Historic shutdowns sweep across U.S. as coronavirus outbreak deepens

Shutdowns swept across the United States, with nearly 7 million people in the San Francisco area all but confined to their homes Tuesday over coronavirus, even as spring break crowds flooded a Florida beach and dozens lined up to pose for pictures in front of the world-famous “Welcome to Las Vegas” sign.

The official reaction to the coronavirus emergency varied dramatically from place to place in the U.S., despite new, more urgent warnings from the Trump administration, which called on Americans not to gather in groups of more than 10 and advised older people to stay home.

Three states pressed ahead with their presidential primaries Tuesday. Ohio called off its primary hours before the polls were to open.

Dr. Deborah Birx, coordinator for the federal response to the virus, called on the “army of millennials” to lead the charge. Birx said on ABC’s “Good Morning America” that the nation needs young adults doing everything they can to avoid infection, but also protecting their parents and grandparents.

Birx has said that millennials, those born in the 1980s and early ’90s, are vital to stopping the spread of the virus, in part because they grew up with social media and understand how to work and communicate without meeting in person.

But not all those millennials were listening. With beaches on Florida’s Gulf coast near Tampa still open, at least one was full of spring breakers. Gov. Ron Desantis said he would leave beach restrictions up to individual communities.

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