New York - Coronavirus COVID-19

[JerseyGirl]

NEW YORK

New York Gov. Cuomo to close NYC playgrounds as coronavirus death rate starts to climb

New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo said he is closing all playgrounds in New York City as coronavirus deaths start to climb across the state.

“People say, ‘well when is it over, two weeks, three weeks, four weeks?’ This model projects you’re going to have a high death rate through July. If this model is correct, this could go through the summer,” Cuomo said at a press conference in Albany on Wednesday.

He said he’s been warning residents for weeks that he would close the playgrounds and parks if people didn’t abide by new rules designed to reduce density and help curb the outbreak. Local parks will remain open so people can get outside and exercise, he said.

“I warned people that if they didn’t stop the density and the games in the playgrounds — you can’t play basketball, you can’t come in contact with each other — that we would close the playgrounds,” he said.

 

[cass523]

Thank you @JerseyGirl for finding this interview. I missed the beginning.

 

[JerseyGirl]

Horribly, as we all know, the virus is not going to pause at a state border and decide not to invade there.

I'm a New Yorker. Yes, we are the epicenter. I have not stepped foot out of my apartment in weeks. I have enough of what I need to last another two weeks and I'm trying to order groceries online. There's no way out of this except to STAY HOME.

It's only natural that NYC would be the epicenter. I've seen comments here also, where otherwise lovely WSers do not want anyone from our infected city to come to their bucolic areas. That makes all the sense in the world. But you know what? We don't want the virus, either, but because we are NYC, people from every country in the entire world came here, and gave this virus to us. Now we have to play the hand we've been dealt, and stay home if we are not essential workers.

I have family in Jersey and Florida. In Florida, the lockdown is determined by each county, and too many Floridians are going about their business without taking enough precautions. The elderly, not just spring breakers.

IMO this whole country should be on the strictest lockdown possible. My heart breaks for those whose incomes have been jeopardized, but young people without underlying conditions are dying, too. There is no other way. STAY HOME!

We also have a thread for Florida: Florida - Coronavirus Covid-19

 

[JerseyGirl]

NEW YORK

Governor Cuomo cited projections from a group founded by the Gates Foundation that the death toll would reach 16,000 in New York and 93,000 nationwide.

“This is not just New York,” he said. “If you believe these numbers — 16,000 deaths in New York — that means you’re going to get tens of thousands of deaths outside of New York.”

The governor noted that the virus was spreading more rapidly in other states, including California, Michigan and Florida.

Other highlights from the governor’s morning briefing in Albany:

• Confirmed cases: 83,712, up from 75,795.
• New York City cases: 47,349, up from 43,139.
• Currently hospitalized: 12,226, up from 10,929.
  • In intensive care: 3,022, up from 2,710.

The latest projections for the state put the peak of the outbreak in New York at the end of April.

“We’re all in search of the apex and the other side of the mountain,” Mr. Cuomo. “But we are still headed up the mountain.”

Cuomo Warns U.S. as Virus Deaths in N.Y. Region Pass 2,300: Live Updates

 

[Mistyjks]

Coronavirus News: Newark, NJ opens appointment-only drive-thru COVID-19 testing site

Essex County has opened an appointment-only drive-thru coronavirus testing site in Newark. The site is for Essex County residents who are symptomatic and is located in Weequahic Park.

It will be open on Monday, Wednesday and Friday, when 150 tests per day will be administered each day.

Appointments are mandatory, and residents must arrive by car.

Appointments will be scheduled from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Those who do not meet the criteria will not receive an appointment. If you are exhibiting severe symptoms, please contact your local health care provider or local health department for guidance.

Residents can visit EssexCOVID.org, where they will be required to complete a short online screening process before an appointment is scheduled.

Residents will be asked several health-related questions and detail any symptoms they have related to the coronavirus. Upon completion of the survey, they will be informed if they are eligible for the screening. If they are eligible, a confirmation number will be provided; residents must bring the confirmation number with them to their appointment.

If someone does not have internet access, they can register by calling the Essex County Office of Emergency Management at 973-324-9950. The call-in center will be open form 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. An operator will help them complete the initial survey and issue the confirmation number. Residents must bring the confirmation number with them to their appointment.

