(Fighting New Coronary Pneumonia) New York, Thanksgiving in the shadow of the epidemic
China News Service, New York, November 26th, title: New York, Thanksgiving in the shadow of the epidemic
China News Agency reporter Ma Delin
On November 26, New Yorkers ushered in a traditional holiday-Thanksgiving.
The Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade is the most iconic Thanksgiving celebration in New York City. Tens of thousands of people watch the parade every year.
Affected by the new crown pneumonia epidemic this year, this event has made many changes.
The ceremony to inflate various large balloons on the day before Thanksgiving was canceled; organizers abandoned the traditional 2.5-mile parade route for the first time in more than 90 years, and instead held it in the square outside the store and adjacent streets; people could not watch the scene, but watch TV Live broadcast; the number of people participating in the parade has been reduced by about three-quarters, and they must wear masks and other protective equipment; balloons pulled by volunteers in previous years have been replaced by vehicles, etc.
Since the end of October, the number of new confirmed cases of new coronary pneumonia in a single day in New York State has increased significantly, and the epidemic that has been clearly controlled in the past few months is likely to "return".
New York City’s single-day COVID-19 positive rate reached 3% on the 18th of this month, and the city government immediately decided to temporarily close the city’s public school system starting on the 19th.
New York Mayor Bai Sihao once said that according to the current situation, the entire New York City after Thanksgiving is likely to be designated as the "orange zone" of the epidemic, and stricter epidemic prevention measures will be implemented in various aspects.
"I go to the scene to watch the parade every year." On the afternoon of the 26th, Matthew wore a jacket with the Macy's parade pattern and took a selfie with his mobile phone while standing outside the Macy's flagship store in Manhattan.
He told a reporter from China News Agency that he came outside Macy’s in the morning, but the road was blocked and he could only look at the balloons from a distance. “It’s really a shame not to be able to appreciate it up close this year.” At this time, the workers were working Behind him dismantled the equipment for the morning performance.
Matthew said that he understands the special situation of the current situation very well. Although the epidemic has affected people to enjoy the holidays, he still hopes that everyone must put the protection of health first.
A young black man, Ray Bowe, rode a bicycle and performed a "heading stunt" in front of Macy's.
On the bicycle, he sometimes raised his head and chest, sometimes bent his back, sometimes stopped to avoid pedestrians, and sometimes even made difficult movements of stepping on the crossbeam and the seat of the bicycle.
But no matter how he acts, the ball always stops firmly above his head, attracting passers-by to watch and take pictures.
Ray Bowe is a football player.
"I know that today people can't watch the parade like in previous years." He told reporters that he deliberately performed in front of Macy's on Thanksgiving Day, just to use his actions to provide a little entertainment for the people here.
"The epidemic has brought big problems, everything is different." Ray Bowe said, people must be alert to the virus, but at the same time, "don't forget to be positive and optimistic."
Among the five districts of New York City, the pressure of the epidemic on Staten Island is more prominent, and some areas have been designated as “orange areas” for the epidemic.
The population density here is much lower than the other four districts, including Manhattan and Brooklyn. However, the number of COVID-19 patients hospitalized in this district has more than tripled in the past few weeks, and the local hospital beds have become tight.
Two days before Thanksgiving, Staten Island restarted the local temporary medical center for new coronary pneumonia to relieve the pressure of admitting patients.
At the peak of the epidemic this spring, New York City established a temporary medical point for COVID-19 in each of the five districts.
Staten Island is the first district in the city to restart a temporary medical point.
On Thanksgiving Day, there are few pedestrians around the medical point, and turkeys can often be seen in groups and strolling leisurely.
On the fence at the entrance of the medical point, there are several signs posted by local residents cheering for the medical staff. Occasionally, medical staff transport garbage from the building or carry a stretcher to an ambulance.
Probably because of the holiday, the rapid virus detection area outside the medical point was not open that day.
As night fell, many citizens came to the shopping street in front of Manhattan's Rockefeller Center to watch the annual holiday light show of the Saks Fifth Avenue boutique department store.
"I'm so grateful to stand here, because I'm still alive and healthy." Looking at the flashing lights, John, a native of New York, said.
John is not very worried about the risk of infection.
In his opinion, contracting the new crown virus is like "a car accident when crossing the road", "So I went out to enjoy the holiday with my wife and son as in previous years." John's wife and children are wearing masks, but he himself did not. .
In previous years, the people who came here to watch the light show were one after another, and the shopping street was almost impenetrable.
This year the audience is significantly smaller, and most people consciously keep a distance from each other.
At this time, the famous bronze statue of Prometheus at Rockefeller Center is wearing a mask, quietly watching people who also wear masks.
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