As city enters phase one, COVID-19 fears remain
TIMESLEDGER | QNS.COM | JUNE 12-18, 2020 13
BY TERESA METTELA
New York City took the
first step toward returning to
normalcy on June 8 when it officially
entered phase one of its
reopening.
More than 33,000 construction
sites will reopen, curbside
pickup for retail stores will be
allowed and other non-essential
businesses have also be reinstated.
Staff working at these businesses
must continue to abide by
New York state’s social distancing
rules and regulations.
While Governor Andrew
Cuomo reassures the public that
New York City has met three of
seven guidelines needed to advance
the multiphase reopening
plan, the implementation of
phase one has been met with a
range of skepticism from residents
and political actors.
“We didn’t just flatten the
curve, we bent it, and we did
it all based on data and facts. I
have confidence saying to New
Yorkers that we are ready to reopen,”
Governor Cuomo said.
Mina Patel, a lab technician
at Memorial Sloan Kettering
Cancer Center (MSKCC), is
wary of phase one and its potential
effect on healthcare workers
like herself.
As an essential worker at
MSKCC, Patel observes people
in her neighborhood who blatantly
disregard social distancing
rules on her daily commute
to work. She believes that the
moment certain sectors open
up, people will resume outdoor
activities, increasing the likelihood
of a second wave of COVID-
19 and causing businesses to be
shut down once more.
“We might have to work long
odd shifts again which are physically,
mentally, and emotionally
draining,” Patel said.
Patel’s concern for individual
safety also extends to the thousands
of New York City citizens
going back to work this month.
However, city officials claim
that precautions will be taken
in order to prevent the spread
of coronavirus in the workplace.
In fact, within reopening
construction sites, City Department
of Buildings inspectors
are requiring workers to wear
masks and remain 6 feet apart.
Similar safety plans are being
introduced within the retail,
manufacturing, and transportation
sectors of New York City.
Joshua Singavarapu, a 21-
year-old student and longtime
resident of Forest Hills, recognizes
the positive strides New
York City has made in decreasing
its number of COVID cases.
Although Singavarapu does
not feel that phase one will directly
impact his own daily
routine, as local parks, fitness
centers, and other recreational
areas remain closed, he is grateful
for the reopening of non-essential
businesses.
Singavarapu points out that
not only are New York City citizens
suffering from feelings of
loneliness and depression, a majority
are also struggling to pay
rent or put food on the table.
“Phase one in New York City
is coming at the right time as
the COVID-19 cases are at a
very low number,” says the college
student. “We just have to remember
that the reopening does
not mean we can walk around
without masks. Autonomy takes
hold in these situations.”
Certain organizations are
committed to providing services
to its community members
and helping individuals heavily
impacted by coronavirus.
Non-profit organizations such
as Business Improvement Districts
(BIDs) act as advocates, liaisons,
promoters, and problem
solvers for their communities.
BIDs provide an important link
between NYC government and
the neighborhoods they serve.
Diansong Yu, the executive
director of the Flushing BID,
spoke with QNS about the experience
of local businesses in
Downtown Flushing during the
pandemic.
Flushing, a neighborhood
known for its busy streets and
bustling atmosphere, has become
a “ghost town,” Yu said.
Yu noted that foot traffic on
Main Street decreased from
100,000 people to merely 100 on
the street — a figure he has never
seen before.
In an effort to aid these local
businesses, the Flushing
BID hosted a fundraising gala
in April 2020, which raised over
$18,000. That money was then allocated
to advertising for small
businesses, providing staff and
owners with necessary PPE,
and attracting consumers back
into stores.
Pedestrian traffic on Main Street in Flushing has dramatically
decreased during the COVID-19 pandemic. Courtesy of Diansong Yu
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