BRONX, N.Y. — On day 91 of the virus outbreak in New York State, Governor Andrew Cuomo discussed the state's plans as regions continue to reopen and signed a new bill focused on the families of front line workers.
Cuomo signed a bill to give death benefits to the families of front line workers who died from the virus.
The next two weeks the state will have eyes on Western New York and New York City.
A review will happen next week to determine if Western New York will continue the reopening process and move to phase two, as phase one ends on Tuesday.
Phase two has already begun in the Finger Lakes region. Residents there are now able to enter retail stores and get a hair cut among other things.
The state also plans to start the reopening process in New York City in the next two weeks, while facing 10 hot spots and a mainly private hospital system.
New York City plans to enter phase one on June 8.
There are only 11 public hospitals in the New York City area compared to the 100 private hospitals. Cuomo stated that the public hospitals cannot handle an outbreak, and that the private hospitals need to work together as a system.
The state will work with hospitals to continue to prepare the 'surge and flex' system for the June 8 opening.
The governor also addressed that there are 10 hotspots in the New York City area, mainly in the Bronx, as well as Brooklyn and Queens. To address this, the state will add 10 more sites across these hot spots.
Cuomo also discussed how the protests surrounding the death of George Floyd and the current healthcare disparities causing COVID-19 to impact more people of color are connected.
He emphasized that the anger and frustration towards racism and inequality is the same in both situations.
The governor added that he figuratively stands with the protesters, but expressed that violence clouds the message of protests and encouraged New Yorkers to not engage in violence while protesting. He also encouraged social distancing while exercising the right to protest.
On screen next to the Governor showed a list of people who have been killed in a similar fashion to Floyd.
