'I'm hopeful': Mayor London Breed says San Francisco may be weeks away from next phase of reopening

ByKristen Sze KGO logo

Tuesday, May 19, 2020

SF may be weeks away from next phase of reopening, officials say

San Francisco's Mayor London Breed talks about the future of sports, salons, churches and COVID-19 testing after Gov. Newsom said California may reopen more businesses next week.

SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) -- San Francisco Mayor London Breed and San Francisco Public Health Director Dr. Grant Colfax gave an update on the city's response to the coronavirus pandemic.

Mayor Breed and Dr. Colfax said they are closely monitoring five indicators that will impact how the city will progress in easing shelter-in-place restrictions:

Confirmed positive cases
Hospital capacity (the city is at 6 percent right now for COVID-19 cases and officials do not want to see a rate of 20 percent or higher)
Testing (the city is conducting 1,000 a day and officials are looking to increase that to 1,800 a day)
Increased contact tracing
Personal protective equipment

Right now, SF is in Phase 2A, Dr. Grant gave an estimate that it could take two to four weeks to enter Phase 2B, but clarified that restrictions could be varied based off the five indicators. Phase 2B would adapt retail to open for indoor services, reopen schools, offices and childcare.

Dr. Colfax said it would take at least a month to enter Phase 3, but again stressed that it would be contingent upon the data from the indicators.

In Gov. Newsom's afternoon briefing, he hinted even more reopenings would be allowed at the state level shortly. Pro sports, hair salons, churches may reopen as early as the first week of June.

"I'm hopeful, but I want to be clear that we are although coordinating with the governor's office, we have to use the data locally here in San Francisco to make a determination as to whether or not we can move into any of those phases," Breed said in an interview with ABC7 News.

When asked if the city could see the same prediction of reopening salons, churches, perhaps even sports games in a few weeks, the mayor said it wasn't likely.

"The likelihood we would get there sooner rather than later is contingent on all of our behaviors," Breed said. "So, I don't think we're going to be there as of June first, but it's looking better than it's looked in some time, so I'm hopeful about the future."

Breed said the city is more likely to transition to Phase 2B in two to four weeks instead.

Earlier on Monday, Mayor London Breed announced three new testing sites that will open in underserved areas of San Francisco.

"These new testing sites help make testing more convenient and accessible for San Franciscans, especially people who are most at-risk and communities that have been hardest hit by the virus," said Mayor Breed. "As we continue toward universal testing, it's critical that we focus on reaching communities that have historically been underserved and that don't have as many testing resources available to them."

LIST: Where can I get tested for COVID-19 in the San Francisco Bay Area?

A mobile testing site will begin offering walk-through COVID-19 testing in the Tenderloin on Wednesday, May 20. It will initially operate at the Tenderloin Recreational Center, after which it will move to another high-need neighborhood.

A second COVID-19 testing site will open Monday at the City College Student Health Center. It will be open to any California resident.

A third testing site will be in the Bayview-Hunters Point neighborhood. The Bayview Child Health Center, the city and partner organizations will be bringing testing directly to families in their neighborhood from Wednesday, May 20, through Friday, May 22, and continuing every Friday thereafter for the foreseeable future.

LIFE AFTER COVID-19: Here's what restaurants, gyms, schools, sports will look like when they reopen

See more details about these new testing sites here.

Breed also announced Monday the launch of Great Plates Delivered SF, an emergency food assistance program for seniors sheltering in place. The program will deliver three free restaurant meals a day to seniors, who are at high-risk from COVID-19.

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