April 8, 2020
Albany, NY

Amid Ongoing COVID-19 Pandemic, Governor Cuomo Directs Flags to Be Flown at Half-Staff in Honor of Those We Have Lost to COVID-19

Flags Will Remain Lowered While New York is on PAUSE

Kosciuszko Bridge, Governor Mario M. Cuomo Bridge, Spire of One World Trade Center and LaGuardia Airport Parking Garages Will Be Lit Blue on Thursday, April 9th as Part of the #LightItBlue Campaign

Announces SUNY Albany President Havidan Rodriguez Will Work with State Department of Health and Northwell Health to Conduct More COVID-19 Data Research and Increase Testing in Minority Communities

Directs State Department of Labor to Make $600 in Additional Weekly Unemployment Benefits Available to All New Yorkers -- Extends Period Covered by Unemployment Benefits for Another 13 Weeks, for Total of 39 Weeks

Governor Will Issue Executive Order to Ensure New Yorkers Can Vote Absentee in the June 23rd Primary Elections

2,400 Brand New BiPAP Machines Donated to the State by Mercury Medical, Flown to New York from Florida for Free by JetBlue and Transported on the Ground by Southern Glazer's

Announces Delta, JetBlue and United are Offering Free Travel to New York for COVID-19 Medical Workers

State Has Distributed Over One Million Free Bottles of NYS Clean Hand Sanitizer AcrossAll 62 Counties

Confirms 10,453 Additional Coronavirus Cases in New York State - Bringing Statewide Total to 149,316; New Cases in 52 Counties

Amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today directed flags on state government buildings to be flown at half-staff in honor of those we have lost to COVID-19. The flags will remain lowered while New York is on pause.

Governor Cuomo also announced that on Thursday, April 9th, the Kosciuszko Bridge, the Governor Mario M. Cuomo Bridge, the spire of One World Trade Center and LaGuardia Airport parking garages will be lit blue as part of the #LightItBlue campaign. The initiative simultaneously lights up buildings, landmarks and LED screens across the US to show support and gratitude to those health care professionals and essential workers on the frontlines and create a universal symbol of solidarity and hope.

https://www.youtube.com/embed/rfUGjwPk3zk

The Governor also announced that SUNY Albany President Havidan Rodriguez will work with the State Department of Health and Northwell Health to conduct more COVID-19 data research and increase testing in minority communities to determine why more people in minority and low-income communities have higher rates of infection.

Governor Cuomo also directed the State Department of Labor to immediately make $600 in additional weekly unemployment benefits available to all New Yorkers. The additional benefits were included in the Federal CARES Act, but, unlike other states, New York began delivering the extra unemployment insurance to unemployed individuals before Federal funds are disbursed to the states. New York is also extending the period covered by unemployment benefits for another 13 weeks, for a total of 39 weeks.

Every number is a face and we have lost so many people, many of them front-line workers putting themselves at risk to do the essential functions that we all need for society to go on.

Governor Andrew M. Cuomo

The Governor also announced he will issue an Executive Order to ensure New Yorkers can vote by absentee ballot in the June 23rd primary elections. The Governor previously issued an Executive Order to move the presidential primary election from April 28 to June 23, aligning it with the congressional and legislative primaries in New York.

The Governor also announced that 2,400 brand new BiPAP machines have been donated to the state by Mercury Medical and are being flown to New York from Florida for free by JetBlue and transported on the ground by Southern Glazer's.

The Governor also announced that Delta, JetBlue and United are offering free travel to New York for COVID-19 medical workers. To date, more than 90,000 health professionals, including more than 25,000 out-of-state individuals, have signed up to serve as part of the state's surge healthcare force during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

The Governor also announced that the state has distributed over one million free bottles of NYSClean hand sanitizer across all 62 counties in the state. The hand sanitizer has been distributed to county emergency managers, first responders, health care workers, nursing homes, law enforcement, homeless organizations and other non-profits, transportation systems including the MTA, Port Authority, Thruway and other public transportation entities across the state.

"We are flattening the curve because we are rigorous about social distancing, and if we continue doing what we are doing, we believe the curve will continue to flatten, but this is not a time to get complacent," Governor Cuomo said. "That is the good news, but the bad news is terrible - the death toll has been going steadily up and it reached a new height yesterday. Every number is a face and we have lost so many people, many of them front-line workers putting themselves at risk to do the essential functions that we all need for society to go on. In honor of those we have lost to the virus, I am directing all flags to be flown at half-mast. And I continue to urge all New Yorkers to be responsible, adhere to all social distancing protocols and remember the life you are risking may not be your own."

Governor Cuomo Holds Briefing on COVID-19 Response 4-8-20

Finally, the Governor confirmed 10,453 additional cases of novel coronavirus, bringing the statewide total to 149,316 confirmed cases in New York State. Of the 149,316 total individuals who tested positive for the virus, the geographic breakdown is as follows:

County

Total Positive

New Positive

Albany

342

9

Allegany

21

4

Broome

88

2

Cattaraugus

15

2

Cayuga

14

0

Chautauqua

17

1

Chemung

55

6

Chenango

53

2

Clinton

39

2

Columbia

63

2

Cortland

16

0

Delaware

37

1

Dutchess

1,395

146

Erie

1,205

70

Essex

7

0

Franklin

10

0

Fulton

14

1

Genesee

47

14

Greene

25

1

Hamilton

2

0

Herkimer

29

2

Jefferson

40

1

Lewis

6

0

Livingston

25

2

Madison

90

2

Monroe

651

55

Montgomery

18

0

Nassau

18,548

1,938

Niagara

134

8

NYC

81,803

4,927

Oneida

125

7

Onondaga

347

12

Ontario

39

6

Orange

3,865

266

Orleans

16

1

Oswego

33

2

Otsego

38

4

Putnam

403

37

Rensselaer

75

8

Rockland

6,413

423

Saratoga

162

7

Schenectady

149

4

Schoharie

12

0

Schuyler

4

0

Seneca

12

2

St. Lawrence

69

9

Steuben

82

7

Suffolk

15,844

1,327

Sullivan

279

9

Tioga

12

4

Tompkins

99

2

Ulster

422

24

Warren

33

2

Washington

20

1

Wayne

39

4

Westchester

15,887

1,083

Wyoming

27

4

Yates

1

0

Contact the Governor’s Press Office

Contact the Governor's Press Office

Contact us by phone:

Albany: (518) 474 - 8418
New York City: (212) 681 - 4640

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