Is it safe to come to NY now?

“I dislike feeling at home when I am abroad.”

—George Bernard Shaw

By Alex P. Vidal

A FRIEND “stranded” in the Philippines because of the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown, called me via Messenger on July 12 to inquire if it is now safe to go back to New York.

He was supposed to fly back in April, but flights had been cancelled when airports around the world were forced to suspend operations during that period to prevent the spread of coronavirus.  

I told him the truth: No yet. No way.

No one is in the mood nowadays to welcome anybody now that everyone is worried about the coronavirus infection.

No one wants to prioritize traveling from airport to airport, what with so many dizzying restrictions and quarantine rules and regulations.

“Assuming that flights are now back to normal or even if you have a scheduled flight and, thus, allowed to fly, still you will have to undergo a harrowing experience before leaving the Philippines and upon arriving in the US,” I explained.

It’s not wise to travel internationally at this time. 

Forget it—unless you’re a health worker or a diplomat. 

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Although our situation in the East Coast has been “improving” (we were the pandemic epicenter in March and April), the situation in the Southern and Western parts of the United States is now worsening, according to latest reports.

Having experienced the world’s biggest and deadliest coronavirus outbreak, the New York State remains behind most other states in coming out of lockdown, but its reopening is firmly underway.

As of July 14, nine of New York’s 10 regions are in the fourth and theoretically final phase of a four-phase reopening process following the statewide coronavirus lockdown.

The Big Apple is the only region still in phase three.

The U.S. has now confirmed more than 3.6 million COVID-19 cases and 139,921 related deaths, according to Worldometer, which is tracking COID-19 statistics. 

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Over the July 11-12 weekend, the U.S. recorded more than 100,000 new cases, The New York Times reported.

More than 13.65 million cases and 585,536 related deaths have been reported worldwide.

The seven-day average daily deaths across the U.S. reportedly reached 700 on July 11, up from 471 on July 5.

Though high, it's still hasn't skyrocketed to peak numbers in April, when the U.S. was reporting 2,200 deaths on average every day. 

Eight states reportedly logged single-day record deaths, including Alabama, Arizona, Florida, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Dakota, Texas and Tennessee, over the past week. 

Texas logged a state record of 119 deaths related to COVID-19 on July 8.

Back here in New York, regions are to reopen in four phases, prioritizing industries that pose the lowest risk of infection for employees and customers. 

The details of each phase are not necessarily set in stone, either, as the state has already made adjustments to the original guidelines, like adding outdoor dining to phase two.

The plan was originally for state and regional officials to evaluate the outcomes of the reopening phases over two-week periods and decide whether the region can move onto the next one, but each phase will not necessarily last only two weeks.

(The author, who is now based in New York City, used to be the editor of two local dailies in Iloilo)