NYC Mayor de Blasio Now Admits: Earlier Shutdown Would Be Better and Should Last 2 – 4 Weeks to Work

In response to questions posed by CNN’s Wolf Blitzer, NYC Mayor Bill de Blasio shared some new thoughts on the expected COVID-19 related shutdown which he and the Governor had spoken of.

A question that’s been on the minds of many New Yorkers,
including yours truly: “Why Wait”?

On NY1’s Inside City Hall yesterday, the Mayor said that a shutdown could take place after Christmas. Today, during his appearance on the Situation Room with Wolf Blitzer the host reminded the mayor of how the COVID-19 numbers were heading in the wrong direction.

“So, why wait until after people gather to celebrate the holidays – Christmas, New Years, Kwanzaa, folks are celebrating Hanukkah right now,” asked Mr. Blitzer. “Why not do it now?”

As a response, the Mayor clarified how Governor Cuomo would make the ultimate decision and how he felt that an earlier shutdown was better.

“I suggested Christmas as, sort of, an obvious point when the shopping’s over and, you know, a lot of things are closed down at that point anyway – it’s a very good time to, you know, stop activity,” said Mr. de Blasio. “But if it was something the State wanted to do even sooner, I would certainly support that as well.”

When asked how long might the shutdown last, the Mayor said, “somewhere between two weeks and a month is typically when you can have a real impact and knock down the infection rates substantially.”

Recently NYC Public Advocate Jumaane Williams has been voicing his own concerns by calling for earlier closures.