New Yorkers among tourists returning to skies as travel experts track possible rebound: ‘I felt very safe’

Nancy Dillon

As the badly battered travel sector tries to pull out of its pandemic tailspin, Rondha Naimool is doing her part.

The nursing aide from Far Rockaway, Queens, was the driving force behind her family’s recent vacation to the Majestic Elegance Resort in Costa Mujeres, Mexico.

Far Rockaway, Queens, residents Bobby Naimool, 39, Rondha Naimool, 37, and their son Noah, 6, on trip this month to Costa Mujeres, Mexico.
Far Rockaway, Queens, residents Bobby Naimool, 39, Rondha Naimool, 37, and their son Noah, 6, on trip this month to Costa Mujeres, Mexico.


Far Rockaway, Queens, residents Bobby Naimool, 39, Rondha Naimool, 37, and their son Noah, 6, on trip this month to Costa Mujeres, Mexico. (Obtained by Daily News/)

Naimool, 37, spent the early months of the coronavirus crisis caring for COVID-19 patients on contract assignments at a Queens nursing home and Kings County Hospital, and she longed for a real break with a serious change of scenery, she told the Daily News.

“I was just so tired,” she said. “The things we saw early on, it’s hard to even explain. It was so horrific — just death all the time. All I did was eat, sleep and go back.”

When her last nursing gig ended, she switched gears to become a contact tracer for NYC Health + Hospitals. Then she booked the Oct. 11 Mexico trip.

Far Rockaway residents Bobby Naimool, 39, Rondha Naimool, 37, and their son Noah, 6, on trip this month to Costa Mujeres, Mexico.
Far Rockaway residents Bobby Naimool, 39, Rondha Naimool, 37, and their son Noah, 6, on trip this month to Costa Mujeres, Mexico.


Far Rockaway residents Bobby Naimool, 39, Rondha Naimool, 37, and their son Noah, 6, on trip this month to Costa Mujeres, Mexico. (Obtained by Daily News/)

Considering her experience giving CPR to a COVID-19 patient who later died, she wasn’t fearful of the international flight, she said.

“The masks are what protected us at work, and everyone on the plane had on their masks. I felt very safe,” she told The News.

“I was still very scared, but Rondha had the attitude, ‘I’m going with our without you,’” her husband Bobby, 39, said with a laugh.

The couple and their 6-year-old son Noah wore masks throughout the trip, submitted to regular temperature checks, had their luggage sprayed multiple times and socially distanced at the resort, which appeared only about 50% full, they said.

“It was a good break. I would do it again,” Bobby told The News, praising the resort for “keeping safety a top priority.”

The Naimools are hardly alone with their tourism trial run.

The Transportation Security Administration said it screened more than 1 million passengers in a single day last Sunday, the most since mid-March.

The figure was still far below the same day in 2019, when the TSA screened 2.6 million people. But it was a dramatic improvement over the lowest point six months ago, when only 90,000 people passed through TSA checkpoints April 14, just 4% of the prior year’s throughput.

“Hitting a million passengers shows the airline rebound is well underway,” said Joe Schwieterman, a transportation expert and professor at DePaul University in Chicago.

He said “tremendous” bargains and a decline in “travel shaming” are pushing more people back to their “jet-setting ways.”

“Right now travel is almost exclusively for leisure,” Gary Leff, founder of the airline loyalty blog View from the Wing, told The News.

He said business travel cratered more than 95% with the pandemic and remains down 85%.

“Most business travel can’t happen now. You need people back in their offices in order to travel to visit those people in offices. There aren’t going to be many events inside hotel conference rooms,” he said.

In the U.S., the recreational travel that’s recuperating fastest is focused on “open” destinations with outdoor attractions not tied to city centers, experts said, citing Florida and Virginia Beach as two hotspots.

“There’s almost no leisure travel to places with quarantine requirements," Leff said, citing New York. “And New Yorkers have difficulty traveling to much of the country because of a quarantine requirement when they return.”

Long Island travel blogger and booking agent Harmony Skillman said it’s been “crickets” when it comes to people booking travel in the tristate area. But she was packing for her first flight since February when she spoke to The News on Wednesday.

The 43-year-old mother of two booked a nonstop Oct. 22 JetBlue flight to Antigua to check out the latest safety protocols at a Sandals resort for her customers and MommaToGo audience.

“The act of flying itself doesn’t seem to be causing spikes. So I’m feeling more confident about it,” she said after her family skipped flying and drove to Florida over the summer. “And it’s comforting to know everyone on my flight will have had a COVID test. You can’t get on the island without that paper.”

Massachusetts resident Christopher Muller said he and his wife were planning a lengthy drive to visit their pregnant daughter in Tampa but recently changed their minds and booked two JetBlue tickets instead.

“It was going to be a three-day drive, and we talked about it and decided it was safer, faster and cheaper to fly,” Muller, a recently retired professor at Boston University’s School of Hospitality, said.

The couple’s decision came just days after a new military-led study claimed that strong cabin air flow and high-efficiency filters appear to make planes relatively low-risk environments.

“But the hospitality industry is still a long way away from coming back – a long way away,” Muller said.

American Airlines, the world’s largest carrier, reported a third quarter net loss of $2.4 billion on Thursday. Southwest said it lost $1.2 billion.

U.S. hotels, meanwhile, reported their lowest third-quarter occupancy level on record, just 48%, research firm STR reported Wednesday. That’s down 32% from the same quarter last year.

And industry bellwether Disney Resorts announced last month it’s laying off 28,000 people.

