Mayor Bill de Blasio has declared a state of emergency in New York City and announced 95 positive cases of coronavirus in NYC.
“I will emphasize that the declaration state of emergency authorizes the use of the powers, but we will use them as needed, does not mean everything will happen at once, and we are going to try to be careful to give you accurate information about what the city is doing and why,” de Blasio said. “And all of our largest venues will now no longer have gatherings until such time in this crisis as it is acceptable to do so again and unfortunately, I suspect that will be a number of months.”
Gatherings with more than 500 people will temporarily be banned in New York, Gov. Andrew Cuomo said Thursday when announcing one of several “dramatic actions” to contain the coronavirus.
The governor said the ban would start for most places at 5 p.m. Friday. The ban for Broadway theaters will start 5 p.m. Thursday.
“We’ve already been talking to the Broadway theatres and they’re aware that we’re going to be doing this,” Cuomo said.
Cuomo said venues of under 500 people can only be filled to half their capacity.
STAY UPDATED WITH BREAKING UPDATES FROM YWN VIA WHATSAPP – SIGN UP NOW Just click on this link, and you will be placed into a group.
The ban does not apply to schools, hospitals, nursing homes and mass transit.
The number of confirmed cases in New York state jumped to 328 from 216 on Wednesday. New York City had 95 cases.
Meanwhile, New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy said Thursday that all gatherings of more than 250 people should be canceled in response to the COVID-19 outbreak.
Murphy, a Democrat, issued a statement noting the guidance is based on a recommendation from the state’s health commissioner and includes sporting events, parades and concerts. But it stopped short of ordering the cancellation of all such events.
Murphy’s comments came the same day that Freehold Raceway said it’s temporarily stopping operations because a person who was there over the weekend was in contact with someone who tested positive for the COVID-19 virus.
(AP)
Join the official YWN WhatsApp status
5 Responses
the gov. discussed it with the chassidim and came up with the 500 number? covers most places until yomtov
and BMG is fine because the ban does NOT include schools
What happens in big shuls like Satmar or Bobov?
And how will I get to hear Chazan Miller’s Roish Choidesh Bentchen?
Apdsvys: The bigger shuls can hold staggered minyanim to keep the numbers below the threshold or use alternative facilities not typically used for davening such as nearby Simcha halls.
Under the current circumstances, I’m sure Chazan miller would be glad to record his rosh chodesh bentchen for subsequent podcast for those who cannot get to shul on March 21st
meir G, BMG is in New Jersey, which is not part of New York State!
Apdsvys; obviously you haven’t been going to Chazan Miller in a while. Beth El hasn’t had 500 people in years.