Cuomo implores New Yorkers to stay home on Thanksgiving: ‘Forget the politics’

During a Wednesday press conference, Democratic New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo called on his constituents to stop the politicization of COVID-19.

The governor implored people to celebrate the Thanksgiving holiday with only immediate households in an attempt to avoid further spread of the virus, which is raging around the country.

“This is not a normal Thanksgiving, and to act like it’s a normal thanksgiving is to deny reality,” he said.

NY Gov. Cuomo: “Forget the politics — it’s over. The election’s over.” pic.twitter.com/IWFX1YOeS7

— The Hill (@thehill) November 25, 2020

The governor lamented the fact that fighting the coronavirus has become so stigmatized.

“This is not a political issue,” Cuomo said of advice from experts to help contain the virus. “Today this nation is so divided. … This is now a political symbol. How did this become a political symbol?”

He urged people to remember these guidelines are put in place not for political gain by a certain side but for the greater good of the general public.

“This is about public health. I don’t care about your politics … I care about your health,” he said. “Forget the politics. It’s over. The election is over.”

Cuomo, a major presence throughout the pandemic due to New York being one of the early hot spots, noted that Trump’s Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and Joe Biden’s COVID-19 advisers agree on the holiday guidelines.

“Joe Biden’s COVID advisors say the exact same thing,” he continued. “They both agree on this advice. So this is not a political fight.

Cuomo’s remarks come as travel ramps up around the country as the holidays approach, despite coronavirus cases increasing in every state.