the federal government does it, then they can do it in a very orderly way. They can decide how many they need. They can designate how many each factory should produce, and then they could distribute those goods by need rather than having the states all compete against each other.
It would also be less expensive because it would avoid the price gouging that is now happening in this marketplace. I can tell what is happening. I will contract with a company for 1,000 masks. They will call back 20 minutes later and say the price just went up because they had a better offer and I understand that. Other states who are desperate for these good literally offer more money than we were paying. And it is just a race that is raising prices higher and higher. We even have hospitals competing against other hospitals. If the federal government came in, used the Defense Production Act, you could resolve all of that immediately.
Also, we need the product now. We have cries from hospitals around the state. I have spoken to other governors across the country. They have the same situation. They need these materials now and only the federal government can make that happen. So I believe the federal government should immediately utilize the Defense Production Act. Implement it immediately, let's get those medical supplies running and let's get that moving as quickly as possible.
In terms of federal government funding, they should prioritize the funding. Individuals need money. You are laid off. You are going paycheck to paycheck. We took care of the rent issue here in New York, the mortgage payment, but you have to buy food. You have to buy essentials and if you have not worked and you're laid off, you're in trouble. So I think the federal government is exactly right, the president has talked about this, get funding into the pockets of families that need it to live. Second, money to governments - I'm spending money right now that we don't have. I'm not going to deprive people of medical services, but the economy is stopped, people are not paying their taxes, if you're not paying your taxes, that's a state source of revenue, so funding from the federal government is essential for me. And third, the corporate subsidies that the president is talking about I think is also right, but the corporate funding should not be a gift to corporations at the taxpayers' expense. Let's learn from what happened in 2008 - I was Attorney General at the time in the State of New York - where we bailed out corporations, they bought back stock, they paid their corporate executives handsomely. They benefited from taxpayer money, and the taxpayers wound up getting none of the profits. The citizens should benefit from the corporate success. If the government takes equity, if the government charges an interest rate, but this time, if the taxpayers are going to bail out these big corporations, make sure the taxpayers share in the success of these corporations. Let's do it right this time.
Also the federal funding, they're working on another coronavirus bill - I was in Washington for eight years. This should not be the usual sausage making of pork barrel. When you do a piece of legislation in Washington, most legislators, it becomes the expression, "sausage making," it becomes "pork barrel." It goes through the political process, and the political process says everybody should get some money. Which dilutes the funding, gives it to communities and governments that don't really need the funding and doesn't even address the need, it's one of the reasons people are suspect of government spending, right, because it winds up pork barrel. Every Senator is going to say, "I want money for my state." Every congressperson says, "I want money for my local district. I want to be able to go home with a little package that I can hand to my local government." That's not what this is about in this case. This is about addressing a need and getting funding, precious funding, to people and places that need it. And the rule here should be, money follows the need. It's that simple. What places need it? Self-serving, but New York State has 15 times more cases than any other state right now. Fund the states, fund the places that need it. Follow the number of cases, and use need as the basis for funding. It's common sense. It would be respected by the people of this nation, and the alternative to politicize this funding process is intolerable.
To my congressional delegation, I say, "Look, New York received no funding from the first coronavirus bill, even though New York has the greatest need," and that was a technical mistake in how they wrote the bill. Political custom is one politician or elected official should not pressure people of their own party - my congressional delegation is largely Democrat - so political custom would be well don't pressure another Democratic elected official. I say that is baloney. I represent all the citizens of the State of New York. It's a very simple job I have. I fight for New Yorkers, period. Democrats, Republicans, period, and this is no time to play politics and we need our congressional delegation to stand up and fight for New York.
Also on the federal role, I'm requesting today from the federal government that the Army Corps immediately proceed to erect temporary hospitals. I went out yesterday - I surveyed the sites. There are several good options that give us regional coverage. An Army Corps temporary hospital at Stony Brook, which is on Long Island, Westbury, which is on Long Island, Westchester, where we have that terrible cluster, which is thank goodness reducing, and the Javits Center which is a very large convention center in New York, and New York City, which is where we have the highest number of cases. I met with the Army Corps. They've reviewed these sites. I approve it. I approve it on behalf of the State of New York, and now we just have to get it done and get it done quickly.
These temporary hospitals are helpful but they don't bring supplies and they don't bring staff. And that compounds our problem of having enough medical supplies and frankly compounds our problem of not having enough medical staff because we are trying to increase the capacity in our existing hospitals. The sites that we picked allow for indoor assembly of these facilities, so they won't be out of doors, they'll be indoors, some places we may need to do them outdoors, but these campuses also have dormitories where the healthcare staff can stay. They're very large - there's space and again I have made all necessary approvals so from my point of view construction can start tomorrow. These are pictures of the places where we would assemble them. In Stony Brook, Westbury, Westchester County Center in Westchester, all indoor locations, all open, all ready, accessible. Jacob Javits Center, just expanded it, one of the largest convention centers in the country. It is open, it is ready to go. There is no red tape on the side of New York. We are also asking FEMA to come in, Federal Emergency Management Agency, to come in and erect four federal hospitals at the Javits Center. The federal hospital by FEMA is different than the Army Corps of Engineers temporary facility. The FEMA hospitals come with staff and with supplies. They're in 250-bed configurations, we're asking for 4 of those 250-bed configurations to be assembled in Javits Center. The Javits Center can easily manage them. It's in the heart of Manhattan. They're fully equipped, they're fully staffed. Again, we are ready to go as soon as the federal government is ready to go.
That will then give us regional coverage in downstate New York which is our most heavily impacted area. The President signed the FEMA Emergency Declaration which allows FEMA to go to work. By that emergency declaration, funding for these services is split: 75 percent by the federal government, 25 percent by the state government. The federal government can waive the state's share as they call it, waive the 25 percent from the state. I'm also requesting that the President waive the 25 percent. I just cannot pay the 25 percent. We literally don't have the funding to do it. And by the way, I don't believe any state will be in the position to w the 25 percent. So I don't just say that on my behalf, I say that on behalf of all the governors.
I'm the Vice Chairman of the National Governor's Association. I've been speaking with governors all across the nation. No state has the financial capacity to participate in my opinion. But I know, for sure, New York doesn't because we are the heaviest hit state right now. I'm asking the President to do what I did here in the State of New York, cut the red tape, cut the bureaucracy, just cut to the chase. Get the Army Corps of Engineers moving, get FEMA moving, let's get those buildings up. Let's have them in place before that trajectory hits it's apex. Time matters, minutes count and this is literally a matter of life and death.
We get these facilities, we get the supplies, we will save lives. If we don't, we will lose lives. I don't mean to be overly dramatic, but I want to be honest and that is the simple fact of this matter. We're also implementing the trial drug. We have secured 70,000 hydrocloroquin; 10,000 zithromax from the federal government. I want to thank the FDA for moving very expeditiously to get us this supply. The President ordered the FDA to move and the FDA moved. We're going to get the supply and the trial will start this Tuesday. The President is optimistic about these drugs and we are all optimistic that it could work. I've spoken with a number of health officials and there is a good basis to believe that they could work. Some health officials point to Africa, which has a very low infection rate and there's a theory that because they're taking these anti-malaria drugs in Africa, it may actually be one of the reasons why the infection rate is low in Africa. We don't know, but let's find out and let's find out quickly. And I agree with the President on that and we're going to start and we're going to start Tuesday.
I also think the FDA should start approving serial-logical testing for coronavirus antibodies and they should do it as soon as possible. What this does is it tests the blood to see if you have antibodies that were created to fight the coronavirus. Remember, all the health officials say the coronavirus was here before we started to test. Many more people have had the coronavirus than we think, most people have resolved the coronavirus who have had it. How do you know that? You can test and find the antibodies that the body created to fight the virus. If you have that antibody it means you had the virus and you resolved it. Why do you want to know that? Because I want to know who had it, who has the antibody which means they most probably will not get it again and that can help us get our medical staff back to work faster. So it's a different level of testing, but I think the FDA should move as expeditiously as they have before on this type of testing. Find out who had it, who has the antibodies and that will help us, especially on medical staff shortages.
Also on the state role, what am I supposed to do, I'm not just looking to the federal government. I understand that we are responsible here in the State of New York and we're doing everything we can on hyper speed. We have to expand the existing hospital capacity. This gets back to the 53,000 current beds when we may need 110,000 beds. We have said to the hospital administrators, we have a goal of you increasing the capacity in each hospital by 100 percent. Yes, an ambitious goal. Yes, very difficult. Yes, it may be impossible in some places. But remember, a hospital is highly regulated, space is regulated, the number of beds in a room is highly regulated. We're waiving all those regulations and saying just from a physical capacity point of view, see if you can increase your capacity 100 percent. Where did we get 100 percent? We have 53,000 beds, we have to get to 110,000 beds, everyone increases by 100 percent, we meet the goal. Simple, a little too simple, but we understand many hospitals won't be able to do it.
However, at a minimum, hospitals must give us a plan to increase capacity by at least 50 percent. So we would be at about 75,000 minimum against the 110 need. We would still have to find additional beds. I understand that and you see what we're doing with the federal government. There's an opportunity there but every hospital, goal of 100 percent increase in capacity, mandate of 50 percent increase in capacity. We also have an intensive care unit bed issue where we have to increase the number of intensive care units. That is limited by the number of ventilators. What makes an ICU bed and ICU bed in this case? It's that the ICU bed has a ventilator and that's when we get back to needing the ventilators desperately so we have those ICU beds.
We're putting out a Department of Health emergency order to hospitals that says we're not just asking you to do this. It wouldn't just be a nice thing. I'm not just asking you as Governor as a civic obligation. This is a law that the hospitals must come up with a plan to increase capacity a minimum of 50, goal of 100 percent.
We're also canceling all elective, non-critical surgery for hospitals as of Wednesday. Elective, non-critical - the critical surgery, fine. If it's not critical then postpone it. That alone should get us 25 to 35 percent more beds and again that is a mandate that is going into effect for the hospitals.
I understand the hospitals are not happy about it. I heard that the elective surgery is a big source of revenue for the hospitals. I understand that but this is not about money. This is about public health and we're putting that mandate in place starting today.
