New York Governor Andrew Cuomo has announced orders for residents to stay at home over rising COVID-19 concerns — and said that the lockdown could last up to four months.

In a Friday press conference, Cuomo said that the stay at home order could last, “two, three, four months.”

“This is the most drastic action we can take,” Cuomo said.

The move follows California Governor Gavin Newsom’s shelter in place order from Thursday.

“This is not life as usual. Accept it. Realize it. And deal with it,” Cuomo said. He asked the public to “remain indoors to the greatest extent possible to protect physical and mental health. Your actions can affect my health; that’s where we are. We are all in quarantine.“

Cuomo said that things like “solitary exercise” would be allowed, but that the state would be “aggressive” in enforcing the rules.

The governor said that mass transit, restaurants, food delivery and banks would remain open. A full list of businesses that are allowed to remain open is expected to be released on Friday afternoon. “Non-essential” businesses will be closed.

“These are legal provisions,” Cuomo said. “They will be enforced.”

“I am not kidding about this,” the governor added.

NBC New York reports that as of Friday morning, New York state’s COVID-19 cases had surpassed the 7,100 mark, accounting for nearly half of all confirmed cases in the country.

During his press conference, Cuomo said that more than 4,400 cases are in New York City — with over 2,000 added overnight for the second time in as many days. “Less than three hours later, a city spokesman said the total had risen to 5,151. Right now, the five boroughs account for more than 28 percent of all cases in America. Dozens have died,” the NBC report added.

“I strongly support what he’s doing,” Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, said at a White House news conference Friday. “I know what New Yorkers can do. We’re tough.”

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