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New Yorkers fear UN General Assembly schmoozing will spark COVID spike as 100 world leaders and their entourages hit the city's bars and restaurants

  New Yorkers are fearful that the return of the   United Nations   General Assembly this week will spark a new spike in   COVID-19   cases ...

 New Yorkers are fearful that the return of the United Nations General Assembly this week will spark a new spike in COVID-19 cases after the city has worked tirelessly to slow the spread of the virus.

The reinstatement of the giant gathering at the United Nations headquarters in Midtown - after the meeting of global leaders went entirely virtual last year - means that Manhattan will once again be subject to countless street closures, gridlock, and increased foot-traffic.

Meanwhile, more than 18 months after the pandemic prompted the city's sudden shutdown, the threat of virus' delta variant still looms - and many fear that the flood of visitors could spell disaster for the metropolis.

'My biggest concern is what happens outside the UN complex,' New York City Council member Mark Levine said in an interview. 

More than 100 world leaders - and approximately 1,000 delegates overall - are expected to be in attendance at this week's general assembly

More than 100 world leaders - and approximately 1,000 delegates overall - are expected to be in attendance at this week's general assembly

The impending arrival of hundreds of heads of states and delegates from across the globe for the General Assembly means that Manhattan will once again be subject to countless street closures, gridlock, and increased foot-traffic

The impending arrival of hundreds of heads of states and delegates from across the globe for the General Assembly means that Manhattan will once again be subject to countless street closures, gridlock, and increased foot-traffic

'This gathering is famous for all the side meetings in hotels, bars, cafes, and restaurants. Many of these happen without regular screenings, where New Yorkers will be exposed.'

New York City currently has an average of 1,707 cases over the past week - a trend that is stable, as of now.

Despite the event having been scaled back due to concerns pertaining to the pandemic, more than 100 world leaders are still expected to be in attendance - approximately 1,000 delegates overall - and they will of course be accompanied by beefy security details and their respective retainers over the course of the weeklong event.

A cap has been set in place on the size of these entourages, though, to ensure that the General Assembly 'does not become a super-spreader event,' US Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield revealed, with access to the 16-acre UN complex strictly limited and masks mandatory.

Access to the 16-acre U.N. complex in strictly limited, with mandatory mask-wearing and other Covid-prevention measures

Access to the 16-acre U.N. complex in strictly limited, with mandatory mask-wearing and other Covid-prevention measures

However, the UN has explicitly stated that they want diplomats to engage in face-to-face interactions to address critical issues - namely, putting an end to the pandemic, and redefining the post-pandemic economy.  

But some leaders, like Brazil's Jair Bolsonaro, aren't vaccinated, and the UN is taking a particularly lax approach to enforcing the New York City requirement that all General Assembly participants produce proof of vaccination upon their arrival.  

Instead, UN Chief Antonio Guterres told Bloomberg that an honor system will be used, meaning diplomats who swipe into the building are subsequently affirming to having been vaccinated - without having to provide any real proof.

'The number of unvaccinated people that will be there will be very limited,' Guterres attested to Bloomberg. 'All the UN staff supporting the General Assembly is vaccinated.' 

Unvaccinated Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro - who has derided mask use and vaccinations, - was photographed Sunday eating a modest dinner of pizza and Coke with his entourage on a Manhattan sidewalk, after likely being turned down service at an indoor establishment

Unvaccinated Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro - who has derided mask use and vaccinations, - was photographed Sunday eating a modest dinner of pizza and Coke with his entourage on a Manhattan sidewalk, after likely being turned down service at an indoor establishment

'The number of unvaccinated people that will be there will be very limited,' UN Chief Antonio Guterres says. 'All the UN staff supporting the General Assembly is vaccinated'

'The number of unvaccinated people that will be there will be very limited,' UN Chief Antonio Guterres says. 'All the UN staff supporting the General Assembly is vaccinated'


But despite efforts set in place by the UN, like mask mandates and enforced social distancing, as well as testing and vaccination on-site put in place by the city, interactions between the hordes of officials outside of the headquarters' walls in various Midtown East hotels and restaurants are inevitable - and in spite of the new mandates set in place by New York dining establishments, many are concerned that world leaders and delegates will receive preferential treatment and circumvent said regulations. 

But one head of state in particular, Brazil's Bolsonaro, does not seem to be skating by on his VIP status.

In fact, the far-right politician - who has derided the use of masks as a method of combatting the spread of the coronavirus, and has yet to get vaccinated himself - was photographed yesterday eating a modest dinner of pizza and a Coke with his entourage on a Manhattan sidewalk, instead of electing to schmooze indoors with his retainers upon their arrival to the City That Never Sleeps.

But without proof of vaccination and given his high-profile condemnation of the jab, it is more than likely the president did not have much choice.

Just last week, Bolsonaro boasted that he would ignore the vaccine mandate set in place for General Assembly attendees. 

New Yorkers are afraid that there will be a spike in COVID-19 cases amid the sudden surge of visitors from all over the world for the UN General Assembly

New Yorkers are afraid that there will be a spike in COVID-19 cases amid the sudden surge of visitors from all over the world for the UN General Assembly


What's more, according to the Brazilian newspaper Correio Braziliense, an unmasked Bolsonaro was also forced to sneak into his Midtown hotel through the back door on Sunday due to protesters.

Bolsonaro, who had COVID last year, is scheduled to be the first of several speakers to kick things off on Tuesday as the General Assembly hits full stride. 

Leaders like US President Joe Biden, UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, will all be in attendance Tuesday - with notable absences from French President Emmanuel Macron, who announced on Friday that he would not be attending the event to boycott a conference dealing with racism because he felt it was anti-semitic. 

China's President Xi Jingping will also skip the trip and has reportedly not ventured outside his country in more than 600 days after the emergence of the virus.

Russia's President Vladimir Putin is also a no-show, making only one trip overseas since the start of the pandemic - to meet President Biden in Geneva back in June. 

British PM Johnson, like Bolsonaro, also had COVID and also recovered -but has been vaccinated. The two met and shook hands Tuesday at the UK diplomatic residence, both without masks.

Biden is set to speak after Bolsonaro, and plans to quickly return to the White House after his speech. 

Biden's administration is adamant that delegates keep the in-person aspect of the assembly modest. Last month, the U.S. Mission to the United Nations urged countries to drastically scale back attendance plans and send pre-recorded videos when possible, to convey countries' arguments.

The return of these diplomats, however, helps the city's efforts to revitalize its economy and bolster the hard-hit hospitality industry, with restaurants and hotels expected to see a huge influx of business this week. 

'We were the epicenter of COVID but now we are seen as one of the safest places to visit,' NYC & Company Vice President for Global Communications, Christopher Heywood, told Bloomberg. 

Those 'coming in for UNGA will have things to see and do in the city.' 

'The city is starting to reopen for business in a very big way.'  

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