Mayor Bill de Blasio speaks during a news conference | Getty Images De Blasio called for 'massive federal relief' as city economy grinds to a halt — then he hit the gym

As schools and businesses shut down Monday in the face of the coronavirus pandemic, Mayor Bill de Blasio opted to get in one last visit to his Park Slope gym.

The mayor hit the Park Slope YMCA Monday morning around the same time Gov. Andrew Cuomo was announcing that all gyms across New York and neighboring states would have to shut down as of 8 p.m. And it came after the city Health Department issued guidance late Sunday night urging New Yorkers to stay home as much as possible, saying everyone should behave as if they’ve been exposed to the virus.


The mayor’s daily trek by SUV to the Brooklyn gym has been the object of ridicule even in normal times, and his decision to work out there Monday drew widespread outrage on social media.

"The Mayor’s actions today are inexcusable and reckless," said his former adviser Rebecca Katz.

"It’s pathetic. Self-involved. Inexcusable," added another former adviser, Jonathan Rosen.

De Blasio press secretary Freddi Goldstein said the mayor wanted to visit for what he knew would be the last time for a long while.

“The YMCA has been a huge part of his and his family’s life, like it has been for a lot of New Yorkers. It’s clear that’s about to change and before that, the mayor wanted to visit a place that keeps him grounded one last time,” she said. “That doesn’t change the fact that he is working around the clock to ensure the safety of New Yorkers. After today, gyms will close and he will no longer be visiting the YMCA for the foreseeable future.”

Before his workout, did De Blasio did a round of morning talk shows calling for a “massive federal relief program” to help city businesses a day after he closed schools and announced New Yorkers will no longer be able to dine in at restaurants and bars, or go to theaters or concerts to prevent the spread of the coronavirus.

“Right now we need a national solution,” de Blasio said on MSNBC. “This should be a reality where the United States is put on a war footing where the federal government mobilizes all the resources necessary.”

De Blasio will sign an executive order putting the new bans into effect starting Tuesday, an unprecedented move in a city economy dependent on tourism and entertainment. Comptroller Scott Stringer estimates the coronavirus outbreak could deliver a $3.2 billion hit to the city's bottom line.

De Blasio said a coronavirus stimulus bill that U.S. Sen. Chuck Schumer outlined over the weekend is a “helpful step,” but “nowhere near what is needed.” Both de Blasio and Schumer chastised Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell for leaving Washington over the weekend and have called for him to pass the legislation “as-is” on Monday.

“The city is doing grants and loans and things for small businesses, but that’s a small piece,” de Blasio said.

While the city has not moved to institute travel restrictions or curfews, de Blasio said those options aren’t off the table either.

“We are not closing down transportation, we are not closing down roads or bridges, we are not putting a curfew into effect or travel restrictions — today,” de Blasio said on NY1, adding he’s able to do so under the city’s state of emergency. “At any point in this trajectory, we may change that depending on the facts.”