Gov. Andrew Cuomo said he wears a mask while walking his dog because he can't maintain social distancing.

Enter your number to get our free mobile app

Cuomo announced a new executive order on Wednesday, all New Yorkers must have their face covered when in public when social distancing can't be maintained.

On Saturday, Cuomo announced the federal government sent 1.5 million cloth masks which will be given out to the public. Hanes is making the masks.

Cuomo said he understands its a "small inconvenience” to wear a mask, but it can help lessen the spread of the virus.

Cuomo says he is wearing a mask when he's walking his dog because he can't maintain social distancing.

"I wear the mask and my daughter wears a mask. The dog doesn’t wear a mask," he said.

The country is frustrated, anxious, scared and angry, so this is no time for politics, Cuomo claims.

“I’m going to be governor of the state of New York until the people kick me out. I’m not running for anything," he said.

Cuomo noted on Saturday hospitalization numbers are down, emergency rooms are less crowded and intubations are down.

"That’s because of what we have ALL done to flatten the curve," Cuomo said on Twitter during his COVID-19 briefing on Saturday. "But it's not over yet. We must keep doing what we're doing."

Despite the good news, each day there are still about 2,000 COVID-related hospitalizations, according to Cuomo.

Cuomo announced 540 New Yorkers died from COVDI-19 in the last day, bringing the statewide total to 12,610.

"That is a soul-crushing loss. When you feel tired of social distancing, think of those we lost. That's what's at stake here," he said.

Cuomo said we must rise up from the greatest challenges this country has seen since World War II.

Cuomo said New York has conducted a half-million tests, the most in the country, but there must be more testing to reopen the economy.

"Testing is the single most important topic,” Cuomo said. "Testing is how you monitor the rate of infection and you control for it. The challenge is to bring testing up to scale."

Cuomo said he asked the top 50 labs in New York what they need to double their testing.

"They all said the same thing: They need more chemical reagents," he said. "We need the federal government to oversee the supply chain and help get labs what they need."

How can I stay safe while grocery shopping? And answers to 24 other coronavirus questions

More From WRRV-WRRB