michael barbaro

From The New York Times, I’m Michael Barbaro. This is “The Daily.”

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Today: A suburb north of New York City has become one of the largest clusters of the coronavirus in the U.S. My colleague, Sarah Maslin Nir, went there. It’s Thursday, March 19.

michael barbaro

Sarah, tell us about the past few weeks in this town of New Rochelle, New York.

sarah maslin nir

It began with a local man. His name is Larry Garbuz. He’s a lawyer. He’s about 50, lives in New Rochelle, which is this suburb about five or so miles north of New York City’s border. And he falls ill about February 27, and he starts to decline pretty rapidly. He asks a neighbor to drive him to the hospital and spends several days there really spiraling. Then on March 2, they find out what was wrong with Larry Garbuz, and it was coronavirus.

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archived recording Cases of coronavirus are growing nationwide, and New York state is no exception.

sarah maslin nir

He’s the first person in this suburb that is diagnosed.

archived recording Investigators scrambling to retrace the patient’s movements from the Bronxville hospital where he was first treated.

sarah maslin nir

And disease investigators then have to trace his movements.

archived recording The week before he knew he was contagious, the married father of four traveled around the New York City area. He also attended temple services back in Westchester.

sarah maslin nir

And found out that he had attended religious services, just as anyone would — a wedding, a bar mitzvah — about a week before.

archived recording Synagogue Young Israel of New Rochelle ordered to close, and hundreds of people who attended services there have been told to quarantine themselves at home.

sarah maslin nir

And the Westchester County Health Department ordered a hundred families, congregants at that synagogue, to self-quarantine.

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So I’m sitting in our offices at Times Square when we hear about this diagnosis, and I immediately get in my car and head up to New Rochelle. Because this is going to have huge ripple effects in his town. We know it. And when I arrived, people didn’t even know it had happened. There was a man pushing at the door of Young Israel, Mr. Garbuz’s synagogue, trying to get in for evening prayers, not understanding why it was locked. There were restaurants, where people should be turning up for evening hours, not understanding why their customers were calling in takeout instead. This was a town where the news that they were part of this global pandemic was just settling in.

speaker But there’s nothing we can do about it. I think it’s another flu that’s going to go away, hopefully. sarah maslin nir Mm-hmm.

sarah maslin nir

People were barely understanding that this had happened to them.

speaker And I’m still going to go out. I’m going to go to CVS, the post office, the bank, because — I’m going to wash my hands. I’m going to try never to ever touch my face. I’m going to live my life.

michael barbaro

So to the degree that something is happening here in New Rochelle, it’s dawning on people very slowly.

sarah maslin nir

I think it’s dawning on America very slowly, and New Rochelle was a reflection of the lack of seriousness with which the country was taking this threat.

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But from that quiet first evening in New Rochelle, things rapidly began to change.

archived recording (andrew cuomo) Good afternoon. New Rochelle is a particular problem.

sarah maslin nir

And on March 10, something unprecedented happens.

archived recording (andrew cuomo) What we are going to do is focus on an area, a concentric circle around —

sarah maslin nir

A one-mile radius containment zone is designated in New Rochelle, surrounding the neighborhood of this first patient.

archived recording (andrew cuomo) Facilities within that area, schools within that area would be closed for two weeks. We’ll go in, we’ll clean the schools and assess the situation. This can’t be a political decision. This is a public health decision.

sarah maslin nir

That containment zone is the red hot center of New York’s coronavirus outbreak.

archived recording (andrew cuomo) We’re also going to use the National Guard in the containment area.

sarah maslin nir

And then, in comes the National Guard.

archived recording (andrew cuomo) It is a dramatic action, but it is the largest cluster in the country. And this is literally a matter of life and death. That’s not an overly rhetorical statement.

