San Benito County, CA - April 9, 2020 – San Benito County Public Health Services reminds the public that the Shelter-in-Place Health Order prohibits gatherings and directs individuals to stay home except for essential activities until May 3, 2020 in an effort to protect individuals from the possible transmission of COVID-19. Unfortunately, this Order impacts religious events that are underway throughout the month.
“We genuinely empathize with those who are unable to practice their religious traditions and celebrations during this challenging time,” said Dr. Marty Fenstersheib, San Benito County Health Officer. “However, to protect the health of our community members, the health order does not allow for gatherings outside of one’s immediate household. These measures, while disruptive, aim to curb the growing number of cases resulting from community spread, and to limit opportunities for people to spread COVID-19 to others unknowingly.”
The Health Order impacts observances where gatherings usually takes place, including Holy Week and Easter, Passover, Orthodox Easter, Ramadan and other religious practices. Church leaders and religious organizations are urged to close in-person services and not bring large groups of people together while the Health Order is in force.
It is important to emphasize that suspension of in-person gatherings is not a suspension of worship. There are many ways that religious practices can still be observed, including live streaming or watching recordings online.
Staying at home, washing hands frequently, wearing masks and placing 6-feet distance between others are still the best ways to curb the spread of coronavirus.
To watch a video from our county Health Officer on preventing the spread of COVID-19 please go to https://hhsa.cosb.us/publichealth/communicable-disease/coronavirus/. For more information about COVID-19, see the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) website at https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019ncov/index.html, call 211 or text “COVID19” to 211211 or visit the San Benito County Public Health Services website for updated local information at http://hhsa.cosb.us/publichealth/.
Distributed by: David Westrick, Press Information Officer, San Benito County
