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Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo on Saturday signed a bill giving death benefits to the families of essential front-line workers who died from contracting Covid-19.
"They are the ones who charged up the hill when they knew the enemy was firing," he said. "They did it because it was the right thing to do. They did it out of love, that’s what they did. They didn’t die in vain."
The governor called front-line workers modern day heroes.
"I knew they were putting themselves at risk," he said. "Many of those people gave their lives for us."
Cuomo said the bill, which provides accidental death benefits to the families of local and state government front-line employees who died from COVID-19 due to workplace exposure, "is the least we can do to say thank you, and we honor you, and we remember you."
The governor said Saturday that data will determine whether Western New York can enter phase two of reopening from the state-ordered coronavirus shutdown.
"We'll have to make a decision whether or not they enter phase two," Cuomo said at his daily coronavirus briefing Saturday. "We make that decision by reviewing the data and the numbers."
Western New York and the Capital Region will end 14 days of phase one reopening Tuesday, and both regions could be in line to join five other regions of the state that have entered the second phase.
Phase two allows in-store shopping at retailers and allows the reopening of professional services, administrative support and real estate.
The governor said global experts who have worked with countries that have closed, reopened and then closed because they reopened too quickly are looking at New York's Covid-19 data.
"I understand you have local officials who have opinions. I have opinions, but you know what? I’m not acting on my opinion. I’m not a public health official," Cuomo said. "I go to global experts. This is a matter of life and death and I want to make sure I get the best advice for the people of this state."
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