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sarah maslin nir

You have people holed up in their homes, people needing testing, needing health care, needing the basic necessities of life and affected by this virus that dramatically curtails their movements. I wanted to understand, how is the government keeping us safe? How are the health care workers carrying out testing? And how are the people of New Rochelle coping?

sarah maslin nir I’m standing on Lincoln Avenue, which is just outside the containment zone in New Rochelle, where a huge truck full of hundreds and thousands of pounds of food has just arrived. About six uniformed members of the National Guard are standing outside this truck as a pallet is unloaded full of —

michael barbaro

So Sarah, why exactly is the National Guard there? What is their official mission? When I think the National Guard being dispatched, it’s usually after a natural disaster and they are literally there to pick up the pieces.

sarah maslin nir

Yeah. These men and women had been to floods. They’d been to earthquakes. They’d been to hurricane zones. This is the first-ever time they were called to an epidemic event.

member of the national guard So we’re basically responding to all natural disasters in New York state —

sarah maslin nir

And they were called here for two main purposes, which is to deliver meals to people bound in their homes by quarantine, and to clean.

sarah maslin nir So I’ve just walked into the Jewish Community Center on Wilmot Road in Scarsdale. Inside, 60 members of the National Guard are doing a deep clean.

sarah maslin nir

I watched them clean at a community center, and the meticulousness was really incredible.

member of the national guard I’m currently going to inform the process of sanitizing the equipment. First, you have to take the equipment and put it into the solution of water and bleach.

sarah maslin nir

I walk into a classroom for children, and there are these men and women squeezed in their military gear into teeny, tiny plastic seats for toddlers, poring over piles of building blocks and Legos and scrubbing each block by hand.

michael barbaro

The National Guard is scrubbing children’s toys?

sarah maslin nir

Yeah, it was an uncanny sight. They did this kind of thing throughout the containment zone — cleaning synagogues, city facilities, community centers, scrubbing ceilings, floors, chairs, anything that a sick person may have touched.

michael barbaro

You know, Sarah, as you’re describing this, the National Guard is on the ground. Local officials are still theoretically in charge. Right? Like the people who run the city, probably even the county. So is it clear to you who is in charge, and is this all coordinated?

sarah maslin nir

In the early moments of New Rochelle coming to terms with this new reality, it was a lot of moving pieces. It was a city in turmoil with no real leadership structure in place at that moment. But I get in my car, and I drive down to downtown New Rochelle to the headquarters of the Westchester County Health Department and discover that something had been building here all along.

sarah maslin nir I’m standing inside of the incident response center in New Rochelle, and there’s a group of about 30 nurses on folding chairs getting a briefing about their deployment to test people who are quarantined at home. speaker Make sure go to the bathroom. Wash your hands properly before you do anything. Take breaks. You don’t have to rush around. We want to make sure that you are taking care of each other and —

sarah maslin nir

And there I come upon a huge, bustling incident command center.

sarah maslin nir They’re going out in groups of three, in protective gear with swab kits.

sarah maslin nir

The Department of Homeland Security is there. The room is filled with nurses. There is an assembly line of test gear, and test kits, and what’s called P.P.E. — personal protective equipment. People are filing around the room equipping themselves to get ready to deploy to the houses of sick people to test them for coronavirus.

sarah maslin nir And they’re all asking lots of very understandable questions. nurse Is there going to be an influx of testing, or it’s just, like, we’re only doing New Rochelle? sarah maslin nir How do we make sure these people feel safe? How do we make sure that we’re safe as we go out onto the front lines?

sarah maslin nir

So at this point, in the United States only 25,000 people had been tested for coronavirus. And this command center is to send that number way up. So people will call into their doctors, tell their symptoms. They’ll get put on a list. And every so often, these groups of nurses were getting an address, information. They’d put on head-to-toe protective gear and head out to sample and test those people. And there are big signs that say, “We’ve got this.”

michael barbaro

The signs actually say, “We’ve got this?”

sarah maslin nir

Handwritten signs all over the room.

michael barbaro

And what are you thinking when you see this?

sarah maslin nir

I think I’ve finally found the coordinated response that this situation seems to call for.

