NEW YORK — New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo called on everyone to be conscious of how society will change as the country continues to combat the COVID-19 pandemic.

“As a society, beyond just this immediate situation, we should start looking forward to understand how this experience is going to change us, or how it should change us, because this is going to be transformative. It is going to be transformative on a personal basis, on a social basis, on a systems basis. We're never going to be the same again. We're not going to forget what happened here,” Cuomo said during his daily briefing Wednesday afternoon.

Cuomo discussed how getting “back to normal” is likely not going to happen.

“Our challenge is to make sure that transformation and that change is positive and not negative.”

As of Wednesday afternoon, there were over 83,700 confirmed COVID-19 cases in New York, with 1,914 deaths reported.

As the number of cases in the country rise, states, including New York, have implemented orders to limit the spread of the illness.

In New York, schools have been closed, and students have been taking classes through remote learning. The remote learning will also continue over spring break, according to a memo on the New York State Education Department website.

Restaurants have only been available for takeout and delivery, forcing many to close. All non-essential workers have been told to work from home, and retail shops and many other businesses, including personal-care businesses, were forced to close until further notice.

Cuomo also announced Wednesday that all New York City playgrounds will be closed, despite what Mayor Bill de Blasio has advocated because crowds have still been gathering at those areas.

Hospitals and medical workers have also seen an influx of patients, many describing their experiences as witnessing “a lot of pain and suffering.”

The governor also said that the number of front line workers dropping is “inevitable,” but that shouldn’t force us to be isolated.

“We have to get this done. We have to succeed. We have to find a way. We have to make it happen, because too much is at stake.”

