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| The Rich Have a Coronavirus Cure: Escape From New York | The Rich Have a Coronavirus Cure: Escape From New York |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| By Thursday afternoon, texts and emails circulating among New York’s professional class warned that perhaps it was time to leave. The city was going into lockdown, or at least that’s what people were saying — probably by Friday morning. No one really knew this but now, you did. | By Thursday afternoon, texts and emails circulating among New York’s professional class warned that perhaps it was time to leave. The city was going into lockdown, or at least that’s what people were saying — probably by Friday morning. No one really knew this but now, you did. |
| The rumor was false but that didn’t slow it down. Officials weren’t going to tell you because they wanted to prevent a panicked exodus from New York that would recreate the early scenes in “War of the Worlds.” People took from this that they should begin heading toward I-95, that they should get on the Long Island Expressway. | The rumor was false but that didn’t slow it down. Officials weren’t going to tell you because they wanted to prevent a panicked exodus from New York that would recreate the early scenes in “War of the Worlds.” People took from this that they should begin heading toward I-95, that they should get on the Long Island Expressway. |
| The notes shared a familiar tone. “A friend just alerted me that her friend who works in the emergency management team at the N.Y.P.D. plans to put containment actions in place this weekend,” read one. | The notes shared a familiar tone. “A friend just alerted me that her friend who works in the emergency management team at the N.Y.P.D. plans to put containment actions in place this weekend,” read one. |
| They varied only in terms of the information’s supposed origins: the friend of a friend at City Hall; the friend with a client high up in the medical community; the friend who knew someone who had just had lunch with Emma Bloomberg. Indeed, Michael Bloomberg’s daughter became a recurrent character in what was now the beginning of Covid-19’s urban legend phase. | They varied only in terms of the information’s supposed origins: the friend of a friend at City Hall; the friend with a client high up in the medical community; the friend who knew someone who had just had lunch with Emma Bloomberg. Indeed, Michael Bloomberg’s daughter became a recurrent character in what was now the beginning of Covid-19’s urban legend phase. |
| Again, New York did not go on lockdown. But these rumors did inspire those who were not in a position to flee the city to instead panic shop. | Again, New York did not go on lockdown. But these rumors did inspire those who were not in a position to flee the city to instead panic shop. |
| Broad-scale emergencies never fail to reveal the fault lines in the American class system, and it was suddenly clear that well-off New Yorkers were going to go about the business of combating the coronavirus differently, with more than fortitude and Purell, because they had a powerful inoculant: secondary real estate. As the messages flew around, the people with weekend homes — on Long Island, in Connecticut, on Cape Cod — made plans to flee to them, indefinitely. | Broad-scale emergencies never fail to reveal the fault lines in the American class system, and it was suddenly clear that well-off New Yorkers were going to go about the business of combating the coronavirus differently, with more than fortitude and Purell, because they had a powerful inoculant: secondary real estate. As the messages flew around, the people with weekend homes — on Long Island, in Connecticut, on Cape Cod — made plans to flee to them, indefinitely. |
| Outside a prewar co-op on lower Fifth Avenue on Friday morning, well-dressed people were loading cats and canvas bags into their hatchbacks. “The building is empty,’’ one woman entering with her dog explained. “Everyone’s gone to the Hamptons.” | Outside a prewar co-op on lower Fifth Avenue on Friday morning, well-dressed people were loading cats and canvas bags into their hatchbacks. “The building is empty,’’ one woman entering with her dog explained. “Everyone’s gone to the Hamptons.” |
| But did the Hamptons really want everyone? “It feels like the Thursday before Memorial Day weekend,’’ one friend texted me, from the Stop & Shop in East Hampton on Friday morning. The lines were endless; the shelves were half-full; the pasta was gone. | But did the Hamptons really want everyone? “It feels like the Thursday before Memorial Day weekend,’’ one friend texted me, from the Stop & Shop in East Hampton on Friday morning. The lines were endless; the shelves were half-full; the pasta was gone. |
| Provisions Natural Foods in Sag Harbor was similarly packed and it was there, as supplies dwindled, that a woman could be overheard proclaiming: “This is a great opportunity for a cleanse.” | Provisions Natural Foods in Sag Harbor was similarly packed and it was there, as supplies dwindled, that a woman could be overheard proclaiming: “This is a great opportunity for a cleanse.” |
| Is it safer to leave a densely populated place for a quieter one? And if so, safer for whom? It may indeed be safer for the individual traveling, explained Leonard Mermel, medical director in the department of epidemiology at Rhode Island Hospital, but it may also create transmission in that second community. | Is it safer to leave a densely populated place for a quieter one? And if so, safer for whom? It may indeed be safer for the individual traveling, explained Leonard Mermel, medical director in the department of epidemiology at Rhode Island Hospital, but it may also create transmission in that second community. |
