New York Governor Andrew Cuomo is urging the NYPD to be more aggressive in breaking up large gatherings, including funerals, as people continue to flout social distancing guidance rules.
On Monday, he announced he was increasing fines for individuals caught breaking the rules from $500 to $1,000 and said it was ‘everyone’s responsibility’ not to be reckless.
New York is seeing its curve flatten – the death rate is slowing for the first time in weeks and while the number of cases and infections is still growing, it means social distancing has been effective until now.
Cuomo has extended the state-wide lockdown on non-essential businesses until the end of April and is telling people not to become ‘over confident’ because of the new figures.
On Monday, he was asked about funerals that were still taking place in New York City, specifically large, Jewish gatherings in Williamsburg over the weekend, and Cuomo said reluctantly that police must break them up.
‘Now is not the time to be playing Frisbee with your friends in the park.
‘Now’s not the time to go to a funeral with 200 people. I understand grieving, and I understand how the religious services can help with the grieving process.
‘But, as a society, the risk is too great.
‘I want local government to enforce social distancing rules,’ he said, adding that the number of people still going out in New York City was ‘wholly unacceptable’.
People are being advised to only go out for necessities like groceries and medicine. If they do go out, they are being asked to wear masks or face coverings, and keep 6ft away from the nearest person at all times.
Cuomo said that anyone who does not obey by those rules could now be fined.
‘It’s not really about the fine. Nobody wants the money. We want the compliance. We are serious.
‘It’s not about your life; you don’t have the right to risk someone else’s life,’ he said.
There are now 130,689 cases of coronavirus in New York – an increase of 8,568 in a day. The death toll has risen from 4,159 to 4,758, an increase of 599 which is less than in previous days this week.
‘None of this is good news. The possible flattening of the curve is better than the increases that we have seen,’ Governor Cuomo said.
He said no matter what the evidence showed, he had no choice but to extend social distancing, saying: ‘If that curve is turning, it’s turning and it’s going down because social distancing is working.
‘Schools and non-essential businesses will stay closed until April 29. I know what that does to the economy but I’m not going to choose between public health and economic activity.
‘Whether we’ve hit the apex or not, we have to do the same thing. From day one, we have underestimated this enemy.
‘There’s a real danger in getting over-confident too quickly. While the numbers look like they may be turning and it’s “yay it’s over”. No, it’s not.
‘Other places have made that mistake. Hong Kong and South Korea… we are not going to make that mistake,’ he said, adding they ‘let their foot of the gas too quickly.’
‘We have hopeful data but it’s dependent on what we do. That’s why I’m extending the ban. But it’s individual behavior that has been problematic over the weekend.
‘I get it, it was a nice day and people have been cooped up. But we get reckless. [If we change] or are non-compliant, you will see those numbers go up again,’ he said.
‘This virus has kicked our rear end. We underestimate it at our own peril.
‘Now is not the time to slack off on what we’re doing,’ he said.
https://www.realclearpolitics.com/video/2020/04/02/coronavirus-infected_cnn_host_chris_cuomo_tells_brother_ny_gov_andrew_cuomo_hes_barely_keeping_it_together.html
Time for godfather style cuomo to be ignored. police need to be smart enough to have respect for their fellow man. cuomo just wants to see how far he can go, to force his will on others. It isn’t a crime to be man and woman, but it is to be a tyrant.