New York City mayor Bill de Blasio was seen entering the Park Slope, Brooklyn YMCA minutes before New York governor Andrew Cuomo announced the closure of all gyms in the state due to the Wuhan coronavirus outbreak.
De Blasio is known for working out every morning for around two hours before heading to city hall, and was spotted by a CNN reporter at the YMCA on Monday. The mayor’s spokeswoman defended his gym attendance in a statement provided to a local NBC affiliate.
“The YMCA has been a huge part of [de Blasio’s] and his family’s life, like it has been for a lot of New Yorkers. It’s clear that’s about to change and before that, the mayor wanted to visit a place that keeps him grounded one last time,” the statement read. “That doesn’t change the fact that he is working around the clock to ensure the safety of New Yorkers. After today, gyms will close and he will no longer be visiting the YMCA for the foreseeable future.”
After de Blasio’s visit, New York governor Cuomo, along with New Jersey governor Phil Murphy and Connecticut governor Ned Lamont, announced the closure of all gyms, casinos and restaurants in the tri-state area, with restaurants remaining open only for takeout orders. The order will take effect at 8p.m.
“We have agreed to a common set of rules that will pertain in all of our states, so don’t even think about going to a neighboring state because there’s going to be a different set of conditions. I believe we’re the only region in the country that has done this,” Cuomo said.