Now that we know that Phase 2 is happening all over the Bay Area, residents are wondering when they will be able to get together with family and friends.
Businesses in Alameda County got their directive for curbside shopping Monday but people are still waiting for the green light when it comes to hanging out with family and friends.
“I think it’s going too slow. I'm stuck trapped somewhere,” said Oakland resident Melvin Day. “Feels like I’m in prison, I can’t do nothing.”
Alameda County is one of the last area’s to move into Phase 2.
“Every time we take a step for allowing more activities, physical interaction we need to take two or three weeks to see the impact of that,” said the county’s Interim Health Officer Dr. Erica Pan.
Health officials know people might be getting quarantine fatigue.
“We live together, we're really not seeing any friends in the area right now,” said Oakland resident Marlo Garridon.
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Meanwhile, Dr. Pan says there’s a reason to stay the course.
“The risk of death from COVID-19 increases with every decade with age,” she said.
Adding that get-togethers in someone’s backyard might seem similar to going to your local supermarket but in her expert opinion, it’s not, saying one’s time is limited with a stranger in a store.
Hanging out with a friend or loved one for hours is risky because this virus will be around for a long time.
“What won’t go away is the need for universal face coverings. I have it and I wear it anytime I'm outside my office,” Pan said,
That's a practice she hopes everyone will continue to do.
