New York was the “city that never sleeps”. Before the corona crisis. Rebecca Marwege from Munich reports how spooky things are now in the US metropolis. She helps those in need in difficult times.
- Hardly any city is from that Corona-Pandemie* as badly affected as New York.
- A woman from Munich lives in the metropolis because of his work.
- She tells of a surreal time in the “city that never sleeps”.
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Munich – Rebecca Marwege from Munich works as Doktorandin an der Columbia University in New York. Because she didn’t want to let her students down, she stayed after the Declaration of the state of emergency due to the corona epidemic in the city. In the tz the 25-year-old reports on her experiences.
Corona crisis: Munich woman reports on life in New York
Life here is becoming more and more like one surreal fiction. The cafes and bars have been closed since mid-March. The streets are swept empty so you can walk in the middle of Park Avenue can without a car coming towards you.
In contrast, Central Park looks almost normal. It’s so crowded that people get up scold each otherwhen they get too close and shout “naughty” maskless walkers that they are kindly one Mouthguard* attract should. However, if you come across an improvised tented hospital a few meters further, which is supposed to relieve the surrounding clinics, the impression of the park idyll is quickly gone.
Corona crisis: the city’s morgues are overloaded
The death toll continues to rise so rapidly that the city’s morgues are overloaded. Friends of mine who wanted to do volunteer work were asked by the city if they could help To mark corpses for transport to a mobile morgueso that they can later be assigned to the correct family again. No medical knowledge required, but also no compensation if you get sick on the job …
Since I am young and none Risk group* belong, I made up my mind to volunteer with Invisible Hands. The organization links volunteers with risk groups for whom one goes shopping. You can then leave the purchases stand on their doorstepso that you have no direct contact. Hence the name “invisible hands”. At the beginning of the crisis the organization still did subsidized food baskets distributed to needy New Yorkerswhich she had to stop because of the enormous demand.
Keeping your distance is not a problem here: an elderly woman is walking through orphaned New York.
© Marwege
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Corona crisis: Elderly lady has to queue for food tickets
I also help with a church that normally does Food to the homeless issues. My work at the two aid organizations has shown me how strong they are People hit here by the crisis are. For example, I am particularly concerned about an elderly lady whom I brought a food basket to her social apartment: otherwise she has to Stand in line to redeem your meal vouchers, being the Risk of contagion* suspends.
I was shocked that when the church gave out meals, one was next to the usual needy also hip dressed New Yorkers that you would normally expect at Starbucks. They were incredibly grateful for the emergency ration of food. That has the paradoxical reason that in New York the biggest expense is not the food but the rent. This means that many people are faced with the impossible choice of whether to make theirs Spend savings on food or on their rent. Or whether they risk their lives by doing odd jobs with delivery companies like Uber and risking the infection. Unfortunately, it doesn’t help that the governor Forced evictions suspended for 90 days has – nobody knows what happens afterwards.
Sport in the fresh air: This jogger is all alone.
© Marwege
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Corona crisis: New Yorkers clap for medical staff in the evening
However, there are also bright spots in this dreary New York, like every evening at seven o’clock, for example when New Yorkers go to their windows and clap for the medical staff and knock on their pans. Or the moments when someone drives through the streets with Frank Sinatra hits turned up loudto spread some positive vibe. Or neighbors who greet each other from their rooftops. Or the old lady who I bought her food from – and who me Called three times to tell me how grateful she is. These are the small human connections that count – and hold New Yorkers together in a crisis.
We also provide information about the Symptoms* a disease that quarantine*, developing a Vaccine* and possible Long-term consequences*.
You can find out how the pandemic is developing in the USA in our news ticker.
*merkur.de is part of the nationwide Ippen digital editorial network.
Rebecca Marwege
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