The Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine, its boosters and third dose shots are the only ones that have full FDA approval, while Moderna is offering third dose shots at many pharmacies in multiple states without official FDA approval and without doctor recommendation. The third dose of Moderna is exactly the same as the first two shots, and a booster shot is typically a half dose. Currently, the Moderna vaccine, as well as its booster and third dose shots, are approved for emergency use and the FDA will be meeting in mid-October to discuss further approval for Moderna and Johnson & Johnson.

“Pfizer is the only approved Covid booster available right now,” said Dr. Yolanda Reyes, a neurologist in Miami, Florida. During the pandemic, she was called in as an emergency doctor to help treat Covid-19 patients while hospitals were at their max capacity. “If you got Pfizer, you can take the booster six months after your last shot, especially if you’re at risk, like being over the age of 65. Your booster shot should match whatever your other vaccines were. So if you got Moderna, you shouldn’t mix it with Pfizer.”

Dr. Reyes’ statements match the CDC’s website on booster shot guidelines: don’t mix your shots, and only take it if you fall into a certain group of high-risk individuals that may need greater protection, such as healthcare workers.

“I’m a healthcare worker exposed to Covid every day,” said Dr. Reyes. “I’m 59, not over 65, but I’m older. Maybe if I was a younger doctor, my response would be different because I think my immune system will be able to handle it. But since I’m older, I’m taking the booster because immunity from the shot goes down over time and I need to be protected, especially to help others.”

Despite these guidelines, there is still confusion across these high risk groups regarding booster shots, especially those who received a Moderna vaccine. In pharmacies across the country, Moderna “boosters” are being offered, which are usually just a third shot with a full dose of the vaccine, exactly the same as the first two shots.

“It was my understanding at the time that I got it that it was the exact same shot that I got on the previous two times, which would be the full dose, although I thought maybe I would be getting a half dose,” said Laura Bonavita, a Jupiter, Florida resident who got a third dose of Moderna. 

Bonavita sought out a booster shot because she has an autoimmune disorder and was traveling soon. With many airlines back at full capacity, she wanted some extra protection before her flight.

“Even though I do wear my mask all the time and I carry hand sanitizer, I just felt that I would be better prepared if I would get the third dose,” said Bonavita. “So, I got my third dose without talking to my doctor first. I just went ahead and got it at a pharmacy because I knew I was going to be on an airplane.”

All she had to do was list her existing conditions that qualify her need for a booster once she got to the pharmacy . She did not have to show proof of her existing conditions. 

Some people over the age of 65 were waiting for the news of a third dose to come out, hoping it would reinforce their immune system and give them further protection. Older residents have also found that their side effects from the vaccine are similar to how they reacted to the first two doses.

“I got vaccinated because I wanted to feel protected from Covid-19, especially at my age,” said Orfilia Barrientos, 89, a Miami resident. “After the booster shot, I had no reactions or symptoms, it was not painful or uncomfortable at all. I do feel much safer knowing I have it, especially since new variants can always appear.”

 Dr. Reyes encourages her reluctant patients to take the vaccine anyways, if not for themselves, then for those around them.

“Taking your booster doesn’t mean that you have less immunity, or that the first two shots that you took were not effective,” said Dr. Reyes. “What it means is that we know that the effectiveness of vaccination decreases over time. So getting a booster is exactly that, it’s a booster. You’re going to boost, or help out, your immune system.”

And, many agree, increasing vaccination rates is the only way to bring society back to a safer, more normal life. 

“I’d recommend everyone that can get vaccinated to do so,” said Barrientos. “It’s the only way we’ll start to see normalcy again.”

The post Covid-19 Booster Offers More Protection and Confusion appeared first on Pavement Pieces.

 “I’m not trying to reintegrate, I’m too old,” said Robert Dunn, 89, of the Bronx. “I’m on the fringe. I mean, I go out to the store, and I come back. I don’t socialize very much.”

