San Francisco will start vaccinating teachers, food workers in 2 weeks

SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) -- San Francisco will soon be moving into the next phase of vaccine distribution, Mayor London Breed announced Tuesday.

The city will move into Phase 1B starting on Feb. 24, Breed said. That means teachers, child care workers, food and grocery workers, and emergency workers (including police officers) will all be eligible to receive the vaccine.

The city, up until this point, has only been vaccinating health care workers, long-term care residents and those 65 and older.

CORONAVIRUS DATA: Updated number of COVID-19 cases, deaths in San Francisco Bay Area

While the city has the capacity to vaccinate 10,000 people a day, there aren't enough doses to dole out. Instead, the city is averaging about 4,000 vaccinations per day.

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As of Tuesday, the city estimates 12% of San Francisco residents have received their first dose. About 3% have received their first and second dose.

Opening up vaccine eligibility to teachers and education workers could bring San Francisco closer to reopening public schools, but it's looking like a long road ahead.

The new agreement with SFUSD only allows for reopening schools when the county is in the red tier and all staff are vaccinated. Breed said it's the second part of that proposal that concerns her, as tying reopening to full vaccination would make it unrealistic to reopen schools any time soon.

"I'm worried that the tentative agreement proposed by the union will not get us to a place in this city where we will even open schools this year," said Breed.

"I want us to be honest about what we will and will not do, or what we can and cannot do," the mayor continued. "Our children are suffering."

She pointed to the fact that private schools in the city have been open for months without major outbreaks.

"I would not be pushing it if I were not advised by the Department of Public Health that it is safe."

San Francisco's COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations continue to drop. However, the county remains in the purple tier, the most restrictive when it comes to reopening rules.

MAP: CA counties that can, can't reopen under new rules

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Editor's note: This story originally reported that Phase 1B vaccinations on Feb. 26, as Mayor Breed said in Tuesday's press conference. That date was clarified by the mayor's office after the press conference and has been updated.