Thousands of New York City stores are boarding up their doors and windows as they face indefinite closure amid the coronavirus crisis.
On Friday, Governor Andrew Cuomo issued a state-wide order for all non-essential workers to stay home, with New York now the epicenter of the COVID-19 outbreak in the United States.
The state now has 7102 cases of COVID-19, with 5151 of those within New York City itself.
NYC Mayor Bill de Blasio revealed the staggering new statistic – a surge of 1536 in a single day – in a press conference Friday evening.
‘These number make up nearly one-third of the coronavirus cases in the US,’ he stated in a somber manner.
As of Friday evening, the United States has confirmed 18,090 cases of COVID-19.
The Mayor also revealed that NYPD officers will be patrolling essential businesses – such as grocery stores and pharmacies – to make sure shoppers are staying six feet apart.
But a majority of retailers have now shut up shop, with owners appearing resigned to the fact that the closures will be lengthy.
At a Seophora store on 34th Street, in the heart of midtown Manhattan, construction workers were seen boarding up the front of the flagship cosmetics store on Friday afternoon.
The men used heavy plywood to protect the shopfront against the elements or possible looting, as New York City faces the uncertain months ahead.
Thousands of New York City stores are boarding up their doors and windows as they face indefinite closure amid the coronavirus crisis. Cosmetics retailer Sephora on 34th Street in Manhattan is pictured
he men used heavy plywood to protect the shopfront against the elements or possible looting, as New York City faces the uncertain months ahead
On Friday, Governor Andrew Cuomo issued a state-wide order for all non-essential workers to stay home as of this coming Sunday
New York announced new measures to control the epidemic, including the closure of all hair salons, barber shops, nail salons, and tattoo parlors and other non-essential businesses. Pictured: a barbershop in New York City
Several stores left notes for their customers on front of their shuttered doors. Pictured: a barbershop in Manhattan
A nail salon sits closed during the coronavirus crisis on Friday afternoon
A woman walks the abandoned streets of lower Manhattan near the World Trade Center on Friday
A store owner left a note to customers outside a business in Manhattan’s Lower East Side. Given Cuomo’s new orders, the store will not be re-opening this coming Sunday – and will be closed for the foreseeable future
Elsewhere, the New York Stock Exchange closed its trading floor for the foreseeable future, with stockbrokers moving to work on an electronic exchange.
It’s the first time in history that the physical trading floor has closed while the electronic exchange remains open.
Cleaners were seen preparing to sanitize the spaces as traders walked out of the building for the final time on Friday afternoon.
Meanwhile, deserted subway stations and city streets – usually bustling with locals and tourists – were empty.
Elsewhere, the New York Stock Exchange closed its trading floor for the foreseeable future, with stockbrokers moving to work on an electronic exchange
Cleaners were seen preparing to sanitize the spaces as traders walked out of the building for the final time on Friday afternoon
Meanwhile, deserted subway stations and city streets – usually bustling with locals and tourists – were empty
Grand Central Station – usually bustling with tourists and workers – was emptied out during rush hour on Friday
One cautious commuter was seen on board an empty subway train in Queens Friday after arriving from John F. Kennedy Airport
Brooklyn Bridge is usually jam-packed with tourists year round, but there was not a soul in sight on Friday
Cuomo’s order to keep non-essential workers home goes into effect on Sunday evening – he has not yet specified the time – and it is an indefinite order.
Work forces that are excluded are grocery stores, pharmacies, certain government workers, food deliveries and restaurants, internet service providers and news organizations. Public transport will carry on as usual, but Cuomo did not specify whether cabs, Ubers or Lyft will be forced to stop.
Lyft says it will still operate under the premise that the governor said transport would continue but he has not confirmed that yet. A full list of the businesses which will be exempt is expected later today.
Residents will be allowed to go outside and no individual fines will be issued but he encouraged only solitary activities like running or walking.
‘This is not voluntary. It’s not helpful hints. We are going to monitor it. There will be civil fines. I am not kidding about this,’ Cuomo stated in his announcement.
He has not specified what the fines will be but said they will only apply to businesses and not individuals.
There are now 7,102 cases in New York State. The hospitalization rate is 18 percent.
White House coronavirus expert Dr. Anthony Fauci spoke around an hour after Cuomo’s announcement to say he ‘strongly supported it’.
‘These actions will cause businesses to close.
‘They will cause much unhappiness. I understand that.
I’ve spoken to my colleagues around the state, there’s a spectrum of opinion.
‘Some people say we don’t need to do this, it’s going to hurt the economy.
‘Just so we’re all clear – this is a state wide order.
‘It’s not what your county executive is doing, your mayor, it’s not what anyone else but me is doing.
‘I accept full responsibility. If someone is unhappy and wants to blame someone or complain about someone – blame me.
‘There is no one else who is responsible for this decision.
In an announcement on Friday, Cuomo ordered all non-essential workers to stay home, stating: ‘We are all in quarantine now’
The streets of New York are empty, with millions staying at home per the advice of the government