De Blasio envisions ‘Summer of New York City’ with full reopening from COVID lockdowns on July 1
Dave Goldiner, Denis Slattery, Shant Shahrigian
Over a year after the initial COVID outbreak shut down schools, businesses, eateries and everything else that makes the Big Apple great, Mayor de Blasio announced Thursday the city would “fully reopen” on July 1.
“We can see that light at the end of the tunnel,” he said at a press conference. “This is going to be the summer of New York City.”
The mayor envisioned everything from offices and schools to businesses and theaters operating at full capacity, saying, “people are going to flock here from all over the country to be part of this amazing moment in New York City.”
New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio
New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio (Michael M Santiago/GettyImages/)
Gov. Cuomo was quick to dismiss the mayor’s approach — the latest in a long series of nasty exchanges with the mayor’s office.
“I want it opened. I want to open New York City Tuesday,” the governor sarcastically said in Albany.
“It’s a statewide management system and we are managing it by the science, by the data,” Cuomo continued. “I’m reluctant to make projections because I think they’re irresponsible.”
“Ask the people of New York City what they think of the mayor of New York City, and I would second their opinion,” he added.
De Blasio spokesman Bill Neidhardt responded by saying, “serial sexual assaulter says what?” — a reference to multiple allegations of sexual misconduct against the governor, which Cuomo has denied.
“He doesn’t have any credibility and needs to resign,” Neidhardt added. “We wanted to talk about recovery; his response was talking about poll numbers.”
People gather in Bryant Park in midtown Manhattan, New York.
People gather in Bryant Park in midtown Manhattan, New York.
De Blasio’s announcement came after months of incremental adjustments to lockdown measures — most recently, the end of bar and restaurant curfews, set for May. President Biden recently said he wants Americans to be able to gather in small groups by July 4, marking “our independence from this virus.”
Throughout the reopening process, the mayor and Gov. Cuomo have engaged in an often bitter back-and-forth over the details. Under the ongoing state of emergency declared by Cuomo last year, localities must get approval for changes to lockdown measures from the state.
An encouraging sign hangs in West Village restaurant and bar, Hudson Hound in Manhattan, New York.
An encouraging sign hangs in West Village restaurant and bar, Hudson Hound in Manhattan, New York. (Barry Williams/)
Hizzoner said he hadn’t given Cuomo — who’s been reeling from revelations his office concealed the full extent of COVID deaths at nursing homes, in addition to the sexual misconduct allegations — any notice about his announcement.
De Blasio also suggested the governor’s politically weakened state opened up the path for the mayor to take the initiative.
“The balance of power has shifted a lot in Albany,” Hizzoner said. “I think the legislature is running the state of New York, and thank God for it.”
New York Governor Andrew Cuomo
New York Governor Andrew Cuomo
The mayor said the city’s historic vaccination effort — in which some 6.4 million shots have been given out to date — would let the city come roaring back this summer. Recent weeks have seen the COVID infection rate dip to about 3%, down from the double digits during a post-winter holiday surge.
“What do we have to do? We have to keep getting vaccinated,” de Blasio said. “The reason I am able to make this announcement today ... we have been moving forward constantly, more and more vaccinations.”
The mayor has set a goal of getting 5 million New Yorkers fully vaccinated by June.
De Blasio indicated many details about a full reopening of the city are yet to be figured out.
An NYC Mobile Vaccine Clinic bus is seen parked on Seventh Avenue and 54th Street in Brooklyn, New York.
An NYC Mobile Vaccine Clinic bus is seen parked on Seventh Avenue and 54th Street in Brooklyn, New York. (Luiz C. Ribeiro/)
Asked how the city would ensure businesses and other sites can safely host New Yorkers, he said his team was still working on that.
“I think it will make sense at some places; certainly, some private businesses may do that,” de Blasio said. “Other places, it may not make as much sense. The key is to get people vaccinated.”
He said safety guidelines on measures like social distancing and mask usage were also a work in progress.
“We want people to assume, keep your masks on through June,” de Blasio said. “After June, I think we’re going to be in a position to do some things differently.”
Staff members wearing protective masks demonstrate their safety measures to the media at a mahjong parlor on April 28, 2021, in Hong Kong, China. Hong Kong government announced a new vaccine bubble arrangement to relax the social distancing measures for bars, restaurants and other entertainment venues.
Staff members wearing protective masks demonstrate their safety measures to the media at a mahjong parlor on April 28, 2021, in Hong Kong, China.
In this handout photo provided by Disneyland Resort, a view of Sleeping Beauty Castle in Disneyland Park illuminated during a special live-streamed moment to welcome Cast Members back to the resort on April 26, 2021, at Disneyland Resort in Anaheim, Calif. Disneyland Resort theme parks will reopen to guests on Friday, April 30, 2021.
This photograph taken with a fish-eye effect shows musicians and chorus of the Fenice Opera theatre perform the Verdi e la Fenice (Verdi and the Fenice) to mark the reopening of the Fenice Opera theater in Venice on April 26, 2021, as bars, restaurants, cinemas and concert halls partially reopen across Italy. This comes as parliament debates the government's 220-billion-euro ($266-billion) EU-funded recovery plan. After months of stop-start restrictions imposed to manage its second and third waves of COVID-19, Italy hopes this latest easing will mark the start of something like a normal summer.
Actors run through an early rehearsal of "A Midsummer Night's Dream" following the re-opening for rehearsals and visitor tours of The Globe Theatre on April 14, 2021, in London, England. Running from May 19 to October 30, the production will see a change in the venue with seating for those in what is traditionally the standing area.
A group takes part in a guided tour following the re-opening of The Globe Theatre on April 14, 2021, in London, England.
Fiona Scott prepares to visit her mother Mary Cook at a nursing home for the first time since the lockdown started in Scotland, amid the spread of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) on March 1, 2021, in Edinburgh, Scotland.
Fiona Scott visits her mother Mary Cook at a nursing home for the first time since the lockdown started in Scotland amid the spread of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) on March 1, 2021, in Edinburgh, Scotland.
Hairstylists wash and cut hair at House of Hair salon on the first day it reopened since a hard lockdown went into effect last December during the coronavirus pandemic on March 1, 2021, in Berlin, Germany. States across Germany are easing some lockdown measures, with hair salons reopening nationwide and home improvement stores, gardening centers and flower shops also reopening in some states.
Hairdresser Andreas Garzareck-Walther cuts the hair of a customer on the first day it reopened following a hard lockdown during the novel coronavirus pandemic on March 1, 2021, in Halle, Germany.
A hairstylist cuts hair at a barbershop and hair salon on the first day it reopened since a hard lockdown went into effect last December during the coronavirus pandemic on March 1, 2021, in Berlin, Germany.
