The current spread of the COVID-19 delta variant has caused the New York International Auto Show to cancel its annual event, The Associated Press reported.
The show organizers announced Wednesday that the recent wave of infections and current COVID-19 restrictions state officials have enforced led to the cancellation of the event, according to the AP.
“Over the past few weeks, especially within the past few days, circumstances have changed, making it more difficult to create an event at the high standard that we and our clients expect,” the show’s president Mark Schienberg said.
Auto show spokesperson Chris Sams told the newswire that organizers feared the current precautions would’ve worsened the situation.
Sams added that the organizers made the decision to cancel the show before participating automakers began to send their vehicles to the venue, the AP reported.
New York joins other cities such as Detroit and Los Angeles that have canceled their annual auto shows due to the ongoing pandemic. Chicago was able to pull of its auto show before the recent surge of COVID-19 cases.
Sams said that the annual auto show will return in April, the AP noted.