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Watch Now: Governor Cuomo Gives Coronavirus Update Cuomo and De Blasio Continue to Spar Over Closing Schools: Live Updates
(32 minutes later)
Hours after Mayor Bill de Blasio of New York City said he had the “moral” obligation to close New York City’s public school system in order to protect students, parents and educators, Governor Andrew M. Cuomo of New York responded that the final decision would be made by him.
Reopening schools, businesses and transportation had to be coordinated regionally because “you can’t restart the economy without fully restarting schools,” Mr. Cuomo said.
“We’re not going to open any schools until it is safe from a public health point of view,” the governor said Sunday. “We won’t open schools one minute sooner than they should be opened but we won’t open schools one minute later than they should be opened either.”
“Am I, as I sit here, prepared to say what we’ll be doing in June? No,” he said, adding in a seeming rebuke to the mayor: “I do not know what we will be doing in June. Nobody knows what we will be doing in June.”
Asked if he had any plans to announce school closures, Mr. Cuomo demurred.
“We are where we are,” he said. “We are where we were.”
Earlier in the morning, the mayor said that the governor had “done a very good job in this crisis,” but that it was clear that schools should be closed until September.
Mayor Bill de Blasio first announced the closure on Saturday, seemingly confirming that more than three months of regular schooling for 1.1 million children would be lost because of the coronavirus.
Asked why he had chosen to announce the school closure extension on a Saturday, Mr. de Blasio said he thought it was “imperative” to inform parents and educators as soon as the final decision was made. In a Saturday evening interview, he said that he was in charge the city’s school system, along with the schools chancellor, Richard A. Carranza.
But Mr. Cuomo’s aides have insisted that Mr. de Blasio does not have the legal authority to extend school closures.
The mayor said Sunday that he had a duty to the children of New York City.
“This is not a legal or jurisdictional question,” he said. “This is a moral question.”
The decision to extend the closure would add to an enormous challenge for roughly 1,800 schools across the city’s five boroughs, which have scrambled to adjust to remote learning since they were initially closed on March 16.
Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo said on Sunday that 758 more people had died in New York, but that other data showed that the state was slowing the virus’s spread.Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo said on Sunday that 758 more people had died in New York, but that other data showed that the state was slowing the virus’s spread.
That brought the total killed by the coronavirus in the state to 9,385.That brought the total killed by the coronavirus in the state to 9,385.
The governor’s morning update tracked closely with the rest of the week, with the rate of hospitalization continuing to fall.The governor’s morning update tracked closely with the rest of the week, with the rate of hospitalization continuing to fall.
The governor compared his experience of the outbreak to the film “Groundhog Day,” saying that each day felt like a repeat of the day before.The governor compared his experience of the outbreak to the film “Groundhog Day,” saying that each day felt like a repeat of the day before.
Mr. Cuomo again criticized federal action responding to the coronavirus, saying that money had been misdirected, and that states that were less hard-hit had been given a disproportionate amount of funding.Mr. Cuomo again criticized federal action responding to the coronavirus, saying that money had been misdirected, and that states that were less hard-hit had been given a disproportionate amount of funding.
He said that he would sign an executive order on Sunday that would direct employers at essential businesses to provide employees with cloth or surgical face masks to wear when interacting with the public.He said that he would sign an executive order on Sunday that would direct employers at essential businesses to provide employees with cloth or surgical face masks to wear when interacting with the public.
New York City last week released preliminary data showing that the coronavirus is killing black and Latino New Yorkers at twice the rate that it is killing white New Yorkers.New York City last week released preliminary data showing that the coronavirus is killing black and Latino New Yorkers at twice the rate that it is killing white New Yorkers.
On Sunday, Mayor Bill de Blasio announced that the city would open testing centers in an effort to begin to address those disparities.On Sunday, Mayor Bill de Blasio announced that the city would open testing centers in an effort to begin to address those disparities.
“We cannot accept this inequality,” he said. “We have to attack it with every tool we have.”“We cannot accept this inequality,” he said. “We have to attack it with every tool we have.”
He said that by the end of next week, the city would open the testing centers in East New York, Brooklyn; Morrisania, Bronx; Harlem, Manhattan; Jamaica, Queens; and Clifton, Staten Island.He said that by the end of next week, the city would open the testing centers in East New York, Brooklyn; Morrisania, Bronx; Harlem, Manhattan; Jamaica, Queens; and Clifton, Staten Island.
