New York government slammed by critics for closing schools but not indoor dining
New York City schools are closing again (it's unclear for how long) after the city hit the 3 percent coronavirus positivity threshold. The number was agreed upon beforehand, so the news isn't a shocker, but it has already elicited harsh criticism, especially since the rest of New York — restaurants and bars (which allow in-door dining), gyms, hair salons, and museums — remain open.
The decision seems particularly perplexing, per The New York Times, given that New York's school system is not believed to be linked to the city's uptick in COVID-19 cases, and research elsewhere generally has not determined schools to be high-risk zones, at least comparatively. New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) has himself said spread is more prevalent in bars and restaurants. As some have pointed out, other countries are taking the opposite approach, leaving schools open, while shuttering non-essential businesses.
Regardless, it seems likely there would be less criticism if schools weren't singled out for the time being.
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
-
Alexei Navalny and Russia’s history of poisoningsThe Explainer ‘Precise’ and ‘deniable’, the Kremlin’s use of poison to silence critics has become a ’geopolitical signature flourish’
-
Are Hollywood ‘showmances’ losing their shine?In The Spotlight Teasing real-life romance between movie leads is an old Tinseltown publicity trick but modern audiences may have had enough
-
A dreamy long weekend on the Amalfi CoastThe Week Recommends History, pasta, scenic views – this sun-drenched stretch of Italy’s southern coast has it all
-
Key Bangladesh election returns old guard to powerSpeed Read The Bangladesh Nationalist Party claimed a decisive victory
-
Epstein files topple law CEO, roil UK governmentSpeed Read Peter Mandelson, Britain’s former ambassador to the US, is caught up in the scandal
-
Iran and US prepare to meet after skirmishesSpeed Read The incident comes amid heightened tensions in the Middle East
-
EU and India clinch trade pact amid US tariff warSpeed Read The agreement will slash tariffs on most goods over the next decade
-
Israel retrieves final hostage’s body from GazaSpeed Read The 24-year-old police officer was killed during the initial Hamas attack
-
China’s Xi targets top general in growing purgeSpeed Read Zhang Youxia is being investigated over ‘grave violations’ of the law
-
Panama and Canada are negotiating over a crucial copper mineIn the Spotlight Panama is set to make a final decision on the mine this summer
-
Why Greenland’s natural resources are nearly impossible to mineThe Explainer The country’s natural landscape makes the task extremely difficult
