Gov. Andrew Cuomo Demonstrates Getting A Coronavirus Test, Calls On All New Yorkers Who Think They Have Symptoms To Get One
ALBANY, N.Y. (CBSNewYork) — Gov. Andrew Cuomo took a coronavirus test during his daily briefing Sunday, saying that all New Yorkers who think they have symptoms should get one.
The governor said New York is now conducting 40,000 COVID-19 tests per day at 700 testing sites.
"Which means there is a testing site near you," Cuomo said. "The new problem is we have more sites and more testing capacity than we're using."
Cuomo said any individual who thinks they have a COVID-19 symptom can get a test.
"If you think you have symptoms, get a test. It's up to you," he said. "We just don't have enough New Yorkers coming to be tested."
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Cuomo said he understands reluctance some people have to go to a doctor. He said the test was not invasive and not painful.
"There is nothing about this test that should intimidate people from not taking this test," he said.
A doctor wearing PPE came out and administered the nasal swab to Cuomo in the middle of the briefing, telling him to shut his eyes.
The governor then resumed the briefing.
Cuomo said total hospitalizations, new hospitalizations, and intubations are all down.
"So it's a good day across the plate," he said.
There were still 139 deaths.
"Only in this environment is it not shocking, and relative to where we were, it's good news," he said.
Cuomo said the Capital Region and Western New York would be ready to reopen once they identify additional testing and tracing staff.
WATCH: Gov. Andrew Cuomo Gives Daily Coronavirus Briefing
Officials touted "tremendous progress" with the state's unemployment system. Claims older than three weeks are either suspected fraud, not certified, or incomplete, said Cuomo aide Melissa DeRosa.
"We actually feel very good about the progress that we've made," she said. "We have gotten through the backlog, and the people that are remaining it's either certification issues, partial information issues or suspected fraud. And for those folks, we're trying to update the website to tell you specifically what it is that is holding you back in that pending status."
Officials said they were still reviewing possibilities for summer camps for children. Cuomo said he suspects there are more cases of pediatric multi-system inflammatory syndrome than have been officially reported.
"I believe this is a syndrome that we are just discovering," he said. "I think the numbers are going to be much, much higher. And we need to know that as a society."
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The governor also said that more attention must be paid to mental health issues during the coronavirus pandemic.
"Don't underestimate the trauma that this has created for people," he said. "It has been incredibly anxiety-producing, traumatic, disturbing."
Cuomo said "we're going through hell" and "living a science fiction movie," so it is totally appropriate to focus on mental health concerns.
"Of course there's going to be mental health issues. And of course people are going to have stress they're going to work through and anxieties they have to work through," he said.
He said New Yorkers should shift from asking "how are you doing" to "how are you doing, really."
