Governor Cuomo Press Briefing
- The Governor announced this morning that there are now 102,863 confirmed COVID-19 positive cases in New York State, and 57,159 confirmed cases in New York City. There have been 2,935 deaths from COVID-19 in New York.
- Current Hospitalizations:
- 102,863 tested positive
- 14,810 people currently hospitalizes (+1,427)
- 3,731 ICU patients (+335)
- 8,886 patients discharged (+1,452)
- The Governor will be signing an Executive Order allowing the State to take ventilators and personal protective equipment (PPE) from institutions that don’t need them now and redeploy them to other parts of the State with higher needs. The hospitals giving up their equipment will either have it returned, replaced, or the facility will be compensated.
- The Javits Center will be converted to serve COVID-19 patients only. Originally, the facility was planned to be used for hospital overflow for non-COVID-19 patients, but the need has shifted. The Governor said the President has granted the request for the transfer. The facility will be equipped with ICU beds.
- The Governor has spoken with U.S. House of Representatives Speaker Pelosi to make the case that New York needs more help from the federal government.
- In response to a question, Health Commissioner Zucker said that according to the data the State currently has there is no need for citizens to wear face coverings in public, but that is being re-evaluated as new data becomes available. The Governor said it can’t hurt but he does not want people to ignore other precautions because they get a false sense of security using scarves and bandanas that may not prevent transmission.
- The Governor highlighted the following measures included in the final budget:
- National First Domestic Terrorism Law
- Improved Bail Reform
- Child Vaping Law
- Banned Fentanyl
- Subway Sex Offender Ban
- Campaign Finance Reform
- Paid Sick Leave
- Middle Class Tax Cut
- Airport Construction Program
- Accessible Renewable Energy Siting
NYS Budget
All Appropriations and Article VII budget bills have been passed by both Houses of the Legislature. Both Houses have adjourned at the call of their respective leaders. It is unclear at this time when the Legislature will reconvene.
We will continue to monitor the activity at the Capitol and will send you any updates of interest.
New York City
New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio is urging New Yorkers to wear face coverings when they leave their homes, but said New Yorkers should not be buying medical grade masks needed for medical professionals.
Up-To-Date Guidance
- New York State Department of Health: Coronavirus (COVID-19) – Medicaid Eligibility Processes During Emergency Period
- Office for People with Developmental Disabilities:
- Empire State Development:
- There have been no changes to this guidance since our last update.
- According to reports there will be an update made to this guidance that will classify real estate showings, appraisal services, home inspections and back-office real estate work as essential functions.
- New York City: Agency Suspensions and Reductions
- There have been no changes since our last update.
Attached please find a comprehensive document with guidance from across government agencies. We will be updating this document as information becomes available and including it in our daily updates.
In addition to our regular email updates, Ostroff Associates has established two dedicated webpages that will be updated in real time with any new information from government sources relating to COVID-19. Please use these websites as a resource and share with others who would benefit.
Update Page: https://www.ostroffassociates.com/covid-19-updates/
News Page: https://www.ostroffassociates.com/category/covid-19/
