Brooklyn, New York, USA – Bahar Bybordi remembers hearing the “blue code” every 10 to 15 minutes or so; that was the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic in the Brooklyn Hospital Center-the walkie-talkie message meant someone was dying or needed resuscitation.

The family members of the deceased cried so frequently that Bybordi would lock the office door, turn on the music, and drown out the crying while resting.

The doctor told Al Jazeera: “I have a friend who is the attending physician, who has been intubated.” “Seven or eight hospital employees died last year: patient transport, clerks and cooks.”

At the beginning of last year, the COVID-19 infection rate in New York City was one of the most serious infection rates on the planet. Many people worry that New York City will be defeated by the fear on the streets. Sirens sounded in empty skyscrapers and dead bodies piled up in refrigerated trucks, including an ominous place outside the Brooklyn medical facility.

However, leaders of the world are counting on an increasingly rapid reopening plan to revitalize the largest urban economy in the United States and turn a page in a terrifying chapter, even though many parts of the world are still in trouble.

Thanks to strong vaccination efforts and constant flow of federal stimulus funds, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo reappeared after being accused of sexual harassment and accused his team of deliberately concealing nursing home death data .

New York Governor Andrew Cuomo said May 19 will mark a “major” restart [File: Seth Wenig/AP Photo]

Cuomo announced earlier this month that just a few days after his political rival, New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio, announced that many businesses will reopen on July 1. , May 19 will mark the beginning of a “major” restart.

Most capacity limits for offices, retail, restaurants, stadiums and museums are in Dismiss Part of a coordinated effort by New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut.

excitement

The residence of Gary Newton, a resident of Fort Greene, Brooklyn, is located across from the hospital building. He said he was “excited about the opening of the city.”

He told Al Jazeera: “It’s really frustrating because I’m a hip-hop DJ and a promoter, and everything has been closed for a while.” “I have friends who have left and my family has left.” Newton’s recent work trip to Mexico He was skeptical. Although he was skeptical, he recently received the first dose of Moderna vaccine.

He described the peak of the New York pandemic as “very painful.” However, Newton said: “I am willing to go back and enjoy life. There are many diseases around, but it is difficult to stop living.

He added: “I can’t survive without so much work.” He hinted that the governor is taking the right actions by accelerating the return to normal.

New York said that in accordance with the regulations of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), keeping a distance of six feet (two meters), social distancing measures will continue to be effective, thus justifying its rapid reopening.

At the press conference, Cuomo explained the measures to reopen by comparing the positive rate of about 3% nationwide last week with the state’s positive rate. speed About 1%-a level not seen since mid-2020.

“Maintaining this progress is vital, and in order to keep moving in a positive direction, New Yorkers must continue to take all appropriate precautions,” Cuomo said when formulating the new guidelines.

He added: “If we let go now, we might go backwards, that is what no one wants.” “Please be safe, and for anyone who has not been vaccinated, please do so as soon as possible.”

“Functional Immunity”

survey It continues to show that many people in the United States, including New York, are still reluctant to go on vacation, fly and participate in large-scale events.

At the same time, although the state’s vaccine work has achieved great success, it has slowed down since its peak in April-a trend that has also been seen at the local and federal levels. Cuomo announced on Saturday that only more than half of the adults in the state received full vaccination.

The vaccination rate is still far below the 70% to 80% threshold required to achieve “bovine immunity”. De Blasio has gotten rid of this restraint, but said that “functional immunity” is the city’s new goal, and the city health commissioner believes that “community immunity” is the most feasible. This means treating COVID-19 as a seasonal disease that can be controlled in the long term rather than overcome.

But, for example, by creating separate areas on a baseball field for vaccinated and unvaccinated people, Cuomo hopes to inspire jabs. Free game tickets are also provided for people with a certain dose, and new local incentives include free one-week subway passes and free French fries from the popular fast-food chain Shake Shack. As of Wednesday, the state’s mask mission has also been relaxed, Federal Code.

Since its peak in April, vaccine work in New York State has achieved great success, but the pace has slowed [File: Caitlin Ochs/Reuters]

Ashwin Vasan, an epidemiologist and health asset expert, said: “It’s not a question of whether reopening is right or wrong,” he emphasized the need to promote the “last mile” of vaccines.

However, after the state suffered more than 50,000 coronavirus-related deaths and lost a million jobs (10% of the workforce) last year, many people still feel sorry.

“We still have a lot of people, including essential workers, who are hesitant to obtain vaccines or cannot easily access the vaccination site qualification requirements due to traffic barriers, poor Internet access, inability to take vacations, language barriers and proof of evidence.” He told Al Jazeera.

He said: “In the past 15 months, we have faced collective trauma, which is the same as any one of us has never experienced.” “This epidemic affects everyone in different ways. We need to develop policies. So that everyone can re-enter society at their own pace.”

Vaccine passport

For weeks, residents across the state have been able to use the Excelsior Pass mobile app (vaccine passport) to participate in sporting events, cultural performances and live entertainment. The Broadway Theater will open on September 14th, depending on the owner’s decision to make vaccination mandatory.

Starting from Wednesday, indoor social gatherings can accommodate up to 250 people, indoor residential gatherings are capped at 50, and outdoor residential events are not capped. Capacity limits for large indoor and outdoor venues will be maintained at 30% and 33%, respectively.

The governor also stated that his goal is to open public beaches and swimming pools in the state with 100% capacity by July 4.

After a year of night closure to clear trains, New York City has resumed 24-hour subway service on Monday. The curfew for outdoor dining has just ended, and the curfew for indoor dining is scheduled to be cancelled at the end of May.

Many chapels have their doors open for personal prayer, and even the iconic Plaza Hotel will reopen on Thursday after being closed for a year.

Regina Byrnes, 54 years old, said she is grateful that she has remained unscathed with COVID-19 so far. She told Al Jazeera: “New York is heading in the right direction.” She waited on the bench for the ride service outside the Brooklyn Community Hospital.

“A lot of people have been vaccinated, and we seem to be back on track.” Although he has not been vaccinated, Burns intends to have a haircut for the first time in many months, and said: “Travel will be great.”

She added: “It’s spring, but I just hope that the level of violence will decrease.” “Now, compared to the coronavirus, public safety is a bigger issue. There are many shooting incidents throughout our city, which may be [byproduct of] Pandemic. “

‘Keep it cautious’

Despite the surge in optimism, many New Yorkers are still concerned about rising crime rates, vacant office buildings, vacant retail stores, and people going to green pastures.

But Ziyad Alkhulaidi, a 23-year-old convenience store clerk, said the COVID-19 infection rate in the metropolitan area is high. Impregnation Last week, with less than 10 cases per 100,000 population, business “becomes stronger and will certainly pick up slowly and steadily.”

“it’s time to [reopen]”Although everything will not be the same as before.” Alkhulaidi, who lives with his family, said he bought the vaccine for the safety of others, Greene Bites told Jazeera ), the hospital provides services to many hospital patients.

He added: “I hope that people will still be aware of the coronavirus and be cautious.”

Local vaccine incentives include free French fries at the popular fast-food chain Shake Shack [File: Caitlin Ochs/Reuters]