Update - September 4, 2020
Enjoy Labor Day While Preventing COVID-19 Spread and Staying Safe
Critical tips for a safe holiday weekend in the pandemic
|
|
This weekend we celebrate the contributions of American workers and labor unions to the strength, prosperity and well-being of our country. Their efforts have improved wages and working conditions for millions of Americans.As we enjoy Labor Day weekend, let's make sure we're doing all that we can to avoid transmitting COVID-19 and keeping healthy. Data shows that the large gatherings over Memorial Day and Independence Day contributed to a surge in positive cases. Our safe practices this weekend are critical to saving lives.We're also facing the added challenge of predicted high temperatures and possible poor air quality this weekend.
Being outdoors is one of the best ways to prevent COVID-19 transmission. But this weekend, we also need to be careful to stay in the shade, use fans, drink plenty of water, and avoid direct sunlight because of the heat. (Heat health tips here.)
And if the air is unhealthily smoky, we should simply stay inside.
Check the AirNow site for updated air quality information in your neighborhood.
California's power grid operator has issued a statewide flex alert (encouraging us to voluntarily use less energy this weekend due to the higher temperatures).
Recommendations from Bay Area Health Officers for a pandemic-safe holiday weekend:
- Celebrate or hang out with your household rather than mixing households. Have a picnic, take a hike, do an urban stroll, with take-out dessert.
- Socialize outdoors as much as possible, being mindful of heat. We know that the risk of transmitting COVID-19 is much greater indoors than outdoors, especially in confined spaces or stuffy rooms. This indoor risk jumps when people aren't wearing face coverings or maintaining distance.
- If you're having a gathering, have only one person at a time on kitchen duty, preparing food or cleaning up. Crowded kitchens are a risk factor.
- Even when socializing outside with people from outside your household you should wear face coverings and maintain a social distance of at least six feet from each other.
- Same goes for being in public settings such as parks, walking paths or at a sidewalk cafe. Wear a face covering and maintain distance from others.
- If you're feeling sick or have been exposed to someone with COVID-19, stay home! Even if you aren't sure what you have, it's much better to be safe than sorry, and avoid the risk of infecting family members and friends.
- If you plan to socialize with people outside of your household, communicate prevention strategies beforehand, such as choosing a space with plenty of room, agreeing to all wear face coverings and maintain social distance, holding each other accountable, and making it clear that anyone who feels even a little sick should not attend.
- Avoid crowds: Be flexible with your plans and move to a different location if you cannot easily keep at least 6 feet (or more than three steps) away from others.
- During a party or gathering, if someone seems sick, such as sniffling or coughing, leave. Don't try to figure out if they have allergies or a cold or COVID-19. Politely explain to the host that you don't want to risk getting infected.
- Remember that people can have the virus without showing symptoms, so the best prevention strategies are wearing face-coverings, maintaining social distance, frequent hand washing, gathering outside rather than inside, and avoiding crowds and crowded spaces.
Not everyone has a back yard or patio for a family BBQ. Fortunately, most of us in Contra Costa County are close to a variety of nice parks and outdoor areas to enjoy the weekend.
This year, I'm celebrating Labor Day in honor of those front-line workers who are risking their lives to save the lives of others in fighting this pandemic!
Stay Safe,
|
|
John Gioia
Supervisor, District One
Contra Costa County
11780 San Pablo Avenue, Suite D
El Cerrito, CA 94530
510-231-8686 Phone
|
|
|
|
|
Copyright © 20XX. All Rights Reserved.
|
|
|
|
