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| Cuomo orders New Yorkers to stay home and non-essential businesses to close | Cuomo orders New Yorkers to stay home and non-essential businesses to close |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| Democratic governor took action as confirmed cases in the state climbed to more than 7,000 and fatalities rose to 35 | Democratic governor took action as confirmed cases in the state climbed to more than 7,000 and fatalities rose to 35 |
| New York’s governor, Andrew Cuomo, has said all non-essential businesses must close and all non-essential members of the workforce must stay home in the latest of several extreme measures to prevent the spread of the coronavirus in the state. | New York’s governor, Andrew Cuomo, has said all non-essential businesses must close and all non-essential members of the workforce must stay home in the latest of several extreme measures to prevent the spread of the coronavirus in the state. |
| “This is the most drastic action we can take,” Cuomo said in a press conference on Friday morning, adding that the measures would take effect on Sunday night and would be “enforced”. | “This is the most drastic action we can take,” Cuomo said in a press conference on Friday morning, adding that the measures would take effect on Sunday night and would be “enforced”. |
| The state is home to more than 19 million residents, and has seen its number of cases soar in recent days. | |
| The Democratic governor took the dramatic actions as confirmed cases in New York climbed to more than 7,000. Cuomo reported that the state’s number of fatalities had increased to 35. Johns Hopkins University, which has been tallying deaths globally, put the state’s fatality count at 38. | The Democratic governor took the dramatic actions as confirmed cases in New York climbed to more than 7,000. Cuomo reported that the state’s number of fatalities had increased to 35. Johns Hopkins University, which has been tallying deaths globally, put the state’s fatality count at 38. |
| “We’re going to close the valve, because the rate of increase in the number of cases portends a total overwhelming of our hospital system,” Cuomo said. | “We’re going to close the valve, because the rate of increase in the number of cases portends a total overwhelming of our hospital system,” Cuomo said. |
| Cuomo said all non-essential gatherings of any size would be banned in the state of 19 million residents amid the pandemic. He said residents can go outside for only solitary exercise and mandated that all people should stay at least 6ft away from other people when they are out in public. | Cuomo said all non-essential gatherings of any size would be banned in the state of 19 million residents amid the pandemic. He said residents can go outside for only solitary exercise and mandated that all people should stay at least 6ft away from other people when they are out in public. |
| “There are people and places in New York City where it looks like life as usual,” Cuomo said. “No, this is not life as usual.” | “There are people and places in New York City where it looks like life as usual,” Cuomo said. “No, this is not life as usual.” |
| Cuomo said he would sign an executive order on Friday tightening previous work-from-home exemptions. He emphasised that medical workers and transit workers were considered essential. | Cuomo said he would sign an executive order on Friday tightening previous work-from-home exemptions. He emphasised that medical workers and transit workers were considered essential. |
| Earlier in the day, Cuomo said barbershops, hair salons, tattoo and piercing parlors, and nail salons in New York, New Jersey, Connecticut and Pennsylvania must close on Saturday to slow the spread of the coronavirus. | Earlier in the day, Cuomo said barbershops, hair salons, tattoo and piercing parlors, and nail salons in New York, New Jersey, Connecticut and Pennsylvania must close on Saturday to slow the spread of the coronavirus. |
| Cuomo said the number of coronavirus cases was “going up at such a rate” that they were already “double the capacity of the hospital system” and “more than triple the capacity of our ICU system”. He said the only solution was to try to “close the valve” on infection rates. | Cuomo said the number of coronavirus cases was “going up at such a rate” that they were already “double the capacity of the hospital system” and “more than triple the capacity of our ICU system”. He said the only solution was to try to “close the valve” on infection rates. |
| Cuomo reiterated the increasing number of cases was a reflection of the expanding testing capacities in the state. New York performed 10,000 tests overnight, bringing the total number of people tested in the state to more than 32,000. | Cuomo reiterated the increasing number of cases was a reflection of the expanding testing capacities in the state. New York performed 10,000 tests overnight, bringing the total number of people tested in the state to more than 32,000. |
| “The tests are just demonstrating what was,” Cuomo said. “Finding positives is a good thing because then we can isolate and track back.” | “The tests are just demonstrating what was,” Cuomo said. “Finding positives is a good thing because then we can isolate and track back.” |
| The governor said he wants to be able to look back on the coronavirus pandemic and be able to say: “I did everything we could do … This is about saving lives. If everything we do saves just one life, I’ll be happy.” | The governor said he wants to be able to look back on the coronavirus pandemic and be able to say: “I did everything we could do … This is about saving lives. If everything we do saves just one life, I’ll be happy.” |
| He added: “There will be a moratorium on evictions, residential or commercial, for 90 days … I know that we’re going to put people out of work with what I did, I want to make sure I don’t put them out of their house.” | He added: “There will be a moratorium on evictions, residential or commercial, for 90 days … I know that we’re going to put people out of work with what I did, I want to make sure I don’t put them out of their house.” |
| Cuomo’s announcement comes one day after California’s governor, Gavin Newsom, announced all of the state’s 40 million residents must stay indoors except for essential activities, and order known as “shelter in place”. | Cuomo’s announcement comes one day after California’s governor, Gavin Newsom, announced all of the state’s 40 million residents must stay indoors except for essential activities, and order known as “shelter in place”. |
| But Cuomo pushed back against a reporter who characterized the New York restrictions as a “shelter-in-place order”. | But Cuomo pushed back against a reporter who characterized the New York restrictions as a “shelter-in-place order”. |
| Cuomo said the language used to describe the restrictions matter, and he does not want to unnecessarily scare people about the new reality. He said he made the decision to restrict all non-essential activity in consultation with local leaders, but he emphasized he accepts “full responsibility” for the decision. | Cuomo said the language used to describe the restrictions matter, and he does not want to unnecessarily scare people about the new reality. He said he made the decision to restrict all non-essential activity in consultation with local leaders, but he emphasized he accepts “full responsibility” for the decision. |
| “If somebody is unhappy, if somebody wants to blame somebody or complain about someone, blame me,” he said. | |