Dublin’s St. Patrick’s festivities canceled due to coronavirus

DUBLIN, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) — With events canceling nationwide due to the coronavirus, Dublin event organizers are following suit.

Currently, health officials say there are no cases of the coronavirus in Laurens County.

Rebecca Johnson, executive director of the Visit Dublin GA tourism center, says they would rather be safe than sorry.

“We don’t know exactly what steps we would need to take to absolutely [be] 100% sure no one caught the virus,” said Johnson.

During March, all St. Patrick’s festival events in Dublin-Laurens County are canceled due to the coronavirus.

“We are incredibly disappointed,” says Piper McAfee, co-chair of the Dublin St. Patrick’s festival committee.

McAfee tells 41NBC that health and elected officials along with organization leaders made the decision Thursday morning.

The community was not so thrilled.

“I feel like the flu is worse than the coronavirus,” said Dublin resident Destiny Brown.

McAfee says they all agreed that it’s the best solution for everyone.

“We do have a relatively large older population which seems to be hit pretty hard with this,” shared McAfee. “And the concern is that if it comes here they will be at risk and we will all be at risk. And so we would like to reduce the opportunities for anyone to get sick.”

The suspension is also expected to disrupt local small businesses. Businessowners anticipated consumers to spend heavily during the festivals.

Johnson says they will try to make up the financial loss as best they can.

“We’re going to gather around, we are going to rally, and we are going to try to shop local,” Johnson said.