Elementary school students arrive at school on the first day of the new semester in Wuhan in China's central Hubei province on Sept. 1, 2020. Schools across the city, which was once the epicenter of the coronavirus pandemic, reopened for a new semester on Tuesday.
Elementary school students are welcomed by teachers as they arrive at school on the first day of the new semester in Wuhan in China's central Hubei province on Sept. 1, 2020.
Students attend a class at Wuhan High School on the first day of the new semester in Wuhan in China's central Hubei province on Sept. 1, 2020.
An elementary school student walks past a thermal scanner as she arrives at school on the first day of the new semester in Wuhan in China's central Hubei province on Sept. 1, 2020.
Elementary school students attend a class on the first day of the new semester in Wuhan in China's central Hubei province on Sept. 1, 2020.
Cimmie Hunter, left, and Cadence Ludlow, both 6th graders, arrive at Liberty Elementary School during the first day of class on Monday, Aug. 17, 2020, in Murray, Utah. Murray City School District opened its doors Monday, offering its 6,300 students a choice among in-person learning, hybrid instruction and distance learning.
Andy and Lori Metcalf walk their daughter Gabbie, a 2nd grader, to the first day of class at Liberty Elementary School on Monday, Aug. 17, 2020, in Murray, Utah.
Students walk into Liberty Elementary School during the first day of class on Monday, Aug. 17, 2020, in Murray, Utah.
Alcatraz Island, seen here in San Francisco in March 2019, will reopen its outdoor areas to the public next week after being closed for five months due to the coronavirus pandemic. The Mercury News reported Thursday, Aug. 13, 2020, the island that once housed Al Capone and George "Machine Gun" Kelly will reopen Monday but will be an outdoor-only experience, to reduce the risk of spreading COVID-19.
Soldiers disinfect the Christ the Redeemer site, currently closed, to prepare for what tourism officials hope will be a surge in visitors in the upcoming weekend as health restrictions are eased amid the new coronavirus pandemic in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil on Thursday, Aug. 13, 2020.
Cinema worker Gustavo Angel Oropeza Alvarez, 21, takes the temperature of a man arriving at the Cinepolis movie theater in Forum Buenavista mall in Mexico City, Mexico on Wednesday, Aug. 12, 2020. After being closed for nearly five months amidst the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, movie theaters in the capital reopened Wednesday at 30% capacity.
Visitors holding Korean traditional lanterns take pictures during the Moonlight Tour at Changdeokgung Palace in Seoul, South Korea on Thursday, Aug. 13, 2020. The palace reopened Thursday after having been closed for two months due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Israel Museum staff move Auguste Rodin's "Eve" back into a gallery during final preparations to reopen following five months of closure due to the coronavirus pandemic in Jerusalem on Tuesday, Aug. 11, 2020. The Israel Museum, the country's largest cultural institution, is returning the priceless Dead Sea scrolls and other treasured artworks to its galleries ahead of this week's reopening to the public.
Visitors wearing protective masks due to COVID-19 walk along the dock while touring the U.S.S. Constitution, the U.S. Navy's oldest commissioned ship, on Friday, Aug. 7, 2020, in Boston, Mass. The ship, which is also known as "Old Ironsides," reopened for visitors Friday after being shutdown since mid-March due to the virus outbreak.
A Historic Royal Palaces Conservator cleans the King's Staircase ahead of the re-opening of Kensington Palace to the public tomorrow on July 29, 2020, in London, England. Kensington Palace has been closed to visitors for four months due to COVID-19.
A Historic Royal Palace conservator cleans the King's Presence Chamber ahead of the re-opening of Kensington Palace to the public tomorrow on July 29, 2020, in London, England.
A Historic Royal Palaces Conservator opens the blinds in the King's Gallery ahead of the re-opening of Kensington Palace to the public tomorrow on July 29, 2020, in London, England.
People wearing face masks to protect against the coronavirus sit spaced apart as they watch the film "Dolittle" at a movie theater in Beijing, China on July 24, 2020. Beijing partially reopened movie theaters on Friday as the threat from the coronavirus continues to recede in China’s capital.
A patron wearing a face mask to protect against the coronavirus uses her smartphone in the lobby of a movie theater in Beijing on July 24, 2020.
An electronic seating chart shows socially distanced available seats for patrons, in red, at a movie theater in Beijing on July 24, 2020.
People wearing face masks to protect against the coronavirus watch the film "Dolittle" at a movie theater in Beijing on July 24, 2020.
People wearing face masks to protect against the coronavirus watch a film at a movie theater in Beijing on July 24, 2020.
Passengers prepare to travel at an airport in Baghdad, Iraq on July 23, 2020. Iraq opened its airports to commercial flights on Thursday following months of lockdown as part of the government's plan to ease restrictions.
A worker wearing a face mask due to the COVID-19 pandemic arranges the window display of a gallery in Basingstoke, south west of London, on July 23, 2020, as consumers return to the shops following the continued lifting of coronavirus lockdown restrictions.
Social distancing signs on the sits of the Stade de France stadium in Saint-Denis, on the outskirts of Paris, on the eve of the French Cup final between Paris Saint-Germain and Saint-Etienne on July 23, 2020, as France eases lockdown measures taken to curb the spread of the COVID-19.
A woman wearing a face covering puts a bet on at the Scotbet Independent bookmakers shop, as coronavirus measures are relaxed to allow televisions and seating inside betting shops on July 22, 2020 in Chapelhall, Scotland.
A hairdresser wearing a face mask dyes the hair of a customer as he works behind closed doors, despite official restrictions to curb the spread of COVID-19, on July 22, 2020 in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Hair salons will be allowed to reopen on July 29 after four months of inactivity.
Students wearing masks and face shields attend classes with social distancing measure during the first day of reopening of public high schools following closure due to the coronavirus in Yangon, Myanmar on July 21, 2020.
A waiter disinfects a customer as he enters a restaurant in Lima on July 20, 2020, amid the new coronavirus pandemic. The restaurants of Peru reopened their doors Monday after four months of confinement due to the new coronavirus pandemic, but hundreds did not manage to survive the quarantine.
Residents watch a movie in a cinema on July 20, 2020, in Wuhan, Hubei Province, China. Taking various measures against COVID-19, cinemas in the city reopened in an orderly manner on Monday.
An aerial view of Fitness Instructor Dennis Guerrero leading an outdoor Jetty Gym "Outside The Box" fitness workout on July 20, 2020, in Oceanside, New York. New York Governor Andrew Cuomo announced that gyms will not be permitted to reopen during phase 4 until New York's Health Department determines if air filtering systems are circulating the coronavirus. More than 3,900,000 people in the United States alone have been infected with the coronavirus and at least 143,000 have died.
