(From Press Release) – The City of Davis announced today it has canceled the annual City Fourth of July festivities due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Although the current shelter in place guidelines are very likely going to be over by the Fourth of July, we expect that there will be continuing restrictions on large events and crowds through summer,” said Davis Police Chief Darren Pytel. “Unfortunately, Davis just doesn’t have a large enough space that allows the event to go on and still provide adequate protection for everyone to see the fireworks,” he added.
“City officials, along with the Police and Fire Departments, will continuously monitor any guidance provided by the State and County regarding COVID-19 considerations over the coming months,” said Davis Fire Chief Joe Tenney. “It may very well be that the smaller gatherings will be permitted and that we will just have to find other, safer ways to celebrate the Fourth of July,” he added.
The City wants to acknowledge the Davis Live Music Collective for coordinating the music line up each year and the Discovery Christian Church for signing on to create the Family Fun Field.
In addition, the City is grateful to Dos Coyotes and the Marketplace, sponsors for the past 22 years, and to the sponsors already committed for this year – West Yost Associates, Huku Japanese Bistro, Yolo Federal Credit Union and Lori Prizmich & Associates. “As we come out of the COVID-19 crisis, and we can ensure the protection of our community, we may very well want to have a City-wide celebration,” said Chief Pytel. “Hopefully all of the sponsors, and many others, will want to help us do that,” he added.
“We look forward to bringing back this Davis tradition next year,” said Mayor Brett Lee. “For now, we must consider the safety of our community as our top priority in addition to the financial implications of waiting until the last minute to cancel this event.”
A no brainer.
And yet the City Council refuses to pass an emergency ordinance to require face coverings for EVERYONE in enclosed public spaces. Something that could decrease infection spread and save lives.
I’ve been in contact with the woman who has been credited with being a large part of the pressuring of San Francisco officials into their mandatory face-covering law that took effect Friday. She shut down her restaurant noting that her employees were uncomfortable with all the customers who were coming in to pick up orders with no face coverings. The ‘recommendation’ level wasn’t enough to get selfish Americans to help save others.
“I’m from Japan, so this is a no brainer” she told me. In many parts of Asia, they have lived through pandemics, or their parents have. Doctors in Asia, with experience in pandemics, almost universally agree that masking the entire population slows the spread – our medical system is behind on the learning curve. We seem to still think masks are for our protection – they are not. Everyone else wearing face-coverings is what protects us; and our wearing one protects everyone else.
Why, because we are most contagious before we have symptoms; as well, some studies are suggesting 40% of cases are asymptomatic. In both cases, we may be spreading the virus for days or weeks and have no idea we are sick.
This is “We are all this together” on a level ‘independent’ Americans can’t even grasp. Grasp it now, fellow travelers, lest more people die. Grasp it today, City Council, County Supervisors! Every day you wait there is more unnecessary infection spread.
Alan… you need to add mandatory gloving/double-gloving (everyone)… touching a surface that may have the virus is nearly as ‘dangerous’… but, as this seems to be a particular “hot button” for you, go for it… but don’t half-step…
From what I’ve read, you are as likely to spread the virus with hands as with gloves. The important thing is to wash your hands thoroughly before touching your face again when you get home. I’ve found I can stop touching my face while in public spaces with enough attention/intention, and then wash my hands thoroughly when I get home.
Seems the current belief is that the primary spread is via the virus-laced breath droplets. If I’m wrong about that I’m ready to hear it.
Good point… the fact is, there is a severe lack of information… ‘belief’/assumptions/conjectures are currently taking the place of factual data and science… it is what it is, at present…
It’s science-ish. Science takes time to confirm . . . there hasn’t been much time. So we have to do what’s best. In Asia, they’ve had more recent experience with pandemics, so I’m going with the ‘eastern medicine’ for face-covering science.
Here is Cassava’s statement about their closure:
https://www.cassavasf.com/
“I had to make my own mandate if the city won’t,” Ioroi said. Yuka Ioroi, you are my hero!
Articles on their closure:
https://sf.eater.com/2020/4/14/21221021/cassava-coronavirus-masks-covid-19-closure
https://www.sfgate.com/food/article/San-Francisco-Cassava-temporarily-closes-masks-15202930.php
Actually, I’m just gonna copy the relevant sentences in Cassava’s closure statement (written before San Francisco passed a mandatory face-covering ordinance that took place Friday night at midnight):
We are greatly concerned with the effect of the recent reports coming out about how well California is doing during this pandemic. While it is encouraging that the curve is slowing due to early action, it is not time to relax or become complacent. All across the city, we are witnessing citizens who aren’t social distancing, refusing to stay home and not wearing masks for the safety of others.
Unlike cities in Southern California, like Los Angeles and Riverside County, San Francisco has not mandated face covering while in public and at essential businesses. Medical experts have stated that wearing a mask will prevent the spread of coronavirus from one person to another and, with widespread asymptomatic infection, it is important that all people cover their nose and mouth despite a lack of symptoms. The fact that many San Franciscans are not covering their faces puts our staff, and our community, at risk.
Well, we could always have the fireworks celebration… virtually… recently, have ‘participated’ in celebrations, including a 97th B-day celebration that way… worked great… ~45 folk participated… with video…
And, actually, July 4 was the public READING of the Declaration… actual deed was accompli the previous day, and it was likely weeks before England was notified… and we were not technically independent for years, when the British forces surrendered… and withdrew…
Like many of our holidays (or, Holy Days) dates of observances are somewhat arbitrary ‘constructs’… many holidays ‘float’… others are modified to fit weekends (Memorial Day, Presidents’ Day, Labor Day, etc.). July 4, Nov 11, Dec 25, Jan 1 are “set”, but some of their origins are not free of being ‘arbitrary’… perfect example… before ‘Presidents Day’, there was Washington’s birthday, Feb 22… not! Washington was born on Feb 11, by the calendar (Julian) in effect in the British empire at that time… when the Empire went to the Gregorian calandar, they had to adjust, by 11 days… Washington moved his observance of his birth, by the same amount.
Maybe it’s worth it to focus on that part of the July 4 tradition so that folks get more familiar with the document and avoid this mistake.
Yes… full public reading, with context backup, would be an appropriate ritual…
Ironically, two men who were instrumental in getting to the Declaration, who were bitter rivals, then later, close friends, died exactly 50 years afterward… one’s last words were reported to be to the effect that it was good his friend still lived… having no way of knowing that his friend had actually passed a few hours earlier…
History is fun… engineering/surveying pays better… three surveyors ended up on our currency… albeit the lowest three denominations… but they also got to be immortalized on a famous monument in the Midwest… a monument to three surveyors, and another guy…