Easter Egg Roll on White House lawn called off

The White House is canceling its annual Easter Egg Roll over coronavirus concerns.

The event, in which thousands of children and adults roll hard-boiled eggs across the lawn and play other games, had been scheduled for April 13.

Melania Trump announced the cancellation Monday, saying it was being done out of an abundance of caution and in keeping with the national emergency President Donald Trump declared last week.

The first lady says she regretted having to make the call, but added that difficult decisions are needed in the short term to ensure a healthy country for the long term. She encouraged the public to heed the advice of state and local officials and to follow guidelines from the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for staying healthy.