A group of boys pose for a photo by the lake of Palermo on July 20, 2020, in Buenos Aires, Argentina. After the government announced loosening of restrictions, Buenos Aires City starts a new phase of lockdown. Today, non-essential businesses and certain professional activities can restart. Other activities permitted are individual sports, worshiping in temples and take-away restaurants.
People wearing protective masks watch a sea lion jumping in a pool at Central Park Zoo as the city enters Phase 4 of re-opening following restrictions imposed to slow the spread of coronavirus on July 20, 2020, in New York City. The fourth phase allows outdoor arts and entertainment, sporting events without fans and media production.
Spectators in their vehicles attend a drive-in movie screening of "Pulp Fiction" amidst the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic at Cine Lagoa Drive-in on July 19, 2020, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Cine Lagoa Drive-in originally opened in 1966 and was the first in Latin America. Despite it's closure twenty-seven years ago, the drive-in cinema model resurfaces due to the need for social distancing brought about by the coronavirus pandemic.
An employee wearing a face masks delivers food directly to the customer car during a drive-in movie screening of "Pulp Fiction" amidst the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic at Cine Lagoa Drive-in on July 19, 2020, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
People play volleyball at Flamengo Beach amid the coronavirus pandemic on July 19, 2020, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The practice of physical activities on boardwalks and individual sports at sea is allowed. However, the use of chairs and tents on the sand is still prohibited. Starting next week group sports such as volleyball and football can be practiced, but only on weekdays.
Dutch King Willem-Alexander tours the "Contagious!" exhibit at Rijksmuseum Boerhaave in Leiden, Netherlands on Thursday, July 16, 2020. The museum finally opened an exhibition Thursday on contagious diseases through the ages after a long delay caused by the disease currently sweeping the world, COVID-19.
A customer reads the menu at Go noodles where her order will be served in one of the glass-paned lockers seen behind her in Tel Aviv, Israel on Thursday, July 16, 2020. The coronavirus crisis and its economic impact have forced many small businesses and restaurants to shut their doors in recent months, but Tel Aviv's Go Noodles opened a new branch last week that features digital-only ordering and pickup from lockers.
Diego Buonanotte of Universidad Catolica gets his temperature checked as he arrives for the first training during the coronavirus pandemic on July 16, 202,0 in Santiago, Chile. Teams of first and second division in areas on quarantine were allowed to train in groups following strict protocols.
Ultra-Orthodox Jewish men wear protective face masks during morning prayer at the Western Wall, the holiest site where Jews can pray, in Jerusalem's Old City on Thursday, July 16, 2020. The Western Wall plaza is divided to sections which allow a maximum twenty people following the government's measures to help stop the spread of the coronavirus.
People wearing face masks to protect against the coronavirus ride an escalator at a shopping and office complex in Beijing, China on Thursday, July 16, 2020. China's economy has rebounded from a painful contraction to grow by 3.2% in the latest quarter compared to a year ago. The expansion came as anti-virus lockdowns were lifted and factories and stores reopened.
A man wearing a face mask has his temperature taken by a staff member wearing a face shield before entering an indoor climbing gym amidst the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic on July 15, 2020, in Sao Paulo, Brazil. The government of Sao Paulo updated its plan to reopen the economy and anticipated the return of gyms following social distance rules such as reduced opening hours, restricting the flow of people and maintaining hygiene standards.
A woman wearing a face mask exercises in an indoor climbing gym amidst the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic on July 15, 2020 in Sao Paulo, Brazil.
A manicurist wears a mask, face shield and gloves as protection against the COVID-19 pandemic while attending a client on the first day the saloon was allowed to reopen as restrictions ease in Brasilia, Brazil on Wednesday, July 15, 2020.
Guests get their temperature taken as they arrive to attend the official re-opening day of Epcot at Walt Disney World in Lake Buena Vista, Fla. on Wednesday, July 15, 2020. All four of Disney's Florida parks are now open, including Hollywood Studios, the Magic Kingdom and Animal Kingdom, with limited capacity and safety protocols in place in response to the coronavirus pandemic.
Children enjoy a swing ride at the pop-up funfair "Duesselland" at the fairgrounds in Duesseldorf, Germany on Wednesday, July 15, 2020. Many trade shows had to be cancelled because of the COVID-19 outbreak, so the exhibition grounds organized the first pop-up amusement park under strong public health restrictions instead.
Maria Elena Vallejo, left, plays guitar and sings at the Girl's Empowerment and Mentoring (G.E.M.) Summer Arts Camp during the coronavirus pandemic on Wednesday, July 15, 2020, in Miami, Fla. This Miami-Dade County summer camp program is operating at limited capacity, and has enhanced health screenings and sanitizing procedures, practices social distancing and requires wearing of face coverings.
Visitors look on from the third level during the opening up of the top floor of the Eiffel Tower on Wednesday, July 15, 2020, in Paris, France. The top floor of Paris' Eiffel Tower reopened today as the 19th century iron monument re-opened its first two floors on June 26 following its longest closure since World War II.
Wearing masks amid the concern of COVID-19, Richardson Independent School District workers Rogelio Ponciano, right, and Matt Attaway install a plexiglass barrier on the sink in the restroom for students at Bukhair Elementary School in Dallas, Tex. on Wednesday, July 15, 2020.
People wade in shallow waters at Playa del Salado in Caimito, Artemisa province, Cuba on Wednesday, July 15, 2020. With government restrictions easing and a heat wave sweeping the island, thousands of Cubans are packing the beaches without masks on the sand and in the water. But after closing down for over three months, COVID-19 infection rates remain extremely low.
Motown Museum tour guide Jamia Henry points out notable Motown legends during a tour of the museum on Wednesday, July 15, 2020, in Detroit. The Detroit building where Berry Gordy Jr. built his music empire reopened its doors to the public on Wednesday. It had been closed since March due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Guests wear masks as required to attend the official reopening day of the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World in Lake Buena Vista, Fla., Saturday, July 11, 2020. Disney reopened two Florida parks, the Magic Kingdom and Animal Kingdom, Saturday, with limited capacity and safety protocols in place in response to the coronavirus pandemic.
Guests wear masks as required as they arrive to attend the official reopening day of the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World in Lake Buena Vista, Fla., on Saturday, July 11, 2020.
A guests gets her temperature taken before entering the official reopening day of the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World in Lake Buena Vista, Fla., on Saturday, July 11, 2020.
Guests wear masks as required to attend the official reopening day of the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World while taking the big plunge on Splash Mountain at the park in Lake Buena Vista, Fla., on Saturday, July 11, 2020.
