March and April are typically a shoulder season when tourism dries up. On Wednesday afternoon, there were just a few people milling around Main Street — but Lake Placid Business Association President Tim Robinson said that’s not unusual for this time of year.

He does believe the coronavirus will have an impact on local businesses, but the question is when.

“It’s only a matter of time until it makes its way here to the Adirondacks,” he said. “I know we’ve just been arming ourselves with hand sanitizer. We’re worried, too.”

Robinson said he hasn’t heard much concern from business owners yet, but that may be because there aren’t any confirmed cases here.

The Clarkson University hockey team and fans celebrate winning last year's Eastern College Athletic Conference tournament in Lake Placid. While coronavirus risk is causing many public events to be canceled this March, the ECAC tournament is still on next week in Lake Placid, officials say. (Enterprise photo — Lou Reuter)

“I don’t know if it’s right up in front of people yet,” he said.

The World Health Organization declared the novel coronavirus a pandemic on Wednesday. New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo said 216 coronavirus cases had been confirmed statewide as of Wednesday, and this past Saturday he declared a state of emergency in New York state. Though no confirmed case of coronavirus has surfaced in the North Country, Essex County Board of Supervisors Chairman Shaun Gillilland followed suit on Tuesday and issued a state of emergency countywide.

The coronavirus is having a global economic impact as schools close, businesses ask its employees to work remotely and people self-isolate. Lake Placid likely won’t be immune to that, according to Regional Office of Sustainable Tourism CEO Jim McKenna.

“This could be a challenge for a lot of different sections of our economy,” he said. “Let’s understand this is going to affect everybody, and make sure we’re working together as a community.”

ROOST staffers have been meeting internally as new information about the coronavirus becomes available and discussing marketing messaging moving forward.

The first message: Community support will help carry local businesses through this time.

“If people choose to cancel their spring travel, then let’s stay here and support our local businesses,” he said. “If we have to hunker down, let’s do it in a way that still supports our community.”

Turning outward, the agency is planning to promote the area with images that underscore a quiet respite the Adirondack Park can offer: fresh air, no crowds, kayaking, fishermen wading down a river.

“We’re starting to figure out at this point the type of messaging we’ll get into the marketplace as we get into the summer,” he said.

ROOST is hosting an informational meeting on coronavirus at 11:30 a.m. this Friday at the Conference Center. McKenna said the agency plans to have similar meetings in other communities it serves.

Representatives of the Lake Placid-based marketing agency are expected to talk about upcoming events, booked business and marketing messaging moving forward, according to a news release. Adirondack Health and Essex County Health Department staff will be available by phone during the meeting. They will review best practices and “what-if” scenarios.

Those who want to participate and are interested in dialing in can call 267-930-4000 and enter the code 367-966-436.

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ORDA: No cancelations

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Large-scale sporting events around the world are being canceled amid the coronavirus outbreak.

The World Figure Skating Championships, which were slated to be held in Montreal next week, have been canceled, the Associated Press reported Wednesday. Skiing officials canceled the last few races of the women’s Alpine skiing World Cup in Are, Sweden, because of public health concerns. NCAA President Mark Emmert announced that Division I “March Madness” basketball games would be closed to fans.

As of Wednesday, however, all of the state Olympic Regional Development Authority’s upcoming events are still on, according to spokesman Jon Lundin.

The authority is currently hosting the U.S. Collegiate Ski & Snowboard National Championships, and is preparing to host the annual ECAC hockey championships at the Olympic Center next week.

China’s team has dropped out of the sold-out ISU 2020 World Synchronized Skating Championships at the Olympic Center next month, according to Lundin.