NY Will Build Essential Workers Memorial, Cuomo Says

NEW YORK CITY — A new memorial will honor the essential workers who helped pull New York through the coronavirus crisis, Gov. Andrew Cuomo said.

Cuomo announced the Essential Workers Monument during a Tuesday event at Javits Center, which early in the pandemic served as a field hospital and now vaccinates thousands of New Yorkers a day against COVID-19.

Like most of Cuomo's recent events amid a recent swirl of scandals, it was closed to members of the press because of "COVID restrictions."

The governor spoke in front of a crowd of National Guard soldiers about the "war" against the virus. He said before the pandemic that essential workers were largely unappreciated, working class men and women.

“Despite that, when they were called on to do more than anyone else in society, they stepped up and they did it,” he said. “And they sacrificed their families and many of them sacrificed their lives.”

Cuomo said a new committee will be tasked with designing the memorial and designing it.

In the meantime, Cuomo told New Yorkers they don't have excuses to get a COVID-19 vaccination. All New Yorkers 16 and up are now eligible to receive the vaccine.

"Honor them today by getting a vaccination today,” Cuomo said of essential workers.