Author: Alfredo Casuso

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

Thursday, October 7, 2021

Contact: San Francisco Joint Information Center; sfeocjic@sfgov.org 

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SAN FRANCISCO TO EASE INDOOR MASK REQUIREMENTS FOR CERTAIN INDOOR SETTINGS WHERE STABLE GROUPS OF FULLY VACCINATED PEOPLE GATHER

Masking requirements will be eased on October 15 for offices, gyms and certain other settings with 100% full vaccination, as COVID-19 cases recede and vaccination requirements for employees of businesses go into effect

San Francisco, CA — Mayor London N. Breed and the San Francisco Department of Public Health (DPH) announced today that so long as case and hospitalization rates remain stable or decline, indoor masking requirements will be lifted on October 15 in certain, limited settings. This includes places where stable cohorts of fully vaccinated individuals gather, and where other safety measures are followed. These controlled settings with individuals who regularly interact are considered safer indoor settings for fully vaccinated individuals to remove their masks.

These settings include offices, gyms, and fitness centers, employee commuter vehicles, religious gatherings, and indoor college classes or other organized gatherings of individuals who meet regularly, not exceeding 100 people. People in these settings may remove their masks if the employer or host of the gathering can control access to the setting and verify 100% full vaccination of everyone in the setting. The employer or host must also ensure proper ventilation, no recent COVID-19 outbreaks, and children under 12 and guests are not present, among other safety measures.

“I’m excited that we’re once again at a place where we can begin easing the mask requirements, which is the direct result of the fact that we have one of the highest vaccination rates in the country, our cases have fallen, and our residents have done their part to keep themselves and those around them safe,” said Mayor Breed. “This is an important step forward for San Francisco, particularly for our downtown, because when I talk to office workers and business leaders one of the things I continue to hear is that they’re anxious to get back to a more normal routine at work where they can interact with their colleagues. Our economy is bouncing back, the City feels like it is coming alive again, and this is yet another milestone in our recovery.”

San Francisco, in concert with eight other Bay Area jurisdictions, also today released the criteria for lifting the indoor universal mask mandate in most other settings once a sustained period of low and stable COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations have been achieved and a high threshold of the population is fully vaccinated, including children. More information about the criteria can be found at sf.gov/news.

Indoor masking remains in effect for all settings accessed by the wider public, including retail stores and other shared indoor areas such as common areas of a building elevators, lobbies and restrooms, where people from different workplace settings could interact. Indoor masking also continues to apply in bars and restaurants except for patrons while actively eating or drinking, subject to the proof of vaccination requirements.

“Throughout this pandemic we’ve implemented common sense measures like masking and vaccinations to protect us through four surges in COVID-19 while keeping hospitalizations manageable,” said Director of Health, Dr. Grant Colfax. “Tragically, other areas of the country have seen outcomes much worse than ours. San Francisco’s health orders and shared mitigation efforts have been successful in keeping us safer as a community, and a relaxation of masking orders is warranted. We’ll continue to follow the data and science where it leads us.”

When issued, the changes to San Francisco’s Safer Return Together Order will include further details about the requirements to allow for mask removal by fully vaccinated individuals in these controlled settings. San Francisco has led the way in requiring proof of vaccination for many businesses, which provide the best defense against the virus and, along with indoor masking, has slowed the spread of the disease. San Francisco has a current weekly average case rate of 77 cases per 100,000, a drop from 309 at the height of the summer’s surge. Cases among fully vaccinated individuals are currently at 7.4 per 100,000, while among those not fully vaccinated are 14.4 per 100,000. The vaccines remain highly effective in preventing hospitalization and death.

“Vaccines continue to be our path out of the pandemic, but masks have blunted the Delta-driven surge and protected our vital hospital capacity, while allowing businesses to remain open and children to return to school,” said Health Officer, Dr. Susan Philip. “We thank all San Franciscans for participating in those successes. Well-fitted masks will continue to have a place in our lives in higher-risk settings, and everyone should feel free to wear a mask whenever they would like an extra layer of protection.”

