Gov. Andrew Cuomo at April 16 press briefing
April 16, 2020 By Christian Murray
Gov. Andrew Cuomo has extended the state shutdown until May 15.
The restrictions were originally in place through April 29 but Cuomo said they need to be extended in order to contain the virus. He said that while it appears as though the virus has peaked, it is still far too widespread for the restrictions to be lifted.
The number of deaths across the state yesterday dropped to 606, the lowest number in 10 days. Cuomo reported that 12,192 New York state residents have died from the virus.
Cuomo pointed to an array of encouraging data indicating that the worst may be over. He said there was a decline in the number of people in the ICU; a decline in the number of patients needing to be intubated; and lower hospitalization rates.
Nevertheless, Cuomo said it is far too soon to reopen the state. He said that there are still 2,000 people walking into a hospital each day and being diagnosed with COVID-19.
Cuomo said that residents still need to remain home and adhere to social distancing.
“We have to continue what we are doing, ” Cuomo said. “I’d like to see that infection rate get down even more.”
Cuomo did not want to project what would happen after May 15.
“What happens after then? I don’t know,” Cuomo said of the extension. “We will see depending on what the data shows.”
Cuomo is working with six other states–including New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Connecticut, Massachusetts and Delaware–as part of a coordinate plan to reopen the region.
