The latest developments around the region related to the novel coronavirus, also known as COVID-19, as of Friday afternoon include:
- Schools in counties on the state’s COVID-19 coronavirus watchlist when the fall semester begins will be required to begin the school year with online classes, Gov. Gavin Newsom announced Friday. Schools will be allowed to open for in-person classes when the county they’re in has been off the state’s monitoring list for two weeks. All school staff and all students in third grade and above will also be required to wear face masks during in-person classes.
- San Francisco Mayor London Breed and Health Director Dr. Grant Colfax on Friday announced several new measures going into effect. In addition to continuing to put the reopening of businesses on hold, indoor malls and nonessential offices must close starting on Monday. Breed and Colfax will also issue a new order on Monday requiring that private health care providers increase testing services and provide same-day testing for patients with symptoms and for those close to a person who recently tested positive.
- The city of Los Altos is implementing a new initiative called Open Streets Los Altos that will partially close downtown streets every Thursday through Monday to accommodate outdoor dining and retailer merchandise amid the COVID-19 pandemic. The program allows for pedestrian access only on closed streets and will last through Sept. 28. Closed roads will reopen around 6 a.m. on Mondays. Forty Santa Rita Jail inmates have tested positive for the COVID-19 coronavirus since Wednesday, sheriff’s officials said Thursday. That brings the total to 46, sheriff’s Sgt. J.D. Nelson said.
- The organizers of the BottleRock Napa Valley music festival announced Thursday that the event will be postponed to 2021 due to the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic. The three-day music, food, wine and beer festival was originally scheduled for Oct. 2-4 at the Napa Valley Expo. Festival organizers said the postponed festival — now scheduled for May 28-30 – will feature headliners Dave Matthews Band, the Red Hot Chili Peppers and Stevie Nicks.
- As of Friday at 3 p.m., officials have confirmed the following number of cases around the greater Bay Area region (“+” number added since last check Thurs., July 16):
- Alameda County: 8,858 cases (+231), 161 deaths (+7)
- Totals include Berkeley Health Department data
- Contra Costa County: 5,378 cases (+145), 96 deaths (+3)
- Marin County: 4,084 cases (+116), 41 deaths
- Totals include San Quentin State Prison
- Monterey County: 3,059 cases (+76), 18 deaths
- Napa County: 583 cases (+5), 4 deaths
- San Francisco County: 4,975 cases (+115), 52 deaths (+1)
- San Mateo County: 4,403 cases (+70), 114 deaths
- Santa Clara County: 7,131 cases (+85), 177 deaths (+1)
- Santa Cruz County: 736 cases (+30), 3 deaths
- Solano County: 2,483 cases (+76), 31 deaths
- Sonoma County: 2,027 cases (+48), 19 deaths (+3)
- Statewide: 366,164 cases (+9,986), 7,475 deaths (+130)
- Alameda County: 8,858 cases (+231), 161 deaths (+7)