Virus tightens grip on our lives

Cuomo shuts restaurants, bars, gyms; Ulster County up to 7 COVID-19 cases

The Mid-Hudson Valley, like much of New York state and the nation, was grinding to a halt Monday amid an increased number of the novel coronavirus that causes the illness known as COVID-19.

With 950 cases of COVID-19 confirmed statewide as of Monday afternoon — including seven in Ulster County (up from five on Sunday), 10 in Dutchess, 11 in Orange

and two in Greene — Gov. Andrew Cuomo ordered all bars, restaurants, movie theaters, casinos and gyms to close and said he was “strongly encouraging” other nonessential businesses to shut down, too.

Restaurants and bars can offer take-out and delivery services, he said.

“Essential” businesses — such as supermarkets, gas stations and pharmacies — are not under any mandates to change their operations.

Cuomo also closed all schools in the state for two

weeks. Ulster, Dutchess, Greene and Orange counties already had taken that step on their own.

The Archdiocese of New York, meanwhile, extended the shutdown of its elementary schools, including Kingston Catholic. Those schools were to be closed only until the end of this week, but they now will be shuttered until April 20.

Cuomo has said social gatherings should be limited to 50 people, but the

White House on Monday said Americans should not gather in groups of more than 10 people for the next 15 days.

Six counties in the San Francisco Bay, meanwhile, took the dramatic step of ordering nearly 7 million residents to stay inside, allowing them to venture out only for necessities during a three-week period starting Tuesday.

Among new developments locally due to concerns

about the virus:

• The companies that operate the two HealthAlliance hospitals in Kingston, Northern Dutchess Hospital in Rhinebeck and Vassar Brothers Medical Center in Poughkeepsie have banned most visits to patients.

• Village elections scheduled for March 17 in Saugerties, Rhinebeck and Tivoli have been postponed until April 28, which in New York’s primary day, under a

statewide directive.

• Marist College in Poughkeepsie has switched to online-only instruction for the remainder of the spring semester.

• The Resorts World Catskills casino in Sullivan County is closed for at least two weeks.

• Mohonk Mountain House is closed until April 1.

• The Dutchess County Legislature has canceled its April meetings.

• The city of Kingston is suspending parking restrictions.

• Kingston City Court is closed.

• The Ulster County Department of Motor Vehicles has restricted in-person transactions.

• The YMCA of Kingston and Ulster County has closed for two weeks.

• The March 17 meeting of the Ulster County Legislature will be closed to the public.

TANIA BARRICKLO — DAILY FREEMAN Keegan Ales, on St. James St. in Midtown Kingston, N.Y., is among local bars and restaurants that stand to lose significant revenue because the shutdowns mandated by the state, owner Tommy Keegan says. See story, page A3.