Cuomo Announces 1-Mile ‘Containment Area’ In New Rochelle, Closes Large Gathering Places There For 2 Weeks
Quote:
New York officials have announced “dramatic action” in their efforts to combat the spread of coronavirus.
Recognizing that New Rochelle has been particularly hard hit and problematic in terms of the spread of the virus, Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced Tuesday that officials are implementing a one mile radius “containment area” there.
“It is a dramatic action, but it is the largest cluster in the country, and this is literally a matter of life and death,” Cuomo said.
Within the containment area in New Rochelle, large gathering places will be closed for two weeks, officials said. That includes schools, temples, churches, and the like, officials said.
“New Rochelle is a particular problem. It is what they call a cluster. The numbers have been going up. The numbers continue to go up. The numbers are going up unabated. And we do need a special public health strategy for New Rochelle,” Cuomo said.
A temporary coronavirus testing facility will be set up within the containment area, Cuomo said.
“We are also going to use the National Guard in the containment area to deliver food to homes, to help with the cleaning of public spaces,” Cuomo said.
“We have moved from a containment strategy to more of a mitigation strategy,” New York Health Commissioner Dr. Howard Zucker said. “When you’re dealing with mitigation, you have to deal with the issues of social distancing and how people gather together and to try to minimize that.”
This will be a period of disruption for the community. I understand that,” Cuomo said. “I get it. This can’t be a political decision. This is a public health decision. It’s not a decision I’m making. I’m accepting the recommendation of Dr. Zucker. In a situation like this, whether you’re president, mayor, the governor: Let the experts decide, and let the science drive the decision. When you politically interfere in science, that’s when you tend to make a mistake.”
It’s major gathering places… just large facilities that do large gatherings,” Cuomo said. “Those facilities that would bring large numbers of people together can’t do it for two weeks.”
The restriction won’t cover smaller businesses and grocery stores, officials said.
Cuomo said the situation was “unique in the United States of America.”
“We haven’t seen this anywhere else. I mean, just think about it. New Rochelle has more than double the number of cases as New York City. It’s true, it’s a phenomenon,” Cuomo said.
While students are home please remember not to congregate unnecessarily. Keep safe and have students work on educational materials provided to you,” Superintendent of New Rochelle schools Dr. Laura Feijoo wrote in a letter to parents. “We must make these two weeks count instructionally and ensure students are learning and engaged while we deal with this worldwide crisis.”
The school system says it will distribute Chromebooks to students who do not have a computer at home
Harvard Asks Students Not to Return After Spring Break Amid Coronavirus Concerns MIT, Boston University and Amherst College have also announced plans amid the COVID-19 outbreakQuote:
Harvard University on Tuesday said it would move to remote instruction and ask students not to return from spring break later this month amid the global outbreak of COVID-19.
Harvard president Lawrence Bacow said students had been asked not to return to school after spring break, which concludes on March 22, instead of completing coursework remotely.
"After spring break, we've been asked not to come back to campus until further notice. And that all of our academics will be continued with Zoom, Harvard student Benton Niggel explained.
Zoom is the online conferencing software that students will use to remain on campus in order to prepare for "severely limited on-campus activities" and interactions, Bacow said.
"The decision to move to virtual instruction was not made lightly," Bacow said in a letter to the school community. "The goal of these changes is to minimize the need to gather in large groups and spend prolonged time in close proximity with each other in spaces such as classrooms, dining halls, and residential buildings."
The school is also strongly discouraging gatherings of more than 25 people.
Students who live out of state are scrambling.
The Massachusetts Institute of Technology announced classes with more than 150 students — about 20 classes — would be taught online starting Tuesday. Events at the campus in Cambridge have also been canceled or postponed through May 15.
Amherst College announced late Monday that classes will be taught remotely after spring break ends on March 23.
Boston University University announced it was developing a remote teaching readiness plan in the event that it to has to shut its doors and continue classes online.
Ohio State suspending in-person classes as virus spreadsQuote:
Ohio State University has canceled in-person classes until March 30 in an attempt to stem the spread of coronavirus on its campus.
The university also suspended all university-sponsored international travel until April 20, The Columbus Dispatch reports.
The decision came Monday night after Ohio reported its first three confirmed cases of the virus, which is formally known as COVID-19.
“We are being proactive in an effort to prevent illness and continue the important work of the university,” OSU President Michael V. Drake said in email to students and faculty.
“I understand that our policy guidelines will cause measurable disruption, but the risk of not acting outweighs the inconvenience of these temporary measures. The safety of our campus community is always our top priority," he added.
Drake also said that there currently were no university-related coronavirus cases, according to the Dispatch.
MLB, NBA, NHL, MLS restrict media accessQuote:
Major League Baseball will join the NBA and NHL in closing clubhouses to media due to fear over potential spread of coronavirus, sources tell ESPN.
After a conference call with owners Monday evening, MLB remains committed to playing the remainder of the slate of spring-training games as well as opening the regular season on time, sources tell ESPN. That plan, like so many, is contingent on how the coronavirus spreads.
MLB plans to monitor local markets and remain nimble if local health authorities recommend games not be played. One option, sources said, is for teams to play games at different locations outside of their metropolitan areas.
Regarding the media restrictions: Players will be available in press-conference settings as well as outside the clubhouse, though during interviews they will be asked to abide by the CDC suggestion that they keep a 6-foot distance from reporters, sources told ESPN.
After consultation with infectious disease and public health experts, and given the issues that can be associated with close contact in pre- and post-game settings, all team locker rooms and clubhouses will be open only to players and essential employees of teams and team facilities until further notice. Media access will be maintained in designated locations outside of the locker room and clubhouse setting. These changes will be effective beginning with tomorrow’s games and practices.
“We will continue to closely monitor this situation and take any further steps necessary to maintain a safe and welcoming environment.”
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10 Mar 2020, 12:22 pm
