Summary:
- NYC Mayor says NYC schools will close for at least a month starting Monday
- NYC orders all venues, theaters, nightclubs and other entertainment to close
- NY Gov Cuomo says NYC schools will close “early this week”
- NYC Mayor reports 4 new deaths
- LA Mayor orders all entertainment venues, gyms, bars, restaurants to close
- Italy reports largest one-day jump in cases; France also reports highest daily jump
- CDC recommends postponing all gatherings for 8 weeks
- US death toll hits 64
- Pentagon says sailor aboard Navy ship has tested positive
- Germany reports 1,000+ new cases bringing total to 5,813
- Acting Homeland Security Secretary says lines at O’Haire are “unacceptable”, says wait times have been fixed
- Illinois Gov closes all bars & restaurants for dining in
- US death toll hits 58, 1st death confirmed in Oregon
- Google CEO says country-wide virus info site to launch Monday
- LA Mayor orders bars to close, may also close dine-in restaurants
- NFL season start likely won’t be postponed, ESPN says
- California confirmed cases climb 14% to 335
- US confirmed case total hits 2,952
- Wal-Mart, Stop & Shop cut hours
- Connecticut, Mass. close schools
- Case in Conn. double over night
- Netherlands closes schools, restaurants
- Germany closes borders to neighboring states
- Poland bars foreigners
- West Virginia last US state that’s virus-free
- Iran reports largest daily jump in deaths
- Ohio closes bars, restaurants at 9pm Sunday
- Trump speaks with grocery chain CEOs
- Pence says he won’t be tested
- NYC Mayor says ‘every option on the table’ when asked if considering complete shutdown of city + schools
- Washington DC mayor orders nightclubs to close and imposes new restrictions on bars and restaurants
- Federal limits on trucker hours suspended to help hospitals and supermarkets alleviate shortages of critical items
Update (1130ET): Shortly after New York’s mayor de Blasio pulled the plug, Los Angeles mayor Eric Garcetti has ordered the closing of all bars, nightclubs, gyms and entertainment venues from midnight March 16 until March 31.\
- Restaurants will be limited to take-out and delivery
- Grocery stores will remain open
“There is no food shortage and grocery stores will remain open. We’re taking these steps to help protect Angelenos, limit the spread of the novel coronavirus, and avoid putting a dangerous strain on our health care system.
This will be a tough time, but it is not forever. Angelenos have always risen to meet difficult moments, and we will get through this together.”
* * *
Update (1030ET): After announcing earlier that restaurants and venues would be enforced to ensure no more than 50% occupancy, Mayor Bill de Blasio just tweeted that he is ordering all “nightclubs, movie theaters, small theater houses, and concert venues to close”. That leaves restaurants still open, but with max 50% occupancy, as the city encourages residents to order our and stay in instead of venturing anywhere outdoors.
Nightclubs, movie theaters, small theater houses, and concert venues must all close. The order will go into effect Tuesday, March 17 at 9:00 AM.
— Mayor Bill de Blasio (@NYCMayor) March 16, 2020
The virus can spread rapidly through the close interactions New Yorkers have in restaurants, bars and places where we sit close together. We have to break that cycle. Tomorrow, I will sign an Executive Order limiting restaurants, bars and cafes to food take-out and delivery.
— Mayor Bill de Blasio (@NYCMayor) March 16, 2020
He added that this isn’t a decision he takes lightly, and added that these places “are the heart and soul of our city.”
This is not a decision I make lightly. These places are part of the heart and soul of our city. They are part of what it means to be a New Yorker. But our city is facing an unprecedented threat, and we must respond with a wartime mentality.
This crisis will last months and it will get worse before it gets better.
But it will get better.
From September 11th to the financial crisis, the world has always looked to New York City to respond and to lead.
And we always do.It's time to show that to the world again.
— Mayor Bill de Blasio (@NYCMayor) March 15, 2020
The Emergency Election Sale is now live! Get 30% to 60% off our most popular products today!