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Cuomo, along with many other U.S. governors, shut his state
economy to limit the spread of the deadly COVID-19 virus and has
warned that he is are prepared to keep businesses shut – perhaps
for several months more – unless he can assure public safety.
Governors from seven East Coast states formed a coalition on
Monday, led by New York, to develop a joint reopening plan.
Three governors from the West Coast formed a similar plan. The
10 states, mostly led by Democrats, together make up 38% of the
U.S. economy.
As part of Cuomo's effort, McKinsey & Company is producing
models on testing, infections and other key data points that
will underpin decisions on how and when to reopen the region's
economy, the sources said.
Cuomo has also recalled three former top aides: Bill Mulrow, a
senior adviser at Blackstone Group; Steven Cohen, an executive
vice president and CEO of MacAndrews & Forbes Inc; and Larry
Schwartz, a deputy Westchester County executive.
Deloitte is also involved in developing the regional plan, a
source said.
The goal is to "Trump-proof" the plan, said an adviser to New
Jersey Governor Phil Murphy.
"We think Trump ultimately will blink on this, but if not, we
need to push back, and we are reaching out to top experts and
other professionals to come up with a bullet-proof plan," to
open on the state's terms, said a Cuomo adviser.
Trump, whose reelection bid was built on a strong economy before
it was derailed by the epidemic, is losing patience with the
economic blackout and has challenged governors who are preaching
caution, setting the stage for larger clashes over the pace of
the reopening.
Trump said in late March he hoped to reopen the economy by
Easter in mid-April, but the mounting toll of infections and
projected deaths forced him to extend federal guidelines for 30
days to the end of April.
More than 30,000 people have died in the United States from the
epidemic. (Graphic: tmsnrt.rs/2w7hX9T)
McKinsey is providing analysis on testing availability and
demand across the state, supply chain for critical supplies,
hospital capacity and virus projections, a company official
said.
"McKinsey, like so many other businesses, is committed to
supporting the response to the crisis," a company spokesman
said.
The Trump administration has recently recommended a staggered
reopening of the economy, starting with states with fewer
infections and giving more time to those with severe problems,
like New York and New Jersey.
Experts and governors have said there would need to be
guarantees of ramped-up coronavirus testing before people return
to work safely.
(Editing by Heather Timmons and Cynthia Osterman)
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