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This is a room full of all the layers of government, from the state, to different agencies, to health care workers in their scrubs, coordinating to take on this crisis head-on. And after nearly a week of frightened townspeople and scared kids, this is exactly what you wanted to see. It was a relief.

michael barbaro

We’ll be right back.

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michael barbaro

So Sarah, what happens next?

archived recording What else can you tell us about this containment plan? archived recording (andrew cuomo) Think of it this way. We have 173 cases in the entire state. Right? We have 108 in New Rochelle.

sarah maslin nir

At this point, things are starting to get up and running in New Rochelle. We’re about two weeks out from the first diagnosis, and the National Guard is here. There is the incident command center. And that command center is sending people out to do in-home testing.

archived recording (andrew cuomo) — do what we have to do. But you know, Jake, this is a microcosm of what we’re going to be looking at. The numbers are going to go up consistently, because our testing is way behind the reality of what the situation is.

sarah maslin nir

But still, it’s not enough. The numbers of people tested at this point are only in the hundreds.

archived recording (andrew cuomo) China was doing 10,000 tests per day. This country, in total we’ve done about 5,000 tests. So we really have to get that testing capacity up if we’re going to make the difference.

sarah maslin nir

New York state recognizes even what they’re doing there in New Rochelle, it’s not enough. We have to ramp up testing.

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michael barbaro

And so how do they actually do that?

sarah maslin nir

Actually, they saw what was happening in South Korea, where they’ve created these highly effective drive-through testing centers, managing to churn out 275,000 since diagnosis. And that happened, actually, around the same time that our country had its first case. So New York state decides we need these centers. And so I went to see this myself.

sarah maslin nir So I’m recording this now standing outside the mobile drive-through testing center in a public park called Glen Island in Rochester.

sarah maslin nir

When you get to this beautiful island park, there’s seagulls wheeling overhead. There’s the Long Island Sound glinting. You arrive at what looks like three beautiful wedding tents. They’re tents that could be for any garden party. And you only realize what this is because of the cop who stops you at the drawbridge to this island with his megaphone blaring.

cop Are you here for testing? Yes? OK. Keep your windows rolled up at all times. Have your ID ready. Windows rolled up at all times, windows closed at all times. Have your ID ready. You’re going over the drawbridge, and stay to the right. sarah maslin nir Thank you for helping us. chuck hamilton Sure.

sarah maslin nir

My guide was a gentleman by the name of Chuck Hamilton. He was in charge of operations at that site.

chuck hamilton There is three tents with six lanes. We’re being directed by our National Guard personnel right now.

sarah maslin nir

And as we pulled up, you head down a meandering lane lined with orange cones and members of the National Guard and other police forces.

chuck hamilton — will advise us to keep our windows closed at this particular point.

sarah maslin nir

They demanded I put my ID on the windshield.

chuck hamilton Windows closed up. sarah maslin nir Sir? government official Put your IDs up on the dash. chuck hamilton OK. All identification must now be put on the dash.

sarah maslin nir

They don’t want you to open your window, hand them anything. So groups of people in Tyvek aprons, those respirator masks, lean over, peer through your windshield, tap your name and info into a tablet, and make sure you’re confirmed for your appointment at the drive-through testing center.

chuck hamilton — stage two. sarah maslin nir And there are two silver — chuck hamilton These people are in full Tyvek hooded suits.

sarah maslin nir

Next, you’re waved from this first zone where they check you in, called a cold zone because there isn’t a risk of contamination there, to the hot zone.

sarah maslin nir — full body suits? chuck hamilton Yes, these are all registered nurses, paramedics, or E.M.T.s. She’s indicating when you’re — you keep the window closed.

sarah maslin nir

In the hot zone, I was approached by two nurses in full, what looked to me like hazmat suits, eye shields, heads covered, every seal wrapped up tightly to make sure nothing could get through. I rolled down my window.

nurse This is section two. So there’s section one, intake —

sarah maslin nir

And they told me what they would do if I were in fact sick, which was tip my head back, thread a swab into my nostril and then another into the back of my throat with a tongue depressor, put those swabs in vials, and send those off to the lab.

nurse I’d tell you to lean forward and tilt your head a little bit backwards, take a deep breath. I’m going to put the swab in. And that’s it. The other swab is the backup control.

