New York City Shutdown an Option, de Blasio Warns

NEW YORK
Mayor Bill de Blasio and New York City Department of Health officials tour the Pandemic Response Lab at the Alexandria Center for Life Science. Manhattan. Wednesday, December 2, 2020. (Ed Reed/Mayoral Photography Office)

 

New York City may be put under lockdown if coronavirus cases continue to soar, Mayor Bill de Blasio warned at his press conference on Monday.

”The governor said we should prepare for the possibility for a full shutdown, I agree with that” said de Blasio. “We need to recognize that that may be coming, and we need to get ready for that now.”

He did not elaborate what further restrictions may be coming, or when.

As of Monday, New York City has banned indoor dining in an attempt to prevent spread in restaurants. Restaurants are still open for outdoor dining and takeout.

Governor Andrew Cuomo had said that a winter lockdown would be possible, as a way to ease the rise of cases and prevent hospitals from being overwhelmed.

He also said in a media interview that “There’s the potential of having to do a full pause, a full shutdown, in the coming weeks, because we can’t let this kind of momentum go.

“We’re seeing the kind of level of infection with the coronavirus we haven’t seen since May and we have got to stop that momentum — or else, our hospital system will be threatened,” de Blasio said.

However, no shutdown can happen without the consent of Cuomo. He and de Blasio have clashed throughout 2020 on coronavirus restrictions.

Only the governor has the power to enact emergency public health orders.

 

 

 

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