‘Ghost Town:' NYC Empties Out in Face of Coronavirus

School closures, event cancellations, work-from-home orders leave the Crossroads of the World feeling empty

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New Yorkers seem to be heeding the government's advice to practice social distancing and not go where they don't need to go -- leaving America's largest city looking a little like a ghost town Friday. Public spaces normally packed with people like Times Square and the New York subway system were eerily empty, and some shop shelves looked like they'd been ransacked. The MTA announced Friday ridership was down 19 percent, while the LIRR was down more than 30 percent.

The only exception was at New York supermarkets, where hundreds of people were seen lining up before store opening to stock up on groceries amid coronavirus social distancing and quarantine advisories.

Take a look at some of the images of New York City during the coronavirus outbreak below, and send us your photos to tips@nbcnewyork.com and we could feature them here or on air.

A Metro North train, full to capacity a week ago, ran with just a dozen or so passengers into New York City Friday morning.

Empty shelves at the Lower East Side Whole Foods on Friday. Credit: Supplied.
Eerily empty streets in the City Hall / Brooklyn Bridge area on Friday at 1 p.m. Credit: B. Ferrari.
Empty tables at a midtown restaurant on Friday. Credit: @siijourg
Almost empty Midtown streets Friday, as many businesses opt for employees to work from home. Credit: @siijourg
A run on groceries at Costco Long Island City Friday morning. Credit: Supplied
Huge lines were seen outside Trader Joes in New York Friday morning.
Trader Joes on Spring Street was left empty as people bought out the shelves amid the coronavirus outbreak.
Empty soap shelves at Target in midtown Manhattan. Credit: @nyc_corine

The freezers were emptied at Whole Foods in Tribeca Thursday. Credit: @cookie_noodles

The Rockefeller Center concourse was almost empty Friday. Credit: Rahul Kapur
Penn Station Friday morning. Credit: @goonergolf


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