Mayor Bill de Blasio: Good afternoon, everybody. I just want to say my fellow New Yorkers, anyone out there who's scared, anyone who is confused, anyone who feels like we're dealing with something we've never dealt with in our lives, you're right. This is in many ways the great unknown, but I'm also confident we can get through it and I'm going to talk about that in a moment. I'm confident we can overcome it. In fact, my confidence in New Yorkers, my confidence in all of the organizations in the city, the hospitals, health care providers, my confidence in the working people in New York City, and my confidence in our government couldn't be stronger. I'm going to talk honestly and bluntly about what we need from our federal government and how crucial that is in the equation.
City of New York is working constantly to protect our people, I know the State of New York's doing the same thing, and we are coordinated and share goals and strategies, but we all are waiting for federal help that still is not arriving and that is the central challenge. We have to talk bluntly about that and I will today, but to everyone who's dealing with this confusion and these challenges, I feel it. My family feels it just like you. We're all trying to make sense of a new reality. What I'm going to try and do every time I give you an update is tell you the blunt truth and I'm trying to do very hard to make sure I tell you what we exactly know and when we're not sure about something, we need to be clear about that too. It would be a mistake to tell you something certain if we're not certain, it would be a mistake to hold back things that you need to know and it certainly would be a mistake to sugar coat this very, very painful reality.
I think New Yorkers want real talk. I think New Yorkers like it straight and we're going to do that. So, I'll be talking about several things today that are really painful and troubling and I want everyone to understand that. I am not here to give you false reassurance. I have a lot of things I'll say that should cause you to be confident about what we can do in this city. Confident, particularly in the fact that we have the finest health care institutions, the finest doctors and nurses, and all the people that work in our health care facilities, the lab techs, everyone who works in our facilities. This is – there's literally no place on earth with a stronger and better health care sector than New York City. Nowhere on earth and we are going to ask of our colleagues in health care so much in these coming weeks, they are already heroes, but they're going to have to work in battlefield conditions, their strength, their courage, their resilience are all going to be needed. We're all going to be depending on them, just like we depend every day, not only on their work, but on our first responders and so many of our public servants. Everyone is going to be needed. Everyone needs to answer the call. Everyone needs to step up for the good of everyone else.
But despite my tremendous confidence in our people and our ability to serve them, I also have to be very clear about the extent of this crisis. It is unlike anything we have seen outside of wartime, with the possible exception of the Great Depression itself. It – we can make obvious and powerful painful parallels even to things like 9/11, the days and weeks after that. But this crisis is even more unknown in many ways because we don't understand the exact trajectory we're on and we know it will reach very deep into our communities. That is not a reason to be hopeless by any stretch. Because remember, every single piece of evidence we have continues to tell us that this is a disease that for 80 percent of those infected will have very little impact. So I want people to think about this. I'll tell you a lot of things that are tough and sobering, but I want you all to remember this side of the equation. There will be many New Yorkers who never get this disease and there will be many New Yorkers who get this disease, approximately 80 percent who get it and will feel very little and experience very little. But those 20 percent who experience a much tougher time with this disease, people in particular who are older and that means particularly folks over 50 and especially over 70 and it means those, of course with those serious preexisting conditions we talk about so often, lung disease, heart disease, diabetes, cancer and compromised immune system. For those people particularly at they're over 50 we're worried and we need them to take extraordinary measures. We need you to take extraordinary measures. If you're in that category of people, we need you to live differently and we need your families to adjust as well. You're going to hear from Dr. Barbot in a few minutes and she's going to talk to you as the city's doctor and give advice directly to New Yorkers in the light of a ever-growing crisis.
