De Blasio presser highlights: Ebola 'hard disease to contract'; Fiancée 'quarantined'; Bowling alley 'cleared'

Posted at 2:11 pm on October 24, 2014 by Greg P.

Mayor Bill de Blasio just wrapped up a press conference where he and members of his administration gave updates on New York City’s response to its first Ebola patient, Dr. Craig Spencer. Here are the highlights:

"There is no reason for New Yorkers or visitors to be alarmed." – Mayor @BilldeBlasio live on http://t.co/10woidEfEd.
— NYC Mayor's Office (@NYCMayorsOffice) October 24, 2014

"Ebola is an extremely hard disease to contract." – Mayor @BilldeBlasio live from @nycoem on http://t.co/10woidEfEd right now.
— NYC Mayor's Office (@NYCMayorsOffice) October 24, 2014

Don’t be alarmed and it’s hard to get, except we’re all in hazmat suits and have a huge press conference…

"New Yorkers who have not been exposed to an infected person’s bodily fluids are not at risk." – Mayor @BilldeBlasio: http://t.co/10woidEfEd
— NYC Mayor's Office (@NYCMayorsOffice) October 24, 2014

"There is no reason for New Yorkers to change their daily routine in any way." – Mayor @BilldeBlasio on http://t.co/10woidEfEd now.
— NYC Mayor's Office (@NYCMayorsOffice) October 24, 2014

Or even if you’re infected with Ebola. Go bowling, it’s cool…

"The process played out exactly as the protocol dictated yesterday." – Mayor @BilldeBlasio on the safe transfer of the patient.
— NYC Mayor's Office (@NYCMayorsOffice) October 24, 2014

“We have the finest public health system … in the world.” – Mayor @BilldeBlasio live on http://t.co/10woidEfEd.
— NYC Mayor's Office (@NYCMayorsOffice) October 24, 2014

"We are fully prepared to handle Ebola." – Mayor @BilldeBlasio on http://t.co/10woidEfEd right now.
— NYC Mayor's Office (@NYCMayorsOffice) October 24, 2014

"The patient is now being held in isolation at Bellevue and poses no threat to others." – Mayor @BilldeBlasio on http://t.co/10woidEfEd.
— NYC Mayor's Office (@NYCMayorsOffice) October 24, 2014

"The patient's fiancée is being quarantined." Mayor @billdeblasio live on http://t.co/10woidEfEd
— NYC Mayor's Office (@NYCMayorsOffice) October 24, 2014

“Casual contact cannot lead to acquiring this disease.” – Mayor @BilldeBlasio on Ebola. Live on http://t.co/10woidEfEd.
— NYC Mayor's Office (@NYCMayorsOffice) October 24, 2014

"It really would help us if every New Yorker goes to get a flu shot." – Mayor @BilldeBlasio live on http://t.co/10woidEfEd.
— NYC Mayor's Office (@NYCMayorsOffice) October 24, 2014

And as we reported yesterday, Uber — the preferred taxi of those infected with Ebola — was giving out free flu shots in NYC…

"The patient continues to be stable at Bellevue Hospital." – @DrMaryTBassett live on http://t.co/10woidEfEd.
— NYC Mayor's Office (@NYCMayorsOffice) October 24, 2014

"He is a doctor who valiantly volunteered to work in Guinea." – @DrMaryTBassett on the patient being treated for Ebola.
— NYC Mayor's Office (@NYCMayorsOffice) October 24, 2014

"He had a temperature of 100.3." – @DrMaryTBassett on the patient being treated for Ebola at Bellevue Hospital. On http://t.co/10woidEfEd.
— NYC Mayor's Office (@NYCMayorsOffice) October 24, 2014

See our update on NYC “transcription error” that led to news outlets running with the wrong temperature here.

He did exactly the right thing- contacted MSF, and they contacted us immediately @HHCnyc @CDCgov @BilldeBlasio pic.twitter.com/A58EQa0tkx
— Dr. Mary Bassett (@DrMaryTBassett) October 24, 2014

"We have visited the Gutter and has been cleared by our department for opening." – @DrMaryTBassett live on http://t.co/10woidEfEd.
— NYC Mayor's Office (@NYCMayorsOffice) October 24, 2014

“They are thoroughly prepared.” – Mayor @BilldeBlasio on Bellevue Hospital and its staff. Live on http://t.co/10woidEfEd.
— NYC Mayor's Office (@NYCMayorsOffice) October 24, 2014