 Older adults continue to be one of the most at risk populations of becoming ill, hospitalized, or dying from Covid 19. In the U.S., adults 65 and older account for 16% of the population, but 80% of Covid deaths. As of October 4, 2021, there have been 34,284 total Covid deaths total in the city since the start of the pandemic. The majority have been 65 and older.

 “You can see that [the pandemic] wore on [the residents],” said Ivan Arvelo, 50, the manager at Cooper Square Senior Housing in NoHo. “A lot of them are still afraid, a lot of them are still a little passive. There’s a slow reintegration because a lot of people act like Covid isn’t even around anymore.”

 While some seniors find social connection within public places such as senior centers, group classes, or discounted movies, they said they’re uncomfortable re-engaging in these activities.

 “I don’t go into a Sears or any place where there are close people,” said Dunn, of the Bronx. “It’s a big nuisance. I mean, you feel restricted, and you’re not able to live normally.”

 Although 70% of seniors within the city are vaccinated, 28.5% of NYC residents are not.

 “Now, with the lifting of the restrictions, we still are very conscientious,” said Richard Muller, 74, of the East Village. “Even though we’re vaccinated, we wear masks. We don’t understand why people don’t get themselves vaccinated.”

 Muller said that he and his friends are fearful due to fear of transmission from those who are still unvaccinated.

 “I’d say that there’s a sort of a vigilance,” said Muller. “There’s a public concern that some people are not acting responsibly. We’re hopeful, but still cautious because we don’t want to get sick.” 

One in four older adults reported anxiety or depression since the start of the pandemic. Older adults are still recommended to follow current public health guidelines, limiting indoor and in-person social interactions, which contributed and still contributes to isolation among seniors.

“They were isolated for a long time,” said Arvelo. “I mean, isolation is no joke when you’re a senior, and I saw it first hand. They’re more vulnerable and scared that if something does happen to them, they’re the ones that will be impacted the most.”

 While getting out and being social is a problem for New York elders, connecting through technology continues to be challenging as well.

 “I am terrible with technology,” said Amy Weprin, 87, of East Village. “I only use the landline. I have a cell phone, but it stays off.”

 Dunn said that trying to connect through technology is not an option.

 “I don’t even know what [Zoom] is,” said Dunn. “Technology is out of the question. I don’t understand it, and I don’t even try.”

 Arvelo said that he doesn’t think NYC seniors will reintegrate into public life until local herd immunity exists.

 “I think until we get a local herd immunity, that’s when they’re going to really feel safe and start doing the same things they used to do all the time,” said Arvelo. “I think until we have herd immunity they’re not going to want to be around other people.”

The post Some seniors fear a return to normal appeared first on Pavement Pieces.

 “This is my first time coming on a Saturday and it happens to be after the… it’s really not after – we’re still in the pandemic, but I guess after mass vaccination, so I’m actually quite surprised to see how many people are here,” said Eric Johnson, 32, of Harlem  ”

 Johnson said he isn’t scared to be around a large group of people since he is vaccinated.

 “We’ve been risking it all for a while,” said Johnson. “I mean, you know, I’m not scared. I was vaccinated back in April. Nothing’s happened since then. I ride the trains. This is a little different for me though, I’ve never been in this type of crowd for quite some time, but I am hoping for the best. I think we’ll be alright.”

 Anna Delgado, 62, from Queens said she was a regular at the San Gennaro Feast. She also felt safe in the large group due to the vaccination rates in Little Italy. 

“Some people, they are aware of the pandemic,” said Delgago. “They use masks, but I think around 70 percent of the people over here, they already had the vaccination. That’s very good for New York.”

According to the CDC, 85.54 percent of Hudson Square, Little Italy, SoHo, and Tribeca are vaccinated. This is higher than Manhattan’s vaccination rate of 79.09 percent and New York City’s vaccination rate of 69.45 percent. The case and death rate for these neighborhoods are also lower than Manhattan’s as well as New York City’s.

