Grim COVID News Calls for Redoubling Safety Precautions

News reports this week delivered some gut-punching statistics about the very serious spike of COVID-19 in the Bay Area and California: 

• The State of California activated its mass fatality program to include coroner’s mutual aid. 
• 5,000 body bags have been purchased by the state in response to the current surge. 
• Sixty refrigerated storage units will be used throughout the state, including in the Bay Area, as overflow for coroners and morgues. 
• Hospitals are not only running out of intensive care unit (ICU) beds, they are running out of hospital beds, period.  

The Bay Area Council is partnering with our county leaders to share important health messages going forward. The Bay Area Council shares the concern of public health officials that this winter will likely prove to be the COVID-19 pandemic’s darkest hour. The nation and our region are experiencing the worst surge of COVID-19 cases and fatalities to date. Healthcare personnel are exhausted, and bed capacity in our hospitals has dropped at an alarming rate. We cannot afford to contribute to the current holiday surge in cases. 

At this time, it is imperative we all stay home. 

Staying home now is essential to conserve critical resources, to avoid further exhausting our healthcare workers, and to stop additional tragic losses in our community. Staying home now will prevent future damage to our way of life, including to the region’s economy. 

In the meantime, we can all support local businesses by shopping via their websites when possible and using takeout and delivery options for our local restaurants.  

Your health and safety are our highest priority. Therefore, in concurrence with local health officials, the Bay Area Council urges you to wear face coverings, avoid gatherings, postpone travel, and stay home.  

There is hope on the horizon. Bay Area nurses, doctors, and other healthcare personnel have begun to receive the first doses of a rigorously tested vaccine. But for now, we all need to continue to do our part to keep ourselves, our families, and our communities safe.  

For specific information on health recommendations, please visit: https://covid19.ca.gov.