(CMR) When will students return to school? That’s the question causing contention between New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio and the state’s Governor Andrew Cuomo.
New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio announced on Saturday that the city’s public schools would remain closed for the rest of the academic year, due to the coronavirus pandemic.
However shortly after the mayor’s press briefing, Gov. Andrew Cuomo countered the mayor’s announcement labelling it as an “opinion”.
According to Cuomo, Blasio’s announcement was premature, as there was no official decision taken yet.
Cuomo, speaking in his daily briefing on Saturday, said that the effects of the coronavirus outbreak on the New York economy were expected to be “more devastating” than the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks “by far”.
The devastating effects means a contraction in the economy and a loss of revenue, which is projected to be between $10bn and $15bn.
However, Cuomo revealed that the devastation could be further exacerbated if there is a second wave of the virus.
Cuomo reminded his audience of the 1918 Spanish flu, which came in three waves.
“We’re on the first wave. Everybody is assuming, well, once we get through this, we’re done. I wouldn’t be so quick to assume that. This virus has been ahead of us from day one,” said Cuomo.
Cuomo’s sentiments about the virus resurgence were also shared by the mayor, who told his audience, that the worst mistake the state could make was to take its foot off the gas and end up in a situation where the disease had a “resurgence and threatened us even more.”
Approximately 1,800 public schools in New York were shut on March 16, as a measure aimed at preventing the spread of the coronavirus.
While it is unclear if schools will be shut for the rest of the year in the state, known for never sleeping, dozens of other states have already taken such action, including Pennsylvania, Vermont and California.
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