Customers walk past a sign that encourages people to keep a six foot distance from each other at Roosevelt Field Mall in Garden City, New York, which reopened on July 10, 2020. The openings follow Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo’s announcement on Wednesday that malls outside of New York City can open if they have high-efficiency air filtration systems to help control the spread of the virus.
Employee Zoe Golden-Johnson records the number of shoppers who exit and enter the Old Navy store at the Poughkeepsie Galleria on July 10, 2020, in Poughkeepsie, New York. Certain regions in New York state were allowed to reopen on Friday after being shuttered due to the coronavirus. They are required to upgrade their ventilation systems and enforce social distancing to the greatest extent possible.
Customers wait to enter JD sneaker store at Roosevelt Field Mall on July 10, 2020 in Garden City, New York.
Customers are required to use hand sanitizer upon entering the Adidas store at Roosevelt Field Mall on July 10, 2020 in Garden City, New York.
A sign on mask usage covers the disabled interactive directory display at the Poughkeepsie Galleria mall in Poughkeepsie, New York on July 10, 2020.
Customers sit outside Macy's department store at Roosevelt Field Mall on July 10, 2020 in Garden City, New York.
An aerial view of Queen Square shows hearts sprayed onto the grass in an effort to encourage social distancing on July 8, 2020, in Bristol, England. England has continued its phased easing of lockdown restrictions by reopening restaurants, pubs and hairdressing salons while the two-metre social distancing rule has been revised to 1m+.
A policeman hands out face masks to people who were arrested for not wearing face masks while being detained at a stadium on July 8, 2020, in Quezon city, Metro Manila, Philippines. President Rodrigo Duterte expressed concern with reopening the country as it struggles to contain the spread of the coronavirus. With more than 45,000 cases and more than a thousand deaths, the Philippines is the second worst coronavirus-hit country in Southeast Asia, despite imposing the longest lockdown in the world surpassing a hundred days that has left millions of Filipinos jobless and hungry.
Tourists take their pictures in front the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) World Heritage Site of Qutub Minar complex on July 6, 2020, in New Delhi, India. Barring the iconic Taj Mahal, the Archeological Survey of India (ASI) Monday opened for the public the historical monuments which had remained closed for several months after the Indian government imposed a nationwide lockdown on March 25 to curb the spread of coronavirus.
Patrons enjoy lunch at a bar reopened after the easing of quarantine measures on July 6, 2020, in Sao Paulo, Brazil. The city of Sao Paulo eased restrictions on bars, restaurants and beauty salons amidst the coronavirus pandemic.
A visitor wearing a protective face mask takes a selfie in front of Leonardo da Vinci's masterpiece, "Mona Lisa," also known as "La Gioconda," on the reopening day of the Louvre Museum in Paris, France on July 6, 2020.
Members of the public enjoy their first drink in a beer garden at SWG3 on July 6, 2020, in Glasgow, Scotland.
People relax and enjoy Llandudno promenade after pandemic travel restrictions were eased on July 6, 2020, in Llandudno, United Kingdom. Lockdown restrictions continue to be eased in Wales as the number of coronavirus cases continues to fall. The "stay local" guidance has been dropped and people are now allowed to travel further than five miles from their home. Outdoor attractions have been allowed to open and two households can stay together indoors and overnight. The Welsh assembly is hoping to open self-contained holiday accommodation from July 11 giving a welcome boost to the tourist industry.
Members of the public enjoy their first drink in a beer garden at SWG3 multi – disciplinary arts venue on July 6, 2020, in Glasgow, Scotland.
Social distancing marks are seen on the floor outside the Louvre museum as it reopens its doors following its 16-week closure due to lockdown measures caused by the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic on July 6, 2020, in Paris, France.
Members of the public enjoy their first drink in a beer garden at the Cottiers in the West End on July 6, 2020, in Glasgow, Scotland. Beer gardens across Scotland are permitted to reopen today, as the coronavirus lockdown restrictions are eased further in the country.
Customers drink outside the East Dulwich Tavern on July 5, 2020, in London, England. Pubs, restaurants and barber shops were among the businesses that could reopen across England on July 4 after being closed for over three months due to the coronavirus pandemic.
People gather at the 9/11 memorial plaza on the first day that it has reopened after closing for three months due to the coronavirus on on July 4, 2020, in New York City. While the museum at the site remains closed, on Saturday, first responders, military and others will be allowed to stand beside the memorial pools that sit in the footprints where the twin towers used to stand. Starting on Sunday the site will be open to the general public.
People gather at the 9/11 Memorial Plaza on the first day that it has reopened after closing for three months because of the coronavirus on July 4, 2020, in New York City.
A hotel employee disinfects the lobby of Istanbul's historic Pera Palace Hotel on July 4, 2020, in Istanbul, Turkey. After being closed for more than three months the famous hotel reopened on June 26 under new coronavirus restrictions. After each stay rooms are cleaned and disinfected and left for 12 hours before new guests can enter, air conditioning units were altered with new filters, masks and hand sanitizer are supplied throughout the hotel.
A group of people are seen wearing masks while viewing paintings at the National Portrait Gallery during a press preview ahead of the gallery's reopening on July 4, 2020, in London, England. The National Portrait gallery is set to re-open on July 8 following closure due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Yemeni women residing in Egypt visit the Giza Pyramids necropolis on the southwestern outskirts of Cairo, Egypt's capital, on July 1, 2020 as the country eases restrictions put in place due to the coronavirus pandemic. A spree of openings in Egypt comes after the country officially ended a three-month nighttime curfew a few days earlier.
Mask-clad camel guides stand by their camels near the Great Pyramid of Khufu (Cheops) at the Giza Pyramids necropolis on the southwestern outskirts of Cairo on July 1, 2020 as the archaeological site reopens. While cafes and shops have also reopened, public beaches and parks remain closed.
Tourists look as they visit the ancient Temple of Luxor in Egypt's southern city of Luxor on July 1, 2020.
A couple checks into a bar using a tracking app as restrictions to halt the spread of the coronavirus are eased in Bangkok on July 1, 2020.
A waiter serves customers at a bar as restrictions to halt the spread of the coronavirus are eased in Bangkok on July 1, 2020.
People enjoy a day at the Nord Beach in Gandia, Spain, near Valencia, on July 1, 2020. The European Union reopened its borders to visitors from 15 countries, but excluded the United States, where coronavirus deaths are spiking once again.
People line up prior to visit the Eiffel Tower in Paris on June 25, 2020. The Eiffel Tower deemed safe to reopen on Thursday after the coronavirus pandemic led to the iconic landmark's longest closure since World War II.
People line up prior to visit the Eiffel Tower in Paris on June 25, 2020.
A visitor looks at the view from the Eiffel Tower in Paris on the first day of its reopening on June 25, 2020.
People climb stairs as they visit the Eiffel Tower in Paris on June 25, 2020.
