Costco Eliminates Free Samples, Amtrak Suspends Non-Stop NY-DC Acela Routes Over Coronavirus Fears
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Just a day after Austin cancelled the major SXSW tech, film, and music conference, more cancellations mark the impact of coronovirus and fears of its spread across the United States.
Major discount shopping chain Costco, for one, has pulled free samples from their stores.
The samples and food demonstrations, a staple in most major grocery chains, have no slated date for return, USA Today reported on Friday.
Meanwhile, Amtrak has suspended the major Acela non-stop service between Washington, D.C. and New York City, it was announced on Saturday.
“The safety of Amtrak’s customers and employees is our top priority,” said Amtrak in a press release. “We are closely monitoring the coronavirus and are taking action based on guidance from public health experts.”
The service will be suspended from Tuesday, March 10 through Tuesday, May 26. Northeast Corridor service, including Acela trains running from Washington, D.C., to Boston, will continue.
New York has declared a state of emergency regarding the outbreak, with Gov. Cuomo stating that he is “not urging calm, I’m urging reality. I’m urging a factual response, as opposed to an emotional response.”
Fears of the spread of Coronavirus have resulted in not just a run on certain goods, here and abroad, but even brawls over those goods, as happened in Sydney, Australia on Saturday morning.
Earlier this week, Mediaite spoke with Fox News Channel’s Dr. Marc Siegel about the virus for our “Live from the Green Room” newsletter, and asked about whether this can be called a pandemic, and whether the reaction should be called a panic. You can read more from that interview here.
[UPDATE]: There are three non-stops between New York and D.C. that are temporarily suspended by Amtrak: 2401, 2402, 2403. “All three of these trains have alternate options available within 30 minutes before and after their scheduled departure,” adds Amtrak for customers seeking service during this hold.
