City Government

City Officials Encourage Residents to Get Vaccinated to Combat COVID-19 Variants

San Francisco, along with all Bay Area counties, is seeing trend of rising COVID-19 cases due to delta variant

Published

3 years ago

July 20, 2021

Isabelle Price

Nurse administers a vaccine photo courtesy of National Cancer Institute via Unsplash

San Francisco Mayor London N. Breed, Board of Supervisors President Shamann Walton, and the Department of Public Health (DPH) encouraged residents to get vaccinated as the delta variant of COVID-19 is now the dominant strain in the United States and California.

This variant spreads more easily than the original virus and poses new risks to communities in San Francisco. Vaccines continue to be highly effective at preventing severe illness and death.

Over the last three weeks, all Bay Area counties have seen at least a doubling of new COVID-19 cases, causing concern that unvaccinated people are more at risk than ever.

“Vaccinating as many people as possible, as soon as possible, is our best defense against COVID-19, the delta variant, and the harm it can do to our communities,” said Breed. “In particular, the Black community has the lowest vaccination rate compared to the citywide rate, which means more people who are already struggling with significant disparities in this City might get sick.

“While we beat back three surges in San Francisco, the delta variant brings new challenges that will continue to increase the disparities we see in communities of color. We need everyone to do their part to get vaccinated and encourage their friends and family to do the same,” Breed said.

San Francisco’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in low case rates and hospitalizations, and relatively high vaccination rates, with 83% of the eligible population with at least one dose and 76% of the eligible population fully vaccinated as of July 13.

Over the week ending July 7, for which there is full data, average daily new cases have increased four-fold to 42 new cases/day from a low of 9.9 cases/day on June 19. Forward-looking data through July 12 indicates that new cases will increase to at least 73 cases/day, a seven-fold increase since June 19.

“As we have seen since the beginning of the pandemic, COVID-19 infections are not distributed evenly throughout all neighborhoods and communities in San Francisco,” said Dr. Grant Colfax, director of Public Health. “Our focus and work to achieve vaccine equity and access continues in partnership with the communities that are most impacted. Get vaccinated – hospitalizations and deaths due to COVID-19 are preventable through vaccines.”

Those who are not yet vaccinated should continue to follow the health precautions that work to help curtail the spread of COVID-19 and to prevent new variants from emerging: wear a mask that covers your nose and mouth when you have to go outside; stay at least six feet away from others; when able choose outdoor settings versus indoor; and wash your hands frequently after touching your face or touching shared objects. People who develop or show any symptoms should get tested, even if they are fully vaccinated.

“Bayview Hunters Point is still one of the hardest hit areas with COVID-19 infections, particularly in the African American community. With the new delta variant that is more transmissible, it is critical that our community gets vaccinated as soon as possible,” said Walton, president of the Board of Supervisors.

San Francisco continues to make vaccines accessible to all residents through sites located in neighborhoods and through mobile vaccine efforts. In the Bayview, the Southeast Health Center at 2401 Keith St. is offering vaccines – no appointment needed – Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Fridays from 9:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m., and Saturdays from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Vaccines are also available at 1800 Oakdale, with drop-ins available on Fridays and Saturday from 9:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. For more information on COVID-19 vaccines, visit sf.gov/getvaccinated.

The San Francisco Mayor’s Office of Communications provided this story.

Isabelle Price

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Activism

Oakland Post: Week of May 8 – 14, 2024

The printed Weekly Edition of the Oakland Post: Week of May May 8 – 14, 2024

Published

1 day ago

May 10, 2024

Oakland Post

To enlarge your view of this issue, use the slider, magnifying glass icon or full page icon in the lower right corner of the browser window.

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Activism

S.F. Black Leaders Rally to Protest, Discuss ‘Epidemic’ of Racial Slurs Against Black Students in SF Public School System

Parents at the meeting spoke of their children as no longer feeling safe in school because of bullying and discrimination. Parents also said that reported incidents such as racial slurs and intimidation are not dealt with to their satisfaction and feel ignored.

Published

1 week ago

May 4, 2024

Oakland Post

Rev. Amos C. Brown, president of the San Francisco NAACP and pastor of Third Baptist Church. Photo courtesy Third Baptist Church.

By Carla Thomas

San Francisco’s Third Baptist Church hosted a rally and meeting Sunday to discuss hatred toward African American students of the San Francisco Unified School District (SFUSD).

Rev. Amos C. Brown, president of the San Francisco NAACP and pastor of Third Baptist Church, along with leadership from local civil rights groups, the city’s faith-based community and Black community leadership convened at the church.

“There has been an epidemic of racial slurs and mistreatment of Black children in our public schools in the city,” said Brown. “This will not be tolerated.”

According to civil rights advocate Mattie Scott, students from elementary to high school have reported an extraordinary amount of racial slurs directed at them.