We're also creating additional bed in places where we can. We're taking over existing residential facilities, hotels, nursing homes and repurposing existing facilities. For example this is the Brooklyn Health Center for Rehabilitation and Healthcare, 600 beds that we're going to take over and it will serve as a temporary hospital and we're doing this in facilities all across the state.
Two different facts I want to make sure were clear just so there's no confusion. Fact one, young people can get the coronavirus. They're wrong when they say they can't get it. They can get it. Eighteen to 49-year-olds represent 53 percent of the total cases in New York. This is not China, this is not South Korea, on the theory that I'm an American youth and therefore I have a superior immune system than China or South Korea. No. That theory is not correct. In New York, 53 percent of the cases, 18 to 49 years old.
Second fact, older people and those with compromised immune system, underlying illnesses, can die from the coronavirus. You're right the 18- to 49-year-old is probably not lethal but you can get it and you can get sick and it's a nasty illness and then you can transfer it to someone else. That's the case for young people. Older people, obviously if you're a vulnerable person it can be lethal.
Both facts are true and both facts have to be understood. Young people can get it, you will get sick, you probably won't die, but you can transfer it to someone who many very well die and you can transfer it even inadvertently without knowing you're doing it. You can touch a surface, walk away, a day later someone could sit at this table and put their hand in the same place and contract the virus.
I was in NYC yesterday. It was a pretty day. There is a density level in New York City that is wholly inappropriate. You would think there was nothing going on in parts of New York City. You would think it was just a bright, sunny Saturday. I don't know what I'm saying that people don't get. I'm normally accused of being overly blunt and direct and I take that. It's true. I don't know what they're not understanding. This is not life as usual. None of this is life as usual. This kind of density, we talk about social distancing, I was in these parks - you would not know that anything was going on. This is just a mistake. It's a mistake. It's insensitive, it's arrogant, it's self-destructive, it's disrespectful to other people and it has to stop and it has to stop now. This is not a joke and I am not kidding. We spoke with the Mayor of the City of New York and the Speaker of the City Council Corey Johnson. I told both of them that this is a problem in New York City. It's especially a problem in New York City parks.
New York City must develop an immediate plan to correct this situation. I want a plan that we can review in 24 hours so that we can approve it. There are many options. You have much less traffic in New York City because non-essential workers aren't going to work. Get creative. Open streets to reduce the density. You want to go for a walk? God bless you. You want to go for a run? God bless you. But let's open streets, let's open space - that's where people should be, in open spaces areas, not in dense locations. There is no group activity in parks. That is not the point. We spoke about it the other day. Also I saw kids playing basketball yesterday. I play basketball. There is no concept of social distancing while playing basketball. It doesn't exist. You can't stay six feet away from a person playing basketball. You can, but then you're a lousy basketball player and you're going to lose. You just cannot do that.
We also have bigger parks in New York City. We opened Shirley Chisolm parks in Brooklyn. 400 acres. Van Cortlandt Park. There are big parks, there are big spaces. That's where you want to be. But we need a plan from New York City, I want it in 24 hours because this is a significant problem that has to be corrected.
In terms of numbers, I said yesterday, New York is testing more people any state in the country and per capita more than any country on the globe. That is a positive accomplishment, pardon the pun, because we want testing, we want more testing. We ramped up very quickly, we're doing it better than anyone else. That is a good thing because when you identify a positive, then you can isolate that person and that's exactly what we're trying to do. When you increase the number of tests, you're going to increase the number of people who test positive. The numbers show exactly that. We have now tested 61,000 people. Newly tested, 15,000 people. These numbers just are exponential to what is being done anywhere else in the country. That's why you're going to see much higher numbers than anywhere else.
Total number of new cases, 15,000. I'm sorry - total number of cases, 15,000. Total number of new cases, 4,800 new cases. You see the state - more and more counties, we're just down to a handful of counties now where we don't have existing cases. As I said, that is going to be 100% covered, it's just a matter of time.
On the hospitalization rate, which is a number that I watch very closely, it's 1,900 cases out of 15,000. 13%. 13% is actually lower than it has been. We've been running at 15%, 16%, as high as 20%. This is 13%. This is the key indicator because this is saying how many people are going to come in to your healthcare system as the number goes up. So, this is not bad news.
Across the country, you see New York now has 15,000 cases. Washington State, 1,600. California, 1,500. So we have roughly 15 times the number of cases. Now, do we really have 15 times the number of cases? You don't know. We're testing much more than anyone else. So that is a major factor in this. But I have no doubt that we have more cases. We have more density, we have more people from other countries who come to New York than any other states, so I have no reason to believe that we don't have more. I don't believe we have 15 times more - I believe that's also a factor that we test more than anyone else.
114 deaths in New York, total number of deaths 374 in the country. And that is a sobering, sad, and really distressing fact that should give everyone pause because that's what this is all about is saving lives and we've lost 114 New Yorkers. Keeping it all in perspective, Johns Hopkins has followed this from day one. 311,000 cases. 13,000 deaths. Statewide deaths, to the extent we can research the cause of death and the demographics of death, what we're seeing roughly. 70% of those who passed away were 70 years old or older. And the majority had underlying health conditions, okay? So it is what we said it was. Approximately 80% of the deaths of those under 70 years old had an underlying health condition. So, young people can get it. Young people will get sick. Young people can transfer. Mortality, lethality, older, compromised immune system, underlying illness. That's what we're seeing. But even within that population, the capacity of our healthcare system can save those lives. It doesn't mean just because you're 80 and you have a compromised immune system or you have an underlying health condition and you get coronavirus, you must pass away. That's going to depend on how good our healthcare system is. But, in terms of overall perspective, I'm afraid for myself, I'm afraid for my sister, I'm afraid for my child, older, underlying illness, be very very very careful. This gets back to Matilda's Law, this gets back to my mother. That's my fear - it gets back to nursing home, senior care facilities, et cetera.
Personal advice, this is not factual. I try to present facts. I try to present everything I know. I try to present unbiased facts. I try to present numbers because people need information. When you get anxious, when you get fearful, when you don't get the information or you doubt the information, or you think people do not know what they are talking about, or you think you are getting lied to, so I present facts. This is personal advice. This is not factual. So it is all gratuitous. You can take it and you can throw it in the pail.
But we have to think this situation through. Don't be reactive at this point to this situation. Yes, you are out of control in many ways. You are out of control to this virus. You are out of work. Situations are changing. They are not in your control. You don't even know how long this is going to go on. This is a very frightening feeling, that is true.
You can also take back some control. Start to anticipate and plan for what is going to go on. Plan for the negatives and plan for the positives. There are going to be negative and there are going to be positives. There are real economic on sequences. How do you handle the economic consequences? You are not alone. It is everyone in the United States, that is why you see this federal government acting quickly to get funding into the pockets of families who need it. But think through what the economics mean.
Think through the social issues and the social impact of this. Think through the emotional issues of this. It would be unnatural if you did not have a flood or emotions going on. It would be unnatural, if you didn't have a lot of emotions going on. It would be unnatural. Either you wouldn't understand what was happening or you wouldn't appreciate it, but if you know the facts and you understand what's going on, you have to have a flood of individual emotions, positive and negative and anticipate it. You know, "Stay home, stay home, stay home," well when you stay home, remember the old expression, "Cabin fever," right? You stay home alone - you don't want to be isolated emotionally. You can be isolated physically - you don't want to be isolated emotionally. You want to keep those physical connections. You want to talk to people, you want to write letters, you want to have emotional connectivity. That is very important. If you're not alone and you're in the house with the family, and the kids and everybody's together - that's a different set of emotional complexities. Being in that enclosed environment, normally the kids are out, everybody's going to work, you're only together a short period of time of the day.
Now you're all in the same place for 24 hours. I remember when the kids were young, what it was like, it was pure joy, but I remember what it was like to be with them for multiple hours and it's complicated. I live alone - I'm even getting annoyed with the dog, being in one place. So think that through because that is real, and it's going to go on for a period of time. This is not a short-term situation. This is not a long weekend. This is not a week. The timeline, nobody can tell you, it depends on how we handle it, but 40 percent, up to 80 percent of the population will wind up getting this virus. All we're trying to do is slow the spread but it will spread. It is that contagious. Again, that's nothing to panic over. You saw the numbers. Unless you're older with an underlying illness, etcetera, it's something that you're going to resolve but it's going to work its way through society. We'll manage that capacity rate but it is going to be four months, six months, nine months.
You look at China, once they really changed the trajectory which we have not done yet, eight months, we're in that range. Nobody has a crystal ball. Nobody can tell you. Well I want to know. I want to know. I need to know. Nobody can tell you. I've spoken to more people on this issue than 99 percent of the people in this country. No one can tell you. Not from the superb Dr. Fauci to the World Health Organization to the National Institute of Health, but it is in that range so start to plan accordingly.
It's going to be hard. There is no doubt. I'm not minimizing it and I don't think you should either but at the same time it is going to be okay. We don't want to overreact either. The grocery stores are going to function, there is going to be food, the transportation systems are going to function, the pharmacies are going to be open, all essential services will be maintained. There's not going to be chaos, there's not going to be anarchy, order and function will be maintained.
Life is going to go on. Different - but life is going to go on. So there's no reason to be going to grocery stores and hoarding food. You see all this overreaction on the TV everyday which makes you think maybe I'm missing it, maybe I should run to the store and buy toilet paper. No. Life is going to go on. The toilet paper is going to be there tomorrow. So a deep breath on all of that.
But I do believe that whatever this is 4 months, 6 months, 9 months - we are going to be the better for it. They talk about the greatest generation, the generation that survived World War II. Dealing with hardship actually makes you stronger. Life on the individual level, on the collective level, on the social level. Life is not about avoiding challenges. Challenges are going to come your way. Life is going to knock you on your rear end at one point. Something will happen. And then life becomes about overcoming those challenges. That's what life is about. And that's what this country is about.
America is America because we overcome adversity and challenges. That's how we were born. That's what we've done all our life. We overcome challenges and this is a period of challenge for this generation. And that's what has always made America great and that's what going to make this generation great. I believe that to the bottom of my soul. We will overcome this and America will be the greater for it. And my hope is that New York is going to lead the way forward and together we will.
March 22, 2020.
