Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced New York State’s new plans on increasing hospital capacity in a press conference on March 25. As the apex is expected in around two weeks, New York is taking aggressive and urgent precautions.
With hospitals increasing capacity by at least 50% after Gov. Cuomo’s executive order, there will still not be enough hospital beds for the expected number of patients during the peak period, which is 140,000 hospitalized patients.
There will be four additional sites in New York to be converted to temporary hospitals, such as the Javits Center. The four centers will provide an addition of 4,000 beds.
State dormitories downstate will also be used to host coronavirus patients in times of emergency, providing 29,164 more beds. In addition to Hunter College and College of Staten Island dorms, Baruch dorms will also be evicted. Students in need will be placed in Queens College’s dorms.
“Right now, we have enough protective equipment, gloves, masks, gowns for all the hospitals statewide that are dealing with it,” Gov. Cuomo said, referring to the coronavirus outbreak. He added that not enough equipment was secured for three weeks later, but they were buying supplies from all around the world.
New York University School of Medicine announced that they are allowing students to graduate three months early to become interns and help medical staff in need.
“Every state will have a different apex with this virus. New York is first.I told the White House, send us the equipment we need. Then we will deploy it to the states that come after us. I personally guarantee it,” Gov. Cuomo tweeted. He added that New York’s biggest challenge is still ventilators, despite the federal help. New York State projects the need of 30,000 ventilators, but it currently has 11,000.
According to Mayor Bill De Blasio, the NYPD is explaining and enforcing the new social distancing rules at parks and playgrounds. Now the police ensure that people are not playing close-contact sports like basketball, which was previously prohibited to the social distancing rules.
“With warmer days coming, we need people to understand: if they don’t follow the rules, we’ll have little choice but to shut down spaces like playgrounds. We’ll assess on Saturday,” de Blasio tweeted.
Gov. Cuomo also announced that as a part of New York City’s plans to reduce density, some streets will be closed to traffic and open to pedestrians.
“We are working with the City Council to start opening a limited number of streets to pedestrians, joggers and cyclists on Thursday. The streets selected will be based on where there’s the greatest need while also guaranteeing the NYPD will be able to enforce proper distancing,” De Dlasio also tweeted.
What is new:
- New York City will suspend Alternate Side Parking for an additional seven days, through Tuesday, March 31.
- Citi Bike is offering essential workers a free 30-day membership.
- Four Seasons hotel in Midtown Manhattan has offered to house nurses and doctors responding to coronavirus for free.
- Utility rate increases that were to go into effect on April 1 have been postponed.
For free emotional support, consultation, and referral to a provider during the coronavirus pandemic, people can call 1-844-863-9314.
