As coronavirus precautions continue to be enacted, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommended Sunday that large events and masses gatherings of 50 people or more in the U.S. be postponed for the next eight weeks. The statement was made on their website and is a measure to help prevent spread of COVID-19. The CDC says that this includes “conferences, festivals, parades, concerts, sporting events, weddings, and other types of assemblies.”
“Events of any size should only be continued if they can be carried out with adherence to guidelines for protecting vulnerable populations, hand hygiene, and social distancing,” the CDC said. “When feasible, organizers could modify events to be virtual.” They added the caveat: “This recommendation does not apply to the day to day operation of organizations such as schools, institutes of higher learning, or businesses. This recommendation is made in an attempt to reduce introduction of the virus into new communities and to slow the spread of infection in communities already affected by the virus. This recommendation is not intended to supersede the advice of local public health officials.”
The news comes after Governor Gavin Newsom and Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti have urged bars to close and restaurants to cut capacity in half. The announcement also comes at a time when numerous productions of TV shows and films have halted and film festivals and events have postponed or canceled. Major events on this list include SXSW, Cinemacon, Coachella, Stagecoach, various FYC events, sporting events as well as movie premieres.
