Military jets flew over some of America's biggest cities on Saturday in a special salute to frontline workers in the country with the ...
Military jets flew over some of America's biggest cities on Saturday in a special salute to frontline workers in the country with the highest coronavirus caseload and death toll in the world.
Residents of the nation's capital Washington, as well as Baltimore and Atlanta were treated to the awe-inspiring sights of the Navy's Blue Angels and the Air Force's Thunderbirds as they soared across the sky.
Crowds turned out on the National Mall to see the jets fly in formation past sites such as the US Capitol and the Washington Monument.
The US Navy Blue Angels (R) and US Air Force Thunderbirds fly past the Washington Monument on May 2, 2020, in a tribute to frontline workers during the coronavirus pandemic
President Donald J. Trump ordered US Navy Blue Angels and US Air Force Thunderbirds to conduct flyovers 'to salute frontline COVID-19 responders', according to a US Navy statement
Residents of the nation's capital Washington, as well as Baltimore and Atlanta were treated to the awe-inspiring sights of the Navy's Blue Angels and the Air Force's Thunderbirds as they soared across the sky.
The US Navy Blue Angels and US Air Force Thunderbirds fly over the Washington area on May 2, 2020
'America Strong is a way for both teams to show appreciation to the thousands of doctors, nurses, first responders and essential workers out there serving on the front line day-in and day-out,' said Cmdr. Brian Kesselring, U.S. Navy Blue Angels commanding officer and flight leader for the flyover
The US Navy Blue Angels and US Air Force Thunderbirds flew over the Lincoln Memorial on Saturday
Most of those in attendance appeared to be following social distancing rules, and many wore face masks.
'Proud to see the #AmericaStrong salute to our healthcare & frontline workers with a spectacular flyover today in Washington, D.C. Thank you to the @AFThunderbirds and @BlueAngels for this beautiful display of solidarity,' first lady Melania Trump tweeted, including a photo of herself watching the fly-by from outside the White House.
The Thunderbirds hailed health workers and first responders battling the novel coronavirus, which has infected more than 1.1 million in the US and killed more than 66,000.
The Blue Angels and Thunderbirds last week flew over New York City, as well as Newark and Trenton, New Jersey and Philadelphia.
The display was termed Operation America Strong and consisted of a formation of six F-16C/D Fighting Falcon and 6 F/A-18C/D Hornet aircraft.
A man watches a flyover conducted by US Navy Blue Angels and US Air Force Thunderbirds, near the Washington Monument
The Thunderbirds hailed health workers and first responders battling the novel coronavirus, which has infected more than 1.1 million in the US and killed more than 66,000
The Blue Angels and Thunderbirds last week flew over New York City, as well as Newark and Trenton, New Jersey and Philly
Crowds turned out on the National Mall to see the jets fly in formation past sites such as the US Capitol and the Washington Monument where these flags were flying high
'America Strong is a way for both teams to show appreciation to the thousands of doctors, nurses, first responders and essential workers out there serving on the front line day-in and day-out,' said Cmdr. Brian Kesselring, U.S. Navy Blue Angels commanding officer and flight leader for the flyover.
'This is an extraordinary and unprecedented time but we will get through this. We are all in this together.'
'We are honored to fly over these cities in a display of national unity and support for the men and women keeping our communities safe,' said U.S. Air Force Lt. Col. John Caldwell, Thunderbird commander and lead pilot. 'These flyovers are a gesture of goodwill on behalf of the entire Department of Defense to the heroes of the COIVD-19 pandemic.'
'They are on the front lines. We are used to being on the front lines, but now they are the ones on the front lines, and this is our way to try and say thank you for putting yourself out there and taking these risks,' said Maj. Trevor Aldridge to 11News.
