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My concern about the almost-complete lockdown order in 5 counties in Bay Area is that it is similar to March, but we have learned so much about the virus since March! In March, a complete lockdown was indicated because we didn’t know if the virus was spread from surfaces;
we didn’t know if it was spread from asymptomatic individuals (it is); we essentially treated the infection as if it was radioactive. At this point, we have learned a lot about how to mitigate spread, including masks, distancing, ventilation and hand hygiene.
Therefore, to institute the same measures as in March, including shutting down of playgrounds (despite lack of evidence on surface transmission), outdoor dining (where there has been no data to show that this is unsafe), and prohibiting members of different households to gather
outside, is not data-driven. Decisions that are non-data driven, despite the public knowing so much more about the virus as well, will erode trust in public health officials and foster noncompliance with such orders. This can drive people indoors who used to gather outdoors
and foster spread. This is one of my biggest concerns. Therefore, some counties (e.g. San Mateo) did not join yesterday’s 5-county Bay Area stay-at-home order. Perhaps playgrounds, zoos, outdoor activities can be re-instituted. We are lucky with Bay Area weather.
Luckily, whatever happens, those vaccines are COMING and this nightmare will be over soon; so continued (and within scientific reason) caution is indicated until widespread vaccination achieved. There is light and hope and so please hang on!
And one more thing but after the phrase "we are going to lockdown", the next clause should be "and this is how we will support workers/businesses". At federal, state, city level.
