Riverside County health officials are urging residents to remember the safety measures that help prevent the spread of coronavirus as they celebrate the Labor Day weekend.
Health officials are concerned that there could be a surge in coronavirus cases similar to those that occurred following the Memorial Day and Fourth of July weekends. Officials are urging residents to avoid crowds when out in public and not to attend social gatherings.
“There is a temptation during the holiday to attend parties or gatherings and people forget about virus spread,” said Kim Saruwatari, director of the Riverside University Health System – Public Health. “These parties among family and friends are places where the disease spreads.”
After increases in July and August, data related to the spread of coronavirus has improved over the last few weeks. The number of those hospitalized with COVID-19 has dropped, along with ICU cases. The positivity rate in Riverside County is inching closer to the state-required eight percent or less.
“Through hard work and the sacrifice of residents, Riverside County has seen improvements in the numbers indicating the spread of coronavirus has slowed,” Saruwatari said. “It would be a shame for the results of that hard work to be lost because of the holiday.”
For the latest news and safety tips, visit www.rivcoph.org/coronavirus.