Covid-19 update: Airlines mandate face coverings, remdesivir receives emergency authorization

Airline passengers will soon have to wear face coverings while traveling with major airlines as soon as Monday.

United, Jetblue and Delta will begin the new face covering policy starting on Monday while American, Southwest and Alaska Airlines will start their face coverings beginning on May 11.

Major airlines have already made a number of changes to slow the spread of Covid-19, like temperature checks on employees and distancing passengers onboard flights.

In the Bay Area, San Francisco International Airport and Oakland International Airport already require anyone entering the airports to wear a face covering. On Monday, San Jose International Airport will implement its face covering policy.

Airport officials are reminding passengers who need to travel by air to pack face coverings. 

U.S.

  • Confirmed Cases: 1,132,315
  • Deaths: 66,364

Source: John Hopkins University Coronavirus Resource Center Covid-19 tracking tool as of Saturday at 6:40 p.m.

Open SFBay USA coronavirus tracker.

The Food and Drug Administration Friday issued an emergency use authorization to the use the drug remdesivir to treat persons with confirmed cases of Covid-19.

FDA officials said while there is limited information about the safety and effectiveness of the drug, the drug had shown to shorten the recovery time for patients during a clinical trial.

The emergency authorization use allows the distribution of remdesivir and allows health care providers to give the drug to patients with Covid-19.

FDA Commissioner Dr. Stephen M. Hahn said in a statement:

“Today’s action is an important step in our efforts to collaborate with innovators and researchers to provide sick patients timely access to new therapies where appropriate, while at the same time supporting research to further evaluate whether they are safe and effective.”

Officials said the drug is not a cure for the virus.

California

  • Confirmed Cases: 53,347
  • Deaths: 2,180

Source: John Hopkins University Coronavirus Resource Center Covid-19 tracking tool as of Saturday at 6:49 p.m.

.
Open SFBay Bay Area coronavirus dashboard in new window.

Alameda County

  • Confirmed Cases: 1,705
  • Deaths: 63

Source: The Alameda County Public Health Department with data reported through Saturday and including Berkeley.

The city of Alameda is joining Oakland and San Francisco in launching a Slow Streets Program.

City officials began the pilot program on Thursday that provides “soft closures” of streets to through traffic to give residents more space to socially distance themselves from one another while walking, biking and jogging.

Emergency vehicles and local traffic that must pass the streets to get to their final destination can be allowed to use the streets. City officials encourage drivers to use alternate routes who do not have to use the closed streets.

More information can be found on the city’s website.

Contra Costa County

  • Confirmed Cases: 934
  • Deaths: 28

Source: Contra Costa Health Services as of Saturday at 11:30 a.m.

Marin County

  • Confirmed Cases: 239
  • Deaths: 13

Source: Marin Health and Human Services as of Sunday.

Napa County

  • Confirmed Cases: 70
  • Deaths: 2

Source: Department of Health and Human Services as of Saturday.

The county on Saturday reported a total of 1,373 persons have been tested for Covid-19 while 210 persons are awaiting tests results. Health officials are monitoring 102 persons who have had close contact with someone confirmed to have the virus. 

San Francisco

  • Confirmed Cases: 1,543
  • Deaths: 29

Source: San Francisco Department of Public Health with data through Saturday.

The San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency is bringing back a segment of the M-Ocean View Muni route beginning on Monday.

Transit officials said M buses will run between West Portal and Balboa Park stations approximately every 20 minutes from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m.

Officials brought back the route based on ridership data and trends, feedback and operator availability. 

San Mateo County

  • Confirmed Cases: 1,223
  • Deaths: 51

Source: San Mateo County Health Department with data reported through Friday.

The county this week released Covid-19 cases by zip code. The information was added as part of the county’s data dashboard and officials will update the information weekly.

Health officials said the cases by zip code are not a true representation of the actual burden of the disease in the area as some residents may have Covid-19 but present no symptoms.

Santa Clara County

  • Confirmed Cases: 2,204
  • Deaths: 114

Source: Santa Clara County Public Health Department as of Sunday.

The Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority is mandating that all passengers who board VTA vehicles will need to wear a face covering starting on Monday.

Other Bay Area transit systems like Muni, BART, SamTrans have already issued requirements that passengers wear face coverings when onboard vehicles and at transit stations and stops. 

Solano County

  • Confirmed Cases: 266
  • Deaths: 5

Source: Solano Public Health as of Friday at 4:30 p.m. The county does not provide updates on Saturdays and Sundays.

County officials Friday announced changes to its shelter-in-place order to allow residents to take part in outdoor recreational activities.

The activities include golfing, hiking, biking, waking, mountain biking, boating and jogging. Officials remind the public to keep six feet apart and to only do the activities with persons of the same household.

All golf courses will reopen but with limited operations and with groups of no more than four persons.

Sonoma County

  • Confirmed Cases: 248
  • Deaths: 2

Source: County of Sonoma as of Friday at 8:30 p.m.

Open SFBay Worldwide coronavirus tracker.

Last modified May 2, 2020 8:24 pm

Jerold Chinn

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.

This website uses cookies.