With the closure of New York restaurants in light of the emerging Corona virus, the residents of the "city that never sleeps" depend on the food delivery workers, who number about 40 thousand, and most of them are immigrants who do not have legal papers, and therefore do not have health coverage.

But these are the only consolation for the 8.5 million New Yorkers who are not used to cooking, as they can still order food into their homes, despite the closure of restaurants and cafes, as well as cultural and touristic places.

In order to support the work of these establishments, New York's mayor, Bill de Blazy, authorized the delivery of cocktails and canceled fines that were imposed on electric bicycles, which are very popular with the delivery workers, as most of them do not meet the standards set by the municipality.

Despite these measures, requests are declining as people fear HIV infection. Many restaurants were closed due to lower returns, and the inability to pay their employees ’wages and rents.

Connection workers also fear infection, but they have no choice but to continue working, as they have no health coverage and no paid leave.

Therefore, they double the protective measures, some wear gloves, wear masks, and always carry an antiseptic packaging for the hands. Others put plastic bags on their bicycle wheels, to put their hands on them.

"While the rest of us stay at home, we risk that we may be infected with the Corona virus," said Alberto Gonzales, a Latin American, and a member of the "Mike the Road New" organization, to defend the immigrants. This really worries me. I have a wife and four children at home, and they all take the necessary measures to stay inside, but what's the point if I put them in danger by staying outside? ”

"Every time I make a delivery, I cleanse my hands and change my gloves," he told AFP, while he was getting off his bike in the heart of Manhattan.

He lost his job as a chef in a Greek restaurant a few days ago, due to a decline in the number of customers, as a result of the outbreak of the new Corona virus.

But he started working for Postmates, a company that specializes in delivering different needs to homes that, without tipping, pays him $ 9 an hour, less than the minimum wage of $ 13.5 an hour, paid by small businesses.

"You have to be careful when dealing with door handles and elevator buttons, as you don't know who might be the patient," admitted Abdoulaye Diallo, a delivery worker from Guinea, who works for the company "Seamless" for home delivery.

"I will continue to work, because I have no other choice in front of me," said the 19-year-old.

And the number of calls on social networks multiplied, to increase the tipping of the delivery workers, in solidarity with them. But this has not had a major impact so far, according to dozens of workers in the field interviewed by Agence France-Presse. "The work is down by 70%," said Martin Palderas, a 60-year-old Mexican, who works for the "Atomic Wings" restaurant, specializing in fried chicken wings.

This man, who does not have legal residency, and gets eight dollars an hour without tipping, said: "I pray to God to protect me from infection, but we are all vulnerable" to infection with the virus.

He, too, cannot stop working, as he sends money to his wife, children and grandchildren in Mexico.

Interest free loans

Bell de Plazio offers interest-free loans, amounting to $ 75,000, to companies with less than 100 workers, and proves that its sales have fallen by at least 25%, but for many restaurants this is not enough.

For Osman Safadougou, a 33-year-old transport worker from Ivory Coast, everything depends on the duration of the crisis: “If it continues for two weeks, things will be fine, but if the time is longer, then things will become complicated.”

Many restaurants were closed due to lower returns and the inability to pay the salaries of their employees.

Workers fear infection, but have no choice but to continue working.