San Francisco Mayor London Breed on controversial French Laundry dinner: 'I didn't violate any order'

In a wide-ranging interview with ABC7 News anchor Kristen Sze on Getting Answers at 3pm, San Francisco Mayor London Breed says the Bay Area is in a dire situation.

SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) -- San Francisco Mayor London Breed says the Bay Area is in a dire situation amid a surge in coronavirus cases. "Unfortunately, that's why we've had to move earlier than the state mandated to try to curb this spike that's getting completely out of control, and the worst we've seen since the beginning of this pandemic."

In a wide-ranging interview with ABC7 News anchor Kristen Sze on Getting Answers at 3 p.m., Mayor Breed says that, having witnessed the first round of vaccines given out at SF General on Tuesday, there's light at the end of the tunnel. However she cautions we need to conquer this surge, and it will take time and patience to vaccinate everyone.
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RELATED: SF Mayor London Breed urges residents to 'use common sense' as city enters regional stay-at-home order

As a single person who lives alone, the mayor tried to allow others who live alone the opportunity to gather with one other person outside of their household. "I don't think it's fair to expect people who live alone to not be able to interact with some other human being as we deal with this." Unfortunately, since then, because the Bay Area's ICU capacity has fallen below 15% and the state stay-at-home order is triggered, that is no longer possible.

Mayor Breed addressed the recent protests outside her home by small business owners who need to close down again. "I understand that people are frustrated, they're hurt, they're angry. The fact is, I wish there was another decision. I have to put the life of people who are impacted by COVID ahead of everything else and I know people's livelihoods are at stake, so these are not easy decisions to make."

RELATED: San Francisco Mayor London Breed attended French Laundry birthday dinner 1 day after Gov. Gavin Newsom

Breed says she's pushing the federal government for more support, saying the city will need it given the city's projected $653 million budget deficit next year. She clarified that in the meantime, the city is not pushing people out of hotels into the streets as some advocates have claimed.

The mayor also addressed her Nov. 7 dinner at the French Laundry in Yountville. She had previously expressed regret during one of her briefings about the birthday dinner she attended with three households or fewer, which was allowed at the time. San Francisco was in the yellow tier and Napa County was in the orange tier. "I didn't violate any order, but I understand that people had a lot of frustration from what they saw happen with the governor and that basically spilled on to me. People expect me to of course be held to a higher standard and so, even if I may be able to allow something or something is happening under the health order, I also need to be very careful and follow the spirit of what we all need to do in order to stay safe."

Breed also talked about the new site in San Francisco Amazon acquired for a new delivery center in Potrero Hill that would bring hundreds of jobs.

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