 With hundreds of people unmasked in such close quarters, the feast does have the potential to  be a super spreader event as fully vaccinated people are still getting infected with Covid.  The vaccine card and mask mandates  are not required for outdoor events.

But the crowds who walked around eating cannolis and smoked sausages were not afraid and neither were the vendors hawking the food.

 “It doesn’t matter because we’re all outside, “ said Angelique Aquilino, 36, a pastry stand owner.  “We can do whatever we want to do, and everybody’s happy.”

Not every vendor was comfortable with the crowds.

Josephine Caso, sister of the owner of Cafe Napoli, checking her reflection in a window at the Feast of San Gennaro in Little Italy. Photo by Maggie Geiler

“I tell you I’m a little leery,” said Josephine Caso, 85, sister of the owner of Café Napoli. “Thank God that everybody’s healthy, [my family and I] all got our shots, we’re happy to be back.”

 Caso and her family handed out cannoli’s, almond-filled pastries, and zeppole to customers waiting in long lines, some for up to 45 minutes. With much of Little Italy’s income being dependent on tourism, the tight-knit community was hit hard by the pandemic, causing most restaurants to lay off staff members and some to deal with closing.

 “Forget it, forget it, it was a disaster,” said Caso “I’ll tell you the truth, I was scared. We had the place closed for a year and a half, nobody walked the streets. It was very hard.”

Business owners hoped the feast would be the boost neighborhood businesses would need.

“With the whole festival going on, hopefully it boosts everything back up, said Manuel Siguencia,37, the manager  at Il Cortilo restaurant. “All of Little Italy is packed… it’s so awesome.”

And the 11-day festival was exceeding their expectations.

 “We were afraid that it wouldn’t be like this coming back,” said Aquilino. “It’s like nothing ever happened. Like we just fell asleep and woke up and we’re back where we were. Everyone is back. This neighborhood needed this.”

The post Little Italy’s Feast of San Gennaro makes a comeback appeared first on Pavement Pieces.

Returning to school and attending in-person classes is difficult enough, and they say China’s Five-One policy, which limits  airlines to one international flight a week has turned it into a nightmare. And these restrictions could last until 2022.

“I bought my ticket five months before my departure,” Jiaqi Shan, a first-year graduate student at New York University said. “It’s a 40-hour transit flight and it cost me over $2,000. Normally before the pandemic, it only cost about $700 for a round trip between China and the U.S. The price just went crazy since March last year.”

According to Shan, the costs of a single flight ranges from $2,000 up to over $5,000, and one of her friends’ tickets were even canceled twice. As the Delta variant continues to spread in the U.S. and causes a significant increase in new cases, Chinese parents worry about their children studying here.

 “She will go to multiple places and meet so many people every day, I’m afraid she’ll get infected,” said Hongmei Peng, whose daughter just came to America to study. “Although she said that she will do all possible protections against covid and take care of herself, there’s still the possibility of being infected. Increased hate crimes and violence rates also worry me a lot.”

Peng said that although she  struggled to sleep the first few weeks after her daughter left, she didn’t let her daughter know how she was feeling.

“I don’t want to distract my daughter or cause her panic,” she said. “She’s already busy with studying and living alone abroad and I believe that she can take good care of herself.”

In April, President  Joe Biden signed a proclamation suspending the entry to the United States of certain nonimmigrant travelers and China carried out the “Five One” policy restricting international flights to and from China. Both acts were aimed to limit the risk of transmitting coronavirus across borders. 

Shan said that she understands the restrictions but they make travel very difficult for international students.

“I’m worried about the pandemic as well. But I still decided to come to America to continue my study,” Shan said. “I think face-to-face interactions and discussions, on-site practices and experience, library resources on campus, and other available resources and opportunities are important and integral parts to my college life.”

Miko Liu, a Chinese student who just graduated from the University of Washington this summer, is preparing for her upcoming GRE test this week and applications for graduate programs in biology and bioengineering. She said she was really torn between going to graduate school in the  U.S. or Singapore and Japan to study biology.

