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| New York governor orders shutdown of all nonessential business | New York governor orders shutdown of all nonessential business |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| The Washington Post is providing this story for free so that all readers have access to this important information about the coronavirus. For more free stories, sign up for our daily Coronavirus Updates newsletter. | The Washington Post is providing this story for free so that all readers have access to this important information about the coronavirus. For more free stories, sign up for our daily Coronavirus Updates newsletter. |
| NEW YORK — New York Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo ordered a statewide shutdown of all nonessential business activity starting Sunday, following California's example as two of the country's largest states take drastic action to try to stop the spread of coronavirus. | NEW YORK — New York Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo ordered a statewide shutdown of all nonessential business activity starting Sunday, following California's example as two of the country's largest states take drastic action to try to stop the spread of coronavirus. |
| “We’re all in quarantine now,” Cuomo said at a Friday news conference. “Think about it, we’re all in various levels of quarantine.” | “We’re all in quarantine now,” Cuomo said at a Friday news conference. “Think about it, we’re all in various levels of quarantine.” |
| The order for 100 percent of New York’s workforce to stay home will be painful and costly, the governor said, but it was deemed the only way to prevent the surge of coronavirus patients requiring intensive care treatment from outstripping New York’s capacity to provide ventilators for the worst cases of the covid-19 disease. | The order for 100 percent of New York’s workforce to stay home will be painful and costly, the governor said, but it was deemed the only way to prevent the surge of coronavirus patients requiring intensive care treatment from outstripping New York’s capacity to provide ventilators for the worst cases of the covid-19 disease. |
| “These actions will cause disruption. They will cause businesses to close. They will cause employees to stay at home, I understand that. They will cause much unhappiness,” said Cuomo. The governor said he accepted full responsibility for the decision, and if people are unhappy about it, “blame me.” | |
| Businesses that fail to comply with the order will be fined, although the state is not currently planning to sanction individuals found in violation, officials said. | Businesses that fail to comply with the order will be fined, although the state is not currently planning to sanction individuals found in violation, officials said. |
| As coronavirus invades, emergency rooms look to keep people at a safe distance | As coronavirus invades, emergency rooms look to keep people at a safe distance |
| The move comes as state and local authorities face the prospect of running out of beds in Intensive Care Units, and urgent demand for masks and protective gear for the health care workers treating coronavirus patients. To try to keep more hospital beds free, the state is also urging all hospitals to cancel elective surgeries. | The move comes as state and local authorities face the prospect of running out of beds in Intensive Care Units, and urgent demand for masks and protective gear for the health care workers treating coronavirus patients. To try to keep more hospital beds free, the state is also urging all hospitals to cancel elective surgeries. |
| “I feel terrified,” said Judy Sheridan-Gonzalez, a longtime emergency room nurse and the president of the 40,000-member New York State Nurses Association. | “I feel terrified,” said Judy Sheridan-Gonzalez, a longtime emergency room nurse and the president of the 40,000-member New York State Nurses Association. |
| Sign up for our Coronavirus Updates newsletter to track the outbreak. All stories linked in the newsletter are free to access. | Sign up for our Coronavirus Updates newsletter to track the outbreak. All stories linked in the newsletter are free to access. |
| Sheridan-Gonzalez, who works at Montefiore Medical Center in the Bronx, said that when her association recently surveyed its members, only 4 percent felt confident in their hospitals’ responses so far to the pandemic. | Sheridan-Gonzalez, who works at Montefiore Medical Center in the Bronx, said that when her association recently surveyed its members, only 4 percent felt confident in their hospitals’ responses so far to the pandemic. |
| “We had warned them since 9/11 that we are not prepared for disaster,” she said, calling the lack of equipment and staffing “a crisis.” | “We had warned them since 9/11 that we are not prepared for disaster,” she said, calling the lack of equipment and staffing “a crisis.” |
| Although industrial N95 masks are available at the hospital where she works, nurses are only permitted to wear them when inserting tubes or performing other procedures that risk suspending droplets of bodily fluid in the air, Sheridan-Gonzalez said. | Although industrial N95 masks are available at the hospital where she works, nurses are only permitted to wear them when inserting tubes or performing other procedures that risk suspending droplets of bodily fluid in the air, Sheridan-Gonzalez said. |
| “All the nurses want to be able to do what we can do,” she said, but “it inhibits that desire to help, to be placed in danger.” | “All the nurses want to be able to do what we can do,” she said, but “it inhibits that desire to help, to be placed in danger.” |
| A Montefiore spokeswoman said the hospital is “following all CDC guidance and protocol.” | |
| Cities struggle to protect vulnerable homeless populations as coronavirus spreads | Cities struggle to protect vulnerable homeless populations as coronavirus spreads |
| At Mount Sinai Hospital, the first in New York to treat a coronavirus patient, emergency department medical director Jolion McGreevy said things are functioning fairly smoothly. The hospital is seeing about 130 patients a day reporting flu-like symptoms, who are steered toward a separate screening area. | |
| “We’re not feeling a crunch of the supplies,” McGreevy said. “That’s not to say that it’s not at the front of our minds.” | |
