NYS on Pause Extended
The NYS on Pause program has been extended out an additional two weeks from April 29th to May 15th.
Getting Back to Work
The Governor emphasized reopening the economy is going to be an ongoing process over the next several weeks in conjunction with the multi-state council created earlier this week. He noted that businesses may need to “reimagine” how they operate logistically while practicing social distancing requirements as a continued precaution. The Governor again stressed the need for researchers to produce a vaccine and/or a proven medical treatment in order for businesses to bounce back 100% under what will be a “new normal.”
He also announced a four-step BLUEPRINT TO UN-PAUSE NEW YORK initiative:
- Do No Harm – continue controlling the rate of infection;
- Strengthening the Healthcare System – ensuring anyone who needs medical attention gets it, and building out the strategic stockpile of PPE and other medical equipment;
- Testing and Contact Tracing – call on the federal government to work with state to test on a massive scale to limit the virus spread.
- Phased Return to “New Normal” – evaluate industries and strategically phase-in the reopening of our economy.
The full press release can be found below.
Mandatory Nose and Mouth Coverings
The Governor gave a further explanation of yesterday’s Executive Order 202.17 today, specifying that masks would have to be worn by operators and riders of all modes of public transportation as well as with private transportation carriers and for-hire vehicles. The order goes into effect at 8pm on Friday, May 17. If needed the state will be working with local municipalities on coordinating a way to ensure people who cannot afford masks are granted access to them.
Mayor de Blasio Unveils $89.3B Executive Budget Proposal for NYC
Today, New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio presented his $89.3 billion Executive Budget proposal for Fiscal Year 2021, which is $3.4 billion less than the FY2020 Budget. The Mayor’s Executive Budget looks to bridge a $7.4 billion shortfall through a combination of cost savings, limited new spending and using the city’s reserve funds. City Council Speaker Corey Johnson released a statement saying the Council wants to protect the most vulnerable New Yorkers by continuing “critical” social services. The City Council and Mayor’s office will continue the budget negotiation process, and are required by law to pass a balanced budget by the June 30th deadline.
COVID-19 Numbers
The Governor indicated today that we are possibly on the far side of the plateau with virtually all numbers either flat or down for today, as well as over the past three day averages. As of today, 222,282 people have tested positive in New York State. The number of deaths in the State has increased 606 since yesterday to 12,192.
Please let us know if you have any questions. Stay healthy and safe everyone.
-The Statewide Public Affairs Team
| For Immediate Release: 4/16/2020 | GOVERNOR ANDREW M. CUOMO |
AMID ONGOING COVID-19 PANDEMIC, GOVERNOR CUOMO OUTLINES BLUEPRINT TO UN-PAUSE NEW YORK
Blueprint Will Work to Control the Rate of Infection, Strengthen the Health Care System and Ramp Up Testing with Help from the Federal Government While Phasing an Economic Return to a “New Normal”
Amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today outlined a blueprint to un-pause New York, getting people back to work and easing social isolation without triggering renewed spread of the virus. The ultimate plan will be implemented in coordination with other states in the multi-state council.
- Do No Harm – Step one is to continue controlling the rate of infection. This includes extending the NY Pause order until May 15th and implementing additional measures to reduce the rate of infection, including requiring masks in public when social distancing is not possible.
- Strengthening the healthcare system – Step two is continuing the surge and flex strategy to ensure anyone who needs medical attention gets it, building out the strategic stockpile of PPE and other medical equipment, and sharing resources amongst states and localities.
- Testing and Contact Tracing – The best tool to inform decisions and calibrate progress of any phased reopening of the economy is through both diagnostic and antibody testing. The states need the federal government to partner on this effort and bring it to the mass scale that is needed. With the help of an army of investigators, contact tracing needs to be done to help limit the virus spread.
- Phased Return to “New Normal” –
• Evaluating Risk by Industry: The ‘Un-Pause NY’ approach is designed to open businesses in phases of priority. Businesses considered “more essential” with inherent low risks of infection in the workplace and to customers will be prioritized, followed by other businesses considered “less essential” or those that present a higher risk of infection spread. As the infection rate declines, the pace of reopening businesses will be increased.
• Precautions and Practices for businesses to consider to guide phased return to “new normal”:
• Transport: Ensure employees have means for safe transport (i.e., masks, gloves for public transit) or require telecommuting/work from home.
• Workplace: Ensure workplaces are designed to include social distancing measures (i.e., desks six feet apart, conference rooms redesigned), telecommuting for those who can and the most vulnerable
• Customer Interaction: Ensure measures designed to ensure minimal contact with customers, ensure public-interacting employees have necessary protective supplies such as gloves, masks, etc.). Special precautions should be taken for businesses that primarily interact with the most vulnerable populations.
• Proactive Infection Plan: Ensure protocols in place should an employee develop COVID-19 symptoms or test positive (i.e. work from home plan)
“Now that we’ve shown we can flatten the curve and our efforts to control the spread of the virus are working, we must focus on a smart, effective plan to un-pause New York,” Governor Cuomo said. “The first part of the plan is to do no harm – don’t let that infection rate go up to the best of your ability and don’t lose the progress that we have made. Second, now that we have some stability in our health care system after a weeks-long overdrive, we continue to strengthen that system and ramp up testing and contact tracing to identify those who are sick and isolate them so they don’t transmit the virus to others. Then we can focus on phasing an economic return to the new normal – but we need all those activities going on at the same time for our plan to un-pause New York to work.”
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