“These countries are also really advanced and professional in biology and bioengineering,” Liu said.“More importantly, these countries have better control in COVID-19 and are much safer I think.”

But after careful consideration, she chose the U.S. 

“America still owns the most advanced technology and the most opportunities to get in touch with the most talented and professional seniors and peers,” she said. “I will also be able to hear the most diversified voices in this country with the most variety in students race and ethnicity. As long as I remember to wear a mask in public places and monitor my health every day, the pandemic won’t bother me much I believe.”

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As the university notes, graduate housing is ‘extremely limited,’ which means that the vast majority of NYU’S 25,000 graduate students live somewhere in the five boroughs of the city or over the bridge in Hoboken or Jersey City. No testing is provided by the university on the weekends, and students who wish to get tested and do not live in NYU administered housing (which offers more readily available testing options) must schedule a test in advance. This makes testing and navigating exposure more difficult for graduate students than advertised.

My roomate, David Sheckel, 24, got tested ‘more than 50 times’ by his own estimation while completing his Masters in Public Policy at Northeastern University in Boston, where he lived before moving to Brooklyn. Half a hundred negative results later, he began to feel like he’d never contract Covid-19 – especially after reaching full-vaccination status near the end of April. 

“Actually getting a positive one, I didn’t process it at first,” he said, having only gotten tested in the first place as a courtesy before heading in for the first day of a new job. “I was a little congested, but kinda figured it was my seasonal allergies. It’s kind of shocking.”

David, who is not a student at NYU, had been keeping a low profile for the most part. He tries to avoid large gatherings and crowded areas, congregating mostly with small groups of friends. He says that upwards of 10 people he potentially exposed all tested negative. 

“I guess it’s proof the vaccine is doing its job,” he said. “But it’s also proof that breakthrough infections happen.”

Data collected by the New York Times suggests that fully vaccinated people have a one in 5,000 chance of contracting the virus – half as likely if you live in an area with low transmission. As of September 15th, 68% of New York City’s adults 18 and older have received their first dose of the vaccine, according to NYC Health Department data. Those figures for the university are more impressive, thanks to NYU’s back to school vaccine mandate: 99% of students, 98% of faculty, and 96% of employees are fully vaccinated. 

Even in an environment where inoculation is high, evidence of breakthrough infections is beginning to emerge. 

NYU releases testing data on a weekly basis, which can be found buried on the university’s website four clicks from the homepage. Last week (September 6-12), NYU returned 48 positive PCR tests out of 3,457 PCR conducted on campus, for a reported positivity rate of 1.36%. The total number of cases for the same time period was 157, which includes cases reported by students, faculty and employees from testing conducted off campus. NYU’s Covid Response and Prevention team could not be reached for comment. 

All publicly available data for the first two weeks of the semester shows a cumulative total of 249 reported positive cases. 

Living about four miles from campus in Brooklyn, I found myself not wanting to travel via public transportation to NYU’s BioReference testing site located on campus at 18 Cooper Square out of an abundance of caution. Once David notified me of being infected, we read articles from the Cleveland Clinic and Bustle about how to best proceed, in addition to consulting the ACCESS NYC covid hotline. NYU advised me that as long as I was vaccinated and wasn’t showing symptoms that quarantining wasn’t necessary. 

David and I committed to staying in our respective rooms and double masking everytime we needed to use the common areas like the kitchen or the bathroom, each of us waiting for the other to leave before taking our turn and being sure to thoroughly disinfect with Lysol wipes afterwards. Although our apartment fits the standard New York City shoebox stereotype, it’s got enough doors and a deck to make staying out of each other’s way relatively easy. 

Getting tested, on the other hand, wasn’t as straightforward. 

“Google Maps has a feature to find covid testing near you, but I don’t think that’s a very good resource,” said David about our search for local testing. The only options within a mile radius of our apartment were urgent care centers and private clinics. Several of these options featured reviews lamenting how disorganized the process was and how it took days for results on tests that purportedly are ready in less than thirty minutes. 

