Published on : 09/06/2020 – 04:18Modified : 09/06/2020 – 06:11
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One hundred days after the discovery of the first case of coronavirus in New York, the city which had become the global epicenter of this epidemic (205,000 infections, 22,000 deaths) is beginning to return to normal. It is one of the last American cities to begin deconfinement. Clothing stores, construction sites and factories resume.
With our correspondent in New York, Loubna Anaki
All day long, the phone has not stopped ringing. ” We got a lot of calls from people wondering how it’s gonna be », Explains Nicole Paniteri, in the middle of the boxes, while she reorganizes her small shop of clothes and accessories for women. It had been almost three months since it had to shut down due to the coronavirus outbreak. She had to limit herself to online sales. Today, with the start of the first phase of New York’s deconfinement, it can finally reopen.
« It feels good ! In addition, the weather is nice, and we are very happy to see the faces, even masked ones! We get back to it little by little and customers can literally do their shopping from the window », She rejoices.
Like Nicole Paniteri, they are nearly 400,000 New Yorkers to return this week to work. Clothing stores, construction sites or factories. After 78 days of confinement, New York, which has been the American city hardest hit by the epidemic, is beginning to gradually return to normal.
Stigma of looting
However, the reopening of this consumer capital seems limited for now: many stores have in fact decided to postpone their reopening due to the current protests. Some Manhattan boutiques were looted and suffered extensive damage. Many stores are protected with plywood. The imposed curfew by the city has also been lifted since Sunday.
Anyway, at the moment, the stores cannot accommodate customers yet. Everything is done on the sidewalk. Orders to be collected or an object spotted in the windows. Nicole Paniteri also offers virtual tours of its products. ” I wouldn’t say it’s a fresh start. I think it’s a good start, but there is still a long way to go. »
If all goes well, the second phase of deconfinement should take place in two weeks with the opening of additional businesses and the return of restaurant terraces with limited capacity.
« This is the day New York begins to reopen and I’m so happy to see that day finally arrived New York Governor Andrew Cuomo said exactly 100 days after the first case was confirmed in the US economic capital. 450 additional deaths in 24 hours were deplored Monday, a two-month low.
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