Gov’s kid on watch for virus

ALBANY — Gov. Cuomo revealed Friday that one of his daughters was placed in “precautionary quarantine” after being in contact with someone exposed to coronavirus.

The governor said he fully understands the anxiety people feel when it comes to the quickly spreading respiratory illness, but cautioned that facts should outweigh the fear.

“One of my daughters was in precautionary quarantine,” Cuomo said, adding that she had contact with someone who had been to a COVID-19 hotspot. “That’s everything to me. That’s why I get up in the morning. How can I protect my daughter.”

The governor sought to reassure the public that while the number of cases will continue to rise, most people will recover without incident.

Cuomo said he would be more concerned if his elderly mother was exposed than the possible exposure experienced by his daughter because the elderly and immunocompromised are more vulnerable.

“Nobody is going to be immune from this,” he added.

The governor has three daughters with ex-wife Kerry Kennedy. It was not clear which daughter was under the precautionary measure. Cuomo said she had not been tested and he has not had contact with her.

“Nope,” he said. “And I miss her.”

Earlier in the day, Cuomo opened the state’s first “drive-through” coronavirus testing center in New Rochelle, where cases have surged in recent weeks. He warned that the number of cases will continue to rise as the state does more testing.

“This is not going to be a quick situation. This is going to be weeks, months,” Cuomo said. “My guess is there are thousands and thousands of cases walking around the state of New York.”