How New York is Coping with COVID-19
Due to the spread of the Coronavirus in the US, New York, the fourth most densely populated state in the country, is having to essentially shut down. According to the “New York Times”, NY Governor Andrew Cuomo has ordered for public life to be incredibly restricted, as restaurants and bars are no longer open to the public, as of Monday, March 16th. In his words, public gatherings are “banned”. Not only that, but non-essential shops are having to close to prevent groups of fifty or more from encountering each other. The New York Stock Exchange even closed its trading floor and moved everything online. More recently, President Trump has updated the US on improved ways to protect the health of our nation – reduce the number of people gathering from fifty to ten. It is not a mandatory shift, however, in a place like New York, it is a wise one. More than forty million people use JFK airport annually, and although flights have now been terminated, thousands of travelers have already returned to New York, with the capacity to spread the virus.
Photos of New York during this crisis have gone viral on social media because The Big Apple has never seen emptier streets. The infamous red chairs within Times Square are readily available, as no one wants to touch furniture in a public place. The Charging Bull of Bowling Green is no longer surrounded by tourists and flashing cameras. For the most part, citizens of the city are remaining indoors and complying with the health restrictions that Trump’s Task Force has put into place.
The amount of cases in New York have been increasing with roughly 4,000 individuals infected, and the numbers in Brooklyn are “soaring”. Spectrum News in NY reported the breakdown of which areas of New York have the most cases (so far): Brooklyn - 1,030, Queens – 980, Manhattan – 976, The Bronx – 436, and Staten Island – 165. There have been 554 people hospitalized, with roughly 200 of those cases going to the ICU, and 22 deaths total, as of this morning. It is expected that hundreds of additional cases will arise, as some citizens are still working their full time jobs or participating in social activity, regardless of the virus. The only way that the spread can be avoided, especially in an area like New York, is by rational actions and response. Cleanliness and regard for others’ health can drastically reduce the number of people becoming infected and should be considered mandatory.
Written By Rachel Tucker
https://www.nytimes.com/2020/03/12/nyregion/coronavirus-new-york-update.html