Felt a little excited reading this, however it was short lived when I realized it was Essex County, NJ and not where I am Essex County, NY. We have no tests available, nor have we all along even though we have two hospitals and an abundance of Dr offices. ‍ I realize our population isn’t that of a large city, but there really seems to be a problem here. For starters, just about every place of employment in the county is considered “essential”, including a paper mill which is our biggest employer and employs over 500 people. We have a very, very minimal amount of workforce that had any type of job considered “non-essential” so in many ways, it feels like business as usual here.

Combined with a shocking amount of people just outright not practicing social distancing, staying home, and bluntly mocking those that do and are concerned about COVID-19. A lot of ignorance I guess.

Since we cannot get tested in the county, they local DOH or whomever they get guidance from I guess has decided that if symptomatic, and test negative for flu and strep, and especially (but not necessarily required), were in contact with known positive they are being treated and counted as a presumed positive. They just announced this yesterday and I wasn’t sure what I thought about that. I just wish we had tests and weren’t in this predicament. However, really only good can come about this, foremost enforcing more people to practice distancing and staying home - stopping the spread.

 

[JerseyGirl]

Felt a little excited reading this, however it was short lived when I realized it was Essex County, NJ and not where I am Essex County, NY. We have no tests available, nor have we all along even though we have two hospitals and an abundance of Dr offices. ‍ I realize our population isn’t that of a large city, but there really seems to be a problem here. For starters, just about every place of employment in the county is considered “essential”, including a paper mill which is our biggest employer and employs over 500 people. We have a very, very minimal amount of workforce that had any type of job considered “non-essential” so in many ways, it feels like business as usual here.

Combined with a shocking amount of people just outright not practicing social distancing, staying home, and bluntly mocking those that do and are concerned about COVID-19. A lot of ignorance I guess.

Since we cannot get tested in the county, they local DOH or whomever they get guidance from I guess has decided that if symptomatic, and test negative for flu and strep, and especially (but not necessarily required), were in contact with known positive they are being treated and counted as a presumed positive. They just announced this yesterday and I wasn’t sure what I thought about that. I just wish we had tests and weren’t in this predicament. However, really only good can come about this, foremost enforcing more people to practice distancing and staying home - stopping the spread.

More information on testing: Essex County, New York – Site of the Lake Placid Winter Olympics and the beautiful High Peaks of the Adirondacks
and here: Communicable Disease Hot Topics

Your county is testing: Essex County Health Department
__

Testing information for all of New York:
Testing is by appointment only. Residents who believe they have been in close contact with a case and have symptoms, and would like to be tested can be assessed by calling the COVID-19 hotline at 888-364-3065.

Individual test results are sent to the individual by phone, texted, or they can access the online patient portal at BioReference Laboratories.

COVID-19 Testing

 

[bears10]

A lot of people in my area of Long Island are still going about every day life. Far too many companies are open and coming up with some sort of loophole as justification for not closing. The govt needs to tighten up the guidelines and leave zero room for interpretation or loopholes.

Stopping construction was a huge step, but contractors are just finding ways to justify their work as essential. Both my husband and I are in the construction industry, and we see it with our own eyes. I got laid off a week or two ago, but he is still working half days (5 am - 12 pm) Monday thru Saturday. He has direct contact with so many (loophole finding) customers every day, it is genuinely scary thinking about what he can be in contact with on any given day. I feel comfortable saying his boss won’t close unless there are very specific guidelines with hefty fines. I also feel comfortable saying the same for a lot of business owners. Jmo

 

[Mistyjks]

More information on testing: Essex County, New York – Site of the Lake Placid Winter Olympics and the beautiful High Peaks of the Adirondacks
and here: Communicable Disease Hot Topics

Your county is testing: Essex County Health Department
__

Testing information for all of New York:
Testing is by appointment only. Residents who believe they have been in close contact with a case and have symptoms, and would like to be tested can be assessed by calling the COVID-19 hotline at 888-364-3065.

Individual test results are sent to the individual by phone, texted, or they can access the online patient portal at BioReference Laboratories.

