Cautiously, nation opens up for holiday
Virus deaths drop in New York state; Los Angeles keeps its restrictions tight
President Donald Trump urged U.S. states to reopen for Memorial Day after coronavirus-related lockdowns, but many Americans remained cautious as the number of confirmed cases nationwide passed 1.6 million.
In California, where many businesses and recreational activities are reopening, officials in Los Angeles County said they would maintain tight restrictions until July
4. Some religious leaders took issue with Trump’s declaration that houses of worship are “essential” and should resume inperson services this weekend.
“Being at the epicenter of this pandemic and in order to protect our flock, we advise that congregations remain closed until more accurate and uniform information is provided,” said Bishop Paul Egensteiner, who oversees the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America’s congregations in the hard-hit New York City region.
Statewide, New York reported its lowest number of daily coronavirus deaths — 84 — in many weeks in what Gov. Andrew Cuomo described as a critical benchmark. The daily death tally peaked at 799 on April
8.
“For me, it’s a sign that we’re making real progress,” Cuomo said.
Rain dampened the start of the holiday weekend in the northeastern U.S., where newly reopened beaches were expected to attract throngs of people and test the effectiveness of social distancing rules. At Orchard Beach in the Bronx, which was crowded a weekend earlier, parking lots were mostly empty except for large puddles.
Parts of New Orleans stirred to back life, with some restaurants and businesses opening for the first time in over two months. Some remained closed, especially in the French Quarter, which relies largely on tourist dollars.
At least a few out-of-towners trickled in. Greer Falls of Augusta, Ga., wore a mask as he entered the Royal House restaurant for lunch. After weeks at home, he said he was ready for a change of scenery and didn’t want to miss a birthday celebration with friends he’s known for decades.
Some amusement parks, such as Mt. Olympus in the Wisconsin Dells and Lagoon amusement park in Farmington, Utah, opened for the first time in months. The Facebook sites for both parks were flooded with comments from visitors excited to ride go-karts or roller coasters, though some complained about Lagoon’s policy of requiring masks.
Andrew Young, 29, said Lagoon has been a lifelong summer staple and when he learned the park would be open Saturday, he went online immediately to make a reservation for himself, his wife and 2-yearold daughter.
“It was a lot of fun,” Young said. “Finally going, having some feeling of normalcy.”
As the United States closed in on 100,000 confirmed COVID-19 deaths, the New York Times devoted Sunday’s entire, photo-less front page to a list of nearly 1,000 names of pandemic victims with a few words in memorial for each.