Bay Area officials meet coronavirus crisis with courage
True leadership in a time of crisis requires confidence, courage and compassion.
The residents of Oakland and Santa Clara County witnessed that this week from their leaders’ response to the coronavirus crisis.
Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf and Santa Clara County Public Health Officer Dr. Sara Cody deserve credit for making sound decisions that stand as a model for other Bay Area officials and beyond.
Schaaf stood up to strong criticism from fearmongers who opposed using the Port of Oakland as the site to offload more than 3,500 passengers quarantined aboard the Grand Princess ocean liner.
“True to our community values, Oakland is a safe harbor for all,” she said.
The cruise ship had been returning to San Francisco but was stopped Wednesday roughly 10 miles outside of the Golden Gate when it was discovered that nearly two dozen passengers were infected with the coronavirus, including 19 crew members.
Critics argued that using the Oakland port would put residents at greater risk. They also hinted that Oakland was chosen over San Francisco in part because its port was located in a poorer neighborhood than San Francisco’s port. That’s ridiculous. The decision hinged on the Oakland port’s having an isolated area to offload passengers. San Francisco’s port is located in the heart of the Embarcadero and does not have that option.
Schaaf worked with state and federal officials to ensure that no one exposed to the virus on the ship would be quarantined in Oakland after they disembarked.
“The City of Oakland, Alameda County and the Port of Oakland are stepping up in a major way, and their residents deserve universal praise,” Gov. Gavin Newsom said Sunday. “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.”
Forty miles south, Santa Clara County also stepped up to the coronavirus challenge. Cody, working with officials from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, last Thursday took the extraordinary step of recommending the cancellation of large public events, such as sports games and concerts, where people are within arm’s length of one another. She also asked businesses not to hold large meetings.
The San Jose Sharks and San Jose Earthquakes ignored the advice and held home games Saturday, each attracting thousands of fans.
So Cody, reminding people that the coronavirus is spreading from person to person, announced Monday a threeweek, mandatory ban on all large gatherings of more than 1,000 people with the intention of containing the spread of the deadly virus. At the time, it was the most sweeping preventive measure yet taken in California.
San Francisco instituted a similar ban on Wednesday, and San Mateo and Contra Costa counties are discouraging events with large numbers of people.
The White House on Wednesday recommended a 30-day strategy within Santa Clara County to slow the virus, telling the county to restrict all gatherings over 250 people.
Cody said that slowing the spread “is critically important because it enables people, businesses, educational institutions and the health care system to prepare and institute measures to keep functioning while social distancing measures are in effect.”
She is acknowledging what we should all embrace. If we can minimize the number of coronavirus cases and deaths we will also greatly reduce the risk of an even greater outbreak that will further decimate our communities.