A couple hugs each other as they visit the Eiffel Tower in Paris on June 25, 2020.
People are seen on the beach on the hottest day of the year after an easing of social restrictions due to coronavirus in Bournemouth, England on Wednesday, June 24, 2020. Temperatures reached 32.6C (90.7F) at London's Heathrow Airport on Wednesday.
Students wearing face masks and maintaining social distancing at a classroom during the first day of school reopening at a high school in Putrajaya, Malaysia on Wednesday, June 24, 2020. Malaysia began reopening schools Wednesday while entering the Recovery Movement Control Order (RMCO) after three months of coronavirus restrictions.
Journalists stand in front of Leonardo da Vinci's Mona Lisa during a visit of the Louvre museum ahead of its reopening next July 6, in Paris, France on Tuesday, June 23, 2020. Before mass tourism came to a screeching halt with the coronavirus pandemic, the Louvre drew up to 50,000 visitors per day, and when they reopen on upcoming July 6, they are counting on the world’s most famous portrait, the “Mona Lisa” to help lure back visitors.
Patio umbrellas and tarps dot the landscape at La Parada market in La Victoria district amid the new coronavirus pandemic in Lima, Peru on Tuesday, June 23, 2020. Many businesses reopened Monday in Peru after a mandatory closure that began on March 16 with the start of a quarantine aimed at slowing the advance of the new coronavirus.
Giant Panda Riri is seen at the reopened Ueno Zoo in Tokyo, Japan on Tuesday, June 23, 2020. Hundreds of Tokyo residents flocked to Ueno zoo on Tuesday after it reopened for the first time since it closed in February due to coronavirus restrictions.
A woman sits as she waits to get her hair done outside of a hair salon in Winnetka, Ill. on Tuesday, June 23, 2020. Gatherings of up to 50 people will be allowed across the state starting Friday as Illinois moves into the fourth phase of its reopening plan. Phase four includes businesses such as hair salons, hair braiders, barber shops, nail salons, spas, massage therapy clinics, waxing centers, tattoo parlors and tanning salons.
This June 3, 2020, photo shows a worker at the Ocean Casino Resort in Atlantic City, N.J. removing the chair from a slot machine, part of distancing measures to help prevent the spread of the coronavirus. On June 22, New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy announced that Atlantic City's nine casinos may reopen on July 2 at 25% of capacity.
Pedestrians pass customers dining outside Casa Mezcal on Monday, June 22, 2020, in New York. New York City ventured into a crucial stage of reopening as stores let people in Monday, offices brought workers back, restaurants seated customers outdoors and residents both welcomed and worried about rebounding from the nation's deadliest coronavirus outbreak.
A view of Disney's Grand Floridian Resort main entrance, at Walt Disney World in Lake Buena Vista, Fla. on Monday, June 22, 2020. The Villas at the Grand Floridian opened Monday as a part of select resorts in the first group to reopen since being shutdown by the coronavirus pandemic in March.
People wear protective masks as they get into a movie theater in Paris, France on Monday, June 22, 2020. Movie theaters are reopening across the country after three months of closure due to the COVID-19 lockdown measures.
In this Saturday, June 20, 2020, photo, residents wear face masks, to protect against coronavirus, and San Fermin's red kerchief as people march the route of the running of the bulls while a singer performs a San Fermin's festival song in Pamplona, northern Spain. Spain reopened its borders to European tourists on Sunday, June 21, 2020, in a bid to kickstart its economy while Brazil and South Africa struggled with rising coronavirus infections.
A man rides his horse while people swim in the Mediterranean Sea at Ramlet al-Baida public beach in Beirut, Lebanon on Saturday, June 20, 2020. Lebanon, which has had relatively low numbers of coronavirus infections and is suffering an unprecedented economic and financial crisis, has eased lockdown restrictions and reopened almost all businesses including beaches, pools, restaurants and cafes.
Visitors to Six Flag Fiesta Texas wear masks for protection against the coronavirus and are spaced apart on a rollercoaster ride on Friday, June 19, 2020, in San Antonio, Tex. The theme park reopened Friday as COVID-19 cases continue to spike in Texas.
In this Thursday, June 18, 2020, photo, a technical staff and actors, wearing face masks to help curb the spread of the new coronavirus, rehearse at the "Central Market" soap-opera studio set in Boadilla del Monte, outskirts of Madrid, Spain. Spain's audiovisual sector is coming back to life after the dire months of lockdown as a consequence of the country's COVID-19 outbreak and subsequent state of emergency. On the set of the popular "Central Market" soap-opera, run on public broadcaster TVE, the technical staff and actors are back to work following of strict anti-COVID guidelines.
A zookeeper wearing a protective face mask feeds giraffes at Ragunan Zoo prior to its reopening after weeks of closure due to the large-scale restrictions imposed to help curb the new coronavirus outbreak in Jakarta, Indonesia on Wednesday, June 17, 2020. As Indonesia's overall virus caseload continues to rise, the capital city has moved to restore normalcy by lifting some restrictions, saying that the spread of the virus in the city of 11 million has slowed after peaking in mid-April.
A man waits for the beginning of the film in the Capitol cinema on June 12, 2020 in Madrid, Spain. The Capitol cinema reopened with a 20% capacity in each of its screening rooms after its closure in the middle of March due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This week, all regions are on either Phase One or Two, one month after all of Spain started on Phase Zero on May 4, 2020.
A man wearing a face mask waits for the beginning of the film in the Capitol cinema, opened at 20% capacity, on June 12, 2020 in Madrid, Spain.
Customers enjoy a drink on the terrace of 18th Century Cafe Florian on June 12, 2020 on St. Mark's Square in Venice, which reopened after being closed for three months during the country's lockdown due to COVID-19.
An employee takes off wooden shutters from the facade of 18th Century Cafe Florian on June 12, 2020 on St. Mark's Square in Venice, which reopened after being closed for three months during the country's lockdown.
Staff at English Heritage organization carry out a visitor practice dry run with family members at Brodsworth Hall near York, England on June 12, 2020, ahead of the garden's official reopening on Saturday. The restored Victorian gardens are among the very first of English Heritage's staffed properties to reopen, with social distancing measures in place.
A customer wearing a face mask has her temperature measured at the entrance of the reopened Capitol cinema on June 12, 2020 in Madrid, Spain.
People play craps after the reopening of the Bellagio hotel and casino on June 4, 2020 in Las Vegas. Casinos in Nevada were allowed to reopen on Thursday for the first time after temporary closures occurred as a precaution against the coronavirus.
Pierre-Antoine Boureau, center, measures the space between tables as he prepares the terrace of a restaurant in order to respect social distancing in Paris on June 1, 2020. France is reopened its restaurants, bars and cafes on Tuesday as the country eased most restrictions amid the coronavirus crisis.
