The New York subway suspends 3 lines due to the impact of the coronavirus on its staff

The meter of New York It has been forced to suspend the service of three of its lines this Thursday as a result of the lack of personnel caused by the wave of coronavirus that is registered in the city.

“Like everyone in New York, we have been affected by the rise in covid cases ”, reads a message on the official application of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA, its acronym in English), which manages the network of one of the most important subways in the world.

“We are operating all the services we can with the staff we have.”, Adds the letter.

The W line, which runs through part of Queens and Manhattan, was suspended this Wednesday and also this Thursday, while the B and Z lines have ceased to be operational this Thursday, and the MTA has not specified when they will return to normal.

Despite the suspensions, all New York subway stations will continue to be open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, as has been the case for much of the more than 100 years of life of the Greater Metropolitan Subway system. Apple.

To try to control the wave of coronavirus cases, seven coronavirus testing centers have been installed in the subway network, among which the one in Times Square, Grand Central and Penn Station, all in Manhattan, and the one on Broadway stand out. Junction in Brooklyn.

According to data published by the authorities this Thursday, the state of New York registered a total of 74,000 positive cases this Wednesday, almost double the number registered two days before, which puts the positivity rate at 22%.

The New York police also admitted today that a fifth of their staff is on sick leave, which has led the management to suspend the payroll and vacations of all the agents who had requested them for January 31 and 1.

And despite this, the city has not canceled the massive New Year’s Eve party in Times Square, nor has it decreed closures of shops, offices or theater venues.

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