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Mayor orders bars and restaurants to close
Only takeout and delivery will be allowed in New York City starting on Tuesday morning.
NEW YORK - Mayor Bill de Blasio ordered that all bars, restaurants, and cafes in New York City to close starting on Tuesday due to the coronavirus outbreak. It was unclear how long the closure would take place.
"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," de Blasio said in a statement.
The executive order will allow locations to provide food take-out and delivery.
Nightclubs, movie theaters, small theater houses, and concert venues must all close under the order that will go into effect at 9 a.m. on Tuesday.
"This is not a decision I make lightly. These places are part of the heart and soul of our city. They are part of what it means to be a New Yorker. But our city is facing an unprecedented threat, and we must respond with a wartime mentality," de Blasio stated.
Earlier in the day he announced that public schools across the city would close until April 20, 2020, but warned that the closures could go through the rest of the academic year.
On Thursday, Broadway was ordered to shut down, eliminating a huge source of tourist income for the arts and restaurant industries.