"That’s the size of an entire airline. And most are lower-wage earners. The impact on people’s lives is devastating,” Muller said.

For the overall travel industry to get back on its feet, operators need a new economic relief package, and more people need to feel safe venturing out, possibly with the widespread adoption of a vaccine, experts said.

“I’m more optimistic than most. My guess is that by next year at this time, we’ll be at about 75% to 80%,” Schwieterman said. “By late 2022, we could well be back to where we were a year ago, if the vaccines take effect.”

He said some airlines might try to ease people’s fears by requiring evidence of vaccinations or immunity. And he expects more carriers will adopt the type of rapid testing United Airlines uses for its San Francisco to Hawaii flights.

A closed plaza is seen on Oct. 21, 2020 in Manhattan. Recent data from John Hopkins University shows that the U.S. recorded over 60,300 on Tuesday alone.
A closed plaza is seen on Oct. 21, 2020 in Manhattan. Recent data from John Hopkins University shows that the U.S. recorded over 60,300 on Tuesday alone.
A display at Grand Central Terminal shows how to wear a face mask on Oct. 21, 2020 in Manhattan.
A display at Grand Central Terminal shows how to wear a face mask on Oct. 21, 2020 in Manhattan.
Religious leaders attend a candlelight vigil a procession in tribute to all of the lives affected by the novel coronavirus outside The Cathedral of St. John the Divine on Oct. 19, 2020, in Manhattan.
Religious leaders attend a candlelight vigil a procession in tribute to all of the lives affected by the novel coronavirus outside The Cathedral of St. John the Divine on Oct. 19, 2020, in Manhattan.
People attend a candlelight vigil a procession in tribute to all of the lives affected by the novel coronavirus outside The Cathedral of St. John the Divine on Oct. 19, 2020, in Manhattan.
People attend a candlelight vigil a procession in tribute to all of the lives affected by the novel coronavirus outside The Cathedral of St. John the Divine on Oct. 19, 2020, in Manhattan.
People walk by social distancing signage in Central Park as the city continues the re-opening efforts following restrictions imposed to slow the spread of coronavirus on Oct. 19, 2020 in Manhattan.
People walk by social distancing signage in Central Park as the city continues the re-opening efforts following restrictions imposed to slow the spread of coronavirus on Oct. 19, 2020 in Manhattan.
Dining tables stand empty in Grand Central Terminal on Oct. 13, 2020 in Manhattan. New York City, which has increasingly built its economy around the money made from the tourism industry, has witnessed an increasing number of heritage establishments closing their doors as business has fallen off. Restaurants, retail stores, hotels and numerous other businesses are struggling as COVID-19 continues.
The lobby of the Roosevelt Hotel, one of New York’s oldest and most storied hotels, stands empty on Oct. 13, 2020 in Manhattan. The midtown hotel has announced that it will be closing due to a plunge in tourism as a result of COVID-19.
The lobby of the Roosevelt Hotel, one of New York’s oldest and most storied hotels, stands empty on Oct. 13, 2020 in Manhattan. The midtown hotel has announced that it will be closing due to a plunge in tourism as a result of COVID-19.
A person wears a PPE face covering as he walks through Grand Central Terminal at rush hour on Oct. 15, 2020.
A person wears a PPE face covering as he walks through Grand Central Terminal at rush hour on Oct. 15, 2020.
A person rides a bike through the rain in Time Square on Oct. 12, 2020 in Manhattan.
A person rides a bike through the rain in Time Square on Oct. 12, 2020 in Manhattan.
A person with an umbrella walks through the rain in Time Square on Oct. 12, 2020 in Manhattan.
A person with an umbrella walks through the rain in Time Square on Oct. 12, 2020 in Manhattan.
Broadway theaters stand closed along an empty street in the theater district on Oct. 9, 2020 in Manhattan. The Broadway League, a trade organization representing producers and theater owners, announced that performances in New York City will be suspended through May 30, 2021 due to the coronavirus outbreak.
Broadway theaters stand closed along an empty street in the theater district on Oct. 9, 2020 in Manhattan. The Broadway League, a trade organization representing producers and theater owners, announced that performances in New York City will be suspended through May 30, 2021 due to the coronavirus outbreak.
Broadway theaters stand closed along an empty street in the theater district on Oct. 9, 2020 in Manhattan.
Broadway theaters stand closed along an empty street in the theater district on Oct. 9, 2020 in Manhattan.
A medical worker takes a nasal swab sample from a student to test for COVID-19 at the Brooklyn Health Medical Alliance urgent care pop up testing site as infection rates spike on October 8, 2020 in Brooklyn. Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced earlier in the week new restrictions in several areas recording high infection rates to try to ward off a second coronavirus wave.
Students stand in line to get tested for COVID-19 at the Brooklyn Health Medical Alliance urgent care pop up testing site as infection rates spike on Oct. 8, 2020 in Brooklyn.
Students stand in line to get tested for COVID-19 at the Brooklyn Health Medical Alliance urgent care pop up testing site as infection rates spike on Oct. 8, 2020 in Brooklyn.
People walk past the Cobble Hill Cinemas movie theater on Oct. 8, 2020 in Brooklyn.
People walk past the Cobble Hill Cinemas movie theater on Oct. 8, 2020 in Brooklyn.
A crowd of Hasidic Jews block traffic at the intersection of 49th Street and 13th Avenue in Borough Park, Brooklyn during a protest against new COVID-19 restrictions on Oct. 6, 2020.
