December 13, 2021
A Message From The Supervisor:
Happy Monday. I hope everyone had a great weekend. I was able to make it out to a number of community events and holiday festivities this past week.
First, I had the opportunity to visit the Community Living Campaign as they partnered with GLIDE to distribute meals to our neighborhood. These organizations have worked together to feed our neighbors for over a decade. The volunteers are local community members who deliver to and check on our seniors.
Over the weekend, I attended an amazing event called Feeding 5000. The event, sponsored by the African American Health Initiative, the San Francisco African American Faith Based Coalition and the San Francisco Department of Public Health, distributed 5000 turkeys and fixings to community based organizations across the city. It was amazing to see the huge event come to life and it was heart warming to see seniors and families pick up their food from the local community based organizations.
I also attended the grand opening of the Fun with Mandarin Preschool. The childcare and preschool is new to the OMI and the owners are excited to be joining our community. As many of you know, I have been a huge supporter and champion of expanding access to childcare since before I stepped into elected office.
For the past year, I have been amplifying the voices of commercial retailers, small businesses, community, and industry leaders to sound the alarm that commercial retail theft has reached a breaking point in San Francisco. I previously introduced the “10A” legislation at the Board of Supervisors to help reduce and deter commercial retail theft. The “10A” legislation would allow the San Francisco Deputy Sheriffs to contract with commercial and retail locations for overtime work at no cost to the city. The “10A” legislation passed its first vote last Tuesday, December 7, 2021 by the Board of Supervisors and will have a final vote on Tuesday, December 14, 2021.
In addition, I was happy to see that Mayor London Breed nominated Stephanie Cajina to join the SFMTA Board of Directors. Stephanie was born and raised in District 11 and still resides in the Excelsior. She was previously the Executive Director of the Excelsior Action Group. It's great to see one of our own potentially represent us at the MTAB.
Lastly, I want to give a huge shoutout and congratulations to Balboa High School Football. They brought the State Championship trophy home to District 11 this weekend. Go Bucs!
As we move toward the end of the year, the Board of Supervisors will take its winter recess. My office will remain open during the winter recess with the exception of Christmas and New Years Day observances. Please do not hesitate to reach out if you need assistance. Our office remains accessible to the public through telephone, email, virtual meeting or in person via appointment. We are available by email: safaistaff@sfgov.org or by phone 415-554-6976 (leave a message and we will call you back). You can also check for updates on my Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook. Stay safe and healthy.
Please note - if you miss my weekly newsletter, you may find it later on the Board of Supervisor’s website. Click HERE to read past newsletters.
As always, if you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to reach out to my staff at Safaistaff@sfgov.org.
Sincerely,
Supervisor Ahsha Safai
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COVID-19 Updates from the San Francisco Department of Public Health
The Omicron variant is the unwelcome guest at holiday gatherings this year, and as such, it is important that we all stay vigilant and protect each other as we enjoy much-needed reunions with family and friends. The latest information regarding holiday operation hours in SF can be found here for community testing sites and here for community vaccination and booster sites. Here is DPH's guidance on how to slow the spread of COVID-19 during this time of the year.
Mental Health Over the Holidays
Let’s not forget about the important role our mental health plays in our overall well-being. For many San Franiscans, the holiday season can bring on feelings of stress, anxiety, and depression, coupled with the realities of a global pandemic. SFDPH offers a number of mental health and substance use resources that can be found here. Please share these services with your network or any individual seeking these resources.
We Have Vaccinated More Than Half of Our 5-11 Year Olds!
In just over a month since eligibility opened up to 5-11 year olds, more than 50% of our young San Franciscans have received at least one vaccine dose and almost a quarter have completed their 2-dose series, giving them the best defense against the COVID-19 virus during this busy holiday season. Vaccines for this age group are still available by appointment only. More vaccine appointments for ages 5 to 11 are opening across SF and we strongly encourage people to check back often for updated availability. Click here for a list of vaccine sites serving children ages 5 to 11 and filter your search by selecting “Vaccines for kids ages 5 to 11” and “Only show sites with confirmed availability.”
Vaccines continue to be our best defense against COVID-19, including vaccines for our newly eligible 5- to 11-year-olds and boosters for all vaccinated adults who meet the time requirements. Boosters will help strengthen the immune system to fight COVID-19. We also encourage other common-sense safety measures, such as masking and testing, to slow the spread of the virus as we gather and travel this holiday season. Click here to see our guidance on how to slow the spread of COVID-19 during this time of the year.
Latest Information about the COVID-19 Omicron Variant
The California and San Francisco Departments of Public Health announced that a recent case of COVID-19 in California was caused by the Omicron variant (B.1.1.529), which the World Health Organization (WHO) classified as a variant of concern.
A growing body of evidence suggests that the Omicron variant is spreading more rapidly than other variants. Much remains unknown about the Omicron variant currently, such as the severity of this variant or how it might impact response to treatment.
As we continue our fight against COVID-19, we recognize that the virus is continually evolving, and that the emergence of new variants is to be expected. SFDPH is in contact with state and federal partner agencies that are monitoring the spread of the virus and its variants to understand the potential impact on our local communities and to inform our public health response.
