SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO – For only the second time in nearly a century, See’s Candies is suspending production and shipping of its storied confections, this time because of the novel coronavirus.

The South San Francisco-based candymaker and distributor broke the news in an email to customers Friday.

“In our 99-year history, we have had only one interruption in our ability to share our American-made delicious candy, and that was during WWII due to rationing,” the email said. “Given the current events with COVID-19, and our concern for the health and safety of our employees, we have made the decision to initiate an interruption once again.”

The company is offering refunds to customers who have placed an order through its website.

“Please know that we did not make this decision lightly,” the email said. “In addition to making the best candy you can find, we seek to have the best customer service. So, we sincerely appreciate your patience and understanding, as our contact center is temporarily closed. We will work to keep you updated as we develop plans to safely resume operations.”

The move comes as the state wraps up its first week under a shelter-in-place order issued by Gov. Gavin Newsom. The directive is intended to help curb the spread of the virus, which has infected more than 4,000 residents and killed 83, including one nonresident.

In suspending operations, See’s Candies joins a growing list of Bay Area businesses impacted by the virus. The economic pain is expected to worsen. San Mateo County, where See’s is headquartered, will see a 13.8 percent contraction, with an economic loss of $4.3 billion in the second quarter, according to a new report from StratoDem Analytics.