A crowd of Hasidic Jews block traffic at the intersection of 49th Street and 13th Avenue in Borough Park, Brooklyn during a protest against new COVID-19 restrictions on Oct. 6, 2020.
A crowd of Hasidic Jews walk in the street and block traffic at the intersection of 49th Street and 13th Avenue in Borough Park, Brooklyn during a protest against new COVID-19 restrictions on Oct. 6, 2020.
A crowd of Hasidic Jews walk in the street and block traffic at the intersection of 49th Street and 13th Avenue in Borough Park, Brooklyn during a protest against new COVID-19 restrictions on Oct. 6, 2020.
A crowd of Hasidic Jews block traffic at the intersection of 49th Street and 13th Avenue in Borough Park, Brooklyn during a protest against new COVID-19 restrictions on Oct. 6, 2020.
A crowd of Hasidic Jews block traffic at the intersection of 49th Street and 13th Avenue in Borough Park, Brooklyn during a protest against new COVID-19 restrictions on Oct. 6, 2020.
A crowd of Hasidic Jews block traffic at the intersection of 49th Street and 13th Avenue in Borough Park, Brooklyn during a protest against new COVID-19 restrictions on Oct. 6, 2020.
A crowd of Hasidic Jews block traffic at the intersection of 49th Street and 13th Avenue in Borough Park, Brooklyn during a protest against new COVID-19 restrictions on Oct. 6, 2020.
A crowd of Hasidic Jews block traffic at the intersection of 49th Street and 13th Avenue in Borough Park, Brooklyn during a protest against new COVID-19 restrictions on Oct. 6, 2020.
A crowd of Hasidic Jews block traffic at the intersection of 49th Street and 13th Avenue in Borough Park, Brooklyn during a protest against new COVID-19 restrictions on Oct. 6, 2020.
People wear masks to prevent the spread of the coronavirus in Fort Greene, Brooklyn on Oct. 1, 2020. The area's zip code has seen an increase in coronavirus cases in recent days.
People wear masks to prevent the spread of the coronavirus in Fort Greene, Brooklyn on Oct. 1, 2020. The area's zip code has seen an increase in coronavirus cases in recent days.
People wear masks to prevent the spread of the coronavirus in Fort Greene, Brooklyn on Oct. 1, 2020.
People wear masks to prevent the spread of the coronavirus in Fort Greene, Brooklyn on Oct. 1, 2020.
People wear masks to prevent the spread of the coronavirus in Fort Greene, Brooklyn on Oct. 1, 2020.
People wear masks to prevent the spread of the coronavirus in Fort Greene, Brooklyn on Oct. 1, 2020.
People wear masks to prevent the spread of the coronavirus in Fort Greene, Brooklyn on Oct. 1, 2020.
People wear masks to prevent the spread of the coronavirus in Fort Greene, Brooklyn on Oct. 1, 2020.
People wear masks to prevent the spread of the coronavirus in Fort Greene, Brooklyn on Oct. 1, 2020.
People wear masks to prevent the spread of the coronavirus in Fort Greene, Brooklyn on Oct. 1, 2020.
Passengers aboard a NY Waterway ferry wear protective masks and sit socially distanced as the city continues Phase 4 of reopening following restrictions imposed to slow the spread of coronavirus on Sept. 25, 2020 in New York. NY Waterway recently restored commuter ferry service from Port Imperial in Weehawken, NJ to their two Lower Manhattan terminals, Brookfield Place/Battery Park City and Pier 11/Wall Street, as well as service from 14th Street in Hoboken, NJ and the Hoboken/NJ TRANSIT terminal to Lower Manhattan.
A sign reminding visitors that face coverings are mandatory is displayed inside NY Waterway's Midtown Ferry Terminal following restrictions imposed to slow the spread of coronavirus on Sept. 25, 2020 in New York.
A sign reminding visitors that face coverings are mandatory is displayed inside NY Waterway's Midtown Ferry Terminal following restrictions imposed to slow the spread of coronavirus on Sept. 25, 2020 in New York.
New York Mayor Bill de Blasio, right, greets students as they arrive for in-person classes outside Public School 188 The Island School on Sept. 29, 2020, in Manhattan.
New York Mayor Bill de Blasio, right, greets students as they arrive for in-person classes outside Public School 188 The Island School on Sept. 29, 2020, in Manhattan.
A student is escorted to PS 179 elementary school in the Kensington neighborhood on Sept. 29, 2020 in Brooklyn.
A student is escorted to PS 179 elementary school in the Kensington neighborhood on Sept. 29, 2020 in Brooklyn.
Restaurant workers and others hold a protest outside the office of New York Governor Andrew Cuomos office on Sept. 28, 2020, in protest of coronavirus measures placed on the the city's independent restaurants and bars.
Restaurant workers and others hold a protest outside the office of New York Governor Andrew Cuomos office on Sept. 28, 2020, in protest of coronavirus measures placed on the the city's independent restaurants and bars.
People march across the Brooklyn Bridge as they participate in “March for the Dead, Fight for the Living” memorial march for the lives lost due to the coronavirus pandemic on Aug. 21, 2020. Friends and family who lost loved ones to the coronavirus got together for a memorial to honor the memory of their deaths.
People march across the Brooklyn Bridge as they participate in “March for the Dead, Fight for the Living” memorial march for the lives lost due to the coronavirus pandemic on Aug. 21, 2020. Friends and family who lost loved ones to the coronavirus got together for a memorial to honor the memory of their deaths.
A woman holds up a candle as people participate in the "March for the Dead" across the Brooklyn Bridge, in memory of those who have died of COVID-19 and to protest the Trump administration's handling of the pandemic, on Aug. 21, 2020. The United States has recorded the most deaths with 174,290, according to Johns Hopkins University, followed by Brazil with 112,304, Mexico with 59,106, India with 54,849 and Britain with 41,403.
