No ban, but ... : Newsom warns against having big Fourth of July get-togethers

What would the Fourth of July be without families, friends and neighbors getting together to celebrate their freedom on Independence Day with a backyard barbecue?

Gov. Gavin Newsom says this would be a great year to find out.

“One of the areas of biggest concern as it relates to the spread of COVID-19 in this state remains family gatherings,” Newsom said, urging residents Wednesday to avoid holiday barbecues with others outside their household.

“I really cannot impress upon you more — the tendency to invite friends, neighbors over that you haven’t seen is there. Perhaps you’ve already done that,” Newsom said. “I hope you’ll reconsider those gatherings with people you do not live with that are not in your immediate household.”

Health officials around the state say there are signs that family gatherings on Mother’s Day, Memorial Day and Father’s Day fueled

outbreaks in parts of the state, as stir-crazy friends and relatives assembled — and understandably let their guards down, allowing the disease to spread, even without symptoms.

Many Bay Area residents such as Nick Klingenberg already had decided against their usual Fourth of July barbecue party and felt others should listen to the governor and do the same.

“Their liberty should give way to the public health,” Klingenberg, a San Francisco lawyer, said.

But others such as Paula Soulodre, of Palo Alto, said people should be allowed to attend small gatherings with others they know well if they are careful. Her family’s plans to spend the weekend at Lake Tahoe were scuttled when their reservation was canceled, but she doesn’t have a problem with other families continuing to make plans.

“As long as you’re healthy and not exposing your elderly family, as long as no one is sick, socially distanced parties should be OK,” Soulodre reasoned.

Shoppers at several local markets on Wednesday were loading up their carts with hot dogs, buns and other barbecue fixings, even though most weren’t willing to come clean on their holiday plans.

One Safeway shopper in Menlo Park who wouldn’t identify herself said her twin daughters were driving up from Los Angeles for their Fourth of July celebration, one of them bringing her boyfriend and his parents. She said they will stay in the backyard but won’t be wearing masks and shook her head at the mention of Newsom.

“If families want to get together, that’s fine,” she said. “We all know the drill at this point.”

Unlike his recent orders to shut down bars and indoor dining in some problem counties, there is no way for the governor to ban backyard barbecues.

Gatherings of more than one household appear to be forbidden under the statewide stay-home order issued March 19 and modified May 25. The governor’s website says it forbids any gatherings “that bring together persons from multiple households at the same time for a shared or group experience” in any “indoor or outdoor space.” The May modification allowed gatherings up to 100 for religious ceremonies or protests.

The governor’s office and state public health department would not say whether that also applies to the “social bubbles” that Alameda, Contra Costa, San Mateo and Marin counties have allowed for up to 12 people not from the same household to socialize together outdoors for child care or recreation purposes.

“The governor has repeatedly cautioned against family gatherings” that include people or relatives living outside the immediate household, the state Department of Public Health said in response to questions.

But Newsom on Wednesday acknowledged the difficulty in policing such gatherings.

“You have 40 million people in the state of California, and if 40 million people turn their back on these guidelines and common sense, that is not something we can enforce,” Newsom said. “No one is naive about that.”

Instead, the governor urged people to do “the right thing,” noting the state’s worsening outbreaks with 110 new fatalities on Tuesday and evidence that family gatherings have a significant role in the disease’s spread.

Of the 19 counties on California’s watchlist for worrisome COVID-19 trends, family gatherings were cited as factors for outbreaks in Glenn, Sacramento, Solano and Stanislaus, while gatherings generally were listed among causes in Ventura, Santa Barbara, San Joaquin, San Bernardino and Orange.

Newsom paints a vivid picture of how social distancing can go by the wayside at your typical Fourth of July family barbecue, when “nieces and nephews start congregating around, and then they’re jumping on top of Uncle Joe, and then Uncle Joe is putting them back to Aunt Jane. And all of a sudden here comes Uncle Bob two hours late, he gives everyone a hug, and they’re — ‘Hey Uncle Bob, where’s the mask?’ — and Uncle Bob is ‘I don’t believe in that.’ ”

Paul Ferrante said he and his family, including five young sons, are having a neighbor over for the Fourth of July, where he’ll barbecue shrimp and ribs. They’re planning on staying socially distanced in their Palo Alto backyard but don’t plan to wear masks. He said his family and neighbor have been “militant” about coronavirus precautions and agree large family gatherings are “a big no-no.”

But public health officials insist that even families with the best of intentions to play it safe are no match for this virus.

“We know people are going to be doing it anyway,” said Janna Haynes, a spokeswoman for the Sacramento County public health department. “So do it outdoors, wear face coverings, physically distance, wash hands. And if anyone is sick, don’t attend the gathering.”