Coronavirus: New York Workers Demand for Safety Standards As Covid-19 Returns

As New York moves to shut down schools in coronavirus hotspots, lawmakers and union leaders rallied on Wednesday for the state legislature to pass the NY Hero Act, laws governing Covid-19 safety standards.

"We have seen no leadership and no guidance from the federal government. And it is the state's responsibility to ensure that our workers are protected," said New York state democratic assemblywoman Karines Reyes, who represents the Bronx.

Dubbed the NY Hero Act, lawmakers say the bill would mandate that safety regulations be developed for workers in all sectors. Businesses would face fines for failing to follow PPE and social distancing standards.

The bill would also allow workers to report businesses in violation of these standards.

Covid-19 cases are reaching three-month highs in New York, New Jersey and Connecticut, marking the return of the virus to a region that has already suffered America’s heaviest toll.

The strain on the health-care system is so far limited compared with the disasters of March and April, but the trend is concerning. Newly reported cases in the three states have roughly doubled in a month.

The new cases have significantly exceeded any increase in testing, as shown by the ratio of positives to overall tests, according to John Hopkins University data.

Covid-19 hospitalizations recently hit a seven-week high in New Jersey, a 10-week high in New York and a three-and-a-half month high in Connecticut, according to Covid Tracking Project data.

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