New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio has announced an executive order that will go into effect Tuesday, March 17 at 9:00 a.m. The order will limit restaurants, bars, and cafes in the city to take-out and delivery service. It will also shutter all nightclubs, movie theaters, small theater houses, and concert venues. The order is in response to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, with the intention of halting the spread of the virus. The New York City Mayor’s Office tweeted the news on Sunday night (March 15). Find de Blasio’s full statement below.
On March 7, New York Governor Andrew M. Cuomo declared a state disaster emergency due to coronavirus. Multiple venues, such as Carnegie Hall, Brooklyn Academy of Music (BAM), and others have suspended concerts and events as a result of the ongoing pandemic.
Our lives are all changing in ways that were unimaginable just a week ago. We are taking a series of actions that we never would have taken otherwise in an effort to save the lives of loved ones and our neighbors. Now it is time to take yet another drastic step. The virus can spread rapidly through the close interactions New Yorkers have in restaurants, bars, and places where we sit close together. We have to break that cycle. Tomorrow, I will sign an Executive Order limiting restaurants, bars, and cafes to food take-out and delivery.
Nightclubs, movie theaters, small theater houses, and concert venues must all close. The order will go into effect Tuesday, March 17 at 9:00 AM.