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California Gov. Gavin Newsom said late Wednesday that all public gatherings should be canceled until at least the end of March due to the spread of the coronavirus.

Newsom released a statement that said non-essential gatherings of more than 250 people should be postponed and smaller events could only proceed if people distance themselves from each other by at least 6 feet.

“Changing our actions for a short period of time will save the life of one or more people you know,” Newsom said.

“Each of us has extraordinary power to slow the spread of this disease. Not holding that concert or community event can have cascading effects — saving dozens of lives and preserving critical health care resources that your family may need a month from now.”

The policy said that a “gathering” could include spaces such as a stadium, arena, meeting hall, cafeteria or any other indoor or outdoor space.

“The people in our lives who are most at risk — seniors and those with underlying health conditions — are depending on all of us to make the right choice,” Newsom said.

California has 181 cases of the coronavirus and four people have died from the illness.

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Across the US, there are more than 1,300 cases of the illness.