Mayor London Breed says outdoor bars, indoor restaurant reopening delayed indefinitely

SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) -- Outdoor bars and indoor restaurants will not be allowed to reopen as planned on July 13, San Francisco Mayor London Breed announced in a press conference Tuesday.

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Hair salons, nail salons, zoos and indoor museums were all scheduled to reopen in San Francisco on June 29, but were also postponed indefinitely as COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations started to climb.

All of those business reopenings are postponed indefinitely. Mayor Breed did not specify when they may be allowed to reopen.

Given the current coronavirus statistics, Director of Public Health Dr. Grant Colfax said, "We are forced to conclude that it will not be responsible to allow indoor dining or outdoor outdoor bars to begin on July 13.

"Indoor dining is an activity where people typically gather with those outside of their households, take down their face mask and spend time in close proximity. ... The simple pleasure of going to an indoor restaurant is something that we all miss, and restaurants are a vital part of our city's culture and economy. But for now, unfortunately, indoor dining is an opportunity for the virus to spread."

"Although this is clearly both a disappointment and a financial blow for our industry, our biggest concerns remain with the health of our workers, patrons and residents of the state. We are encouraged that outside dining is still allowed, and want to remind everyone that city regulations require that all guests must be seated for dining and drinking and that standing and mingling are not allowed," said Executive Director Laurie Thomas in an email to ABC7 News.

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As of Tuesday, the city has 4,020 COVID-19 cases and 50 deaths.

San Francisco's goal is to have only 1.8 new cases a day per 100,000 residents. On Tuesday, the number was 6.1. "That is a serious situation that requires us to pause," said Colfax.

"We need these numbers to go down," said Mayor Breed. "What impacts one impacts us all. So this is not just about San Francisco. This is about the entire Bay Area."

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Colfax cited the fact that several Bay Area counties are on the state's watch list as another reason San Francisco is pausing reopening.

"The virus does not know county lines and we must respect that it is increasing across the Bay Area," he said. "Although San Francisco is not on the watch list, that could change."

"We flattened, and some would say we crushed the curve once, and we can do it again" said Colfax. "If we do not the consequences could be dire."

The city is also reconsidering its plans to reopen indoor museums, zoos, aquariums, outdoor swimming pools, gyms, real estate open houses and personal services, Colfax said. The city plans to make an announcement by the end of the week.

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