In the midst of the state becoming the nation’s coronavirus “epicenter,” there is finally some good news coming out of New York.
According to messages from Governor Andrew Cuomo (D-NY), medical staffers have enough proactive gear for the immediate future and the rate of hospital admission in COVID-19 cases has decreased since Sunday.
During a Thursday press conference, Cuomo assured the public that there is enough personal protective equipment, or “PPE,” for medical health officials in the immediate future. The governor told reporters that his team has spoken to every hospital in the hard-hit coronavirus area and they confirmed their PPE needs are being met for at least the next couple days, which Cuomo stressed was the only realistic marker.
On Wednesday, Cuomo announced via Twitter that the state received a donation of 1.4 million masks, clearly helping to fill the PPE gap.
“NEW: [Soft Bank] donated 1.4 million critically needed N-95 masks to us. New York State thanks you,” the Democrat said. “We are so grateful for this PPE that protects our healthcare workers.”
NEW: @SoftBank donated 1.4 million critically needed N-95 masks to us.
New York State thanks you.
We are so grateful for this PPE that protects our healthcare workers.
— Archive: Governor Andrew Cuomo (@NYGovCuomo) March 25, 2020
Tech companies like Facebook and Apple have also stepped up, donating millions of masks to affected areas.
However, there was some noted disconnect, which Cuomo addressed during the Thursday press conference: a New York Post report published Wednesday highlighted a photo of nurses wearing garbage bags as protective gear due to an alleged shortage of supplies.
Holy freaking hell. A nursing manager at Mt Sinai Hospital in NYC just died from coronavirus. Nurses at the hospital have been wearing trash bags because of the lack of protective gear. https://t.co/DSkHKVECmE pic.twitter.com/gl3w7ksPog
— Mark Elliott (@markmobility) March 26, 2020
Cuomo said there might have been some “distribution” issues over the past few days, but contended there is no shortage at the moment. One of his staffers, too, said their team specifically spoke to NYC-based Mt. Sinai Hospital, and confirmed they have enough PPE.
Another piece of good news out of NY is the drop in the hospitalization rate of COVID-19 cases since Sunday.
“Evidence suggests density control plan may be working,” said Cuomo via Twitter on Wednesday. “On Sun, hospitalizations doubling every 2 days. On [Monday], hospitalizations doubling ever 3.4 days. On [Tuesday], hospitalizations doubling every 4.7 days.”
“But the virus is STILL spreading quickly,” he added. “#StayAtHome.”
Evidence suggests density control plan may be working:
On Sun, hospitalizations doubling every 2 days
On Mon, hospitalizations doubling ever 3.4 days
On Tues, hospitalizations doubling every 4.7 daysBut the virus is STILL spreading quickly. #StayAtHome
— Archive: Governor Andrew Cuomo (@NYGovCuomo) March 25, 2020
“Declining rates in hospitalisations is important because the state, as well as the rest of the country, is concerned with how the Covid-19 pandemic could impact the healthcare system as the novel virus continues to spread,” The Independent underscored on Wednesday.
Moreover, Cuomo has agreed with President Donald Trump with regard to the use of drugs that have been used to treat malaria and have shown good responses in COVID-19 patients, allowing them to be used on suffering New Yorkers.
On Tuesday, Cuomo started clinical trials for promising drugs that were fast-tracked for FDA approval by the Trump administration.
“The state acquired 70,000 doses of hydroxychloroquine, 10,000 doses of zithromax and 750,000 doses of chloroquine in the last few days, according to a news release by New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s office,” ABC News reported.
“We hope for optimistic results,” the governor said Tuesday. “The president and the FDA accelerated that drug coming to New York so the hospitals will start using that drug today.”
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