Audio & Rush Transcript: Governor Cuomo is a Guest on CNN With Wolf Blitzer. https://www.governor.ny.gov/news/audio-rush-transcript-governor-cuomo-guest-cnn-wolf-blitzer
Governor Cuomo: "In New York, we have already closed every valve that we can close. We learned from China. We learned from South Korea, and Italy. The lesson was loud and clear. Do everything you can as soon as you can, and that's exactly what we've done here in New York. I can't do anything else. I'm at zero non-essential workers. You can't go below zero. So we have everything off. Now, we keep testing. We keep tracking the positives. Isolate the positives. Slow the spread. Increase the hospital capacity and in the meantime, get the darn masks and ventilators and the PPE equipment."
Cuomo: "I have apparel manufacturers who I'm asking to stop making dresses, to start making the masks that people wear. This is what the federal government should be doing, and they should be doing it with their federal authority under the Defense Production At."
Cuomo: "Forget this Democrat, Republican. We're all Americans. And that's what matters, Wolf. Nothing else matters at this time. And I believe the President can do a great service for this country. Take over the supply of medical equipment. Let him buy it. Let him use his legal authority to the fullest extent. It's warranted and the people of this country will thank him."
Earlier today, Governor Andrew M. Cuomo was a guest on CNN with Wolf Blitzer to discuss New York's plan to combat the COVID-19 pandemic.
AUDIO is available here.
A rush transcript of the Governor's interview is available below:
Wolf Blitzer: Joining us now, the Governor of New York, Andrew Cuomo. Governor, thank you so much for joining us. I know you have a ton of work you've got to do. It's so good of you to share some share some thoughts with out viewers here in the United States and around the world. You said something so dramatic, so powerful earlier in the day. I'd like you to elaborate. You said unless something is done, you estimate between 40 and 80 percent of the residents of New York State, we're talking millions of people potentially, will wind up getting infected with the coronavirus? Explain what you had in mind.
Governor Cuomo: Thank you, Wolf. Our projections looking at the numbers, looking at the trajectory and looking at what has happened in other countries is you're going to see that number continue to increase. The virus is that contagious. Remember, this is a virus that can live on the surface for two days. So when you get a dense environment like a New York City, a Los Angeles, a Chicago, the infection rate is going to be tremendous. We estimate anywhere between 40 to 80 percent of the entire population. What we're trying to do now is just slow that rate so that it doesn't overwhelm the hospital system because that's when we would have a real tragedy.
Wolf Blitzer: So what are the most important things you've got to do right now working in conjunction clearly with the federal government?
Governor Cuomo: Well, first, I said this morning, the clip you referred to, I think the federal government should nationalize the supply chain. They should take over the acquisition of all the medical supplies. You hear all day long about how people are running out of masks and PPE and protective gear, ventilators, et cetera. We now have a situation where every state on its own is trying to acquire these goods, and, Wolf, we're actually competing against each other. So we find a mask manufacturer, I'm trying to contract with them, California's trying to contract with them, Texas is trying to contract with them. Masks that we paid 85 cents for, we're now paying $7. Okay? Why have all of these states competing against each other to buy the equipment and have hospitals saying, we're going to close down if we don't get the equipment? Let the federal government take over that responsibility. A situation like this, you do what you can and everyone does what they do best. Here, the federal government should say, I'll do all the acquisition, stop competing against each other, and then the federal government allocates that equipment, depending on need. They know where the cases are. They know what the situation in New York versus California. Let them acquire. Let them distribute. That's the best role for the federal government. By the way, I said the exact opposite theory last week on testing. The federal government was doing all the testing, and that then was a bottleneck. I said, give the states the testing obligation. I have 200 laboratories. I can do it faster than you can. So sometimes the states are better equipped. Sometimes the federal government is better equipped. When it comes to buying the supplies and the volume, stop the price gouging, let the federal government take the responsibility, and number two, let them use the Federal Defense Production Act where the President can say to the manufacturers, I want you to use these products. Stop making what you're making. Make these because it's a matter of public health and actually get those big factories, those big machines, turned on to produce this equipment for the good of the people of United States.
Wolf Blitzer: I know you've had a steady stream of phone conversations with your fellow New Yorker, the President of the United States. I assume you've raised these issues with him. What does he say?
Governor Cuomo: The President has started down this track. He's doing voluntary public-private sector partnerships where he's asked companies to step forward and actually help make ventilators, et cetera. I think he should now take it to the next step and say I am invoking my legal right to order the production of these goods so we know the amount, we know the supply, we know the cost, we stop the competition. Theres' no reason why you should have hospitals across this country not having masks and gowns. This is not what we're supposed to be battling. We're supposed to be battling the virus, not masks and gowns and test tubes.
So I think the President should step it up. And he is a fellow New Yorker and I think this is the kind of guy he is. He is an executive. He is a get it done guy. In this situation, this is how you get it done. If I were President of the United States, this is what I would do. As Governor, if I had this legal power, you're darn right I would say to the companies in this state, you must produce these materials. You must run that factory 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. I will pay you -- it's not a favor. I will pay you. But we need the essential medical equipment. We have nurses, doctors - these people are heroes - they're putting their lives at risk. At least get them the right equipment.
Wolf Blitzer: Yeah they're putting their lives on the line right now. You can't expect them to go in and deal with these patients if they don't have the right proper masks and gowns and surgical equipment and everything that they really need. The President tweeted a little while ago, another tweet that certain governors, in his words, shouldn't be blaming the federal government for their own shortcomings. He cited the Governor of Illinois, J.B. Pritzker. What do you say to that? He's going after the Governor of Illinois for example, right now.
Governor Cuomo: Look, everyone has their own style in life. I am working cooperatively with the President. This is not the time for politics. This is not a time for venting personal feelings. My feelings are wholly irrelevant. I have one job, I have one mission and that is to help the people of the State of New York. I said to the President, I put my hand out in partnership, if you can help my people, if you can help this country God bless you, I will do everything I can to do it with you. Forget this Democrat, Republican. We're all Americans. And that's what matters, Wolf. Nothing else matters at this time. And I believe the president can do a great service for this country. Take over the supply of medical equipment. Let him buy it. Let him use his legal authority to the fullest extent. It's warranted and the people of this country will thank him.
Wolf Blitzer: Let's see if he does that. There's a briefing at the White House, as you know, at 4:30 p.m. eastern. When it's scheduled, usually runs a little bit late. The coronavirus task force usually shows up for that. See if he shows up and makes the statement you and so many of your fellow governors would like to hear, so much of the American public would like to hear as well. As you're going forward the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, I take it, in New York City and New York State, getting ready to build hospitals - temporary hospitals all over - not only in New York but elsewhere as well. How's that going?
Governor Cuomo: I went out yesterday and did the final scouting of sites. We took basically state universities that have big dormitories, big field houses where we can build inside that field house a temporary hospital, temporary medical facility. So we're building two. We have two sites on Long Island. One in Westchester where we have a terrible hot spot and then at the Jacob Javits center in Manhattan, one of the largest convention centers in the country, and we've cleared those sides. I cut all the red tape. I said to the Army Corps of Engineers and FEMA, as soon as you can get here, we are ready to go. We cleared the buildings. I asked them to come tomorrow morning. I'm ready. I want to get up as many new hospital beds as possible, because at the current rate, Wolf, we don't have half enough hospital beds. We don't have a third enough ICU beds, intensive care unit beds, with ventilators. So we need tremendous capacity added immediately. We did our part. The president called out the Army Corps of Engineers. I applaud him for it. He signed what's called the Declaration of Disaster for New York with FEMA, Federal Emergency Management Agency. I applaud him for that. Now let's get to work. You know? We have all the paperwork done. Let's put the shovel in the ground, and let's do it tomorrow.
Wolf Blitzer: Before I let you go, I want you to elaborate on the headline that you delivered earlier today - that 40 percent to 80 percent potentially of the citizens and people of New York state - the population of New York, is what, about 15 million people? Is that right?
Governor Cuomo: Yes, 19 million.
Wolf Blitzer: Because I just want to say, if these steps are not taken and millions of people come down with coronavirus in New York State, even if the Army Corps of Engineers builds a lot of hospitals, you're not going to have enough hospitals.
Governor Cuomo: Well, that's the $64,000 question. It depends on what the rate of the increase and the rate of spread is. If you can get it over a period of months, then we could get it down to a rate that we could handle. Remember, let's not lose the forest for the trees, the overwhelming majority of people will self-resolve. Many people have had coronavirus, didn't even know it. We're talking about people who would need hospitalization, need acute beds. We're talking about senior citizens, immune compromised and people with underlying illnesses. That's the population we're talking about, but they will need acute beds. So get down the rate of spread so the hospital system can deal with it, increase the capacity of the hospital system at the same time, but that's who you're dealing with - that acute population. I don't believe for a minute that we don't see the spread. The only question is, how fast and how far?
Wolf Blitzer: One final question before I let you go, Governor. How long is this going to continue, based on what your experts are telling you right now? The lockdown, the shelter in place and all of that in New York State, for example?
Governor Cuomo: You know, experts, Wolf, they never want to answer a direct question with a direct answer, because nobody really knows. But, look, if you said the range was four, six, eight, nine months, look at China, about eight months. Depending on what you do, how fast you close it down, is how fast you get out of it. But it's a number of months by anyone's calculus, and in New York, we have already closed every valve that we can close. We learned from China. We learned from South Korea, and Italy. The lesson was loud and clear. Do everything you can as soon as you can, and that's exactly what we've done here in New York. I can't do anything else. I'm at zero non-essential workers. You can't go below zero. So we have everything off. Now, we keep testing. We keep tracking the positives. Isolate the positives. Slow the spread. Increase the hospital capacity and in the meantime, get the darn masks and ventilators and the PPE equipment. That's simple. I mean, I have apparel manufacturers who I'm asking to stop making dresses, to start making the masks that people wear. This is what the federal government should be doing, and they should be doing it with their federal authority under the Defense Production At.
Wolf Blitzer: Let's see what they announce, if anything, along those lines, later at the White House briefing. We will, of course, have live coverage of that. Thanks so much for everything you're doing, Governor Cuomo. I know the stakes right now are enormous for everyone in New York, around the country, indeed around the world. We're grateful for what you're doing. Appreciate you joining us.
Governor Cuomo: Thank you, and I think someone turns 21 years old today, Wolf. I'm not sure who, but somebody.
Wolf Blitzer: I have no idea who you're talking about. Thanks.
March 23, 2020.