“The city’s website offers a great resource to find covid testing near you, with an option to search for testing by zip code,” said David. “If I end up getting tested again, I’ll probably go to one of the city’s mobile units, even though there aren’t any that are super convenient for us here.”

I ended up getting both a rapid antigen and PCR test at an urgent care center in Bushwick. Thankfully, both came back negative. 

While the PCR test was covered under my university-provided insurance, the rapid antigen test ran me $100. I called five testing options that purported to offer free rapid antigen testing near me but either never made it off hold or was told to plan to come first thing the following morning, when they’d be less busy. Two separate Walgreens within walking distance told me they were no longer conducting rapid antigen testing, and they were also sold out of the take home versions of these tests. 

While rapid testing is thought to be less reliable than PCR testing, it’s almost a necessity when it comes to informing classmates and professors about your status while they figure out how to proceed themselves. Real time results enable real time decisions. And without a clear playbook for graduate students, those decisions are all the more complicated.

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With the pandemic implementing additional restrictions on restaurants, local businesses, like Mitroni’s Celeste, have been forced to change their business models, adding more costs on top of already rising prices. 

“Food costs have gone up 40%,” Mitroni, 59, said. “I go to Home Depot and get wood [for plastic dividers], then there’s delivery. You have all these trays and paper and all this stuff. That’s gone up. All these things that you didn’t need before in mass quantities.” 

Carmine Mitroni, 59, has owned Italian restaurant Celeste, located on 84th and Amsterdam Ave., since 2002. Photo by Laura Studley.

Mitroni said before COVID, delivery was less than 3% of his business, but now it makes up half of the revenue, due to having only 20 tables at the restaurant. 

To offset costs, Mitroni said he wants to open earlier for happy hour, but there aren’t enough workers available to sustain longer hours. 

“We’re all short staffed,” he said. “There’s no personnel. Now, people can’t pay their rent, me being one of them. I’m able to make payroll. But I’m not making any money … I’m surviving, I’m keeping 18 people employed. That’s all.”

Now, restaurants are required to ask for vaccination cards along with a valid form of identification from every customer looking to dine in. The policy originally began on Aug. 17, but as of Sept. 13, businesses may be fined if they are not enforcing the mandate. 

“I’ve gotta be a bouncer,” Mitroni said. “You should have your license, it’s not enough to see your COVID vaccination. I have to actually see the photo ID. Either school, government, passport or driver’s license, how insane is that?”

And Mitroni is not alone. On Aug. 17, a group of small businesses filed a lawsuit against Mayor Bill de Blasio and the city of New York, in hopes to stop the vaccine requirement. 

“The Executive Order has rendered it impossible for anyone who chooses not to be vaccinated, for whatever reason, to work in the designated industries, wholly depriving them of their livelihood,” according to the lawsuit. 

Mitroni said the pandemic has made people “slaves” to the government, placing an impossible task on restaurants, noting that the regulations for businesses geared toward larger businesses and restaurant groups, something Celeste is not. 

“You can’t say we can’t serve anybody inside, but you’re allowing the cross town bus to be full,” Mitroni said. “There’s a dichotomy. I’m putting up barriers, sanitizing, cleaning everything, but people can have a private party in their apartment with 20 people and nobody’s going to enforce it.”

Data from Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s office from Dec. 2020 showed that restaurants and bars were responsible for 1.43% of COVID infection, the lawsuit said. This, compared to the 73.84% from in-home get-togethers. 

Celeste opened a year after 9/11 in 2002, a venture he called a “momentary lapse in sanity.” He intended it to be a model of a trattoria in Naples or Rome where customers had to move out of the way to let someone into their table. 

“Those days are gone,” Mitroni said. “I’ve lost customers because people are afraid to dine in.” 

Despite the COVID struggles, Mitroni continues his commitment to the food and the UWS community. Mitroni hopes that he will be able to have more personnel and business next May, but is uncertain. 

