By Robert Haugh

Starting today, March 11 (12 a.m.), The County of Santa Clara’s Public Health Department issued an official order to cancel mass gatherings to slow the spread of the novel coronavirus (COVID-​19) in our community. The move is an attempt to reduce the number of people infected and protect individuals most vulnerable to severe illness. 

According to the County’s press release:

A “mass gathering” is any event or convening that brings together one thousand (1,000) or more people in a single room or single space at the same time, such as an auditorium, stadium, arena, large conference room, meeting hall, cafeteria, theater, or any other confined indoor or confined outdoor space.

A “mass gathering” does not include normal operations at airports, shopping malls and centers, or other spaces where 1,000 or more persons may be in transit. It also does not include typical office environments or retail or grocery stores where large numbers of people are present, but where it is unusual for them to be within arm’s length of one another.

City Events and Programs

The City also has taken the following action as described in a press release and on special “Coronavirus Updates” page on the City’s website:

• Santa Clara City Library has canceled all programs through Sunday, March 15 and extensions will be decided on a week to week basis.
• The senior nutrition program will not be canceled, and the Senior Center will offer limited hours for the Senior Fitness Center. Santa Clara Senior Center has canceled all other programs through March 15 and extensions will be decided on a week to week basis.
• The following events scheduled through March 15, including Family Movie Night, Showtime and Junior Olympics, are postponed for the time being and will likely be rescheduled for a later date. More events are subject to cancelation or postponement on a case-by-case basis. Updates will be made available on SantaClaraCA.gov.

Based on the latest situational updates, the City plans to evaluate the status of these programs as well as events at Levi’s Stadium on a weekly basis.