A person holds a placard and an upside down US flag during the "March for the Dead" across the Brooklyn Bridge, in memory of those who have died of COVID-19 and to protest the Trump administration's handling of the pandemic, on August 21, 2020.
A person holds a placard and an upside down US flag during the "March for the Dead" across the Brooklyn Bridge, in memory of those who have died of COVID-19 and to protest the Trump administration's handling of the pandemic, on August 21, 2020.
A person wearing scrubs holds a placard and an upside down US flag during the "March for the Dead" across the Brooklyn Bridge, in memory of those who have died of COVID-19 and to protest the Trump administration's handling of the pandemic on Aug. 21, 2020.
A person wearing scrubs holds a placard and an upside down US flag during the "March for the Dead" across the Brooklyn Bridge, in memory of those who have died of COVID-19 and to protest the Trump administration's handling of the pandemic on Aug. 21, 2020.
People hand out protest signs as they prepare to march towards the Brooklyn Bridge during the “March for the Dead, Fight for the Living” memorial march on August 21, 2020.
People hand out protest signs as they prepare to march towards the Brooklyn Bridge during the “March for the Dead, Fight for the Living” memorial march on August 21, 2020.
Lynn Henry holds up a sign with a picture of her aunt, Elizabeth Edmond, prior to the “March for the Dead, Fight for the Living” memorial march on August 21, 2020. Edmond died from COVID-19 in April.
Lynn Henry holds up a sign with a picture of her aunt, Elizabeth Edmond, prior to the “March for the Dead, Fight for the Living” memorial march on August 21, 2020. Edmond died from COVID-19 in April.
A woman being pushed in a wheelchair leads a group of people marching the Brooklyn Bridge during the “March for the Dead, Fight for the Living” memorial march on August 21, 2020.
A woman being pushed in a wheelchair leads a group of people marching the Brooklyn Bridge during the “March for the Dead, Fight for the Living” memorial march on August 21, 2020.
A woman being pushed in a wheelchair leads a group of people marching towards the Brooklyn Bridge during the “March for the Dead, Fight for the Living” memorial march on August 21, 2020.
A woman being pushed in a wheelchair leads a group of people marching towards the Brooklyn Bridge during the “March for the Dead, Fight for the Living” memorial march on August 21, 2020.
People march towards the Brooklyn Bridge during the “March for the Dead, Fight for the Living” memorial march on August 21, 2020.
People march towards the Brooklyn Bridge during the “March for the Dead, Fight for the Living” memorial march on August 21, 2020.
NYU students like up outside of the Stern School of Business to get a test for COVID-19 on Aug. 20, 2020 in Manhattan. Students from state’s on New York’s quarantine list, as well as international students, arrived ahead of the official beginning of the school year on Wednesday to be tested upon and fulfill their mandatory quarantine.
NYU students like up outside of the Stern School of Business to get a test for COVID-19 on Aug. 20, 2020 in Manhattan. Students from state’s on New York’s quarantine list, as well as international students, arrived ahead of the official beginning of the school year on Wednesday to be tested upon and fulfill their mandatory quarantine.
NYU students like up outside of the Stern School of Business to get a test for COVID-19 on Aug. 20, 2020 in Manhattan.
NYU students like up outside of the Stern School of Business to get a test for COVID-19 on Aug. 20, 2020 in Manhattan.
NYU students like up outside of the Stern School of Business to get a test for COVID-19 on Aug. 20, 2020 in Manhattan.
NYU students like up outside of the Stern School of Business to get a test for COVID-19 on Aug. 20, 2020 in Manhattan.
NYU students like up outside of the Stern School of Business to get a test for COVID-19 on Aug. 20, 2020 in Manhattan.
NYU students like up outside of the Stern School of Business to get a test for COVID-19 on Aug. 20, 2020 in Manhattan.
People filled out paperwork as they waited in line to give samples at a COVID-19 collection testing site located inside Sunset Park in Brooklyn, N.Y. on Monday, Aug. 17, 2020.
People filled out paperwork as they waited in line to give samples at a COVID-19 collection testing site located inside Sunset Park in Brooklyn, N.Y. on Monday, Aug. 17, 2020.
People filled out paperwork as they waited in line to give samples at a COVID-19 collection testing site located inside Sunset Park in Brooklyn on Monday, Aug. 17, 2020.
People filled out paperwork as they waited in line to give samples at a COVID-19 collection testing site located inside Sunset Park in Brooklyn on Monday, Aug. 17, 2020.
People wait on line for COVID-19 testing at a mobile testing site in Sunset Park, Brooklyn on Aug. 13, 2020, after a spike in positive cases was found in the neighborhood.
People wait on line for COVID-19 testing at a mobile testing site in Sunset Park, Brooklyn on Aug. 13, 2020, after a spike in positive cases was found in the neighborhood.
People are assisted at a mobile COVID-19 testing site in Sunset Park, Brooklyn on Aug. 13, 2020.
People are assisted at a mobile COVID-19 testing site in Sunset Park, Brooklyn on Aug. 13, 2020.
People wait on line at a mobile COVID-19 testing site in Sunset Park, Brooklyn on Aug. 13, 2020.
People wait on line at a mobile COVID-19 testing site in Sunset Park, Brooklyn on Aug. 13, 2020.
A woman is assisted at a mobile COVID-19 testing site in Sunset Park, Brooklyn on Aug. 13, 2020.
A woman is assisted at a mobile COVID-19 testing site in Sunset Park, Brooklyn on Aug. 13, 2020.
People wait on line at a mobile COVID-19 testing site in Sunset Park, Brooklyn on Aug. 13, 2020.
People wait on line at a mobile COVID-19 testing site in Sunset Park, Brooklyn on Aug. 13, 2020.
