New York’s reopening party: Hundreds of revellers pack Manhattan bars and fill sidewalks carrying drinks after lockdown was finally lifted and the rate of infection dropped to the lowest in the country
- The streets of Manhattan’s East Village and in Murray Hill were thronging with drinkers on Friday night
- A relaxation in lockdown rules has seen many bars offering drinks on the sidewalk – a temptation hard to resist
- It saw the streets filled with hundreds of people after leaving their apartments desperate for a June drink
- New York currently has the lowest spread of the coronavirus disease among any state in the country, however the data is several weeks behind the true picture
- Mayor and governor threatening to tighten lockdown restrictions should there be a rise in coronavirus cases
- Here’s how to help people impacted by Covid-19
Advertisement
Lockdown appeared to be over on Friday night for hundreds of people who decided to venture out into the streets of Manhattan’s East Village and in Murray Hill, for a drink.
The streets around St. Marks Place, mostly free from traffic, looked as though one giant bar crawl was taking place as lockdown-weary revelers decided to drink away any self-isolating blues they may have been harboring.
It has been more than 100 days since the first coronavirus case was confirmed in the city and resulted in nearly 22,000 deaths in New York City.
The streets of Manhattan’s East Village and in Murray Hill were thronging with drinkers on Friday night
A relaxation in lockdown rules has seen many bars offering drinks on the street – a temptation hard to resist
On Monday, phase one of the Big Apple’s grand reopening got underway.
‘We’re back,’ Governor Andrew Cuomo said at the time. ‘Our mojo is back.’
The reopening allowed for building on construction sites to resume, manufacturing, wholesale trade and agriculture work.
Crucially for the evening’s drinkers, it also allowed for curbside pickup at shops, which seemed to include bars, many of which are now offering their beers and cocktails through patio doors and open windows.
Restaurants and bars are still barred from allowing patrons inside.
Friday evening saw the streets filled with hundreds of people after leaving their apartments desperate for a June drink
New York currently has the lowest spread of the coronavirus disease among any state in the country, however the data is several weeks behind the true picture
The warm June weather made for ideal conditions to meet up with friends once again and enjoy a tipple.
But judging by the photos taken on Friday night, if a spike in cases is noticed within the coming weeks, the restrictions may well be tightened once again.
‘If New Yorkers get sloppy and the number of coronavirus cases start going back up, the state will clamp down again,’ Cuomo warned earlier in the week. ‘We’re going to keep a special eye on New York City to see what happens,’ he said.
Cuomo has continually urged New Yorkers to wear masks, even when outdoors, yet on Friday around 200 were seen drinking outside, most without face masks in pictures taken for DailyMail.com.
People are seen waiting outside restaurants on 3rd Avenue in Manhattan. Outdoor dining has officially begun everywhere in the state except New York City and indoor service is confined to venues upstate for the moment
Although customers are not allowed inside the individual venues, drinkers are allowed to consumer their beverages outside
Many states across the nation are now seeing new surges in coronavirus cases after they opened up earlier with fewer restrictions including Florida, Arizona and Texas.
‘The way I see it, it’s like already past the 8th; that’s my marker,’ said a student called Sarah to the New York Post. ‘Now I’m just like, how long can you live in isolation scrolling on Tinder? You can’t do that enough already. You need to venture out,’ she said.
‘Originally, I was a little hesitant upon the scene but when you get drunk every reservation I had was thrown out the window,’ said another drinker, Yael, to The Post.
At one point, police were seen driving by but did nothing to encourage social distancing or remind people of the lockdown rules.