“I could be in Midtown where there’s no theatres or offices open,” he said. “It could be a lot worse.”

The post New York business owner struggles during pandemic amid city regulations and mandates appeared first on Pavement Pieces.

Just a six minute walk from Jamaica’s Van Wyck stop off the E train in Queens, sits one of the largest Shia Muslim centers in New York City.

Last year the Imam Al-Khoei Foundation had to be closed down due to COVID-19. The community was not able to congregate during the holy month of Ramadan. 

But the center  has reopened with limited capacity so devotees can attend sermons, pray as a congregation and break their fasts together, all while following pandemic precautions.

People entering the building before the start of congregational prayers. Imam Al-Khoei Foundation, New York City. Photo by Hassan Abbas. April 30, 2021

Allama Abid Bilgrami, a Shia religious scholar narrates the tragedy of Karbala, a  very significant event for Shia Muslims.  Their third Imam and grandson of Prophet Muhammad was killed in battle along with many members of his family. Imam Al-Khoei Foundation, New York City. Photo by Hassan Abbas. April 14, 2021

Ali Raza and his grandson, Ali Hassan Naqvi pick up a block of clay “Turbah”. During prayers Shia Muslims prostrate upon earth (clay) or anything that grows on earth such as grass or wood (except for minerals). Imam Al-Khoei Foundation, New York City. Photo by Hassan Abbas. April 14, 2021

Blocks of wood and a clay disc called a “Turbah” were set up by a child who is sitting nearby. During prayers Shia Muslims prostrate upon earth (clay) or anything that grows on earth such as grass or wood (except for minerals). Imam Al-Khoei Foundation, Jamaica, Queens, NY. Photo by Hassan Abbas. April 14, 2021

Waqar Ali cries while he listens to the tragic events of Karbala. The atmosphere of the entire congregation becomes somber. Photo by Hassan Abbas. April 15, 2021

Azazhar Hasnain performs the obligatory Ablution “Wudu” (washing of the arms and the face) before performing a prayer. Imam Al-Khoei Foundation, Jamaica, Queens, NY. Photo by Hassan Abbas. April 15, 2021

Sheikh Fadhel Al-Sahlani leads the prayer before breaking fast. Following precautions to prevent COVID-19 the congregation is praying with gaps between each person; under normal circumstances it is obligatory for people in the rows to stand almost shoulder to shoulder. Imam Al-Khoei Foundation, Jamaica, Queens, NY. Photo by Hassan Abbas. April 18, 2021

Shabbir Husain Musliwala prostrates on “Turbah” while he performs Salah. During prayers Shia Muslims prostrate upon earth (clay) or anything that grows on earth such as grass or wood (except for minerals). To prevent the possible spread of COVID-19 people wear masks inside the prayer hall. Imam Al-Khoei Foundation, Jamaica, Queens, NY. Photo by Hassan Abbas. April 14, 2021

Congregational prayers are performed in limited capacity following COVID-19 preventive measures. The marks on the carpet guide people where to stand during the prayer. Imam Al-Khoei Foundation, Jamaica, Queens, NY. Photo by Hassan Abbas. April 15, 2021

A man reads a chapter of the Quran before the start of congregational prayer. Imam Al-Khoei Foundation, Jamaica, Queens, NY. Photo by Hassan Abbas. April 14, 2021

Abdel Krem (seated), and Aslam Ajani put rice and gravy into takeout containers. After prayers are completed, volunteers will distribute a meal of salad, rice with gravy, soup, and dates to the congregation so they can break their fasts. Imam Al-Khoei Foundation, Jamaica, Queens, NY. Photo by Hassan Abbas. April 14, 2021

A man breaks his fast. Imam Al-Khoei Foundation, Jamaica, Queens, NY. Photo by Hassan Abbas. April 14, 2021

After the end of congregational prayers, people leave the main prayer hall for the basement where they will receive a meal to break their day-long fasts. Imam Al-Khoei Foundation, Jamaica, Queens, NY. Photo by Hassan Abbas. April 18, 2021

The post Reopening for Ramadan appeared first on Pavement Pieces.

