On Sunday, Gov. Andrew Cuomo said that he had tasked New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio and Council Speaker Corey Johnson with developing strategies to ensure their constituents maintain safe distances in order to slow the spread of coronavirus – and that he wanted a plan to address the problem within 24 hours.
“There is a density level in New York City that is wholly inappropriate,” Cuomo said at a press briefing, while expressing dismay at the crowded conditions in the city’s parks over the weekend. “You would think there was nothing going on in parts of New York City. You would think it was just a bright, sunny Saturday.”
Cuomo suggested opening streets to pedestrians to reduce density, given that traffic is much lower, while cracking down on group activity in parks – but left it to the top city officials to quickly submit a plan for him to review.
Johnson, the council speaker, said he supported the governor’s call to reduce density in city parks, tweeting that the city “must #StopTheSpread” and should “get creative, including closing streets to maximize pedestrian space.”
Johnson, who is working on a plan with input from his members, also tweeted that “playgrounds, volleyball courts, basketball courts, handball courts and other similar spaces should be closed” and that the city must “identify streets to close to cars ASAP to reduce density and use for exercise like we do for Summer Streets Program.”
Meanwhile, de Blasio applauded New Yorkers on Sunday for complying with new rules, although a spokesperson noted that the city had taken steps to enforce the ban on non-essential activity.
City & State Article:
https://www.cityandstateny.com/articles/policy/health-care/how-nyc-could-increase-social-distancing-combat-coronavirus.html