Coronavirus: San Francisco Bans Mass Gatherings

SAN FRANCISCO, CA — The city of San Francisco is banning all gatherings of more than 1,000 people for the next two weeks in order to slow the spread of the novel coronavirus, also known as COVID-19, city officials said Wednesday.

The Public Health Order to prohibit all large events follows recommendations issued last week by the city's Department of Public Health, which encouraged social distancing to stop person-to-person transmission of COVID-19

"We know that this order is disruptive, but it is an important step to support public health," Mayor London Breed said in a statement.

"We're following the recommendations of public health officials to slow the spread of COVID-19 in our community.

This order mirrors actions being taken by other local governments and is informed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines," Breed said.

"We know cancelling these events is a challenge for everyone and we've been talking with venues and event organizers about the need to protect public health.

"Today I spoke with the Warriors to discuss the steps we're taking to cancel large events and they are in support of our efforts," she said.

The city's Director of Public Health Dr. Grant Colfax said, "Our chief concern is for vulnerable populations who are most at risk of getting very sick, or dying, if they get COVID-19.

That is why we are recommending that people over 60, or with certain underlying health conditions, stay home as much as possible."

Colfax said, "For the general public, reducing the opportunity for exposure to the virus is the top priority, and by cancelling events, we are improving the odds.

We encourage all San Franciscans to cut back on the time you spend in groups and wash your hands consistently."

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