Philly's health commissioner: 'Don't go to the beach' this weekend
PHILADELPHIA - Much of the Jersey Shore will be open over the three-day Memorial Day Weekend, but Philadelphia officials are warning city residents not to go down to the beach.
At a press conference Monday afternoon, Philadelphia Health Commissioner Dr. Tom Farley said it's risky to be near any large crowds.
He says it would be better and much safer for everyone to just wait until the case counts are lower.
"For everyone, whether you have symptoms or not, remember the basic principles: Wear a mask, you don't want to acquire the infection, you don't want to spread the infection; keep your distance; and wash your hands" Farley said during the city's coronavirus response news conference, which is held each weekday.
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He went on to add, "Memorial Day Weekend is this weekend, so it's not too early for us to talk about what not to do this weekend. Don't go to the beach. We are not recommending people go to the beach this weekend. It is true that being outdoors is probably less risk than being close to people indoors. But if you go into crowds anywhere there is risk. We understand the draw. It's very tempting. You may have gone to the beach every Memorial Day Weekend for years. But this is not the time to do that."
Mayor Jim Kenney agrees and says he's concerned that Philly residents who do go to the shore will bring the virus back.
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