Gov. Cuomo expects holiday COVID spike over next 37 days

'The only question is how much and how fast': Cuomo

ByEyewitness News WABC logo

Sunday, November 22, 2020

Cuomo expects holiday COVID spike over next 37 days

With the holidays approaching, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo says he's expecting a COVID spike due to increased social activity.

NEW YORK (WABC) -- With the holidays approaching, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo says he's expecting a COVID spike due to increased social activity.

The governor on Sunday said he believes the next 37 days, between now and January 2, will see an increase in the COVID positivity rate.

"I believe the COVID rate will increase. Just as I believe most New Yorkers will put on weight," Cuomo said. "The only question is how much and how fast, and nobody knows."

New York Governor Andrew Cuomo warned parts of Staten Island could be headed to a red zone at the current rate.

According to the governor, the period between December 1 and December 10 is when we'll start to see the results of what happened over the Thanksgiving weekend.

Cuomo notes that "hyper social activity," or the combination of gatherings of friends and family, holiday shopping and students returning home, will be the root cause of the COVID spike.

He says after New Year's Eve, between January 2 to January 15, is when you will see "the collective impact of all 37 days."

"After New Year's Eve, everything slows down a little bit, everybody has a little bit of a hangover, they go home and go to sleep. Hopefully the infection rate stops," Cuomo said.

While the governor said he believes a vaccine will be available soon, he cautioned that it will take quite some time for it to be mass distributed.

While the governor said he believes a vaccine will be available soon, he cautioned that it will take quite some time for it to be mass distributed.

"I will wager you dollars to doughnuts, it's six months at a minimum before you hit critical mass with the vaccine," Cuomo said.

The governor says the vaccine will be distributed to high-need populations first, such as nursing homes, healthcare workers and people with low immune systems.