DALLAS (WBAP/KLIF) – The annual Dallas St. Patrick’s Day Parade and Block Party on Greenville Avenue was canceled Wednesday amid growing concerns over the potential spread of coronavirus. The parade was scheduled for Saturday.
According to the City of Dallas, Dallas County Health and Human Services and city leaders conducted a thorough review of the parade before making the decision to cancel it.
Canceling the St. Patricks Day parade and block party was not an easy decision, but it is the correct and responsible decision, said Dallas Mayor Eric Johnson. While our region still has only a few presumptive positive COVID-19 cases that appear to be related to travel, we are actively making contingency plans for the spread of this illness. Before we made the final decision, I gathered input from our healthcare leaders and our public health partners, discussed the ramifications for our police and firefighters at the parade; met with Governor Abbott; and reviewed how COVID-19 has spread in other parts of the country and the world.
Mayor Johnson said that an event of this scale, without adequate public health protections, cannot be allowed at this time.
“Our primary concern is the health, safety, and welfare of our residents, and we will continue to take action accordingly, Mayor Johnson added.
The city said Wednesday that additional mass public gatherings will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis.
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