But I heard from a friend in Brooklyn from the Midwood community just yesterday and he said something I thought really captured it. He said, and they're very knit extended family over decades and decades of would've been unimaginable to keep his older parents away from their grandchildren. But he said, now he understands because of coronavirus and his older parents who have vulnerabilities of their own, they have to understand this is not the time to visit with their grandchildren because we just can't run that risk. It's time for getting on the phone with your loved ones. It's time for getting on FaceTime, but it's time to make adjustments that wouldn't have been imaginable in other situations, because we've never dealt with this situation before. This is literally unlike anything we have seen in our memory. It will not be the same as the 1918 flu epidemic because for one thing, the health care capacity of this city and this nation are tremendously better public health ability, the information flow, it's night and day compared to a 100 years ago. But in terms of the extent that's the only other parallel we can make in terms of recent health care history, it's going to be an epidemic, a pandemic that reaches deep into our communities. We got to be honest about that. We’ve got to make more changes in the way we live and we got to do things we wouldn't normally do.
I also want to emphasize this is a crisis that has an end point. As I said, it will play out in unpredictable ways and it'll play out for a period of time and that's what makes it different from some other things we've been through. It will go on for months, but it will not go on forever. At some point in the coming months, this crisis will start to abate and we'll be able to start the work of getting our lives back to normal and getting our city back to all the things about it that we love so much. But it will be months, so it will be a long battle. I don't think it serves anyone to be told, get ready for something easy. I think it is much better to tell people get ready for something difficult and something that'll go on for a long time, but also have confidence that we can get through it. And that's what I truly believe.
The numbers all go over with you today are nothing short of staggering, but they are not just numbers. I'll tell you the statistics that I have trouble even conceiving of myself, but I don't want you to think of them as statistics. I want you to think of them as your fellow New Yorkers, every number means another person has been affected by this disease and another family and that's what I feel watching a crisis that is really, really affecting the lives or our people, and putting a lot of people in danger. So, I'll tell you the honest truth and I'll go out of my way in the weeks ahead to always level with you. But I'll also tell you what we can do. And that's a lot. And I will be very honest about what we need our federal government to do because I have to be clear with you. We alone, even if we're the greatest city in the world and we are, we alone cannot solve this crisis. And I need people to hear that, not to create fear, but to level with people.
In the next few weeks with the extraordinary resources, New York City, we will fight this battle no matter what. But as we get into April, the farther we get into April, the more we will need the help of the federal government. It must arrive in time and there is time for that help to arrive but the federal government does not do all in its power immediately. It's as simple as this. There'll be a lot more people who get sick who didn't need to get sick and there'll be people who die who didn't need to die. It's as simple as that. So, we need to act now, and I know our federal government has the capacity. We have the finest military in the world, the largest by far, extraordinary resources, unlike the City or the State. And I always say it very bluntly, the federal government literally prints money. They can create any credit line they want to save the lives of Americans, but we're not seeing that, not even close at this point. So, I'll go into some very specific information now and then you'll hear from Dr. Barbot and then we'll open up to questions from the media and we'll be doing all of this remotely. It's the first time we're doing it. I want to just say to all my colleagues in the media, we'll try and get it right, but it may be a little difficult the first time, but please bear with us as we try and perfect this new system. This is something we'll be having to do for quite a while to keep everyone safe.
I've given you a framework to think about this situation with - and I'll be updating you regularly, but again, it will not be all bad news. It often will be tough information to hear, but not all this bad because in the middle of this fight we have the extraordinary heart and soul and spirit of New Yorkers and here's an example for you. Just on Tuesday I put out a call to retired health care workers and those who work in private health care offices to come forward and join up to serve in the fight against coronavirus. I ask people who have already given so much of their lives to others to step forward and to come out of retirement. I asked people who are earning a living and are not obligated to join public service and I asked them to join nonetheless in the name of all New Yorkers. That was Tuesday. Today, Thursday as of today, 1,746 health care professionals have stepped forward to augment the ranks of those already serving at the front line in our hospitals and clinics. That's something all new Yorkers should be very, very proud of and I am certain those numbers will grow.
