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Governor orders all restaurants, bars, theaters, gyms, casinos closed; no gatherings of more than 50 people in effort to stop coronavirus

Posted 3/16/20

Gov. Andrew Cuomo is ordering the closure of all restaurants and bars for on-premises consumption, and the closure of all movie theaters, casinos and gyms effective at 8 p.m. tonight, Monday, March …

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Governor orders all restaurants, bars, theaters, gyms, casinos closed; no gatherings of more than 50 people in effort to stop coronavirus

Posted

Gov. Andrew Cuomo is ordering the closure of all restaurants and bars for on-premises consumption, and the closure of all movie theaters, casinos and gyms effective at 8 p.m. tonight, Monday, March 16.

Cuomo is further banning social and recreational gatherings of more than 50 people, effective at the same time.

Bars will provide a waiver for carry-out alcohol, Cuomo's office said.

"This follows updated guidance that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued yesterday recommending the cancellation or postponement of in-person events consisting of 50 people or more," a joint statement from the three governors reads.

Cuomo's office said he is making the decision "amid a lack of federal direction and nationwide standards."

This uniform approach to social distancing is meant to slow the spread of the novel coronavirus, or COVID-19, the statement reads.

"Our primary goal right now is to slow the spread of this virus so that the wave of new infections doesn't crash our healthcare system, and everyone agrees social distancing is the best way to do that," Governor Cuomo said in a prepared statement. "This is not a war that can be won alone, which is why New York is partnering with our neighboring states to implement a uniform standard that not only keeps our people safe but also prevents 'state shopping' where residents of one state travel to another and vice versa. I have called on the federal government to implement nationwide protocols but in their absence we are taking this on ourselves."