Cuomo: Families of front-line workers lost in pandemic will get benefits

Families of eligible front-line workers lost to COVID-19 will receive death benefits from the state as well as local governments, Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo said Monday as he also announced that Long Island remained on pace to meet all reopening metrics this week.

At his daily coronavirus briefing, held aboard the USS Intrepid in Manhattan, Cuomo took a cue from the Memorial Day holiday to pay tribute to public health care workers and others who have died of the coronavirus. He also called on the federal government to provide hazard pay to front-line workers.

“Many of those people who showed up and did their duty and served with honor lost their lives,” Cuomo said at the Intrepid Sea, Air and Space Museum, where he participated in a ceremony to observe Memorial Day. “ … We thank our heroes of today.”

Along with the relatives of public health care workers, Cuomo said those eligible for the death benefits include family members of police officers, firefighters, EMS workers and others. State officials later said most public sector workers would be included.

"We're going to make sure that every government in the state of New York provides death benefits to those public heroes who died from COVID-19 during this emergency," he said, adding that local and state pension funds will pay the death benefits. "And it’s a way of showing Americans that when there is a next time, and there is a next time — that we truly appreciate those people who show up and do their duty."

Nassau County Executive Laura Curran said Monday she supported the announcement.

"Providing death benefits to families of fallen heroes, as well as hazard pay to those who continue to selflessly and courageously serve, will ease the emotional and financial stress placed on them," Curran said in a statement. "I will be working with our state and federal officials to help accomplish this important endeavor.”

Last week, New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio asked state officials to authorize line-of-duty benefits for city workers who died from the coronavirus.

The statewide toll of people lost to COVID-19 on Sunday was 96, down from 109 on Saturday, Cuomo said.

Overall more than 23,000 deaths in the state have been linked to the virus.

The governor emphasized the importance of his administration's new rule requiring nursing homes test all staff members twice a week, calling the facilities a  "prime breeding ground” for the coronavirus.

He also said all nursing home residents across the state are being tested “on an ongoing basis” but added it was not a requirement.

Cuomo has been criticized for a March directive that placed recovering COVID-19 patients from hospitals into nursing homes.

While some argued the action led to a spread of the virus in the facilities, Cuomo has said nursing homes unable to handle and isolate COVID-19 patients were not forced to admit them.

The governor reiterated the importance of wearing masks and following social distancing guidelines to keep the current downward trend of COVID-19 infections and hospitalizations.

“It’s not smart,” he said when responding to reports of crowds gathering at bars, beaches and other locations without wearing masks or staying 6 feet apart.

Cuomo also said Long Island was still on track to hit all seven of the reopening metrics Wednesday, one of the last regions in the state to do so. But he warned that such plans must be done carefully with a mindset toward avoiding future public health crises.

Reopening the state’s economy is based on seven metrics: decline in total hospitalizations, decline in deaths, less than two new hospitalizations per 100,000 residents based on a three-day rolling average, hospital bed capacity, ICU bed capacity, diagnostic testing capacity and contact tracing capacity.

Once those numbers are reached, a region can start Phase 1 openings, which include construction, manufacturing, wholesale trade, agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting as well as retail limited to curbside or in-store pickup.

In an interview Monday, Curran said that “our residents have been fantastic throughout this crisis. They get what they have to do, and I'm confident we will get into Phase 1 in a way that mitigates risk. We are in constant communication with our businesses, answering questions, giving guidance and guidelines."

Curran said she was "especially excited by curbside retail that will help our mom and pop shops, and our downtowns, to start cranking up again. It's so important that people can earn a living."

Most people are adhering to social distance guidelines in an effort to stop COVID-19 cases from spiking, she said.

“People get the message," Curran said. "I'm out and about all the time. I see people with their face coverings on. They're not hugging and kissing right now, we’re not shaking hands, we’re keeping our distance."

Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone said the number of positive COVID-19 cases in the county is now 39,090 with another 12,409 people testing positive for antibodies.

Six additional people died from COVID-19, bringing the total number of fatalities in Suffolk County to 1,840.

Bellone noted the map on the county website showing the location of coronavirus cases is being taken down for a switch to contact-tracing software from the state.

Both Bellone and Curran said people have generally complied with social-distance guidance at beaches, parks and campgrounds. Gray skies and cool temperatures this weekend have also thinned the expected large crowds.

According to the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation website, the following state parks on Long Island had reached capacity by 3 p.m. Monday and were closed to additional visitors: Shadmoor State Park, Planting Fields Arboretum, Caleb Smith State Park Preserve, Connetquot River State Park Preserve, Caumsett State Historic Park Preserve and Orient Beach State Park. New York is capping attendance at state beaches at 50% capacity to mitigate the spread of the coronavirus.

Suffolk County Police Chief Stuart Cameron said police officials are working on policies and procedures for handling enforcement during reopening. Cameron said the department has had “good success” with voluntary compliance but is crafting a plan in case people don’t act in “good judgment.”