| The fact that the virus spreads easily before the onset of symptoms means that you have no idea whether or not you are delivering an infection from East 85th Street to Newport. | The fact that the virus spreads easily before the onset of symptoms means that you have no idea whether or not you are delivering an infection from East 85th Street to Newport. |
| Anticipating the escape from New York, some businesses outside the city were clearly overlooking any potential threat and instead sensed an opportunity. Barry’s, the boutique gym with locations in London and Singapore (and the East End of Long Island), sent out an email that read: “Heading out of the city? We got you.” Barry’s was extending its weekday schedule in Wainscott, which seemed optimistic given that gyms were surely places in which social distancing was going to be practiced to the point of avoidance. | Anticipating the escape from New York, some businesses outside the city were clearly overlooking any potential threat and instead sensed an opportunity. Barry’s, the boutique gym with locations in London and Singapore (and the East End of Long Island), sent out an email that read: “Heading out of the city? We got you.” Barry’s was extending its weekday schedule in Wainscott, which seemed optimistic given that gyms were surely places in which social distancing was going to be practiced to the point of avoidance. |
| Updated June 12, 2020 | Updated June 12, 2020 |
| Touching contaminated objects and then infecting ourselves with the germs is not typically how the virus spreads. But it can happen. A number of studies of flu, rhinovirus, coronavirus and other microbes have shown that respiratory illnesses, including the new coronavirus, can spread by touching contaminated surfaces, particularly in places like day care centers, offices and hospitals. But a long chain of events has to happen for the disease to spread that way. The best way to protect yourself from coronavirus — whether it’s surface transmission or close human contact — is still social distancing, washing your hands, not touching your face and wearing masks. | |
| So far, the evidence seems to show it does. A widely cited paper published in April suggests that people are most infectious about two days before the onset of coronavirus symptoms and estimated that 44 percent of new infections were a result of transmission from people who were not yet showing symptoms. Recently, a top expert at the World Health Organization stated that transmission of the coronavirus by people who did not have symptoms was “very rare,” but she later walked back that statement. | So far, the evidence seems to show it does. A widely cited paper published in April suggests that people are most infectious about two days before the onset of coronavirus symptoms and estimated that 44 percent of new infections were a result of transmission from people who were not yet showing symptoms. Recently, a top expert at the World Health Organization stated that transmission of the coronavirus by people who did not have symptoms was “very rare,” but she later walked back that statement. |
| A study by European scientists is the first to document a strong statistical link between genetic variations and Covid-19, the illness caused by the coronavirus. Having Type A blood was linked to a 50 percent increase in the likelihood that a patient would need to get oxygen or to go on a ventilator, according to the new study. | A study by European scientists is the first to document a strong statistical link between genetic variations and Covid-19, the illness caused by the coronavirus. Having Type A blood was linked to a 50 percent increase in the likelihood that a patient would need to get oxygen or to go on a ventilator, according to the new study. |
| The unemployment rate fell to 13.3 percent in May, the Labor Department said on June 5, an unexpected improvement in the nation’s job market as hiring rebounded faster than economists expected. Economists had forecast the unemployment rate to increase to as much as 20 percent, after it hit 14.7 percent in April, which was the highest since the government began keeping official statistics after World War II. But the unemployment rate dipped instead, with employers adding 2.5 million jobs, after more than 20 million jobs were lost in April. | The unemployment rate fell to 13.3 percent in May, the Labor Department said on June 5, an unexpected improvement in the nation’s job market as hiring rebounded faster than economists expected. Economists had forecast the unemployment rate to increase to as much as 20 percent, after it hit 14.7 percent in April, which was the highest since the government began keeping official statistics after World War II. But the unemployment rate dipped instead, with employers adding 2.5 million jobs, after more than 20 million jobs were lost in April. |
