NYC Subways Run Despite Closure Rumors Spurred By Coronavirus

NEW YORK CITY — News the New York City was in a state of emergency sent transit officials rushing to quash social media rumors that subway service would be canceled Friday.

"Rumors are spreading. We prefer facts," the MTA tweeted Thursday night. "We will operate regular subway and bus service tomorrow."

Even Gov. Andrew Cuomo stepped in to reassure New Yorkers the MTA — which runs the subways, buses, MetroNorth, Staten Island Rail and Long Island Railroad — would operate normally Friday.

"The mass transit system is not shutting down," Cuomo said. "These rumors, caused by undue anxiety, are just that - rumors."

The NYPD and Mayor Bill de Blasio also mounted their own social media campaigns against rumors roadways would close and Manhattan would be quarantined.

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MTA Chairman and CEO Pat Foye took to the airwaves Friday morning to further reassure New Yorkers subways would remain open but would not go so far as to say the subways would never close.

"We're going to be driven by the advice of the medical and the public health professionals," Foye said on Fox 5's "Good Day New York."

"We've got ... contingency plans on top of contingency plans."

Ridership Wednesday dropped 18 percent to about 4 million people even as the MTA increased the frequency and intensity of disinfecting subway stations,

"We've got a responsibility which we take unbelievably seriously," Foye said. "If you need to take the subways because you're a nurse, a teacher, a doctor and to gets to your to get your job the system is open."

On Friday morning, normal service included service changes on the F trains — which ran express between Kings Highway and Smith-Ninth Streets because of a signal problem — and delays on the 6 line, the MTA reported.

A sick passenger at 34th Street-Herald Square rerouted southbound F and M trains to the express line and spurred one New York to make a dark prediction for the weeks ahead.

"This will only increase," tweeted @cjay. "I have seen more sick passenger tweets in last three days that in last several months."