New York, New Jersey, Connecticut Coordinate Lockdown Restrictions To Slow Covid-19 Spread

(Forbes) – New York, Connecticut and New Jersey are imposing strict social distancing measures—including gym, movie theatre and restaurant closures—in a coordinated, cross-state effort to further prevent the spread of Covid-19.

• Beginning 8 p.m. EST on Monday, gyms, movie theatres and casinos will be closed, while restaurants and bars will be restricted to takeout and delivery only, and crowd capacity reduced to 50, New York governor Andrew Cuomo said.
• The measures were taken in coordination with Connecticut governor Ned Lamont, and New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy.
• Cuomo tweeted: “Our primary goal is to slow the spread of #Coronavirus so that the wave doesn’t crash our healthcare system. Social distancing is the best way to do that. I have called on the federal [government] to implement nationwide protocols, but in their absence we are taking this on ourselves.”
• The latest announcements come as New York City shut all public schools from Monday morning until at least April 20, affecting 1.1 million students. Lessons will restart online next week.
• The latest measures are also an extension to earlier restrictions on bars, restaurants, movie theatres, nightclubs and wineries in New York City, Los Angeles and some U.S. states.
• Public schools in New Jersey are closed, while a statewide shutdown on all schools is expected this week. Connecticut is shutting public schools on Tuesday until March 31.