| Mass protests against police brutality that have brought thousands of people onto the streets in cities across America are raising the specter of new coronavirus outbreaks, prompting political leaders, physicians and public health experts to warn that the crowds could cause a surge in cases. While many political leaders affirmed the right of protesters to express themselves, they urged the demonstrators to wear face masks and maintain social distancing, both to protect themselves and to prevent further community spread of the virus. Some infectious disease experts were reassured by the fact that the protests were held outdoors, saying the open air settings could mitigate the risk of transmission. | Mass protests against police brutality that have brought thousands of people onto the streets in cities across America are raising the specter of new coronavirus outbreaks, prompting political leaders, physicians and public health experts to warn that the crowds could cause a surge in cases. While many political leaders affirmed the right of protesters to express themselves, they urged the demonstrators to wear face masks and maintain social distancing, both to protect themselves and to prevent further community spread of the virus. Some infectious disease experts were reassured by the fact that the protests were held outdoors, saying the open air settings could mitigate the risk of transmission. |
| Exercise researchers and physicians have some blunt advice for those of us aiming to return to regular exercise now: Start slowly and then rev up your workouts, also slowly. American adults tended to be about 12 percent less active after the stay-at-home mandates began in March than they were in January. But there are steps you can take to ease your way back into regular exercise safely. First, “start at no more than 50 percent of the exercise you were doing before Covid,” says Dr. Monica Rho, the chief of musculoskeletal medicine at the Shirley Ryan AbilityLab in Chicago. Thread in some preparatory squats, too, she advises. “When you haven’t been exercising, you lose muscle mass.” Expect some muscle twinges after these preliminary, post-lockdown sessions, especially a day or two later. But sudden or increasing pain during exercise is a clarion call to stop and return home. | Exercise researchers and physicians have some blunt advice for those of us aiming to return to regular exercise now: Start slowly and then rev up your workouts, also slowly. American adults tended to be about 12 percent less active after the stay-at-home mandates began in March than they were in January. But there are steps you can take to ease your way back into regular exercise safely. First, “start at no more than 50 percent of the exercise you were doing before Covid,” says Dr. Monica Rho, the chief of musculoskeletal medicine at the Shirley Ryan AbilityLab in Chicago. Thread in some preparatory squats, too, she advises. “When you haven’t been exercising, you lose muscle mass.” Expect some muscle twinges after these preliminary, post-lockdown sessions, especially a day or two later. But sudden or increasing pain during exercise is a clarion call to stop and return home. |
| States are reopening bit by bit. This means that more public spaces are available for use and more and more businesses are being allowed to open again. The federal government is largely leaving the decision up to states, and some state leaders are leaving the decision up to local authorities. Even if you aren’t being told to stay at home, it’s still a good idea to limit trips outside and your interaction with other people. | States are reopening bit by bit. This means that more public spaces are available for use and more and more businesses are being allowed to open again. The federal government is largely leaving the decision up to states, and some state leaders are leaving the decision up to local authorities. Even if you aren’t being told to stay at home, it’s still a good idea to limit trips outside and your interaction with other people. |
| Common symptoms include fever, a dry cough, fatigue and difficulty breathing or shortness of breath. Some of these symptoms overlap with those of the flu, making detection difficult, but runny noses and stuffy sinuses are less common. The C.D.C. has also added chills, muscle pain, sore throat, headache and a new loss of the sense of taste or smell as symptoms to look out for. Most people fall ill five to seven days after exposure, but symptoms may appear in as few as two days or as many as 14 days. | Common symptoms include fever, a dry cough, fatigue and difficulty breathing or shortness of breath. Some of these symptoms overlap with those of the flu, making detection difficult, but runny noses and stuffy sinuses are less common. The C.D.C. has also added chills, muscle pain, sore throat, headache and a new loss of the sense of taste or smell as symptoms to look out for. Most people fall ill five to seven days after exposure, but symptoms may appear in as few as two days or as many as 14 days. |
| If air travel is unavoidable, there are some steps you can take to protect yourself. Most important: Wash your hands often, and stop touching your face. If possible, choose a window seat. A study from Emory University found that during flu season, the safest place to sit on a plane is by a window, as people sitting in window seats had less contact with potentially sick people. Disinfect hard surfaces. When you get to your seat and your hands are clean, use disinfecting wipes to clean the hard surfaces at your seat like the head and arm rest, the seatbelt buckle, the remote, screen, seat back pocket and the tray table. If the seat is hard and nonporous or leather or pleather, you can wipe that down, too. (Using wipes on upholstered seats could lead to a wet seat and spreading of germs rather than killing them.) | If air travel is unavoidable, there are some steps you can take to protect yourself. Most important: Wash your hands often, and stop touching your face. If possible, choose a window seat. A study from Emory University found that during flu season, the safest place to sit on a plane is by a window, as people sitting in window seats had less contact with potentially sick people. Disinfect hard surfaces. When you get to your seat and your hands are clean, use disinfecting wipes to clean the hard surfaces at your seat like the head and arm rest, the seatbelt buckle, the remote, screen, seat back pocket and the tray table. If the seat is hard and nonporous or leather or pleather, you can wipe that down, too. (Using wipes on upholstered seats could lead to a wet seat and spreading of germs rather than killing them.) |