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sarah maslin nir

I rolled up my window tightly and then moved on to the next station, where I was processed. And a woman held up a little handwritten sign that said, “Feel better.” I imagine that everybody else going through that line needed that sign real bad.

sarah maslin nir So you’re in total protective gear. You’re doing this work. You’re on the front of the front of the front line. How do you feel?

sarah maslin nir

I spoke to one nurse who was in that hazmat suit in the hot zone. And she appeared to me to be the age demographic that is at risk from coronavirus, which is 50-plus. And yet she felt this was the moment to step up.

lisa I feel compelled to help, compelled to help. And you know, we have to be careful. One mistake could be a big problem, obviously. We can become contaminated. But this is the time — this is why we became nurses. This is the time to help. If we don’t do this, what do we do? sarah maslin nir What’s your name? lisa My name is Lisa —

sarah maslin nir

If I’m not here, what am I doing?

sarah maslin nir Can you spell the last name? lisa B, A, E, Z. And then hyphen —

michael barbaro

So has this testing site been effective? Is it making a difference in containing and combating the virus?

sarah maslin nir

It is making a difference in figuring out who has this illness — and a tremendous difference. They have hustled, since it opened on Friday, 2,849 people through that drive-through as of our conversation, Michael. This is charging ahead and vastly increasing New York’s capacity to test these people. This is how we’re going to get a handle on this disease. To understand how it spreads, who’s affected by it, to model it forward, to know what we’re up against.

michael barbaro

Right. You really can’t stop it until you can measure it.

sarah maslin nir

Exactly. And you can’t protect people unless you know who’s got it.

michael barbaro

So Sarah, at this point, the system that you have described to handle this acute crisis in New Rochelle is containment zone, the National Guard to keep it contained, but more importantly, keep people safe, clean, fed. And now there’s this mobile testing center nearby trying to figure out just how widely the virus has spread. Overall, is this starting to feel like a model for other places?

sarah maslin nir

More than just feel like a model, it is the model for New York state’s response. In the coming week and weeks, more of exactly what’s happening in New Rochelle is going to be set up all over the state. Nassau County, Jones Beach, which isn’t too far, just got its first mobile testing center modeled off this. It’s coming to Staten Island in New York City, to Rockland County, another place not far away.

michael barbaro

Hmm.

sarah maslin nir

I met a man while I was out there in New Rochelle. We were standing outside a classroom where National Guard were scrubbing Legos. And he said to me, you know, they talk about reinventing the wheel, but this is inventing the wheel. And when we look back at how to handle these things in the future, people are going to look back and say, how did they do it in New Rochelle? And he might be right. The whole country might end up looking at this as a model, because the whole country might be in New Rochelle’s position soon. And this may be just what they have to go on.

michael barbaro

And do you get the sense that what’s happening in New Rochelle — this invention of the wheel when it comes to how to deal with a pandemic in the United States — do you get the sense that it’s working and that this is basically all on the right track?

sarah maslin nir

It’s hard to know. Every day there are new cases. I don’t think we’ll know for a while what’s working. But it’s deeply comforting when you look out across the nation and the world and see this patchwork of responses that barely hang together, to know that here in this state, in this city, in New Rochelle, a herculean effort is being made to get this thing right and keep people safe.

sarah maslin nir I am walking down North Avenue in New Rochelle. It’s the same block where the synagogue at the heart of this outbreak, Young Israel of New Rochelle sits closed at the other end of the street. And walking —

michael barbaro

You know, Sarah, we have been talking about how this town has been totally transformed in what’s really just a matter of days, a couple weeks. A lot of outsiders coming in — National Guard, volunteers parachuting in to help. But what about the community itself? The people who are there in the city, in this containment zone, how are they handling this?

