Anna Wintour: Met Gala postponed due to the virus outbreak

NEW YORK — One of fashion’s biggest nights, the Met Gala, has been postponed due to the coronavirus outbreak, host Anna Wintour said Monday on Vogue’s website.

The magazine’s editor-in-chief dropped the news into the bottom of a post she wrote endorsing Joe Biden for the Democratic presidential nomination in which she excoriates President Donald Trump’s handling of the crisis.

As for the gala, it will not be held on its usual date, the first Monday in May, due to the “unavoidable and responsible decision by the Metropolitan Museum to close its doors,” she said.

The event is one of the starriest events of the year: Attendees last year included Lady Gaga, Jennifer Lopez, Serena Williams, Kim Kardashian and Cardi B.

This year’s exhibition, “About Time: Fashion and Duration,” is to trace the history of fashion from 1870 to the present in celebration of the museum’s 150th anniversary. Among the celebrity hosts previously announced are Lin Manuel-Miranda, Meryl Streep and Emma Stone.

The gala raises money for The Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Costume Exhibit and opens the institute’s spring exhibition, which will also be delayed.

The Met itself announced last Thursday it was closing “until further notice” after two employees showed symptoms of the virus that has spread quickly around the globe, stalling millions of lives and shutting down workplaces and institutions.

The museum will remain closed through April 4, a museum spokesperson said Monday in an email, adding “all programs and events through May 15 will be cancelled or postponed.”

For most people, the new coronavirus causes only mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough. For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia. The vast majority of people recover.

___

The Associated Press receives support for health and science coverage from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Department of Science Education. The AP is solely responsible for all content.

Leanne Italie, The Associated Press