Coronavirus: US should ban meetings of more than 50 people for two months, says CDC

Guidance does not apply to schools, colleges or places of work

America’s top health body – the centres for disease control and prevention (CDC) – has recommended there be no gatherings of more than 50 people for the next two months to try and stop the spread of coronavirus.

As the number of infections across the US reached around 3,300 and the number of deaths stood at least at 62, the CDC issued recommendations which, if followed, would be the most strict yet.

“Large events and mass gatherings can contribute to the spread of Covid-19 in the United States via travellers who attend these events and introduce the virus to new communities,” it said.

“Examples of large events and mass gatherings include conferences, festivals, parades, concerts, sporting events, weddings, and other types of assemblies. These events can be planned not only by organisations and communities but also by individuals.”

It added: “Therefore, CDC, in accordance with its guidance for large events and mass gatherings, recommends that for the next 8 weeks, organisers (whether groups or individuals) cancel or postpone in-person events that consist of 50 people or more throughout the United States.”

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The recommendations from the CDC came as officials across the US struggled to enforce social distancing as the best way to try and slow the spread of the virus.

As governors were closing restaurants, bars, and schools as the nation sank deeper into chaos over the crisis, travellers returning home from overseas trips were stuck in line for hours at major airports for screenings, causing them to be crammed into just the kind of crowded spaces that public health officials have been urging people to avoid.

Meanwhile, the Federal Reserve slashed its benchmark interest rate to near zero and Donald Trump sought to calm a jittery nation by declaring that the government has “tremendous control” over the situation and urging people to stop the panic buying of grocery staples that has depleted the shelves of stores around the country.

Gun stores started seeing a similar run on weapons and ammunition as the panic intensified.

In its guidance, the CDC that at any event, proper precautions should be taken, including making sure people are washing their hands and not getting too close.

In a sign of the difficulty of striking the right balance, the statement from the CDC also said the recommendation does not apply to “the day to day operation of organisations such as schools, institutes of higher learning, or businesses”.

“This recommendation is made in an attempt to reduce introduction of the virus into new communities and to slow the spread of infection in communities already affected by the virus,” it said. “This recommendation is not intended to supersede the advice of local public health officials.”

Additional reporting by Associated Press