Stop getting together: Stanislaus health officer pleads with residents amid coronavirus
As coronavirus cases continue to increase at an alarming rate in Stanislaus County, public health officer Julie Vaishampayan on Friday issued a plea for residents to take precautions.
Stanislaus County has 1,871 cases as of Thursday afternoon, with 38 deaths. An additional 24,843 tests have come back negative. The county’s overall positivity rate is at 7 percent, but the rate has been rising in recent days. Thursday’s positivity rate was 15.86 percent.
“While we are all fatigued by months of sheltering and desperate to resume our normal social interactions, it is important to understand and acknowledge recent realities,” Vaishampayan wrote.
She said parties and other get-togethers are causing increased community spread.
“I want to take this opportunity to remind all of you that gatherings of all sizes continue to be prohibited under the Governor and State Public Health Officer’s Order except as permitted by recent state guidance,” Vaishampayan wrote. “Unfortunately, in violation of this state directive, there are increased reports of home gatherings, birthday parties, graduation parties, shared celebrations and shared sorrows. Many times these are happening without taking the necessary precautions to decrease chances for this virus to spread.”
She reminded residents that they need to refrain from having close contact with people who don’t share their households, and to wear face coverings as required by a mandate issued by Gov. Gavin Newsom last week.
“Maintaining a 6-foot social distance, face coverings, and frequent hand washing continue to be our best proven defense against transmitting and contracting the virus,” she wrote.
This story was originally published June 26, 2020 at 12:30 PM.
