Notes from Governor Cuomo's Briefing Today

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Notes from Governor Cuomo's COVID-19 Briefing Today

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Total hospitalizations 1,308 as of yesterday.
- 1,599 new COVID hospitalizations yesterday.
- 474 total deaths in NY yesterday:
o 446 in hospitals; and
o 28 in nursing homes.


Reimagine NY Task Force: Opening the Economy Back Up
- Local leaders are feeling pressure to reopen.
- "This is not a time to be stupid."
- Cuomo reiterated what happened during the Spanish flu noting that if we
are not prepared a second wave could wreak havoc.
- Governor reiterated that he has no problem taking the blame for any judgements
on the matter.
- Cuomo: "I don't know how you open businesses without opening schools."
o Schools will only open if it is known that schools are disinfected and there
are protocols in place for continued disinfecting and social distancing.
- Can't reopen businesses without reopening schools and transportation.


Testing
- All efforts for testing and tracing will be coordinated with affected
areas as jurisdictions will cross.
- Online curriculum will be created for tracers.
- Still waiting to receive results on serum for treated patients.
- The use of antibodies may prove effective.
- Random surveys are being taken across the state (in grocery stores and street
corners) to find how many people have been infected.
- All positive results will be traced to the greatest extent.
- $1.3B will be provided in federal funding for tracing.

 

Tracing Program
- NY will work with Gov. Lamont and Gov. Murphy to launch nation-leading
contact tracing program
- Michael Bloomberg will donate $10M for a tracing program.
- Bloomberg has volunteered to help develop testing/tracing/isolation program and will
partner with John Hopkins and Vital Strategies on coordinating efforts.
- Will be a coordinated downstate and tri-state area
- Will work with SUNY and CUNY to draw 35K students in medical fields who
can serve as tracers.

 

PPE
- Issues regarding PPE are due to need of equipment and supply from one source.
- Cuomo: We must bring the production of PPE and other necessary resources closer to
home.

 

Nursing Homes
- Announcement will be made tomorrow on regulations and ensuring safety of staff.
- Working with nursing home leadership to increase staff and find ways to help
COVID patients within the nursing home.
- Trying to provide comfort for nursing home residents in addition maintaining
public health is the key to balance.
- State mandate is to readmit COVID residents even though homes are privately
operated.
- If homes are not providing staff with PPE they may be put out of business by
the state for noncompliance.