Coronavirus: Broadway shut down as New York state bans gatherings of more than 500 to slow outbreak
- Broadway is the centre of the US’ theatrical culture, but all 41 of its performance spaces are being shuttered as of Thursday night to limit the virus’s spread
- Hospitals, nursing homes and mass transit are exempted from the restrictions
New York on Thursday joined a growing number of US states imposing temporary restrictions on mass gatherings to slow the spread of coronavirus infections in the country.
While Washington state and the city of San Francisco have imposed similar restrictions, the order by Governor Andrew Cuomo was the most significant yet, since it is likely to grind leisure activity in New York city – the country’s most populous city and a primary tourism hub – to a virtual standstill.
Describing the move as a “dramatic action” aimed at reducing the spread of the Covid-19 contagion, Cuomo said in a news conference in Albany, the state capital, that the so-called density reduction guidelines would kick in on Friday at 5pm.
One exception: the ban began on Thursday for New York city’s iconic “Great White Way” of Broadway theatres. The 41 venues – which drew in 14.8 million patrons last year, and brought in US$1.8 billion in ticket sales – each hold a capacity of over 500 seats. Other cultural landmarks such as the Metropolitan Museum of Arts, the Metropolitan Opera and Carnegie Hall also announced suspensions of events, The New York Times reported.
The economic impact of the shutdown could be profound. The city’s nightlife industry, including the clubs and restaurants that support the larger events, supports nearly 300,000 jobs and provides an estimated US$35 billion to the city’s economy.
