12 April 2020 – Governor requires employers to provide free face masks for public-facing employees, expands groups eligible to conduct antibody testing

Type of Intervention: Executive Order
Sectors Involved: Private Sector
Intervention Categories: Surveillance and response measures; Detecting and isolating cases; Legal and policy; Regulatory change
Level of Jurisdiction: New York
Lead People/Agency: NY Governor Andrew M. Cuomo

Overview: NY Governor Cuomo announced that he would issue two Executive Orders. The first requires employers to provide free cloth or surgical masks to all employees to wear while interacting with the public. The second would expand the number and types of people eligible to conduct an antibody test in order to expand testing.
Full details here: https://www.governor.ny.gov/news/amid-ongoing-covid-19-pandemic-governor-cuomo-issues-executive-order-directing-employers

Type of Justification: Learning from other jurisdictions
Source of Evidence or Justification: State – government
Evidence/Justification: Re mask provision: Stated in press conference that NJ Governor Phil Murphy issued similar order and Governor Cuomo thought it was right. Re expanding antibody test: would help scale the provision of tests to identify those who previously tested positive and could go back to work.