Video, Audio, Photos & Rush Transcript: Governor Cuomo: In Time of COVID-19 Pandemic be 'Socially Distanced, But Spiritually Connected' https://www.governor.ny.gov/news/video-audio-photos-rush-transcript-governor-cuomo-time-covid-19-pandemic-be-socially-distanced
Governor Cuomo: "We are going to have time. And the question is how do we use this time positively?"
Cuomo: "Finding the silver lining, the positive. Life is going to be quieter for a matter of months. Everything will function. Life will function. Everything will normal operations, there won't be chaos There's less noise. You know what, that can be a good thing in some ways. You have more time. You have more flexibility. You can do some of those things that you haven't done, that you kept saying, 'Well I'd love to be able to, I'd love to be able to.' Well now you can. You have more time with family."
Cuomo: "For myself, this young lady, Cara, is with me. She would never be here otherwise But I'm now going to be with Cara literally for a few months. What a beautiful gift that is, right? I would have never had that chance. And that is precious, and then after this is over she's gone, she's flown the nest. She's going to go do her thing, but this crazy situation is crazy as it is, came with this beautiful gift. So one door closes, another door opens. Think about that."
Cuomo: "Realize the timeframe we're expecting, make peace with it and find a way to help each other through this situation because it's hard for everyone. And the goal for me - socially distanced but spiritually connected. How do you achieve socially distanced but spiritually connected?"
Earlier today, Governor Andrew M. Cuomo urged Americans to be 'socially distanced, but spiritually connected' during the time of the COVID-19 pandemic.
VIDEO of the Governor's remarks is available on YouTube here and in TV quality (h.264, mp4) format here.
PHOTOS will be available on the Governor's Flickr page.
A rush transcript of the Governor's remarks is available below:
I said don't be reactive, be productive, be proactive. Somebody, a few people have said to me afterwards, well what did that mean? That happens to me often. Look, this can go on for several months, okay? Nobody can tell you is it four months, six months, eight months, nine months - but it is several months.
We all have to now confront that that is a new reality. That is not going to change. You are not going to turn on the news tomorrow morning and they are going to say surprise, surprise this is all now resolved in two weeks. That is not going to happen. So, deal with this reality. Understand the negative effect of this, which I have spoken to personally because these are personally negative effect. You do not feel them governmentally, you feel them personally. You feel then in your own life.
And don't underestimate the emotional trauma and don't underestimate the pain of isolation. It is real. This is not the human condition - not to be comforted, not to be close, to be afraid and you can't hug someone. Billy and Steve walked in today. I had not seen them in months. I can't shake their hands. I can't hug them. You know this is all unnatural. My daughter came up. I can't give her the embrace and the kiss that I want to give her. This is all unnatural and disorienting. And it is not you, it is everyone. It's the condition.
And we are going to have time. And the question is how do we use this time positively? Also, at the same time we have to learn from this experience because we were not ready to deal with this and other situations will happen. Other situations will happen and let's at least learn from this to be prepared for the next situation as dramatic as this one has been.
Also finding the silver lining, the positive. Life is going to be quieter for a matter of months. Everything will function. Life will function. Everything will normal operations, there won't be chaos. The stores will have groceries. Gas stations will have gasoline. There's no reason for extraordinary anxiety. But it is going to change. You won't be at work, you can't be sitting at restaurants, you're not going to be going to birthday parties, you don't have to go to business conferences on the weekends. There's less noise. You know what, that can be a good thing in some ways: You have more time. You have more flexibility. You can do some of those things that you haven't done, that you kept saying, "Well I'd love to be able to, I'd love to be able to." Well now you can. You have more time with family.
And yes, I get family in cramped quarters can be difficult, but it's also the most precious commodity. For myself, this young lady, Cara, is with me. She would never be here otherwise. You know, I'm dad, right? The last thing you want to be when you're in Cara's position is hang out with the old man and hang out with dad and hear bad dad jokes, you know - they'll come with the holidays, they'll come when I give them heavy guilt, but I'm now going to be with Cara literally for a few months. What a beautiful gift that is, right? I would have never had that chance. And that is precious, and then after this is over she's gone, she's flown the nest. She's going to go do her thing, but this crazy situation is crazy as it is, came with this beautiful gift. So one door closes, another door opens. Think about that.
And as I said, normal operations will continue. As I said from day one, the level of anxiety is not connected to facts, there is no chaos the net effect - many people will get the virus, but few will be truly endangered. Hold both of those facts in your hands: Many will get it, up to 80 percent may get it, but few are truly endangered and we know who they are. Realize the timeframe we're expecting, make peace with it and find a way to help each other through this situation because it's hard for everyone. And the goal for me: Socially distanced but spiritually connected. How do you achieve socially distanced but spiritually connected?
March 23, 2020.
Amid Ongoing COVID-19 Pandemic, Governor Cuomo Announces Initial Delivery of Equipment and Supplies for Javits Center Temporary Hospital. https://www.governor.ny.gov/news/amid-ongoing-covid-19-pandemic-governor-cuomo-announces-initial-delivery-equipment-and-supplies
Federal Administration Has Deployed Hundreds of Thousands of Masks, Gloves, Gowns and Face Shields to New York
Former Secretaries to the Governor Steve Cohen, Bill Mulrow & Larry Schwartz Join Governor's COVID-19 Task Force — Tasks Murrow & Cohen with Developing 'NYS Forward' Plan, Strategy to Restart the Economy Following 'NYS on Pause'
Signs Executive Order Mandating Hospitals Increase Capacity by at Least 50 Percent - Goal of 100 Percent Increase in Capacity
Announces DFS Will Request Health Insurers Disclose Number of Registered Nurses, Doctors Who Work for Them So State Can Ask to Temporarily Serve
FDA Has Approved Use of New Experimental Drug in New York on a Compassionate Care Basis
State Opens Drive-Thru Test Facility in the Bronx — State has Opened 6 Mobile Facilities to Date
Launches 'New York Stronger Together' Campaign — Celebrities Sending Videos of Themselves at Home to Reinforce Governor's Message That Young People Need to Stay Home to Help Stop the Spread — Watch Videos from Robert De Niro, Danny DeVito, Ben Stiller and LaLa Anthony
Confirms 5,707 Additional Coronavirus Cases in New York State - Bringing Statewide Total to 20,875; New Cases in 36 Counties
Governor Andrew M. Cuomo announced an initial delivery of hospital supplies to the Jacob K. Javits Center where FEMA has started to build a 1,000-bed temporary hospital that will help increase New York's hospital capacity to combat COVID-19 and open next week. This is in addition to the four sites selected by the Army Corps of Engineers that will create temporary hospitals in downstate New York with total capacity up to 4,000. The federal administration has deployed 339,760 N-95 masks, 861,700 surgical masks, 353,300 gloves, 145,122 gowns and 197,085 face shields to New York State, with many state supplies already located at the Javits Center.
The Governor also announced that three former Secretaries to the Governor — Steve Cohen, Bill Mulrow and Larry Schwartz — are joining the Governor's COVID-19 Task Force. Mulrow and Cohen will be tasked with developing aNYS Forward Plan - a strategy to restart the economy following the NYS on Pause executive order. Schwartz is tasked with helping the State acquire healthcare equipment and supplies and increasing New York's hospital surge capacity.
Governor Cuomo today signed an executive order requiring all hospitals to increase capacity by a minimum of 50 percent, with a goal of increasing capacity by 100 percent.
To support hospital surge capacity, the Governor also announced the State Department of Financial Services is requesting that health insurers disclose the number of nurses, doctors and other health professionals they employ so the state can reach out to those employees and ask them to temporarily serve in the medical field during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
The Governor also announced that the FDA has approved the use of a new experimental drug in New York on a compassionate care basis to help treat patients with COVID-19. The trial will use antibody injections to help stimulate and promote individuals' immune systems against the virus.
Governor Cuomo also announced that the federal government has agreed to cover 100 percent of the cost for the National Guard. Separately, the Governor has also requested 100 percent federal cost share under New York's major disaster declaration that was approved on Friday, March 20th.
We know that the most effective way to reduce the rate of spread of the virus is to reduce density and increase testing
Governor Cuomo
Additionally, the Governor announced that the state is opening a drive-thru COVID-19 mobile testing facility in the Bronx. This follows the success of the mobile testing centers in New Rochelle, Rockland County, Staten Island and Long Island in addition to the Bronx. Drive-through mobile testing facilities help keep people who are sick or at risk of having contracted coronavirus out of healthcare facilities where they could infect other people. New York is currently testing more than 16,000 people per day, more than any other state and more than China and South Korea on a per capital basis.
The Governor also launched the 'NY Stronger Together' campaign urging New Yorkers to stay home, stop the spread and save lives. As part of the campaign, celebrities including Robert De Niro, Danny DeVito, Ben Stiller and La La Anthony have sent videos of themselves at home to reinforce the Governor's message that young people must stay home not for themselves, but to help protect older and more vulnerable New Yorkers. The campaign will also aim to highlight donations from major corporations, celebrities, philanthropic organizations to help increase the state's supply capacity.
"We know that the most effective way to reduce the rate of spread of the virus is to reduce density and increase testing, and we have a plan in place to do just that," Governor Cuomo said. "We've taken every action that government can take to reduce density and we are testing more than any other state in country, and now we must focus on increasing our hospital capacity and our supply stockpile as quickly as we can to ensure our healthcare system is prepared to handle the apex of the wave. We also still have issues with density control, especially in New York City, and we are continuing to encourage all New Yorkers to think of others and stay inside as much as possible to protect our most vulnerable populations."
Finally, the Governor confirmed 5,707 additional cases of novel coronavirus, bringing the statewide total to 20,875 confirmed cases in New York State. Of the 20,875 total individuals who tested positive for the virus, the geographic breakdown is as follows:
County
Total Positive
New Positive
Albany
127
4
Allegany
2
0
Broome
7
4
Cayuga
2
2
Chenango
3
0
Clinton
6
2
Columbia
10
5
Cortland
2
1
Delaware
3
0
Dutchess
100
18
Erie
87
33
Essex
3
0
Fulton
1
0
Genesee
1
0
Greene
4
2
Hamilton
2
0
Herkimer
4
0
Jefferson
2
1
Livingston
3
1
Madison
4
3
Monroe
76
19
Montgomery
3
0
Nassau
2,442
542
Niagara
10
4
NYC
12,305
3,260
Oneida
7
2
Onondaga
52
23
Ontario
6
0
Orange
389
142
Oswego
1
1
Otsego
1
1
Putnam
45
8
Rensselaer
29
3
Rockland
592
137
Saratoga
53
12
Schenectady
44
5
Schoharie
1
0
St. Lawrence
1
0
Steuben
4
1
Suffolk
1,458
424
Sullivan
23
7
Tioga
1
0
Tompkins
15
2
Ulster
35
9
Warren
2
1
Washington
3
2
Wayne
6
3
Westchester
2,894
1,021
Wyoming
4
2
March 23, 2020.
