New York Gov. Cuomo slams Trump & de Blasio timelines to reopen New York after coronavirus
GOVERNOR Andrew Cuomo slammed President Trump and NYC Mayor Bill de Blasio’s timelines to reopen New York after the coronavirus crisis. Cuomo told reporters he’s “not going to guess” when New Yorkers can stop adhering to the COVID-19 guidelines as another 779 people passed away overnight during Thursday’s press briefing. Cuomo rubbished Trump’s prediction that […]
GOVERNOR Andrew Cuomo slammed President Trump and NYC Mayor Bill de Blasio’s timelines to reopen New York after the coronavirus crisis.
Cuomo told reporters he’s “not going to guess” when New Yorkers can stop adhering to the COVID-19 guidelines as another 779 people passed away overnight during Thursday’s press briefing.
Cuomo rubbished Trump’s prediction that the country should be back in business by Easter and de Blasio’s recent assertion that the restrictions could last until June.
“How can you say that?” Cuomo said, adding that even the expert predictions were off. “Who can look forward and say this is where we’re going to be?
“I have no idea. I don’t know if that curve goes up or down,” he added. “We’ll know when we get there … We look at the data every day.”
“I’m telling you, the smartest person will start by saying I don’t know and that is to me the sign of wisdom.”
Cuomo confirmed over 7,067 New Yorkers had died from coronavirus Thursday versus the 2,753 deaths that resulted in the September 11 terror attacks.
He also revealed the state lost another 779 people in 24 hours again on April 8 after the same amount of patients died the day before.
This number marked the biggest single-day death toll from the deadly bug and Cuomo revealed the state had to bring on more funeral directors to cope with the mounting fatalities.
The straight-talking governor was asked to comment on de Blasio’s statement Thursday that social distancing guidelines may have to be tightened in NYC until June.
“April, we’re going to have to fight this fight the way we are now into May, that could be a lot of May in fact,” de Blasio said.
“I would love it if some change could happen in May. But it may not be until June.”
The news comes 18 days after the PAUSE measure was put into effect, shuttering business and schools around New York.
Cuomo pointed out that although it’s been 39 days since the first COVID case emerged in NY – and 80 days since was detected in the US – the state “wasn’t out of the woods” yet.
He cautioned residents who were too eager to end this “groundhog day reality.”
“Yeah, you’re not out of the woods yet and now is not the time to misunderstand what’s happening,” Cuomo said of the decreasing hospitalization rates in-state.
Later, de Blasio appeared to double down on his hopeful projection, saying he didn’t want to “overstate” the positive developments in NYC.
“They’re good signs but they’re early signs,” he told Andrea Mitchell. “You cannot let up the gas.”
Trump had previously expressed the desire to get the country opened up by Sunday, April 12 which White House expert Dr Anthony Fauci described as an “aspirational goal.”
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“Wouldn’t it be great to have all of the churches full?” Trump said on March 24. “Easter Sunday and you’ll have packed churches all over our country.”
Last week, the president warned the country should prepare for a “very deadly period” after enacting the Defense Production Act and signing a $2 trillion coronavirus aid package for struggling Americans.
Cuomo complained New York was hard done by as the state contends with a $15 billion deficit but these $1,200 checks are expected to start hitting people’s bank accounts April 9.
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