Coronavirus

Coronavirus impact: South Bay community reacts to mass cancellation, forced slow down of daily life during COVID-19 crisis

ByKris Reyes KGO logo

Saturday, March 14, 2020

South Bay reacts to mass cancellation, forced slow down COVID-19 crisis

South Bay community reacts to mass cancellation and forced slow down of daily life during COVID-19 crisis.

SAN JOSE, Calif. (KGO) -- A completely empty playground. Open parking spots. Barely any cars on the road. Restaurants with staff, but no customers.

This is the new Friday night, in San Jose.

ABC7 drove around the largest Bay Area city in the hardest hit county in California for COVID-19, just hours after yet another new ban takes effect. On March 14, gatherings of 35 or more now have restrictions, and 100 or more are banned.

A sign on the Ritz, a nightclub, reads: "Closed Until Further Notice."

This sign might as well be speaking for the whole county.

The message is clear whether you are a house of worship, a school, a business or a family --- be ready to hunker down.

"We're supposed to be working from home, but we can't because we have the kids, we're distracted," said Sergio Bruno, one of the many parents you will meet all over the Bay Area these days who are doing the exact same thing.

At a popular restaurant, Henry's World Famous Hi-Life in San Jose's Little Italy, the crowd is still sizable. But, likely not for long.

"The 35 number is very shocking, I don't know the effect you I'm waiting to get clarity on that," said Dan Navarro, the restaurant's manager. "It's going to be very tough to make a go of it and survive."

Places of worship all over the county are also shutting down its doors while still trying to find ways to serve their very anxious membership.

"Certainly we're trying to livestream our Sunday masses, some parishes might want to do that on a daily basis," said Bishop Oscar Cantu who says this has never happened in his lifetime. He is encouraging his parishes to reach out to those who are the most vulnerable. "Something we call the ministry of presence, simply being present for those who are lonely, those who are fearful, those who are anxious."

On websites like NextDoor, on social media, even more community building and outreach. For Shaunn Cartewright, who advocates for unhoused people, she says it's the silver lining of the crisis.

"Maybe this is the first time that people see themselves on the same field as homeless people and I think that's really important and people are really pulling together."

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