Gridlock Buffalo: PR 20Apr2020

For Immediate Release:
20Apr2020
Contact: Rus Thompson

Gridlock Buffalo

We vehemently object to Governor Andrew Cuomo asserting dictatorial control over the lives and livelihood of millions of New York State residents as an extreme response to COVID-19.  As with many poorly planned and executed one-size-fits-all solutions to problems New York City primarily faces, the Governor has yet again applied crippling mandates to the entire State of New York.  There is also no consistency regarding essential and non-essential businesses.  Department stores and liquor stores stay open while small businesses with minimal employees are required to close.

Extending the lockdown to May 15^th is not sustainable for New York businesses or their employees who rely upon daily operation, receipts and pay to survive.

According the NYS Department of Health website, as of April 19, 2020, 84.6% or 205,466 of the 242,786 confirmed cases of COVID-19 are in the vicinity of NY City, Westchester County and South.  Disregarding the inflation of the death toll by attributing non-COVID deaths to COVID, 95.4% of NY State deaths have occurred in the same area. Just 632 of the 13,869 deaths in NY State have occurred outside the vicinity of NY City.

Crashing the New York State economy from which we may not recover, is not a viable solution. We know the protocol. We know how to protect ourselves, others and our work environment from the spread of disease.  But we cannot contain the spread of poverty, bankruptcy and despair that have quickly surpassed the danger of a virus.

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https://covid19tracker.health.ny.gov/views/NYS-COVID19-Tracker/NYSDOHCOVID-19Tracker-Fatalities?%3Aembed=yes&%3Atoolbar=no&%3Atabs=n

https://www.livestories.com/statistics/new-york/influenza-flu-pneumonia-deaths-mortality