Menlo Park COVID-19 update: City officials announce closure of additional park facilities

Why close tennis courts? Two people, more than six feet apart, getting some needed exercise. Maybe I've missed something?

I agree that closing tennis courts is not doing anything for the spread of the virus, while posing an additional limitation especially on active children and teens (who until now at least had an option to play tennis with their family members). Unnecessary closures have an impact on everyone's physical and mental health, which nobody seems to be considering at the moment.

Charlotte: I agree with your questioning.

I believe the reason is that we have a city government whose employees are not thinking clearly. It is easy to close things, but hard to be creative and find activities that are safe for people to engage in. Because they are still getting paid (while many of us are not), they feel they have to do something to avoid criticism for still being on the payroll.

When things get better and we we do not have to be "nice," I hope we will take a hard look at how woefully poor our city's response was.

--Chuck Bernstein
444 Oak Court, MP

The San Mateo Count Public Health Officer issued this guidance at the beginning of the week:

"As I write this, I am both immensely grateful and exceedingly disappointed. We are in a grave crisis. I believe the virus is growing at an exponential rate in our county. Unless everyone does their part and follows the County’s Shelter-in-Place order and the Governor’s Safer at Home order, we will be facing an Italy-type catastrophe very soon. These orders are not recommendations, they are rules to be followed. My disappointment stems from the fact that many people just aren’t taking this seriously and going about their business as if nothing has changed. Our world has profoundly changed in an instant. It is now up to you all, the community, to decide what you want your future to be. If you decide you want to do your own thing and follow your own rules, you disrespect us all. You spit in our face, and you will contribute to the death toll that will follow. For those of you who say: “nobody tells me what to do,” now is a time to make an exception. You can go back to being ornery in the future.

Keeping humans apart from other humans is the only tool we currently have to slow this virus’ spread. This is a particularly fraught dilemma, as humans are social animals and they need each other, but we need to make every possible effort to avoid contact with each other.

For families in different households, do not mix your households at this time. As hard as this is, do not gather in any way outside of immediate households. As for outdoor exercise, people certainly need to get out, but do this in your own immediate neighborhoods. Do not drive except to provide or obtain an essential service. Do not go into other neighborhoods for recreation."

The last paragraph of this Public Health Officer's message makes it clear people from different families shouldn't be visiting and people shouldn't be leaving their neighborhoods for non-essential reasons. The City is complying with those directions.

The City is supposed to sheltering in place, not practicing social distancing.

One problem, apparently big, is the ball. It has many nooks and crannies in its textured yellow surface which carry the virus. Other cities Including PALO alto and Los Altos closed courts well before Menlo Park. The county FAQs reccomend against. Dick Gould is reported as concurring, and recommends diehards hit a ball against a wall, limiting ball touches to one person. I have also seen recommendations against any sport in which a ball is hit back and forth. Golf courses are closed. We need to rally together to protect each other.

Precise language of San Mateo shelter in place FAQ; “ NO activities where you share a ball back and forth..”

Familiy members are banned hitting a ball? Is that to protect a ball? :)

This is becoming ridiculous. Blind following of idiotic rules.

Something tells me that many people actually love this. Something new in their lives, something to care, complain, etc. I am not judging them since they do have a valid excuse to follow examples in various spheres of government and other organizations. It even crosses the party boundaries. Both democrats and republicans are united in not finding/using available cheap treatments, but invest in expensive big pharma drugs. Ah so many thoughts....

Not true. In PALO alto police kicked all off courts, except family members playing, before abuse caused closure of courts. Keep everyone safe!