Video, Audio, Photos & Rush Transcript: Amid Ongoing COVID-19 Pandemic, Governor Cuomo Announces Initial Delivery of Equipment and Supplies for Javits Center Temporary Hospital. https://www.governor.ny.gov/news/video-audio-photos-rush-transcript-amid-ongoing-covid-19-pandemic-governor-cuomo-announces-0
Federal Administration Has Deployed Hundreds of Thousands of Masks, Gloves, Gowns and Face Shields to New York
Former Secretaries to the Governor Steve Cohen, Bill Mulrow & Larry Schwartz Join Governor's COVID-19 Task Force — Tasks Mulrow & Cohen with Developing 'NYS Forward' Plan, Strategy to Restart the Economy Following 'NYS on Pause'
Signs Executive Order Mandating Hospitals Increase Capacity by at Least 50 Percent - Goal of 100 Percent Increase in Capacity
Announces DFS Will Request Health Insurers Disclose Number of Registered Nurses, Doctors Who Work for Them So State Can Ask to Temporarily Serve
FDA Has Approved Use of New Experimental Drug in New York on a Compassionate Care Basis
State Opens Drive-Thru Test Facility in the Bronx — State has Opened 6 Mobile Facilities to Date
Launches 'New York Stronger Together' Campaign — Celebrities Sending Videos of Themselves at Home to Reinforce Governor's Message That Young People Need to Stay Home to Help Stop the Spread — Watch Videos from Robert De Niro, Danny DeVito, Ben Stiller and LaLa Anthony
Confirms 5,707 Additional Coronavirus Cases in New York State - Bringing Statewide Total to 20,875; New Cases in 36 Counties
Governor Cuomo: "We implemented New York PAUSE, which stopped all the nonessential workers, et cetera. We have to start to think about New York Forward. Steve Cohen and Bill Mulrow, who I worked with for 30 years, they're now in the private sector, they're going to start to think about this. How do you restart or transition to a restart of the economy? How do you dovetail that with a public health strategy? As you're identifying people who have had the virus and have resolved, can they start to go back to work? Can younger people start to go back to work because they're more much tolerant to the effect of the virus? So, how do you - you turned off the engine quickly, how do you now start or begin to restart or plan the restart of that economic engine? Separate task, but something that we have to focus on."
Cuomo: "Many people will get the virus, but few will be truly endangered. Hold both of those facts in your hands: Many will get it, up to 80 percent may get it, but few are truly endangered and we know who they are. Realize the timeframe we're expecting, make peace with it and find a way to help each other through this situation because it's hard for everyone. And the goal for me: Socially distanced but spiritually connected.
Governor Andrew M. Cuomo announced an initial delivery of hospital supplies to the Jacob K. Javits Center where FEMA has started to build a 1,000-bed temporary hospital that will help increase New York's hospital capacity to combat COVID-19 and open next week. This is in addition to the four sites selected by the Army Corps of Engineers that will create temporary hospitals in downstate New York with total capacity up to 4,000. The federal administration has deployed 339,760 N-95 masks, 861,700 surgical masks, 353,300 gloves, 145,122 gowns and 197,085 face shields to New York State, with many state supplies already located at the Javits Center.
VIDEO of the Governor's remarks is available on YouTube here and in TV quality (h.264, mp4) format here.
PHOTOS will be available on the Governor's Flickr page.
A rush transcript of the Governor's remarks is available below:
Good morning, everyone. Happy Monday, I hope your weekend was a good one. The weekend is a little different when you're not working during the week. Let me introduce the people who are here today. We have Dr. Howard Zucker starting to my left, who everybody knows. Our great Health Commissioner. We have Steven Cohen, who was Secretary to the Governor, 2010-2011. He also was the top assistant in the Attorney General's office when I worked there. Former federal prosecutor and he's now with MacAndrews and Forbes. Robert Mujica the Budget Director.
Cara Kennedy-Cuomo, who gives me great joy that she is going to be helping us out. When I was her age, I came and worked with my father in this room as Special Assistant to the Governor for one dollar a year. My father never gave me the dollar a year. I will give you a dollar a year. But she's not working, for obvious reasons, and now she's here to help and that's a joy to me.
Melissa DeRosa, who everybody knows. She worked for President Obama, she was Chief of Staff to the Attorney General. She's been working with me for seven years. She's current Secretary to the Governor. Larry Schwartz, former Deputy County Executive Suffolk, former Deputy County Executive Westchester, former Secretary to the Governor Patterson, and former Secretary to the Governor under Governor Cuomo, 2011-2015. And Bill Mulrow, financial expert, Secretary to the Governor 2015-2017.
The reason I wanted you to meet these people, in some ways it's like putting the band back together, but it's also the most competent group of government professionals that you could put together to address this difficult time. I've worked with these people for 30 years, we've gone through all sorts of different situations together. We did superstorm Sandy together, the Ebola virus together, we've had problems with the federal government. We've built airports, roads, bridges. So they are just the best team that you could have working on behalf of the state of New York. I thank them all very much for their help and their assistance and their voluntarism because most of them are not getting paid. You're getting a dollar.
The increase in the number of cases continues and that is what we are watching every day. They see it as an upward trajectory. I see it as a wave that will break at one point and the question is what is the point of the break, and if when the wave breaks does it crash over the healthcare system? That is what we have been talking about.
So, two track simultaneously, you have to reduce the spread, the rate of spread of the virus. You are not going to control the spread, but you can reduce the rate of the spread so you can handle it in you hospital system. That is what every state is doing. That is what this is all about. How do you reduce the rate of spread? Reduce the density, do more testing, isolate the people who test positive. Second track, increase hospital capacity as quickly as you can so that at the apex of the wave you have the hospital capacity for the people who will need the hospital capacity, which are the vulnerable people that we have been talking about.
Reducing the spread, density control, we have taken every action that government can take: closed the gyms, theaters, other high density businesses, non-essential employees, social distancing, Matilda's law. Remember, this is about protecting vulnerable people: older people, compromised immune systems, underlying illness. Those are the people that are vulnerable here. That is the focus of all of this.
The greatest density control issue right now is in New York City. I saw the issue myself. I told New York City I want a plan. Yesterday, I said I want a plan on how they are going to control and reduce the density. I want the plan today. I want the State to be able to approve the plan. It has to focus on young people and the gathering of young people. I have said it before, you can get it. The numbers show you can get it if you're a young person and you can transmit it and it's reckless and it's violative of your civic spirit and duty as a citizen as far as I'm concerned. If New York City needs legislation to enact their plan once we approve it I would ask New York City to pass that legislation quickly. If they have a problem passing legislation they should let me know.
Also on reducing the spread, increase the testing capacity. When you identify somebody positive isolate that person. What we've done on testing is important. March 13 is when the State got the authority to start testing. Up until then the federal government was controlling all the testing and it was going through that bottleneck of a federal government. I don't mean that in a pejorative way but it had to go through the FDA, the CDC. I said decentralize that task. Let the states do it.
March 13 the FDA allowed the State to start testing. In 10 days, we've gone from testing 1,000 people per day to 16,000 people per day. How much is that? That's more than any other state in the United States is testing. That's more per capita than South Korea which was the gold standard of testing. They were doing 20,000 per day. On a much larger population, about double the population of New York, so we're doing 16,000 which compared to China, South Korea per capita is even higher. So in short we're doing more testing than anyone.
Two points off that: kudos to the team that put that testing in place and the nurses and the doctors, God bless them for being out there every day and doing it, but also our numbers will be higher on positives because we're doing more tests. We have multiple locations that are working now and we'll be increasing those locations.
Second track, increase hospital capacity, increase the number of beds, we have 53,000, we may need 110, we have 3,000 ICU beds, we may need between 18,000 to 37,000. That's my greatest concern because that's where we need ventilators to turn those ICU beds into beds for people suffering from the virus.
We are today issuing an emergency order that says to all hospitals you must increase your capacity by 50 percent. You must. Mandatory directive from the State - find more beds, use more rooms, you must increase your capacity 50 percent.
We would ask you to try to increase your capacity 100 percent. Okay? So we now have 53,000 beds. We need 110,000 beds. If they increased the capacity 100 percent that solves the mathematical projection. Right? I think it's unreasonable to say to every hospital basically double your capacity. I don't think it's unreasonable to say try to reach 100 percent increase but you must reach a 50 percent increase. Fifty percent increase, we're only at 75,000 beds. We still have a problem between 75,000 and 110,000.
Once you secure the bed you have to secure the staff. You are going to have staff that are getting sick and need to be replaced. You create these new beds, you don't have the staff for those new beds now. They just don't exist. Your staffing is to your number of beds. You increase the number of beds you need more staff.
We are going to the entire retired community, health care professionals who are licensed, registered and we're saying we want you to enlist to help. It's not a mandatory directive. I can't legally - well I probably could legally - ask them to come into State service. But this is just a request. We put it out. We've gotten very good response. There are hundreds of thousands of health care professionals who are licensed and registered in this state but we have 30,000 responses to date and I'm doing an emergency Executive Order for all nurses who are registered to enlist and the Department of Financial Services is sending a directive to insurance companies. Health insurance companies employ many nurses, doctors, et cetera in the insurance business. We're saying, we don't need them in the insurance business now, we would like them to help in hospitals because this is not about assessing insurance claims at this point. This is about saving lives. When we get to assessing insurance claims, we can handle it then.
