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| Mayor Resisted Drastic Steps on Virus. Then Came a Backlash From His Aides. | Mayor Resisted Drastic Steps on Virus. Then Came a Backlash From His Aides. |
| (8 days later) | |
| For most of last week, as Mayor Bill de Blasio continued to urge New Yorkers to mostly go about their daily lives — sending their children to school, frequenting the city’s businesses — some of his top aides were furiously trying to change the mayor’s approach to the coronavirus outbreak. | For most of last week, as Mayor Bill de Blasio continued to urge New Yorkers to mostly go about their daily lives — sending their children to school, frequenting the city’s businesses — some of his top aides were furiously trying to change the mayor’s approach to the coronavirus outbreak. |
| There had been arguments and shouting matches between the mayor and some of his advisers; some top health officials had even threatened to resign if he refused to accept the need to close schools and businesses, according to several people familiar with the internal discussions. | There had been arguments and shouting matches between the mayor and some of his advisers; some top health officials had even threatened to resign if he refused to accept the need to close schools and businesses, according to several people familiar with the internal discussions. |
| Teachers were threatening not to show up to school on Monday. A growing number of public health experts and politicians were calling for much of the city to be shut down to curb the spread of the virus. | Teachers were threatening not to show up to school on Monday. A growing number of public health experts and politicians were calling for much of the city to be shut down to curb the spread of the virus. |
| On Sunday, the mayor was shown a graph depicting the sharp upward trajectory of the coronavirus epidemic curve, and another showing the capacity of the city’s health systems to handle the influx. | On Sunday, the mayor was shown a graph depicting the sharp upward trajectory of the coronavirus epidemic curve, and another showing the capacity of the city’s health systems to handle the influx. |
| The information painted a disastrous picture of the days and weeks to come unless the mayor took immediate action. | The information painted a disastrous picture of the days and weeks to come unless the mayor took immediate action. |
| “We all realized from the public health outcomes and political reality this needed to happen,” said a person familiar with the mayor’s deliberations who spoke under the condition of anonymity. “He just had to process it himself.” | “We all realized from the public health outcomes and political reality this needed to happen,” said a person familiar with the mayor’s deliberations who spoke under the condition of anonymity. “He just had to process it himself.” |
| A few hours later, Mr. de Blasio announced a plan for schools to close starting Monday until at least April 20. Later that evening, the mayor announced a plan to close bars and restaurants. | A few hours later, Mr. de Blasio announced a plan for schools to close starting Monday until at least April 20. Later that evening, the mayor announced a plan to close bars and restaurants. |
| “Clearly the city moved in a completely different direction yesterday, not just on the school system, but everything else,” said Michael Mulgrew, the president of the city’s teachers’ union, who was among those trying to persuade the mayor to shift his position. “All the policy. It was sudden.” | “Clearly the city moved in a completely different direction yesterday, not just on the school system, but everything else,” said Michael Mulgrew, the president of the city’s teachers’ union, who was among those trying to persuade the mayor to shift his position. “All the policy. It was sudden.” |
| Mr. de Blasio said on Monday that he knew of no offer or threat to resign. | Mr. de Blasio said on Monday that he knew of no offer or threat to resign. |
| “I know nothing about that. I know people have had serious conversations, trying to make citizens’ decisions together,” the mayor said at a news conference late Monday afternoon. “I know when someone comes up to me and says, ‘I want to resign,’ that has not happened.” | “I know nothing about that. I know people have had serious conversations, trying to make citizens’ decisions together,” the mayor said at a news conference late Monday afternoon. “I know when someone comes up to me and says, ‘I want to resign,’ that has not happened.” |
| “Does everyone agree on everything all the time? No. Are there different factors? Does health think the same way as education? Guess what? No,” the mayor added later. “They have different imperatives and we have to make sense of them for example, but no one threatened to resign. Period.” | “Does everyone agree on everything all the time? No. Are there different factors? Does health think the same way as education? Guess what? No,” the mayor added later. “They have different imperatives and we have to make sense of them for example, but no one threatened to resign. Period.” |
| As fears over the coronavirus outbreak rose with each new reported case in New York City, Mr. de Blasio has tried to do his best to project a sense of calm. He stressed that the vast majority of people who contracted the virus in New York would recover after a mild illness. | As fears over the coronavirus outbreak rose with each new reported case in New York City, Mr. de Blasio has tried to do his best to project a sense of calm. He stressed that the vast majority of people who contracted the virus in New York would recover after a mild illness. |
| He also continued to travel from Gracie Mansion in Manhattan to work out at a Y.M.C.A. in Park Slope, Brooklyn, a longstanding routine that has garnered intense criticism. | He also continued to travel from Gracie Mansion in Manhattan to work out at a Y.M.C.A. in Park Slope, Brooklyn, a longstanding routine that has garnered intense criticism. |
| Even on Monday, hours before all gyms in New York had to close, the mayor was seen getting one last workout in at the Y — attracting a new furious round of criticism. | Even on Monday, hours before all gyms in New York had to close, the mayor was seen getting one last workout in at the Y — attracting a new furious round of criticism. |
| “No current or former staff member should be asked to defend this,” Rebecca Katz, a former adviser to Mr. de Blasio, wrote on Twitter. Jonathan Rosen, once one of Mr. de Blasio’s closest advisers, agreed with Ms. Katz on Twitter, calling the mayor’s gym visit “pathetic, self-involved, inexcusable.” | “No current or former staff member should be asked to defend this,” Rebecca Katz, a former adviser to Mr. de Blasio, wrote on Twitter. Jonathan Rosen, once one of Mr. de Blasio’s closest advisers, agreed with Ms. Katz on Twitter, calling the mayor’s gym visit “pathetic, self-involved, inexcusable.” |
