Cuomo: Not sure if closing all businesses, keeping everyone home was 'the best public health strategy'
New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo said Thursday that his stay-at-home order for the entirety of New York State was “probably not the best public health strategy.”
In a press conference in Albany, Cuomo said the smartest way forward would be a public health strategy that complemented a “get-back-to-work strategy.”
“What we did was we closed everything down. That was our public health strategy. Just close everything, all businesses, old workers, young people, old people, short people, tall people,” said Cuomo. “Every school closed, everything.”
“If you rethought that or had time to analyze that public health strategy, I don't know that you would say quarantine everyone,” Cuomo admitted. “I don't even know that that was the best public health policy. Young people then quarantined with older people was probably not the best public health strategy because the younger people could have been exposing the older people to an infection. “
Cuomo stressed the need for both public health and economic growth. “We have to do both,” said the governor. “We’re working on it.”
At the same time, Cuomo addressed the newly released unemployment statistics, which showed 3.3 million people filed for unemployment benefits last week. Cuomo called the news a “terrible, frightening feeling for everyone.”
“This is going to form a new generation and transform who we are. You are not alone. Nobody is alone,” Cuomo assured the millions who are now out of work due to the pandemic.
New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo said Thursday that his stay-at-home order for the entirety of New York State was “probably not the best public health strategy.”
In a press conference in Albany, Cuomo said the smartest way forward would be a public health strategy that complemented a “get-back-to-work strategy.”
“What we did was we closed everything down. That was our public health strategy. Just close everything, all businesses, old workers, young people, old people, short people, tall people,” said Cuomo. “Every school closed, everything.”
“If you rethought that or had time to analyze that public health strategy, I don't know that you would say quarantine everyone,” Cuomo admitted. “I don't even know that that was the best public health policy. Young people then quarantined with older people was probably not the best public health strategy because the younger people could have been exposing the older people to an infection. “
Cuomo stressed the need for both public health and economic growth. “We have to do both,” said the governor. “We’re working on it.”
At the same time, Cuomo addressed the newly released unemployment statistics, which showed 3.3 million people filed for unemployment benefits last week. Cuomo called the news a “terrible, frightening feeling for everyone.”
“This is going to form a new generation and transform who we are. You are not alone. Nobody is alone,” Cuomo assured the millions who are now out of work due to the pandemic.
