Here an elderly lady sits with a suitably distanced younger companion on one of New York’s better maintained fire escapes, sharing a meal served on an upturned cardboard box. As New Yorkers urgently seek ways back to a normal social life, they do so while creditably observing the health guidelines. Masks have been mandatory for about 6 weeks and the next phase of opening will allow restaurants to serve food only on tables that are outdoors, waiving the eye-wateringly expensive permits that would ordinarily be required.