Mr. de Blasio said that despite the ongoing hardship, there continued to be encouraging signs in the city’s struggle against the virus. He reminded New Yorkers that the previous week had been expected to be one of the most painful of the outbreak, but that it had delivered some promising signs.Mr. de Blasio said that despite the ongoing hardship, there continued to be encouraging signs in the city’s struggle against the virus. He reminded New Yorkers that the previous week had been expected to be one of the most painful of the outbreak, but that it had delivered some promising signs.
“This was a tough and painful week but it was also a very different week from the one we expected, and thank God for that,” he said. Last Sunday was a moment that we were preparing for the worst and then we started to see some improvement.”“This was a tough and painful week but it was also a very different week from the one we expected, and thank God for that,” he said. Last Sunday was a moment that we were preparing for the worst and then we started to see some improvement.”
The number of those who needed to be intubated on a daily basis continued to fall, down from between 200 and 300 patients a day to about 70 patients a day, he said. He added that the city had a large enough supply of ventilators to get through the week.The number of those who needed to be intubated on a daily basis continued to fall, down from between 200 and 300 patients a day to about 70 patients a day, he said. He added that the city had a large enough supply of ventilators to get through the week.
Mr. de Blasio repeated that progress in the fight against the virus was contingent on more testing, something that the city did not have the capability to provide for itself.Mr. de Blasio repeated that progress in the fight against the virus was contingent on more testing, something that the city did not have the capability to provide for itself.
“We continue to plead for more testing,” he said. “It still has not come in anywhere near the numbers that we need.”“We continue to plead for more testing,” he said. “It still has not come in anywhere near the numbers that we need.”
He said that he was continuing to ask the White House and FEMA for more testing.He said that he was continuing to ask the White House and FEMA for more testing.
“We must have the testing to help us move towards that next phase, where we get out of widespread transmission of coronavirus and move to low-level transmission,” he said.“We must have the testing to help us move towards that next phase, where we get out of widespread transmission of coronavirus and move to low-level transmission,” he said.
He said that all city workers who had contact with the public would be required to wear face masks starting Monday.He said that all city workers who had contact with the public would be required to wear face masks starting Monday.
Weeks after ordering a shutdown across the state, Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo on Saturday said the efforts were beginning to pay off and the curve of new coronavirus cases was continuing to flatten.
But, as the focus began to turn to reopening the state and New York City, Mr. Cuomo emphasized that it would be premature to look too far ahead.
“Reopening is both an economic question and a public health question,” he said. “And I’m unwilling to divorce the two. You can’t ask the people of this state or this country to chose between lives lost and dollars gained.”
A rushed decision, he said, could lead to a resurgence of the outbreak.
“We don’t know if there’s going to be a second wave or not,” he said, urging caution in the rush to get the economy back off the ground.
On Sunday, the governor returned a number of ventilators to the Pathways Nursing Home and Rehabilitation Center in Niskayuna, N.Y., highlighting the reduced need in the New York City area for the devices.
He continued to emphasize the toll the coronavirus was taking.
“Last night we lost hundreds of New Yorkers to this terrible disease,” he said.
Mr. Cuomo thanked the nursing home for its willingness to share unused devices with an area in need, an approach he said could be critical to combating the virus across the country.
After Mayor Bill de Blasio and Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo spent Saturday sparring over whether New York City’s public school system would remain closed through the end of June, Mr. de Blasio insisted Sunday that there was no fundamental disagreement between the two political rivals.
“I think the governor has done a very good job in this crisis,” the mayor said, adding that he and Mr. Cuomo speak frequently. He said it was clear that schools should be closed until September.
Asked why he chose to announce the school closure extension on a Saturday morning, Mr. de Blasio said he thought it was “imperative” to inform parents and educators as soon as the final decision was made.
Though Mr. Cuomo’s aides insisted that Mr. de Blasio does not have the legal authority to extend school closures, the mayor said that he had a duty to the children of New York City.
“This is not a legal or jurisdictional question,” he said. “This is a moral question.”
Mayor Bill de Blasio announced the closure on Saturday, seemingly confirming that more than three months of regular schooling for 1.1 million children would be lost because of the coronavirus.
But soon after the mayor ended his news conference, Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo at his own news briefing said there had been “no decision” on closing schools in the state or city. He described the mayor’s announcement as Mr. de Blasio’s “opinion.”
