ALBANY, N.Y. – New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced sweeping orders Friday that will severely restrict gatherings of any size for the state's more than 19 million residents and will require workers in nonessential businesses to stay home.
No more play dates. No more pickup basketball. No more subway rides except if absolutely necessary. The Democratic governor said the “drastic action” was needed to check the rapid spread of the coronavirus virus in a state with more than 7,000 confirmed cases, the most in the nation.
New York’s restrictions, effective 8 p.m. Sunday, come a day after California decided to all but confine its population in the biggest lockdown in the U.S. "No, this is not life as usual,” Cuomo said at a news conference.