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NEW YORK (Thomson Reuters Foundation) - Patios, marquees, plastic bubbles - makeshift outdoor spaces have become new staples for businesses across the United States, after city and state governments put limits on how many people could gather indoors to slow the spread of the coronavirus.
The novel open-air areas created safe havens for city dwellers when the first round of coronavirus restrictions began to lift over the summer and gave many businesses a lifeline after months of shutdowns.
But, as temperatures plunge and people retreat back inside, some businesses that have come to rely heavily on their new outdoor spaces are finding themselves fighting for survival again - this time, in a battle with the weather.