Will Broadway theater be closed again due to the Indian coronavirus stamp?
Reports of a new variant of COVID-19 have been circling in the news for a few days now. This “Delta” variant of the deadly coronavirus finds its origins in India and the UK. This amid a vaccine campaign that hasn’t been fully successful in the USA poses a great threat to lifting quarantines in states like New York, etc. Fans and connoisseurs have been questioning since the initial lockdowns: “When will Broadway open?” VeePN no log VPN company has done some research and we fear that this new variant can slow down the progress towards taking things back to normal again and reopening the Broadway shows may well be delayed.
According to a recent survey, 20% of people believe that the first dose provides sufficient protection against infection, and almost 36% responded that they are unsure of the protection of the first dose. Doubts like these can easily mean skipped doses and no protection against the virus.
Meanwhile, the country is slowly opening up to normal life with masks no longer mandatory in most states and public gatherings being allowed without any restrictions. Keeping up with this spirit of reopening, Governor Cuomo announced the re-opening of Broadway shows from September and tickets are open for buying at the moment.
“Broadway is at the core of our New York identity, and a big part of our economy which employees countless performers and show creators, and beginning this September, the show will go on.” – Governor Cuomo
The governor has assured travelers and art connoisseurs from across the globe that these shows will be held with proper state-mandated precautionary measures to avoid a broadway coronavirus spread. Tickets are being purchased and New York is gearing up for an entertaining Broadway show season after almost a year and a half of strict quarantine measures enforced due to the threatening spread of the coronavirus.
But, will the re-opening be possible in reality? As we mentioned, there is a greater threat looming in the form of the Indian and UK-originated Delta variant of the COVID-19. This variant is believed to be more transmittable than the previous versions and the effectiveness of vaccines against this variant has yet to be established.
Just recently, a 37-year-old woman in a Singaporian boarding facility for people with mental health disabilities was found infected with COVID-19. Earlier in the year, the facility’s inhabitants and professionals were vaccinated against the virus. However, after the detection of this patient was confirmed, the entire institute was quarantined and subjected to regular testing.
A week later, almost 30 people were detected positive for the virus, even though they were all vaccinated months before. It is critical to note here, that these people had little to no symptoms, which means the vaccines prevented the symptoms. However, transmission is still possible in vaccinated people.
The biggest threat, however, is the misconception that vaccinated people cannot carry the virus. The above example is proof that vaccinated people may not get severe symptoms. However, they can still transmit the virus to unvaccinated people at a very high rate.
As of the past week, 565 new cases are being reported in the state on an average. The number is low as compared to the stats in the past months, but a new variant has the potential to spread fast and increase these numbers and result in Broadway show cancellation.
According to a recent tweet by Governor Cuomo – 73.1% of individuals have received the first dose of their vaccine while 66.6% have completed their vaccination doses. The question is, will the remaining 30-40% of people that are unvaccinated cause another outbreak in the state due to the spread of the new Delta variant, which is said to be more transmittable than the other variants?
As we all gear up for the festivities and excitement of the Broadway season. Precautions are still necessary to avoid the spread of this new variant and Broadway show cancellation. So, in reality, we are still unsure whether the answer to when is Broadway reopening be this September. With the rate at which this variant spreads and the virus mutates. There is still a chance that this Indian variant could put the city and state back into a strict quarantine routine.