Contrary to rumors, Governor Cuomo did not issue an executive order on 22 March to “lock down” New York State. Instead, as the state’s official Covid-19 site clarifies, Cuomo announced “the ‘New York State on PAUSE’ executive order.”
The acronym implies that activities just halted temporarily, as if in hitting “pause,” Cuomo were only fetching a bowl of popcorn in the midst of an action film. Just press “play” again, and voila!—the hero would open his parachute, land safely, and save the world from the virus. Everything would continue as before.
