Necessities
white folded paper on brown wooden tablePhoto by Anshu A on UnsplashWhether you're going out for errands or hanging out with your family and/or friends, you should be carrying the essentials: extra mask or two (you never know), hand sanitizer, gloves, and sanitizing wipes. Nowadays, everyone is sanitizing their hands after touching everything so then they don't risk catching anything. With the extra masks, I prefer carrying an extra one because after breathing through one for more than two to three hours, I personally hate the condensation feeling on my face so I like the feeling of a newer mask. Gloves are honestly a little extra but if you're grocery shopping, definitely wear gloves but other than that, you don't need gloves necessarily.
COVID Policies
white and blue labeled boxPhoto by Erik Mclean on UnsplashDue to the first half of the year being the time every business was closed down, a lot of new guidelines were enforced to keep everyone safe. Some businesses have even closed down permanently due to the loss of money. Even though majority of stores and restaurants are open for people to walk-in, you still have to check if some are only doing pick-up, delivery, or probably none of the above. Stores would most likely have in-person shopping, curbside pick-up or you have to order online. In addition, fitting rooms and store bathrooms are most likely closed to the public. Restaurants would have indoor and/or outdoor dining, pick-up, or delivery. Since indoor dining in NYC can only have up to 25% capacity, some places would require reservations only. For museums, you'd most likely have to order tickets online.
Long Lines
line waiting GIF by South Park GiphyAs you may know, to keep social distancing rules, the maximum capacity decreased for almost everywhere you go. When it hits the limit, the line outside starts to form. It's best to plan when you want to go to wherever you want to go because it's honestly based on luck. You can get there and walk right in or walk down the block to get to the end of the line and then wait as if it's Black Friday. My advice is to not go on Wednesdays, Saturdays, and Sundays because most people don't work on those days so they go out.
Cash or Card?
Credit Card Money Cash - Free photo on PixabayCredit Card Money Cash - Free photo on PixabayNowadays, everyone uses their credit or debit cards to pay for their items for almost every store since it's convenient. Some people, including me, prefer using cash to buy stuff or pay for food. But, I have encountered times where the store or restaurant only take card since the newer cards have a tap feature so you're not touching the card machine. So make sure you have both cash and card(s) just in case.
Masks, Masks, Masks!
Air Force releases guidance on use of cloth face covers > Air ...Air Force releases guidance on use of cloth face covers > Air ...I don't know how many times I need to say this, but PLEASE WEAR YOUR MASKS CORRECTLY! If I can see your nostrils straight up, you're wearing it incorrectly. Some might say, "It's covering my mouth though, it won't hurt others when I cough." Please remember sneezing happens more frequently than coughing. So if that mask isn't covering your nose, all of those germs and booger particles are going to pass on to some other person. Always remember, cough or sneeze into your nose, maybe dab on it.
Social Distancing
Boss Reaction GIF by Robert E BlackmonGiphySocial distancing is now a big deal especially in crowded places. Even though every place says "Please keep a distance of at least six feet away from the person in front or next to you," most people stay like four feet away. It's honestly funny when stores and restaurants place social distancing stickers on the floor "six feet away from each other" but me being 5'3", it's easy to see it's not even six feet. So my point is, just don't stand close to someone, unless it's a family member or friend.
Temperature Check
blue and white digital device at 8 2Photo by Anton on UnsplashNow this is something that you don't have to do on an every-day basis but if you want protect others and yourself, take your temperature. From my own experience, before COVID-19, I've had my temperature taken and caught a fever, even though I had no symptoms of a fever. So you'd want to double-check your temperature, since no symptoms still mean a slight chance of catching COVID-19.
I hope these are helpful to those going out for the first time. Or, I hope this reminded people since I've seen some people not take some precautions and that's where some scenes happen. I hope you all stay safe, wash your hands for at least 20 seconds with soap, and thank you to all essential workers!
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