New York expands food assistance for low-income households

New York state has seen its lowest number of patients admitted to intensive care units since the coronavirus pandemic began, Gov. Andrew Cuomo said Friday. 

There have been 17 fewer patients treated in intensive care units since Thursday, Cuomo said at a press briefing. The coronavirus causes COVID-19, a respiratory disease that has infected over 170,512 people in New York state and killed 7,844. The state has more confirmed cases than any individual country outside of the United States.

“We are cautiously optimistic that we are slowing the infection rate,” Cuomo said. “We have to stay with it.”

New York state’s current rate of infection is much lower than any expert projection the state has been following, Cuomo said. The state has been monitoring the virus’ spread to suburban communities around New York City, including a few hotspots in Suffolk County, he said. 

A second wave of infection could happen after current numbers decline, Cuomo said. He wants the state to remain prepared for this possibility, but do everything it can to prevent the potential increase, he said. 

“Let’s learn from what has happened so far,” Cuomo said. “And let’s learn from what we have been seeing over these past few months so it informs what we’re doing going forward.” 

The state will provide $200 million in emergency food assistance to more than 700,000 low-income households that are enrolled in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, Cuomo said. 

AirBnB has pledged $2 million to provide rooms and housing to health care workers at no additional cost, and is working with 1199SEIU to provide additional benefits, Cuomo said. Local hotels have also stepped up to offer rooms to health care workers during the pandemic, he said. 

As the number of confirmed cases in New York City starts to decline, the next question is when the state may return to normalcy, Cuomo said. Rapid testing remains key to reopen the state’s economy, he said. 

The state lab is developing a fast, noninvasive antibody test, Cuomo said. The state Department of Health can currently conduct 300 tests per day, and will be able to conduct 1000 tests by next Friday and 2000 by the next week, he said. 

Cuomo said 2000 tests is still a “drop in the bucket.”  

“I’m proud of how New York state has advanced on testing,” he said. “It’s still not enough if you want to reopen on a meaningful scale and reopen quickly.” 

Cuomo said he’s already spoken to the governors of New Jersey and Connecticut about forming a joint testing coalition within the tri-state area. He’s looking for the federal government to approve and support this effort, he said. 

New York state needs federal intervention in order to bring testing to full scale, Cuomo said.

He has repeatedly called for the federal government to invoke the Defense Production Act, which would require companies to shift operations to assist during the pandemic. 

“If I had a Defense Production Act in the state, I would use it,” Cuomo said. 

Cuomo said he is also working with congressional delegates in the state to establish a compensation fund to support health care and other frontline workers, as well as their families, who have contracted COVID-19 through their work. 

“Saying thanks is nice — actually providing assistance is even better,” Cuomo said.