When the pandemic hit and the city was taken by an uneasy silence, street musicians were the ones who kept the show going on what has always been their most eloquent and biggest stage: the city itself – and that means both above and below the ground. 

For many of them it was a matter of survival: without their gigs due to closure of the usual venues, they turned to streets and subway stations to keep playing their instruments and showing their art.  

That was a big turning point: many of them not only started making more money busking than playing in bars, theaters and festivals but also attracted new fans among the spontaneous crowd that now gathers around them. 

And, most of all, like that band that kept playing on while the Titanic was sinking, they filled the city with zest and hope amidst one of the darkest times of its history. 

Andrew Kalleen has been carrying his piano all over the city. Here he is on Washington Square Park, New York City. February 5, 2021. Photo by Xavier Bartaburu

Joe Mayer plays the fiddle in The Brooklyn Bards, a band that plays a mix of Irish musich and classic rock every week in Prospect Park, Brooklyn, New York. April 23, 2021. Photo by Xavier Bartaburu

Wayne Walcott playing jazz in the Broadway-Lafayette subway station, New York City. January 27, 2021. Photo by Xavier Bartaburu

Flutist playing in Prospect Park, Brooklyn, New York City. April 23, 2021. Photo by Xavier Bartaburu

Percussionist performing in the 14th subway station, New York City. February 19, 2021. Photo by Xavier Bartaburu

Haitian musican Alegba Jahyile and his band, Alegba and Friends, plays Latin music in Prospect Park, Brooklyn, New York City. April 23, 2021. Photo by Xavier Bartaburu

Robert Leslie is a British-born guitarist and songwriter who plays his own songs in many subway stations across the city. Here he is in Metropolitan Avenue station, Brooklyn, New York City. February 19, 2021. Photo by Xavier Bartaburu

Drummer Rob Montemarano, member of The Brooklyn Bards, a band that plays a mix of Irish music and classic rock every week in Prospect Park, Brooklyn, New York. April 23, 2021. Photo by Xavier Bartaburu

Trumpetist Fernando Ferrarone and bassist Bob Bruya playing jazz in the guitarist Marco Grispo’s band in Fort Greene Park, Brooklyn, New York City. April 1st, 2021. Photo by Xavier Bartaburu

Saxophonist performing in Washington Square Park, New York City. February 5, 2021. Photo by Xavier Bartaburu

Street musician playing the cajón and singing in Andrew Kalleen’s band in Washington Square Park, New York City. February 5, 2021. Photo by Xavier Bartaburu

The post And the band played on appeared first on Pavement Pieces.

Passengers at Whitehall station wait for the next ferry, April 15 2021. Photo by Trish Rooney

Passengers embark in Manhattan, April 15 2021. Photo by Trish Rooney

Rules require passengers to remain masked at all times on the ferry, but riders don’t always follow suit, March 13 2021. Photo by Trish Rooney

Commuters depart from Staten Island in the early morning, March 15 2021. Photo by Trish Rooney

NYPD officers talk during the journey, March 15 2021. Photo by Trish Rooney

Tourists take photos of the Statue of Liberty from the ferry, April 24 2021. Photo by Trish Rooney

The Manhattan skyline from the Hurricane Deck, April 15 2021. Photo by Trish Rooney

Passengers look out at the Statue of Liberty from the Hurricane Deck, April 24 2021. Photo by Trish Rooney

A man looks out at the Statue of Liberty, March 15 2021. Photo by Trish Rooney

There are 16 crew members aboard the ferry at all times, April 15 2021. Photo by Trish Rooney

The Manhattan skyline disappears into fog, April 15 2021. Photo by Trish Rooney

The post Floating for Free: COVID and the Staten Island Ferry appeared first on Pavement Pieces.