"Collaboration and cooperation works. Practice works." – @RamRajuMD, live on http://t.co/10woidEfEd.
— NYC Mayor's Office (@NYCMayorsOffice) October 24, 2014

"We have been in constant contact with the Center for Disease Control." – Mayor @BilldeBlasio live on http://t.co/10woidEfEd.
— NYC Mayor's Office (@NYCMayorsOffice) October 24, 2014

"He was feeling well, had no fever, at the time that he left Guinea, which was on the 14th." – @DrMaryTBassett on http://t.co/10woidEfEd.
— NYC Mayor's Office (@NYCMayorsOffice) October 24, 2014

"The history here is that people have only transmitted the disease only when they have a state of fever." – Mayor @BilldeBlasio on Ebola.
— NYC Mayor's Office (@NYCMayorsOffice) October 24, 2014

"Look at the juxtaposition between what happened in Dallas and here…it's an entirely different situation when you're prepared."
— NYC Mayor's Office (@NYCMayorsOffice) October 24, 2014

"We and other localities are going to be monitoring any individual who has returned from those nations." – Mayor @BilldeBlasio.
— NYC Mayor's Office (@NYCMayorsOffice) October 24, 2014

"Yesterday morning between 10 and 11 was the first time this patient noticed a temperature elevation and that was 100.3." – @BilldeBlasio.
— NYC Mayor's Office (@NYCMayorsOffice) October 24, 2014

"We got great news today about Nurse Pham in Dallas. She has been cleared." – Mayor @BilldeBlasio on http://t.co/10woidEfEd.
— NYC Mayor's Office (@NYCMayorsOffice) October 24, 2014

"We don't see any possibility that he contaminated his apartment." – @DrMaryTBassett on the apartment of the patient at Bellevue Hospital.
— NYC Mayor's Office (@NYCMayorsOffice) October 24, 2014

"A personal doctor's office is not an appropriate place for something of this seriousness." – Mayor @BilldeBlasio on http://t.co/10woidEfEd.
— NYC Mayor's Office (@NYCMayorsOffice) October 24, 2014

"If they go to any of our emergency rooms, they will not be asked about their documentation status." – Mayor @BilldeBlasio.
— NYC Mayor's Office (@NYCMayorsOffice) October 24, 2014

“This is not a virus that is easily transmitted.” – @DrMaryTBassett live on http://t.co/10woidEfEd.
— NYC Mayor's Office (@NYCMayorsOffice) October 24, 2014

"In the instance that the sites are cleared…business can continue as usual at those sites." – Mayor @BilldeBlasio: http://t.co/10woidEfEd.
— NYC Mayor's Office (@NYCMayorsOffice) October 24, 2014

"So we have three individuals. Fiancee and two friends. All well. All quarantined." – Mayor @BilldeBlasio live on http://t.co/10woidEfEd.
— NYC Mayor's Office (@NYCMayorsOffice) October 24, 2014

"These individuals who are going there to serve are the people who will end this crisis." – Mayor @BilldeBlasio on http://t.co/10woidEfEd.
— NYC Mayor's Office (@NYCMayorsOffice) October 24, 2014

"We have to make sure that that flow of medical personnel continues." – Mayor @BilldeBlasio live on http://t.co/10woidEfEd.
— NYC Mayor's Office (@NYCMayorsOffice) October 24, 2014

"The capacity of our medical community to address this issue is extraordinary." – Mayor @BilldeBlasio live on http://t.co/10woidEfEd.
— NYC Mayor's Office (@NYCMayorsOffice) October 24, 2014

"We have been training for two and a half months on this." – @RamRajuMD on medical professionals at Bellevue Hospital.
— NYC Mayor's Office (@NYCMayorsOffice) October 24, 2014

"If you use the protection devices the right way every time, all the time…we will be able to keep healthcare workers safe." – @RamRajuMD.
— NYC Mayor's Office (@NYCMayorsOffice) October 24, 2014

"The people working now cannot transmit the disease." – @BilldeBlasio on the medical staff at Bellevue Hospital on http://t.co/10woidEfEd.
— NYC Mayor's Office (@NYCMayorsOffice) October 24, 2014

"Remember: At the bowling alley, he had not yet had a fever." – @DrMaryTBassett, on the patient at Bellevue Hospital: http://t.co/10woidEfEd
— NYC Mayor's Office (@NYCMayorsOffice) October 24, 2014

"We insist on cooperation in terms of knowing where someone's been and their symptoms." – Mayor @BilldeBlasio on http://t.co/10woidEfEd.
— NYC Mayor's Office (@NYCMayorsOffice) October 24, 2014