May 4, 2020 

UPDATE REGARDING THE NOVEL CORONAVIRUS ("COVID-19"):

A Message From The Supervisor:

As our City is coping with the effects of the novel coronavirus ("COVID-19"), I wanted to let each of you know that my office is working hard to stay up-to-date on all fronts so that you all can be informed of what is happening locally, statewide, and nationally. Lastly, please don't hesitate to email us at SafaiStaff@sfgov.org or call us at 1-415-554-6976 and we will immediately respond. 

Thank you all for your time, cooperation, and perseverance -- we will all get through this! 

Sincerely,




Supervisor Ahsha Safai 

San Francisco Launches Required COVID-19 Testing For All Residents And Staff At Skilled Nursing Facilities:

On Friday, May 1, 2020, Mayor London N. Breed announced that the next phase in the City's expansion of coronavirus testing will require that all residents and staff working at the 21 skilled nursing facilities ("SNFs"). 


Specifically, this new directive will require all residents and staff working at the 21 skilled nursing facilities in San Francisco to be tested for COVID-19. Testing of all staff at the 21 sites starts this week at Laguna Honda Hospital, please continue to follow the stay-at-home order. Thanks! 
 

• Independent contractors
• Self-employed
• Individuals without sufficient work history
• Individuals who have exhausted their regular and any extended UI benefits
• Must self-certify to be able and available to work except are unemployed due to COVID-19 related reason

When Do Benefits Begin? 

Benefits can be retroactive to weeks starting on or after February 2, 2020, depending on your last day of work due to COVID-19 and regardless of when you submitted your claim application. The effective date of your claim will begin the Sunday of the week when you last worked and became unemployed due to reasons directly related to COVID-19.

How Long Will Benefits Be Awarded?

Up to 39 weeks (minus any weeks of regular UI and certain extended UI benefits). Last week is week ending December 26, 2020.**

** Under the CARES Act of 2020, the $600 additional benefits are available through 07/31/20. However, the U.S. DOL has issued guidance to clarify that, for most Californians, the last full week of benefits will end on 07/25/20. Similarly, the PUA program has a legislative end date of 12/31/20, but for most Californians the last full week of benefits will end on 12/26/20.

Amount of Benefits

• Minimum weekly benefit amount of $167 (but weekly amount may be higher and equal the amount provided under regular UI, depending on proof of prior earnings)
• PLUS $600 for weeks between March 29, 2020 to July 25, 2020.*

The M Line Is Now Running Again, Starting Monday, May 4th, 2020: 

Due to the advocacy from our office and many community leaders, SFMTA will return a portion of the M Line via bus starting this upcoming Monday. 


Beginning Monday, May 4th the M line will return as a bus from Balboa Park to West Portal. This line will ensure that transportation to the OMI is not cut off and that community members can reach essential services outside the neighborhood. 


The frequency will be as follows:
5 days per week
6 am - 9 pm
20 min frequency


Thank you to all of the community leaders who worked hard to bring this crucial line back to work, thank you.

This is an incredibly difficult time for our city, and many of us are experiencing significant uncertainty, anxiety, and fear. Below is a list of resources that provide useful strategies and support to help maintain and improve our mental health.

I would like to thank my colleagues, Supervisors Catherine Stefani and Hillary Ronen, for compiling these resources. 

• Coronavirus Disease 2019 Managing Anxiety and Stress from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
• Tips for Taking Care of your Mental Health and Social Distancing, Quarantine, And Isolation During An Infectious Disease Outbreak from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA)
• Taking Care of Your Mental Health in the Face of Uncertainty from the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention
• Mental Health And COVID-19 – Information And Resources from Mental Health America
• If you are feeling anxious, stressed, depressed or isolated, you can call the San Francisco Mental Health Warm Line at (855) 845-7415 or chat with them online at www.mentalhealthsf.org/peer-run-warmline.
• If you are a senior who is feeling isolated due to the coronavirus, the Institute of Aging has a warm line called The Friendship Line. It operates 24 hours a day at 800-971-0016.
• If you are having thoughts about harming yourself, you can call the San Francisco Suicide Prevention hotline at (415) 781-0500, and they can provide you with confidential emotional support. You can also chat online with the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org/chat/.
• If you are co-quarantined with an abuser or are worried about having to self-isolate in a dangerous home situation, you can call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at (800) 799-7233 or chat online at www.thehotline.org.
• For those with alcohol and addiction issues, you can find help in programs like Alcoholics Anonymous or Narcotics Anonymous. For confidential support from Alcoholics Anonymous, you can call their helpline at (415) 674-1821 or email them at help@aasfmarin.org. To reach Narcotics Anonymous, call (415) 610-7294. Online meetings are also available at  https://www.weconnectrecovery.com and  www.intherooms.com.

The City and County Of San Francisco Has CLOSED McLaren Park's Shelly Drive and Golden Gate Park's JFK Drive Starting Tuesday, April 28, 2020, At 6:00 A.M. For As Long As The Shelter-In-Place Order Is In Place:

On Monday, April 27, 2020, Mayor London N. Breed announced that beginning Tuesday, April 28, 2020, at 6:00 a.m., a portion of John F. Kennedy Drive -- from Kezar Drive to Transverse Drive -- in Golden Gate Park and John F. Shelley Drive in John McLaren Park will be closed to vehicles 24 hours per day throughout the duration of San Francisco's Stay Home Order. 


Why? 
The street closures are intended to ensure there is enough space for people who choose to exercise in Golden Gate Park McLaren Park to maintain required physical distancing. 


Please note, while the street closures are intended to increase space for people to get outside all park users must still practice social distancing and people over 60 years of age and/or those with underlying health conditions or who are sick are encouraged to not leave their homes. 


To review the social distancing guidelines, please click here: 
https://covid19.ca.gov/