How coronavirus has affected everyday life in New York: local observations

Max Booth, columnist The Washington Post, shared his observations on how coronavirus affected everyday life in New York. According to him, for 50 years he has not experienced anything like it.

According to the author, neither bird flu, nor swine flu, nor Ebola or Zika virus did not interfere with everyday life around the world, as the COVID-19 virus has already done.

This primarily affected social events. So, the South by Southwest festival, which takes place annually in Austin, Texas, and the Indian Indian professional tennis tournament in California, are canceled.

Public gatherings such as weddings, funerals, and church services are also prohibited.

Stock market is in free fall; on Monday, March 9, its rapid fall triggered the circuit breakers, which are used to slow down mass sales. “I know that my balance is not as good as it was just a few weeks ago. I just hope my family, friends and colleagues stay healthy. My partner and children are relatively young, so everything should be in order, but I have elderly parents and relatives who are in the high-risk category, so this bothers me, ”the author shared.

Coronavirus Tests - Another "headache" New Yorkers. “The friend we saw recently got flu-like symptoms. My son was playing basketball with a friend who is now having a fever. Do they suffer from coronavirus? Nobody knows, because almost no one can pass the test, ”Booth said. He noted that South Korea, with a population of 51,4 million, has already carried out 196 thousand tests for coronavirus. As of Saturday, March 7, only 1895 tests were conducted in the United States among the 327 millionth population.

Panic Against the background of the coronavirus, it affected the inhabitants of New York and other cities of America.

According to the author, he feels paranoid every time he leaves the house. “Every subway car, every restaurant, every store is full of unexpected microscopic dangers. I became afraid of the door handles - I try either to push the door with my elbow or touch the door handle with a glove or a napkin, ”said Max Booth.

On the subject: New quarantine zone to be created in New York due to Covid 2019

Many people try to buy all the necessary food and medicine. “Until recently, I resisted this impulse, but in the end I gave up and ordered a bunch of goods that we probably do not need. If only I could buy more hand sanitizer ... ”wrote the author.

Virus epidemic influenced plans people. For example, the author of this material doubts whether he will fly on a long-awaited vacation, especially after the official who runs the New York airports became infected with the coronavirus. Moreover, during a long stay in a confined space among other people, it increases the risks of getting sick.

At the same time, in most of the restaurants that the author visited recently, normal life is still felt. All but Chinese restaurants are crowded.

Public awareness so weak that, according to the author, it is unclear whether the mortality rate is 3,4%, according to the World Health Organization, or is it much lower, according to the US president. “The site of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is useless; checking it on Monday morning, when the media reported more than 500 confirmed cases, I saw that only 164 cases were listed on it, ”said Booth.

As previously wrote ForumDaily New York:

• As of the end of January, deadly coronavirus spread rapidly worldwide from Wuhan (China), where it is believed that it originated. In this regard, New York began to prepare for the "inevitable" epidemic.
• In mid-February, it was reported as Chinese coronavirus has affected the economy in New York State, but did not affect the health of residents.
• In late February, it became known that New York will spend $ 40 million to prepare to the expected outbreak of coronavirus.
• March 2 in New York confirmed first coronavirus infection.
• March 3 New Yorkers began to stock up on non-perishable products and household items as fears grow that the outbreak of the new virus will become nationwide.
• March 10, it became known that New York began to release own hand sanitizer.
• March 11th reported that in New York will create the first quarantine zone in the United States.