NY has lowest Covid-19 hospitalizations since mid-March
Governor says President would send a powerful message to Americans by simply wearing a mask
Photoshopped image courtesy of Gov. Cuomo’s Office: Gov. Andrew Cuomo said President Donald Trump should acknowledge the seriousness of the Covid-19 and wear a mask which has proven successful in slowing the spread of the virus.
Gov. Andrew Cuomo reported today that the state has its lowest hospitalizations due to Covid-19 since March 18. There are 817 people hospitalized with Covid-19. At its peak, there were more than 18,000 New Yorkers hospitalized with the coronavirus.
“It’s unimaginable at one time that we would be this low,” Cuomo said.
The state, which peaked at nearly 800 deaths from Covid-19 on April 8, has averaged about 10 deaths a day the past six days, or 58 from June 30 to July 5.
There were 54,328 tests on Sunday with 518 of those positive, or 0.95 percent.
“All of the regions are performing well,” he said.
The state on May 15 began the reopening of different regions in phases. The governor said experts warned the state would see the number of infections and hospitalizations go up due to the increased activity.
“We’ve actually had a slight decline,” Cuomo said. “That is really great news.”
The data shows the state has taken the right approach in the reopening, with a focus on protecting public health and gradually boosting the state’s economy.
That contrasts with an strategy in many other states that pushed to reopen too soon, without stressing needed social distancing precautions and the wearing of masks when in public.
Cuomo said 38 states are seeing a rise in cases.
He faulted President Trump for not stressing to Americans the seriousness of Covid-19. The president would send a powerful message if he simply wore a mask, Cuomo said.
“I understand people are fatigued, we have been doing this for 128 days, but that doesn’t change the facts,” Cuomo said. “We have to stay smart.”
In New York, he said local governments need to do their part and enforce social distancing, and ensure people are wearing masks in public when it’s not possible to stay 6 feet apart.
The spike in cases in many other parts of the country is “frightening,” Cuomo said, and poses a risk to New Yorkers because so many people to visit New York.
He said President Trump is a facilitator and an enabler of the virus’s spread by talking down the threat of Covid-19, and for holding large-scale public events.
“If you deny the problem you will never solve it,” Cuomo said. “We are not the United States of Denial.”
Cuomo said Americans shouldn’t follow the president’s example, especially by not wearing a mask in public.
“True patriots wear a mask,” Cuomo said.
Governor wants schools to reopen, but only if it’s safe
The governor also addressed schools reopening in the fall. That decision hasn’t been made. There are about 700 public school districts in the state.
They all need to develop reopening plans, looking at different scenarios for student learning.
Cuomo said his desire would be for students to be in schools, in person.
The state Department of Health continues to pour over data with the virus. Cuomo said health experts now say Covid-19 spreads mainly through the air, not by surface contact.
“There is no decision yet on whether or not we are reopening schools,” he said. “Obviously we would very much like to. We want kids back in school, but we’re not going to do it until we know it is safe.”