Cars and cyclists move through Times Square after a rain shower during the coronavirus pandemic on Saturday, May 23, 2020, in New York.
Cars and cyclists move through Times Square after a rain shower during the coronavirus pandemic on Saturday, May 23, 2020, in New York.
In this image made from video provided by the Office of Governor Andrew M. Cuomo, Gov. Cuomo updates the media on New York's coronavirus response on Saturday, May 23, 2020, in Albany, N.Y. New York state on Saturday reported its lowest number of daily coronavirus deaths in weeks in what Cuomo described as a critical benchmark.
In this image made from video provided by the Office of Governor Andrew M. Cuomo, Gov. Cuomo updates the media on New York's coronavirus response on Saturday, May 23, 2020, in Albany, N.Y. New York state on Saturday reported its lowest number of daily coronavirus deaths in weeks in what Cuomo described as a critical benchmark.
Robert Burck, who performs as the Naked Cowboy, poses for photographs in Times Square during the coronavirus pandemic on Saturday, May 23, 2020, in New York.
Robert Burck, who performs as the Naked Cowboy, poses for photographs in Times Square during the coronavirus pandemic on Saturday, May 23, 2020, in New York.
New York City Fire Department vehicle drives along an empty Orchard Beach on Saturday, May 23, 2020, in the Bronx borough of New York. Gov. Andrew Cuomo has given New Yorkers an unexpected reprieve from cabin fever by easing the state’s ban on gatherings due to coronavirus concerns in time for the Memorial Day weekend. New York City beaches are open this weekend, but no swimming is allowed, and masks must be worn.
Cyclists and pedestrians move along the Queensboro Bridge on Friday, May 22, 2020, in New York.
Cyclists and pedestrians move along the Queensboro Bridge on Friday, May 22, 2020, in New York.
People wear protective masks during the coronavirus pandemic on the Roosevelt Island Tramway on Friday, May 22, 2020, in New York.
People wear protective masks during the coronavirus pandemic on the Roosevelt Island Tramway on Friday, May 22, 2020, in New York.
Stylists from Shortcut trim the hair of surgical residents Tyler Draeger, rear, and Justin Gauthier, right, both frontline workers from Mount Sinai Hospital South Nassau, in an overflow tent that was never used during the current coronavirus outbreak on Thursday, May 21, 2020, in Oceanside, New York. Signature Bank sponsored three days of free haircuts for hospital staff.
Columbia University class of 2020 graduates pose for celebratory photographs on commencement day in front of the Alma Mater statue near the Low Memorial Library Wednesday on May 20, 2020, in New York.
Columbia University class of 2020 graduates pose for celebratory photographs on commencement day in front of the Alma Mater statue near the Low Memorial Library Wednesday on May 20, 2020, in New York.
A cooler of free food sits on a bench in front of the Unitarian Church of Jamestown in Jamestown, N.Y. on Tuesday, May 19, 2020.
A cooler of free food sits on a bench in front of the Unitarian Church of Jamestown in Jamestown, N.Y. on Tuesday, May 19, 2020.
Barry Gross of Little Valley, N.Y. works at his work station on his first day back at Colecraft Commercial Furnishings in Jamestown, N.Y. as part of the state's Phase One easing of COVID-19 restrictions on Tuesday, May 19, 2020.
Barry Gross of Little Valley, N.Y. works at his work station on his first day back at Colecraft Commercial Furnishings in Jamestown, N.Y. as part of the state's Phase One easing of COVID-19 restrictions on Tuesday, May 19, 2020.
People cheer for medical workers at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, May 19, 2020, in New York, amid the coronavirus pandemic.
People cheer for medical workers at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, May 19, 2020, in New York, amid the coronavirus pandemic.
"We Will Dance Again" promises the marquee on the dance performance venue The Joyce Theater, closed during the coronavirus pandemic on Tuesday, May 19, 2020, in New York City.
"We Will Dance Again" promises the marquee on the dance performance venue The Joyce Theater, closed during the coronavirus pandemic on Tuesday, May 19, 2020, in New York City.
Chairman and CEO of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, Patrick Foye, speaks during a news conference on new measures involving UV-C light technology to disinfect trains and buses during the coronavirus pandemic on Tuesday, May 19, 2020, in New York.
Chairman and CEO of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, Patrick Foye, speaks during a news conference on new measures involving UV-C light technology to disinfect trains and buses during the coronavirus pandemic on Tuesday, May 19, 2020, in New York.
Ring Precision Components employee Carl Linamen works with a robotic machine in Jamestown, N.Y. on Tuesday, May 19, 2020. Producing a part for a COVID-19 test for ThermoFisher Scientific, the company presently employs 88 people, working seven days a week.
Ring Precision Components employee Carl Linamen works with a robotic machine in Jamestown, N.Y. on Tuesday, May 19, 2020. Producing a part for a COVID-19 test for ThermoFisher Scientific, the company presently employs 88 people, working seven days a week.
Ginger Pierce, center, and Pablo Guzman, right, hand out food at the Holy Apostle Soup Kitchen in New York during the coronavirus pandemic on Tuesday, May 19, 2020.
Ginger Pierce, center, and Pablo Guzman, right, hand out food at the Holy Apostle Soup Kitchen in New York during the coronavirus pandemic on Tuesday, May 19, 2020.
A young girl peers out at the East River with the Manhattan skyline as a backdrop as she relaxes on the boardwalk at Brooklyn's Domino Park during the current coronavirus outbreak on Monday, May 18, 2020, in New York.