People eat and have drinks at a cafe terrace in the rue de Buci in Paris on June 2, 2020, the day cafes and restaurants reopened in France.
People exercise in a park in Lahore, Pakistan on June 5, 2020. The Government of Pakistan's Punjab province reopened parks in different cities of the province, including Lahore, following the coronavirus outbreak.
A devotee prays inside the Minor Basilica of the Black Nazarene, popularly known as Quiapo church, as it slowly reopens its doors in downtown Manila on June 5, 2020.
Muslim men pray spaced apart during a Friday prayer at At-Tin mosque in Jakarta, Indonesia on June 5, 2020. Muslims in Indonesia's capital held their first communal Friday prayers as mosques closed by the coronavirus outbreak for nine weeks reopened at half capacity.
Cyclists wait at Parliament Square in London, England on Monday, May 18, 2020. Large areas of London are to be closed to cars and vans to allow people to walk and cycle safely as the coronavirus lockdown is eased.
A man takes a picture next the ancient Parthenon temple at the Acropolis hill of Athens on Monday, May 18, 2020. Greece reopened the Acropolis in Athens and other ancient sites Monday, along with high schools, shopping malls, and mainland travel in the latest round of easing pandemic restrictions imposed in late March.
People wearing face masks to prevent the spread of COVID-19 pray in John Paul II chapel in St. Peter's Basilica at the Vatican in the day of its reopening, which coincided with John Paul II 100th anniversary of birth, on Monday, May 18, 2020. Italy is slowly lifting sanitary restrictions after a two-month coronavirus lockdown.
A disinfectant dispenser is placed at the Ognissanti church in Rome, Italy on Monday, May 18, 2020, as Italy is slowly lifting sanitary restrictions after a two-month coronavirus lockdown. Today is the first day the presence of faithful is allowed during public masses since Italy's lockdown due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Passengers wearing face masks to protect against coronavirus sit apart while waiting for a train at a subway station in Lisbon, Portugal on Monday, May 18, 2020. The Portuguese government is gradually easing measures introduced to stem the spread of the new coronavirus. Poster reads in Portuguese, "Let's defeat COVID-19" and "Keep the distance."
Buses drive across Waterloo Bridge, against the backdrop of the City of London' skyline in London, on Monday, May 18, 2020. Britain's Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced last Sunday that people could return to work if they could not work from home.
Faithful sitting in the benches, following the rules of social distancing, during a mass on the first day they were allowed during masses in Turin, Italy on Monday, May 18, 2020. Italy is slowly lifting sanitary restrictions after a two-month coronavirus lockdown.
In this photo provided by the Greek Prime Minister's Office, Greece's Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis speaks with a pupil during his visit to a secondary school in Athens, Monday, May 18, 2020. Greece reopened the Acropolis in Athens and other ancient sites Monday, along with high schools, shopping malls, and mainland travel in the latest round of easing pandemic restrictions imposed in late March.
Greg Young, right, owner of Nobleman's Cut & Shave in Fort Lauderdale's Fat Village, modifies his shop to observe social distancing, with the help of his friend Jay Weaver on Sunday, May 17, 2020. Broward County businesses are set to partially reopen Monday morning.
Michael Mansfield, center, of J.Brian's Tap Room, serves food at the downtown Fredericksburg, Va. eatery on Saturday, May 16, 2020, during the coronavirus pandemic. Several Fredericksburg restaurants opened their outdoor areas for the first phase of re-opening during the pandemic.
Two people pose for a picture with a social distancing sign on the boardwalk at Seaside Heights, N.J. on Friday, May 15, 2020, the first day the beach and boardwalk were during the coronavirus outbreak.
Tattoo artist Lucas Butcher gives David Waltz a tattoo at True Art Tattoos during the coronavirus pandemic on Friday, May 15, 2020, in Cleveland. Republican Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine has said that 90% of the state's economy will be back online this weekend with Ohioans having returned to offices, factories, construction jobs and retail stores, and now outdoor eating.
Martha Schebaum shops for flowers at the Apple Barrel Country Store and Cafe in Schoharie, N.Y. on Friday, May 15, 2020. The Apple Barrel geared up its nursery business as New York allowed selected businesses to re-open in some parts of the state just hours away from pandemic-stricken New York City.
A crowd watches a baseball game between Fubon Guardians and Uni-Lions at the Xinzhuang Baseball Stadium in New Taipei City, Taiwan on May 8, 2020. The Chinese Professional Baseball League (CPBL) allowed 1,000 fans into the stadium for the first time after the new season started behind closed doors.
Fans sit apart in the stands for the baseball game at Xinzhuang Baseball Stadium in New Taipei City, Taiwan on May 8, 2020. Up to 1,000 spectators are now allowed in the stands for baseball in Taiwan on Friday, but they are still barred from bringing in food and concession stands are still closed.
A group of people sing the national song before the baseball game at Xinzhuang Baseball Stadium in New Taipei City, Taiwan on May 8, 2020.
Fans cheer with cheerleaders at Xinzhuang Baseball Stadium in New Taipei City, Taiwan on May 8, 2020.
Baseball fans enter the Xinzhuang Baseball Stadium in New Taipei City, Taiwan on May 8, 2020.
Mounted police patrol on horses as people exercise on a seafront promenade in Barcelona, Spain on Sunday, May 3, 2020. Spaniards have filled the streets of the country to do exercise after seven weeks of confinement to their homes to fight the coronavirus pandemic.
Thousands line up to receive food handouts in the Olievenhoutbos township of Midrand, South Africa on Saturday, May 2, 2020. Although South Africa began a phased easing of its strict lockdown measures on May 1, the confirmed cases of coronavirus continue to increase.
A shopper passes by social distancing markers as they enter NorthPark Center mall on Friday, May 1, 2020, in Dallas, Texas. Texas Gov. Greg Abbott's executive order requiring Texans to stay at home expired on the day before, allowing businesses to reopen under certain conditions as soon as Friday. Stores, restaurants and movie theaters may open as long as they maintain only a 25 percent occupancy and follow social distancing. Under those guidelines, malls can also open but food courts, play areas and interactive displays or settings must remain closed.
A woman looks at the Manhattan skyline from Liberty State Park in Jersey City, N.J. on Saturday, May 2, 2020. Gov. Phil Murphy said early reports of behavior at New Jersey's just-reopened parks and golf courses were "so far so good" with people adhering to social distancing. Murphy earlier said state troopers and park police would closely watch parks and golf courses as they reopened during especially fine weather over the weekend.