Supplies are the ongoing challenge nationwide. Masks, PPE, ventilators are the number one precious commodity. This is happening on an ad hoc basis We are competing with other states as I have said. We have made certain strides. We have a full team working on it, we're very aggressive. We're talking to other countries around the world. We're talking to companies. We have New York manufacturers who are really stepping up to the plate and converting factories, et cetera. But this is not the way to do it. This is ad hoc. I'm competing with other states. I'm bidding up other states on the prices. Because you have manufacturers who sit there and California offers them $4, and they say well California offered $4, I offer $5 and another state calls in and offers $6. It's not the way to do it.
I was speaking to Governor J.B. Pritzker about this yesterday. Why are we competing? Let the federal government put in place the Federal Defense Production Act. It does not nationalize any industry. All it does is say to a factory, "you must produce this quantity." That's all it does. I understand the voluntary public-private sector partnership, and there are a lot of good companies who are coming forward and saying let us help. But it can't just be who wants to help let me know. We need to know what the numbers of what we need produced and who is going to produce and when. I get that a lot of companies are stepping up and doing good things, and that's a beautiful thing. They're doing it here in New York too, but you can't run this operation that way. It can't just be based on we're waiting for people to come forward with offers and if you happen to get a lot of offers on gloves, then you have a lot of gloves. But if you get no offers on masks, then you don't have masks.
The Defense Production Act just says you can tell a company manufacture this many by this date. Yes, it is an assertion of government power on private sector companies, yes. But so what. This is a national emergency, and you're paying the private sector company They're going to produce a good and they're going to get paid, and by the way, they're going to get paid handsomely. You cannot continue to do these supplies on an ad hoc basis. We have had success securing supplies. We're going to be dispatching them across the state today. These are the number of goods that are going out. You heard on the news that, especially in New York City, they're worried about running out of supplies. Again, this won't get us through the entire situation, but this is a significant amount of supplies that will be going out. New York City, for example, 430,000 surgical masks, 176,000 pairs of gloves, 72,000 gowns, 98,000 face shields, 169,000 N95 masks, which are very precious now. They're about $7 a mask.
So, these are significant supplies. We have been having some success in gathering them and we're distributing them, and this should make a difference. Well, it will make a difference. Again, not until the end of the crisis, but short term. Hospital capacity: I'm on my way down to the Javits Center today. I want to make sure those hospitals are getting up right away, then we're going to use Stony Brook, we're going to use Westchester, we're going to use Old Westbury. President Trump did deliver yesterday. I put forward a series of requests in the morning. He did the briefing in the afternoon, and he responded to those requests. That's government working, that's government working quickly and I thank him for it. It makes a big difference to New York. We're getting those emergency hospitals. The Javits hospitals for example, those are 1,000 beds right there with the equipment, with the ventilators, and with the staffing. So, that's a big deal.
The president declared what's called a major disaster declaration. That allows FEMA, Federal Emergency management agency, to help us. There's normally a 75-25 split between the costs of those services. Federal government pays 75. The state pays 25. I said to the president I can't pay the 25. We just don't have those kinds of resources. The federal government has the authority to waive that 25 so the federal government pays the whole 100 percent. And that's what the president is doing [for the National Guard] and I appreciate that. I also asked for the FDA to expedite the approval of an experimental drug that we are working on here in the state of New York, which I'll tell you more about in a moment, and the president also did that the FDA gave the New York State Department of Health approval to use on a compassionate care basis a drug that we think has real possibility.
On the drug therapy, Tuesday we're going to start the hydroxychloroquine with the zithromax, that's the drug combination that eth president has been talking about. the FDA approved New York State Department of Health to proceed with an experimental drug, again on a compassionate care basis. But what it does is it takes the plasma from a person who has been infected with the virus. Processes the plasma and injects the antibodies into a person who is sick. And there have been tests that show when a person is injected with theantibodies, that then stimulates and promotes their immune system against that disease. It's only a trial. It's a trail for people who are in serious condition. But the New York State Department of Health has been working on this with some of New York's best healthcare agencies, and we think it shows promise. And we're going to be starting that this week. There's also work on a serological drug where you test the antibodies of a person and see if they had the virus already. We all believe, thousands and thousands of people have had the virus and self-resolved. If you knew that, you would know who is now immune to the virus and who you could send back to work, et cetera. So we're also working on that.
The numbers today, total tested up to 78,000, tested overnight, 24 hour period, 16,000. As of yesterday about 25 percent of all the testing nationwide is being produced right here. Number of positive cases, we are up to 20,000 statewide. 5,000 new cases, which is obviously a significant increase. And as I say that trajectory is going up, the wave is still going up, and we have a lot of work to do to get that rate down and get the hospital capacity up. You see it spreading across the state, the way it spread across the nation, and that will continue, my guess is every day. We have, right now on hospitalizations, 13 percent are being hospitalized. None of these numbers are good, but relatively that is a good number. Remember it's the rate of hospitalizations and the rate of people needing ICU beds. 13 percent is down, it has gone as high as 20 percent, 21 percent, hovered around 18 percent, 17 percent, 13 percent is a good number. Of that number, 24 percent require the ICU beds. The ICU beds are very important because those are the ventilators.
Most impacted states, you can see that New York far and away has the bulk of the problem. And that's relevant for the federal government, that's relevant for the Congressional delegation that is arguing for federal funds. Fund the need. Fund the need. New York, we have 20,000 cases, New Jersey, 1,900. California, 1,800. So, proportionately, in absolute terms, New York has by far the greatest need in the nation.
Again, to keep this all in perspective, Johns Hopkins has studied every case from the beginning. 349,000 cases. Death toll worldwide is 15,000, right? Many will get infected, but few will actually pass away from this disease. Also, this is all evolving and this is all evolution and we are still figuring it out. There has to be a balance or parallel tracks that we're going down. We're talking about public health, we're talking about isolation, we're talking about protecting lives.
There also has to be a parallel track that talks about economic viability. I take total responsibility for shutting off the economy in terms of essential workers. But, we also have to start to plan the pivot back to economic functionality, right? You can't stop the economy forever. So we have to start to think about does everyone stay out of work? Should young people go back to work sooner? Can we test for those who had the virus, resolved, and are now immune and can they start to go back to work? There's a theory of risk stratification that Dr. Katz who's at Yale University is working on, which is actually very interesting to me. Which says isolate people but really isolate the vulnerable people. Don't isolate everyone because some people, most people, are not vulnerable to it. And if you isolate all people you may be actually exposing the more vulnerable people by bringing in a person who is healthier and stronger and who may have been exposed to the virus, right? Can you get to a point where the healthy, the people who are most likely not going to be effected can go to work? Remember, you study the numbers across the countries that have been infected. The survival rate for those who have been infected is like 98%, right? A lot of people get it, very few people die from it.
So, how do we start to calculate that in? We implemented New York PAUSE, which stopped all the nonessential workers, et cetera. We have to start to think about New York Forward. Steve Cohen and Bill Mulrow, who I worked with for 30 years, they're now in the private sector, they're going to start to think about this. How do you restart or transition to a restart of the economy? How do you dovetail that with a public health strategy? As you're identifying people who have had the virus and have resolved, can they start to go back to work? Can younger people start to go back to work because they're more much tolerant to the effect of the virus? So, how do you - you turned off the engine quickly, how do you now start or begin to restart or plan the restart of that economic engine? Separate task, but something that we have to focus on.
I offered my personal opinion yesterday - I separate my personal opinion from the facts. You can disregard my personal opinion. You can disregard the facts, but they are still facts. I said don't be reactive, be productive, be proactive. Somebody, a few people have said to me afterwards, well what did that mean? That happens to me often. Look, this can go on for several months, okay? Nobody can tell you is it four months, six months, eight months, nine months - but it is several months.
We all have to now confront that that is a new reality. That is not going to change. You are not going to turn on the news tomorrow morning and they are going to say surprise, surprise this is all now resolved in two weeks. That is not going to happen. So, deal with this reality. Understand the negative effect of this, which I have spoken to personally because these are personally negative effect. You do not feel them governmentally, you feel them personally. You fee then in your own life.
And don't underestimate the emotional trauma and don't underestimate the pain of isolation. It is real. This is not the human condition - not to be comforted, not to be close, to be afraid and you can't hug someone. Billy and Steve walked in today. I had not seen them in months. I can't shake their hands. I can't hug them. You know this is all unnatural. My daughter came up. I can't give her the embrace and the kiss that I want to give her. This is all unnatural and disorienting. And it is not you, it is everyone. It's the condition
And we are going to have time. And the question is how do we use this time positively? Also, at the same time we have to learn from this experience because we were not ready to deal with this and other situations will happen. Other situations will happen and let's at least learn from this to be prepared for the next situation as dramatic as this one has been.
Also finding the silver lining, the positive. Life is going to be quieter for a matter of months. Everything will function. Life will function. Everything will normal operations, there won't be chaos. The stores will have groceries. Gas stations will have gasoline. There's no reason for extraordinary anxiety. But it is going to change. You won't be at work, you can't be sitting at restaurants, you're not going to be going to birthday parties, you don't have to go to business conferences on the weekends. There's less noise. You know what, that can be a good thing in some ways: You have more time. You have more flexibility. You can do some of those things that you haven't done, that you kept saying, "Well I'd love to be able to, I'd love to be able to." Well now you can. You have more time with family.
And yes, I get family in cramped quarters can be difficult, but it's also the most precious commodity. For myself, this young lady, Cara, is with me. She would never be here otherwise. You know, I'm dad, right? The last thing you want to be when you're in Cara's position is hang out with the old man and hang out with dad and hear bad dad jokes, you know - they'll come with the holidays, they'll come when I give them heavy guilt, but I'm now going to be with Cara literally for a few months. What a beautiful gift that is, right? I would have never had that chance. And that is precious, and then after this is over she's gone, she's flown the nest. She's going to go do her thing, but this crazy situation is crazy as it is, came with this beautiful gift. So one door closes, another door opens. Think about that.
And as I said, normal operations will continue. As I said from day one, the level of anxiety is not connected to facts, there is no chaos the net effect - many people will get the virus, but few will be truly endangered. Hold both of those facts in your hands: Many will get it, up to 80 percent may get it, but few are truly endangered and we know who they are. Realize the timeframe we're expecting, make peace with it and find a way to help each other through this situation because it's hard for everyone. And the goal for me: Socially distanced but spiritually connected. How do you achieve socially distanced but spiritually connected? I don't have the answer but I know the question.
March 23, 2020.
