Shows from Berkeley to NY canceled because of COVID

BERKELEY, Calif. - The Mark Morris Dance Group had been rehearsing for a show at Berkeley’s Zellerbach Hall. 

But both Saturday and Sunday’s shows were canceled because of a COVID-19 outbreak, Cal Performances said in a statement. 

The dance group is based in Brooklyn. 

And New York has seen a wave of omicron cases, leading to cancellations of major events, like some Broadway shows. 

Saturday Night Live sent most of its cast home and ditched its audience just hours before show time. The NFL, NBA, and NHL postponed some games.

And the NHL put a stop to cross-border games between Canadian teams and teams in the U.S.

"We’re going to see this come to California," said Dr. Peter Chin-Hong, professor of medicine at UCSF. 

But he said this is very different from March of 2020.

 "We will probably get this period of time when we are going to be really anxious. We will probably see cases rise. But I still feel hospitals will not be deluged," he said. "There are now vaccines, rapid testing, and mask culture."

Chin-Hong said the Bay Area’s high vaccination rate should help. 

"This year’s different," he said. "We have technology. We have tools that can make every gathering safer. It just depends on if everyone is going to do it."

For those who are vaccinated, he said the best thing to do is get a booster. And any holiday gatherings should include mask-wearing, and getting tested.