San Francisco's new timeline could let some schools, businesses open in weeks
SAN FRANCISCO - San Francisco leaders are laying out a timeline for reopening including schools and some indoor businesses within weeks.
It's the news that families and businesses have been waiting for, a possible schedule for when and how the city will reopen. While there is a lot of excitement about the prospect of opening up, others are saying they're still not getting the guidance they need to survive.
For six months, San Francisco has been on lock down. The city's schools and businesses have been closed in an effort to slow the spread of COVID-19. Now, city officials are saying since San Francisco has managed to go from the purple tier to red on the state's new rating system, they can begin the process of reopening schools.
"My plan is to do everything I can to work hand in hand with the school district so we can move forward and get kids back in school as soon as it is safely possible to do so," said Mayor London Breed.
City leaders say in-person learning for some students in transitional kindergarten through sixth grade could resume in mid-September. Some middle schools could reopen in mid-October, and high schools in November.
The city also introduced a timeline for some indoor businesses to resume. Hotels, museums, and outdoor movies and religious gatherings may begin in mid-September, but with limited capacity.
Barbers and hair dressers held a rally at City Hall saying health and safety has always been a top priority for them, and say they're still not getting enough guidance on when indoor personal services may resume.
"You need to let us open," said Omar Nazzal from Old Mission Barber Shop. "You know, I need to feed my kids, I have barbers that need to feed their families. My heart breaks for anybody that's had to shut down. My heart breaks for all of you guys that are struggling through this."
The city said today some hair salons and indoor personal services may resume at the end of September
"We can move our hair salons, our nail salons our barber shops and massages at the end of this month indoors," said Breed. "Which is incredible, if we continue at the pace we are now."
An important caveat, the mayor and health leaders say all these dates are subject to change if the city's COVID-19 rates start to trend in the wrong direction. They're saying now is a critical time to follow guidelines to wear masks and avoid social gatherings even with the Labor Day holiday coming this weekend.