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Faithful sit on chairs placed one meter (3.28 feet) apart before Mass at the Caravita Oratory of St. Francis Xavier in Rome March 8, 2020. To help prevent spread of the coronavirus, the Italian government recommended people keep a distance of one meter from each other. (CNS photo/Cindy Wooden)
Updated March 9, 2020, 12:58 p.m.
March 6, 2020
Catholic San Francisco
The number of San Franciscans testing positive for the COVID-19 virus rose to 13 on Monday, March 9, as the city implemented aggressive measures to protect vulnerable people, including canceling large gatherings at city venues and encouraging those over 60 and with chronic medical conditions to limit social contact.
The city declared a local health emergency March 6, citing the rapid spread of COVID-19 globally, the limited information about the natural history of the previously unknown respiratory virus, the lack of a vaccine and the danger to the elderly and other high-risk populations.
“It is imperative that all appropriate steps be taken to slow down and reduce the rate of community-acquired transmission of COVID-19,” the city said in its emergency directive.
The city also canceled non-essential events involving groups of 50 or more at major city-owned venues, including the main library, City Hall, Moscone Center and concert halls. “The age, condition, and health of a significant portion of the population ... places them at risk for serious health complications, including death, from COVID-19,” the city said in its March 7 order.
Several schools have temporarily closed in the Archdiocese of San Francisco as a precaution against transmission and to allow time for the deep cleaning and disinfection of campus. Archbishop Riordan High School closed through March 22 after a student tested positive for COVID-19. ICA Cristo Rey closed for two weeks after a staff member tested positive.
In a March 9 memo to parishes and institutions in the archdiocese, Archbishop Salvatore J. Cordileone urged parishes to take the following precautions at all Masses and gatherings of the faithful:
– Parishioners who are ill should stay home and those confined to their homes on Sunday are encouraged to follow the televised Mass, and to make an act of Spiritual Communion. “This a situation in which one is not at fault for not attending Mass,” the archbishop said. In addition, homebound parishioners may enter into the spirit of observing the Lord’s Day, such as meditating on the readings for that Sunday, praying the rosary, and (for those who have the availability) praying the Liturgy of the Hours.
– Physical contact should be avoided as much as possible: the Sign of Peace should be given by bowing to those around you.
– Communion to the faithful from the chalice should be suspended.
– Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion should cleanse their hands with an alcohol-based hand sanitizer before and after distributing Communion.
“This would be an opportune time to review with parishioners the correct way of receiving Holy Communion, both in the hand and on the tongue,” the archbishop added in the memo, which is available in full on the archdiocesan website.
The Santa Clara Public Health Department announced the first death from COVID-19 in the county March 9, an adult woman in her 60s who had been hospitalized for several weeks. She had no known history of international travel or contact with a traveler or infected person, suggesting she contracted COVID-19 in the community, the county said.
The virus caused growing disruption in affected regions of the U.S. and in many other nations, notably in Europe, where the brunt of the epidemic has shifted in recent weeks from its origin in Asia. Italian authorities took drastic steps to stem the virus, including the suspension of “civil and religious ceremonies” as well as funerals, until April 3.
During a live broadcast of his daily morning Mass March 9, Pope Francis prayed for victims of the epidemic and the many health care workers fighting its spread.
The pope said he offered the Mass for those infected by the virus as well as “the doctors, the nurses, the volunteers who help so much, family members, the elderly in retirement homes and prisoners who are incarcerated.”
Health officials in San Francisco said the rise in the number of confirmed cases is expected and indicates the increasing spread of the virus in the community.
“San Franciscans should remain calm, and take appropriate steps for heightened precautions,” said Dr. Grant Colfax, director of the San Francisco DPH, urging all San Franciscans to follow the city’s recommendations for social distancing.
“In order to decrease the impact of coronavirus on our community, we must reduce the times and places when people come together,” he said.
The city said vulnerable people who are 60 and over or have underlying health conditions should limit their outings as much as possible.
“We recommend that large gatherings that are not essential be cancelled, and everyone should practice aggressive prevention such as frequent hand washing and staying home if sick,” Dr. Tomas Aragon, San Francisco Health Officer, said March 6. “Our community members should focus now on how they can help reduce spread of the virus.”
The city said the social distancing recommendations will cause changes in behavior for systems and individuals. They are meant to disrupt normal social behavior, because the virus thrives under normal circumstances. Functions that are essential to an individual or their family, such as getting food, traveling to work, or providing for a sick family member, can be continued. The city said the situation is evolving and the recommendations are expected to change.
