Amid Ongoing COVID-19 Pandemic, Gov. Cuomo Announces Federal Government is Deploying Approximately 1,000 Personnel to New York State
Albany, NY - Governor Andrew M. Cuomo (center) provides a Coronavirus update during a press conference in the Red Room at the State Capitol. Photo: Mike Groll/Office of Governor Andrew M. Cuomo.
First 325 Personnel Will Be Deployed to NYC Public Hospital System.
Confirms 8,327 Additional Coronavirus Cases in NYS - Bringing Statewide Total to 122,031; New Cases in 48 Counties.
April 5, 2020
Amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today announced the federal government is deploying approximately 1,000 personnel to New York State, including doctors, nurses, respiratory technicians and therapists, to help the state's overwhelmed hospital systems. The first 325 personnel will be deployed to the New York City hospital system today.
"The operational challenge facing our health care system at the apex of the curve is impossible - we are asking our hospitals to do more than ever before with less equipment, supplies and staff, but we don't have any other options," Governor Cuomo said. "We are continuing to operate on a surge and flex system where all our hospitals across the state are working together as one and sharing resources, and we are receiving help from other states, businesses and the federal government to boost our system's capacity, including 1,000 federal personnel to work in our most stressed hospitals. I know how much we are asking of our health care workers on the frontline, and I thank them for everything they are doing because they are true heroes."
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Finally, the Governor confirmed 8,327 additional cases of novel coronavirus, bringing the statewide total to 122,031 confirmed cases in New York State.
Gov. Cuomo Announces NYC Playgrounds will Close
Governor Cuomo: "I've said this 100 different ways. The compliance is still not where it should be. You saw the models on the differential in the compliance versus major compliance and minor compliance. So we're going to take more dramatic actions."
Governor Cuomo: "I've talked about this for weeks. I warned people that if they didn't stop the density and the games in the playgrounds - you can't play basketball; you can't come in contact with each other - that we would close the playgrounds."
April 1: Earlier today, Governor Andrew M. Cuomo announced that New York City playgrounds will close to address the lack of adherence to social distancing protocols. Open spaces in New York City will remain open.
My favorite topic - young people must get this message. And they still have not gotten the message. You still see too many situations with too much density by young people. They can get it. They're putting their lives at risk. This can kill young people. Rare circumstances, but it can. But you get infected, you give it to someone else. So think about somebody else. And I've said this 100 different ways. The compliance is still not where it should be. You saw the models on the differential in the compliance versus major compliance and minor compliance. So we're going to take more dramatic actions.
We are going to close down the New York City playgrounds. I've talked about this for weeks. I warned people that if they didn't stop the density and the games in the playgrounds - you can't play basketball; you can't come in contact with each other - that we would close the playgrounds. I spoke to Speaker Johnson from New York City, who feels very strongly about this and did from day one. We agreed initially with the mayor that we would try compliance and the mayor was going to try to use the NYPD to enforce compliance, social distancing in playgrounds. It is still a problem. We're working with the speaker; we're working with the mayor, but we're going to close down the city playgrounds and leave the open spaces available. So use the open space in a park, walk around, get some sun - great. No density, no basketball games, no close contact, no violation of social distancing, period. That's the rule.
Gov. Cuomo Receives Briefing Upon Arrival of the USNS Comfort in NYC
Governor Andrew M. Cuomo received a briefing upon the arrival of the USNS Comfort at Pier 88 in New York City.
The USNS Comfort arrived in New York harbor today. The 1,000-bed hospital ship has 12 fully-equipped operating rooms and will significantly increase New York's hospital surge capacity.
Okay, well there she is. I want to thank Rear Admiral Mustin who is here. I want to thank the United States Navy. They really acted expeditiously in bringing this ship here. I want to thank the Army that is going to help staff the ship. I want to thank the President of the United States, President Trump, who mobilized this effort and he did with all rapid speed.
This will be 1,000 beds for New York hospitals. It won't treat COVID-19 patients but it will be a relief valve for hospitals that are struggling now, that are over capacity all across the City. So, the 1,000 beds will come in very handy. These 1,000 beds will be complemented with 2,500 beds that we are doing in the Javits Center. I know the field hospitals that were assembled by the U.S Army. Again, those won't be for COVID-19 patients but they will be for a relief valve for the hospitals. So, we are doing this ship - 1,000 beds. Javits - 2,500 beds. About 3,500 beds to relieve the stress that our hospital system is facing.
That is going to be welcome news and I want to thank all of the people that worked so hard to do this. This is a major enterprise. The Javits Center, what is going on there is truly extraordinary. Everybody is working together to get that facility up and running. It has been transformed in just a week. And it really is a great, great partnership and frankly it's inspiring to see everyone working together for one cause.
We're speaking with a number of my colleagues, governors all across the nation, Democrats and Republicans, have sent the same message to all of you. What you see happening in New York is not unique. Yes, we're more dense. Yes, we're bigger than most places. But, this virus spreads among Americans. This virus does not discriminate. It doesn't discriminate by age. It doesn't discriminate by party. It affects all Americans, and what you're seeing in New York is going to spread across this country.
New York is just the canary in the coal mine. And I've said to them, prepare soon, prepare early, get your preparations in place. I don't think that any American is immune from this virus. Because no American is immune from this virus. And if there's ever a time that we need to work together it is today. The President's right. This is a war. And what does this nation do when it's at war? It comes together. And it acts as one. And that's what we need to do today. New Yorkers, thank this nation for the help they're giving New Yorkers today, and we will reciprocate the favor. And what we're learning here, and the training that's going on here, is going to benefit the places all across this nation in the coming weeks and the coming months.
But again, thank you. Thank you to the Army, thank you to the Navy, thank you to the Coast Guard, and all of the people who were a part of this great operation. Thank you.
Gov. Cuomo: Being a First Responder is 'an Act of Love and Courage'
Governor Cuomo: "I don't even have the words to express my admiration for them. FDR always had words. Courage is not the absence of fear, but rather the assessment that something else is more important than fear. To me that says it all today."
Cuomo: "Something is more important than their fear, which is their passion, their commitment, for public service, and helping others. That's all it is. It's just their passion and belief in helping others. And that overcomes their fear. And that makes them, in my book, just truly amazing, outstanding human beings."
Governor Andrew M. Cuomo expressed his admiration for the courage and resilience of first responders across New York State as they work to end the COVID-19 pandemic.
These public people, I don't even have the words to express my admiration for them. FDR always had words. Courage is not the absence of fear, but rather the assessment that something else is more important than fear. To me that says it all today. Everyone is afraid. Everyone is afraid. You think these police officers are not afraid to leave their house? You think these nurses are not afraid to go into the hospital? They're afraid. But, something is more important than their fear, which is their passion, their commitment, for public service, and helping others. That's all it is. It's just their passion and belief in helping others. And that overcomes their fear. And that makes them, in my book, just truly amazing, outstanding human beings. And I with them and their families all the best.
Gov. Cuomo, Amid Coronavirus Pandemic: During this Difficult Time Let's Listen to the Voices of Our Better Angels.
Governor Cuomo: "We're going to get through this. The only question is how we get through it and when we get through it. But let's make sure at the end of the day that we can say we are the better for it and our children are the better for it - and I believe they will be."
Cuomo: "This is going to be transformative and formative for society. You think about our children. I have my daughters here with me. This is the first time they faced a real national adversity. You have a whole new generation who have never lived through anything like this. They never went to war. They were never drafted. They never went through a national crisis and this is going to shape them ... at the end of the day they're going to be better people for it and they're going be better citizens for it. I believe that because they're rising to the occasion."
