Rockland County officials are calling on Gov. Andrew Cuomo to authorize a containment zone around the areas hardest hit by the coronavirus.

Rockland County Executive Ed Day says if the governor doesn't respond, he's taking the matter to the White House.

In Thursday's briefing, the county executive said 42 people in Rockland County have now died since the coronavirus outbreak and it's time for strong action.

Day wants to set up a containment zone similar to the one that was implemented in New Rochelle, where a one-mile radius was set up around the hardest hit area in that city.

“It worked in New Rochelle. There's no reason it can't work here.  But time is not on our side,” he says.

In Rockland, the proposed containment zone would include the greater Spring Valley and Monsey areas, bordered by Grandview Avenue, Route 45, College/Forshay Road and the New York State Thruway.

So far, the largest number of state-reported cases in Rockland have occurred within Spring Valley and Monsey. Both are located within the town of Ramapo and are predominantly Orthodox Jewish communities. It is also the area where the most complaints about large gatherings have occurred. 

If the requested containment zone is modeled after Westchester’s initial containment area, large gatherings would be prohibited to slow the spread of the virus.

Rockland County officials say hundreds of people in the county are still not cooperating with social distancing and other rules so they need to implement more rules to help put a stop to the spread of the virus.

Day also provided the following updates during Thursday’s briefing:

- County had autonomy of action during measles crisis and wasn't micromanaged by the state. Gov. Cuomo's order supersedes local COVID-19 orders.
- Despite repeated pleas, Rockland is not seeing level of social distancing needed to flatten the curve.
- Points to recent funerals with lack of social distancing as an issue.
- DOH has received 160 complaints to violations of Cuomo's orders, as of Thursday. Local police departments are unable to enforce the order.
- Stony Point - 1 complaint, Haverstraw - 12 complaints, Orangetown - 14 complaints, Clarkstown - 25 complaints, Ramapo - 108 complaints. Numbers show people violating social distancing guidelines and more needs to be done in Ramapo.
- Local police need authority to enforce Cuomo's executive orders.
- Temporary hospital requested in Rockland.
- Pleads with county residents to stay home, practice good hygiene and social distance.

 

Although the county executive is backed with facts, the town of Ramapo supervisor Michael Specht doesn’t agree with his request, saying in part, “I’m not sure what the purpose of the containment zone would be in that we already have stricter guidelines from the governor at this time.”

News 12 is told if Gov. Cuomo doesn’t respond, Day is ready to bring the plan to the president’s attention.