Mr. Cuomo said the decision to reopen New York schools was his. Mr. de Blasio countered that during a television appearance Saturday night.
“I run the school system,” along with the schools chancellor, Richard A. Carranza, the mayor said, citing mayoral control of city schools. “We are the people charged with protecting our kids, our families,” he said, adding, “This is what we’re going to do.”
The decision to extend the closure would add to an enormous challenge for roughly 1,800 schools across the city’s five boroughs, which have scrambled to adjust to remote learning since they were initially closed on March 16.
Daunted by the coronavirus pandemic, New Jersey officials last week pleaded for medical professionals from other states to come to their aid.Daunted by the coronavirus pandemic, New Jersey officials last week pleaded for medical professionals from other states to come to their aid.
By Friday morning, 75 ambulances with license plates from places as far as Minnesota and Georgia were starting to line up at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford. Nearly 200 paramedics and emergency medical technicians stood ready to help New Jersey’s strained health care system.By Friday morning, 75 ambulances with license plates from places as far as Minnesota and Georgia were starting to line up at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford. Nearly 200 paramedics and emergency medical technicians stood ready to help New Jersey’s strained health care system.
“It’s a godsend to have them here,” said John Grembowiec, director of emergency medical services for University Hospital in Newark.“It’s a godsend to have them here,” said John Grembowiec, director of emergency medical services for University Hospital in Newark.
Mr. Grembowiec, whose team helped lead the visiting crews into the city convoy-fashion, emergency lights on, said locals welcomed them with fanfare.Mr. Grembowiec, whose team helped lead the visiting crews into the city convoy-fashion, emergency lights on, said locals welcomed them with fanfare.
“Neighbors were waving and blowing kisses, cars were beeping their horns and people were shouting, ‘You go! You go!’” Mr. Grembowiec said. “And our people, who are so exhausted, had tears in their eyes because this was the cavalry coming to rescue them.”“Neighbors were waving and blowing kisses, cars were beeping their horns and people were shouting, ‘You go! You go!’” Mr. Grembowiec said. “And our people, who are so exhausted, had tears in their eyes because this was the cavalry coming to rescue them.”
Although New Jersey has its own statewide task force that can send reinforcements from one region to another, most of their crews have been overwhelmed by the crisis. On Tuesday, Health Department officials from the state contacted the Federal Emergency Management Agency, which then turned to a nationwide network asking for volunteers, said Mike Bascom, a member of the task force.Although New Jersey has its own statewide task force that can send reinforcements from one region to another, most of their crews have been overwhelmed by the crisis. On Tuesday, Health Department officials from the state contacted the Federal Emergency Management Agency, which then turned to a nationwide network asking for volunteers, said Mike Bascom, a member of the task force.
Kevin Anderson, an operations supervisor for American Medical Response, which has a FEMA contract, was one of those who picked up the phone.Kevin Anderson, an operations supervisor for American Medical Response, which has a FEMA contract, was one of those who picked up the phone.
You might miss a birthday or an anniversary, but the community is the priority,” he said. “We’re accustomed to it.”You might miss a birthday or an anniversary, but the community is the priority,” he said. “We’re accustomed to it.”
As The New York Times follows the spread of the coronavirus across New York, New Jersey and Connecticut, we need your help. We want to talk to doctors, nurses, lab technicians, respiratory therapists, emergency services workers, nursing home managers — anyone who can share what they are seeing in the region’s hospitals and other health care centers. Even if you haven’t seen anything yet, we want to connect now so we can stay in touch in the future.As The New York Times follows the spread of the coronavirus across New York, New Jersey and Connecticut, we need your help. We want to talk to doctors, nurses, lab technicians, respiratory therapists, emergency services workers, nursing home managers — anyone who can share what they are seeing in the region’s hospitals and other health care centers. Even if you haven’t seen anything yet, we want to connect now so we can stay in touch in the future.
A reporter or editor may contact you. Your information will not be published without your consent.A reporter or editor may contact you. Your information will not be published without your consent.
Reporting was contributed by Jan Hoffman, Edgar Sandoval, Eliza Shapiro and Tracey Tully. Reporting was contributed by Jonah Engel Bromwich, Jan Hoffman, Azi Paybarah, Edgar Sandoval, Eliza Shapiro, Tracey Tully and Katie Van Syckle.