A young girl peers out at the East River with the Manhattan skyline as a backdrop as she relaxes on the boardwalk at Brooklyn's Domino Park during the current coronavirus outbreak on Monday, May 18, 2020, in New York.
Volunteers with the Grant Houses Tenant Association prepare donated food to be distributed to elderly residents of the NYCHA Grant Houses on Monday, May 18, 2020, in the Morningside Heights neighborhood of Manhattan.
Volunteers with the Grant Houses Tenant Association prepare donated food to be distributed to elderly residents of the NYCHA Grant Houses on Monday, May 18, 2020, in the Morningside Heights neighborhood of Manhattan.
Nico Ramos, a resident and volunteer with the Grant Houses Tenant Association, delivers food to elderly residents of the NYCHA Grant Houses on Monday, May 18, 2020, in the Morningside Heights neighborhood of Manhattan.
Nico Ramos, a resident and volunteer with the Grant Houses Tenant Association, delivers food to elderly residents of the NYCHA Grant Houses on Monday, May 18, 2020, in the Morningside Heights neighborhood of Manhattan.
People, some wearing protective face coverings and many without or with masks lowered, relax in marked circles for proper social distancing at Domino Park in the Williamsburg neighborhood of Brooklyn during the current coronavirus outbreak on Sunday, May 17, 2020, in New York. The circles were added after the park, which offers excellent views of the Williamsburg Bridge and the Manhattan skyline, became severely overcrowded during a spate of warm weather just over a week ago.
People get some fresh air at Orchard Beach in the Bronx borough of New York on Sunday, May 17, 2020. Parks, boardwalks and beaches attracted some crowds this weekend, though city beaches aren't officially open and won't be for the upcoming Memorial Day weekend.
People get some fresh air at Orchard Beach in the Bronx borough of New York on Sunday, May 17, 2020. Parks, boardwalks and beaches attracted some crowds this weekend, though city beaches aren't officially open and won't be for the upcoming Memorial Day weekend.
New York Police Department School Safety officer Bynoe, right, hands out face masks to women at Brooklyn Bridge Park during the coronavirus pandemic on Sunday, May 17, 2020, in New York.
New York Police Department School Safety officer Bynoe, right, hands out face masks to women at Brooklyn Bridge Park during the coronavirus pandemic on Sunday, May 17, 2020, in New York.
Guests watch a showing of "Trolls World Tour" at the Four Brothers Drive In Theatre on Friday, May 15, 2020, in Amenia, N.Y., during the coronavirus pandemic.
Guests watch a showing of "Trolls World Tour" at the Four Brothers Drive In Theatre on Friday, May 15, 2020, in Amenia, N.Y., during the coronavirus pandemic.
A sign offers COVID-19 antibody testing during the coronavirus pandemic on May 15, 2020 in New York.
A sign offers COVID-19 antibody testing during the coronavirus pandemic on May 15, 2020 in New York.
A registered nurse draws blood from resident Sonia Joy to test for COVID-19 antibodies at Abyssinian Baptist Church in Harlem on May 14, 2020. Churches in low income communities across New York are offering COVID-19 testing to residents in conjunction with Northwell Health and New York State.
A registered nurse draws blood from resident Sonia Joy to test for COVID-19 antibodies at Abyssinian Baptist Church in Harlem on May 14, 2020. Churches in low income communities across New York are offering COVID-19 testing to residents in conjunction with Northwell Health and New York State.
Healthcare workers gather to test for COVID-19 antibodies at Abyssinian Baptist Church in Harlem on May 14, 2020.
Healthcare workers gather to test for COVID-19 antibodies at Abyssinian Baptist Church in Harlem on May 14, 2020.
A resident waits to enter a testing room to test for COVID-19 antibodies at Abyssinian Baptist Church in Harlem on May 14, 2020.
A resident waits to enter a testing room to test for COVID-19 antibodies at Abyssinian Baptist Church in Harlem on May 14, 2020.
A registered nurse draws blood from Beulah Johnson during a COVID-19 antibody test drive at the Abyssinian Baptist Church on May 14, 2020 in Harlem.
A registered nurse draws blood from Beulah Johnson during a COVID-19 antibody test drive at the Abyssinian Baptist Church on May 14, 2020 in Harlem.
Medical workers in personal protective equipment (PPE) test a woman for COViD-19 at Abyssinian Baptist Church, one of 11 churches across the city, as well as Nassau County and Westchester, that has begun testing for the virus on May 13, 2020 in New York City. The tests are being administered by Northwell Health and are targeting low income and minority communities where there have been greater rates of infection and hospitalizations.
Testing kits are displayed on a table as medical workers test for COViD-19 at Abyssinian Baptist Church, one of 11 churches across the city, as well as Nassau County and Westchester, that has begun testing for the virus on May 13, 2020 in New York City.
Testing kits are displayed on a table as medical workers test for COViD-19 at Abyssinian Baptist Church, one of 11 churches across the city, as well as Nassau County and Westchester, that has begun testing for the virus on May 13, 2020 in New York City.
A healthcare worker takes a nasal swab sample from a resident to test for COVID-19 at The Abyssinian Baptist Church in Harlem on May 13, 2020.
A healthcare worker takes a nasal swab sample from a resident to test for COVID-19 at The Abyssinian Baptist Church in Harlem on May 13, 2020.
A resident fills out paperwork for a free COVID-19 test at the Bethany Baptist Church in Brooklyn on May 13, 2020.
A resident fills out paperwork for a free COVID-19 test at the Bethany Baptist Church in Brooklyn on May 13, 2020.
