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No parade: New York City postpones St. Patrick’s Day parade, joins other cities changing plans because of coronavirus

By Natalie Dreier, Cox Media Group National Content Desk
By Natalie Dreier, Cox Media Group National Content Desk

COVID-19, or new coronavirus, is forcing more changes for the upcoming St. Patrick’s Day holiday.

Update 7:33 a.m. EDT March 12: New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo and parade organizers in New York City have announced the more than 250-year-old St. Patrick’s Day parade will be postponed, The New York Times reported.

“While I know the parade organizers did not make this decision lightly, public health experts agree that one of the most effective ways to contain the spread of the virus is to limit large gatherings and close contacts," Cuomo said, according to the Times.

Normally 150,000 marchers and two million viewers line Manhattan’s Fifth Avenue each year to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day.

Update 10:14 a.m. EDT March 11: After saying earlier this week that Chicago was going through with plans to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day early on Saturday, the parade now will not happen.

The downtown Chicago parade officials made the announcement Wednesday and said that anyone with questions to visit the Chicago Department of Public Health’s website, WBBM reported.

But two other parades, the Northwest Side Irish Parade and the South Side Irish Parade are still scheduled until further notice, according to WBBM.

Original report: The party will begin in the Windy City early, on Saturday, since March 17 is on Tuesday, which is also the Illinois primary election, the Chicago Sun-Times reported.

The Chicago River will be dyed, but only part of the river, between Columbus and Wacker drives, will get the dump of green dye.

Organizers are telling those who want to get to the city to use mass transit, the Sun-Times reported.

New York City is still having its parade. But Mayor Bill de Blasio said the decision is day to day, WABC reported.

However, that’s different than some cities.

Boston city officials have canceled the city’s St. Patrick’s parade that had been scheduled for Sunday.

Mayor Marty Walsh made the announcement Monday.

“This decision is being made out of an abundance of caution to ensure that we are doing what is needed to keep the residents of Boston safe and healthy,” the mayor said in a statement.


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