Cuomo To Young New Yorkers: ‘You’re Not Superman And You’re Not Superwoman—You Can Get This Virus’

Topline: In a press conference on Saturday, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo criticized young people—especially in New York City—for not taking the coronavirus seriously enough and continuing to leave their homes despite a statewide shutdown of all nonessential businesses.

• “We do have an issue with younger people who are not complying,” Cuomo said, pointing to the fact that many young people in the state are ignoring mandates to stay at home. “I mentioned this before, but it has not gotten better.”
• There is a particularly large amount of noncompliance among young people in New York City, the governor said, despite the fact that some 54% of cases in New York state have been found in people 18 to 49-years-old.
• “You’re not superman and you’re not superwoman—you can get this virus,” Cuomo said in annoyance at his press conference. 
• “There’s a lot of noncompliance, especially in New York City and especially in the parks,” he said. “I’m going to go down there today and see what the situation is myself, but it has to be stopped because you are endangering people.”
• “You can have your own opinion, but you can’t have your own facts,” he said. “Social responsibility applies to public health.”
• Cuomo’s comments come after the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) late on Friday issued a Major Disaster Declaration for New York, giving the state access to billions of dollars in federal aid.
• Earlier that day, the governor also signed an executive order mandating that 100% of the state’s workforce must stay home, in a bid to stop the alarming rise in the number of reported coronavirus cases.

Crucial statistics: New York has become the epicenter of the coronavirus pandemic in the U.S., as cases have soared in recent days. The total number of cases in New York has risen to 10,356—far more than in other states like Washington or California—with over 3,200 new cases reported overnight, according to Cuomo. There are more than 6,000 cases in New York City, 1,300 in Westchester and 1,200 in Nassau, the governor noted in his press conference. “New York City is the most dense environment—this virus spreads in density,” he said. Cuomo did note, however, that in the state’s early “hotspot,” Westchester county, “numbers are slowing” due to containment measures. A total of 1,603 people out of 10,356 confirmed cases have been hospitalized, a rate of 15%, which Cuomo said is “not a bad number” and is “actually down from where it was.”

Big number: Cuomo also pledged that New York state will send 1 million N95 respirator masks to New York City and 500,000 to Long Island.

Crucial quote: “We are literally scouring the globe looking for medical supplies,” Cuomo said, while adding that he will also be looking at new sites for hospitals and treatment centers on Saturday.

Surprising quote: “Don’t listen to rumors,” the governor said. “There’s no reason to buy 100 rolls of paper, there really isn’t… by the way where do you even put 100 rolls of toilet paper?”

Further reading: Cuomo: 100% Of New York Workforce Must Stay Home