Hotels in New York are providing hospital space for coronavirus patients

With many having to close to the public as a means of ensuring the safety of their customers and staff, hotels in New York City are stepping up by providing their facilities as hospital space and accommodation for healthcare workers fighting the COVID-19 pandemic.

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Governor Andrew Cuomo published a tweet on Wednesday explaining how the Four Seasons Hotel would be providing free accommodation to medical personnel working to combat coronavirus. He went on to say that he hoped it would be the first of many hotels to make their spaces available.

The Four Seasons Hotel on 57th Street will provide FREE lodging to doctors, nurses & medical personnel currently working to respond to the #COVID19 pandemic.

Thank you @FourSeasons.

The first of many hotels we hope will make their rooms available.

— Andrew Cuomo (@NYGovCuomo) March 25, 2020

Just the following day, Cuomo issued another tweet saying that The Plaza Hotel, St. Regis, and Yotel would be providing their facilities for non-critical patients and healthcare workers to stay.

The Room Mate Grace Hotel, as well as the Wythe Hotel, the governor explained, would also be offering free rooms to medical personnel responding to coronavirus.

Proud to see NY’s hotels stepping up!

The Plaza Hotel, @StRegisNewYork and @YotelHQ will provide their facilities for non-critical care patients or medical personnel.@RoomMateGraceNY & @WytheHotel will offer free rooms to medical workers responding to #COVID.

NY thanks you.

— Andrew Cuomo (@NYGovCuomo) March 26, 2020

On Thursday, Cuomo announced that the state had received a substantial amount of donations from multiple companies, philanthropic organizations, and celebrities to aid in increasing the state’s supply capacity for treatment equipment and other necessary materials amid the coronavirus pandemic.

Donated items include hand sanitizer, personal protective equipment (PPE), free flights for incoming medical volunteers, as well as equipment needed for field hospitals.

“New York is fighting a war against this virus and we need all the help we can get,” Cuomo said in a statement.

“The generosity of these companies, organizations and individuals — and many others coming forward every day to offer support — will play a critical role in our mission to bolster our hospital surge capacity, support frontline workers and get people the help they need.”

New Yorkers never cease to amaze me. The outpouring of support is extraordinary.

62K medical staff have answered our call to help.

Over 10K mental healthcare workers have answered our call to help.

When someone needs something, there’s no place I’d rather be than New York.

— Andrew Cuomo (@NYGovCuomo) March 27, 2020

The Governor of New York website provides a full breakdown of all the donations recorded so far, including Rihanna’s Clara Lionel Foundation, which donated various PPE supplies, and furniture and home-goods company Wayfair, who provided linen, sheets, and pillows for field hospitals.

Popular clothing brand Uniqlo also donated 1.05 million face masks.