SAN ANTONIO — The big message in Thursday's coronavirus update: Stay home San Antonio.
Mayor Ron Nirenberg urged people to stay home for the Fourth of July weekend - giving people four tips for a safe Fourth of July:
- Keep it within the household: Do not attend large gatherings.
- Stay home when you can; wear masks when you can't: Wear masks, wash your hands and stay six feet from others.
- Celebrate outdoors: In your own backyard.
- Do not share food, drinks and utensils: That's a recipe for infection.
City officials and hospital representatives both reiterated those tips at a news conference Thursday. They said no more than 10 people should be at a gathering.
A Metro Health employee shared a story about a family of about 25 people who gathered recently to celebrate several birthdays. The story went into detail, using a fake name, explaining how the aunt (who thought she had allergies) ended up getting diagnosed with coronavirus and died a week after her birthday.
They cited a lack of hospital capacity and said the last two weeks have been exceptional as far as a lack of beds in the ICU.
One hospital leader reminded everyone that the coronavirus has "50 times the death rate of the flu."
Another hospital representative said what people do today will determine what happens two weeks from now in case they need to be hospitalized.
Meanwhile, the governor issued a statewide order requiring people to wear face coverings when in public in counties where there are 20 or more cases of coronavirus.