This is going to be one of the most difficult moments in New York City history. I ask everyone who has health care training and who can help us to please step forward now and anyone who's willing to volunteer, please go to nyc.gov/helpnownyc, nyc.gov/helpnownyc, H-E-L-P-N-O-W-NYC. And I want to express my tremendous gratitude on behalf of 8.6 million New Yorkers, to all of you who have come forward and are ready to serve to protect all of us and what you are seeing from those retired health care workers and those private sector and health care workers you're seeing in many other ways. The extraordinary efforts of our colleagues in our public hospitals and clinics and all of those at the voluntary hospitals who are already doing so much. Our first responders, the envy of the nation, all that they are doing to protect us. Our social service workers who are helping people through all of the challenges they're confronting now. Our sanitation workers who are doing absolute crucial work to keep the city clean while we encounter a health care crisis.
On Monday, I talked about a very, valiant, noble group of workers. School cleaners and custodians and food service workers who went to school to make sure kids had meals even though school was not in session. Those workers showed up at their post to help our children and have enough food to eat. I want to thank our school safety agents and food service managers, including members of Teamsters 237 who have answered the call, stood up to help our children and those families who need food. I want to thank our school crossing guards who have been protecting our children who went to get food. We're going to keep talking from now on about all those who are standing up, unafraid, willing to fight, willing to help others. And I say unafraid, that's not to say they're not human beings, they're not worried like the rest of us, but I say unafraid because they showed up, they stood up, they did the right thing to help others and I thank all of you for that.
Again, all I ask of our federal government is to be as good as the people of the United States of America. Look at these everyday New Yorkers that I've mentioned to you and these are just the health care professionals and the public service workers who are all at their posts doing what is needed. There are thousands of stories every day and New Yorkers helping each other out. I've called on New Yorkers to help the people in your lives, your family, your neighbors, those you worship with, the folks that live on your block or in your building who might be disabled, might have a serious health condition or seniors who can't get around so well, to help them out. Help them with their groceries, help them get the medicines they need. We've been getting wonderful stories from all over the city, New Yorkers stepping up, making things happen right there where the need is greatest. There's so many people helping each other right now. Again, I've just asked our federal government to do its job, help all of us, and that's eventually going to be this whole country. It's New York City today. It's places like Seattle, but we certainly saw what happened in Westchester County. We see other places developing around the country, but make no mistake, it'll eventually be everywhere. So our federal government needs to right now go where the need is greatest and there is no place where the need is greatest in New York State and New York City.
Of course, I am heartened that the Congress passed an initial relief bill, but initial is the key word. It is a small beginning. It's far from what we need. I never look a gift horse in the mouth, but I can say with assurance that the first step taken by the Congress is just a small first step and we need a huge stimulus and relief bill immediately that puts money back in the pockets of people who have lost so much. It helps local governments to keep going and doing the work we do and it really, it responds to the reality on the ground, particularly in providing health care for so many people so quickly. Right now, the United States government is not even close to where it needs to be, but I do thank the House and the Senate for the action they took. I am very thankful to the United States military for sending the ship that we've all been waiting for, the USNS Comfort with just a 1,000-bed floating hospital. And will be crucial to our efforts in this city and state to protect people.
The military, as I've said, I have no doubt in my mind stands ready to do all necessary to help their fellow Americans. I just wish they would get the order and they have not gotten that order.
President Trump, I will only say to the President, I don't understand and I think there are millions and tens of millions of Americans who don't understand what you are doing right now. You are not using the tools of your office. This is one of the greatest emergencies our nation has faced in generations. Every tool must be brought to bear. For some reason, you continue to hesitate. I said it not to be flip, but to note the historical parallel. President Trump right now, you are the Herbert Hoover of your generation. You are watching and waiting and missing every chance to be bold and to act to protect our nation.
Herbert Hoover, his successor, Franklin Delano Roosevelt, determined that our nation needed urgent and immediate action and created the New Deal and transformed the effort to help our people and saved our country, literally. President Trump is not doing that now for reasons that are absolutely inexplicably to the vast majority of us. But there is still time, not much, but there's still time. The President yesterday invoked the Defense Production Act. I have no idea why the President waited until March 18th to invoke the Defense Production Act, which has been used repeatedly in recent decades. Seems to me, given what we knew about this crisis, given that the City of New York held his first press conference to announce our steps on coronavirus on January 24th, I think the President could have invoked the Defense Production Act in February or even January.
