As the weather gets warmer, I know that many New Yorkers want nothing more than to be outdoors and with friends. But right now it's crucial that we continue to practice social distancing. (You can go outside for walks or exercise — but you must stick to solitary activities and keep six feet of distance from others.) The health of each one of us is in one another's hands. As is the health and safety of all the healthcare workers, first responders and frontline workers keeping our country running. We all need to do our part by staying disciplined, staying safe and staying home. The only way we will get through this is together.
Here's what else you need to know tonight:
1. New York seeks private sector partners to bring rapid COVID-19 testing to scale and accelerate testing capacity. Businesses interested in working with the state to manufacture these rapid tests on a large scale should contact Empire State Development at 212-803-3100 or [email protected].
2. Student loan borrowers experiencing financial hardship due to COVID-19 can obtain relief for loans not covered by the CARES Act. Available relief includes 90 days of deferred monthly payments, waived late fees, no negative reporting to credit agencies and enrolling eligible borrowers in available long-term assistance programs. New York student loan borrowers should visit the Department of Financial Services' website for more information about available student loan relief.
3. The State Department of Health has developed a test to detect antibodies to the COVID-19 infection in an individual's blood. This test is an important step towards determining whether New Yorkers are developing immunity and when they could potentially return to work or school.
4. "Go Paper" campaign to raise awareness about Coronavirus protocols in your community. Starting this week, the online grocer FreshDirect will include a paper flyer with their deliveries that reminds New Yorkers to stay home. Any delivery service (or individual) can print the flyer and include in deliveries to spread this crucial message. To print out and distribute the flyer in your community, visit: https://www.ny.gov/coronavirus-community-handout
5. In order to restart the economy, we need a federal stimulus bill that actually understands the state's needs. I issued a letter to New York's Congressional Delegation outlining the state's needs in the next federal COVID-19 legislation. The previous COVID-19 stimulus bills failed to adequately address New York's COVID-related revenue losses.
Tonight's "Deep Breath Moment": The public library in Levittown, New York, is using their 3D printers to make face shields and PPE for Nassau University Medical Center. It's inspiring to see communities help in innovative ways.
If you were forwarded this email, you can subscribe to New York State's Coronavirus Updates here.
Ever Upward,
Governor Andrew M. Cuomo
