Santa Clara County officials stood in front of Grand Century Mall in San Jose’s Little Saigon neighborhood Wednesday to ask the entire Asian community to refrain from gathering for Lunar New Year celebrations because of the COVID-19 pandemic. This year, the new year begins Friday, Feb. 12.
California has seen what can happen after residents refuse to give up their traditional holiday rituals involving get-togethers with family and friends. Cases started to surge after Thanksgiving and again after the December holidays, leading to an enormous increase in deaths as well as a dire shortage of hospital beds.
That's why Santa Clara County Health Officer Dr. Sara Cody is urging residents to celebrate the new year safely.
"What does it mean to celebrate safely? It means, unfortunately, that over a year in, we still cannot let down our guard," Cody said. "We still must continue to do all of the things that we have been doing. Wear your mask and better yet, wear two masks."
Dr. Phuong Nguyen, chief medical officer at Santa Clara Valley Medical Center, part of the county’s safety net, says she’s seen what COVID-19 does to people, so she's adjusting her Tet celebrations accordingly.
"This year, we will not be getting together with our families and loved ones. We will be celebrating on our own," she said.
The county is asking the community to celebrate the Year of the Ox virtually, and only with people in the same household.
While COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations and deaths are declining from the worst of the recent surge, the county is still in the “deep purple” tier of the state’s phased reopening plan, a situation that will persist for some time, say officials.
Churches and temples that are open for the new year will be at 20% capacity. Outdoor gatherings are limited to only two households, with people wearing masks and staying at least 6 feet apart.
—Polly Stryker and Jon Brooks