P.A.U.S.E (Shelter in Place)
Enforcement of social distancing started today. The crappy weather in NYC helped keep people inside; however, Mayor Bill de Blasio and Police Commissioner Dermot Shea are preparing for the inevitable spring.
The Mayor stressed that Parks and Playgrounds will remain open as long as people are properly distanced. The Parks Department and the NYPD will be breaking up crowds and crowded areas.
“We all want the same thing here,” said Commissioner Shea. “It’s literally a matter of life and death, and we need to practice this social distancing.” Though there is careful language around community engagement, the Commissioner also said “we’ll use whatever is in our toolbox to make sure that that happens.”
Medical Supplies / Hospitals
- New York City received 400 ventilators from the federal government. Mayor Bill de Blasio says that he requested 15,000 to get us through May. Read more on the ventilator shortage at the Gotham Gazette.
- Governor Cuomo went to see the new hospital facility at The Jacob Javits Center. It will have 1000 ICU beds and be fully staffed. FEMA and The Army Corps of Engineers is putting it together.
- Governor Cuomo issued a “mandatory order from the state,” for hospitals to increase their capacity by 50%. He wants hospitals to “try,” and increase by 100% but realized that isn’t possible in all cases.
- The Mayor said today that supplies were being sent out across the city to hospitals. 200K N95 masks, 2 Million surgical masks, and 70K face shields.
- Governor Cuomo talked about the speculative idea of splitting ventilators. Using one ventilator to supply oxygen to two people at once. Here is a piece from the Indypendant on the idea of doing this in the UK.
- Governor Cuomo criticized the Trump Administration for only dealing with private companies on a volunteer basis. The Governor again urged the federal government to utilize the powers of the Defense Production Act to speed up manufacturing of medical supplies.
Drugs
- The Governor did thank the President and the FDA for approving a new drug to be used and tested on a “compassionate care” basis.
- Compassionate care drug use is when doctors are allowed to give patients who are critically ill a new investigative drug to see if it helps. Read more about compassionate care drug use.
- The drugs Chloroquine (an anti-malaria drug) and hydroxychloroquine (used for lupus and arthritis) were approved by the FDA for clinical trials as possible coronavirus treatments, while Zithromax is an already-approved, more commonly used antibiotic. Read more at Forbes.
Disease Transmission Clarity
NYC and Albany are somewhat disjointed in their messaging about the spread of the virus. This is causing a lot of confusion.
- Governor Andrew Cuomo has said that the virus stays alive on surfaces, “In New York City a lot of people are touching a lot of spots,” said Cuomo as he explained how density works and spreads in NYC when the virus can live for long periods of time on a service.
- Mayor de Blasio is keeping playgrounds open, which signals to a lot of people that city officials are unconcerned with the surface life of the virus.
- Dr. Oxiris Barbot, MD (Acting Commissioner of the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene) tried to explain the seemingly disjointed messaging.
- In her explanation, Dr. Barbot kept saying that in laboratory conditions the virus may be able to live that long, but “it didn’t matter.”
- “…how it applies to [a New Yorker’s] everyday life is, it really shouldn’t matter if a virus lives 10 minutes, two hours, two days, because the important thing is the guidance that we’re giving to New Yorkers hasn’t changed, which is the importance of frequent hand washing, the importance of covering your mouth and your nose when you cough in your sneeze, and by all means if you’re sick, stay home.”
- Some quick facts about COVID-19:
- The virus is transmitted through droplets, sneezes, coughs.
- The virus is not airborne.
- The virus can live on surfaces for up to several days.
- City officials say it does not matter that the virus isn’t airborne; their instincts are the same. Albany (Cuomo) puts more emphasis on the life of the virus on surfaces.
Money/Jobs
- Mayor instituted PEG (Program to Eliminate the Gap). All city agencies are being called on to cut any and all spending where they can. No more specifics were given. The cuts DO NOT apply to anything that goes toward the halting of COVID-19.
- The Strand laid off 188 employees. Read more in the NY Post.
- NYCHA tweeted that they are hiring “essential workers,” for $20 per hour, which was quite a surprise to one NYCHA worker:
Federal Government
- Peter Navarro is the new liaison for supply requests for NYC, deployed by the President. Mr. Navarro is the Assistant to the President, and Director of Trade and Manufacturing Policy.
- He has written two books The Coming China Wars (2006), & Death by China (2011).
- This is the Wikipedia Page about him.
Elections
- The Presidential Primary in NYS is set for April 28, 2020.
- The mayor said that “April is unrealistic,” and that we would most likely have to figure out an alternative to holding an election so soon.
Schools
- Today was the first day of remote learning. It was a difficult learning experience all around.
- There is still a “tech gap” for a lot of students. School Chancellor Richard A. Carranza said that they were “working quickly to make sure everyone who needs a device gets a device.”
- IF YOU ARE A PARENT AND YOUR CHILD NEEDS A DEVICE GO HERE TO FILL OUT REQUEST FORM:
- https://coronavirus.schools.nyc/remotelearningdevices
- 4500 children of NYC’s first responders and healthcare professionals are going to school at 93 Regional Enrichment Centers across the city.
- 5000 Department of Education employees volunteered to run the centers and teach the children.
- To find food distribution centers for School aged children (4-18), text “FOOD” or “COMIDA” to 877-877
- A Brooklyn Principal has died from COVID-19 – Chalkbeat
Jails/Prisons
- Harvey Weinstein might go to L.A. They want to prosecute him too.
- L.A. prosecutors said in a March 23 press release that the office “initiated its request to New York for the temporary custody of defendant Weinstein… to bring him to Los Angeles County to face rape and sexual assault charges.” Read More from Victoria Bekiempis at Vulture
- 75 people have been released from Rikers Island. These inmates, according to the Mayor, had very limited time left on their sentences.
- There are 200 individuals still in review for release.
- A Brooklyn Public Defender outlined in a tweet thread the conditions on Rikers Island right now.
- The City reported that inmates on Rikers were pepper sprayed for seeking medical care.
Transportation
Bus Drivers in the city need more protective gear. Read more at The City.
First Responders
NY Daily News reports that 46 members of the FDNY have tested positive for COVID-19.
Here is how to donate to stuff if you want
The Numbers
| Friday 4/17, 1pm | Monday 4/20, 2:30pm | |
| Total Cases | 122148 | 132467 |
| – Manhattan | 15952 | 16987 |
| – Brooklyn | 32499 | 35203 |
| – Queens | 37447 | 40714 |
| – The Bronx | 27014 | 29505 |
| – Staten Island | 9166 | 9986 |
| Hospitalization Rate | 26.8% | 26.2% |
| ICU Rate | ?? | ?? |
| Confirmed Deaths | 7890(NYC) / 8893(NYS) | 9101(NYC) / 10022(NYS) |
| Probable Deaths | 4309 | 4582 |
This weekend: 1200+ deaths
Song of the Day
Quote of the Day
We handle and juggle a lot of balls.
NYPD Commissioner Dermot Shea
