Mother’s Day celebrations are happening Sunday in the Bay Area amid rising COVID-19 cases.
But after two years, families and restaurant owners in the Bay Area are still trying to make this Mother’s Day as normal as possible.
San Mateo residents Vasundhara Bhulambrikar and her son Atherva Bhulambrikar said they are not letting COVID-19 keep their family from reuniting this year for Mother’s Day.
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“This is a real treat. Just to be with them, you know. And not have that fear of COVID hanging over you,” Vasundhara Bhulambrikar said.
While others are masking up and taking their celebration to another level.
“I’m going to fly to out Vegas and meet up with my mom. Were going to go see The Cult in concert,” said San Mateo resident Nick Escobar.
For those people making reservations, restaurants like Kokko said they’re more than ready to welcome families.
Kokko owner Yuki Matsushita told NBC Bay Area Saturday that they have more than 100 people with reservations and they keep getting calls.
“Some people really request for the outside,” she said.
On Sunday, Matsushita said Kokko will have more tables outdoors than indoors.
This year, Matsushita added that they’re expecting big groups, a change from last Mother’s Day, when reservations were for two to four people.
As families prepare to celebrate, health experts warn that the likelihood of anyone getting infected Sunday is pretty high.
Cases in the Bay Area have increased by 155% in the last month.
UCSF infectious disease expert Dr. Peter Chin-Hong told NBC Bay Area that they will keep going up.
“I’d recommend if a family were to become infected after Mother’s Day, particularly the older members of the household or those with conditions or who are immunocompromised, that they really get in touch with their healthcare professional to see how they can get a hold of paxlovid,” he said.
The COVID Testing Center in San Mateo is offering an antiviral medication to qualified individuals on the spot. As well as several CVS and health centers across the Bay Area.
