Cuomo: State expanding testing criteria to include first responders, health care workers, essential employees

The governor also says independent pharmacists will be able to conduct diagnostic COVID-19 tests.

News 12 Staff

Apr 25, 2020, 10:57 AM

Updated 1,553 days ago

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Cuomo: State expanding testing criteria to include first responders, health care workers, essential employees
BRIEFING NOTES:
•Governor says total hospitalizations are down again.  Says we are back where we were 21 days ago and calls it '21 days of hell.' 
•Gov. Cuomo says we need to find out where only several hundred people show up to the hospital with COVID-19.
•Governor says all the evidence points to the state being on the decline. 
 
 
•Gov. Cuomo says there were about 1,100 new cases. 437 deaths reported yesterday, slight increase.  'Terrible, terrible, horrific news.' 
 
•Governor says testing is now the focus.  
•Gov. Cuomo highlights federal/state division of labor for testing.  Says national manufacturers need to supply components, managed by the federal government, and that the state will manage testing in its labs.  
•Governor says he's signed an executive order that will allow independent pharmacists to conduct diagnostic coronavirus tests.  Says this move will help state 'quickly ramp up' collection capacity.  
•Gov. Cuomo says they are expanding testing criteria to include more New Yorkers.  These include first responders, health care workers and essential employees. 
 
 
 
•Governor says state is expanding antibody testing in four downstate hospital systems.  
•Gov. Cuomo compares current crisis to other points in United States history.  Talks about putting the current crisis in perspective.  
PHOTOS: Countries around the world cope with COVID-19
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