COVID-19: CDC urges events of 50 people or more to be canceled for 8 weeks

March 15 (UPI) -- The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommended Sunday that events and gatherings of over 50 people scheduled for the next eight weeks be canceled due to the coronavirus outbreak.

The federal agency clarified that events and gatherings to be canceled or postponed include not only festivals, parades, concerts and sports but also weddings and "other types of assembly" that have been planned by either organizations, communities or individuals.

The CDC said they contribute to the spread of COVID-19 in the country "via travelers who attend these events and introduce the virus to new communities."

Schools, universities and businesses were not included in the recommendation, it added.

The move comes hours after Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Infectious Disease, said he would not rule out implementing a national lockdown in response to the COVID-19 outbreak.

When asked on CNN's State of the Union about imposing a national limit on people congregating at restaurants and bars similar to those in other nations combatting outbreaks, Fauci said he'd like to see "a dramatic diminution of the personal interaction that we see" in such areas.

"Whatever it takes to do that, that's what I'd like to see," he said.

New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced the third death in the state on Sunday, saying a 79-year-old woman who had "multiple major underlying health issues" died after contracting the virus.

Cuomo also anticipated a shortage of intensive care unit beds in the state where 729 people have tested positive for the virus as he called for businesses to consider closing their doors and having employees work remotely when possible.

"I want private businesses to aggressively consider work from home and voluntary closings. Depending on what businesses do on a voluntary basis, we could consider mandatory actions later on," he said.

There are 3,642 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the United States, according to Johns Hopkins University figures as of late Sunday. A CNN tally recorded 65 deaths in 12 states including 42 in Washington, six in California, four in Florida, three in New York, two in New Jersey and Louisiana, and one each in Colorado, Georgia, Kansas, South Dakota, Virginia and Oregon.

During a briefing by the White House Coronavirus Task Force, Adm. Brett Giroir said that up to 2,000 community-based screening labs capable of testing as many as 4,000 people a day will open beginning this week.

Christian Wood, of the NBA's Detroit Pistons, became the third player in the league to test positive for COVID-19 along with Utah Jazz teammates Rudy Gobert and Donovan Mitchell, ESPN reported. Wood and the Pistons played the Jazz on March 7, days before Gobert was diagnosed with the virus and the league canceled play.

Also, Daniel Goldman, who was the Democrats' counsel to the Intelligence Committee during President Donald Trump's impeachment hearings, said he has tested positive for coronavirus and "I am almost back to 100%," according to a Twitter post.

Fauci said that Americans must prepare for a change in daily life as the country attempts to combat the spread of the coronavirus.

"We need to be very serious about -- for a while, life is not going to be the way it used to be in the United States," he said. "We have to just accept that if we want to do what's best for the American public."

As government officials throughout the United States have begun encouraging a practice known as "social distancing" -- defined by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention as "remaining out of places where people meet or gather" and "avoiding local public transportation -- many events have been canceled or postponed and businesses have implemented new policies.

Georgia election officials on Saturday postponed the state's presidential primary scheduled for next week, moving the election date from March 24 to May 19. Early voting in the presidential primary ended a week early on Saturday and is scheduled to resume on April 27.

Louisiana also postponed its April 4 primary to June 20 on Friday.

Illinois and Ohio announced Sunday they would close all restaurants and bars in response to the outbreak. Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine said the closures would begin at 9 p.m. on Sunday while Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker said the businesses would be closed to dine-in customers from the end of the day Monday through March 30.

In California, Gov. Gavin Newsom announced those over 65 or vulnerable to the virus must practice home isolation as the state confirmed its sixth death to COVID-19.

"Bars, night clubs, wineries and breweries should close in CA," he said via Twitter. "Restaurants -- focus on takeout for those isolating. Maximize social distancing."

He added they are working "in real-time" to secure accommodation for the state's homeless population.

Hoboken, N.J., implemented a city-wide curfew requiring residents who are not working to stay home from 10 p.m. until 5 a.m., while Austin, Texas and New York City banned gatherings of more than 250 people and 500 people respectively.

Walmart also announced it would shorten its store hours beginning March 15, with stores opening at 6 a.m. and closing at 11 p.m.

"This will help ensure associates can clean and stock products. Stores operating under more reduced hours will keep current hours of operation," the company said.

President Donald Trump spoke with heads of major grocery and food retailers and suppliers on Sunday, saying the stores committed to remaining open throughout the response to the outbreak and keeping shelves stocked.

Trump and Vice President Mike Pence encourage Americans to shop normally and avoid purchasing items in large quantities.

"American families can be confident your local grocery store is going to be open, it's going to be well-supplied and they specifically asked us to encourage Americans to just buy your weekly needs in grocery," said Pence.

American Airlines on Saturday night announced that it would cut down on long-haul international flights in response to decreased demand and restrictions based on travel due to the coronavirus, reducing international capacity by 75 percent compared to 2019 from Monday through May 6.

President Donald Trump also tweeted Sunday that travelers can expect longer waits at airports amid more stringent coronavirus screenings.

"We are doing very precise medical screenings at our airports," Trump wrote. "Pardon the interruptions and delays, we are moving as quickly as possible, but it is very important that we be vigilant and careful. We must get it right. Safety first!"

Appearing on ABC News This Week Sunday, Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said that although the outbreak will slow the U.S. economy he does not anticipate a recession after the stock market saw historic drops last week amid concern about the coronavirus and oil prices.

"The real issue is not the economic situation today," he said. "This is a unique situation. We are going to have a slowdown. Later in the year economic activity will pick up as we confront this virus."