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Gatherings of 50 or more people should be canceled or postponed for the next eight weeks in order to help prevent the spread of the coronavirus, according to new guidance from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The federal agency issued the new recommendation Sunday night, acknowledging that the large gatherings could “contribute to the spread”of the illness.

“This recommendation is made in an attempt to reduce introduction of the virus into new communities and to slow the spread of infection in communities already affected by the virus,” the agency said.

The CDC gave some examples of events that could be subject to its new guideline. They include: conferences, festivals, parades, concerts, sporting events, weddings, and other types of assemblies.

The recommendation does not apply to schools, higher education or businesses, the CDC said.