People look on as the Blue Angels and Thunderbirds fly over Centennial Olympic Park in Atlanta on Saturday
Crowds of people ignored social distancing rules to watch the Thunderbirds and Blue Angels soar over Atlanta Saturday afternoon
Thousands watched jets from the Blue Angels and Thunderbirds roar through a crystal clear Atlanta sky on Saturday
An emergency room medical staffer watches as the U.S. Navy Blue Angels fly near WellStar Atlanta Medical Center to honor those battling the COVID-19 pandemic
The Navy's Blue Angels and Air Force's Thunderbirds precision air teams flew over metro Atlanta on Saturday afternoon to honor the first responders, including the doctors and other medical personnel as well as the police and fire crews on the front line during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Hundreds of healthcare workers and thousands of people all over metro Atlanta cheered as the jets went overhead in a spectacular display
People parked up on the side of the highway in order to get a good view of the flypast on Saturday afternoon
They entered the Atlanta region over northern Cobb County and passed over Marietta and made their way down toward the Piedmont Hospital area, then flew to the east, toward Emory University and the VA Hospital area.
People seemed to do their best to keep six-feet apart (unless they were with members of their own family)
The 'America Strong' tour already saluted New York City and Philadelphia before buzzing over Atlanta to honor frontline medical workers
A formation of jets from the Navy's Blue Angels, left, and the Air Force's Thunderbirds fly over Atlanta, to show support for medical workers fighting the coronavirus outbreak
Despite good intentions, there were times when people did not adhere to the social distancing requirements
A couple take a selfie as they stand on an Atlanta bridge waiting for the flypast to occur
A couple are overcome with emotion during the flypast and ended up hugging one another while on the bridge
Spectators were quick to get out their cameras and capture the historic moments as the planes whizzed by
People stood patiently while waiting for the flypast and seemed to do their best to keep apart from another as much as possible
People had their cellphone cameras at the ready as the flypast happened on Saturday afternoon in downtown Atlanta
All eyes were skywards on a picture perfect afternoon - with not a single cloud in the sky as the flypast took place
People who had otherwise been locked down for weeks on the East Coast stepped outside on a warm Saturday after a dull, grey April brought excessive rainfall.
New Yorkers, some who have been holed up in their homes for almost two months, practiced social distancing as they enjoyed the warm weather in Central Park.
In D.C., the U.S. Navy's Blue Angels and the Air Force Thunderbirds flew over the National Mall to honor frontline healthcare workers. Spectators in Maryland also gathered to watch.
New York has 312,977 people infected with the coronavirus and 18,909 have died. In Washington D.C., 4,797 people have come down with COVID-19 and 240 people have died.
People rushed to the lush greens to see the spectacle, and some moderately sized crowds could be seen forming in certain areas as folks watched the flight demonstration.
NEW YORK: Runners descended on Central Park during the coronavirus pandemic Saturday
WASHINGTON DC: U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds and Navy Blue Angels pass over the National Mall Saturday
NEW JERSEY: People visit Liberty State Park. New Jersey state parks and golf courses opened Saturday
PENNSYLVANIA: Shoppers donned masks to head to a farmers' market Saturday in Easton
Golfers in New Jersey were also happy to get back to what they loved, as several could be seen at a course in Spring Lake not wearing protective masks.
In Easton, Pennsylvania, shoppers flocked to a farmers' market and lined up in masks, practicing social distancing.
There are now more than 1,150,000 cases of coronavirus in the U.S. with more than 66,000 deaths.
The region can expect rainier weather by the end of Sunday. Storms and rain originating from the central United States are expected to spread toward the upper mid-Atlantic coast on Sunday.
New York's Mayor Bill de Blasio ordered 1,000 cops into the city's parks this weekend to fine anyone gathering in groups in defiance of coronavirus social-distancing restrictions. People face $1,000 fines.
WASHINGTON DC: Crowds flocked to the National Mall to watch the US Navy Blue Angels and US Air Force Thunderbirds flyover
WASHINGTON DC: Crowds mingle around the Washington Monument after viewing the U.S. Navy Blue Angels and U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds fly over the National Mall in Washington, Saturday
WASHINGTON DC: The U.S. Navy Blue Angels (R) and U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds fly over the National Mall as a tribute to frontline healthcare workers during the coronavirus pandemic
NEW JERSEY: People visit Liberty State Park in Jersey City Saturday. Governor Phil Murphy has warned he will close parks again if people do not adhere to the restrictions and social distancing measures put in place
With temperatures rising to 70 degrees on Saturday and Sunday, the mayor expects New Yorkers will be venturing out to enjoy the weather, and that there will likely be people not wearing masks and gathering in crowds in public spaces.