COVID-19 Testing

Yes there have been a number (under 100) tested and 7 positives. No one in our county was tested within the county. They have gone out of county, and in some cases out of state (VT hospital is just as close as the next county that has tests), but the results are tracked by that county back to the resident county - this is where our numbers are from. This has been disclosed to us almost since they beginning - there are NO tests available in our county. It hasn’t been formally said there never was, I don’t believe, but as this quickly ramped up it was disclosed that we have none. I still don’t quite understand having none? Anyways 6 of these are True positives from an actual test, and one “positive” meets the criteria I mentioned prior, neg for flu and strep - and a number of symptoms that fall “in line” with COVID-19, so presumed positive. The 81 negatives are a true reflection of legit negatives via test, or I believe also those waiting for results but not as symptomatic or distance with known positive as the one above. I say this because they said our daily running total is 88 tested, 7 positive. I hadn’t looked through the actual ny doh site today but for the past week when we went from 4 to 5, it’s still reflected 4 and I believe this was due to the one deemed positive however never officially being tested. Yesterday we had the other 2 return positive tests.

To illustrate a lack of following safe practices one of the positives yesterday was a college student. They go to college in another state (I’m not sure where, guessing Middlebury VT), they were I’m guessing symptomatic at college, were seen and tested. They then traveled to their “home” maybe at the direction of campuses and resident halls being closed (again not certain). Prior to getting yesterday’s positive, they then went back to their college. I have no idea why they returned back to college, and how frustrating it is they potentially introduced COVID-19 to so many people both there, here, and who knows where in between. I’d find it hard to believe that any dr who orders a test doesn’t give the patient strict isolation or if needed quarantine orders. ‍

 

[bears10]

Yes there have been a number (under 100) tested and 7 positives. No one in our county was tested within the county. They have gone out of county, and in some cases out of state (VT hospital is just as close as the next county that has tests), but the results are tracked by that county back to the resident county - this is where our numbers are from. This has been disclosed to us almost since they beginning - there are NO tests available in our county. It hasn’t been formally said there never was, I don’t believe, but as this quickly ramped up it was disclosed that we have none. I still don’t quite understand having none? Anyways 6 of these are True positives from an actual test, and one “positive” meets the criteria I mentioned prior, neg for flu and strep - and a number of symptoms that fall “in line” with COVID-19, so presumed positive. The 81 negatives are a true reflection of legit negatives via test, or I believe also those waiting for results but not as symptomatic or distance with known positive as the one above. I say this because they said our daily running total is 88 tested, 7 positive. I hadn’t looked through the actual ny doh site today but for the past week when we went from 4 to 5, it’s still reflected 4 and I believe this was due to the one deemed positive however never officially being tested. Yesterday we had the other 2 return positive tests.

To illustrate a lack of following safe practices one of the positives yesterday was a college student. They go to college in another state (I’m not sure where, guessing Middlebury VT), they were I’m guessing symptomatic at college, were seen and tested. They then traveled to their “home” maybe at the direction of campuses and resident halls being closed (again not certain). Prior to getting yesterday’s positive, they then went back to their college. I have no idea why they returned back to college, and how frustrating it is they potentially introduced COVID-19 to so many people both there, here, and who knows where in between. I’d find it hard to believe that any dr who orders a test doesn’t give the patient strict isolation or if needed quarantine orders. ‍

The situation on college campuses has been very tense, disorganized, and stressful for all involved. Our local SUNY has the kids leave for spring break under the pretense the kids would come back once break was over. Then break got extended while the university scrambled to figure out the logistics to switch to fully being online, but the kids still though they’d be coming back. A couple weeks ago, the students got an email telling them they needed to remove all of their belongings and be completely moved out within 2 days.

And the student themselves had to physically come to move out (they couldn’t send someone else) because they had to fill out paperwork or something of that nature.

The students and parents were obviously furious. But the reason behind it was so the school could prepare their facilities and dorms to be used as hospital space. It was urgent.

just offering another perspective.

 

[Mistyjks]

The situation on college campuses has been very tense, disorganized, and stressful for all involved. Our local SUNY has the kids leave for spring break under the pretense the kids would come back once break was over. Then break got extended while the university scrambled to figure out the logistics to switch to fully being online, but the kids still though they’d be coming back. A couple weeks ago, the students got an email telling them they needed to remove all of their belongings and be completely moved out within 2 days.

And the student themselves had to physically come to move out (they couldn’t send someone else) because they had to fill out paperwork or something of that nature.

