Entertainment TV Seinfeld's Jason Alexander Belts Out 'New York State of Mind' for City Crippled by Coronavirus "I know it's still frightening but the tide is hopefully starting to turn due to all your efforts," Jason Alexander said By Dave Quinn Dave Quinn Dave Quinn is a Senior Editor for PEOPLE. He has been working at the brand since 2016, and is the author of the No. 1 New York Times best-selling book, Not All Diamonds and Rosé: The Inside Story of the Real Housewives from the People Who Lived It. People Editorial Guidelines Published on April 16, 2020 11:42AM EDT Jason Alexander. Photo: Morgan Lieberman/Getty Jason Alexander is standing with those in the tri-state area. On Tuesday, 60-year-old actor tweeted a video of himself playing and singing Billy Joel's 1976 piano hit "New York State of Mind" — a cover he dedicated to those in New York and New Jersey battling the ongoing coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak. "Was thinking about my family and friends in NY/NJ and got drawn to this song," Alexander wrote. "I know it's still frightening but the tide is hopefully starting to turn due to all your efforts. So sending this to you with love." Alexander, of course, has ties to the region. He was born in Newark, New Jersey, and began his acting career on stage in New York City, appearing in several Broadway shows including the original productions of Stephen Sondheim's Merrily We Roll Along (1981), Kander & Ebb's The Rink (1984), Neil Simon's Broadway Bound (1986), and Jerome Robbins' Broadway (1989) — a role that earned him a Tony award for best leading actor in a musical. And then, of course, there's George Costanza, the fictional neurotic New Yorker Alexander played for nine seasons in Seinfeld. Claire Danes, Wilson Cruz and My So-Called Life Cast Have 'Heartfelt and Overdue' Virtual Reunion Though he may no longer be living in the area, Alexander's heartfelt message to his fellow East Coasters resonated with fans. His video garnered more than 239,000 views, and several shares across social media. "Dear ones, I am overwhelmed by your kind responses to 'NY State of Mind,' " Alexander tweeted on Wednesday. "I love music. It helps me in times like this. I’m delighted it touches you, too." "I’ll try to share some more as we go," Alexander said. "But regardless, your sweet messages meant so much. Thank you. Take good care of yourselves." RELATED: Lea Michele Reveals How She is Finding Her 'Peace' While in Self-Isolation As of Thursday morning, there have been at least 636,917 reported cases of the coronavirus in the United States, according to a database from The New York Times. At least 28,586 people have died. New York City has become the epicenter of the outbreak, with at least 118,302 cases and at least 8,215 deaths. Overall, the state has at least 213,779 cases and at least 11,586 deaths. New Jersey is right behind New York state, with at least 71,030 cases and at least 3,156 deaths.