Mayor London Breed said San Francisco is pausing its reopening plans indefinitely to help slow the spread of coronavirus as a surge in cases and hospitalizations sweep across the region and state.
Officials on Friday also said San Francisco has been placed on the state's watch list.
In addition to continuing to put the reopening of businesses on hold, like outdoor bars with food, indoor restaurants, hair salons, and nail shops, among others, indoor malls and nonessential offices must close starting on Monday.
Also on Monday, Breed and Public Health Director Dr. Grant Colfax will issue a new health order requiring that private health care providers increase testing services and provide same-day testing for patients with symptoms and for those close to a person who recently tested positive.
Additionally, the new order requires private hospitals and clinics to provide testing to asymptomatic workers who are most at risk like health care workers, first responders, and others who have jobs that require them to be less than six feet apart from the public.
"We are living with COVID, and we all need to do our part to take basic steps to get this virus under control immediately," Breed said in a statement. "If we want our schools to reopen, if we want our small businesses to be able to operate, we all need to do the basics: limit our gatherings, cover your face in public, and wash your hands. We also know that we need to see more testing if we are going to identify cases quickly. This requires the entire healthcare system to expand access so when people nee a test, they can get one. San Francisco has flattened the curve before, and we can do it again."
Breed and Colfax in a virtual briefing held Friday both urged residents avoid social gatherings with people outside of their immediate household, and to continue wearing face coverings as well as practicing social distancing and washing their hands regularly.
Bay City News contributed to this report.
