Coronavirus Exposure: Health Departments, Police Investigate Reports Of Lack Of Social Distancing At Parks
SACRAMENTO (CBS13) — Police and public health departments are fielding call after call about people at parks ignoring social distancing meant to slow the spread of coronavirus.
The complaints mostly involve people playing pick-up basketball games and ignoring the six-foot social-distancing rule. Health officials are encouraging people to report violations to 311.
But going to the park is the break a lot of people need right now to keep from breaking mentally.
"You've got to keep your mental health. People are going to get real....it could be ugly," said Mark Richards.
READ: Sacramento Farmers Markets Make Adjustments To Ensure Social Distancing
So what's okay and what's not in the middle of a pandemic? The answers keep changing. But CBS13 is getting the latest from public health officers who said the problem right now is people ignoring the six-foot rule.
"We are discouraging any ball sports among people who are not in the same household because you're contacting the same surface, the ball," said Dr. Amy Sisson, the Placer County Public Health Officer.
Basketball, soccer, baseball and more. Sisson said you shouldn't be playing with people you don't live with.
CBS13 noticed lots of people at McKinley Park wearing gloves Wednesday afternoon.
"Gloves are really unnecessary," Sisson said because COVID 19 spreads primarily through respiratory droplets.
"You're not absorbing virus through your skin, for example. So there's no reason why you can't just wash your hands, after touching a surface," she said.
READ: Mask Or No Mask? California Officials' Directives Conflict
And what about masks? Lots of people in the park wearing those.
So far local public health officials have discouraged people from wearing masks unless you have symptoms. But, that message is changing thanks to new discoveries about the virus.
"So it looks like one to three days before symptoms develop, people are able to transmit the virus," Sisson said.
Doctors are still debating whether that means everyone should wear a mask. The CDC is now reporting 25% of people infected with the virus may not even know they have it.
In Sacramento County, the health department is asking people to report violations by calling 311. That also goes for reporting nonessential businesses that are staying open.
The county has been keeping a list and is planning to send out code enforcement later this week.