Sergio Najera has a shoe stall at the Union Square Christmas market, which is attended by thousands of people around this time.
After being canceled last year due to the pandemic, business is doing well but the increase in positive cases of coronavirus in the city and the spread of the Omicron variant in recent days are worrisome in this return to normality.
“One of the best things about being here is the flow of people, thousands of people walk here a day, I talk to hundreds of people a day and I feel good, that if people would have a little more caution, maybe they would not go out. as much as they are doing right now ”, said Sergio.
And it is that for the first time in weeks, this Monday the city registered more than 2,100 positive cases coinciding with a season of reopening to international tourism from which they benefit in markets like this.
“This opening of this trade as a fair encourages people to come, to go out to buy, to consume, because the key to the economy, you have to consume,” said Richard Romero, a Peruvian immigrant with more than 20 years residing in NY shopping on the spot.
In order to avoid a rebound, the mayor announced tougher measures with vaccination mandates that are now extended to children and private sector workers.
At the same time, at the national level, foreign travelers will have to show a negative covid test carried out no more than one day before departure.
Christmas marking.
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A young entrepreneur said that imposing limitations would be very harmful.
“We are experiencing all the excitement of Christmas, everyone is acquiring their gifts, I think that if they close us, I think it will affect all small and medium-sized entrepreneurs,” said Juan Alzate.
Due to the high spread, the CDC recommends increasing the use of masks. As does a Brazilian traveler who thinks that only collective behavior will help control the virus.
“It is something that is better for me, but I would like to return to normality, but I never take off my mask,” said tourist Michelleni.
With the new mandates that will soon come into effect, the mayor’s office hopes to stop the spread of the virus and its new variants, in such a way that it can keep afloat the great trade that is generated during this time.
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