Democratic New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo ordered all non-essential businesses across the state to close to help slow the spread of the Wuhan coronavirus.
Cuomo said, “This is not life as usual. Deal with it.”
New York has over 7,000 cases. New York City has almost 4,500 cases.
The order does not affect hospitals, grocery stores, and pharmacies. Cuomo did not give a timeline, but mentioned it “could last for months.”
Cuomo demanded the 19 million residents to stay inside:
Even as he told New Yorkers to stay indoors, Mr. Cuomo added that if they did go out — whether to do essential shopping or to exercise — they must stay six feet away from each other.His new policy bans “all nonessential gatherings of individuals of any size for any reason.”The governor also announced strict rules for people over 70 and those who have underlying illnesses, allowing them to go outside only for solitary exercise, requiring them to wear masks when in the company of others and barring them from visiting households with multiple people, among other requirements.
The businesses must close at 8 pm ET on Saturday. The order includes “barber shops, hair and nail salons, tattoo or piercing parlors, and other personal care businesses.” Cuomo already ordered “movie theaters, gyms and casinos to close and limited restaurants and bars to delivery and takeout service only.”
The businesses face civil fines if they do not comply with his order.
New York Public Library will also close all 92 branches “until further notice.”
New York state may only have 6% of the population of the U.S., but it “accounts for around half of the nationwide total of confirmed cases.”
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