Editor’s Note: Local businesses are feeling the effect of COVID-19, also known as the coronavirus, and are closing in an effort to protect staff and patrons. The following is a list of businesses that are altering their hours or closing in response to the virus outbreak.
■Berkshire East, as well as Catamount Ski Area, closed for the season on Thursday.
“No known Berkshire East or Catamount customers or employees have been effected by this illness,” said Jon Schaefer, one of Berkshire East’s owners, in a statement released on Berkshire East’s website. “But as the GM of these businesses, I have a responsibility to my employees and my customers to act swiftly to contain any potential virus spread in areas that I can control.”
Schaefer urged other business leaders and elected officials to follow suit in continuing to close down public spaces. He said Berkshire East will announce a reopening date for its whitewater rafting, zip lines, aerial adventures and biking in the coming weeks as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the National Institutes of Health and the World Health Organization issue directives.
■Starting Saturday, Hawks & Reed Performing Arts Center will be temporarily pausing its operations, according to a Hawks & Reed press release.
Updates regarding upcoming shows will be forthcoming via email, the Hawks & Reed website and social media.
■The People’s Pint will close starting Sunday.
“On Saturday, March 14, we will be open only for to-go orders,” a post on The People’s Pint’s Facebook page reads. “We will reopen when we feel it is safe and responsible to do so.”