After a meeting with President Trump yesterday (April 21), Governor Cuomo announced that the state is aiming to double its daily coronavirus testing capabilities: from 20,000 to 40,000 people.
The Governor has increasingly expressed that in order for the state and city to eventually reopen, increased testing is sorely needed. He had asked for federal aid, and though there seemed to be some initial resistance, apparently a consensus has been reached.
“I had a productive meeting with President Trump,” the Governor said via Twitter. “We agreed that the state will be responsible for managing the actual tests in our laboratories. The federal government will take on the responsibility of supply chain issues that are beyond states’ control.”
Part of that plan includes doubling the state’s testing capacity from 20,000 tests per day to 40,000 per day. “It is an ambitious goal, but it is critical that we ramp up testing,” he said.
He said they also discussed “much-needed funding” for the state, due to the “hole COVID has put NYS in.” He said the White House team “understood the need.”
You can read the full info release here.
featured image source: Shutterstock