SeaWorld to Shut Down Amid Coronavirus Outbreak

The COVID-19 coronavirus is impacting all realms of everyday life, as the threat of the virus’ transmission is leading to worries about public gatherings. Conventions, movie premieres, and various other group events are all being closed or delayed due to fears of the virus’ spread, and it didn’t take long for theme parks to follow suit. Following the news that Disneyland and Universal Studios Hollywood will be shutting down due to concerns over the virus, Sea World has confirmed that they will be doing the same. The closure will begin on March 16th and continue through the end of the month.

SeaWorld issued the below statement.

To an extent, this closure was to be expected, after the other California theme parks shut down on Thursday. Disney Parks was the first to confirm its decision to shut down operations at Disneyland in Anaheim, California. No cases of COVID-19 have been reported from the park, but Disney Parks has chosen to shut down in the interest of public health and safety.

“While there have been no reported cases of COVID-19 at Disneyland Resort, after carefully reviewing the guidelines of the Governor of California’s executive order and in the best interest of our guests and employees, we are proceeding with the closure of Disneyland Park and Disney California Adventure, beginning the morning of March 14 through the end of the month,” the park confirmed.

“The Hotels of Disneyland Resort will remain open until Monday, March 16 to give guests the ability to make necessary travel arrangements; Downtown Disney will remain open. We will monitor the ongoing situation and follow the advice and guidance of federal and state officials and health agencies. Disney will. Continue to pay cast members during this time.”

This is just the latest example of a public entertainment event being affected by the coronavirus, as multiple late-night shows have elected to tape without an audience. The GLAAD Awards, the Paley Center’s PaleyFest panels, the Kids’ Choice Awards, and other events have also been postponed. Production was recently shut down on The CW’s Riverdale, and Apple TV+’s The Morning Show, due to concerns about the virus. The disease has also led to the closure of a litany of public events and conferences, including Emerald City Comic Con, SXSW, and E3. Multiple movies have also been delayed due to the virus, including Mulan, The New Mutants, Antlers, No Time to Die and Peter Rabbit 2: The Runaway.

For those who are worried about the spread of the coronavirus, the CDC offers a litany of tips, including covering coughs and sneezes, avoiding large gatherings or close contact with people who are sick, and washing your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds.