Governor Cuomo says he will sign an executive order that will allow private businesses to deny entry to customers who are not wearing a mask or face covering.
The governor has stressed the use of face masks and coverings by the public as a means to prevent the spread of the COVID-19 virus. He says the executive order will give owners of private businesses the authority to bar someone from entry if they do not have a mask or covering.
“That store owner has a right to protect themselves,” Cuomo said Thursday. “That store owner has a right to protect the other patrons in that store. You don’t want to wear a mask? Fine. But you don’t have a right to then go into that store if that store owner doesn’t want you to.”
To help spread the word on the importance of wearing masks, Cuomo said the state has recruited actors Chris Rock and Rosie Perez to help in its efforts. They joined the governor during Thursday’s briefing.
Wednesday, he met in-person with President Donald Trump to discuss efforts to bolster New York’s economy through fast-tracked infrastructure projects. Cuomo called that meeting productive, and said he expects word from the president next week as to what type of federal aid might be on the way for these projects.
Thursday in Brooklyn, he called for Washington to set politics aside and pass legislation that would help those on the front lines of the COVID-19, and to also follow-up on the nation’s infrastructure needs to help economies across the U.S.
The governor also called on leaders to put politics and pork aside to help areas most in need – and to not only reopen the country, but revitalize it.
“Forget your politics,” he said Thursday. “Just put it all aside There’s a greater interest than your politics.”
Hospitalizations, intubations and the overall number of new COVID-19 cases in the state continue to trend downward, while 74 deaths were reported in New York in the past 24 hours.
The vast majority of regions in the state have made it to phase one of reopening; the only region outstanding at this point is New York City, the hardest-hit region in the state.
Cuomo said that the state will be taking greater efforts to get the region up-to-speed in terms of reopening, targeting specific areas that are still being heavily impacted by the virus and addressing issues related to healthcare equity in these neighborhoods.
The governor says Northwell Health has agreed to bring additional resources to these areas.
Watch the full briefing below:
— 13 WHAM