Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced the eviction moratorium on commercial tenants is being extended to Jan. 1. That is now aligned with the moratorium ban extension on residential tenants announced in September.

In a conference call Tuesday morning, the governor said that progress has been in the red zone clusters where COVID-19 infections have been spiking. He said the rate has fallen to 2.9%, evidence that the microtargeting in certain communities – mostly in Brooklyn, Queens, Rockland and Orange – is working.

He also said that the red zone infection rates in New York is much less than the statewide infection rate in many states across the country.

“The only way to stop an ember from becoming a flame is by affirmative intervention. I think [what] we have done is better than any other state,” he said.

Without the red zones factored in, the statewide infection rate is 1.2%. There were 12 deaths related to COVID-19 on Monday, 942 people are hospitalized, 194 are in ICU units.

There are 43 states on New York’s travel advisory list. Arizona and Maryland are latest additions.

“This is a really bizarre outcome,” said Gov. Cuomo. “It just shows you how different the situation is now.”

The governor said he would be speaking with the governors of Connecticut and New Jersey about their recent spikes in virus infections, but would not impose any travel restrictions. He said he discourages state to state travel if it isn’t essential.

The governor also responded to constant criticism from President Donald Trump about his COVID-19 response. Gov. Cuomo called the president a “superspreader” and holds him partially responsible for the deaths in New York.

He said that the president’s decision to allow travel from Europe into the U.S. until March 16 is what allowed the virus to infect nursing homes and schools. He said the federal government didn’t listen to scientists who said asymptomatic spread was real.

“Denial doesn’t work. Lying doesn’t work. And the truth always catches up to you,” said Gov. Cuomo. “Why is the virus going up? Because they believed the president’s denial.”

The governor also said when the president criticizes Dr. Anthony Fauci, the long-time chief of the Laboratory of Immunoregulation, it hurts the public’s sureness that the coming vaccine will work.

“Fauci is the most credible voice for the American people. When the president says he is a disaster, that shakes public confidence,” said Gov. Cuomo.