New York Governor Andrew Cuomo is giving an update Saturday on the state’s response to the coronavirus pandemic.
The three-day average of hospitalizations has seen a dramatic decline in numbers, Cuomo said, and the number of ICU admissions are down. There 783 deaths on Friday, indicating that the number of deaths per day is leveling out.
“The numbers are somewhat stabilizing, but it is stabilizing at a horrific rate,” Cuomo said. Friday’s numbers bring the death toll in New York from the coronavirus to 8,267.
Cuomo also said that he was working to keep political considerations out of the coronavirus response. He alluded to the idea among some Democrats that he could join the presidential race, saying “I’m not running for anything.”
“I’m governor of New York and that’s where I’m going to stay,” Cuomo said. He added that he had a strong relationship with President Trump, saying the president has “really responded to New York’s needs.”
Cuomo reiterated that reopening the state economy was intrinsically tied to public health, and said he would not ease up on coronavirus restrictions until he was certain it would be safe to do so.
“In my opinion, you can’t ask the people of this state and this country to choose between lives lost and dollars gained,” Cuomo said. “No one is going to make that quid pro quo.”
Cuomo said he would gather a team of the “best minds” to study the economies around the world that have already reopened, and determine whether there could be a “second wave” of the virus if the restrictions are eased too soon.
“The worst thing that can happen is that we make a misstep and we let emotions get ahead of logic and fact,” Cuomo said.
Cuomo also called on Congress to pass more federal stimulus legislation, but said that it needed to do more to help New York, such as include a repeal of the cap on the state and local tax deduction. The limit on the deduction, commonly known as SALT, primarily affects people living in areas with high property values, such as New York and California.
Cuomo said that New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio’s announcement that city schools will not be reopened for the rest of the year was “the mayor’s opinion.” He said that the “decision will be coordinated” between New York City and other metropolitan area county leaders.
“It makes no sense for one locality to take an action that’s uncoordinated with others,” Cuomo said.
He added that de Blasio does not have the authority to close city schools unilaterally.
“It is my legal authority in this situation,” he said.
On Friday, Cuomo said officials are “cautiously optimistic” that the infection rate is slowing in the state, and that the curve the state is seeing is much lower than what was projected.
