Jamaicans in NY welcome reopening of state

COVID-19 restrictions in New York have been lifted and the Jamaican community has welcomed the move.

“It feels great. I am glad that the restrictions have been lifted and we can go back to some normal life,” said Douglas Brown.

He said that he can now socialise with family and friends, and get to laugh with people he has not seen in more than 15 months.

“It is a good feeling. If the restrictions were still in place, I could not socialise with the people I have not seen,” said Brown, who organised a backyard party last Saturday night at his Bronx home to celebrate his birthday.

Also welcoming the lifting of the restrictions was Byron Parkes, who said it “feels good”.

“I am happy that I no longer have to wear a mask or social distance from my relatives and friends,” he said.

Parkes said that although the restrictions have been lifted and things are beginning to return to normal, he will still take precaution.

“I will wear a mask where I feel it is necessary because there are people who have not been vaccinated, and I am still uncertain about the vaccine although I have been fully vaccinated,” he said.

Parkes believes that after all that the city and state have been through, it is a welcome feeling of things getting back to some semblance of normality.

RESTRICTIONS LIFTED

All COVID-19 restrictions imposed by the state following the outbreak of the pandemic were lifted last Tuesday by Governor Andrew Cuomo, who said the restrictions would be lifted when the vaccination rate reached 70 per cent of the state’s population.

In announcing the lifting of the restrictions, the governor said that New York has met and passed the 70 per cent threshold.

Consequently, the restrictions were rescinded.

It means that bars and restaurants can open to full capacity. Mask mandates have been removed, and social distancing guidelines are no longer in place. However, business establishments can still insist on customers wearing masks and social distancing.

Some businesses still have a mask mandate in place, with signs announcing no service without the wearing of masks.

The lifting of the restrictions was marked by firework displays across the city, and it has been announced that a parade will be held later this year for frontline workers during the pandemic.

But not everyone is happy about the wholesale lifting of the restrictions,questioning whether the state and city are moving too fast in removing the mandates.

Sunvil Mitchell feels it is too soon to lift all restrictions.

“I feel that they are doing it too soon. The vaccine is working, but there are other strains out there that could affect people, so I believe that some restrictions should be left in place,” he said.

At the height of the pandemic, more than 44, 000 people died from the virus in New York state, while more than two million people tested positive for the virus.

And as the city marked Father’s Day on Sunday, restaurants were at capacity. “New York is back,” declared Brown.

editorial@gleanerjm.com