As Labor Day Weekend approaches, health officials caution Bay Area residents to avoid large gatherings, which can lead to the spread of COVID-19.
This year has already seen spikes in cases during other holiday weekends, so the goal is to make sure that doesn’t happen again – and some counties are taking measures to prevent crowds from coming together.
One solution is beach closures: Pacifica, Santa Cruz County, Monterey County and Marin County are among the towns and counties closing beaches this weekend, though it should be noted that Marin County’s beach closures are fire-related.
“Given our pandemic situation, we’re seeing record numbers during the week as it is so we closed our beaches down Fourth of July weekend and we believe those same conditions exist this Labor Day weekend," Pacifica Mayor Deirdre Martin said.
Half Moon Bay, on the other hand, is keeping beaches open despite objections from some locals.
"Until we get on the other side of this virus, it’s not time to party yet," San Mateo County activist Brent Turner said.
In Santa Cruz County, beaches will be closed Saturday morning through Monday evening, with a brief open period between 4 p.m. and 8 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday.
Monterey County will be closing beaches Friday through Monday.
Point Reyes in Marin County will be closed as well, but it’s due to the Woodward Fire.
Pacifica beaches and parking lots will be closed Saturday morning through Tuesday.
Even with the closures, a number of beaches remain open, and while health officials say it’s much safer to be outside versus inside, it’s important to follow safety guidelines at all times.
Santa Clara County reported a spike in cases following both the Fourth of July and Memorial Day weekends, as did Contra Costa County. A lot of the spread is through asymptomatic carriers.
