Corona Virus in NYC: Are We Doing The Right Thing?

COVID-19 came to New York and did not come to play. A virus that seemed so far away and untouchable suddenly hit one of the biggest cities HARD and left us like a deer in headlights. While the Mayor and Governor both worked as hard as they could to make sure we stayed safe from a virus we knew absolutely nothing about, there was another issue New Yorkers were facing. How can we, the hustlers, the side-gigers, the parent’s, and the bread and butter of NYC afford to quarantine ourselves and stay sane? Better yet, would we even listen?

It feels like it was just overnight everything that we knew as New Yorkers changed.

A coworker and I went for drinks after work, as we appreciate a good #ThirstyThursday. We received a message from our job, we would be closed until further notice. It was a shock to me, not only because of the wonders of if we would get paid or not, but also, what would I do until I could go back to work? We’re conditioned to wake up, work, go home, and sleep. However, without so much as a warning, we were being told to stay home; it felt like a punishment. Let’s not forget there wasn’t much we knew about the virus. Closing a lot of places in Midtown definitely was the right choice, it just didn’t feel like it.

Fear began to creep into the lives of many of our brave New Yorkers.

The trains were a ghost town, I am sure many people have seen the photos. However, it hits you more when you’re living it. I take 2 trains to work each day, it is rare to get a seat on either train because they’re often crowded. However, that Thursday evening at 9 pm, that was not the case. My friend and I ran for the train, expecting to stand for our ride back home, but we were surprised when we walked into an empty train cart. It is rare in NYC for there to be an empty cart with nothing wrong with it, but that was just what the city was becoming. From empty subways and bars to a nearly vacant Times Square, it was clear that people were starting to take this virus as seriously as they should.

However, there were millennials.

People looked at this as an extra week off from school or a paid vacation from work. So, they took the first flight out of JFK to where ever their finger landed on the map. At first, I looked at that too, why wouldn’t I travel? Airlines were basically just asking for gas money to fly you to another continent, and you’re telling me not to take the bait?

We were advised to stay indoors and not exactly quarantine but practice social distancing. The New Yorkers who weren’t afraid had selective hearing. From Bar hopping to brunching, we took the cake for reckless behavior. We were safe, COVID-19 seemed to be the kind of virus that only affected older people or people with underlying diseases. No one thought about the fact that you could be a carrier, and despite the constant warning from NYS, we continued to live our best lives. In the famous words of that spring breaker in Miami, ‘If I catch Corona, I catch Corona.’

Day to Day wasn’t to be disturbed

I still took the train, visited friends, got lysol’d down each time I went into their apartments, and sung happy birthday twice as someone watched me wash my hands. Tensions were high, but the reality of the consequence of this virus was higher, were we being dramatic? I went to dinner and waited outside a nearly empty restaurant because of a ban on gatherings of 50 or more. Meanwhile, the lines in Target were beyond 50 people, toilet paper was hoarded, masks were invaluable, and there were limits on the number of gloves you could buy. This was becoming the harsh reality of life in NY.

With this in mind, it’s no wonder the state began to crack down and close bars, restaurants, gyms, theaters, and all other forms of entertainment. Restaurants started doing take out only, a curfew was put in place, and public and private schools across the state began to close. Realistically it sounds like a good thing to do: they suggested social distancing, we brunched. They close everything down, and it makes it just a bit harder to link with friends outside. You can’t stand 6 feet away from someone when everything is closed (even your eyebrow lady). Should we have just stayed home ? or would they have taken these measures regardless?

The idea sounded great… in theory.

Close everything down and people won’t go outside anymore. However, child care, bills, and cabin fever were minor details they forgot. (While I can’t help with your bills or child care, check out my post on how to beat cabin fever while you’re locked up at home.) Many jobs that were forced to close down were hourly wage workers, these were people who did not receive payment for the time that they were not at work. People began to worry about bill payments, mortgages, loans, credit cards, etc. You tend to build up a lot of debt in the city that doesn’t sleep. Children and University students were expected to continue learning online, not taking into account the different learning styles, whether or not people had homes with an internet connection, or if people even had homes at all. Lastly, while many jobs around the state were closed, health care workers and other “frontline” workers were expected to still return to their jobs, leaving their kids at home all day and then being expected to return home to their families at the end of each day.

 

Did New York State make the right call?

Shutting down places led to the loss of many jobs, as temporary as it may have been, it felt permanent. Shutting down schools but still expecting children to continue with their curriculum, unaware of what environment they live in. Was this the right call or was this the only option in the face of adversity; While it is evident we were not prepared, the lines at each supermarket proved what hysteria and misinformation did to people. Did we learn from this experience? Will there be better responses the next time a virus comes and threatens to wipe us out?

I know this hasn’t been like the rest of my posts, my usual light and airy tone is quite somber. However, that’s what happens when you’re forced to live like this. While I agree it was a smart idea to shut down large public spaces, I worry about the bartender or the server who rely on tips to live each month. My heart is with all of the New Yorkers we have lost through this travesty. We were not prepared for a pandemic, and it has left lasting effects on not only the state but the country as well. I wish everyone well in these times as we look forward to recovery and PLEASE STAY HOME AND WASH YOUR HANDS.

 

Signing off,

Bri.