Dean Wolfgang Picken speaks to the audience as his church members wear a protective face mask during a Sunday mass at St. Remigius Catholic church for the first time since March during the novel coronavirus crisis on May 3, 2020, in Bonn, Germany. The state of North Rhine-Westphalia is the first in Germany to allow churches and other houses of worship to hold services again since May 1, and other states are to follow beginning May 4. Nationwide state and local governments are easing lockdown measures imposed in March in order to stem the spread of the virus.
A woman has her temperature taken before entering Lumpini Park after Thailand's lockdown was partially lifted on May 3, 2020, in Bangkok. On May 3, the Thai Government decided to partially lift the lockdown imposed to contain the spread of coronavirus. Markets, parks, barber shops and restaurants are among businesses allowed to open with proper social distancing measures. Thailand currently has 2,969 confirmed cases of COVID-19.
A Thai barber gives a man a haircut while wearing a face mask and shield after Thailand's lockdown was partially lifted on May 3, 2020, in Bangkok.
A sign leading to the beach outlines the rules for using Siesta beach on Monday, April 27, 2020, in Siesta Key, Fla. Sarasota county officials reopened the beach early this morning to essential activities, such as exercising.
Commuters read a book and check their smartphones in a subway train as signs reading "please do not seat here, respect social distances" are written on seats in Milan, Italy on Monday, April 27, 2020. Italian factories, construction sites and wholesale supply businesses can resume activity as soon as they put safety measures into place aimed at containing contagion with COVID-19. This concession comes with partial easing of national lockdown restrictions announced Sunday night by Italian Premier Giuseppe Conte.
A hairdresser, wearing a protective face mask, cuts the hair of a client at the "La Barberia" shop in Lausanne, Switzerland on Monday, April 27, 2020. The Swiss authorities partly lifted the lockdown allowing people to reopen their shops after more than a month and a half of closing due to the coronavirus COVID-19.
People look into the window of a shoe shop as stores reopen in Prague, Czech Republic on Monday, April 27, 2020. Most stores in Czech Republic were closed for over a month in efforts to stem the spread of the coronavirus.
Safety kits with rubber gloves and face masks are distributed to workers at the entrance of the Fiat Chrysler Automobiles plants of Atessa, in Central Italy on Monday, April 27, 2020. FCA is partially reopening factories all over Italy after the lockdown due to the coronavirus outbreak.
People wearing masks to protect against coronavirus exercise in a reopened gy, in Belgrade, Serbia on Monday, April 27, 2020. The authorities have started a partial easing of the strict rules by reopening some businesses and allowing people over 65 limited movement, but they also announced an 83-hour curfew for the upcoming May Day weekend.
A child wearing a face mask rides her scooter inside an empty water fountain at Los Proceres boulevard in Caracas, Venezuela on Sunday, April 26, 2020. Venezuela’s government allowed for children to go outside and play for eight hours, after it had imposed quarantine to help stop the spread of the new coronavirus.
People walk across a street on Sunday, April 26, 2020, in Washington, Mo. The small town along the Missouri River was relatively quiet on Sunday even after some businesses such as movie theaters, fitness studios and tanning salons were told they could reopen as restrictions put in place to help slow the spread of the coronavirus are relaxed.
View looking up Kent and Cambridge Terrances from Waitangi Park on April 21, 2020, in Wellington, New Zealand. New Zealand will partially relax nationwide lockdown restrictions in a week as the decline in new coronavirus (COVID-19) cases indicates its strategy of elimination is working.
A surfer rides a wave at Maroubra beach on April 20, 2020, in Sydney, Australia. Coogee, Maroubra and Clovelly beaches in Randwick council reopened today for exercise only. Several beaches in Sydney's Eastern suburbs were closed March 28, after large crowds were seen gathering at Bondi Beach despite social distancing orders in place to slow the spread of COVID-19.
A dog gets a grooming done as the some local businesses open on April 20, 2020, in Prague, Czech Republic. The Czech government has begun to partially reopen some businesses.
A couple with face masks walk their dogs on the Charles bridge on April 20, 2020, in Prague, Czech Republic. The Czech government has begun partially easing the measures to slow down the spread of the pandemic COVID-19 disease during the lockdown.
Staff of the toy store "Kinderglück" prepares for the opening of the shop on the first day of the easing of some restrictions during the coronavirus crisis on April 20, 2020, in Karlsruhe, Germany. Across Germany today many states, but not all, are introducing steps to lift restrictions that have had a deep economic and social impact, including the reopening of smaller-sized stores, allowing high school students to take exams and restarting production lines in some factories. The number of COVID-19 infections is continuing to rise, but at a slower rate than in previous weeks, which is giving the federal and state governments hope that the time is right to begin lifting restrictions.
A mother and son wear protective face masks as they shop for shoes at a shoe store that was open for the first time since March on the first day of the easing of some restrictions during the coronavirus crisis on April 20, 2020, in Leipzig, Germany.
Commuters wear protective masks as they exit a train at a subway station during rush hour on April 20, 2020, in Beijing, China. Life in Beijing is slowly returning to normal following a city-wide lockdown on Jan. 25 to contain the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak.
A farewell ceremony is held in Wuhan for the last group of medical workers who came from outside the city to help during the coronavirus outbreak on April 15, 2020. Wuhan, the epicenter of China's coronavirus outbreak, is coming out of more than two months of lockdown with authorities working hard to restore businesses and factories.
A policeman moves journalists back from a farewell event held for the last group of medical workers who came from outside Wuhan to help the city during the coronavirus outbreak on April 15, 2020.
A woman holding a Chinese flag attends the farewell ceremony for the last group of medical workers who came from outside Wuhan to help the city during the coronavirus outbreak on April 15, 2020.
A volunteer sprays disinfectant on the luggage of a student as high school grade three students return after the term opening was delayed due to the COVID-19 coronavirus outbreak in Bozhou, in China's eastern Anhui province, on April 7, 2020.
People wear face masks as they exit a subway station in Beijing, China on Tuesday, April 7, 2020. China on Tuesday reported no new deaths from the coronavirus over the past 24 hours and just 32 new cases, all from people who returned from overseas.
A man wearing a face mask holds a fish in a market in Wuhan, in China's central Hubei province on April 7, 2020. Wuhan, the central Chinese city where the coronavirus first emerged last year, partly reopened on March 28 after more than two months of near total isolation for its population of 11 million.
This photo taken on April 6, 2020, shows residents wearing face masks while dancing at a park in Shenyang in China's northeastern Liaoning province.
A general view of residential and commercial buildings near the Yangtze River pictured in the city of Wuhan, in China's central Hubei province on April 6, 2020.
This photo taken on April 6, 2020, shows residents playing at a park in Shenyang in China's northeastern Liaoning province. China on April 7 reported no new COVID-19 coronavirus deaths for the first time since it started publishing figures in January, the National Health Commission said.
