The Philadelphia Police Department halted the issuance of concealed carry permits this week after the unit that processes the permit was shut down amid Chinese coronavirus concerns.

The Philadelphia Inquirer reports Philadelphia police spokesperson Sekou Kinebrew indicated the department stopped issuance because there is no set day for when the processing unit will reopen during the coronavirus outbreak.

Kinebrew said, “Because this entire pandemic is inherently fluid, we can’t predict how long it will be closed.”

In addition to halting concealed permit issuance, the Philadelphia Police Department are relaxing their policies and “delaying arrest for … narcotics offenses, thefts, burglary and prostitution.” However, Kinebrew made clear “officers would continue to arrest people carrying a firearm without a permit.”

The Truth About Guns notes that law enforcement officials in a handful of other areas in the state also ceased concealed permit issuance.

AWR Hawkins is an award-winning Second Amendment columnist for Breitbart News and the writer/curator of Down Range with AWR Hawkins, a weekly newsletter focused on all things Second Amendment, also for Breitbart News. He is the political analyst for Armed American Radio. Follow him on Twitter: @AWRHawkins. Reach him at awrhawkins@breitbart.com. You can sign up to get Down Range at breitbart.com/downrange.