There was “almost no one” at the gym Bill de Blasio visited after telling everyone to avoid going to public gyms, he said.
The New York City mayor visited a YMCA on Monday morning to get in a workout one day after announcing that restaurants, bars, and gyms would be closing to mitigate the spread of the coronavirus. He defended the decision on Monday afternoon, saying, “There was almost no one there.”
“I had heard that information prior,” he explained. “I suspected that we were all going to be about to close them down, and this would be the last time to get some exercise.”
He further explained that he didn’t get to exercise “whatsoever” over the weekend while he worked to make a decision about closing down the city’s schools and other public gatherings. Gov. Andrew Cuomo eventually made the decision to close the city’s schools while de Blasio waited to finalize his plans.
“I did not think for a moment there was anything problematic because I knew the dynamics,” de Blasio said.. “And, again, I have to stay healthy so I can make the decisions for the people of this city.”
Mayor de Blasio is indeed here at the Park Slope YMCA this morning. Passers by have commented negatively. One called him an idot. pic.twitter.com/FIgEmlf4Gf
— andrew kaczynski? (@KFILE) March 16, 2020
Earlier in the day, de Blasio’s spokeswoman released a statement explaining the situation, saying, “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 added, “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.”
As of Monday afternoon, 950 New Yorkers had confirmed cases of COVID-19. De Blasio’s executive order closing, among other things, commercial gyms will go into effect at 8 p.m.
Today I signed an executive order that gives the City power to enforce new rules requiring all restaurants, bars and cafes to shift to delivery and take-out only at 8 PM tonight, and closing all movie theaters, small theaters, nightclubs and commercial gyms. pic.twitter.com/Ivqg0DmXx3
— Mayor Bill de Blasio (@NYCMayor) March 16, 2020
