Coronavirus pandemic in the US

New York does not have enough money to pay for unemployment as more and more people continue to file for benefits, Gov. Andrew Cuomo said at a news briefing Monday.

“We’re out of money now,” Cuomo told a reporter when asked when the state would run out of money to provide unemployment benefits. “We are now running a $10 to 15 billion deficit, so we’re out of money now," he added.

As of Friday, New York has paid out $3.1 billion in unemployment benefits, said Melissa DeRosa, secretary to the governor.

Some context: A $480 billion coronavirus relief package was signed into law earlier this week, but didn't include money state leaders could use for basic operations — something several governors have spoken out against.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi told CNN yesterday there will be another federal emergency relief bill that will include money for state and local governments that are facing budget deficits, despite Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell saying he did not want to issue more federal aid.

New, interim guidelines were issued Sunday advising meat and poultry processing facilities to create a Covid-19 assessment and control plan, along with suggestions for what that plan should include. 

The guidelines from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and Occupational Safety and Health Administration come after some of the country's largest processing plants have been forced to cease operations temporarily after thousands of employees have tested positive for the virus.

The CDC says that these workplaces should identify an on-site coordinator who is responsible for coronavirus assessments and control planning. This coordinator should be knowledgeable in virus prevention and make sure all employees know how to contact them with any concerns.

All safety and health plans should apply to anyone entering and working in the plants, and facility management should reach out to state and local public health officials to make sure they are communicating up-to-date and relevant information to share with workplace coordinators.

The CDC also encourages stronger engineering controls be put in place to minimize exposure to the virus.

These controls include:

Companies can also encourage keeping working groups together to limit the number of exposures, limiting car-pools, adding overnight shifts and increasing education towards the virus’s spread, amongst several guidelines.

As unemployment skyrockets across the country, an increasing number of Americans are reliant on food banks.

To address this demand, New York is providing $25 million from the state's Special Public Health Emergency Fund for food banks and providers impacted by coronavirus, New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced Monday.

There is about a 200% increase in demand at food banks in Westchester County, a 100% increase in New York City, a 40% in Long Island and a 60% in upstate in New York, Gov. Cuomo said.

He also asked philanthropies to help with funding.

Some farm cooperatives are dumping milk because the market can't consumer it, he added.

In addition, the state is launching the Nourish New York initiative to connect product upstate and the need for food downstate, Cuomo announced.

Companies such as Chobani, Upstate Niagara and others have partnered with the state to buy the excess milk, yogurt, cheese, sour cream, cream cheese and give it to the food banks downstate.

WATCH:

Since the coronavirus outbreak, strict visitation rules imposed at nursing homes in Florida have left some seniors feeling isolated.

The Florida Department of Elder Affairs announced today that it’s providing 375 therapeutic robotic pets to socially isolated seniors and adults living with Alzheimer’s disease and dementia, according to a news release issued by the agency.

“We know social isolation disproportionately affects older adults, and Covid-19 has required people with dementia and their caregivers to remain alone for extended periods of time,” the release said.

The pets help the seniors combat social isolation and depression by improving their overall mood and quality of life, the agency said.

New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo said he spoke to President Trump about keeping open temporary medical facilities that the federal government built.

Cuomo said four temporary facilities, which were built by the Army Corps of Engineers to increase hospital capacity during the surge, would stay open through the fall. The governor said this decision was made in part out of caution in case there is a possible second wave.

Cuomo said the federal government did a "phenomenal job" getting the facilities built in New York.

"But I want to thank, again, the Army Corps of Engineers did a fantastic job. And President Trump got it done, and he got it done very quickly."

WATCH:

Of the 7,500 people tested statewide for antibodies against coronavirus, 14.9% have tested positive, New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced at a press briefing on Monday.

Five days ago, 13.9% had tested positive. Statistically, the one point difference lies in the margin of error, Cuomo said.

"I would like to see the margin go the other way," Cuomo added.

Men are still more likely to have the virus than women by a couple of points. There has been an uptick of positive tests for antibodies among Asian-Americans and Latino residents. The number has gone down for black residents, Cuomo said.

New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo said that some parts of the state may begin to "unpause" after May 15.

The state's stay-at-home order — known as "New York State on pause" — is set to expire on May 15, and Cuomo said he will extend those orders "in many parts of the state."

Cuomo said it's important to "be smart" about reopening, and he said it's important officials have a plan in place before they begin to unpause.

"'Know what you are doing before you do it,' those are words to live by," he said.

New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo said at least 337 people died from coronavirus across the state yesterday.

He added that deaths are "on the decline" but "still tragically high"

On Saturday, 367 people died from coronavirus in New York, Cuomo said.

New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo said the hospitalization rate is flat — but he'd prefer to see it decline.

"It's basically flat. Flat is not great," he said at a news conference.