But he's finally done it and we know the history that that authorization allows for massive actions by the federal government to ensure that companies are producing needed goods and that they get to where they're needed most. However, the President has not ordered any of those subsequent actions, and this must change immediately. Through the Defense Production Act, the President can authorize the Department of Health and Human Services to order manufacturers to provide materials and services and to use their private facilities for manufacturing needed items. That has not happened. We have not seen the order from the President ensuring maximum 24/7 production of all items needed by our health care industry. And I would say it very plainly, every factory in America that can be converted to health care production, to the equipment and supplies that our valiant health care professionals need and they will need even more in the coming months. Every such factory should be ordered on a full production basis, on a level prioritized by the federal government.
And then those goods must be distributed and it cannot be distributed in a business as usual manner because as I said here in New York City, we are two weeks or three weeks away from running out of the supplies we need most for our hospitals. The only way those supplies can be provided in time, is through the full mobilization of the United States military. At this point, there's never been a greater no-brainer in the history of the Republic. How on Earth is the finest military on Earth being left on the sidelines? That's what's happening right now and I guarantee you go interview our generals and our brave men and women who serve in the military, go interview the average American soldier and ask them if they stand ready to get the supplies needed to New York City and the other parts of this nation that are in such danger right now. I guarantee you two a one, they would tell you that is exactly why they are a part of our armed forces and they would not only await the order, they would welcome the order. But that order has not been given by our Commander-in-Chief and it is beyond comprehension. It is immoral that our President has not ordered our military to full mobilization because this is the great threat to our nation.
We have armed forces overseas who are protecting us against terrorism and foreign threats, but right now we have a domestic threat on a level we have never seen in decades. Our military is the only answer at this point. And if we expect those goods that are produced that we need for our hospitals to get there in time, there's only one organization that can guarantee that. And that is the United States military. When will President Trump give the order? That is my question. When will he give the order? Why is he hesitating? People are suffering now and they will be suffering so much more in the month of April. And the President gives himself an A grade and he congratulates himself and yet he will not act in the way we need it most. This is patently unacceptable.
Our military also, in addition to their extraordinary logistical capacity, our military has the ability to bring exceptional medical personnel directly to where the need is greatest. Our health care leadership here in the city has made clear that supplies and medical equipment are a deep concern. Physical capacity to build out an extraordinary amount of new health care abilities and beds is crucial. But the single most important factor is personnel. We're going to need all the people I've spoken about previously to do all they can do, but they can't do it alone. In our military, our extraordinary trained professionals are used to dealing with the most difficult circumstances and yet they are at their basis right now, all over this country. They are not at the front. The front is here in New York City. Let's be very clear. This is a different kind of war and the front is right here in New York City. How on Earth are some of the finest medical professionals in this nation who serve this nation, why have they not been activated and sent to New York City and New York State and California and Washington State where they could be helping right now? We need them. We need everything that the military can bring to bear.
I've sent two letters this week and I'll be sending many more. Trying to get action and letters are just a way of making a hundred percent clear what we're talking about. This letter to Secretary Alex Azar, Secretary of Health and Human Services, and Secretary Robert Wilkie, Department of Veterans Affairs. This lays out very clearly our request that the Veterans Administration facilities in this city, all available beds, all available medical personnel in our Veterans Administration facilities be activated immediately to serve in the cause of fighting the coronavirus. We know for a fact that our Veterans Administration facilities have excess capacity and we know we're in the middle of a national crisis. I know again that the medical personnel in these facilities stand ready to help, but they need the order from these two secretaries so they can provide maximum support to New York City. And the same would be true everywhere in the country. I sent this letter to Secretary Azar of HHS delineating the supply requests again. And this is one of many requests we've made, but I'm doing it very publicly. We'll put this online for everyone to see. Here are the supplies that must be provided to New York City early in April for us to ensure that our health care system, public and private, can bear the brunt of the coronavirus crisis, and serve our people. We need three million N95 masks. We need 50 million surgical masks. We need 15,000 ventilators and 25 million each of the following items of personnel protective equipment, which are health care workers and first responders would use depending on the situation — surgical gowns, coveralls, gloves, face masks. We need these in great numbers. They may sound like daunting numbers at first, but given the extraordinary production capacity of this country, they are very much achievable. If our nation has put on a war footing and our President uses the powers he already has to coordinate and to prioritize through the private sector, the production we need. That's the kind of level of production we need, those specific supplies. We need to ensure that health care in New York City can continue on the level we need to fight this crisis.
