In hard-hit New York City, Mayor Bill de Blasio says grocery stores should require customers to wear face coverings while shopping.
“Every store has the right to put up that guidance and make it a requirement for entry into the store,” the mayor said, calling a face-covering requirement in grocery stores no different than “no shirt, no shoes, no service” signs.
De Blasio said he would talk about loosening restrictions in New York City when there’s a steady drop in three key COVID-19 indicators for 10 to 14 days: those admitted to hospitals, those in intensive care units, and the percentage of people tested who are positive.
The mayor said the number of patients admitted to hospitals and the number of people in ICUs have both slightly increased, while the percentage of people tested who are positive has made a small improvement.
De Blasio on Wednesday also announced a $170 million investment to make sure no New Yorker goes hungry.
Before the pandemic, 1.2 million New Yorkers were food insecure, including 1 in 5 children, the mayor said. Now, an estimated half-million New Yorkers have lost or will lose their jobs in the immediate future, he said.
Since March 16, 4.5 million meals have been served to people in New York City, de Blasio said.
Ten million meals will be served in April alone, with the ability to grow, he said.