| Taking one’s temperature to look for signs of fever is not as easy as it sounds, as “normal” temperature numbers can vary, but generally, keep an eye out for a temperature of 100.5 degrees Fahrenheit or higher. If you don’t have a thermometer (they can be pricey these days), there are other ways to figure out if you have a fever, or are at risk of Covid-19 complications. | Taking one’s temperature to look for signs of fever is not as easy as it sounds, as “normal” temperature numbers can vary, but generally, keep an eye out for a temperature of 100.5 degrees Fahrenheit or higher. If you don’t have a thermometer (they can be pricey these days), there are other ways to figure out if you have a fever, or are at risk of Covid-19 complications. |
| The C.D.C. has recommended that all Americans wear cloth masks if they go out in public. This is a shift in federal guidance reflecting new concerns that the coronavirus is being spread by infected people who have no symptoms. Until now, the C.D.C., like the W.H.O., has advised that ordinary people don’t need to wear masks unless they are sick and coughing. Part of the reason was to preserve medical-grade masks for health care workers who desperately need them at a time when they are in continuously short supply. Masks don’t replace hand washing and social distancing. | The C.D.C. has recommended that all Americans wear cloth masks if they go out in public. This is a shift in federal guidance reflecting new concerns that the coronavirus is being spread by infected people who have no symptoms. Until now, the C.D.C., like the W.H.O., has advised that ordinary people don’t need to wear masks unless they are sick and coughing. Part of the reason was to preserve medical-grade masks for health care workers who desperately need them at a time when they are in continuously short supply. Masks don’t replace hand washing and social distancing. |
| If you’ve been exposed to the coronavirus or think you have, and have a fever or symptoms like a cough or difficulty breathing, call a doctor. They should give you advice on whether you should be tested, how to get tested, and how to seek medical treatment without potentially infecting or exposing others. | If you’ve been exposed to the coronavirus or think you have, and have a fever or symptoms like a cough or difficulty breathing, call a doctor. They should give you advice on whether you should be tested, how to get tested, and how to seek medical treatment without potentially infecting or exposing others. |
| If you’re sick and you think you’ve been exposed to the new coronavirus, the C.D.C. recommends that you call your healthcare provider and explain your symptoms and fears. They will decide if you need to be tested. Keep in mind that there’s a chance — because of a lack of testing kits or because you’re asymptomatic, for instance — you won’t be able to get tested. | If you’re sick and you think you’ve been exposed to the new coronavirus, the C.D.C. recommends that you call your healthcare provider and explain your symptoms and fears. They will decide if you need to be tested. Keep in mind that there’s a chance — because of a lack of testing kits or because you’re asymptomatic, for instance — you won’t be able to get tested. |
| In Manchester, Vt., the Wilburton, a 30-acre estate with an inn and private rental villas, was making itself available to those without second homes, announcing on its website: “As the Von Trapp Family singers fled Austria to the healing mountains of Vermont, please know you always have a safe space here too. Pack up your family and escape the panic, crowds and empty market shelves. (We have plenty of toilet paper here!)” | In Manchester, Vt., the Wilburton, a 30-acre estate with an inn and private rental villas, was making itself available to those without second homes, announcing on its website: “As the Von Trapp Family singers fled Austria to the healing mountains of Vermont, please know you always have a safe space here too. Pack up your family and escape the panic, crowds and empty market shelves. (We have plenty of toilet paper here!)” |
| In Woodstock, N.Y., Allison Siegel, who runs a market, was simply encouraging all of her local friends to get gas “before the New Yorkers get here.’’ They were coming. This was inevitable. | In Woodstock, N.Y., Allison Siegel, who runs a market, was simply encouraging all of her local friends to get gas “before the New Yorkers get here.’’ They were coming. This was inevitable. |
| Woodstock knew about hordes. “We’re a small town,” she said. “We only have one gas station. We always get tapped out of gas.” | Woodstock knew about hordes. “We’re a small town,” she said. “We only have one gas station. We always get tapped out of gas.” |
| Penelope Green contributed additional reporting. | Penelope Green contributed additional reporting. |