The Peru Gazette

Our state’s response to Coronavirus is an incredible feat. All of New York — 19 million people — responded to this crisis with a level of determination and discipline that amazed me. Just 50 days ago, at the height of the crisis in New York, 800 people died a single day and we were experiencing the worst situation in the country. Now, we’re reopening New York. It has been a very long 50 days from then — but we went from a truly frightening reality to the point where the state is beginning to reopen. This is a reminder of what we can accomplish when we are united.

Photo of the Day: In Schenectady, NY, protesters and police officers came together in solidarity against racism and discrimination (Photo by Joah Alindato)

1. A citywide curfew will take effect in New York City beginning at 11 PM tonight through 5 AM tomorrow morning. Mayor de Blasio and I spoke today and agreed to implement the curfew. In addition, the NYPD will double its presence to help prevent violence and property damage. While we encourage people to protest peacefully, unfortunately, there are those who have exploited the protests as a cover for criminal activities. The safety of the general public is paramount and cannot be compromised.

2. Be aware of the risk of COVID-19 at protests. The Health Commissioner and I are concerned that the large protests may increase the spread of COVID-19. While the right to protest peacefully is sacrosanct, I nevertheless urge all protesters to take precautions like wearing a mask or face covering if participating in a protest. It would be terrible for the progress we have made on this virus to be undone.

3. Two regions are expected to enter Phase 2 of reopening this week. Tomorrow Western New York is expected to enter Phase 2, followed by the Capital Region on Wednesday, June 3, pending a review of regional data by global public health experts.

4. We have the lowest rate of positive test results since the pandemic began. Yesterday the state performed 50,000 tests and only 941 people, or 2%, were positive. That is the lowest number yet of positive cases.

5. The total number of COVID hospitalizations is steadily declining. Total hospitalizations fell to 3,331, from 3,436 the day before. Yesterday, we had 183 new COVID hospitalizations. Sadly, 54 New Yorkers died of the virus — the lowest number since March.

Tonight’s “Deep Breath Moment”: The NYC Department of Environmental Protection (NYC DEP) recently banded peregrine falcon chicks on the Verrazzano-Narrows and Marine Parkway bridges. As part of a cooperative effort between the DEP and the NYS Department of Environmental Conservation, chicks are banded with both a metal federal band with a serial number and a color-coded band to make it easier to identify the birds by sight. By the 1960s and ’70s, the peregrine falcon had vanished from the East Coast; the species has recovered thanks to decades of conservation efforts.