BEAUMONT, Texas — A Southeast Texas doctor cautions against attending large events due to coronavirus as the Nederland Heritage Festival gets underway.
Dr. Bodo Brauer of Steward Medical Group doesn't believe it's a good thing to attend large functions, since the number of cases rises daily.
"I would definitely stay away, for several feet, from people around me, which at a festival that's not doable," Brauer said. "Go at your own discretion but be cognizant of the fact that if you're in a crowded place with a lot of people. Your chances have gone up dramatically."
"People just need to use their common sense and enjoy their self and have a good time," Hemby said.
The festival comes on the heels of event cancellations around the country due to the virus.
Organizers say going forward with the event was an easy decision.
The festival is an annual event in Southeast Texas, where a majority of the attendees are locals.
Other events, like Coachella and SXSW, have changed plans because of the illness.
Nederland Heritage Festival executive director Shannon Hemby says they are prepared to welcome more than 100,000 people to Nederland over the next six days.
"We have hand sanitizer all in our office. All of our food vendors, they have to have hand sanitizer," Hemby said. "And we have hand sanitizer on the grounds."
Not only are event organizers promoting cleanliness, but carnival workers are as well. A carnival worker tell 12News that they have been instructed to constantly clean the rides, as the coronavirus, continues to spread across the country.
There are more than 800 cases and at least 29 deaths, due to the COVID-19 here in the United States, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The Nederland festival runs from Tuesday, March 10 till Sunday, March 15.