Coronavirus Tracking Survey: More Than One-Third Of NYC Households Lost Jobs Since Outbreak Began
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) - A new survey says 36% of households in New York City reported they have had someone in their household lose employment because of business shutdowns ordered since the coronavirus outbreak began in the state three weeks ago.
The same City University of New York study also found one in eight New Yorkers reported that someone in their household was sick at home with symptoms of COVID-19.
Job loss was hitting people with lower incomes harder, with those earning $50,000 or less at 41% compared to those with incomes of $100,000 or more seeing 24% job loss.
"It is clear that the economic burden of coronavirus is falling disproportionately on the people in our city who are least able to afford it," said Dr. Ayman El-Mohandes, dean of CUNY SPH. "It remains to be seen how well we can address these disparities."
PHOTO GALLERY: A Look Inside NYC's Viral 'Warzone'
The results are part of CUNY Graduate School of Public Health & Health Policy work looking at how people are dealing with the effects and policies around battling the COVID-19 outbreak. The most recent results came from questions asked from March 20 to 22.
The survey also reported half of all New Yorkers now feel the federal government should be doing more to help them deal with the pandemic.
Gov. Andrew Cuomo's PAUSE policy to encourage social distancing, staying at home and keeping at least 6 feet away from others when outside, was linked to a jump from 22% to 43% of New Yorkers feeling "not at all socially connected" this week.
"The strain of the pandemic is taking its toll on the mental health of New York residents; 44% reported feeling nervous, anxious or on-edge more than half the time (at least 3-4 days a week or more often), while 35% reported similar levels of feeling down, depressed, or hopeless," read the study's summary on CUNY's website.
CORONAVIRUS: NY Health Dept. | NY Call 1-(888)-364-3065 | NYC Health Dept. | NYC Call 311, Text COVID to 692692 | NJ COVID-19 Info Hub | NJ Call 1-(800)-222-1222 or 211, Text NJCOVID to 898211 | CT Health Dept. | CT Call 211 | Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
As of Tuesday morning, New York state had 75,795 confirmed cases of coronavirus COVID-19 cases, of which most - 43,139 - were based across New York City's five boroughs.
For more on the data and reports on previous weeks, see the CUNY website.