March 15, 2020 – In Breaking News – THE HILL
State and city officials announced sweeping closures and new restrictions on Sunday as the U.S. struggles to contain the growing coronavirus pandemic that has led to thousands of deaths around the world.
The limitations come as health experts have warned against large crowd gatherings to mitigate the spread of the virus, noting that even those without symptoms can carry and spread the disease.
The governors of Illinois and Ohio announced Sunday they would close all restaurants and bars in response to the pandemic, as the number of confirmed cases of COVID-19 continued to rise nationwide.
(Illinois and Ohio shut down bars and restaurants. Maryland closed down casinos and racetracks. More than 40,000 residents in Teaneck, New Jersey were ordered to self-quarantine. At the nation’s airports, there were crowds and confusion after the European travel ban. Courtesy of NBC News and YouTube. Posted on Mar 15, 2020.)
Gov. Mike DeWine (R) said bars and restaurants will close Sunday night, remaining open only for carry-out and delivery services.
Illinois Gov. J.B Pritzker (D) shortly followed with an announcement that bars and restaurants in his state will be limited to dine-in customers by the end of day Monday.
In California, Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) directed all bars, pubs and wineries in the state to close.
He also requested people over 65 — a group health officials have deemed at a higher risk of the virus — to participate in home isolation.
(California Gov. Gavin Newsom is calling for all bars, wineries, nightclubs and brewpubs to close in the nation’s most populous state. Courtesy of ABC10 and YouTube. Posted on Mar 15, 2020.)
Washington D.C., Mayor Muriel Bowwer announced new limitations on bars and restaurants Sunday, calling for a cap on crowds of more than 250 people from gathering in restaurants and bars and prohibiting seating and service to standing patrons.
Similarly, Boston Mayor Marty Walsh (D) said Sunday he’d be requiring restaurants, bars and nightclubs to reduce capacity by 50 percent.
He called for establishments to remove tables and chairs to reflect the reduced capacity.
Nashville Mayor John Cooper (D) said Sunday he would be closing bars in certain areas of the city, as well as limiting restaurants to limit their capacity to 50 percent and allowing a maximum of 100 individuals to gather.
(Gov. Pritzker announced that all restaurants and bars in Illinois will be closed starting Monday night amid the coronavirus pandemic. Courtesy of CBS Chicago and YouTube. Posted on Mar 15, 2020.)
Cooper also called for bar service at restaurants to be limited to 50 percent of its capacity with no standing allowed.
New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio (D) announced Sunday schools in New York City would close starting Monday.
Several governors had issued state-wide school closures earlier, but de Blasio had said he was reluctant to do so due in part to the number of students who rely on the public school system for meals.
(Mayor Bill de Blasio announces that schools will close, elective surgeries will be cancelled, and five are dead in New York City from the coronavirus. Courtesy of NBC New York and YouTube. Posted on Mar 15, 2020.)
Continue reading… New restrictions, closures sweep US as crisis deepens
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