Since the onset of COVID-19 virus across the world, I have been in constant communication with public health officials, the Mayor, my colleagues and critical Department heads as we implement the best decisions to keep our communities safe during this rapidly evolving situation. We are in a critical moment where the best advice may seem extreme, but changing our behavior with urgency will help prevent the exponential spread of COVID-19 and allow the crisis to stabilize sooner. Thank you for your patience and cooperation during this critical moment for San Francisco.
Below is a long list of resources and updates, though the evolving situation means additional updates are arriving at a near-constant rate. I will continue to use social media and this newsletter to get information out in the public, and some major news outlets are dropping pay-gates to allow for free access to the latest coronavirus updates. Visit the San Francisco Chronicle or the New York Times.
The Department of Emergency Management has also established a system to update you by phone, via text message, which you can initiate by texting COVID19SF to 888-777. You can also learn more about San Francisco’s latest efforts by clicking the button below.
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San Francisco elected officials and community leaders have united to address this crisis with the urgency it requires. At a high level, those efforts include:
- A $5 million plan for residents of SROs and homeless shelters. On Tuesday, Mayor Breed, Department of Public Health, and I announced a package to increase sanitation for Single Room Occupancy and homeless shelter residents who have to share bathrooms and kitchen facilities.
- An increase in public hand-washing & sanitizing stations. DPH will have twenty new stations rolled out, particularly in the northeast corner of the city, by this weekend. This is in addition to our Pit Stops, including the one at Washington Square Park.
- A moratorium on all evictions and home foreclosures attributable to the economic impacts of the COVID-19 crisis. Supervisor Preston has been at the forefront of these efforts, and Mayor Breed will be issuing an Executive Directive to implement this immediately.
- A Small Business support package. The City has announced a plan to support emergency needs of small businesses, including business tax and license fee deferrals, direct financial relief, and a revolving loan fund. Read on for more details.
- Cancellation of all large public and private gatherings. If we are going to prevent the worst of this crisis, it requires drastically changing our behavior early on. This is not a step taken lightly. It means a mandatory cancellation of public or private gatherings of more than 100 people, as well as recommended cancellation of non-essential meetings, and effective social distancing. I fully support the Department of Public Health’s initiative to recommend these necessary steps.
- Closure of SFUSD schools for at least three weeks. As of the writing of this email, SFUSD has indicated that it will close all public schools in SF starting Monday for at least three weeks. I’m in touch with SFUSD officials, families and teachers to ensure that all parties have the assistance they need to make it through this period.
All this is an addition to state-level efforts to allow the state to commandeer hotels and medical facilities for treatment of coronavirus patients - an issue I have been in contact with our City Attorney on locally - additional financial relief in the form of extensions on individual and business state tax filings, and a waiver of the waiting period to apply for state unemployment benefits.
Elected officials and community leaders at every level are taking this seriously. Short of inducing any additional harm caused by unnecessary panic, it is imperative that you take this seriously as well. More information below.
Sincerely,
Aaron
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You can find the best way to protect yourself by following Department of Public Health's latest guidelines. Get the facts here.
If you are trying to get tested for COVID-19, call your doctor. If you do not have a doctor, call 3-1-1 or go to sf311.org. The lab at the Department of Public Health has begun testing for COVID-19 and can retrieve results in 1-2 days.
If you are experiencing symptoms, visit the Center for Disease Control website for what to do and how to prevent others from getting sick: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/about/steps-when-sick.html
Recommendations on “social distancing” can be found here. By following the latest recommendations from the San Francisco Department of Public Health, you and your family can help reduce the spread of coronavirus (COVID-19) in the community.
Limit Outings for Vulnerable Populations
- 60 years old and older
- People with health conditions such as heart disease, lung disease, diabetes, kidney disease and weakened immune systems
- Staying connected with people is still very important for your overall health. If you are limiting outings, here are some hotlines you can call to stay connected with the community:
IOA Friendship Line - 800-971-0016
Covia Well Connected - 877.797.7299
Covia Bien Conectado - 877.400.5867
LGBT National Hotline - (888) 843-4564
Trans Lifeline's Peer Support Hotline - (877) 565-8860 Mental Health Assn. Peer-Run Warm Line - 855-845-7415 or Web Chat.
Stay Clean and Wash Your Hands
- Wash your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds
- Increase cleaning of high touch surface areas and vehicles
- Cover your cough or sneeze
- Wave instead of shaking hands
Adhere to City Mandate for Cancellation of Events w/ More Than 100
- Stay home if you're sick or not feeling well
- More information about the Public Health Order here.
Work from Home and Limit Travel
- Suspend non-essential employee travel
- Consider use of telecommuting options
- Minimize in-person meetings and conferences
For advice on how to talk to your kids about coronavirus, SF72 - the City’s “gathering place” for emergency preparedness, is providing the following guidance.
Limited Visits to Long-Term Care Facilities: The City has issued a Public Health Order prohibiting non-essential visitors from entering long-term care facilities within San Francisco city limits. This measure is necessary to slow the spread of novel coronavirus in the community. Read more here.
Limited Visits to State Prisons: All State Prisons have canceled normal visiting procedures until further notice (except for overnight family visits). Get the latest updates here.