Even as masking restrictions lift, indoor masking will remain in effect where required under state or federal rules, like public transportation, hospitals, jails, homeless shelters, and schools, as a recommendation for everyone to wear in large, crowded outdoor settings, and as a requirement under certain circumstances if there is an outbreak of cases.

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Media Contact:  DP&A, Inc. / David Perry  (415) 676-7007 / news@davidperry.com 

Marisa Rodriguez Named Executive Director of Union Square Alliance

4 October 2021,  San Francisco, CA: The Union Square Alliance (formerly known as the Union Square Business Improvement District) has announced that Marisa Rodriguez will assume the role as Executive Director beginning October 15. Ms. Rodriguez most recently served as the Director of the Office of Cannabis for the City and County of San Francisco.

“There is no place more vital to the heartbeat of San Francisco than Union Square. Thank you to my predecessor, Karin Flood, and the Union Square Alliance for keeping our City’s lifeline so strong. As the next Executive Director, I am honored, humbled and incredibly excited to follow in her footsteps and expand upon their important work,” stated Ms. Rodriguez.  “I look forward to reimagining our partnerships across government, private and public sectors, elevating public safety within Union Square, engaging businesses, activating spaces, and finding new and innovative ways to draw people from every corner of the globe. With our City’s economic health so tied to Union Square, I cannot wait to get started.”

The Alliance began the formal search process for a new Executive Director on June 1, 2021 and assembled a hiring committee comprised of members of the Alliance Board of Directors and Executive Committee. The process was extensive, garnering a total of 165 well qualified applicants, which were then reviewed, interviewed and narrowed down to finalists in a two-month long process. The Alliance graciously thanks all who participated in our process.

“The Alliance board is thrilled to welcome Marisa Rodriguez as our new Executive Director,” says Mark Purdy, President of the Union Square Alliance Board of Directors and SVP Investment & General Manager, San Francisco at Grosvenor Americas. “Her depth of knowledge and experience working with San Francisco city government and the criminal justice system will prove to be a tremendous asset to our organization.”

Ms. Rodriguez was most recently the Director of the Office of Cannabis for the City and County of San Francisco. In this capacity, she oversaw the permitting process for all businesses that cultivate, manufacture, distribute, sell and test cannabis in San Francisco, focusing on access for medical cannabis patients and equitable participation for those negatively impacted by the War on Drugs. During her tenure at the Office of Cannabis, Ms. Rodriguez piloted a grants program that has made nearly $3 million available to equity applicants to date. This work was highlighted most recently in the international Time Out publication, where San Francisco was named the “World’s Best City” based on a number of factors, including the growth of the City’s cannabis industry and Equity Program, especially during a pandemic.

Prior to her role as the Director of the Office of Cannabis, Ms. Rodriguez was an Assistant District Attorney and Director of Community Relations for the San Francisco District Attorney’s Office. She supported a variety of criminal justice reform initiatives as a member of District Attorney George Gascón’s Communication and Policy team, including the District Attorney’s vision to proactively expunge more than 9,000 marijuana-related convictions eligible for dismissal under Proposition 64. Ms. Rodriguez pioneered innovative programs to address challenges within the criminal justice system by engaging with community members, city agencies, law enforcement, and other stakeholders.

Ms. Rodriguez grew up in San Francisco. She obtained her undergraduate degree in Business Administration from U.C. Berkeley’s Haas School of Business, and her law degree from the University of San Francisco.

About the Union Square Alliance:
The Union Square Alliance serves members and creates a high-quality visitor experience by managing and activating public spaces, attracting new investment, and advocating for the District’s future success. Union Square is the vibrant heart of San Francisco and an international destination where visitors come to enjoy exceptional retail experiences, luxury hotels, world-class cultural institutions, and great public spaces found only in the City by the Bay.  A lively 27-block community surrounding Union Square Park in the heart of San Francisco makes up the Union Square Alliance. It is generally bordered on the north by Bush Street, on the east by Kearny Street, on the south by Market Street and on the west Taylor Street. For more information on the Alliance, go to www.visitunionsquaresf.com.