A city worker removes barriers used to seal off a community as the city of Wuhan slowly loosens up ahead of a lifting of the two-month-long lockdown in central China's Hubei province on Sunday, April 5, 2020. The quarantine in the city, which is the epicenter of China's coronavirus outbreak, is to be formally lifted on Wednesday.
Chinese travellers wear protective masks as they bow their heads at 10 a.m. for three minutes of silence to mark the country's national day of mourning for COVID-19 victims at Beijing Railway Station on April 4, 2020, in Beijing, China. Across the country people paused, and sirens and horns wailed for three minutes to remember medical personnel and patients who died during the coronavirus outbreak. With the pandemic hitting hard across the world, officially the number of coronavirus cases in China is dwindling, since the government imposed sweeping measures to keep the disease from spreading.
People and policemen bow their heads during a national moment of mourning for victims of coronavirus in Wuhan in central China's Hubei Province on Saturday, April 4, 2020. With air raid sirens wailing and flags at half-staff, China on Saturday held a three-minute nationwide moment of reflection to honor those who have died in the coronavirus outbreak, especially "martyrs" who fell while fighting what has become a global pandemic.
Visitors wearing face masks to protect against the spread of coronavirus walk along a path at Yuyuantan Park in Beijing on Friday, April 3, 2020. Beijing has reopened most public parks as the pace of new infections has slowed in China's capital, though many are limiting the number of visitors per day or requiring advance purchase of admission tickets.
Residents wearing masks to protect against the spread of the coronavirus line up to enter a supermarket in Wuhan in central China's Hubei province on Friday, April 3, 2020. Chinese leaders are trying to revive the economy, but local officials under orders to prevent new infections are enforcing disease checks and other controls that add to financial losses and aggravation for millions of workers.
In this Thursday, April 2, 2020, photo, a man disembarks from a bus at an expressway gate at the border of Wuhan city in central China's Hubei province. Millions of Chinese workers are streaming back to factories, shops and offices, but many still face anti-coronavirus controls that add to their financial losses and aggravation. In Wuhan, police require a health check and documents from employers for returning workers.
Local women perform a square dance inside a makeshift barricade wall built to control entry and exit to a residential compound at a community on April 2, 2020, in Wuhan, China. The government stipulates that residents with green health code can go out in public. Wuhan, the central Chinese city where the coronavirus (COVID-19) first emerged last year, will lift its lockdown on April 8, local media reported.
Passengers take the subway line in Wuhan in central China's Hubei province on Wednesday, April 1, 2020. Life in China post-coronavirus outbreak is ruled by a green symbol on a smartphone screen. Green signifies the "health code" that says the user is symptom-free. It is required to board a subway, check into a hotel or enter Wuhan, the city where the global pandemic began.
Stores owners of a store selling a local favorite "reganmian," or "hot dry noodles," prepare takeaway orders in Wuhan in central China's Hubei province on Tuesday, March 31, 2020. The reappearance of Wuhan's favorite noodles is a tasty sign that life is slowly returning to normal in the Chinese city at the epicenter of the global coronavirus outbreak. The steady stream of customers buying bags of noodles smothered in peanut sauce testifies to a powerful desire to enjoy the familiar again after months of strict lockdown.
People wearing face masks visit Beijing Zoo on March 25, 2020 after it reopened its outdoor exhibit areas to the public after being closed due to the coronavirus outbreak.
A woman wearing a face mask takes a photo of blossoms at the Beijing Zoo after it reopened its outdoor exhibit areas to the public since they were closed in Beijing on March 24, 2020. The Chinese government is pushing efforts to kickstart the world's second-largest economy and put money in the pockets of workers who have gone weeks without salaries. While most of Beijing's world-famous tourist sites remain closed, the city zoo and parts of the Great Wall are again accepting visitors by appointment. Some restaurants were also reopening for business on the condition that customers do not sit facing each other.
Visitors wearing face masks look at alpacas at the Beijing Zoo after it reopened its outdoor areas for the first time after they were closed during the coronavirus outbreak in Beijing on March 24, 2020.
Workers wearing protective face masks and head covers pack food orders for takeout at the Xibei restaurant inside a shopping mall in Beijing on March 24, 2020.
A worker wearing a protective face mask puts on gloves to prevent the spread of the coronavirus as he prepares to serve customers at the Xibei restaurant in Beijing on March 24, 2020.
Visitors wearing protective face masks walk on the Great Wall of China after it reopened for business in Beijing, China on March 24, 2020. Beijing's city zoo and parts of the Great Wall of China have reopened to visitors who book in advance, as the capital slowly returns to normal amid a sharp fall in the number of new coronavirus cases.
A man and a child wearing protective face masks walk on a stretch of the Great Wall of China after it reopened in Beijing, China on March 24, 2020.
Travelers wearing face masks walk outside the Beijing Railway Station in Beijing on March 25, 2020. Some train stations and bus services reopened in China's Hubei Province on Wednesday and people who passed a health check would finally be allowed to travel for the first time since the coronavirus outbreak surged in January.
A woman and a child wearing face masks visit Beijing Zoo on March 25, 2020, after it reopened its outdoor exhibit areas to the public after being closed due to the coronavirus outbreak.
A child wears a face mask alongside his father on a ride at a theme park, following a months-long lockdown - as a preventive measure against coronavirus - is slowly lifted in Macheng, Hubei province, China on March 25, 2020. China lifted tough restrictions on the province at the epicenter of the coronavirus outbreak on March 25 after a months-long lockdown as the country reported no new domestic cases.
New York City Councilman Mark Levine (D-Manhattan), the chair of the Council’s Health Committee, voiced cautious optimism about the mayor’s plans.
“It’s good to put a marker down to motivate us to push on vaccination,” he told the Daily News. “I think people need hope and they need to see the incredibly hard work that we’ve done through vaccinating so many people has a payoff.”
But he said the city needs to develop some kind of certification system to establish that shops, movie theaters and other locations can operate at full capacity.
“There’s going to be more outbreaks in New York City, probably by August, September, when the weather starts working against us,” Levine said. “We’re still going to have to be cautious about keeping people safe.”
Signage that says "WE ARE OPEN"
Signage that says "WE ARE OPEN"
Kathryn Wylde, head of the pro-business Partnership for New York City, predicted the city’s reopening will be a gradual process through the summer.
“Nobody snaps their fingers and people come back,” she told The News. “The shutdown was a mandate; reopening is an ask.”
She said businesses and workers need to know many more details before they’ll feel comfortable operating at full capacity.
“It’s going to depend on a number of circumstances — vaccinations and some kind of reassurance that everybody around you is healthy,” Wylde said, adding that public safety and reliable childcare will also be key factors.
