Sacramento County reopens bars, theaters, gyms today — even though COVID cases are up
As of noon Friday, Sacramento County residents could once again hit the community pool, sip something cool at the corner bar, get in a gym workout and check out new movie titles.
After nearly three months of closures due to coronavirus, health officials in Sacramento and around the state allowed another large slice of the economy to reopen, including a number of activities and venues popular in summer.
Bars and wineries were able to reopen, albeit with safety restrictions, including spacing rules. So, too, could fitness centers and gyms.
Movie theaters could reopen, although rules limit them to 25 percent of capacity for now, similar to the rules for last month’s reopening of in-person religious gatherings. Theater chains say they may take weeks to reopen.
Museums, galleries and zoos could reopen. But Sacramento Zoo officials announced their opening day would not be until Monday, and that visitors must purchase tickets in advance for a scheduled time and hour of entrance, in order to space out crowds.
Sacramento County also OK’d day camps, cardrooms, and short-term rental properties, such as Airbnb.
Locally, Placer, El Dorado and Yolo counties gave the green light Friday to the same activities and businesses.
For those businesses, it’s the first time they can receive patrons and customers since March 19, when both the county of Sacramento and the state issued “stay at home” orders for residents, including mandatory closure of most businesses and workplaces.
State and local health officials in May allowed reopening of more offices, as well as restaurants, stores, churches, barbers and hair salons.
County health officials said venues must have a face mask policy in place for instances when workers and visitors cannot maintain a six-foot distance separation. Children under age 2 should not wear a mask, due to risk of suffocation, county officials said.
The reopenings come at what health officials say may be the riskiest period since the coronavirus first arrived in California in February and March.
Notably, state officials have placed Sacramento and a handful of San Joaquin Valley counties on a special watch list, based on concerns about potential outbreaks.
In total in Sacramento County, 1,704 people have tested positive for the virus. An uncounted number of others may have had the virus and not been tested. Sixty-three Sacramentans have died from the virus.
As more people have begun to mix in public, Sacramento County has seen a modest uptick in cases in the last three weeks. More concerning, though, the number of COVID-19 patients with serious cases in hospitals has increased from a low of seven three weeks ago to 37 currently.
County health officials say some people are putting themselves more at risk, feeling that the crisis may be over.
“We have found as businesses begin to open up, for some people there was a sense that things are OK now, and they began having gatherings in the home and birthday parties,” Dr. Olivia Kasirye said.
Health officials are encouraging residents to take a coronavirus test if they feel they have been in situations where they could have contracted the virus, such as family gatherings, the recent public protests, or other group settings.
That will allow county contact tracers to reach out to potentially exposed people before they pass the virus on.
“The virus risk is still here,” said Dr. Peter Beilenson, director of Sacramento County Health Services. “We have seen an increase in COVID cases and hospitalizations recently, in large part due to social gatherings, and to keep these cases down we need to remember to be sensible while we’re being sociable.”
The increase in cases and hospitalizations appears to have been the result of two family parties that drew multiple generations. County officials say it is too soon for families to group together in a house for events, given the difficulty of maintaining a six-foot distance from each other.
“Continue to maintain social distancing requirements of six feet or more, practice good hand hygiene, stay home as much as possible and remember that gatherings of people not from the same household inside houses are prohibited,” Beilenson said.
This story was originally published June 12, 2020 at 10:18 AM with the headline "Sacramento County reopens bars, theaters, gyms today — even though COVID cases are up."