Brooklyn Coronavirus Briefing March 16: Last Semi-Normal Day

Things are moving very fast and the bottom line is that the city is really shutting down now, and you should stay home if you can, and help out those who need it. Schools are closed today, libraries are closed, restaurants will be open only for takeout and delivery starting tomorrow.

Latest numbers: 950 across the state, up 221 from yesterday. In NYC total is 463 up 134 new cases. Borough breakdown (numbers lag, so won’t add up): Queens 118, Manhattan 111, Brooklyn 62, the Bronx 34, Staten Island 19. Total deaths in NY is at 7, 2 new in NYC – a 56-year-old man and an 89-year-old man. 17% of those diagnosed are hospitalized.  Right now officials are very concerned about the shortage of 10s of thousands of ventilators in New York, ahead of the expected spike in those who get very sick.

Here’s how neighbors and businesses around the borough are closing.

#BREAKING: NY, CT and NJ are taking joint regional action to reduce the spread of #COVID19: Effective 8PM TONIGHT: -Crowd capacity reduced to 50 -Restaurants/bars will be takeout/delivery ONLY -Gyms closed -Movie theaters closed -Casinos closed. via Governor.

• Park Slope neighbors tried to shame passers-by into social isolation.
• A Brooklyn doctor muses on waiting for the coronavirus to hit, and for the birth of his son.
• A Carroll Gardens principal defied the DOE to alert families that a parent had coronavirus.
• A legendary downtown chophouse has postponed its reopening: “Gage & Tollner has already survived two World Wars, the Great Depression, the Spanish flu epidemic, and Prohibition — it will survive this as well.”
• Community boards are postponing meetings.
• In line with the City’s enhanced response to COVID-19, all Brooklyn Public Library branches are now closed to the public through at least March 31. Learn more about digital services and how we are extending loans and card expirations: https://bklynlibrary.org/coronavirus
• Beginning Tuesday, March 17, the Coop Shopping Hours will be 8am to 8pm, including weekends. Childcare will be closed. Full update http://foodcoop.com
• Superintendent of Schools Thomas Chadzutko, Ed. D., has announced today all elementary Catholic Academies and Parish Schools in Brooklyn and Queens will remain closed until April 20, 2020. This follows last week’s announcement that the schools would be closed this week, March 16-March 20, 2020, out of an abundance of caution. The decision mirrors the New York City public schools announcement made last night.

De Blasio hits the gym one last time before coronavirus shutdown

• New rule against price-gouging bans price increases of more than 10% on: Thermometers, Sanitizing wipes and baby wipes, Paper towels, Latex gloves, Face masks, Fever reducers, Cough suppressants, Zinc oxide supplements, Facial tissue, Toilet paper, Rubbing alcohol, Aloe vera
• Mo Willems invites you to doodle together:

• And Brooklyn: Please, please do a better job social distancing than these people.

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