A joint statement from Golden Gate Fields and the City of Berkeley Public Health released on Friday night revealed the extent of the COVID-19 outbreak among workers that forced the Northern California track to suspend racing operations on Nov. 13. A second announcement said racing would not resume before early December. The meet is scheduled to end Dec. 13 and reopen the day after Christmas, Dec. 26.
The joint statement indicated that more than 200 people living or working at the Bay Area track have tested positive for COVID-19. It's believed the backstretch community includes about 500 workers employed by approximately 75 trainers. The number of front-side personnel is not known.
The Golden Gate Fields stable area is located in Berkeley, with the racetrack and grandstand in the city of Albany.
Berkeley Public Health required mandatory tests for all workers when an outbreak among stable area employees became evident last week and racing operations were paused.
Joint statement from Golden Gate Fields and Berkeley Public Health:
City of Berkeley Public Health continues to work closely with Golden Gate Fields on a significant outbreak where more than 200 people living or working on-site at the racetrack have tested positive for COVID-19. 1/ST Racing, which operates the track, is following all of the City's recommendations for testing, quarantine and isolation. The steps they have taken include the following:
Every person living or working on-site has been tested and additional testing will be done.
All those who have tested positive are isolated off-site, following federal, state and City guidelines. The track is assisting with off-site housing for those who have tested positive and has arranged for twice daily food delivery to ensure that those individuals do not have to leave isolation and have the essential items they require.
Golden Gate Fields' on-site medical director, an infectious disease expert, is providing medical consultation to those who live and work at the racetrack.
For those close contacts who have tested negative but still need to quarantine for 14 days, the track is providing daily food delivery and access to medical support as well as the means to safely quarantine, including additional bathrooms and handwashing stations.
Golden Gate Fields continues to implement health and safety measures including, strict social distancing, masking policies and regular COVID-19 testing with isolation requirements for any positive cases or identified close contacts.
Both Berkeley Public Health and 1/ST Racing will be closely monitoring the situation to follow all local, state and federal guidelines. Should testing identify more cases, further investigation and tracing will be done by Berkeley Public Health and additional isolation and quarantine will be required.
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