| As of Friday afternoon, 7,102 New Yorkers had tested positive for coronavirus, and 35 had died, officials said. | As of Friday afternoon, 7,102 New Yorkers had tested positive for coronavirus, and 35 had died, officials said. |
| Northwell Health, whose two dozen hospitals and 800 outpatient centers make up New York’s largest hospital system, began restocking supplies in mid-January. Still Northwell has been “burning through months’ worth of supplies in weeks, especially masks and lab supplies,” said Northwell spokesman Terry Lynam. | |
| Cuomo said his directive was not a “shelter in place,” order, noting that New Yorkers can and should take solo outings for exercise, such as running or hiking, but they should keep a distance of at least six feet from others at all times, the governor said. | Cuomo said his directive was not a “shelter in place,” order, noting that New Yorkers can and should take solo outings for exercise, such as running or hiking, but they should keep a distance of at least six feet from others at all times, the governor said. |
| The term “shelter in place,” Cuomo said, causes unnecessary panic and evoked different kinds of crises, like an active shooter event. | The term “shelter in place,” Cuomo said, causes unnecessary panic and evoked different kinds of crises, like an active shooter event. |
| But he also chided young Americans for thinking they could not get sick, and therefore putting themselves and others in greater danger. | But he also chided young Americans for thinking they could not get sick, and therefore putting themselves and others in greater danger. |
| “I can’t tell you how many young people are out there saying it doesn’t affect young people. You’re just wrong. This is lunacy what they’re doing in some parks, in some areas,” the governor said. “When you’re young you think you’re invincible. Yeah, you’re wrong.” | “I can’t tell you how many young people are out there saying it doesn’t affect young people. You’re just wrong. This is lunacy what they’re doing in some parks, in some areas,” the governor said. “When you’re young you think you’re invincible. Yeah, you’re wrong.” |
| Younger adults are large percentage of coronavirus hospitalizations in United States, according to new CDC data | Younger adults are large percentage of coronavirus hospitalizations in United States, according to new CDC data |
| Friday’s announcement is another body blow to the state’s large and small businesses. In Manhattan, some small businesses have already closed temporarily for coronavirus, but others have remained open, hoping to eek out enough money to stay afloat despite the sudden loss of most customers. | Friday’s announcement is another body blow to the state’s large and small businesses. In Manhattan, some small businesses have already closed temporarily for coronavirus, but others have remained open, hoping to eek out enough money to stay afloat despite the sudden loss of most customers. |
| To soften the blow, the governor said he was also ordering a 90-day moratorium on all residential or commercial evictions. | To soften the blow, the governor said he was also ordering a 90-day moratorium on all residential or commercial evictions. |
| “I know that we’re going to put people out of work with what I did,” said Cuomo. “I want to make sure I don’t put them out of their house.” | “I know that we’re going to put people out of work with what I did,” said Cuomo. “I want to make sure I don’t put them out of their house.” |
| A number of industries are exempted from the order, including food, medicine, elder care, medical equipment, telecommunications, and paper products. | |
| New York is also taking aggressive steps to try to meet the demands caused by the outbreak, from manufacturing its own hand sanitizer to funding new production of protective gear. But hanging over all of those efforts was a need for more ventilators, which Cuomo said were as important as missiles during World War II. | New York is also taking aggressive steps to try to meet the demands caused by the outbreak, from manufacturing its own hand sanitizer to funding new production of protective gear. But hanging over all of those efforts was a need for more ventilators, which Cuomo said were as important as missiles during World War II. |
| “It’s ventilators, ventilators, ventilators. That is the greatest need,” the governor said. “The rate of increase in the number of cases portends a total overwhelming of our hospital system.” | “It’s ventilators, ventilators, ventilators. That is the greatest need,” the governor said. “The rate of increase in the number of cases portends a total overwhelming of our hospital system.” |
| Cuomo said that if New York state had a law like the federal Defense Production Act, which allows the federal government to force private companies to prioritize federal contracts, he would use it. | Cuomo said that if New York state had a law like the federal Defense Production Act, which allows the federal government to force private companies to prioritize federal contracts, he would use it. |
| Without such a law, New York is trying to be creative in how it spurs more production of medical gear in high demand around the world. | Without such a law, New York is trying to be creative in how it spurs more production of medical gear in high demand around the world. |
| “What I’m saying is, I will pay businesses more. I’m trying to make these products. If you are in this line of work, we need masks. If you’re making clothing, figure out if you can make masks. I’ll fund it,” said Cuomo. | “What I’m saying is, I will pay businesses more. I’m trying to make these products. If you are in this line of work, we need masks. If you’re making clothing, figure out if you can make masks. I’ll fund it,” said Cuomo. |
| New York officials are still debating other steps that might become necessary if the hospital system does run out of beds. One scenario floated by some officials has been using the Javits Center, a large convention hall on Manhattan’s west side, to handle overflow patients. The Javits Center did not respond to multiple requests for comment. Some experts have expressed doubts about its usefulness, since the cavernous space is not ideal for trying to contain an infection. | |
| Isaac Wiesfuse, a former New York City health official, said it would be more prudent to use hotels located near hospitals if there was a demand for extra bed space. |