NEW YORK (1010 WINS) -- Mayor Bill de Blasio on Monday reported that from April to September, New Yorkers received $40 billion in stimulus checks, unemployment benefits and business loans.
From March to April, there were 900,000 jobs lost but from May to October, 300,000 of those jobs were recovered and unemployment rate dropped to 13.2 percent in October, down from 20.3 percent in June, de Blasio reported.
He also warned that the city still needs more federal help as the benefits of first stimulus begin to run out.
The mayor also announced that New York City will likely become an orange zone under state standards as soon as next week and moving forward, they will focus on most the important and vulnerable elements.
There is a "strong, strong likelihood that in a matter of days the state of New York will determine that New York City is an orange zone according to state standards," de Blasio said.
Basing it on what the state has said already, it could "happen as early as next week," he added.
According to the mayor, in order to reopen schools, the city will "intensify safety measures" including more testing in advance of students and staff coming back to school and constant testing throughout the school year.
3K and pre-K are a priority, then elementary schools, he noted.
The mayor urged parents who want students back n school to get their test consent form in because it will be "absolutely required."