Consider me a pandemic junkie. I actually enjoy following the pandemic and the statistical trends of the virus, and I have since New York City was hit hard by COVID in 2020. I used to write a series of very popular Tweets early in the pandemic when information was poorly presented to the public. I would combine my photos of the empty and dead city with the grim statistics taken from the Department of Health in the hopes of presenting information that people could use to keep themselves educated and safe.
Nowadays the local New York government is doing a much better job of communicating the facts. But the facts look even worse than when I was writing those Tweets in 2020.
As of yesterday (December 17th, 2021), New York City hit its highest number of COVID-19 cases ever. This is despite having a pretty high vaccination rate within the city. We have blown past the previous record that was achieved during a time when vaccines were just a pipe dream.
Why has this happened? In my opinion, mainly because we “opened up” the city to foreign travelers. It wasn’t a quiet opening either – foreign travelers were actively encouraged to visit the city and other parts of the USA with fanfare and media praise.
What’s wrong with foreign travelers? Nothing at all, generally speaking – I have many friends from overseas that I wish could come back to the city. But because my friends are all intelligent, conscientious and caring, they are staying put in their home countries, holding off on their travels until a much safer time.
No, the problem is the type of people you’re inviting to the city by “opening up” during a pandemic – the type of person who thinks travel is a good idea when thousands and thousands of people are still dying from the disease every day.
The type of person who would travel for leisure now is not someone who is cautious or careful. They are more likely to be the type that doesn’t think anything bad could happen to them, probably downplays the virus, probably thinks other people are being silly and too careful, probably doesn’t wear a mask unless absolutely forced, are willing to risk their own health and the health of others, and most of all are self-centered and only think about their own pleasure.
It’s likely that these types of travelers brought a particular then-unknown variant into the city in early November 2021, when the city became “open” to them again.
And now here we are, sitting atop the highest number of cases we have ever had, with no end in sight, simply because people want to travel and stuff their faces in restaurants, paying high prices to eat reheated frozen food.
I do occasionally get asked the question from followers on social media or wherever, “Should I travel to NYC for the holidays?” and the answer is no. You should stay where you are.
Besides, what kind of experience would you have on a vacation to NYC now? You have to wear a mask on that long flight, you have to wear a mask everywhere when you’re here, certain venues are starting to close at random because of outbreaks so you may not even be able to do everything you want to do, and you may even end up stuck here in quarantine if you get a positive COVID test before flying home. Some people have had thousands of extra dollars added to their trips while traveling this year, because they had to quarantine for ten days after testing positive, unable to go home when they wanted while racking up hotel fees (and I don’t feel sorry for those people. I laugh at those people. If it happens to you, please let me know so I can laugh at you too).
In short, is that really the vacation you want? Does that sound like the trip you always dreamed of having when visiting New York City? Wouldn’t you rather wait and have a better experience?
So once again, stay out of New York City. Do something else, like a “staycation” in your own town. Wait until things calm down and the wave is over before traveling here. Be a good and conscientious global citizen. All real New Yorkers who live here thank you.