Hundreds of Pennsylvania dealerships have been forced to close physical sales operations under an order from Gov. Tom Wolf that all non-life-sustaining businesses close effective Thursday evening to help slow the spread of the coronavirus.
The Pennsylvania Automotive Association said dealership sales operations were to cease at 8 p.m. Thursday, while service, repair and parts may remain open, according to a post on its website.
“To protect the health and safety of all Pennsylvanians, we need to take more aggressive mitigation actions,” Wolf said in a statement. “This virus is an invisible danger that could be present everywhere. We need to act with the strength we use against any other severe threat. And, we need to act now before the illness spreads more widely.”
A state list of impacted businesses says automobile dealers may not continue to operate physical operations, while automotive parts, accessories and tire stores and automotive repair and maintenance stores can stay open.