New Yorkers slammed for 'appalling' act during coronavirus lockdown
Residents of America’s coronavirus epicentre have been slammed for blatantly violating COVID-19 social distancing rules after flocking to the city's beaches and parks to enjoy balmy weekend weather.
Those living in the Big Apple, which has been shut down since mid-March, are allowed outside to exercise providing they maintain two metres of distance and wear a mask when around others.
However, this weekend, the warmest weather yet this spring caused picnickers and sunbathers to flock to green spaces in Manhattan, including crowded conditions at Christopher Street Pier in Greenwich Village, according to photos on social media.
Photos on Instagram show swarms of people sitting in close proximity without masks or protective gear.
New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio said there are “some real issues” near the pier and police would increase patrols.
NYPD Commissioner Dermot Shea said officers issued 51 summonses on Saturday, mostly for social distance violations.
New Yorkers can be fined up to $1,000 (A$1560) for violating the orders, which many did as they descended on popular spots like Manhattan's Central Park and Rockaway Beach in Queens following a largely rainy week.
Shea said tickets were issued to 43 people in parks and eight others elsewhere as New York leaders warned residents not to spark a second wave of infections.
Governor Andrew Cuomo said he appreciated residents were bored but that they should not take "false comfort" from falling COVID-19 cases or from seeing other states reopen.
He insisted that the outbreak – which has killed almost 20,000 people statewide – was far from over.
"How people cannot wear masks is disrespectful. It's disrespectful to the nurses, the doctors, the people who have been frontline workers, the transit workers,” he said.
"You wear the mask not for yourself – you wear the mask for me.”
People took to social media to slam those ignoring social distancing rules.
“New York ... this is not good,” one wrote.
“This is APPALLING,” another said.
Dr Deborah Birx, response coordinator for the White House coronavirus task force, said on Fox News Sunday that massing on beaches was not safe unless people kept at least 1.8 metres apart.
Cuomo reported 280 new deaths from COVID-19 in New York state in the last 24 hours, down from 299 the day before.
More than 700 New Yorkers were dying daily at the peak of the outbreak last Month.
Cuomo announced that new cases and intubations continued to fall.
with Reuters and AFP
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