Video, B-Roll, Audio, Photos & Rush Transcript: Governor Cuomo Tours Construction of Temporary FEMA Hospital At Jacob K. Javits Convention Center. https://www.governor.ny.gov/news/video-b-roll-audio-photos-rush-transcript-governor-cuomo-tours-construction-temporary-fema
Governor Cuomo: "We have to get that hospital capacity up and we have to get the equipment that we have up. Each of the 250 bed facilities is about 40,000 square feet. There will be about 320 federal staff that come to work in those 4 hospitals where they'll take care of about 1,000 people. All systems are go here as you can see behind me. The material has already started to arrive. We'll start erecting the equipment upstairs. Luckily, Javits has plenty of space. We've been expanding Javits. This was never an anticipated use, but you do what you have to do. That's the New York way, that's the American way. And we're going to get this done."
Cuomo: "I want to thank all of the people who are here working and coming out of their homes, and putting themselves in a situation where they may be exposed to the virus because they want to help and they believe in public service."
During a press briefing this morning, the Governor announced an initial delivery of hospital supplies to the Jacob K. Javits Center where FEMA has started to build a 1,000-bed temporary hospital that will help increase New York's hospital capacity to combat COVID-19 and open next week. This is in addition to the four sites selected by the Army Corps of Engineers that will create temporary hospitals in downstate New York with total capacity up to 4,000. The federal administration has deployed 339,760 N-95 masks, 861,700 surgical masks, 353,300 gloves, 145,122 gowns and 197,085 face shields to New York State, with many state supplies already located at the Javits Center.
VIDEO of the Governor's remarks is available on YouTube here and in TV quality (h.264, mp4) format here.
B-ROLL of the Governor's tour is available on YouTube here and in TV quality (h.264, mp4) format here.
PHOTOS will be available on the Governor's Flickr page.
A rush transcript of the Governor's remarks is available below:
Thank you all for coming. It is my pleasure to be with Major General Patrick Murphy, who is the Commissioner of our Division of Homeland Security. Major General Raymond Shields, who heads our Division of Military and Naval Affairs. Colonel Thomas Asbury and all the people from the Army Corps of Engineers who are here and who are working. Thomas is the Commander and District Engineer for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
I want to thank Alan Steele who runs this convention center. He has put on many shows before, and his team is very adaptable. But this is the first time they have ever built a hospital inside the Javits Center. So, I want to thank them very much.
I want to thank all of the people who are here working and coming out of their homes, and putting themselves in a situation where they may be exposed to the virus because they want to help and they believe in public service. So, I want to thank you very much from the bottom of my heart. What we are doing here at the Javits Center is constructing four emergency hospitals, federal emergency hospitals. Each one will have a capacity of about 250 people. You put the four together, that's 1,000 people. That is being done on the main show room floor above us. The construction will start this week. We hope to have the construction done in about a week to 10 days and have that capacity set up. Besides those 1,000 units which are designed to provide a backfill for the hospitals. So, the free beds in the hospitals, we'll be using these 1,000 emergency beds. We're also seeing if we can construct an additional 1,000 beds for medical care, but a lighter level of medical care than most hospitals. So we could get a 2,000 bed capacity in this facility.
And as you know, for us, a major thrust is increasing hospital capacity which is trying to reduce the rate of the spread of the virus, but at the same time we have to get that hospital capacity up and we have to get the equipment that we have up. Each of the 250 bed facilities is about 40,000 square feet. There will be about 320 federal staff that come to work in those 4 hospitals where they'll take care of about 1,000 people. All systems are go here as you can see behind me. The material has already started to arrive. We'll start erecting the equipment upstairs. Luckily, Javits has plenty of space. We've been expanding Javits. This was never an anticipated use, but you do what you have to do. That's the New York way, that's the American way. And we're going to get this done.
Again, I want to thank the Army Corps of Engineers for everything they've done and will do. I want to thank the National Guard and I want to thank all the employees of the Javits Center who are here doing above and beyond duty. So I want to thank them all very much.
March 23, 2020.
Audio & Rush Transcript: Governor Cuomo is a Guest on CNN's Cuomo Prime Time. https://www.governor.ny.gov/news/audio-rush-transcript-governor-cuomo-guest-cnns-cuomo-prime-time-1
Earlier tonight, Governor Andrew M. Cuomo was a guest on CNN's Cuomo Prime Time to discuss New York's plan to combat the novel coronavirus crisis.
A rush transcript of the Governor's interview is available below:
Chris Cuomo: The leader who knows the reality better than any other right now at least in New York is the Governor of New York, Andrew Cuomo, of course, my brother. Thank you for coming back to the show.
Governor Cuomo: Mom told me I had to.
Chris Cuomo: What was your reaction to what the President said about I'm not looking at months, I'm not going to let the elephant jump off the ledge because of a cat, or whatever he said. We're looking to open back up - surprised?
Governor Cuomo: I'm not surprised. The President is very concerned about the economy. The economy was doing well - the economy is now truly suffering. The consequences haven't even been felt yet because not only have you stopped the revenue machine - you've increased the expense machine, okay? So those two things are going to compound each other. So the President is very eager to get back to the economy. Everybody agrees this is an unsustainable situation. You can't keep spending money and close down the economy and the President is eager to get it opened as quickly as possible.
I actually have a group that is working on the restart of the economy because I get it, too. This is New York and we're with the home of so much of this. So coming up with the plan to restart the economy is very important. But this, you don't want to - it's a false choice to say public health or restart the economy. Nobody's going to make that choice, and by the way, if you have to make that choice, it's public health. Because you cannot put a value on a human life. Nobody cares how long it takes to get the economy up and running if you actually saved lives.
But, Christopher, there is an art form here which is overlaying a public health strategy and an economic strategy. In other words, what we did is, we just closed everything down as quickly as we could. Shut all the doors, border all the windows. There was no art to what we did, no nuance. Is there a public health strategy that says, "Look, you can start to bring young people back to work. You can start to test and find out who had the virus and who resolved from the virus, and they can start to go back to work." That's how we'll restart the economy with a smart public health strategy, because closing the door on everyone was only because we didn't know better, right? If you now look at it, it didn't make any sense to close the schools, send my kids home with me or older people, or with grandmothers who were vulnerable to this virus. And young people were then maybe bringing it into the house. We didn't have any data or science to instruct us. But now you can come up with a smarter public health strategy that actually protects older people, lets younger people get back to work, and that can start the economic recovery. But it has to be that smart. It can't be reactive. It can't be emotional.
Chris Cuomo: This is the part I don't get. From watching the coverage of what's going on in the state, the rate of hospitalizations seems to be increasing, it seems like you're just starting to feel what this enemy, what this war is really about. So how can people make sense and reconcile these two things, we're getting close to figuring out how to open things back up at a time when it seems to be getting worse, and the idea that a month from today we may have the worst part of the capacity crisis and the president is saying he's going to reopen things in a week or so? it doesn't seem like those can go together.
Governor Cuomo: Yeah well, the so-called walk and chew gum. Do we have to think about restarting the economy? Do we have to plan for it? Yes. Should we be thinking about a public health strategy that starts the economy? That to me is the art form for government in this situation. But what we're looking at right now is this wave of increasing cases. I just got off the phone with a new projection model that New York City was seeing double the number of cases every two and a half days, that can take your breath away. That curve they keep talking about, that we have to flatten the curve, flatten the curve, that's not a curve, Christopher. That is a wave. That is a tsunami. That's the scene in The Perfect Storm where George Clooney is trying to go up the wave and he gives the boat all the gas he can to try to get over the top of the wave, and the wave crashes over him. The wave is going to crash over our health care system. It will crash anywhere from 10 days to three weeks.
Chris Cuomo: From now?
Governor Cuomo: It is going to overwhelm the health care system and where we're going to feel it most, we can scramble and create beds. We'll have a staff problem because staff are getting sick, and we're doing everything we can to find reserve staff. We won't have the equipment, and we won't have the ventilators. I have been saying for weeks, we need 30,000 ventilators. I've been saying it publicly, I've been requesting it from the federal agencies, HHS, Secretary Azar sent 500 ventilators, we need 30,000 ventilators. If you don't have the ventilator, a person who needs the ventilator will die without the ventilator. It's a respiratory disease. And we're not getting the ventilators. I've been saying, institute the darn Federal Procurement Act -
Chris Cuomo: So why do you think he doesn't do it?
Governor Cuomo: Command companies to produce -
Chris Cuomo: Why wouldn't he do it?
Governor Cuomo: Their theory is, companies are voluntarily saying I want to help, I want to help, I want to increase production. General Motors is saying, I'll get into the ventilator business, that's all well and fine and it is a nice thing, corporations are doing great things. But you can't, you can't manage an operation on this ad-hoc basis of people saying, yeah I'm really going to give it a go. Order the ventilators, pay for the ventilators, say this is how much I need, this is where I have to go—
Chris Cuomo: Why wouldn't he do it?
Governor Cuomo: Because their theory of operation is public-private partnership. You've seen them at press conferences, Peter Navarro, companies are coming forward and saying they'll do it anyway. We don't have to order them because they're doing it. It's a totally different theory of operating.
Chris Cuomo: Alright, so let's do this, Governor, I'm sorry to interrupt you -
Governor Cuomo: I want specific numbers. Well, then don't.
Chris Cuomo: I know. You have a little bit of pop's gift where you kind of just, keep going.
Governor Cuomo: And you don't?
Chris Cuomo: Let me take a commercial and then when we come back. When we come back from the commercial, I want to ask you what you need, where things are, and what your assessment is of the job you've done so far, and where you think this goes. Thank you very much for your patience. I appreciate it. We'll be back right after this.
Chris Cuomo: We're back with the Governor of New York, Andrew Cuomo. You talked about ventilators right there at the end of the first block, Governor. They gave us 500, we need tens of thousands. What do you do?
Governor Cuomo: We need 30,000. First what I do is I say to Secretary Azar, look at the first word in the name of the department you run, it's called health and human services, focus on health. You look at the projections in New York, you look at the hospitalization rate, look at how many people are going to an ICU, how many have to be vented and tell me how we save these lives without the 30,000 ventilators. Second, we're trying to buy the ventilators all across the globe, everyone's competing against everyone else and that's why the federal government should step up and do it. Third, we're going to try an untested technology where we split the ventilator tubes. In other words, normally it's one ventilator to one person. Is there a way to take that ventilator, which is essentially a pump, and split it?
