Mayor Breed discusses access to medical supplies, possible extension of San Francisco's shelter order

Friday, April 24, 2020
SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) -- San Francisco Mayor London Breed announced efforts Friday afternoon to provide hospitals and frontline workers with more protective medical supplies as the coronavirus pandemic worsens across the city and worldwide.

Though San Francisco has been used as a positive example in handling the pandemic, Breed emphasized the importance of social distancing and staying home.
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"This is what's at stake, as good as it might seem, the numbers are still going up," she said.

As of Friday afternoon, San Francisco has a total of 1,340 positive cases of COVID-19. Twenty-two San Franciscans have died from the virus, according to the mayor.

About 10 percent of the individuals who've tested positive for the virus are part of San Francisco's homeless population, Grant Colfax, director of San Francisco's health department, said.

Breed also addressed the city's public health order, mandating the shelter-in-place guidelines.



The mayor said it is "very likely" the health order will be extended as San Francisco continues to fight the coronavirus pandemic.

"I know it's hard," Breed said.

The mayor asks that San Franciscans refrain from getting comfortable and complacent amid the pandemic.

"I know so many want to have interactions with one another," she said.

Residents should continue to social distance and wear masks, Breed urged.



"The mask doesn't mean you can come closer to other people," she said.

Breed also announced Friday afternoon that the city has purchased 15 million pieces of protective supplies, like gloves, masks and gowns. San Francisco has also received supply donations to provide to medical workers, Breed said.

The mayor said people being able to protect themselves with the correct equipment is one of the most important things right now.

The mayor also took aim at federal officials, referencing the "lack of coordination on the federal level," in terms of PPE.

Of the 22 people that have died of COVID-19 in San Francisco, 21 were over the age of 60, Colfax said.



All 22 patients had underlying health conditions.

Colfax said this information matches what is already known about the virus.

There are more than 883,000 cases of COVID-19 in the U.S., according to John Hopkins University.
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Gov. Gavin Newsom said on Thursday that there are 37,269 positive cases in California, with 1,469 deaths statewide.



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