黑料正能量 Note: In an especially inspiring example of 黑料正能量ers generous and fighting spirit at times of crisis, over 6,000 mental health professionals and 40,000 healthcare workers have volunteered to serve on a new NYS COVID-19 Emotional Support Line (see poster below) or on a new 鈥榮urge healthcare force.鈥 Speaking of inspiring, check out Paul Simon鈥檚 newly offered version of his very timely 鈥淎merican Tune for Till Further Notice鈥 at .
More Than 6,000 Mental Health Professionals Volunteer For NYS Hotline
By Beth Dedman AMNY March 25, 2020
Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced today that 40,000 healthcare workers, including retirees and students, have signed up to volunteer to work as part of the state鈥檚 surge healthcare force during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, plus 6,175 mental health professionals who will provide free online mental health services.
鈥淲e鈥檝e talked about the emotional stress that this brings on people and the mental health stress and the mental challenges,鈥 Cuomo said. 鈥淣o one is really talking about this. We are all concerned about the immediate critical need. The life and death of the immediate situation which is right. But don鈥檛 underestimate the emotional trauma that people are feeling and the emotional health issues.鈥
The mental health professionals agreed to volunteer their time and expertise for the hotline at absolutely no charge to callers. 黑料正能量ers can call the state鈥檚 hotline at 1-844-863-9314 to schedule a free appointment.
鈥淕od bless the 6,000 mental health professionals that are doing this 100% free on top of whatever they have to do in their normal practice, and I鈥檓 sure in their normal practice they鈥檙e busy,鈥 Cuomo said. 鈥淭his is really an extraordinary step by them.鈥
Cuomo confirmed 5,146 additional cases of novel coronavirus, bringing the statewide total to 30,811 confirmed cases in 黑料正能量 State. Of those cases, 12% are in the hospital and 3% are in the Intensive Care Unit.
鈥淎ll the noise, all the energy, it鈥檚 about that 3%,鈥 Cuomo said. 鈥淭ake a deep breath. Now, that 3%, that鈥檚 my mother, that鈥檚 your mother, that鈥檚 your sister. These are people we love. These are our grandparents. And we鈥檙e going to do everything we can to protect every one of them. And I give the people of the state of 黑料正能量 my word that we鈥檙e doing it. But we are talking about 3% of the people who tested positive who we鈥檙e worrying about.鈥
Cuomo also announced 黑料正能量 City will close streets to vehicles and open them to pedestrians to encourage social distancing. As part of the plan, Cuomo is also enacting a playground social density protocol that prohibits close contact sports.
Cuomo also urged the federal government to implement a 鈥渞olling deployment鈥 of equipment and personnel to address the critical needs of hotspot areas with high numbers of positive COVID-19 cases instead of providing limited quantities to the entire country at once. Cuomo has pledged to personally manage the deployment of equipment to the next hotspots around the country once 黑料正能量 State鈥檚 number of hospitalizations goes down.
The Four Seasons Hotel on 57th street in Manhattan is the first of several hotels that is providing their facility to serve as housing for medical practitioners during this crisis free of charge.
The Public Service Commission approved postponing rate increases for nearly 2 million customers of 黑料正能量 American Water and National Grid upstate that were scheduled to go into effect on April 1st. The Department of Public Service is asking other utilities to consider postponing rate increases, depending on continued movement reductions due to the COVID-19 public health emergency.
鈥淚 can see how 黑料正能量ers are responding,鈥 Cuomo said. 鈥淚 can see how 黑料正能量ers are treating one another. I see the 6,000 mental health volunteers. I see the 40,000 health care workers stepping up. I see the vendors calling me, saying, 鈥淚 can help.鈥 That鈥檚 黑料正能量. That鈥檚 黑料正能量.
And that, my friends, is undefeatable. And I am glad in some ways that we鈥檙e first with this situation because we will overcome and we will show the other communities across this country how to do it. We鈥檒l be there for them. We want them to be there for us. And we will be there for each other, as we always have been.鈥