Chris Cuomo: You're the mechanic, do you have enough power in the pump to split it?
Governor Cuomo: You have enough power in the pump to split it, yes. But can you split that ventilator into two tubes for two patients, three tubes for three patients? They're trying things like this in Italy. The tricky thing is, the ventilator has a set pressure and normally you regulate the pressure to that patient's lungs. My lung capacity is better than your lung capacity, so the ventilator would have to give me more oxygen than it would have to give you. How do you put two people on that same ventilator? So we're working through that. But this is a real stretch, Chris, because you don't have the number of ventilators.
Chris Cuomo: I will talk about your new found confidence in a second. But first, new drug therapies that the President puts a lot of stock in, there's a lot online about them. Can you hear me, Governor? Can you hear me or no? This is a great chance for me to say some things to him. Do you hear me now? You never know with a politician if they really don't hear you, or they didn't like where the questions were going. Let me see if we can get him back online. Governor, can you hear me?
Governor Cuomo: What happened?
Chris Cuomo: Can you hear me now? Let me do this, I'll take a quick commercial, we'll get him back online. I want to try to get you the information on what about these new drug therapies and where does he see it going in terms of how many weeks and months. And also, why are people paying attention to New York in a way that the president doesn't seem to. Why are so many of you resonating with what's happening in that state and with this Governor? And I'll figure out why he didn't like the question once it became a little uncomfortable.
Chris Cuomo: All right, let's bring the Governor back, we think we fixed the audio problem. Do you hear me, Governor?
Governor Cuomo: I hear you, but you should pay your phone bill.
Chris Cuomo: I think the problem is on the state's infrastructure side. We'll deal with that later. One problem at a time, if you will. Drug therapies, the president seems to have faith in them. They're all over the internet, the antimalarial drug, that people are getting better, even in this country. You put any stock in any of that at this point?
Governor Cuomo: I put hope. We have three drugs we're looking at. The hydroxychloroquine that the President it talking about - that comes in tomorrow. We're going to start that right away in the New York City hospitals - the President expedited the FDA approval. We have a second drug that New York State is working on developing, that actually tests the plasma of people who had the virus, extracts the antibodies and injects those antibodies into someone who's dealing with the virus. And the third drug is testing the blood to see if you had the virus and have the antibodies and have resolved, that would let you know you had it, you're immune by most probability and you can go back to work.
Chris Cuomo: So there's hope, but again that all takes time, and there's empiricism in that and testing and protocols - Tony Fauci has talked about that. I would actually like to take a turn on that quickly. What is this straight talk on what it's like working with the White House right now. I've heard you be deferential to the White House and say, look, we're trying it, we're doing it. It seems like your needs are not decreasing, at the kind of rate you need them to deal with a tsunami. What is the reality of dealing with the White House, straight talk?
Governor Cuomo: Yeah, I always do straight talk, and I would disagree with your use of the word deferential, but it's your show. I've been clear with the White House. I have an immediate problem on the equipment for this wave that is happens - PPEs, gowns, masks, most important are the ventilators. And there has been no response. There has been no response. That's why I said right here, looking at the camera on your show, to Secretary Azar, he has to be responsible here. Tell me where I get 30,000 ventilators, because, Christopher, people will die who need a ventilator, they will be mostly elderly, they'll have an underlying illness, that's true. But some can be younger like Anderson Cooper's show showed us, you can have an underlying illness, be recovering from cancer, be younger, you'll need a ventilator and won't get it. We're trying this splitting mechanism, but we shouldn't be here. Just order a company to produce the darn ventilators. And when we get to two weeks and you have people in hospitals who are dying because we don't have ventilators, that's going to be a national tragedy. We'll try all the drugs, I'm trying everything else, we're working on every level, but if it comes down to having the ventilators, and you have them or you don't.
Chris Cuomo: What is the day like now? How is it managing a situation like this, I'm not talking emotionally, I'm just saying in terms of the daily activities, what is this like?
Governor Cuomo: Well, this is 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and look, I've been in the federal government, I did disaster work, all across this country, all across the world, we did disaster recovery as you know. I've been in this state, handled everything in this state. The hours don't matter. It's the consequence here, it's the consequence here, Christopher, the numbers are big. And it's life and death. And if they are anywhere close to right on these projections of how quickly these numbers are going to grow, the number of people who we're going to lose can easily be in the thousands. And god forbid we say, we could have saved them if we had the right equipment. That's what keeps me up at night. And that's why I'm as strident as I am about these ventilators and the urgency of the ventilators and the equipment. Because it literally is life and death, you see it coming, it's two weeks, three weeks, four weeks down the road, but it's coming, that wave is coming.
Chris Cuomo: What do you say to the people on the, ah, we misjudged it, the numbers aren't going to be that bad, this was too much preparation.
Governor Cuomo: Yeah, they're wrong, they're going to be wrong, because people will die and the numbers will be inarguable. Look, I don't make any political decisions on this. This is all follow the science, follow the numbers, follow the health professionals. You look at those numbers increasing every day, doubling every 2 1/2 days, just look at the trajectory, dot, dot, dot, dot, connect the dots, right? And then you tell me that anyone is over hyping this situation.
Chris Cuomo: Let me ask you something, why do you think New York is getting so much attention right now. People have such a spotlight on you that they're watching your pressers every day. What do you think it's about personally?
Governor Cuomo: I think it's because New York, we have this density, we are the gateway to the world. The disease came here, the disease is growing here faster than anywhere else. So just on the numbers, New York is the epicenter.
Chris Cuomo: Do you think that, when you assess this, people who don't know you, obviously you raised me, so I understand how you do things, because you taught me, but in assessing, what was the right move that you've made so far and what was a wrong move you made? Because the president talks about learning things and then he talks about washing hands. I don't know how profound a lesson that is. What have you learned on your level?
Governor Cuomo: yeah, first, thank you for the compliment. i don't want to be -- have total association with you and your show, i don't need all that negativity. I'm generating my own negativity.
Chris Cuomo: Not right now. You're the man right now. Why is that?
Governor Cuomo: Because I'm your brother, that's why. The best decision was closing everything down. which politically may have terrible consequences, but so what, it was the right thing to do. That's what pop taught us, you do the right thing, closing everything down was the right decision. The worst decision, which is a lousy question by you, is probably coming on your show, frankly.
Chris Cuomo: What have you learned in terms of what you could have handled better sooner, because that seems to be the lesson is that states were listening to what was seen from the federal level, what is the lesson for how to prepare for the next wave that you'll do differently?
Governor Cuomo: Every disaster has its own little hidden trick in it. This one was medical capacity, medical equipment and these ventilators. I did not see, no one saw these ventilators coming, and the urgency of ventilators, how many we have in this country and how many we can make. So that I don't think anyone saw. I was watching china, and it was inevitable what was happening in china was going to happen here. There was no theory that their immune systems were different than ours. we started very early on, Christopher, I started very early on, getting ready, preparing, blowing the whistle, blowing the horn, making the case, the ventilators, not having the ventilators and not being able to get the ventilators and the PPE equipment, which the federal government could help us with. That is the greatest frustration in all of this.
Chris Cuomo: Well you got to get it right, because there's going to be another wave, right? If you look at the models, it goes down and comes back. Not to use 1918 as a go to, but that was the huge miss in that situation. So how do you get to where you need to be, where people don't live through this a second time the same way?
Governor Cuomo: Yeah, I'm old but I wasn't here in 1918, but you're right. The medical capacity, you know we have a health care system that is basically a private health care system. They have private economics. They have capacity that they can sell. They don't build beds as backup beds. They don't build additional ICU beds for a public health emergency. These are expensive beds, it's expensive real estate, so they don't have a backup public health equipment stockpile that's worth anything, or a backup medical capacity. That has to change. That has to change.
Chris Cuomo: So it's going to get worse. The hospitalizations are increasing. You want people to know that even though it's a tough message to deliver. That type of tough talk has had people recognize you in a different way even though you've been doing this job a long time. You're in your third term. How do you explain to yourself how people seem to be seeing you in a different way now, even physically, making comments about how you look and how you come across that are really hard to kind of square with any sense of reality?
Governor Cuomo: Because it's not reality. I'm doing the same job I've done all the ways that I did in Washington, that I've been doing here in the State of New York. You know what it reminds me of? It reminds he of pop. He used to talk about how he gave the same speech and then one day he gave the Democratic National Convention speech and then he became great and after that speech everybody said, wow, your speeches are so great. Dad's point was, it was the same speech I was always giving but the lens changed. The only thing that happened here is the lens changed. I'm doing what I do and I've been doing it the same way, and I look the same as I've always looked.
Chris Cuomo: I'm hearing your finger nails scratch on something like you're nervous. I know you're busy. What happened with pop was, he delivered the right speech at the right time and it was seen by so many. That's what you're doing right now that is being recognized and given a claim. You're doing the job the right way when it matters when eyes are on you, so thank God for that. The looks have to make you question the veracity of the— it must be very confusing for you, because you know that what people are saying about how you look really can't be accurate. It must be hard for you to make sense of what is real and what is true now. I feel for you.
Governor Cuomo: [Speaks Italian]
Chris Cuomo: Right across the plate. Straight across the plate.
Governor Cuomo: Don't worry. There's still time. There's hope for you. One day you can grow up to be like me.
Chris Cuomo: I've tried to be like you my whole life. Look where it got me. Governor Andrew Cuomo, thank you very much for doing the job, thank you for caring for the family. I love you, I'll talk to you after this.
Governor Cuomo: You're better than me. I'm proud.
Chris Cuomo: Only on the basketball court.
Governor Cuomo: Never. Don't lie.
Chris Cuomo: That's what pop said.
Governor Cuomo: He did not. He did not. You never beat me once. Not once.
Chris Cuomo: He said Andrew has tremendous capability. He is blessed in many ways but he's got hands like bananas and he can't play ball. Everybody knows it. Just saying. You're doing a great job though.
Governor Cuomo: I'll take you out and spank you.
Chris Cuomo: You know where I live. I'll see you soon. Be well, Governor.
Governor Cuomo: I love you.
Chris Cuomo: I do love him. The tension is real though. And I'll tell you what - the pressure is real as well.
