Is New York headed for another statewide COVID crackdown? Here’s what you need to know
coronavirus cases statewide nearly hit 4,000 on Monday, the highest level since early May, and authorities urged people to forgo gatherings during the upcoming holidays to help curb the virus’ spread.
Meanwhile, outbreak trajectories in some entire regions, including the Finger Lakes, Central New York, Mid-Hudson and New York City, were headed toward hitting metrics that would require varying levels of restrictions on businesses, schools and houses of worship.
Amid the growing danger, local and state officials addressed questions surrounding the complex system involved in deploying new COVID restrictions, as well as the dire push to avoid widespread shut downs.
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“We have to make that turnaround quickly,” New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio said during a press briefing Monday, calling on New Yorkers to help slow the virus’ spread via social distancing, mask wearing and other precautions.
“I think the simple answer is no, it’s not yet time for those broader restrictions. I pray it will never be that time, but if we don’t act very quickly, then those restrictions could become a reality,” he added.
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How a NY statewide COVID shutdown would unfold
The path from current localized COVID-19 cluster restrictions to some form of statewide shut down follows a complicated system of metrics that vary by location and population density.
For example, the Finger Lakes region is seemingly on the cusp of a regional shutdown based on its recent test positivity rate of 3.5% and new case count of about 22 positive tests per 100,000 people.
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Cuomo, however, pointed to early examples of the cluster strategy reducing positive coronavirus tests in parts of Rockland and Orange counties, as well as Brooklyn and Queens, as proof it could prevent regional and statewide shut downs.
“People don’t like the restrictions, I understand that. But it works. And as complicated as this is, it is as simple as this is,” Cuomo said Monday.
Yet New York City officials on Monday addressed the fact that many COVID-19 statistics were rising in many neighborhoods across the city.
“These numbers must serve as a warning to us,” said New York City Health Commissioner Dr. Dave Chokshi.
“The virus starts local, but, as we’re seeing around the country and around the world, it doesn’t stay local unless each of us takes the action that we need to, to protect ourselves as well as others,” he added.
Westchester County Executive George Latimer on Monday reported 2,048 active COVID-19 cases in his county, a more-than-500-case jump from a week ago. He said the county is facing a second wave of infections, though not as significant so far as the first one that occurred in March.
“I don’t think we’ve reached the point where we can call it a wave of similar intensity to what we saw in the spring,” Latimer said. “And if it becomes that, then it will indeed be a ferocious impact to us.”
More:New York just had its worst COVID-19 day since May 1
David Propper of The Journal News/lohud contributed to this report.
David Robinson is the state health care reporter for the USA TODAY Network New York. He can be reached atdrobinson@gannett.com and followed on Twitter:@DrobinsonLoHud