A man from the Faith Bible Church of Corona, wearing a protective suit, facemask and gloves, hands out free facemasks in Corona, Queens, amid the novel coronavirus pandemic on May 13, 2020.
A man from the Faith Bible Church of Corona, wearing a protective suit, facemask and gloves, hands out free facemasks in Corona, Queens, amid the novel coronavirus pandemic on May 13, 2020.
A window at a Starbucks reads "WE ARE OPEN!" during the coronavirus pandemic on May 10, 2020 in New York. Stores across the city and state have started to reopen while adopting social distancing rules. Gov. Andrew Cuomo plans to reopen the state in phases amid a drop in hospitalizations.
A window at a Starbucks reads "WE ARE OPEN!" during the coronavirus pandemic on May 10, 2020 in New York. Stores across the city and state have started to reopen while adopting social distancing rules. Gov. Andrew Cuomo plans to reopen the state in phases amid a drop in hospitalizations.
Theresa Soto delivers a prepaid flower arrangement to a customer on May 10, 2020 in Merrick, New York.
Theresa Soto delivers a prepaid flower arrangement to a customer on May 10, 2020 in Merrick, New York.
Teddy bears wearing protective masks are displayed in front of a restaurant on May 10, 2020 in Manhattan.
Teddy bears wearing protective masks are displayed in front of a restaurant on May 10, 2020 in Manhattan.
A bar sells drinks to go during the coronavirus pandemic on May 10, 2020 in New York.
A bar sells drinks to go during the coronavirus pandemic on May 10, 2020 in New York.
A woman holds flowers inside a bodega on May 10, 2020 in Manhattan.
A woman holds flowers inside a bodega on May 10, 2020 in Manhattan.
A client of the nonprofit organization The River Fund receives free groceries on May 6, 2020 in Queens. The River Fund, which has quadrupled their once-weekly food distribution since the beginning of the coronavirus shutdown seven weeks ago, serves over 3,000 households a week and distributes over 320,000 pounds of food.
A client of the nonprofit organization The River Fund receives free groceries on May 6, 2020 in Queens. The River Fund, which has quadrupled their once-weekly food distribution since the beginning of the coronavirus shutdown seven weeks ago, serves over 3,000 households a week and distributes over 320,000 pounds of food.
People wait in line to receive donated groceries on May 6, 2020 in Queens. SOMOS Community Care, Jose Andres of World Central Kitchen, and the Catholic Charities in the Archdiocese of New York partnered with the Colombian Consulate General to deliver 800 bags of food and essential products to a predominately Columbian community in Queens, one of communities most effected by the coronavirus in New York City.
Osman Pineda, left to right, William Garcia hand out donated groceries to those who need them on May 6, 2020 in Queens.
Osman Pineda, left to right, William Garcia hand out donated groceries to those who need them on May 6, 2020 in Queens.
Olan Kenneally, a volunteer for the non-profit organization The River Fund, distributes free groceries to clients on May 6, 2020 in Queens.
Olan Kenneally, a volunteer for the non-profit organization The River Fund, distributes free groceries to clients on May 6, 2020 in Queens.
A woman accepts donated groceries on May 6, 2020 in Queens.
A woman accepts donated groceries on May 6, 2020 in Queens.
A parade of classic cars makes its way by Nassau University Medical Center to salute the healthcare workers on the front lines of the COVID-19 pandemic on May 4, 2020, in East Meadow, New York.
A parade of classic cars makes its way by Nassau University Medical Center to salute the healthcare workers on the front lines of the COVID-19 pandemic on May 4, 2020, in East Meadow, New York.
Healthcare workers wave as a parade of classic cars makes its way by Nassau University Medical Center in a salute to workers on the front lines of the COVID-19 pandemic on May 4, 2020, in East Meadow, New York.
Healthcare workers wave as a parade of classic cars makes its way by Nassau University Medical Center in a salute to workers on the front lines of the COVID-19 pandemic on May 4, 2020, in East Meadow, New York.
A parade of classic cars makes its way by Nassau University Medical Center to salute the healthcare workers on the front lines of the COVID-19 pandemic on May 4, 2020, in East Meadow, New York.
A parade of classic cars makes its way by Nassau University Medical Center to salute the healthcare workers on the front lines of the COVID-19 pandemic on May 4, 2020, in East Meadow, New York.
A parade of classic cars makes its way by Nassau University Medical Center to salute the healthcare workers on the front lines of the COVID-19 pandemic on May 4, 2020, in East Meadow, New York.
A parade of classic cars makes its way by Nassau University Medical Center to salute the healthcare workers on the front lines of the COVID-19 pandemic on May 4, 2020, in East Meadow, New York.
A parade of classic cars makes its way by Nassau University Medical Center to salute the healthcare workers on the front lines of the COVID-19 pandemic on May 4, 2020, in East Meadow, New York.
A parade of classic cars makes its way by Nassau University Medical Center to salute the healthcare workers on the front lines of the COVID-19 pandemic on May 4, 2020, in East Meadow, New York.
Shoppers in masks wait on a line around the block to enter the Costco on 39th Street in Brooklyn, New York on Monday, May 4, 2020.
Shoppers in masks wait on a line around the block to enter the Costco on 39th Street in Brooklyn, New York on Monday, May 4, 2020.
Mayor Bill de Blasio was joined by FDNY Commissioner Daniel Nigro as they delivered words of thanks and food in collaboration with Frontline Foods to commemorate International Firefighters Day at FDNY EMS Station 4 on South Street in Manhattan on Monday, May 4, 2020.
