President Trump has declared New York State a major disaster and has deployed the US military in NYC in the wake of the COVID- 19 pandemic. The US military will be taking over sports arenas, hotels, and college dormitories to make emergency ICU units as COVID- 19 has intensified throughout the city.
New York City hospitals are being overwhelmed with COVID- 19 patients as the number of cases rise to 2,000 in 24 hours. The number of cases in New York has now reached 8,515 diagnoses and 56 deaths making New York City the epicenter of COVID- 19 pandemic in the United States.
According to New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio on Friday between the hours of 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. there were 14 COVID- 19 deaths. Meaning that is two people dying every hour from the virus.
New York City hospitals are reporting running out of supplies and that do not have enough ventilators for people infected. Many hospitals are reporting having to reuse face masks to try and treat patients. Rooms and beds have started running out. At Queens’ Elmhurst Hospital thousands of people are lining up around the building to get tested for COVID- 19.
Dr. Saquib Rahim of New York-Presbyterian Queens hospital stated that they have “never seen anything like this” before. Dr. Rahim stated that “an elderly woman with symptoms of COVID- 19 died” in the hallway.
Under the emergency declaration, by President Trump declaring New York State a major disaster it allows New York easier access to FEMA’s $42 billion Disaster Relief Fund. This allows more resources to the state to help fight COVID- 19. It also allows the US military to assist and enforce laws.
New York Governor Andrew Cuomo signed the ‘New York State on PAUSE’ Executive Order, which is a 10-point policy to secure the uniform safety of everyone. The executive order begins Sunday, March 22 at 8 p.m.and under the directives all non-essential businesses must but is closed and there are to be no gatherings at all. It also allows the “Matilda’s Law” to be enacted to protect New York’s most vulnerable and orders them to stay indoors. The executive order also allows a 90-day moratorium on all evictions.
Governor Cuomo has also publically requested that businesses and individuals who can help make masks and other equipment to please help in this unprecedented emergency. Cuomo is offering to provide financial incentives to anyone who can help. Cuomo stated that if anyone “can make them,” New York will “fund” you to produce them.
Other states that go into lockdown Sunday at 8 p.m with New York to try and contain COVID- 19. The states are Connecticut, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Deleware. The lockdown will affect 19.5million Americans and is indefinite until further notice.
To date, there are 303,594 coronavirus COVID- 19 cases worldwide and there have been 12,964 related deaths.
