Press release:
Earlier today, Governor Andrew M. Cuomo reminded New Yorkers to thank the healthcare workers and other professionals who are doing 'God's work' during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Governor Cuomo: "Our health care workers, who are doing God's work. They are doing God's work. Can you imagine the nurses who leave their homes in the morning, who kiss their children goodbye, go to a hospital, put on gowns, deal with people who have the coronavirus? They're thinking all day long, 'oh, my God, I hope I don't get this. Oh my God, I hope I don't get this and bring it home to my children.' You want to talk about extraordinary individuals -- extraordinary.
"Most of us are in our home hunkered down, worried. They're worried and they're going out there every day despite their fear -- despite their fear. Overcoming their fear, and not for their family, they're doing it for your family. When you see them on the street, when you see them in a hospital, please, just say thank you and smile and say, 'I know what you're doing.' "
A rush transcript of the Governor's remarks is below:
"We've acquired everything on the market there is to acquire. We've had a full team purchasing from companies all across this globe, buying everything that can be purchased. And we're bringing that here to distribute to New York City, Long Island, Westchester because that is the greatest need. This number of supplies will take care of our immediate need. It does not take care of the need going forward three, four, five, six weeks. The burn rate on this equipment is very, very high. I can't find any more equipment. It's not a question of money. I don't care what you're willing to pay. You just can't find the equipment now, but this will take care of the immediate need.
"I don't want our health care workers, who are doing God's work. They are doing God's work. Can you imagine the nurses who leave their homes in the morning, who kiss their children goodbye, go to a hospital, put on gowns, deal with people who have the coronavirus? They're thinking all day long, 'oh, my God, I hope I don't get this. Oh my God, I hope I don't get this and bring it home to my children.' You want to talk about extraordinary individuals -- extraordinary. And it's the nurses and the doctors and the health care workers, it's the police officers who show up every day and go out there and walk into a situation that they don't even know what they're walking into. And it's the firefighters and it's the transportation workers, and it's the people who are running the grocery stores and the pharmacies and providing all those essential services. Most of us are in our home hunkered down, worried. They're worried and they're going out there every day despite their fear -- despite their fear. Overcoming their fear, and not for their family, they're doing it for your family. When you see them on the street, when you see them in a hospital, please, just say thank you and smile and say, 'I know what you're doing.' "
