Cuomo Calls On NYC To Take Drastic Density Reduction Steps, Asks All Hospitals to Double Capacity

Calls On Federal Government To Coordinate Supplies

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ALBANY – In what is becoming a daily live briefing, Governor Andrew Cuomo Sunday said that he is now asking all hospitals in New York State to increase their capacity 100%. He is mandating that every hospital increase capacity by 50%. He also announced that all non-emergency elective surgeries in the state will be cancelled starting Wednesday in an effort to free up more hospital beds.

Cuomo called on the federal government to nationalize the medical supply chain.

“There is a federal role here. I know what the Emergency Management Protocol is – I've used it. All it means is 'we support what you're doing.' That's not enough. I am calling on the federal government to invoke the Defense Production Act. The president should take over the medical supplies.”

The governor said that would allow the federal government to order supplies and coordinate their distribution. That would eliminate state to state competition for those supplies.

“I'm operating right now assuming that no one helps us. I've got Chinese apparel companies retooling to make surgical gowns. But I want the federal government to take over. Get FEMA and the Army Corps of Engineers here to start building hospitals.”

He said after touring sites yesterday he's asking the Army Corps of Engineers to immediately erect temporary hospitals in four locations, and asking for four 250-bed FEMA field hospitals.

He also called on New York's Congressional representatives to get funding passed.

“I want Congress to pass funding to help with no pork attached. And if corporations get helped, I want that funding to allow no stock buybacks, to mandate return of CEO bonuses, and offer the government either an equity stake in the company or stocks. I'm tired of seeing big corporations get rich at taxpayers' expense. If you give them money, you get to make the rules.”

“If none of that happens,” he said, “we're on our own. We're New Yorkers. We'll figure it out.”

Cuomo also said the continued gatherings in New York City's parks and recreational areas have to stop. He's giving city officials 24 hours to submit a plan that he described as “drastic action” to reduce density. He addressed city residents directly.

“It's selfish and it's reckless,” he said. “I need to be able to rely on you to be smart and responsible in your actions. You need to be able to rely on me to be smart and responsible in my actions. I have a right to expect that from you. We're not there yet. We should be there.”

The governor said the state has 700 people working to handle phones and inquiries through the its website.

He confirmed reports of long waits and the site crashing.

“We are overwhelmed on the website. We have never seen a volume like this in any state agency, ever.”

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