New York Governor Andrew Cuomo suggested the state is beginning to reach its apex of coronavirus cases, though he cautioned that numbers are changing daily.
Announcing 599 deaths in the last 24 hours, Cuomo called the fatality number “effectively flat for two days,” which he said hints at a possible flattening of New York’s curve, along with fewer hospital and ICU admissions. Early projections showed the state would need 55,000 to 110,000 hospital beds, and the governor noted that the state is tracking at a rate lower than the initial modeling suggested.
“If we are plateauing, it’s because social distancing is working,” he said, however, he also stated that numbers could still continue to rise.
“The big question that we’re looking at now is: what is the curve?” he asked rhetorically, before saying that the curve could either be a short peak or a longer plateau, which would still overburden an already strained system.
Cuomo said the state will continue moving ventilators to New York City's public hospital system and that the state will continue its “surge and flex” program to shift gear and equipment to hospitals most pressed at any given time.
“This is a hospital system where we have our foot to the floor, and the engine is at redline and you can’t go any faster,” he described. “Staying at this level is problematic.”
The governor also announced an extension of NY Pause, extending restrictions on schools and nonessential businesses to April 29 and that he planned to ask President Trump to designate the USNS Comfort, currently being underutilized due to what Cuomo said was lower-than-expected non-COVID hospitalizations, a treatment center for coronavirus patients.
When asked about the availability of ventilators, Cuomo said “all of them” are being used. “We’re beyond capacity.”
“We are into the Plan B, C, D that we outlined,” he said. But, “we don't need any ventilators right now,” he said on his way out of the press conference. Despite hospitals using BIPAP machines and splitting ventilators, the New York governor expressed that he does not believe anyone has lost their life due to a lack of equipment or staffing. “The people we lost are the people we couldn’t save.”
He also displayed photos from New York City parks in an effort to chastise people for not staying inside, calling it “wholly unacceptable,” and announced an increase in the maximum fine for breaking social distancing rules to $1,000.
“What right do you have to act irresponsibly in a way that could get you sick, or someone else sick, and then I have to send an ambulance to pick you up and bring you to an emergency room that’s already overburdened?” Cuomo asked.
Regarding drug trials of hydroxychloroquine and Zithromax, Cuomo claimed that they have had some positive results but that those results were anecdotal and not yet conclusive.
March For Our Lives will be returning this weekend to Washington, DC, in the wake of the recent mass shooting seen throughout the country. Marchers include Yolanda Renee King, the only granddaughter of Martin Luther King Jr. She joined Cheddar News to discuss the importance of the march and activism in general. "I just think that it's so important to have these rallies because we need to demand to our leaders and politicians that they pass legislation and that and we actually need to see action," she said.
Catching you up on today’s entertainment headlines with the Grammys announcing new categories to be added to the awards show, Johnny Depp and Jeff Beck planning to release an album together, Britney Spears' ex-husband crashing her wedding, and more.
Erika Alexander and Whitney Dow, directors of 'The Big Payback,' join Cheddar News to discuss their new film, 'The Big Payback.' It premieres Saturday, June 11 at the Tribeca Festival.
'Pride Portraits' is a trans-led organization aiming to visually represent the LGBTQ+ community one photograph at a time. Eden Rose Torres, founder and president of Pride Portraits, joins Cheddar News to discuss its participants and the issues the LGBTQ+ community still faces.
The 75th Annual Tony Awards will take place on Sunday, June 12. Cheddar News takes a closer look at who's nominated and what audiences can expect from the ceremony.
On this episode of ChedHER: Global VP of LinkedIn Sales Solutions explains how she leads a 1,000+ person team for LinkedIn's $1 billion business, and gives advice for determining your own unique leadership style; Chief Sales Officer at Xometry, joins ChedHER breaks down why women should consider careers in manufacturing, and what opportunities are available for them in this industry; Founder of Pride Live & Stonewall Day, joins ChedHER talks about the mission and story behind Pride Live, and what to expect from this year's Stonewall Day.
Kathy Mayerhofer, Chief Sales Officer at Xometry, joins ChedHER to discuss why women should consider careers in manufacturing, and what opportunities are available for them in this industry.
Alyssa Merwin, Global VP of LinkedIn Sales Solutions, joins ChedHER to discuss how she leads a 1,000+ person team for LinkedIn's $1 billion business, and gives advice for determining your own unique leadership style.
Diana Rodriguez, Founder of Pride Live & Stonewall Day, joins ChedHER to discuss the mission and story behind Pride Live, and what to expect from this year's Stonewall Day.
Amanda Jones is the TikToker behind the “healthy Coke” recipe. In her viral post, she shared a concoction of balsamic vinegar and La Croix, allegedly something she learned from her pilates instructor and claimed it tastes just like Coca-Cola — only healthier. Jones joined Cheddar News and walked Hena Doba and Ken Buffa through the unusual recipe to have a taste for themselves.