The students and parents were obviously furious. But the reason behind it was so the school could prepare their facilities and dorms to be used as hospital space. It was urgent.

just offering another perspective.

Thanks for sharing. I don’t have any connections to any students residing on campus so I’ll admit I’ve been a bit uninformed as to how that front was going. I do watch the news quite a bit on our local channel and haven’t seen that come up at all lately so it’s almost no surprise it was handled in this manner - pretty reactive vs a well thought out plan of action I guess.

 

[bears10]

Thanks for sharing. I don’t have any connections to any students residing on campus so I’ll admit I’ve been a bit uninformed as to how that front was going. I do watch the news quite a bit on our local channel and haven’t seen that come up at all lately so it’s almost no surprise it was handled in this manner - pretty reactive vs a well thought out plan of action I guess.

I only know certain things due to my job and our relationship with the university and hospital. I don’t think it was talked about in the news much, if at all. I agree that it seems like a cluster F, and it certainly was. But IMO the plan was in the works ahead of time, the university was just trying to wait it out in hopes they wouldn’t have to resort to it. Unfortunately, as days turned into weeks, it became abundantly clear that the hospital was going to overflow into campus in one way or another. They def could have told the students a little earlier, but this is an unprecedented situation and I can understand the university’s hectic decision.

 

[cass523]

 

[zecats]

I loved his conversation with his brother Chris. The both of them are truly decent human beings. IMO

 

[JerseyGirl]

UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE - NEW YORK

Sign up here:
Unemployment Insurance - New York State Department of Labor

The CARES Act was enacted on Friday, March 27, 2020. Please see the CARES Act web page for information about how the Act may affect UI benefits.

 

[cass523]

The coronavirus crisis has turned NYC into a warzone for first-responders: EMS chief

The head of New York City’s Emergency Medical Services department described the five boroughs as a war zone amid the coronavirus pandemic.

"Our EMTs and our paramedics, all our first responders in fact including all our healthcare providers, are really on the front lines of this thing and they are doing a tremendous job, but they’re fighting,” EMS chief Lillian Bonsignore told NBC News. “This is a war. We consider this a war, and they're our soldiers and unfortunately they're not immune to this virus and many of them are getting sick."

Bonsignore said the coronavirus outbreak triggered an unprecedented volume of 911 calls.

“I'll tell you I've been in this profession for about 30 years, so three decades, and I've never seen anything like this in my whole career or in my life for that matter,” she said.

The coronavirus crisis has turned NYC into a warzone for first-responders: EMS chief

 

[epiphany]

N.Y.C. officials said residents should cover their faces outside.

<snip> New York City officials on Thursday advised residents to shield their faces with a scarf, bandanna or other protective covering when leaving their homes, although they reiterated that people should continue to stay at home as much as possible during the coronavirus outbreak.

Mr. de Blasio urged city residents not to use the surgical or N-95 masks that are desperately needed by emergency services workers, doctors, nurses and other hospital staff employees who are treating infected patients.

“You can create your own version,” Mr. de Blasio said. “You can be creative and put whatever decoration you want on it. It can be as homemade as you want. But that’s what we want you to do: something homemade.”

The mayor and the city’s health commissioner, Dr. Oxiris Barbot, repeatedly said that the city and state’s social distancing guidelines continued to apply.

“These face coverings shouldn’t be seen as an invitation to come closer,” Dr. Barbot said.

Mr. de Blasio said that city officials were offering the new guidance because they were increasingly concerned that apparently healthy people who did not have virus symptoms could be spreading infection regardless.

N.Y. Has Only 6 Days’ Supply of Ventilators, Cuomo Says: Live Updates

 

[PommyMommy]

New York City has 49,707 coronavirus cases and 1,562 deaths

New York City has 49,707 coronavirus cases and 1,562 deaths, according to the city’s website.

So far, there have been 4,000 new cases today and 188 new deaths.

New York City needs 1,000 nurses, 300 respiratory therapists and 150 doctors by Sunday, according to Mayor Bill de Blasio.

The city has received 400 ventilators from New York State, the mayor said, and will need roughly 3,000 ventilators for the next week and 15,000 overall, according to de Blasio.

