Coronavirus briefing: Restaurants, bars shut down, other updates for Monday, March 16
Officials in several state and cities, including Washington, Massachusetts and New York City, are shutting down bars and restaurants to help stop the spread of the coronavirus as the number of infected continues to climb across the United States.
California officials directed bars and nightclubs to close but stopped short of issuing an order to close pubs ahead of St. Patrick’s Day.
More than 175,000 cases of the COVID-19 virus have been confirmed worldwide with more than 6,700 deaths as of March 16, according to Johns Hopkins University. The United States has more than 4,000 confirmed cases with at least 69 deaths.
The virus, first reported in China, has swept across Asia and now has sparked outbreaks in Europe and the United States.
The World Health Organization has declared the COVID-19 virus a global pandemic. In the United States, President Donald Trump has declared a national emergency.
Some states shutter bars, restaurants, schools
Officials in Illinois, Ohio, Massachusetts, Washington and New York City effectively shut down all bars and restaurants except for takeout and delivery service, according to multiple reports.
In California, Gov. Gavin Newsom Sunday called on all bars, breweries, wineries and nightclubs to close in the state. He also said restaurants should cut occupancy by half to keep distance between customers.
He stopped short of issuing an order, but said, “I am confident these guidelines will be well received and will be appropriately enforced. If it is not being (done), we will do what we need to do,” the Sacramento Bee reports.
In Illinois, all bars and restaurants must close by Monday night, officials said. “The time for persuasion and public appeals is over,” Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker said, according to Time. “This is not a joke. No one is immune to this.”
In New York, Mayor Bill de Blasio said on Twitter, “We need to treat this like wartime — and we have a simple mission: protect the people most vulnerable and protect our health care system.”
New York City Sunday closed all schools along with bars and restaurants.
Economic impact
The Federal Reserve cut interest rates to almost zero, CNN reports, and stock markets were set to open way down Monday morning.
Goldman Sachs forecasts the U.S. economy could shrink in the second quarter by as much as 5%, CNBC reports.
Goldman’s chief economist Jan Hatzius told investors Sunday, “We expect US economic activity to contract sharply in the remainder of March and throughout April as virus fears lead consumers and businesses to continue to cut back on spending such as travel, entertainment, and restaurant meals,” according to CNBC.
But, he said, he expects the economy to pick back up later this year, the news channel reports.
Economic fears are not just on Wall Street as retail stores, entertainment and restaurants shutter to stop the spread of the coronavirus.
MGM Resorts over the weekend announced many of its casinos in Las Vegas will shut down temporarily, including the Bellagio, MGM Grand and Mandalay Bay, according to the Las Vegas Review Journal.
Wynn-Encore also said it would shut down its resorts in the city, which means 14 casino resorts in Las Vegas will be closed for the virus, The Los Angeles Times reports.
CDC says limit gatherings to 50
On Sunday, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said any events or gatherings of more than 50 people in the next eight weeks should be canceled or postponed.
“Large events and mass gatherings can contribute to the spread of COVID-19 in the United States via travelers who attend these events and introduce the virus to new communities,” the CDC said.
“Examples of large events and mass gatherings include conferences, festivals, parades, concerts, sporting events, weddings, and other types of assemblies. These events can be planned not only by organizations and communities but also by individuals.”
Borders close, more deaths in Europe
Germany is closing its borders from neighboring European Union states in hopes of slowing new cases of COVID-19, according to the BBC. “However, goods will continue to flow between the countries and commuters may still cross the borders,” the BBC reported.
Other countries have already put border controls up in response to the virus, including Austria, Denmark, Hungary, Switzerland and Poland, according to CNBC.
Austria is “banning gatherings of more than five people” and Ireland is to close all bars to close until the end of the month, the BBC reports.
Italy has been the center of the outbreak in Europe so far, with almost 25,000 people infected and more than 1,800 dead, according to Johns Hopkins University. There have been almost 7,900 infected people in Spain and more than 5,800 in Germany as of Monday.
Tips to help protect yourself from coronavirus
There’s no vaccine for the COVID-19 virus, and experts say one may be months away from mass production.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention suggest avoiding close contact with people who are sick, avoiding touching your eyes, nose, and mouth, staying home when you are sick, covering your cough or sneeze with a tissue and cleaning and disinfecting frequently touched objects and surfaces using a regular household cleaning spray or wipe.
The agency also advises washing your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, especially after going to the bathroom; before eating, and after blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing.
The CDC does not advise that healthy people wear face masks, but says they should be worn by coronavirus patients to help avoid spreading the illness.
This story was originally published March 16, 2020 at 8:54 AM with the headline "Coronavirus briefing: Restaurants, bars shut down, other updates for Monday, March 16."
