Purple Flower
The first confirmed coronavirus case in New York State occurred after the first identified case in New Zealand but New York went into full lockdown before New Zealand. With a population of almost 9 million people in an area the size of the Chatham Islands, the challenges facing New York City were at the opposite end of the spectrum from those in remote New Zealand, surrounded by a vast ocean.
It was still winter, case numbers would explode like wildfire, hospitals would soon fill up and refrigerated containers would be needed to store the overwhelming numbers of people who did not survive.
It was scary, the virus was real, it was like a multitude of invisible snipers out to get you every which way you turned. The whole city would become a “place of interest”.
While certain co-morbidities and old age presented a much higher risk – which may have been of some consolation – the fact is, many healthy and younger people were severely adversely impacted by the virus too. Infected children could go on to develop Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome, which is a serious condition.
While some restrictions were introduced in mid-March, the full Stay-at-Home order took effect on March 22, 2020. Masks were required and still are in some shape or form today. New York City’s lockdown was sensible and livable, but extraordinarily lonely for many people. Being able to get food was never a problem. Food was abundant. Restaurants stayed open for pickup and delivery. The City provided meals to the home-bound and, since the schools were closed, to anyone who wanted to come and get them. Drugstores and other essential services remained open so one could survive, albeit on their lonesome.
Many protective measures were permanently installed; the ventilation and air filtration systems in schools and other buildings were upgraded; barriers were installed in banks, supermarkets, and so on; all subway cars and buses were thoroughly sanitised each day.
In the dark days of the pandemic people decorated their balconies and windows with Christmas lights. At 7 pm each evening, the New York City folk would stop what they were doing and clap and cheer, making whatever noise they could, to honour and thank the frontline workers for their hard work.
The daily briefings by Governor Andrew Cuomo were excellent and they fast became the highlight of many people’s day. They were informative and inspiring. There were no surprises or cliffhangers. The people always knew where they were at and where they were going. The parameters as to when New York City would open up a notch or close back down a notch were specific and outlined in advance. In the early days the briefings were nail-biting as the numbers kept going up and up until the seven-day average daily deaths peaked at about 800 on April 7, 2020.
New York City had only one lockdown, but it was a long lockdown with a very gradual and phased re-opening. Outdoor dining commenced on June 22, 2020, and has remained a popular choice ever since. New York City fully re-opened on July 01, 2021, but restrictions and safety protocols still prevail. The coronavirus is mostly seen in the rearview mirror now and regarded as just another hazard in life.
On December 1, 2021, 2,364 new positive cases (5 Omicron) and 6 deaths were reported. The grand total of hospitalisations stood at 125,800 and the total number of confirmed and probable deaths at 34,687.