City and County Officials Urge Public to Mask Up and Social Distance This Labor Day Weekend
September 5, 2020 - San Antonio
Healthy habit reminder. “Over the holiday weekend, keep your distance, avoid large gatherings, wear your mask, and keep looking out for each other,” said Bexar County Judge Nelson Wolff in a statement on Friday. “We are heading in the right direction, but we cannot let our guard down.” Screenshot: Jade Esteban Estrada.
By Jade Esteban Estrada - Staff Writer, San Antonio Sentinel
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW:
- The City of San Antonio and Bexar County issued a Wireless Emergency Alert Friday to urge residents to continue safety protocols during the Labor Day weekend to help reduce the spread of Covid-19
- The South Texas region saw a spike in coronavirus cases and hospitalizations after Memorial Day and the 4th of July
The City of San Antonio and Bexar County sent out a Wireless Emergency Alert (WEA) Friday to urge all residents to protect themselves and others from Covid-19 by continuing the safety protocols and physical distancing that have helped reduce the spread of the virus over the past few weeks.
The following WEA was message sent:
“Please protect yourself and others from Covid-19 this Labor Day weekend by wearing a mask, practicing physical distancing and avoiding large gatherings.”
The message was also delivered in Spanish.
"Staying disciplined is the fastest way to beat Covid-19," said San Antonio Mayor Ron Nirenberg in a statement. "By avoiding behaviors and situations that spread the coronavirus over the Labor Day weekend, we will sideline Covid-19 and speed up our return to normal. Although the number of cases has dropped, coronavirus is still present throughout our community.
More than half of Covid-19 cases in Bexar County were contracted by close contacts of a confirmed positive case. Close contacts are people who were within six-feet of an infected person for at least 15 minutes or more. Avoiding large gatherings, wearing masks and practicing physical distancing decreases the risk of contracting Covid-19 or spreading the virus to others.
“Our community has done an amazing job at slowing the spread of this virus,” said Bexar County Judge Nelson Wolff. “However, we must stay vigilant to ensure that we keep this virus in check. Over the holiday weekend, keep your distance, avoid large gatherings, wear your mask, and keep looking out for each other. We are heading in the right direction, but we cannot let our guard down. We will get through this together.”
The public can reduce their risk of contracting Covid-19 by wearing a mask, practicing physical distancing and avoiding large gatherings, especially if they are indoors in a space with poor ventilation. Tips for reducing exposure to COVID-19, including guidelines for safe family and friends gatherings to minimize exposure, can be found here.
The South Texas region saw a significant spike in Covid-19 cases and hospitalizations after Memorial Day and the 4th of July. At its peak, the area saw more than 1200 cases and hospitalizations per day in mid-July, bringing the hospital system perniciously close to capacity. However, healthy habits such as mask wearing and physical distancing have effectively reduced the spread of the virus and has also lowered the rate of hospitalizations. The seven-day moving average of cases has dropped to just under 200 and the positivity rate is down to 7.8 percent, nearing the community goal of 5 percent or less, reported a City spokesperson.
Protect yourself and your loved ones this Labor Day,” said Nirenberg. “Keep wearing masks, keep your distance and keep Covid-19 at bay.”
For more information about Covid-19 in the San Antonio community, click here.
Jade Esteban Estrada is a staff writer at the San Antonio Sentinel, where he covers public health and other citywide issues. He can be reached at jade@sasentinel.com.