COVID: Warm Weather Draws Big Crowds to San Francisco Dolores Park, Prompts Measured Concern
SAN FRANCISCO (CBS SF) -- The warm weather attracted crowds to Dolores Park in the Mission Sunday evening. It's a place that became problematic earlier on in the COVID-19 pandemic when it became overrun with visitors.
"When I saw Mayor Breed get the Johnson and Johnson vaccine and I said I'm going to get that and have full faith too," said Nick Sincere of San Francisco. "Out here at Dolores Park, boy they don't make days like this anymore."
Sincere is one of the 43% of San Francisco residents that have received at least one dose of the COVID vaccine.
"We're not hugging everyone, and we're not kissing others," said Nariman Farsaie of San Francisco.
He enjoyed the afternoon with fellow San Franciscan Iris Piko.
"We have like a pod and we've seen each other a few times, but we're not being close to anyone you know what I mean," she said. "So just trying to be outside, enjoy the energy, enjoy the connection."
If people become too relaxed with social distancing and mask wearing, there will be a price to pay, according to UCSF's Infectious Disease Expert Dr. Peter Chin-Hong.
"The more people you bring together like that, the more likely there is to be a transmission event from somebody who either doesn't have full immunity, or somebody who's not vaccinated," said Dr. Chin-Hong. "Particularly I know a lot of people are traveling now, so I know it's not just a San Francisco thing."
In fact, SFO says it saw about 24,000 departures Sunday - the most in at least the last two weeks.
"Even though our numbers look great, it just takes a few crisscrossing, and enough people to get infected, because they act like little coronavirus bombs going off," said Dr. Chin-Hong.
