SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Members of the Sacramento Kings are using the NBA's coronavirus-related hiatus to do some good for their community.
Harrison Barnes, Bogdan Bogdanovic, De’Aaron Fox, and Richaun Holmes are tapping Sacramento-area restaurants to provide more than 1,000 meals for families impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Led by Holmes, families in need were identified with the help of Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Sacramento, Brother to Brother, City Year, JUMA Ventures, Mutual Assistance Network and Wellspring Women’s Center. Restaurants preparing and offering meals include Buckhorn Grill, Chicago Fire, Fixins Soul Kitchen, and Jimboy’s Tacos.
“Since coming to Sacramento, I have experienced firsthand how our community is truly one big family, so my teammates and I are committed to looking out for those in need and lending a helping hand,” Holmes said in a statement. “I am very thankful for my teammates in joining me to help bring smiles to others and get through this time together.”
Owner Vivek Ranadivé and the Kings have been quick to offer assistance whenever possible through the teams' In This Together initiative, which has included:
- Utilizing the Kings' former home, Sleep Train Arena, and converting it into a treatment facility for COVID-19 patients.
- The Sacramento Kings Foundation announced it plans to donate $250,000 to community organizations by providing food services, essential supplies, and other resources and relief to families and individuals.
- The team donated 100,000 medical-grade masks to state and city health agencies to distribute to hospitals and healthcare institutions.
- In March, the Kings joined forces with Legends Hospitality to donate nearly 5,000 pounds of prepared and perishable food to the Sacramento Food Bank and the Sacramento County Office of Education.
- General Manager Vlade Divac’s foundation – the Ana and Vlade Divac Foundation - with help from Bogdanovic and forward Nemanja Bjelica funded the purchase of ventilators, medical-grade masks, and supplies to support hospitals and medical institutions in their native Serbia.
Coronavirus Background
According to the CDC, coronavirus (COVID-19) is a family of viruses that is spreadable from person to person. Coronavirus is believed to have been first detected in a seafood market in Wuhan, China, in December 2019. If someone is sick with coronavirus, the symptoms they may show include mild to severe respiratory illness, cough, and difficulty breathing.
Currently, there is no vaccine; however, the CDC suggests the following precautions, along with any other respiratory illness:
- Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
- Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth.
- Stay home when you are sick.
- Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash.
- Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces using a regular household cleaning spray or wipe.
- Wash your hands with soap and water for a minimum of 20 seconds.
WHY HEALTH OFFICIALS ARE SO CONCERNED
Some people have compared the low overall death toll to the flu's high annual death toll in the United States as a reason not to be concerned about COVID-19, however, doctors and health officials are concerned for three main reasons:
- Some people have built up immunity to the flu, but few have immunity to COVID-19 version of coronavirus.
- Both the flu and COVID-19 are spread by droplets, but COVID-19 might be spread in the air. Scientists are researching exactly how COVID-19 spreads.
- The CDC recommends wearing cloth face coverings in public where social distancing measures would be difficult to maintain, like at a grocery stores or pharmacy.
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