| In a subsequent interview, Ms. Katz said, “Staffers are working 24 hours to put together plans for the city. That’s not the right message to send right now.” | In a subsequent interview, Ms. Katz said, “Staffers are working 24 hours to put together plans for the city. That’s not the right message to send right now.” |
| The mayor’s press secretary, Freddi Goldstein, said that the Y.M.C.A. was “a huge part of his and his family’s life,” adding, “It’s clear that’s about to change, and before that, the mayor wanted to visit a place that keeps him grounded one last time.” | The mayor’s press secretary, Freddi Goldstein, said that the Y.M.C.A. was “a huge part of his and his family’s life,” adding, “It’s clear that’s about to change, and before that, the mayor wanted to visit a place that keeps him grounded one last time.” |
| In many ways, the mayor’s visit to the gym on Monday captured his reluctance to completely embrace the need for radical changes. Even after declaring a state of emergency on Thursday, Mr. de Blasio continued to suggest that more drastic actions were not yet needed. | In many ways, the mayor’s visit to the gym on Monday captured his reluctance to completely embrace the need for radical changes. Even after declaring a state of emergency on Thursday, Mr. de Blasio continued to suggest that more drastic actions were not yet needed. |
| The mayor’s stance derived from a two-part strategy to deal with the coronavirus: containment and mitigation. | The mayor’s stance derived from a two-part strategy to deal with the coronavirus: containment and mitigation. |
| City health officials said that the goal is not to necessarily reduce the overall number of cases, but to slow its spread and stretch it out over time. Doing so would lower the number of cases at any given time, which health officials say is of critical importance. | City health officials said that the goal is not to necessarily reduce the overall number of cases, but to slow its spread and stretch it out over time. Doing so would lower the number of cases at any given time, which health officials say is of critical importance. |
| “What you’re doing is blunting the height so you never have the day when there is 5,000 people, 10,000, or 20,000 people looking for health care and they’re so overcapacity that grandma can’t get chemotherapy,” Dr. Demetre C. Daskalakis, the deputy commissioner for disease control at New York City’s Department of Health, explained in a speech last week to doctors and medical students at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. “Capacity of health care — that is what this is all about.” | “What you’re doing is blunting the height so you never have the day when there is 5,000 people, 10,000, or 20,000 people looking for health care and they’re so overcapacity that grandma can’t get chemotherapy,” Dr. Demetre C. Daskalakis, the deputy commissioner for disease control at New York City’s Department of Health, explained in a speech last week to doctors and medical students at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. “Capacity of health care — that is what this is all about.” |
| Updated August 12, 2020 | |
| Mitigation calls for social-distancing measures, such as reducing crowds by banning large-scale events like sporting events and concerts, and closing schools. | Mitigation calls for social-distancing measures, such as reducing crowds by banning large-scale events like sporting events and concerts, and closing schools. |
| Mr. de Blasio had been resistant to embracing shutdowns, saying he was worried about how they would affect the city’s sense of normalcy and what impact they would have on the most vulnerable New Yorkers. | Mr. de Blasio had been resistant to embracing shutdowns, saying he was worried about how they would affect the city’s sense of normalcy and what impact they would have on the most vulnerable New Yorkers. |
| People close to the mayor said that as the virus spread, he knew that the city would need to shut more things down; the debate was over the timing. | People close to the mayor said that as the virus spread, he knew that the city would need to shut more things down; the debate was over the timing. |
| “We need people to have their livelihoods,” Mr. de Blasio said on Friday, the day after he signed the declaration of emergency. “We need folks to show up at work.” | “We need people to have their livelihoods,” Mr. de Blasio said on Friday, the day after he signed the declaration of emergency. “We need folks to show up at work.” |
| In his first six years in office, the mayor has received praise for leading the city through multiple global health epidemics such as a Legionnaires’ disease outbreak in 2015 that killed at least a dozen people. | In his first six years in office, the mayor has received praise for leading the city through multiple global health epidemics such as a Legionnaires’ disease outbreak in 2015 that killed at least a dozen people. |
| When an Ebola scare ripped through the city during his first year as mayor, Mr. de Blasio hugged an Ebola patient and ate at a restaurant where that man had dined, part of a strategy to reduce panic and to urge New Yorkers to mostly go about their lives. | When an Ebola scare ripped through the city during his first year as mayor, Mr. de Blasio hugged an Ebola patient and ate at a restaurant where that man had dined, part of a strategy to reduce panic and to urge New Yorkers to mostly go about their lives. |
| The mayor has said that he was trying to strike a balance between public health and affecting people’s livelihoods. | The mayor has said that he was trying to strike a balance between public health and affecting people’s livelihoods. |
| But as more New Yorkers tested positive for the coronavirus, it was clear that more decisive action was needed. | But as more New Yorkers tested positive for the coronavirus, it was clear that more decisive action was needed. |
| The turning point came over the weekend, as numerous advisers met with Mr. de Blasio and showed him the charts of the disease trajectory and the city’s ability to handle the cases. | The turning point came over the weekend, as numerous advisers met with Mr. de Blasio and showed him the charts of the disease trajectory and the city’s ability to handle the cases. |
| Mr. de Blasio acknowledged on Sunday that “seeing the latest models” and “talking thorough the ramifications” helped change his mind. | Mr. de Blasio acknowledged on Sunday that “seeing the latest models” and “talking thorough the ramifications” helped change his mind. |
| Another person close to the deliberations described the mayor as an intelligent over-processor. “He doesn’t trust experts in the field until he has processed it himself,” the person said. | Another person close to the deliberations described the mayor as an intelligent over-processor. “He doesn’t trust experts in the field until he has processed it himself,” the person said. |
| Michael Gold contributed reporting. | Michael Gold contributed reporting. |