Anticipating a surge in coronavirus cases and hospitalizations, officials in seven San Francisco Bay area jurisdictions have extended shelter-in-place orders from April 7 to May 1.
“I am sad to have to say the worst is yet to come,” Dr. Grant Colfax, San Francisco’s public health director, said in a press conference last week. “Every community where the virus has taken hold has seen a surge in coronavirus patients who need to be hospitalized. We expect that to happen in San Francisco in a week or two or perhaps less.”
The Bay Area, which consists of Alameda, Berkeley, Contra Costa, Marin, San Francisco, San Mateo, Santa Clara, also falls under a statewide stay-at-home order issued by California Gov. Gavin Newsom. The governor issued the order on March 20 and said it could last until June.
According to Yahoo News, city officials originally announced a three-week shelter-in-place order would go into effect on March 17 and would end on April 7. The order directed residents to stay home as much as possible and to only leave for essential needs, such as to go grocery shopping or to buy medicine.
The new guidelines include the closures of recreational areas, including all public dog parks, playgrounds, picnic areas, golf courses, and tennis and basketball courts. Additionally, shared spaces like pools or rock walls, are also barred, and all funerals must be limited to 10 people only.
Construction has also been suspended during the coronavirus outbreak except for projects deemed necessary for essential infrastructure. Airports, utilities, and public transit can remain operative under these guidelines. Notaries, real estate agencies, and title companies are also allowed to stay open.
Florida and Pennsylvania have also increased their quarantine restrictions in recent days. Dr. Anthony Fauci, the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases predicted more than 200,000 deaths could happen due to the coronavirus.
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