City to ban public gatherings of more than 1,000 people

As coronavirus continued its spread and public officials warned residents to avoid large gatherings, the city of San Francisco moved to shut down major concerts, public sporting events and more.

Mayor London Breed announced Wednesday morning that the city’s health officer had issued a public health order prohibiting any group gatherings of 1,000 people or more, a move that came after a similar order in Santa Clara County earlier this week. Officials in Alameda and Contra Costa counties are sternly warning residents to avoid gatherings, though neither county had issued bans by midday Wednesday.

Shortly after the announcement, the Golden State Warriors issued a statement saying they would play today’s game against the Brooklyn Nets at the Chase Center without fans. Those with tickets would get a refund, the team said.

“We know that this order is disruptive, but it is an important step to support public health,” Breed said in a statement. “We’re following the recommendation of public health officials to slow the spread of COVID-19 in our community.

“The order mirrors actions being taken by other local governments and is informed by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines. We know canceling these events is a challenge for everyone, and we’ve been talking with venues and event organizers about the need to protect public health.”

The order is in place for two weeks. Health officials will reevaluate the situation then, Breed said.

The World Health Organization on Wednesday morning declared that COVID-19 is officially a worldwide pandemic. The WHO says more than 121,000 people globally have tested positive for the virus.

On Wednesday, the White House issued recommendations for Santa Clara County, which has more cases than San Francisco, saying residents should avoid gatherings of more than 250 people.