Spring break has come to screeching halt in Miami Beach.
Over the weekend, local Florida officials implemented new restrictions in the area to help curb the spread of coronavirus. There are currently 155 known infected cases in the state.
Measures taken locally include shutting down South Beach (the popular part of Miami Beach), implementing an 11 p.m. curfew, and limiting crowds to 250 people.
“It’s extremely upsetting because most students only get one spring break,” 21-year-old Gabby Porter, who was in Miami for spring break, told Business Insider of the restrictions.
Minimizing crowds of people is an important step in preventing coronavirus from spreading, as even low-risk groups like young, healthy people can be infected with the virus and not exhibit any symptoms.
“You have a mother, you have a grandmother and maybe a great-grandmother,” Miami Beach Mayor Dan Gelber said to spring breakers during a news conference. “That virus can be extremely dangerous to them.”
South Beach, which is usually teeming with crowds of college kids this time of year, is now looking ghostly. Here’s what it looks like.
Are you on spring break right now, or have you had any spring break plans cancelled suddenly because of the coronavirus? Email this reporter at [email protected] to share your story.
