Officials: “Everyone in NYC Should Assume They Have Been in Contact with COVID-19”

By: Clarence Mackson

“Everyone in New York should assume that they have been in contact with COVID 19,” city officials told the foreign delegates, according to a read out of a conference call with New York-based diplomats, FP exclusively reported.

The most interesting thing learned from this exclusive reader obtained by Foreign policy. Com and reported by the NY Post is the following statement: “… practice maximum-possible social distancing; most cases will be mild and medical care should only be sought in urgent, worsening, or vulnerable cases”

Penny Abeywardena, a commissioner of the mayors’ office made this alarming announcement at a briefing with diplomats in the city Saturday afternoon, NY Post reported.

The city officials — also including members of NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene — warned diplomates that the Big Apple is “in the mitigation phase of the outbreak,” according to the FP who exclusively obtained the read out of this UN meeting.

“This means that all individuals should assume that they have had some contact with the virus and practice maximum-possible social distancing; most cases will be mild and medical care should only be sought in urgent, worsening, or vulnerable cases.”

This is fascinating. NYC officials essentially telling the UN that most coronavirus cases will be mild.

Also learned from this 4-page readout according to FP: “The sick should only seek a doctor’s advice if symptoms are rapidly worsening or they experience shortness of breath. Any doctor’s office, they added, has the authority to order a test if needed, according to the account.”

“Testing is now less important — the danger of transmission is much higher as many people have now been exposed and the majority of people will only have mild symptoms,” according to the read out.

“The sick should only seek a doctor’s advice if symptoms are rapidly worsening or they experience shortness of breath. Any doctor’s office, they added, has the authority to order a test if needed, according to the account”- the reader also explained

Another interesting highlight of the reader:

The ill should avoid seeking emergency care “except if advised by a doctor, and if co-morbidities are present, such as cancer, elderly, etc,” according to the first account. They said that the Department of Health is no longer asking for information about infections unless they are part of a “suspected high-risk cluster.”

“Interviews with confirmed cases and contact tracing is not a good use of our resources when the virus is widespread,” according to the read-out. “There will be little emphasis on tracing.”