Cuomo Leery of 2 Key Threats to New York’s COVID Progress – NBC New York

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More than half of America is now on the tri-state quarantine list, Gov. Andrew Cuomo said Tuesday, as coronavirus continues to surge unabated across the country. A total of 31 states are now on the list, with 10 added and one (Minnesota) removed.

Cuomo, New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy and Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont jointly implemented the travel restriction last month in an effort to ward off local COVID resurgence. It is comprised of hotspot states that exceed a certain threshold (10 percent) of daily percent positive cases or 10 new cases per 100,000 residents over a seven-day rolling period.

As of Tuesday, the states that currently meet that criteria include Alaska, Alabama, Arkansas, Arizona, California, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Iowa, Idaho, Indiana, Missouri, Kansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Washington and Wisconsin.

Cuomo has said a second wave of the virus in New York is inevitable -- it's just a matter of how hard it hits.

"It's only a matter of time in my book until you see the New York infection rate go up because people from the other states are coming to New York and they're now bringing the infection rate," he said Tuesday. "The virus will travel. It's not a maybe or a possibly -- it will."

Right now, travelers to the tri-state area from those states are required to self-quarantine for 14 days. Those who fly into New York airports must fill out a form state officials will use to ensure they abide by the rules. Failure to submit one can result in a $2,000 fine and mandatory quarantine. The form also is required for out-of-state travelers coming to New York by car, bus or train -- though enforcement via those means of transportation may be more difficult.

Cuomo acknowledged Tuesday that the quarantine is itself imperfect; he called for improved community action to better control the spread. He traveled to one of the states on that quarantine list -- Georgia -- on Monday, part of his effort to return the favor to states in need, as New York was so desperately in April.

He said he wouldn't quarantine upon his return, since he is an "essential worker," but will be re-tested. In Georgia, the number of people hospitalized because of the respiratory illness has tripled in the past month. Cuomo portrayed his mission to deliver PPE, test kits, and set up contact tracing as an effort to help overcome political divisions on how to fight COVID-19.

This virus, it preys upon the weak and the vulnerable, Cuomo said. Its the weak body that has trouble resolving the virus. The American body is in many ways, weak, right now. The body politic is weakened.

Political warring over masks has become commonplace in a number of states -- and in the country, given President Donald Trump's aversion to them himself (he appears to be shifting his message on that one, though). Factions of mask-flaunters outrightly refuse to wear them as required in certain establishments, often leading to confrontations at stores or with neighbors.

Dr. Anthony Fauci, the nation's top infectious disease expert, told NPR Tuesday it was difficult to give a single explanation as to why it's been so challenging to convince Americans to wear masks. Authority pushback could be a factor.

"Masks arent the only way we can turn things around, but it is an important component," Fauci said. "Im not sure its time for a federal mask mandate, but a signal from the top is very important."

Cuomo said Tuesday he was "repulsed" by the lack of a federal mask order; he cited research that suggests up to 40,000 U.S. lives could have been saved with one. Both he and Murphy have emphasized the importance of masks, which studies increasingly show to be an effective virus-fighting tool, in their own states.

Daily Percentage of Positive Tests by New York Region

With all of New York state in some phase of reopening, Gov. Andrew Cuomo is shifting his focus to monitoring test results on a daily basis across each region to identify potential hotspots before they emerge. Here's the latest tracking data by region. For the latest county-level results statewide, click here

"One state can only do so much to protect itself from COVID," Cuomo tweeted Tuesday. "The virus can and will cross state lines. There must be a national plan to get this virus under control. Five months later, were still waiting."

Out-of-state travel is one of two key threats to New York's progress in the coronavirus war, the governor says. The other is noncompliance at home. He issued a stern warning on that Monday, threatening to roll back New York City's hard-earning reopening over maskless street parties and ongoing rule violations by bars and restaurants. The latter could be shut down again, he said.

Four more bars and restaurants in New York -- three in Queens and one on Long Island -- have had their licenses suspended over infractions in the last 24 hours.

The entire state of New York is now in Phase IV, the final step of Cuomo's reopening plan. Being in that phase is a requirement for the governor to consider school reopenings in the fall. Certain health metrics requirements also must be met. Cuomo said he'll make his decision on schools the first week of August.

If New York's health data stays where it is now -- the entire state has a seven-day rolling daily positive test average of 1 percent -- Cuomo said he would announce Aug. 1 that schools will open for some level of in-person learning in September. Just two new deaths were added to the toll Tuesday, Cuomo said, the lowest number since the start of the pandemic. He called that a "milestone."

But the pendulum could just as easily swing the other way. And if the metrics decline, Cuomo said he'll have to consider alternatives.

"You can't open a school if the virus is on the increase," the governor said.

New York City has said parents will have the option to go full remote learning if they'd prefer to keep their kids out of the school building. On Monday, Murphy announced parents will have the same choice in New Jersey.

A growing number of hotspot states are changing their reopening plans amid the ongoing, record-breaking COVID surge. Some that planned to fully reopen in person are shifting to fully remote instruction, at least to start the year. Nearly two dozen states have paused or reversed their reopenings over COVID spikes.

Cuomo has said a second wave of the virus in New York is inevitable -- it's just a matter of how hard it hits.

To date, the United States has confirmed more than 3.5 million cases and lost at least 141,000 people to the virus. Given the current climate, experts are now predicting higher ultimate death tolls for the United States -- especially once flu season hits -- if more isn't done to get the spread of the virus under control.

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Cuomo Leery of 2 Key Threats to New York's COVID Progress - NBC New York