HEADS UP: Bay Area Cell Phones Getting “Emergency Alert” Today at Noon

Submitted by the Event Organizer

With COVID-19 spreading at an increasing rate throughout the state and many Californians now under a mandatory, Regional Stay-at-Home Order, the Governor’s Office of Emergency Services (Cal OES) will issue a region-wide emergency alert for the Bay Area Region at noon on Friday, December 18, asking residents to stay home except for essential activities.

Read more about today’s Emergency Alert

The alert comes as the most recent statistics on COVID-19, including data on Intensive Care Unit (ICU) capacity shows that the Bay Area Region has dropped below 15% triggering a Regional Stay-at-Home Order in the area.

This message is informational only, and individuals who receive wireless alerts you should not contact law enforcement or call 9-1-1.

Today at noon, state officials will send cell phone alerts to Bay Area Region impacted by Regional Stay-at-Home Order.https://t.co/UKDKGoSUS1 pic.twitter.com/CHavSphwBF

— Cal OES (@Cal_OES) December 18, 2020

The following alert will be sent via text message through the Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEA) system to cell phone users across the Bay Area Region:

“State of California: All Bay Area Counties now under state stay at home order. This builds on previous local orders. COVID-19 is spreading rapidly. Stay home except for essential activity. Wear a mask. Keep your distance. Visit covid19.ca.gov.”

The message will also be sent in Spanish and will read:

“Estado de CA: Todos los condados del area de la bahia estan bajo la orden estatal de permanecer en casa. Esto amplia las ordenes locales anteriores. COVID-19 se esta propagando rapidamente. Quedate en casa, excepto para la actividad esencial. Usa mascarilla. Manten tu distancia. Visite covid19.ca.gov.”

Want to Turn Off Emergency Alerts (and Amber Alerts)?
We can’t promise this will work for your phone, but most devices have a way where you can opt out of receiving most types of “emergency” and amber alerts except those designated “Presidential Alerts” – How to opt out on most android or iphones

The geographically-targeted text messages will be sent to residents in the Bay Area Region counties of: Alameda, Contra Costa, Marin, Monterey, Napa, San Francisco, San Mateo, Santa Clara, Santa Cruz, Solano, and Sonoma.

The Regional Stay-at-Home Order will take effect in the region at 11:59 p.m. on Thursday, December 17, 2020, and will remain in effect for at least three weeks. Regions will be eligible to exit from the order and return to the Blueprint for a Safer Economy once the ICU capacity projections for the following month are above or equal to 15%.

Read the full Regional Stay at Home Order and frequently asked questions.

Subsequent WEA messages could be sent to other regions of the state if they move into stay-at-home status.

It’s also important to re-iterate, this message is informational only, and individuals who receive wireless alerts should not contact law enforcement or call 9-1-1.

Disclaimer: Please double check event information with the event organizer as events can be canceled, details can change after they are added to our calendar, and errors do occur.