The New York City St. Patrick’s Day parade has been postponed for the first time in over two centuries amid the widespread of the coronavirus. On Wednesday night, Governor Cuomo made the announcement to the public of the plans to postpone the annual celebration.
The parade was set for March 17th. In an interview with CNN, Cuomo said “I recommended to the organizers that we have to postpone it. It’s two million spectators, 150,000 marchers, you can’t do that in this environment.”
The halt for the parade comes at a time where New York City is in a state of emergency. The total of positive cases for the coronavirus has reached 200.
The cancellation of the parade in NYC has just added to the list of events that have been canceled in fear of spreading the contagious virus. Boston, Chicago, and the Irish capital of Dublin have also canceled any scheduled St. Patrick’s Day parades. “While I know the parade organizers did not make this decision lightly, public health experts agree that one of the most effective ways to contain the spread of the virus is to limit large gatherings and close contacts, and I applaud the parade’s leadership for working cooperatively with us,” said Cuomo.
It has not been said when the parade can be expected to resume, but Mayor Bill de Blasio has reassured the public that the parade will go on, “whether it’s in the heat of summer or on a clear fall day.”