Our Senator – our senior Senator, Chuck Schumer, has put forth a powerful idea. He calls it a new Marshall Plan. It’s a Marshall Plan for our hospitals and I give him credit for this because he's using one of the great examples in American history, the Marshall Plan after World War II, which rebuilt, literally rebuilt the European continent that had been left in ruins after the war and re-established a thriving economy. The Marshall Plan, the original Marshall Plan made the United States the envy of the world and created tremendous gratitude for our nation all over the globe. And that was at a time when we had a lot less technology and many disadvantages just having come out of war ourselves. Senator Schumer's right, that's the right attitude, the right approach. A Marshall Plan for our hospitals for the entire nation would involve massive new investments to support state and local governments that already are doing so much to fight coronavirus. And that are struggling with the challenge in so many ways, to strengthen and build out our health care workforce. It would involve major investments in our strategic national stockpile and our Centers for Disease Control and it would allow for the large-scale infrastructure we need to fight this extended war. So, I want to thank Senator Schumer and I ask all the members of the House and Senate to include Senator Schumer's plan in the upcoming legislation you pass.
Now to the part of this update that I hate to give but I need to about the overall situation. And I will say we will attempt to give New Yorkers constant updates including ones we wish we didn't have to give and anyone who needs an update can go to nyc.gov/coronavirus. Anyone who needs specific information or has specific needs of course, can also call 3-1-1. We are seeing an explosion in the number of cases here in New York City. Now I will be clear that part of that is that we finally have more extensive testing going on. We have nowhere near the amount of testing that we should ideally have. We have nowhere near the amount of testing we should have had weeks and weeks ago to get ahead of this crisis. Nowhere near the amount of testing that a place like South Korea had. And they were able to use testing as a powerful part of a strategy to beat back the coronavirus. We're still far from where we should be, but we have a lot more testing than we used to have. And so it is natural that as you have more testing you will see numbers grow simply because the larger reality is being captured more effectively. But this number is nonetheless very, very painful. I'll tell you that the City of New York will be every day at 10:00 am and again at 6:00 pm putting together our numbers and providing updates as we are ready once they are confirmed.
So, based on the update from 10:00 am today, which is different from the State’s update, which came from last night at midnight. So, this is, again, a different number than the State, the State had for the city — different number because it is a 10 hours difference. And this'll show you how fast this crisis is growing. At this point in New York City, based on a 10:00 am number 3,615 confirmed cases of the coronavirus in New York City. Again, each of those, a human being and a family represented and that number is undoubtedly gone up since 10:00 am. It's a painful, distressing number. I also have to report another even more painful number. There have been 22 deaths now in New York City directly related to the coronavirus. The breakout by borough — in Queens 980 cases, in Manhattan 976 cases, in Brooklyn 1,030 cases, in the Bronx 463 cases, in Staten Island 165 cases. I'm going to go through some specific issues before I turn to Dr. Barbot and I'll go quick here.