sarah maslin nir

Michael, this is a hard time to be anyone, in or out of the zone. And we are all looking for a dose of human goodness.

sarah maslin nir And we were just talking outside. It’s a little intimidating, huh? A little scary? speaker 1 Mm-hmm. sarah maslin nir How do you feel about it? speaker 1 Sad. sarah maslin nir Why? speaker 1 Because people’s dying. sarah maslin nir But I want you to know that that’s just a very few older people. And I don’t want you to feel scared. Do you — speaker 1 I’m not scared. sarah maslin nir You’re not?

sarah maslin nir

If you go to New Rochelle and you see people asked unimaginable things, asked to cut themselves off from everyone they love to protect everyone else, you see people willingly doing it.

sarah maslin nir How are you holding up? speaker 2 We’ve been doing a lot of deliveries. As you can see, there’s no one in the restaurant right now except you and I and some staff.

sarah maslin nir

People, as much as they’ve been put upon and wish it were otherwise, they are resolute and resilient. And they’re accepting this because they know it’s for a greater purpose.

speaker 2 We just want to make sure that the stress level and the anguish that the public might be feeling, that they feel that everything that can be done is being done for their health. sarah maslin nir Are you helping out too? speaker 1 Yeah. sarah maslin nir Are you going to pack any bags or give any bags to any of the families? speaker 1 Mm-hmm.

sarah maslin nir

From the delivery people who’ve worked out systems to leave bags of food on a staircase and run away with a wave, to the sick people indoors waiting for that meal —

speaker 3 What we’ve been doing, as I’ve coined the phrase, the drop and dash. So you literally pull up to the house, you drop the bag off, and you run like the wind. And that’s it.

sarah maslin nir

Everybody gets it. Everybody just wants everyone else to get better.

speaker 3 — feel like someone cares about them. Yes, they’re quarantined. It’s a terrible thing. And when I pick up the phone, and I see a name that I recognize, I speak to them. I say, how are you holding up? And they ask me the same thing. How are you holding up? And we both crack a joke and we laugh and that’s it. You got to keep a sense of humor with this whole thing. And it’s terrible for everyone. It really — my heart is aching for them, and they feel the same way about me.

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speaker 3 This whole thing is just bringing everyone together, hopefully not literally because that’s how corona spreads. sarah maslin nir You got to laugh, huh? speaker 3 Yeah. You got to laugh. sarah maslin nir It’s the only way to get through it. speaker 3 100 percent. sarah maslin nir Are you going to go out on another delivery now? speaker 3 Um, I don’t have anything at the moment.

michael barbaro

We’ll be right back.

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michael barbaro

Here’s what else you need to know today. On Wednesday, the United States and Canada said they would close their shared border to all but essential travel, becoming the latest countries to restrict border crossings to slow the spread of the pandemic.

archived recording (justin trudeau) In both our countries, we’re encouraging people to stay home. We’re telling our citizens not to visit their neighbors if they don’t absolutely have to. Well, this collaborative and reciprocal measure is an extension of that prudent approach.

michael barbaro

Meanwhile in Washington, the Senate approved a relief package already passed by the House, that provides sick leave, unemployment benefits, free coronavirus testing, and food and medical aid to Americans affected by the pandemic. President Trump quickly signed the legislation into law, the first of several congressional bills related to the coronavirus that he is expected to support.

archived recording (mitch mcconnell) The Congress has an enormous role to play in responding to this challenge, and we are determined to do that duty.

michael barbaro

In a speech from the Senate floor, Republican majority leader Mitch McConnell called for a bipartisan approach to the crisis.

archived recording (mitch mcconnell) This is not a challenge anyone wanted for our nation, but it is a challenge we will overcome. Someday, hopefully soon, our nation will have this virus on its heels.

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michael barbaro

That’s it for “The Daily.” I’m Michael Barbaro. See you tomorrow.

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