Santa Clara’s Public Health Department has issued a press release urging companies to cancel or postpone mass gathers.
The Health Department says there have been six new cases of COVID-19 in Santa Clara County, bringing the total to 20 confirmed cases.
“We understand that people are very concerned about COVID-19. I want to remind the public that the vast majority of people who become infected with COVID-19 do not become seriously ill, and fully recover. We are making these recommendations to protect the most vulnerable members of our community from the virus, and slow its spread,” said Dr. Sara Cody, County Public Health Officer. “We are continuously monitoring this evolving situation, and will issue new guidance if and when that is warranted.”
As a result of the development, the Health Department is recommending cancelling or postponing mass gatherings and large community events, specifically events that has a large number of people within arm’s reach of each other.
If cancelling is not an option, the department gives a number of guidelines, including urging sick people and those at high risk of contracting illnesses not to attend. They also recommend trying to provide as much space as possible, to minimize physical contact, not to mention encouraging good hygiene.
Given that Apple’s WWDC fits exactly the kind of scenario the department is describing, it would not be surprising if Apple ends up cancelling, or makes the conference entirely digital, just as Google has done with Google Cloud Next.