Unfortunately, we can report that we have the first instance of an inmate on Rikers Island testing positive. The inmate is individually in his early thirties. And thankfully at this moment health wise is doing okay. Is in isolation and has been moved to our communicable disease unit on Rikers Island, part of the health care apparatus on Rikers Island. This inmate was in a housing unit with other inmates. All had been checked for symptoms. Eight had been identified with symptoms and moved also to isolation in the communicable disease unit. Question came up several times last few days about those incarcerated and if there were instances where anyone should be released because of particular health vulnerabilities and because their status put them at low risk of re-offending or being any kind of threat. At this point this is an ongoing effort, it will keep growing as we review more cases, the cases are being reviewed by the NYPD and the Mayor's Office of Criminal Justice and as they reach agreement on an individual case, we start the process to release them. Forty inmates, forty inmates have been put on the list. We are awaiting sign-off - depending on the case - from the relevant District Attorney and/or the State of New York and we intend to begin releases as early as today once we have that sign-off, we will continue reviewing other cases.
An update on testing availability. As we said a few days ago, the health and hospital system has greatly increased its testing capacity. They're now 10 new sites at hospitals and these sites will have the ability to serve approximately 150 people per day. Eight, again, I'm going to emphasize throughout, I know we're going to get this question constantly and we'll keep reiterating - on a priority basis, on a reservation basis, until we have much, much greater testing capacity everything must be focused on those in greatest need and everything will be done on reservation basis. People that walk-up or drive-up without a reservation cannot be tested. We have to keep the priorities tight here, but we keep, we keep working every day to try and expand the amount of testing to reach as far as we can.
The 10 sites, again, will serve 150 people per day – approximately - initially. Again, in every case, we'll look to increase the numbers as much as we can. Eight are already open at Bellevue, Elmhurst, Harlem, Jacoby, Kings, Lincoln, Woodhall, and Queens hospitals. Two will open next week at Coney Island and Jacoby. There are seven new sites at Gotham clinics. Each can serve and test 50 to 75 people per day. All will be open this week and they include Belvis, Cumberland, East New York, Gouverneur, Morrisania, Sydenham, and Vanderbilt. Four new testing centers each will serve and test 100 people per day, approximately two are open at Coney Island and Jacoby, two coming up shortly at Kings County and Queens Hospital.
This is all separate from the State operated drive-through testing center in Staten Island and separate from the five new testing centers that are coming soon in coordination with FEMA that will be set-up in New York City. We'll have details on that as they get solidified. All appointment only, all prioritizing of the sickest and most vulnerable, remembering that 80% of all coronavirus cases will be mild – thank God for those who have them. And again, if you are younger than 50 and you don't have a preexisting condition, those are exactly the people who are coming through overwhelmingly pretty well through this challenge and we want those people – especially - if you get sick to stay home and wait three or four days to see if your symptoms get better or worse. Only if they get worse do you call the doctor at that point.
In terms of our businesses, I want to thank all the restaurant owners, bar owners, cafe owners, all the people work there. You've been put through so much these last days. I'm sorry for that, but this was something that had to be done for the good of the people in New York City. But there have been so many great instances of people who own these establishments working with the new rules, keeping those takeout and delivery options going, trying to take care of their workers and we understand what a strain that is. We understand there've been real layoffs and it's very, very sad, but thank you for everything you're trying to do to keep getting people food that need it and keep your businesses alive to the best of your ability.
I want a note for all those who doubted the ability of New Yorkers to deal with this new dynamic. Over the last few days, we have sent out the NYPD, the FDNY, Department of Buildings, and the Sheriff's office to enforce, to ensure that restaurants and bars that serve food were closing at the appropriate hour, that they were not allowing customers to dine-in. We have seen overwhelming compliance by those who own and work in these establishments. There have been as of yesterday I believe this number is 8,150 inspections that yielded only six violations. That's about as close to perfect as it gets in human life and I really want to thank everyone and thank these inspectors who are doing such important work to ensure everyone's safe by avoiding the social distancing that goes with what we used to know as social life only a few days ago. That helping people not continue the habits we used to have that unfortunately only led to the spread of this disease - these inspectors are doing such important work, I want to thank them all.
