Edited by: TJVNews.com
New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio said on Tuesday that he may issue a “shelter in place” order for the city within the next two days, according to a Business Insider report.
“We are all deeply concerned … this is quite clear this is a fast-growing crisis,” he said at a press conference. “All New Yorkers, even though a decision has not been made by the city or the state, I think that all New Yorkers should be prepared right now for the possibility of a shelter-in-place order.”
There are now 814 confirmed COVID-19 cases in New York City, he said, adding that 248 are in Queens, 277 in Manhattan, 157 in Brooklyn, 96 in the Bronx and 36 in Staten Island. Seven people in the city have died so far and 124 people are in the hospital, he said.
Business Insider reported that De Blasio said there were 814 confirmed cases of COVID-19, the illness caused by the novel coronavirus, in New York City: 248 in Queens, 277 in Manhattan, 157 in Brooklyn, 96 in the Bronx, and 36 in Staten Island.
A shelter-in-place order would require New Yorkers to stay at home except for essential activities such as seeking medical help and getting medications and groceries, as was reported by Business Insider.
The Gothamist web site reported that De Blasio did not specify what a stay-in-place order would look like in New York City, a city of 8.6 million people. Under the state of emergency, the mayor can establish curfews and order people off the streets and out of public spaces.
Earlier, Cuomo said that any new restrictions would need to be statewide, or possibly regional, to prevent individuals from trying to relocate themselves and risk further spreading the virus.
The mayor said he was not speaking for the governor but that a decision needed to be made very soon and that it would be made with the state. “Our teams are talking to get to a resolution,” he said.
San Francisco implemented a shelter-in-place policy this week, requiring Bay Area residents to stay inside and step out only for essential needs. Business Insider reported that the order also allows for limited outdoor exercise, “provided the individuals comply with Social Distancing Requirements” that mandate keeping a distance of least 6 feet from other people.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has some basic guidelines for sheltering in place.
“If local officials tell you to ‘stay put,’ act quickly,” the CDC’s website says. “Listen carefully to local radio or television stations for instructions, because the exact directions will depend on the emergency situation.”
The CDC also recommends that people:
- Get inside. Bring your loved ones, your emergency supplies, and when possible, your pets.”
- “Find a safe spot in this location. The exact spot will depend on the type of emergency.”
- “Stay put in this location until officials say that it is safe to leave.”
As of Tuesday afternoon, more than 5,000 people in the US had tested positive for COVID-19 and at least 93 people had died.
Federal and state officials have significantly tightened restrictions on social movement in recent days as the coronavirus sweeps across the US.
