Photo via Unsplash, Element5 Digital.
Thanksgiving is just over one week away and as California’s coronavirus cases have doubled in the last ten days health officials are releasing gathering guidance to avoid another COVID-19 surge over the holidays.
Purple and red tiers are recommended to not gather indoors with other households. Orange and yellow tiers are recommended keep windows and doors open, wear a mask and remain six feet apart from others. No matter what tier, high-risk individuals should avoid gatherings and wear a surgical or N95 mask if they do attend gatherings.
“In the Bay Area, Alameda, Contra Costa, Santa Clara, Napa and Solano counties will go backward into the purple tier, the state’s most restrictive, effective Tuesday. San Francisco, Marin and San Mateo counties will move back into the red tier, the second-most restrictive,” reported the SF Chronicle.
Although there are no travel restrictions, Dr. Mark Ghaly and Governor Gavin Newsom strongly urge a travel advisory of cancelling non-essential out of state travel. If you do need to leave the state, it is recommended you self-quarantine for 14 days once you return to the state. Newsom asks everyone to stay with your immediate family and remain as local as possible.
During Newsom’s press conference, he said California saw 9,890 new coronavirus cases today with an average of 8,198 new cases over the past week. In addition, 164,345 coronavirus tests are reported daily on a 7 day average.
San Francisco Health Director, Dr. Grant Colfax, implores people not to travel over thanksgiving and Mayor London Breed reminds people, “The infections that come at Thanksgiving will lead to people in the hospital at Christmas.”
But really ask yourself–is it worth it?
The infections that come at Thanksgiving will lead to people in the hospital at Christmas.
That’s the math.
That’s the timeline of this virus.
Nobody wants that, so please stay home this Thanksgiving.
— London Breed (@LondonBreed) November 16, 2020
Newsom urged everyone to wear a mask, physically distance, wash your hands and minimize mixing.