Miami beaches open after three months of COVID-19 closure
by Leila Macor
Miami’s beaches in South Florida opened for the first time in three months Wednesday, an emotional moment for many residents whose leisure and financial well-being are intrinsically tied to the sandy shores, which were closed due to coronavirus.
“I almost started crying as soon as I came out onto the beach,” said Julie Isaacson, a New Yorker who has lived for 27 years in Miami Beach, located on a barrier island directly across from Miami.
Isaacson, a travel agent, was shaken to her core by the pandemic — which not only cost her her livelihood but also killed one of her friends.
The 63-year-old said the ocean is “an integral part of my mental health and my physical health,” but clarified that she was “in 100 percent agreement with the shutdown.”
COVID-19 was not far from beach-goers’ minds, however, with “social distancing ambassadors” in pink shirts stationed at entrances, reminding visitors to wear masks and maintain social distancing.
Despite being open for the first time since March 23, there was no crowding at the beach — a scene of endless sand, turquoise water and green sargassum algae that begins to accumulate this time of year.
Dozens of beach chairs and umbrellas that are for rent sat empty, with no tourists in sight.
Celebrated for its pastel art deco buildings and intense nightlife, Miami Beach is only slowly emerging from confinement after the coronavirus forced shop owners and residents into lockdown at the height of peak season, which runs from January to April. (AFP)