Mayor Bill de Blasio was joined by FDNY Commissioner Daniel Nigro as they delivered words of thanks and food in collaboration with Frontline Foods to commemorate International Firefighters Day at FDNY EMS Station 4 on South Street in Manhattan on Monday, May 4, 2020.
The white tents of the Samaritan's Purse field hospital stand in a field in Central Park across the street from Mt. Sinai Hospital on May 4, 2020, on the Upper East Side neighborhood in New York City. Mt. Sinai reports that the surge in COVID-19 hospital admissions is reaching manageable levels therefore Mt. Sinai will stop admitting new patients to the Central Park field hospital run by Samaritan's Purse as of May 4.
The white tents of the Samaritan's Purse field hospital stand in a field in Central Park across the street from Mt. Sinai Hospital on May 4, 2020, on the Upper East Side neighborhood in New York City.
The white tents of the Samaritan's Purse field hospital stand in a field in Central Park across the street from Mt. Sinai Hospital on May 4, 2020, on the Upper East Side neighborhood in New York City.
A sign announcing COVID-19 antibody tests for first responders is seen at the Westchester County Center on Monday, May 4, 2020, in White Plains, N.Y. The new coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms for most people, but for some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness or death.
A sign announcing COVID-19 antibody tests for first responders is seen at the Westchester County Center on Monday, May 4, 2020, in White Plains, N.Y. The new coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms for most people, but for some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness or death.
A cleaning crew disinfects a New York City subway train on May 4, 2020, in New York City. The New York City subway system has seen a 90 percent decline in ridership since the COVID-19 pandemic shut down the city.
A cleaning crew disinfects a New York City subway train on May 4, 2020, in New York City. The New York City subway system has seen a 90 percent decline in ridership since the COVID-19 pandemic shut down the city.
A cleaning crew disinfects a New York City subway train on May 4, 2020, in New York City. The New York City subway system has seen a 90 percent decline in ridership since the COVID-19 pandemic shut down the city.
A cleaning crew disinfects a New York City subway train on May 4, 2020, in New York City. The New York City subway system has seen a 90 percent decline in ridership since the COVID-19 pandemic shut down the city.
Police officers hand out face masks in Washington Squre Park in Manhattan, New York on Sunday, May 3, 2020.
Police officers hand out face masks in Washington Squre Park in Manhattan, New York on Sunday, May 3, 2020.
A police officer hands out face masks in Fort Greene Park in Brooklyn, New York on Sunday, May 3, 2020.
A police officer hands out face masks in Fort Greene Park in Brooklyn, New York on Sunday, May 3, 2020.
A boy ignores caution tape to do pull ups on exercise equipment in Central Park during the coronavirus pandemic on Sunday, May 3, 2020 in New York.
A boy ignores caution tape to do pull ups on exercise equipment in Central Park during the coronavirus pandemic on Sunday, May 3, 2020 in New York.
A medical worker at NYU Langone Medical Center is asked to take a group photo of her medical staff colleagues and New York City firefighters who showed up to the hospital for the nightly 7 p.m. clapping appreciation given to health care workers in the city on Saturday, May 2, 2020.
A medical worker at NYU Langone Medical Center is asked to take a group photo of her medical staff colleagues and New York City firefighters who showed up to the hospital for the nightly 7 p.m. clapping appreciation given to health care workers in the city on Saturday, May 2, 2020.
People enjoy the closed off East End Ave. from 89th St. to 83rd St. on Saturday, May 2, 2020, in the Manhattan.
People enjoy the closed off East End Ave. from 89th St. to 83rd St. on Saturday, May 2, 2020, in the Manhattan.
In this photo provided by the Office of Governor Andrew M. Cuomo, New York Gov. Cuomo tries out a spraying device which is part of a three-step disinfecting process of a New York City subway car at the Corona Maintenance Facility in the Queens borough of of New York on Saturday, May 2, 2020. Cuomo announced on Thursday April 30, that New York City is shutting down its subway system each day from 1 a.m. to 5 a.m. to increase cleaning of trains and stations during the coronavirus crisis.
People leave home for the outdoors as the temperature hovered around 70 degrees, even as the stay-at-home order remained in effect with Governor Andrew Cuomo warning that any change in behavior could reignite the spread of coronavirus, on Saturday, May 2, 2020, in Brooklyn's Prospect Park in New York.
People leave home for the outdoors as the temperature hovered around 70 degrees, even as the stay-at-home order remained in effect with Governor Andrew Cuomo warning that any change in behavior could reignite the spread of coronavirus, on Saturday, May 2, 2020, in Brooklyn's Prospect Park in New York.
People enjoy Central Park during the coronavirus pandemic on Saturday, May 2, 2020, in New York.
People enjoy Central Park during the coronavirus pandemic on Saturday, May 2, 2020, in New York.
Volunteers prepare food for distribution at the CLOTH food pantry site in Hamilton Heights on Saturday, May 2, 2020, in the Manhattan, New York.
Volunteers prepare food for distribution at the CLOTH food pantry site in Hamilton Heights on Saturday, May 2, 2020, in the Manhattan, New York.

“A real recovery for travel isn’t a light switch where it all gets turned on together at once,” Leff said.

“We need to see an end to what I call regime uncertainty," he said. “Right now you can buy a ticket, but when the time to travel comes, the requirements to travel may change.”

Advertisement