Andrew Cuomo’s Swift Response to COVID-19

By: Maxwell Velikodny

Governor Andrew Cuomo during one of his daily COVID-19 press conferences. Credit: QNS News

The coronavirus pandemic has swept the nation into a frenzy of social-distancing and self-quarantining. People all throughout the world are having to stay home and ‘hunker-down’ for the time-being until cases drastically decrease, or a vaccine is created.

Governor Andrew Cuomo has shown to be a swift and decisive leader and has gained national recognition for his endeavors.

           Ever since his brother, Chris Cuomo, became sick with COVID-19, the Governor has been taking extreme precautions to limit the spread of the virus.

           The global economy is declining, the unemployment rate is soaring, and thousands of people are dying from the virus. National leaders have been working around the clock to alleviate these issues during this difficult time.

           In the United States, President Donald Trump signed The CARES Act, which is a $2 trillion-dollar relief fund for small businesses, states & local governments, public health operations, big corporations, education, and the American people according to NPR.

           State and local leaders deserve praise as well for their dedication in providing resources and assistance to their residents.

           Their efforts are just as important as those of the federal government because they target the specific needs of their constituents.

On March 19, Governor Cuomo signed the Executive Order Mandate, which mandated businesses to decrease their in-office workforce by 75 percent and implement work-from-home policies.

           The caveat was that “essential service industries like shopping, media, warehousing, grocery, and food production, pharmacies, healthcare providers, utilities, banks, and related financial institutions, and other industries [that] are critical to the supply chain [must remain operational],” mentions Governor.NY.

           He also ordered all CUNYs, SUNYs, New York universities, and graduate schools to continue remotely via online learning.

           Governor Cuomo also announced a mortgage relief program that would waive mortgage payments based on financial hardship without the threat of foreclosure, late payment fees, or adverse reporting to credit bureaus, giving New Yorkers some economic flexibility.

           On March 21, the Governor announced the state would be taking action to increase the supply of personal protective equipment. At this point, confirmed cases hit 10,356.

           The very next day, he announced temporary hospitals would be constructed and that the federal government had deployed hundreds of thousands of masks, gloves, gowns and face shields to New York.           

Since the first confirmed coronavirus case in NY, Governor Cuomo has been hosting press conferences where he and his team of experts discuss the outbreak’s effects, coronavirus statistics, and the administration’s initiatives to combat the virus.

           These conferences are reminiscent of FDR’s fireside chats during the Great Depression. The governor’s candidness and pragmatism bring a sense of comfort to New Yorkers.

           The press debriefs convey the severity of the situation, inform people how to limit the spread of the disease, and offer assurance to his people.

           He reminds his viewers that everyone must come together during these difficult times and do their best to help one another.

           Andrew Cuomo said in an interview with Howard Stern that the only way to ensure New Yorkers actually listen and actually stay quarantined is if they see the seriousness of the situation by presenting all of the facts and statistics transparently.

           Another remarkable feat from Governor Cuomo is his ability to compromise with President Trump and find bipartisan solutions.

           They often have disagreements, but there is a cooperation between the two leaders. Cuomo himself remarked that Trump is doing a lot to help New York, according to the New York Times. 

           Most recently, Governor Cuomo began to conduct the first large-scale testing of people for coronavirus antibodies.

           Around 21 percent of roughly 1,300 people in New York City in a random sample were found to have the antibodies in a report from the New York TImes.  

           These preliminary results show that patients have a strong possibility of gaining immunity and many more people were infected than what statistics have shown.

           As of April 24, New York state has reported at least 271,590 positive cases of COVID-19, 16,162 confirmed deaths, 23,887 recovered patients, and 14,258 hospitalizations. 

           The recent data show the death-rate has begun to plateau, meaning there is a possibility that fewer people are becoming sick and the spread of the virus is slowing down. 

           Andrew Cuomo has been a leading figure during the COVID-19 epidemic for his effectiveness as both a leader and immediate responses to difficult issues.