Message to New York about COVID-19
What's up New York,
It's as if the whole world flipped, and twisted, and turned inside out this week. How fitting that today is Friday the 13th.
As the impact of COVID-19 spreads throughout New York and the rest of the world, the reality seems grimly sobering.
Public gatherings from major sports to Broadway, parades, and museums are closed or canceled. They say it’s until further notice, but the notices seem to get further.
There’s still an array of uncertainties. Will there be subway slowdowns? Will schools be closed?
Economic realities are uneasy too, as many local businesses (especially restaurants), entrepreneurs, freelancers, and creators of New York are sensing hard times ahead.
In these trying times, it’s normal to feel anxiety and fear. It’s also easy to get caught up in feelings of scarcity, to the point that people fight over toilet paper.
The lack of clarity around who’s infected and where the virus came from can lead to an “us-versus-them” mentality, where racism and discrimination rear their ugly heads.
When our day-to-day routine gets disrupted, and we are forced to deal with an existential crisis, that suddenly triggers a lot of uncomfortable questions.
And yet, life goes on.
Hours fly and days pass. We are incredibly adaptable beings, and we get used to new normals.
We want to take a moment to remind people to be kind to each other. Remember that much of the advice around hygiene and “social distancing” is meant to protect others around us, especially vulnerable ones.
We're in this together. This is not the first time that we as a city have had our resiliency tested in facing uncertainty together.
The greatness of people is that we always find a way to keep hope alive and reaffirm the spirit of uniting, living our lives fully, all the while keeping our communities healthy and safe. Our creativity and humanity have always managed to flourish even through the worst of times.
While we are stuck inside, working from home and what-not, this is also a gentle reminder to take care of yourself.
Stay hydrated and move as much as you can. Go outside and breathe some fresh air, especially as the weather is getting nicer. Check up on your friends and family, and share your appreciation for them. Make art, learn a new skill, pick up a hobby.
We as spoiled NYC, the Food & Culture Guide to New York, will continue to do our best to highlight the wonderful stories and experiences of creativity, resilience, and community in New York. Our curation of content will likely shift away from an emphasis on in-person events to something that feels more appropriate in these times.
We as a company are also big on collaboration and community-oriented ecosystems, so feel free to reach out with ideas on how we can work together or help or better support.
We are confident and optimistic that we as a city will take the necessary actions and precautions in the face of fear, and also live our best lives, whatever that means for us today.
With good health and a hopeful spirit,
Editor-in-Chief