Cuomo says a total shutdown is 'on the cards' but not inevitable as he warns people to stop holding private parties before the vaccine becomes available to the public at the end of January
NY Governor Andrew Cuomo said on Wednesday a total shutdown is on the cards in January
NY Governor Andrew Cuomo said on Wednesday a total shutdown is on the cards in January if people don't stop holding at-home parties before the vaccine becomes available to the public.
The vaccine is currently being rolled out the state to nursing home staff and residents and healthcare workers.
Then, healthcare systems will give them out across the state to essential, non-health workers - transit staff, grocery store workers etc - along with the most at-risk members of the general public.
Cuomo says that'll happen at the end of January and that it'll be 'totally free' for everyone.
But before then, he is warning a total shutdown is possible because COVID is still on the rise across the state, in some areas at double the rate than in others. In the Finger Lakes, the test positivity rate is more than 8.1 percent but in New York City, it's 4 percent.
In New York City is also varies from 2.77 percent in Manhattan to more than 5 percent in Staten Island.
New York State is also the 47th worst affected by COVID in the country but has some of the strictest restrictions and has since the start of the pandemic.
On Tuesday, there were 96 COVID deaths across the state and more than 6,000 are in the hospital. At the virus peak, more than 800 were dying every day and 18,000 were in the hospital in New York.
Nearly three quarters (74 percent) of the new cases are coming from at-home gatherings.
On Tuesday, there were 96 COVID deaths across the state and more than 6,000 are in the hospital. At the virus peak, more than 800 were dying every day and 18,000 were in the hospital in New York
Despite cases going up, people are not dying at nearly the same rate across the state or in NYC
Bars and restaurants - which are closed for indoor dining in NYC because of COVID and closed for outdoor dining because of the looming snow storm - only accounts for 1.34 percent of the new cases.
Cuomo said on Wednesday that a total shutdown was 'of course' on the cards but not if people change their behavior now.
'Nobody knows what New Yorkers will do between now and Christmas and how they'll act on Christmas week.
'The numbers aren't pre-destined- they're a reflection of what we do.
'A helpful warning is saying if we don't do anything different, you could see a shut down probably in January but that's if all the numbers go up the answer to that equation is don't have the numbers go up.
'Call me a foolish optimist but I think New Yorkers are capable of getting us to the point where there is no shut-down. New Yorkers are that good, that that can happen.
Many are already protesting the closure of indoor dining in NYC which the industry says will put thousands out of business. Above, Times Square on Tuesday
'I believe it's possible there's no shut down....we might not have a shut-down, period, and we might save lives,' he said.
He added that he thinks people will be stricter over Christmas and Hanukkah than they were over Thanksgiving and that the sharp rise in cases from Thanksgiving frightened the public.
New York State has so far received an initial allotment of 87,000 vaccines from Pfizer and a second delivery is due from Moderna but not until December 22.
There are more than 19million people in the state of New York and every person requires two doses of vices.
'No person will pay a penny for a vaccination. we want people to get vaccinated. No one will pay a penny.
'The insurers must cover any cost of vaccination. We're getting the vaccine from the federal government but theoretically say they have to pay the nurse etc.
'We've put out a directive saying they have to cover that. '
Mayor Bill de Blasio has for weeks been certain that a total shut-down is imminent, despite him not being able to implement one.
He said on Wednesday morning again that he expects one in the next few weeks.