“There is a surge of overt racism in the schools, and our children should not be subjected to this,” said Scott. “Students are in school to learn, develop, and grow, not be hated on,” said Scott. “The parents of the children feel they have not received the support necessary to protect their children.”

Attendees were briefed last Friday in a meeting with SFUSD Superintendent Dr. Matt Wayne.

SFUSD states that their policies protect children and they are not at liberty to publicly discuss the issues to protect the children’s privacy.

Some parents said they have removed their students from school while other parents and community leaders called on the removal of the SFUSD superintendent, the firing of certain school principals and the need for more supportive school board members.

Community advocates discussed boycotting the schools and creating Freedom Schools led by Black leaders and educators, reassuring parents that their child’s wellbeing and education are the highest priority and youth are not to be disrupted by racism or policies that don’t support them.

Virginia Marshall, chair of the San Francisco NAACP’s education committee, offered encouragement to the parents and students in attendance while also announcing an upcoming May 14 school board meeting to demand accountability over their mistreatment.

“I’m urging anyone that cares about our students to pack the May 14 school board meeting,” said Marshall.

This resource was supported in whole or in part by funding provided by the State of California, administered by the California State Library via California Black Media as part of the Stop the Hate Program. The program is supported by partnership with California Department of Social Services and the California Commission on Asian and Pacific Islander American Affairs as part of the Stop the Hate program. To report a hate incident or hate crime and get support, go to CA vs Hate.

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Bay Area

Mayor London Breed: State Awards San Francisco Over $37M for Affordable Housing

On April 30, Mayor London N. Breed announced San Francisco has been awarded more than $37.9 million in funding from the California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) as part of the State’s Multifamily Housing Program (MHP). The HCD loan will provide the final funding necessary for development of Casa Adelante – 1515 South Van Ness, a 168-unit affordable housing project located in San Francisco’s Mission District.

Published

1 week ago

May 4, 2024

Oakland Post

San Francisco Mayor London N. Breed (File Photo)

By Oakland Post Staff

The HCD loan will provide the final funding necessary for development of Casa Adelante – 1515 South Van Ness, a 168-unit affordable housing project located in San Francisco’s Mission District.

The new development at 1515 South Van Ness Ave. will provide 168 affordable homes to low-income families, formerly homeless families, and persons living with HIV earning between 25-80% of the San Francisco Area Median Income (AMI).

In addition, the project is anticipated to provide family-friendly amenities and ground floor community-serving commercial spaces that preserve the prevailing neighborhood character of the Calle 24 Latino Cultural District.

“This funding unlocks our ability to move on building affordable housing units for families in San Francisco at a crucial time. We understand the level of need for more housing that is accessible, and like the state, the city continues to face a challenging budget cycle,” said Breed. “1515 South Van Ness is a good example of what can be achieved in San Francisco when you have strong community partnerships and an unwavering commitment to deliver on critical needs for our residents.”

“From the beginning of my term as Supervisor, I have fought to bring affordable housing to 1515 South Van Ness” said Supervisor Hillary Ronen. “In the interim, the site has been utilized for homeless services and shelter, and I am thrilled that HCD has recognized the value of this development, and we are finally ready to break ground and bring 168 affordable homes to low income and formerly homeless families in the Mission.”

Owned and occupied by McMillan Electric Company until 2015, the City and County of San Francisco purchased 1515 South Van Ness Avenue in June 2019 with the intent of developing new affordable housing.

In November 2020, the San Francisco Mayor’s Office of Housing and Community Development (MOHCD) released a Multi-site Request for Qualifications (RFQ) seeking qualified developers to build affordable housing on the site, and subsequently selected Chinatown Community Development Corporation (CCDC) and Mission Economic Development Agency (MEDA) in May 2021 to develop the site.

The project is expected to begin construction in winter 2025.

“A strong, long-term push by Mission advocates to make this site 100% affordable is now paying off, with 168 family units that include services and childcare. People of color communities know what they need, and we are excited to be in partnership with a team, consisting of MEDA, CCDC, and MOHCD, that listens,” said Malcolm Yeung, Executive Director at CCDC.

“We are excited to be in partnership with CCDC, yet again, and for the opportunity to develop intergenerational affordable housing in the City’s Mission District,” said Luis Granados, executive director at MEDA.

Increasing housing affordable to lower-income and vulnerable residents is a key priority in the City’s Housing Element which calls for additional funding for affordable housing production and preservation, as well as Mayor Breed’s Housing for All Executive Directive that sets out the steps the City will take to meet the bold goal of allowing for 82,000 new homes to be built over the next eight years.

Tuesday’s funding announcement emphasizes the importance of regional and state collaboration in order to reach our housing and climate goals.

“We are thrilled—not just to bring a project of this size to a community with great need — but to do so with community-based developers and their partners who understand the neighborhood and sensitivities around cultural preservation,” said HCD Director Gustavo Velasquez.