Mayor Bill de Blasio says New York City is in a state of “high vigilance, high readiness” for a possible outbreak of the coronavirus.
“No one should take the coronavirus situation lightly,” de Blasio said.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention warned this week that it’s a question of “when” and not “if” there’s an outbreak in the United States. De Blasio said the city has been taking precautions since January.
“New Yorkers will prove that they once again showed strength and resiliency by following through and doing exactly what they need to do to protect themselves and their families and their neighbors,” de Blasio said.
The mayor said 1,200 hospital beds can be made available for individuals who test positive or are in the testing process. He said 1.5 million masks have already been distributed and is asking the federal government for help in getting 300,000 more.
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