Gov. Andrew Cuomo on Sunday called for the federal government to transform college dormitories into temporary health centers to curb the spread of the novel coronavirus.

There are not enough hospital beds available for all those who may be hospitalized from the novel coronavirus, Cuomo said in an op-ed published in The New York Times. The Army Corps of Engineers should retrofit dorms, military bases and other facilities to act as medical centers, he said.

“We believe the use of active duty Army Corps personnel would not violate federal law because this is a national disaster,” Cuomo said. “Doing so still won’t provide enough intensive care beds, but it is our best hope.”

The novel coronavirus causes COVID-19, a respiratory disease that has spread to at least 133 countries, infected at least 166,000 and killed over 6,302. New York state has 732 confirmed cases of the virus, none of which are in Onondaga County. 

If not addressed, the virus’ spread could result in an “imminent failure” of the American hospital system, he said.

“Every country affected by this crisis has handled it on a national basis,” Cuomo wrote. “The United States has not. State and local governments alone simply do not have the capacity or resources to do what is necessary, and we don’t want a patchwork quilt of policies.”

Cuomo in his op-ed also urged President Donald Trump to expedite the testing process for COVID-19. The government should relax regulations to allow more labs to conduct tests, he said.

Cuomo said he approved of the Trump administration’s decision to allow the state’s Public Health Department to authorize local lab testing, calling it “a good first step.” Even so, Cuomo said, New York is still below its full testing capacity.

“Mr. Trump, don’t let bureaucracy get in the way of fighting this virus,” Cuomo said. “Break the logjam, let states fully take over testing so they can unleash hundreds of labs tomorrow and bring testing to scale.”

The federal government should also implement a standard for when states should shut down commerce, Cuomo said. Several states have closed schools and non-essential businesses to reduce the spread of the virus. 

Trump’s administration should provide aid to those harmed financially due to the shutdown of schools and non-essential businesses, Cuomo said. No state should be economically penalized for trying to protect its residents, he said.

Cuomo throughout his op-ed called for the president to put aside their past disagreements and engage in a collaborative effort to combat the virus.

“We have had disagreements about your actions against New York, which we can pursue at another time,” Cuomo concluded. “Today, let’s work together as Americans. Time is short.”

Published on March 15, 2020 at 11:31 pm

Contact Chris: cjhippen@syr.edu