Life in the Bay Area is now at a temporary standstill as six Bay Area counties announced a new public health order that requires residents to stay home and to limit going out.
Officials are telling the public to not panic as residents will still be able to go out and get essential items, like groceries and gas. Hardware stores and banks will remain open and so will restaurants who can provide takeout or delivery services. Other government essential functions will continue operate.
What will not be open are places like entertainment venues, gyms, bars and other nonessential businesses.
San Francisco officials Monday at a press conference that outdoor activities like walking a pet or going out for a run or a hike are still encouraged, even with a family member, as long as social distancing is practiced.
Public transit will continue to run, and that includes Muni and BART.
Jeffrey Tumlin, director of transportation for the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency, said it will be business as usual on Muni with the exception of Financial District express buses. The express bus services will not as long as the public health order is in place.
Cable car service and historic streetcar service on the F-Market/Wharves will be replaced by bus service in order to protect operators.
Tumlin also announced that the transit agency will suspend enforcement on residential parking permits, 72-hour limit parking and towing, peak hour tow-away and other towing not related to access or safety.
Double parking and street cleaning, for example, will still be enforced.
The county is reporting 18 cases of the coronavirus, according to the Alameda County Public Health Department.
Over the weekend libraries in Hayward closed to slow the spread of the coronavirus, said Jayanti Addleman, director of library services. The closures will remain in effect until April 13 and patrons will not have worry about overdue materials as library officials will extend loan periods.
All 26 libraries in the county will close to prevent the spread of coronavirus, county officials announced on Monday.
The Contra County Health Department reports now of 34 cases of persons infected with the coronavirus.
All Marin county libraries and parks are closed until further notice to prevent the spread of the coronavirus.
The county remains to have zero cases of coronavirus.
Mayor London Breed announced Monday a $10 million grant that will help private sector workers who have exhausted all of their paid sick leave time.
The Workers and Families First Program will help employees impacted by the coronavirus by giving them additional week of sick paid leave time. Workers can qualify for the program if they are sick, in self-quarantine, caring for a sick family member, staying at home because of a temporary work closure, or caring for a child who is at home due to a school closure.
More information about the program can be found at the Office of Economic Workforce and Development’s website, who along with the Human Services Agency, are in charge of administering the grant.
The City has reported 40 cases of the coronavirus.
The county’s health department reports of 41 coronavirus cases and one death. The county’s first death was announced Sunday, but no further details were given.
Health officials for Santa Clara County said there are 24 new cases of the coronavirus raising the county’s total to 138 cases. So far, two people infected with the virus have died.
Gilroy’s Mayor Roland Velasco announced Sunday night on his Facebook page that an elderly man died over the weekend who had the coronavirus. No further details were released about the death.
The county’s Health Services Agency announced a shelter in place for all county residents The order lasts until April 7 and follows similar public health orders throughout the Bay Area. The county currently reports of nine cases of coronavirus.
County health officials on Sunday reported of a resident and an adult dependent at Travis Air Force Base had tested positive for the coronavirus. The individual is isolated at their off-base residence. The county reports of nine cases of COVID-19.
County officials reported Sunday a second case of community spread of the coronavirus. The first reported case was on Saturday. Sonoma County has three additional local cases that are related to the Grand Princess cruise ship.
Officials plan to hold a virtual townhall meeting Tuesday night about the virus that can be viewed online.
Jerold serves as a reporter and San Francisco Bureau Chief for SFBay covering transportation and occasionally City Hall and the Mayor's Office in San Francisco. His work on transportation has been recognized by the San Francisco Press Club. Born and raised in San Francisco, he graduated from San Francisco State University with a degree in journalism. Jerold previously wrote for the San Francisco Public Press, a nonprofit, noncommercial news organization. When not reporting, you can find Jerold taking Muni to check out new places to eat in the city.
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