San Jose Mayor Sam Liccardo apologizes for disregarding COVID-19 regulations on Thanksgiving
SAN JOSE, Calif. (KGO) -- San Jose Mayor Sam Liccardo issued an apology Tuesday morning after news reports of him celebrating Thanksgiving with his extended family, disregarding COVID-19 safety regulations.
"I apologize for my decision to gather for Thanksgiving with my family, contrary to the rules," Liccardo wrote on Twitter.
In a statement, the mayor said he and his wife joined four other households for an outdoor dinner at his parents' house in Saratoga for the holiday.
"Eight of us representing five households sat around three distanced tables in our own family groups on the back patio, and we wore masks when not eating," Liccardo wrote.
Liccardo said his family, along with his brother and parents have been dining together -- socially distanced -- once or twice a week for several months. On Thanksgiving, two other households joined.
Leading up to the holiday, health officials across the Bay Area urged people not to travel or meet up with people outside the household due to the increase in COVID-19 cases across the state. Santa Clara County's Public Health Officer Dr. Sara Cody advised not to meet up with more than two other households.
"The choices that each of us make in the next two weeks may mean the difference between enough hospital capacity to care for all of us and our families and friends and not enough," Dr. Cody said during a virtual press conference.
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The state also issued COVID-19 safety regulations, limiting the number of households for a private gathering to three. Liccardo acknowledged the California coronavirus regulations issued on Nov. 13.
"I understand my obligation as a public official to provide exemplary compliance w/ public health orders, & not to ignore them," Liccardo said. " I commit to do better,"
See his full statement below:
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