for The Wall Street Journal: Covid-19 Changed New York City: A Story of Six Lives by José A. Alvarado Jr.

News

for The Wall Street Journal: Covid-19 Changed New York City: A Story of Six Lives

josé a. alvarado jr.

Mar 16, 2021

Location: New York City

New York City ground to a halt one year ago as the Covid-19 virus raced through homes and families, upending the lives of its eight million residents.â â
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Under orders from Gov. Andrew Cuomo and Mayor Bill de Blasio, businesses closed, offices emptied and schools went to fully remote learning.â â
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Many of the sick died alone. Hundreds of thousands of people were furloughed or lost their jobs.â â
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Beyond wearing masks and abiding by the new rules of social distancing, New Yorkers adapted. They had to grieve and socialize on Zoom. They ate and drank under outdoor heaters. Bike ridership boomed. Parents created pandemic pods for their children to play and learn in.â â
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About 740,000 city residents had confirmed or probable cases of Covid-19 as of Thursday, according to city health department data, and about 30,000 had died. While state and city officials have slowly eased restrictions and vaccinations have increased, many people still wonder when normal life will return.â â
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Six New Yorkers reflect on a year like no other—and what is to come.

Photographed and Video for The Wall Street Journal, with words by Paul Berger and Leslie Brody.

Covid-19 Changed New York City: A Story of Six Lives
New York City ground to a halt one year ago as the coronavirus raced through homes and families, upending the lives of its eight million residents.

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José A. Alvarado Jr.

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