The corona pandemic has hit New York worse than any other city in the United States. More than 20,000 people have died with a corona infection. Well over a million have lost their jobs. City and state are facing bankruptcy.
Factories and shops are back to work
But today work can be resumed on the city’s 32,000 construction sites, factories can start their production again and shops can offer goods for collection. Up to 400,000 employees are affected. The offices, which are much more important for New York City, will remain closed – and will only be allowed to open in a few weeks, if there are no setbacks in the fight against the pandemic.
Relaxation with conditions
The gradual relaxation of the restrictions is tied to seven criteria, all of which must be met – such as enough free hospital beds or a maximum number of new infections that must not be exceeded. If the numbers worsen, the restrictions will tighten again.
Uncertainty due to wave of protests
Until a few days ago those responsible were optimistic, but now the mass protests against racism and police violence, in which many thousands of New Yorkers took part, have added a new element of uncertainty. Experts fear that this could increase the number of infections again and call on the demonstrators to carry out tests.
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