But as early reports of COVID-19 began making waves in late January 2020, China quickly closed its borders to all flights and halted all adoptions to reduce the spread of the virus.

“China has a really stable adoption process that spans a few decades…just with COVID that’s really thrown things off,” said Kym Lee.

Now, as COVID’s year anniversary has come and gone, the Lees are among hundreds of families still left in total darkness waiting for China to begin processing paperwork so that they may travel to bring their children home.

The hardest part about waiting has been “wondering how she’s doing, and not having regular updates,” said Lee.

Since China began international adoptions in 1992, it has consistently been the top country for international adoptions, as it typically has the easiest and least expensive process. During the year 2005, a peak of 7,903 Chinese children were adopted by Americans.

Although, as China’s economy has grown and domestic adoptions have increased, international adoption numbers have significantly declined since 2005 to an average of around 2,500. Yet, as a result of COVID, 2020 has the lowest number, with only a handful of successful adoptions before things were shut down. 

Katie Chaires knew immediately after the adoption of her first son, Asher, in 2016 that she didn’t want him to be an only child. So, in December of 2018, she filed for a second adoption. She received clearance to fly to China on January 28, 2020, to bring her daughter Noa, 3, home, but three days prior, she received word that China had officially ceased all travel. 

Katie Chairs and her son Asher, 6, March 7, 2021. Photo by Julie Johnson

“I feel like the hardest part has been not knowing how she’s doing, not being able to see her grow,” said Chaires. “I feel like I’ve missed a year of her growth and development and getting to know her. Because at this point, she should’ve been home for a year already.”

Chaires said Noa has Global Developmental Delay, and she suspects medical issues as well. Still, without many updates other than the occasional photo and short video clips the orphanage provides, she doesn’t know a lot about Noa’s wellbeing. 

Initially, adoption agencies had prepared families for a one to two-week delay. But, as COVID grew to a global pandemic, they have stopped predicting when things might resume. What was once the most prominent international adoptions system has swiftly fallen to radio silence, even as other countries like Bulgaria and Columbia have slowly reopened to international adoptions.

On New Year’s Day of 2020, Cynthia and Andrea Bonezzi touched down in Maoming, a city along the tip of China’s southern coast, to adopt their second daughter Anna, 3. 

During their two weeks in China, there were no emerging reports about COVID-19. The city was getting ready to celebrate the Chinese New Year and, “everything was normal,” said Cynthia Bonezzi.

They remain amid the few families to successfully bring their daughter home on January 18, 2020, before China halted all adoptions. 

“We were able to get it done in record time and just made it before everything shut down in the pandemic,” said Bonezzi.

Families who were on their way to China with connecting flights were turned away at their midpoint destinations and returned home childless, Bonezzi said. 

And if the Bonezzis had been one of the families turned away, Anna probably wouldn’t be alive, as she was in a fragile state medically due to a chronic illness, and required immediate surgery when they arrived home in New York City.

Cynthia Bonezzi and her two daughters Lily and Anna in China’s White Swan Hotel, January 2020. Photo Courtesy of Cynthia Bonezzi

 There have been no reported cases of COVID outbreaks in any orphanages or institutions as a result of the lockdown.

But studies have shown, the longer children are in these orphanages and institutions, the more significant setbacks in motor skills and cognitive function they may encounter. The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia attributes these delays to a lack of verbal and physical stimulation from caregivers. 

According to Lisa Nalvin, MD, once a child is placed into an adoptive family, they typically “demonstrate remarkable ‘catch-up’ rates when given the appropriate support.”

The Lees celebrated their daughter’s fourth birthday in December by sending a cake and goodies to the orphanage. And as the days, weeks, and months slowly pass still with no word from China about when adoptions might resume, Kym Lee continues to remain hopeful that her daughter will be able to spend her next birthday at home.

“Everything’s really up in the air,” said Lee. “We’re praying and hoping and believing that she’ll be able to come home maybe this year.”

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