With so many businesses shut down, will our neighborhood downtowns rebuild?
When will we see Broadway shows again?
Also, could this year of stress and change have a long-term impact on our health?
With so much to dissect, any discussion about reopening and getting into this so-called normal, revolves around one thing - the vaccine.
On Sunday, the nation set a new record for vaccinations in a single day, but there is still a long way to go. 22.5% of New York residents have gotten one dose, and more than 11% are fully vaccinated. In New Jersey, nearly 24% of people have partial protection, and 12% have completed the inoculation. And in Connecticut, 26% of people have at least one shot at 26%, while just under 14% are fully vaccinated.
The CDC says nearly 71 million Americans, or just over a quarter of the adult population, have received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, while nearly one in 10 of all adults is fully vaccinated.
Shakespeare in the Park is returning this summer following a hiatus due to the coronavirus pandemic, with the free outdoor series returning to the Public Theater's Delacorte Theater in Central Park in July.
Eighty-nine-year-old New Yorker Bob Holzman received his COVID-19 vaccine as soon as he could, hoping it would allow him to get back to his favorite activity, dancing. We know that for essential workers, having hours early in the morning, late in the day and overnight, those are critically important as well to make sure people are able to access vaccination in a way that is convenient for them, Health Commissioner Dr. David Chokshi said.
So far, more than 2.9 million New Yorkers have received their vaccine, including at Nassau County Community College, where a vaccine pod is offering recipients like college counselor Andrea Warmbrand a new sense of security.
Health officials are warning about a COVID-19 variant spreading in New York, saying the current vaccines may be less effective against the new strain as more Americans are getting the shots.