On telecommuting, the State issued the new guidance, which I approve of 100 percent, taking 75 percent the number of workers who should be out of their offices even for those businesses that continue in their physical locations. We are working with the State on a proper enforcement mechanism. To everyone, if you still are not yet telecommuting, you must, it's as simple as that, and we need every employer to understand that. And any employee who still has to go to a work site and is not an essential employee, please, if you have an idea of how you could telecommute or some alternative talk to your employer, we need people to be creative here. Anyone who believes that there is a problem with their work site that can be addressed call 311 and we will try and help. Our Department of Consumer and Worker Protection or our Commission on Human Rights can step in if someone is being kept at a work site that does not need to be and is a non-essential worker. We want to make sure that employers really get the message that everyone needs to be home who can be home.
And as to the city workforce, which is about 380,000 strong when you factor in all elements of the public sector at the city level. By Sunday, all nonessential personnel across all of our agencies will be working from home in some form or fashion or will be waiting for a specific assignment. Many of course can do telework. Some we're going to come up with a new way for them to work at home even if it doesn't exist right now. Some may be mobilized to address a food issues or other issues at the community level. The estimate at this point, and we'll have a better number for you by the beginning of next week, but the estimate is 250,000 city workers will be out of their traditional work sites and working from home unless they are given a very specific assignment in the field. As part of fighting this crisis that is approximately two thirds, two thirds of our workforce that no longer are working – or no longer will be working at their traditional work sites. You're going to see a lot of city offices are just shut down because we came up with an alternative and for all city workers with symptoms of coronavirus. As you're going through those three or four days waiting to see if you get better or worse as you're going through this entire process, we will not— take away sick time for anyone who has symptoms and is waiting for clarity about this disease. We will not— take that off your sick days.
Few last points, questions early in the week about food stamps and public assistance. Want to clarify; there are no more in person interviews for food stamps or public assistance. All of that has been converted to online and – phone interviews and processing. Very specific issue, this is something I have to say to people, and it's painful to say it, but I've gotten concerns raised by community leaders. We understand that people at this point cannot in general go to their house of worship. We understand how painful that is for people of all different faiths, what a pillar of their lives, their faith is, and how important their visit each week or more often to their house of worship is. But we are in a moment of tremendous danger and we have to deal with that reality. We have to protect each other. So, I know that clergy all over this city, and I've talked to clergy leaders. I had a call with members of our clergy leadership just a few days ago and there were unified across all faiths, led by Cardinal Dolan unified in recognizing that many, many people will have to forego traditional religious services and clergy had been leading the way and telling people to stay home who need to stay home and then reducing services or closing them down altogether where needed. But what we have heard in some communities is that in the absence of traditional services, some individuals are choosing to create home-based worship services. That per se might not be a danger except when it means in so many cases that large numbers of congregants are being crammed into a very small space, which immediately violates the concept of social distancing. The rule is to try and keep six feet apart or as close to that as humanly possible. Worshiping in a living room with numerous people immediately violates that idea and makes everyone vulnerable. I think something that unites all faiths is the desire to protect each other, uplift each other, respect each other. It is not helpful. It is not safe. It is not faithful to gather large numbers of people in a small space for informal services that would only serve to cause this disease to spread and you know who will then be in danger. Our seniors and those who already are dealing with serious healthcare conditions, I don't think there's any faith on earth that would condone that. So, please, to all of you who are doing this or considering doing it, please stop. Simply forego traditional services don't try and recreate them, if you feel you must do a service that needs to be just a small handful of people, socially distance, six feet per person apart or else you're creating a risk to all those involved.
Close with a reminder, thank God we see that for younger, healthier people, this is a disease that they can see through – and come out safely, overwhelmingly. So, let's keep the focus on those in need those who are most vulnerable and let's help them out. Anytime you can help your fellow New Yorker in need, I know a lot of people have been stocking up on groceries and all sorts of household goods. If you know someone who needs help, come on, don't keep it all for yourself. Share with your fellow New Yorker, that's how we're going to get through this. This will get worse before it gets better, we've all heard that phrase, but this is probably the most blunt example we're going to see in our lives of the notion that this is going to get worse before it gets better. We have to brace ourselves for that, but it will get better, it will get better in the end, and we will see it through
