SF city leaders question restrictions' effectiveness, seek better balance to help small business
SF city leaders discuss shutting down only when necessary to help small businesses
City leaders say they want to do what they can to help slow the spread of coronavirus, but they're also asking for more transparency. Especially when it comes to the business community. The shutdown is having a devastating impact on the city's businesses, and political leaders are saying they need to make sure they are shutting down only when necessary, and trying to save small businesses.
SAN FRANCISCO - Public health leaders in San Francisco are saying we're entering a critical phase and that now is the time to shelter in place.
City leaders say they want to do what they can to help slow the spread of coronavirus, but they're also asking for more transparency, especially when it comes to the business community.
The shutdown is having a devastating impact on the city's businesses. Political leaders are saying they need to make sure they are shutting down only when necessary, and trying to save small businesses.
San Francisco's director of public health says COVID rates skyrocketed in the weeks after Thanksgiving, when many people gathered together for the holiday.
Dr. Grant Colfax is warning that if that happens again for Christmas, more people will become infected, more people will be hospitalized, and more people will die.
"Let's not have the situation that we had right after Thanksgiving," said Dr. Colfax. "A massive surge that increased cases by 50%. Given where we are, we cannot afford that and that would be catastrophic."
San Francisco's mayor said the city continues to face unprecedented difficulties ahead and that the city must work to combat the spread of coronavirus, and at the same time reaffirm its commitment to do all it can to help the city's small businesses weather the storm.
"While we have provided tens of millions of dollars in loans grants and tax waivers to small businesses in the pandemic we know there is so much more to do," said Mayor London Breed.
The Board of Supervisors also taking up the issue of the restrictions saying they need to strike a balance.
"But, we also know the measures required to slow the spread of the virus and minimize the loss of life in California have resulted in severe economic consequences for our small businesses, and our restaurants in particular," said the city's District 2 Supervisor Catherine Stefani.
The supervisors said while they don't discount the need for restrictions, they'd like to see more transparency from the Department of Public Health, answering questions about when the restrictions will be placed, for how long, and how effective they really are.
"I think it's important that our Public Health Department present on those decisions and what all of us can expect moving forward as a city and how we can use that information to best support and communicate with our business community," said District 6 Supervisor Matt Haney.
San Francisco's mayor also addressed the issue of schools, reaffirming her commitment to seeing them open as soon as possible, saying the school district and teachers union must come to some kind of agreement to allow public school students to go back to class.