“This is a cause for concern, but it is also certainly not a cause for panic. We are prepared for this in the city.” - Dr. Grant Colfax, San Francisco Director of Public Health
In the meantime, DPH continues to recommend all of the same common-sense prevention and health safety measures that people have become familiar with throughout the pandemic, including:
- Getting vaccinated and boosted to protect you and those you love
- Wearing masks in indoor public spaces, regardless of vaccination status
- Getting tested* if you are feeling any symptoms, regardless of your vaccination status
- Consider getting tested within 72 hours before you travel or gather with others as you may have an asymptomatic infection. You can use an FDA-approved rapid at-home, self-test kit, reach out to your health service provider, a travel testing provider, or to receive a test, go to: sf.gov/gettested
- Staying home if you are feeling sick
*All COVID-19 tests, whether rapid antigen or polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests, are able to detect whether an individual has COVID-19 or not. Please note that SFDPH, health care systems, and pharmacies do not provide patients with results on what type of variant someone who tests positive for COVID-19 may have.
As we learn more, we will advise on additional information or steps people should take, as they become necessary, just as we have throughout the pandemic.
Click here and here for additional information about the Omicron variant.
Booster Demand is High
Demand is at an all-time high for booster doses. As of Friday, boosters have expanded to include 16- and 17-year-olds, provided they are 6 months past their last dose. They will be able to start making appointments this weekend. Appointments may be hard to find, but we encourage people to keep checking for open spots at: sf.gov/getvaccinated.
All COVID-19 vaccines continue to work well to prevent people from becoming severely ill, hospitalized, or dying - even against the widely circulating Delta variant. However, studies show that protection against the virus and infection with variants may decrease over time, especially among higher risk populations.
The good news is that we are boosting at a rapid pace, with an average of 5,500 doses administered a day. More than 250,000 San Franciscans have been boosted, and about 65% of our seniors who are at higher risk.
Information & Guidance Updates
Sign up to receive alerts from the Information & Guidance team for updates to San Francisco’s Health Order, guidance, and directives here.
COVID-19 Resources
SF COVID-19 vaccine call center
Call 628-652-2700 to book an appointment, find a drop-in site, or if you have questions about the vaccine. You can also email sf@sf.org.
Please check the following sites for regular COVID-19 updates:
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First Year Free - New Program to Support San Francisco Small Businesses
What is First Year Free?
First Year Free offers relief to qualifying new businesses and new locations of existing businesses by waiving their initial registration, initial license, first-year permit and other applicable fees. The program will be available to qualified new businesses and existing businesses with new locations who commence business between November 1, 2021 and October 31, 2022.
What Do I Need to Know?
TTX is currently working with partner departments to implement the First Year Free program. On November 1, 2021, TTX will begin to enroll qualifying businesses in the program, and then departments with fees covered by First Year Free will waive those fees and bill TTX. TTX will provide more information and verification tools to all impacted departments and business owners will be instructed to alert departments about their inclusion in the program.
How Can I Help?
Spread the word! If you interact with small businesses or people who are planning to start a new business, please let them know about First Year Free:
- Direct them to the program webpage at sftreasurer.org/FirstYearFree, which will be updated with the latest information.
- Distribute information about the program to relevant contacts or via departmental social media.
- Share ideas for how to publicize the program (for example, through merchant groups, neighborhood listservs, etc.).
What If I Have More Questions or Ideas?
If you have any questions about the program or outreach ideas, feel free to reach out to Molly Cohen (molly.cohen@sfgov.org) at TTX. |
Rain Ready SF
As the forecast shows moderate to heavy rains for the next few days, we wanted to reach out and remind you of some steps you can take, what we’re doing and other available resources.
Our operations and maintenance crews will continue inspecting and cleaning our sewers and catch basins and respond to service calls throughout the City.
Visit sfpuc.org/rainreadysf to find out what steps you can take to get rain ready:
- Apply for a Floodwater Grant to flood-proof your property with up to $100k reimbursement. For example, if you have sewer backups on your property when it rains, install a backflow preventer eligible through the Grant.
- Purchase low-cost flood insurance.
- Pick-up free sandbags from the San Francisco Department of Public Works.
- Report sewer emergencies or service problems such as clogged storm drains, street flooding, or wastewater odors to the City’s 311 Customer Service Center – to avoid longer wait times over the phone, the best way is to submit online at sf311.org or by using the free mobile app; and if you prefer by phone at 311.
- Elevate belongings in your garage and any low-lying areas on your property and store emergency items, such as first aid kits, flashlights and portable radios in a safe, high place as well.
- Protect your property: regularly inspect and maintain your sewer lateral (the connection from your building to the city sewer). Tree roots, wipes and grease poured down the drain can clog your sewer pipes and cause backups.
- If a backup or flooding does occur, learn what you can do - with health & safety tips - during and after.
- Apply for a Green Infrastructure Grant Program .
- Adopt a Drain and become a Rain Guardian.
If you have other questions on how to get ready, please contact SFPUC at RainReadySF@sfwater.org or 415-554-3289 (this phone is monitored daily while we're working remotely). And remember, 311 is the best venue to submit sewer (or water and power) issues to dispatch crews. |
| I had a great Wednesday morning with GLIDE and Community Living Campaign prepping for their big annual grocery bag giveaway in the OMI. This past year has exacerbated the issue of food insecurity in our City and I’m grateful to Glide for all the work they do. |
| I had a great time with my colleagues at the SEIU Local 87 holiday party. I brought my son Rumi along for the festivities. |
| I attended the Fun with Mandarin Preschool and Childcare grand opening. I have fought for more access to childcare and for childcare workers since before I stepped into office. I am happy to see this new childcare center open in the OMI. |
| I attended San Francisco Department of Public Health and Veronica Shepard's Feed 5000 event over the weekend. 5000 turkeys and fixings were distributed with the help of the San Francisco African American Faith Based Coalition. |
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