Cuomo extends business shutdowns until April 15

Posted 29 March 2020 at 3:58 pm

Covid-19 cases now up to nearly 60,000 in state

Press Release, Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s Office

Photo by Darren McGee, Office of Governor: Andrew M. Cuomo gives an update today on coronavirus cases and the state’s response.

Amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today announced all NYS on Pause functions will be extended for the next two weeks. The governor also directed the state nonessential workforce to continue to work from home for an additional two weeks through April 15th. The state will re-evaluate after this additional two-week period.

In-person workforce restrictions, which have been implemented through various Executive Orders — 202.3 (restaurants and bars, gyms, fitness centers, movie theaters and casinos); 202.4 (local government workforces, school districts; village elections); 202.5 (malls, public amusement facilities); 202.6 (all non-essential reduce 50%); 202.7 (barber shops, salons, other personal care); 202.8 (DMV); 202.10 (non-essential gatherings of any size); 202.11 (extension of school district closure until April 15, 2020) — are also extended until April 15 to enable uniform extension and review of such restrictions, and any such restrictions may be extended by future executive orders.

• Governor Cuomo also announced that New York State’s Wadsworth Lab has developed a new, less intrusive test for COVID-19. The new test is done through a saliva sample and a self-administered short nasal swab in the presence of a health care professional.

Additionally, health care professionals can self-administer the test without another health care professional present. This new test will help conserve personal protective equipment, or PPE, for healthcare workers, reduce potential exposure of the virus to health care workers and will allow the state to continue to test as many individuals as possible in New York amid the national shortage of the more intrusive nasopharyngeal, or NP, swabs.

Self-collection of nasal swabs has been done before for other respiratory viruses such as flu and it has been shown to be effective and safe, and collection of a saliva sample is simple and non-invasive. This new testing will begin within a week.

• The Governor also issued an executive order to allow schools to host day care free of charge.

• After speaking with the state’s major pharmacy chains, the Governor announced that pharmacies have agreed to offer free home delivery to help reduce long lines for prescriptions at their facilities.

“There is no state in the nation that is better prepared or better mobilized to combat this virus than New York,” Governor Cuomo said. “The number of cases is still going up towards the apex, and the development of new, faster tests will be critical in flattening this curve, getting people back to work and returning to normalcy.”

• Finally, the Governor confirmed 7,195 additional cases of novel coronavirus, bringing the statewide total to 59,513 confirmed cases in New York State.

(Editor’s Note: The latest state numbers show Genesee has 2 more cases for 9 positives total, while Orleans didn’t add anymore and remains at 4. Among the other GLOW counties, Wyoming added 1 and is at 8 cases, while Livingston has 5 more positives for 10 total.

Also nearby to Orleans, Erie has 40 more cases for 358 total, Monroe has 27 more for 219 and Niagara has 5 more confirmed cases for 38 total.)

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