Coronavirus live updates: Cases top 1 million globally - CNN

 

[JerseyGirl]

New York Gov. Cuomo: 'I'm doing everything I can, but people are still dying' from the coronavirus

Recap of today's briefing:

New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo said Thursday a coronavirus outbreak in Long Island is “troubling” as the infection has now spread to every county across the state, surging to 92,381 with 2,373 deaths.

Cuomo said it was the “cruelest irony” that China, where the pandemic began, is the leading producer of critically needed personal protective equipment.

He also said the state would provide assistance to businesses manufacturing personal protective gear if possible — face masks, medical gowns, face shields and gloves.

“I’m doing everything I can, but people are still dying and that is hurtful and humbling and painful. Just painful,” Cuomo said. “And this is a long time to be under that level of pain. What do you look like when you come out the other side, I don’t know.

Cuomo said the COVID-19 outbreak isn’t just hitting urban areas. The coronavirus has spread across the state, including in rural communities where there are “more cows than people,” Cuomo said. “It’s suburban areas. That’s Westchester, Nassau and Suffolk. ... In many ways New York state is a microcosm of the United States.”

The state is now predicting it will hit a peak of coronavirus cases in seven to 30 days.

“If a person comes in and needs a ventilator and you don’t have a ventilator, the person dies. That’s the blunt equation here,” Cuomo said.

Cuomo said doctors and nurses in hospitals upstate have been shifted to New York City and other areas that are getting hit the hardest. In addition, 21,000 out-of-state health-care workers have volunteered to come to New York, he said. “I thank their patriotism ... These are beautiful, generous people and New Yorkers will return the favor..”

 

[JerseyGirl]

Family Mourns First Livingston County COVID-19 Death

A family is mourning the death of Vinnie Coons, 27.

Vinnie’s brother said when Vinnie showed symptoms of COVID-19, he called a doctor who told him not to come in and to self-isolate. Vinnie’s doctor did not direct Vinnie to get tested. His family said Vinnie was symptomatic for about nine days before his death on Saturday.

 

[JerseyGirl]

Maybe I've missed it, but why exactly are things SO much worse in New York than other states right now?

The Big Apple! The City That Never Sleeps!
Concrete Jungle where dreams are made of!

New York City is a world-renowned tourist destination and the most visited destination in the US. As such, Cuomo said that contagious people from countries that had earlier coronavirus outbreaks traveled to the city and spread the virus.

The first and most obvious explanation for the severity of the area's outbreak is that New York is the largest and most densely populated city in the US, and coronavirus tends to spread in dense places.

New York City had an average of just over 27,000 people per square mile, according to the 2010 Census. That's more than double the density of Chicago and Philadelphia and more than three times the density of Los Angeles.

At all times of day, New Yorkers pack together on the subway, bump into each other on sidewalks and brush knees at bars and restaurants -- all while potentially contagious. They live in crowded apartment buildings, squeezing up stairs or into elevators with neighbors. The transit system connects people across all five boroughs, so most people don't own cars that might otherwise separate people.

"We're used to crowds," New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio said. "We're used to lines. We're used to being close together."

With over 8 million people, New York City is also the largest city in the country. So New York's high number of coronavirus cases is also just a reflection of its size. The state will likely lead the country in coronavirus cases even if its infection rate per person is not the highest

Another reason why New York has so many confirmed coronavirus cases is because it is looking for them. The US has lagged behind other countries in testing suspected cases, and people across the country have said that they have been unable to get tested.

New York, though, has made a dedicated push to ramp up testing at hospitals, labs and drive-through centers specifically set up in the most dense areas. With FDA approval, New York state authorized 28 public and private labs to begin testing for coronavirus on March 13, the first state to do so.

Cuomo said over 100,000 people have been tested for coronavirus in New York. He said today that about 25% of all testing nationwide has been performed by New York.

Widespread testing may make the numbers look bad, sure, but health officials say it's vital to slowing the spread of the virus. The more you test, the more you can isolate those people who have the virus and thereby stop it spreading.

Cuomo has warned that New York is the "canary in the coal mine" for the country.

"It's higher in New York because it started here first, because we have global travelers coming here first, because we have more density than most places, but you will see this in cities all across the country. And you will see this in suburban counties all across the country," he said. "We are just a test case."

Why New York is the epicenter of the American coronavirus outbreak