Mayor London Breed declared a local emergency Feb. 25 in order to better prepare for confirmed cases of novel coronavirus in San Francisco. The emergency declaration allows the city to mobilize resources, accelerate emergency planning, streamline staffing, coordinate agencies across the city, allow for future reimbursement by the state and federal governments and raise awareness throughout San Francisco about how to prepare for and respond to the novel coronavirus.
The mayor’s office said the city is in regular contact with all hospitals and health facilities in San Francisco, “and our health system is prepared to deliver care to everyone in need and provide a coordinated response as additional cases of the novel coronavirus are confirmed.”
On Monday, the Grand Princess cruise ship docked at the Port of Oakland to begin releasing passengers, including nearly 1,000 Californians. California residents will be quarantined at Travis Air Force Base or at a base outside San Diego, while residents of other states will be quarantined in Georgia or Texas. At least 21 people on board have confirmed cases of COVID-19. The crew will remain on board and the ship, which had been holding offshore for days as a public health precaution, will depart after all passengers have been released.
Gov. Gavin Newsom praised Oakland, Alameda County and the Port of Oakland for “stepping up” to receive the ship.
“They are showing the world what makes our state great – coming to the rescue of thousands of people trapped aboard this ship and helping tackle a national emergency,” he said.
As of March 8, there were 114 COVID-19 cases, including two deaths, in California. Throughout the U.S., cases rose to 607, with 22 deaths, according to data compiled by Johns Hopkins University on March 9. Worldwide, there were more than 113,000 cases with more than 100 countries affected. Deaths surpassed 3,900, including 3,100 in China. Italy and Iran accounted for the majority of new cases and 181 of the 202 new deaths outside China on March 9.
The director-general of the World Health Organization, Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, emphasized in a March 5 media briefing that the epidemic “can be pushed back, but only with a collective coordinated and comprehensive approach that engages the entire machinery of government.” He expressed concern that many countries are inadequately prepared.
“We continue to recommend that countries make containment their highest priority,” he said in a press update March 6, noting that slowing the epidemic provides time for research to progress on a vaccine. He said 20 vaccines are in development and many clinical trials are underway. He also called upon the private sector to step up efforts to provide life-saving equipment for people affected by the pneumonia-causing virus.
Data to date suggest that 80% of COVID-19 infections are mild or asymptomatic, 15% are severe, requiring oxygen and 5% are critical, requiring ventilation, the World Health Organization says.
People should take the virus seriously but not panic, the website arstechnica.com said in a March 9 update to its live guide on the epidemic.
COVID-19 “is not an existential threat,” the website said. “While it can be deadly, around 80% of cases are mild to moderate, and people recover within a week or two. Moreover, there are obvious, evidence-based actions we can take to protect ourselves, our loved ones, and our communities overall.”
Resources to reduce COVID-19 risk
San Francisco's recommendations that apply to vulnerable populations, large gatherings, workplace and businesses, schools, transit and health care settings may be found at www.sfdph.org/dph/alerts/coronavirus.asp. You can also call 311 and sign up for the City’s new alert service for official updates: text COVID19SF to 888-777.
Remember, these are the best ways for all San Franciscans to reduce their risk of getting sick, and preventing COVID-19:
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Wash hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds.
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Cover your cough or sneeze.
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Stay home if you are sick.
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Avoid touching your face.
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Try alternatives to shaking hands, like an elbow bump or wave.
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If you have recently returned from a country, state or region with ongoing COVID-19 infections, monitor your health and follow the instructions of public health officials.
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There is no recommendation to wear masks at this time to prevent yourself from getting sick.
You can also prepare for the possible disruption caused by an outbreak:
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Prepare to work from home if that is possible for your job, and your employer.
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Make sure you have a supply of all essential medications for your family.
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Prepare a child care plan if you or a care giver are sick.
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Make arrangements about how your family will manage a school closure.
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Plan for how you can care for a sick family member without getting sick yourself.
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Take care of each other and check in by phone with friends, family and neighbors that are vulnerable to serious illness or death if they get COVID-19.
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Keep common spaces clean to help maintain a healthy environment for you and others. Frequently touched surfaces should be cleaned regularly with disinfecting sprays, wipes or common household cleaning products.
Additional resources may be found here:
California Department of Public Health: https://www.cdph.ca.gov/Programs/CID/DCDC/Pages/Immunization/ncov2019.aspx.
California DPH Spanish resources: https://www.cdph.ca.gov/Programs/CID/DCDC/Pages/Immunization/nCoV2019_Spanish.aspx.
U.S. Centers for Disease Control: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/about/prevention-treatment.html.
World Health Organization: https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019/advice-for-public.
Johns Hopkins University global case tracker:
https://www.arcgis.com/apps/opsdashboard/index.html#/bda7594740fd40299423467b48e9ecf6.
Archdiocese of San Francisco: https://sfarchdiocese.org/health-alerts.
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