As the coronavirus and COVID-19 disease continue to spread, Governor Andrew Cuomo has announced a ban on public gatherings of 500 or more people.
Any gathering of fewer than 500 people is required to cut attendance in half.
The governor also imposed visitation restrictions on nursing home patients, saying only medically necessary visits can be allowed because of the risk of spreading the virus. There are now 325 cases known across New York State.
Governor Cuomo says the priority is shifting to making sure that hospitals and clinics have the capacity to handle people infected with the virus. That includes calling back retired doctors and nurses to make sure they’re fully staffed.
The new policies take effect Friday evening.