“New York is going to have what it needs. And no one is going to attack New York unfairly and no one is going to deprive New York of what it needs. That’s why I’m here,” Cuomo, a Democrat, said at a news conference after the state has come under scrutiny and cases of the virus continue to mount.
There are more than 130,000 confirmed cases of the virus in the country, with more than 55,000 of them in New York alone.
“I know we feel under attack …,” Cuomo said, referring to New Yorkers. “Yes, New York is the epicenter. And these are different times. And many people are frightened. Some of the reactions you get from individuals, even from governments, are frightening and suggesting that they’ll take abrupt actions against New York. But look, this is New York. And we are going to make it through this.”
On Saturday, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued a travel advisory urging residents of New York, New Jersey and Connecticut to “refrain from nonessential domestic travel for 14 days effective immediately.” President Donald Trump had asked the agency on Saturday to issue the advisory after he had floated the idea of a short-term quarantine earlier in the day.
Cuomo has pleaded for federal assistance amid growing fears of a shortage of personal protective equipment, ventilators and other medical supplies in the state. On Sunday, the Democratic governor said at least 965 people have died from coronavirus in New York, and fighting the virus is going to be an “all hands on deck” situation among public and private hospitals in the state.
“This is everybody helping everyone else,” Cuomo said. “One hospital gets overwhelmed, the other hospitals have to flex to help that hospital, and vice-versa.”
Surrounding states are also considering restrictions against New York in an effort to mitigate the spread of the virus. During a press conference Friday, Rhode Island Democratic Gov. Gina Raimondo said law enforcement officers would stop cars with New York license plates and knock on doors in coastal communities to identify people who’ve traveled to New York.
Last week, Florida Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis issued an executive order mandating a 14-day self-quarantine or isolation period for people coming to the state from airports in New York, New Jersey and Connecticut. He also said he was considering expanding the order to require travelers to provide names of people they’ve been in close contact with in the state.
During an interview with CNN on Saturday, Cuomo called Rhode Island’s policy “clearly unconstitutional” and said he would sue the state if it did not roll back the policy. He also objected to the possibility of a quarantine for New York, saying such a drastic measure would be “illegal” and a “federal declaration of war.”
