Three of the most eminent Indian-Americans including Mastercard CEO Ajay Banga have been appointed as part of the advisory board formed by the New York Governor Andrew Cuomo. The board has been set up to guide New York’s strategy to gradually reopen the business and the institutions following the restrictions imposed because of the Covid-19 outbreak.
New York has been regarded as the epicentre of the pandemic, currently with over 295,000 confirmed cases and over 17,000 reported deaths. Just on Tuesday, the state reported 337 deaths because of the virus.
The New York Forward Re-Opening Advisory Board is going to be headed by the former secretaries of the governor, Steve Cohen and Bill Mulrow. It is also going to include over 100 businesses, community as well as civic leaders.
Banga has been selected as one of the members of the board amidst the leading American business leaders. He has been appointed to offer his insights and recommendations on how to revive the US economy that has been trampled by the deadly coronavirus.
Aside from him, two other Indian Americans including Chair of advisory firm Tandon Capital Associates Chandrika Tandon and President and CEO of Hotel Association of New York City Vijay Dandapani have also been appointed to be part of the board that the Governor has put together.
“We’ve come up with a phased plan to re-open New York so every region in the state has the same opening template as we begin this process,” Cuomo exclaimed saying.
Cuomo further explained that they have to be extremely smart about the process. There is no spot for emotions amidst it. He further said that they have come up with a fact based data that each area has to monitor as they begin to reopen.
The administration believes that having a board further helps get better opinion on things and cross check them to ensure maximum impacts while reopening.
Banga has been the CEO of Mastercard for the last 10 years who further announced on February 10 that he is going to step down from his position and is going to work as the Executive Chairman of the board of directors from January, 2021.
Aside from that, Tandon, who is an extremely recognised personality in the world of business, education and arts, is also known for her music and has even earned a Grammy nomination for her album Soul Call.
Tandon Capital Associates, which is her advisory firm helps with measurable transformation for the institutions based out of US. She is also the Vice Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the New York University.
Aside from that, Tandon is also part of the President’s Circle of the National Academics and a few other boards and businesses around.
Dandapani is one of the veterans in the hotel industry who has also been recognised in the New York Business Top 100 minority businesses in 1998.
Cuomo reported on Tuesday that the state has been experiencing a decline in the number of hospitalisations and also the reported deaths. He said that number of confirmed hospitalisations was around 900, which is the first time below the 1000 mark in the month. Right from 3000 confirmed cases, the reduction refers that the outbreak is gradually waning off in the state.
The New York governor further stressed that they have to indulge in the reopening process gradually. It is not possible for the people to sustain themselves for long without any income. Cuomo said that the economy can’t sustain it.
The state is set to adopt a few rules and guidelines for the reopening process. This is being done to ensure that the hospital staff doesn’t get overwhelmed once again.
“If the hospital system in an area exceeds 70 per cent capacity, which means you only have 30 per cent left, or if the transmission rate hits 1.1, those are danger signs,” Cuomo said.
The businesses in each area will open in phases. The first phase will include opening construction and manufacturing operations. The same will be followed by a few more industries in phase two.
Aside from that, each business should also have necessary protective rules and regulations implemented to protect their employees and the consumers too.
The regions will also arrange for further testing of the symptomatic patients and even test the hospital and healthcare professionals to keep things in check.
The Governor has emphasises that there should be a minimum of 30 contact tracers per 100,000 people and the region should also monitor the regional infection rate following the reopening.
