Eyewitness News special: Reopening the Tri-State

Coronavirus Update for New York

Tuesday, May 18, 2021

Eyewitness News special: 'Reopening the Tri-State'

The special explores lifting restrictions, reopening anxiety & going back to work.

NEW YORK (WABC) -- For the first time in nearly 14 months, nearly all of the pandemic restrictions will be lifted across the Tri-State.

While most businesses will relax pandemic rules, that doesn't necessarily mean we'll see those pre-COVID packed restaurants and bars, sellout crowds inside ballparks and arenas and standing-room-only performances. There are still a number of obstacles facing businesses and customers.

While there is so much hope, there is also fear and trepidation. So-called "reopening anxiety" is real and there are ways to deal with it and stay safe.

And will the big re-opening help restart the economy? Eyewitness News is exploring why now could be the best time to find a job or change your profession.

What to know as the Tri-State reopens:

Restaurant hesitancy still exists over indoor dining

The road back to full capacity has been a particularly long one for bars and restaurants, but will we go from socially distant tables to packed dining rooms like a flip of switch?

Connecticut moved to 100% capacity back in March, but many restaurants say challenges and changes during the pandemic have kept them from returning to a full house.

Restaurants in New York City expect much of the same when capacity restrictions lift on Wednesday, and then there's the newfound norm of outdoor seating that appears here to stay.

How to cope with 'reopening anxiety' as restrictions are lifted

Whether it's returning to the office, sitting on a crowded train or trying to decipher mask guidelines, so-called "reopening anxiety" is real.

The stress is impacting people who typically take things in stride. It's all especially poignant during this Mental Health Awareness Month.

It's the moment we've all been waiting for - finally being able to walk around in public, even to a bar, without putting on a mask. But as desperate as we've all been to get here - are we really ready?

Employers offering incentives to fill job openings

"Help wanted" is a sign many may be seeing amid the coronavirus pandemic.

The number of unfilled jobs is so high that last month it set a record as the National Federation of Independent Businesses found 44% - almost half of small business owners reported unfilled job openings.

There's a time crunch to prepare for the summer season, so as 7 On Your Side's Nina Pineda found out, employers are offering all sorts of incentives from subsidized housing to sign up bonuses to get people back to work.

WATCH | Reopening the Tri-State: Sports, the arts and Memorial Day