Fresno closes council chambers in ‘abundance of caution’ over spread of the Delta variant

Fresno’s City Council chambers are once again closed to the public until further notice.

The city announced the closure in a statement Monday afternoon, saying the decision “was made out of abundance of caution due to the current local spread of the Delta variant.”

The next scheduled council meeting is 9 a.m. Thursday and will be available through the city’s website or live on Comcast channel 96 and AT&T channel 99. Those wanting to attend the meeting via Zoom must register in advance online.

The rest of city hall remains open, the statement said.

The closure comes as new cases of the coronavirus continue to surge in Fresno and health officials fight burnout among residents.

The county’s health department continues to recommend wearing masks, getting vaccinated and social distancing. It is again encouraging people to limit exposure to others, reduce unnecessary errands and isolate if they are showing symptoms.

At least one city council member took issue with the decision. Replying to a story on Twitter, District 6 councilmember Garry Bredefeld called the closure a lockdown and said lockdowns don’t work.

“What lockdown is next? Businesses? Restaurants? Churches? Schools? These drunk with power politicians never learn. No other political chambers are closed. Only Fresno City Hall.”

This story was originally published August 17, 2021 at 9:31 AM.