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LIMITS ON LARGE PUBLIC GATHERINGS
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The City has built upon California DPH guidelines, and permits for gatherings of 100 people or more will be temporarily suspended. This includes limiting seating in restaurants with capacity for 100 people or more. We are walking a fine line between limiting large gatherings and still supporting the necessary access to food and other resources by more closely regulating them. Please continue to patronize our local small businesses, but do so with increased attention to your own personal hygiene and limiting close contact with others. Learn more here. |
SFUSD SCHOOL CLOSURES
The San Francisco Unified School District (SFUSD) announced that, beginning March 16, 2020, all schools would close to students for 3 weeks. Visit SFUSD’s official website for more information.
SFUSD Free Meals During School Closure: The San Francisco Unified School District (SFUSD) will continue to provide nutritious meals to all students who need them during the temporary closure of schools at 18 sites, including Galileo High School, Francisco Middle School and Gordon J. Lau Elementary. Beginning Tuesday, March 17th, SFUSD will start providing free breakfast and lunch to all children 18 and younger at 8 pick-up sites across San Francisco. On Wednesday, March 18th, SFUSD will add 6 more sites, and on Thursday, March 19th, 4 elementary schools will be added to the list. View SFUSD’s official website for more information. *** EMERGENCY CHILDCARE ***
Beginning March 16, SF Public Library and Rec & Park will open libraries and indoor facilities as emergency childcare centers for kids of front-line workers combating COVID-19, as well as low-income families. Both agencies will suspend regular indoor programs as of 6:00pm tonight.
Detailed info on emergency youth care facilities (location, hours, sanitation & eligibility) can be found at Department of Children, Youth & Families website. Registration will begin online on the website starting SATURDAY, MARCH 14.
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REC & PARK and Public Library CLOSURES
The following temporary closures are effective today:
- Recreation and Park Department and the San Francisco Public Library will suspend all regular indoor programming effective Friday, March 13 at 6 p.m. These facilities will begin to operate libraries and indoor recreation facilities as emergency care facilities for children of parents on the front lines of the COVID-19 outbreak and low-income families.
- All public pools will be closed.
- All 28 Library locations will be closed to the public starting at 6 p.m. today and remain closed until March 31.
- The Sharon Art Studio, Conservatory of Flowers, and the Carousel in Golden Gate Park are closed through the end of March. Annie's Hot Dogs, adjacent to the Carousel, will remain open.
- All San Francisco Youth Baseball League (SFYBL) games and practices are canceled through March 31.
- The remainder of the Indoor Soccer League season is canceled, including games. scheduled for March 15 and March 22
- Summer day camp registration, originally scheduled for March 21, is postponed to a date TBD.
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OTHER CLOSURES
The following facilities have announced that they will be closing to the public. Check online for the latest updates:
- California Academy of Sciences
- SFMOMA
- SFJAZZ
- The Asian Art Museum
- The de Young Museum
- The Legion of Honor
- The Contemporary Jewish Museum
- The Oakland Museum of California
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Dr. Tomas Aragon, our SF Public Health Officer, answering COVID-19 questions from District 3 leaders
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HELP FOR HOMELESS, MARGINALLY-HOUSED, AND SRO RESIDENTS
If you are marginally housed, homeless, or are concerned about people experiencing homelessness: The Mayor, DPH, and DEM have announced the leasing of RVs for individuals who have tested positive for COVID-19, but do not have a means to self-isolate.
We have also announced a $5 million package to clean shelters and single-room occupancy housing (SRO) to comply with M inimum Environmental Cleaning Standards. |
ASSISTANCE FOR BUSINESSES AND NONPROFITS
Nonprofits: The SF Controller's Office has released a policy statement regarding “Continuity of Payment for Nonprofits”.
Small business: If you own a small business and have seen a drop in revenue, the City has enacted deferred tax payment and licensing fees for small businesses. Click here for more details.
The City has also has established a Small Business Resiliency Fund administered by the Office of Economic and Workforce Development (OEWD) to offer emergency grants up to $10,000 for microbusinesses (fewer than 5 employees). Businesses must be able to show a recent loss in revenue. Go to the COVID-19 Small Business Resiliency Fund page, or contact Judy Lee, 415-554-6607 or investSF@sfgov.org
The U.S. Small Business Association also announced disaster recovery loans that are expected to launch soon.
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HELP FOR EMPLOYEES
If your employer has reduced your hours or shut down operations due to coronavirus, you can file an unemployment insurance claim for partial wage replacement. Yesterday, Gavin Newsom issued an Order waiving the wait-time for anyone seeking to apply for unemployment assistance due to COVID-19.
If you are a City and County of San Francisco worker, Mayor Breed has announced a new policy supporting City employees impacted by COVID-19, which you can view here.
Know your rights - In the face of the coronavirus, it may be confusing to understand what you are entitled to at your workplace. Use the guidance below to determine what is best for you, your family, and your workplace. Click here for learn more.
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TRANSPORTATION INFORMATION
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General: Transit agencies are considering service reduction plans as a result of increased numbers of telecommuters.
MUNI: There remains no specific risk to transit or paratransit riders regarding Coronavirus. Visit MUNI's website for updates, links to sign up for alerts, and links to real-time updates on Twitter.
Paratransit: Two groups served by SF Paratransit Group Van (OMI and On-Lok) remain closed for the remainder of this week.
BART: Hand sanitizer stations have been placed in all 48 stations. Daily updates on their website here.
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Board of Supervisors | District 3 | Aaron Peskin
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