Two years since the COVID-19 pandemic shut downs and people have not returned to New York City offices and retail in full strength. Compared to the pre-lock down weeks of January 3-February, 2020, New York County workplace visits are down -38%. Furthermore, retail/recreation visits are still down -35% and transit is off -31%.
This analysis is done with Google’s latest COVID-19 Mobility Report for May 25, 2022. Google shows how visits and length of stay at different places compare to the pre-COVID baseline. The tech firm calculates these changes using aggregated and anonymized data. Furthermore, this data represents a sample of Google users.
We focused on New York County data. This geographic area, also known as Manhattan, includes Manhattan Island. According to Manhattan Borough President, Mark Levin, the city is in “yellow” Covid alert status.
“In light of our new alert status, NYC Health Dept has updated one key piece of guidance. It’s now advised that people who are at higher risk due to age, underlying health conditions, or being unvaccinated, should consider avoiding crowded indoor gatherings.”
Manhattan Borough President, Mark Levin
Furthermore, Levine shares that the city’s health department “strongly recommending” masks in public indoor settings.
Other Data Shows Declines
Painting an even bleaker picture, The New York Times reports on a study showing that “just 8 percent of Manhattan office workers are back in the office five days a week, and 28 percent are still fully remote.”
The Times delayed its plan to have employees return to the office a few days a week starting in June due to a Covid spike in New York City.
Some Metro Areas Have Greater Declines
To be clear, some cities are worse off. San Francisco County, CA workplace visits are off -49%. The California county transit visits are down -51% from pre-Covid, according to Google. While Manhattan park visits are up +14% from baseline, San Francisco’s declined -24%. It appears there is a general reduction in foot traffic around San Francisco.
King County, home of Seattle, Washington isn’t do well either. Workplace visits are down -41% compared to the baseline. Furthermore, transit visits are off -34% from pre-COVID.
Miami-Dade County in Florida workplace visits aren’t off as much. A -20% decline from pre-COVID is encouraging.
Mayor Urges Return
New York City Major Eric Adams has a plan for the city’s recovery. Titled “Rebuild, Renew, Reinvent”, the blueprint specifically aims to accelerate the return to pre-pandemic employment levels. Furthermore, Adams urged “It is time to get back to work” during a CNBC interview in January.