'The nice weather is very much a threat to us,' de Blasio said on WNYC Friday.
'There's nothing wrong with going out and getting some exercise and getting back home,' he added. 'Go out for a little bit, but don't go out for too much. Don't gather, don't try and do the things we would normally do on a beautiful spring day.'
The mayor considers good weather a 'threat' to the city, which has had 172,784 confirmed cases of the coronavirus and at least 12,571 deaths.
NEW YORK: Yoga was clearly on the mind of one woman in Brooklyn as others lounged out on the lawn in Domino Park
NEW YORK: Tom Bonnett, from Brooklyn, smokes a pipe under his mask as he walks by Prospect Park
NEW YORK: A family rests on a bench by Prospect Park during nice weekend weather
There have been 308,314 confirmed cases in New York state of the coronavirus, which has been blamed for 18,610 deaths. Across the US there have been 1,131,876 confirmed cases and 65,708 deaths.
The NYPD will enforce what de Blasio described as a 'no tolerance for gatherings' policy.
'We're going straight to summons,' he said, adding that anyone who resists the fine may face arrest.
Police will be out on bikes and mounted on horses to make sure people are properly spaced apart according to social-distancing guidelines. Organized sports, parties and other gatherings will not be tolerated, said NYPD Chief of Department Terence Monahan, the Daily News reports.
'The days of warnings are over,' Monahan said.
NEW JERSEY: People walk on the beach in Belmar without wearing masks
NEW JERSEY: Golfers arrive to play golf at the Bethpage State Park Golf Course
NEW JERSEY: Some golfers did have on masks as they made their way to the course
Even with progress made in slowing the spread of the outbreak, a full reopening of the city is 'obviously' months away, the mayor says.
De Blasio gave the estimate while speaking with a Brooklyn bar owner who called into WNYC's 'The Brian Lehrer Show' to ask what the city was doing for small businesses during the restrictions.
'I'll have more to say on that soon, on other ways we can help small businesses to get through to the point where we can really start at reopening, which obviously is a few months away at minimum,' de Blasio told Ivy Mix, owner of Leyenda.
WASHINGTON DC: People wearing face masks gather in a park to watch the US Navy Blue Angels. A man wears his mask incorrectly
MARYLAND: People sit on a hill while watching the Thunderbirds and Blue Angels perform a flyover in Baltimore
WASHINGTON DC: In a mix of masks and not, people wait for the final flyover of the Blue Angels and Thunderbirds in Washington
WASHINGTON DC: People visit the Lincoln Memorial in Washington
ATLANTA: Crowds of people ignored social distancing rules to watch the Thunderbirds and Blue Angels soar over Atlanta
ATLANTA: Many people were not wearing masks as they stood and watched Blue Angels fly by
ATLANTA: Those who did wear masks were far and few in-between
New York is working to start to 'normalize,' de Blasio said, which might include limiting space at bars or requiring outdoor-only seating at restaurants.
'There's a lot of ideas out there we're working on right now,' he said.
De Blasio's plan relies heavily on increasing the city's coronavirus testing capacity. Only 13,000 tests are currently conducted on a daily basis, when the mayor says as many as hundreds of thousands more may be needed.
A 'test and trace' plan to gradually ease the restrictions would need as many people tested as possible, provide for isolating and treating anyone who is infected and quickly track those who may have come in contact with the sick.
ATLANTA: Several folks held American flags as they took photos of the Blue Angels
ATLANTA: Several families could be seen huddled up as they enjoyed the festivities
ATLANTA: An entire family sits on the back of a pick-up truck while they watch on Saturday
Crowds of people ignored social distancing rules to watch the Thunderbirds and Blue Angels soar over Atlanta
NEW YORK: People wait in line to enter Prospect Park Market during nice weekend weather
No comments