San Francisco holds off on reopening indoor dining and outdoor bars next week

SAN FRANCICSO (KTVU) - San Francisco Mayor London Breed announced on Tuesday that the reopening of indoor dining and outdoor bars has been postponed. 

Originally those sectors were expected to reopen on July 13, but city leaders decided to put plans on hold as San Francisco is experiencing a spike in COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations.

The city said it is also evaluating other businesses that had been proposed to reopen between June 29 and July 13, including hair salons, barbershops, indoor museums, outdoor pools, gyms, real estate open houses by appointment, and zoos. 

Dr. Grant Colfax, director of the San Francisco Department of Public Health, said the city is not "dialing back" businesses and activities that have already resumed. 

As of Tuesday, San Francisco reported 4,020 cases of COVID-19 and 50 deaths. And most alarming Colfax pointed out, is the rate of infections per day. He said the city is currently diagnosing on average 6.1 cases per 100,000 cases each day, well above the city's goal of 1.8 and a sharp rise since the city began to gradually reopen on May 18, when it was 3.5. 

"That is a serious situation that requires us to pause," Colfax said. Adding, "We understand the importance of planning for businesses and the urgent need that all residents have to get back to work and the new normal. However, the virus has no timeline and spreads quickly when people gather, and we must do everything we can to slow the spread."

City leaders first hit pause on the gradual reopening of businesses on June 29. They don't anticipate giving the OK for operations to resume until the data indicates that conditions have improved.