New York Mayor Bill de Blasio squeezed in one last workout at the Park Slope YMCA Monday morning as Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced that all gyms will be shut down this evening to fight the spread of the novel coronavirus. Several onlookers reportedly scoffed at de Blasio as he walked into the gym, one of whom was heard calling him an “idiot.” Freddi Goldstein, de Blasio’s press secretary, confirmed in a statement that the mayor worked out at his favorite gym on Monday: “The YMCA has been a huge part of his 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,” she said. “That doesn’t change the fact that he is working around the clock to ensure the safety of New Yorkers.”
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has repeatedly urged people to stay home and practice “social distancing” to combat the spread of the virus. On Sunday, however, shortly before the governor announced that all bars and restaurants in the city would be restricted to takeout and delivery, de Blasio told New Yorkers in a press conference: “If you love your neighborhood bar, go there now.”
Read it at Twitter
