Even Times Square's Elmo Is Taking Coronavirus Precautions

NEW YORK CITY, NY — During a weekend in which New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo declared a state of emergency over the new coronavirus, even Times Square's Elmo is taking precautions.

One of the costumed characters was seen Saturday wearing a surgical mask.

The CDC does not recommend that people who are well wear a face mask to protect themselves from respiratory diseases, including the COVID-19.

Some states have asked the general public to stop stockpiling masks and to avoid using one unless they are ill and should wear a face make to prevent spreading the virus to others.

As of Sunday, 13 people in New York City and more than 105 in New York State had been diagnosed with the new coronavirus.

Coronaviruses are a family of viruses that include the common cold as well as much more serious diseases. The strain that emerged in China in late 2019, now called COVID-19, is related to others that have caused serious outbreaks in recent years, including severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) and Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS). The first confirmed case of COVID-19 in the U.S. was on Jan. 21.

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