Gov Cuomo says he will extend New York lockdown for 'many parts of the state' beyond May 15 as new antibody study of 7,500 people shows nearly 25% of people in New York City tested positive

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New York Governor Andrew Cuomo said on Monday that he will extend lockdown orders in many parts of the state beyond his original May 15 deadline. 

Cuomo did not specifically say that New York City would be among the areas that will have to stay closed for longer but implied it by saying the worst hit areas will be those that remain closed the longest.

It came as new results from antibody testing revealed that 24.7 percent of New York City residents tested positive. 

If accurate, it means that more than 2million of the city's 8.4million population have become infected, and that the death rate - when calculated using the 11,460 confirmed COVID-19 deaths, is 0.5 percent. 

More than 7,500 people have now been tested for the antibodies across the state. They were selected at grocery stores and were tested using a finger-prick blood test developed by the New York State Department of Health.

'May 15 is when New York Pause regulations expire. I will extend them in many parts of the state but in some parts... you can make the case that we should unpause by May 15,' he said. 

On Sunday, there were 337 new coronavirus deaths which brings the state's total since the pandemic began to more than 17,300. There were 3,951 new cases Sunday bringing the state's total to 291, 996 infections - almost a third of the 1 million infections in the country.

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'You have to be smart about it. We all have to be smart about it. 

'If you are not smart, you will see that infection rate go back to right back to where it was and we'll be right back to where we were 57 days ago,' Cuomo said, adding that New York City had higher infection numbers than many countries in the world.  

His reopening plan, which he continues to release more details of gradually, involves allowing construction workers upstate to get back to work first. 

Then, other non-essential businesses which can implement social distancing practices in their offices will be able to return to work. 

Cuomo said it will be up to the businesses themselves to prove to the state how they can responsible reopen.

Cuomo said on Monday that no part of the state would reopen before May 15

'You know your business. I don't know your business. How do you incorporate into how you do your business and where you do your business? How do you do social distancing? How do you do monitoring? 

'That's for the government but it's also a question of business,' he said. 

Testing will be ramped up among the NYPD and firefighters across the state. 

This week, 1,000 cops and 1,000 firefighters will be tested. Three thousand healthcare workers will also be tested, as will 1,000 transit workers.   

Many states are reopening before they reach the CDC recommendation of being on a downward curve for at least 14 days. 

While New York has been by far the hardest hit in the country, it is also descending from its virus peak. 

There has been a steady decline in figures for more than a week now. 

However, Cuomo said on Monday that no part of the state will open before May 15. 

He has repeatedly warned of the dangers of a second wave of infection which will wipe out the progress made so far. 

Cuomo also announced on Monday that the city was putting $25million into food banks, which have seen a surge in use.  

He also revealed that he has asked the president for the Javits Center, an exposition center that was concerted into a makeshift hospital for 2,500 patients, to remain a makeshift hospital so the healthcare system would not be overwhelmed when flu season hits in the fall. 

There is a concern that the flu season coupled with any ongoing cases of COVID-19 will buckle the healthcare system. 

Nearly HALF of all New Yorkers claim they know someone who died from COVID-19, revealing how deeply the virus has affected the Big Apple

Nearly half of all New Yorkers say they know somebody who has died of coronavirus, a new poll finds, shedding a stunning light on just how deeply the pandemic has hit the Big Apple.

The state-wide survey, carried out by Siena College, discovered that 46 percent of New York City residents personally knew someone killed by COVID-19, as do 36 percent of respondents living in the suburbs, and 13 percent of those living upstate.

The deadly virus has had a particularly large impact on New York’s minority communities, with 52 percent of Latino voters and 48 percent of black voters confirming they know someone who has died, compared to just 25 percent of white respondents.

In total, around one in three people across New York State as a whole know a fatality of the outbreak.

Medical workers take a patient into Maimonides Medical Center on Monday April 27 

‘The human toll is almost unfathomable,’ said Steven Greenberg, a Siena pollster. ‘Half of Latino and black voters know someone who has passed away from this insidious virus.

Meanwhile, a total of 51 percent of state residents surveyed know someone who has been infected with COVID-19, a rise of nearly 20 percent compared to this time last month.

Siena’s poll found that 60 percent of people in New York City’s five boroughs and 67 percent of suburbanite respondents know someone who has the disease, compared to 30 percent among those upstate.

‘Last month, fewer than one-third of New Yorkers knew someone who had tested positive for coronavirus. Today, 51 percent personally know someone who has been infected with COVID-19,’ Greenburg clarified.

In addition to the emotional toll the coronavirus outbreak has taken, the economic toll has also been devastating - with 32 percent of respondents saying either they or someone in their household has been laid off of work because of the pandemic.

Among that percentage, Latino voters were disproportionately represented once again, with 48 percent confirmed they or a family member was now out of work, in comparison to 30 percent of both black and white households.

Medical workers at a testing station in Crown Heights, Brooklyn, on Monday. There are still more than 3,000 people a day being diagnosed with the virus in New York 

‘To say the coronavirus has had a tremendously detrimental effect on New York’s workforce — upstate and downstate — is a gross understatement,’ Greenberg said.

On Sunday, Gov. Cuomo said that 367 New Yorkers died from coronavirus on Saturday, the lowest number of fatalities the state has seen since March 30.

Cuomo attributed New York’s declining numbers to residents continuing to abide by the social distancing and stay-at-home orders implemented last month.

Siena’s survey found the governor’s decision to extend the state’s lockdown orders until May 15, as well as calling for all residents to wear masks in public has received overwhelming support, with more than 80 percent of respondents backing the two motions.

‘While you cannot find a single issue that would generate unanimous support from all 12 million New York voters, Cuomo’s order that face masks or coverings must be worn in public – when social distancing cannot be maintained – comes as close as any issue Siena College has ever polled,’ Greenburg said, saying that 86 percent voiced approval.

'Similarly, the Governor’s decision to extend New York "On Pause" – keeping schools and non-essential businesses closed – through the middle of May is supported by at least 81% of voters from every party, region, gender, race, or religion,' he continued. 

Only one in three respondents said they believed it’s likely that large public gatherings – including sports games and graduations – would resume this summer, while 67 percent said it wasn’t likely at all.

In the event large events did take place this summer, 69 percent said they would be unlikely to attend, compared to 31 percent saying they would.

‘New Yorkers are not optimistic that concerts, sporting events and other large public gatherings will resume by this summer. Republicans are a bit more optimistic but they are only evenly divided,’ Greenburg noted.

In total, 803 New York State registered voters were surveyed for the poll between April 19 and 23.

Among the respondents, Gov. Cuomo’s popularity continued to soar as the coronavirus crisis continues.

Favorability for Cuomo rose to 77 percent, up from 71 percent last month, equaling his highest ever rating which was recorded in February 2011. The rating of his job performance also increased from 63 percent to 71 percent.

Greenburg said: ‘Mired in middling poll numbers for the last two years, Cuomo is feeling the love from New Yorkers of all stripes in year three of his third term, and his first global pandemic.’

Furthermore, New Yorkers also overwhelmingly said they trusted Cuomo more than president Trump when it comes to making decisions on reopening the state and its economy.

Just 16 percent of all voters – and only 36 percent of Republicans – said they would trust Trump, compared to 78 percent of total voters and 56 percent of Republicans resting their faith with Cuomo.

‘Even self-identified conservatives trust Cuomo more,’ Greenburg said.