SAN FRANCISCO─On Wednesday, April 29, San Francisco Mayor London Breed and Director Of Health Dr. Grant Colfax indicated that San Francisco and six other Bay Area jurisdictions extended the Stay Home Orders through the end of May to maintain progress on slowing the spread of the Coronavirus. The new Stay Home Order will go into effect at 11:59 pm on Sunday, May 3.
According to the Mayor’s Office, the new orders will include minor modifications, with a focus on keeping social distancing, face covering, and other safety measures in place. The new regional Stay Home orders will allow limited lower-risk outdoor activities and jobs to start once the new Order goes into effect.
“The small changes to loosen restrictions on some lower-risk activities are the result of the outstanding job by our residents of abiding by the rules and precautions that have helped keep our community safe. I know this is hard for everyone, but we have to keep our focus on protecting public health every step of the way. Our focus now must be on continuing to strengthen our system and track progress as we plan for the future steps can take if we continue to see improvements,” said Mayor Breed in a statement.
The new Order will allow all construction to resume as long as specific safety measures are in place. Certain businesses that operate primarily outdoors, such as plant nurseries, car washes, and flea markets, can reopen under San Francisco’s Order. Any employee of a business allowed to operate under the order can access childcare programs that are allowed to operate. Limited outdoor recreational facilities, like skate parks and golf courses, may reopen. All details pertaining to the new order and question can be found on the SF.gov website.
“For this next phase to be successful, it is essential that all San Franciscans and Bay Area residents continue to stay home as much as possible, practice social distancing, wear face coverings when around other people, wash hands frequently, and stay vigilant in fighting the spread of the coronavirus,” said Dr. Colfax. “We will be watching the data very carefully, and do not want to see an erosion of our progress that could reverse everyone’s hard work and sacrifice.”
Bay Area regional approach aligns with Governor Newsom’s ongoing statewide Stay Home Order, and the framework he has laid out for the state’s recovery. As the Health Officers evaluate when and how to loosen restrictions in the coming weeks and months, the key indicators that San Francisco and its regional partners will be watching include:
-Whether the number of hospitalized patients with COVID-19 is flat or decreasing;
-Whether we have sufficient hospital capacity to meet the needs of our residents;
-Whether there is an adequate supply of personal protective equipment for all health care workers;
-Whether we are meeting the need for testing, especially for persons in vulnerable populations or those in high-risk settings or occupations; and
-Whether we have the capacity to investigate all COVID-19 cases and trace all of their contacts, isolating those who test positive and quarantining the people who may have been exposed.
“The new order allows us to carefully monitor our progress while building the essential public health infrastructure that will support our gradual reopening and make recovery possible,” said Dr. Tomás Aragón, Health Officer for the City and County of San Francisco.
During the month of May, the Health Department and partner agencies are developing the infrastructure required for further reopening. That will include testing, contact tracing, outbreak response, and support services, including multi-lingual outreach and information.
