As we begin another week in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, we would like to provide you ongoing updates about San Francisco resources and opportunities available to you from the tech community and beyond.
- 96,485 confirmed cases in California
- 3,766 confirmed deaths in California
- 12,554 confirmed cases in the Bay Area
*As of 9:00am PT on 5/26
COVID-19 Updates from the SF Tech Community
UPDATES FROM THE TECH COMMUNITY
Many sf.citi members have taken leadership on developing their own policies and strategies to mitigate the impact of the coronavirus on their employees, customers, and the general public . We’ve listed the most recent tech-driven efforts below.
- Facebook announced that many Facebook employees can work from home permanently. The company also said that, starting in January, employee compensation will be adjusted to the cost of living in locations where Facebook employees choose to live.
- Google and Apple released their COVID-19 “exposure notification” software to public health authorities, which they can use to make their own contact tracing apps. Users will be able to opt-in to Exposure Notifications, and if a person is diagnosed with COVID-19, “it is up to them whether or not to report that in the public health app.” Some states in the U.S. and 22 countries are already planning to use the technology.
- Twitter and Facebook were among other private partners to commit a total of $5.1 million in funding and in-kind resources for the launch of California’s public awareness campaign around its statewide contact tracing program, California Connected.
More Tech Resources for COVID-19
UPDATES FROM THE CITY OF SAN FRANCISCO
- On May 22, Mayor Breed announced that summer camps and programs can reopen in San Francisco on June 15th with “limited capacity and modifications” to prevent the spread of COVID-19.” The latest public health order, issued by the Department of Public Health (DPH), allows San Francisco summer camps and programs to open for children and youth ages six to 17. They must prioritize the children of parents working for businesses permitted to operate. Regular child care programs will also be allowed to reopen starting on June 1st.
- On May 18, Mayor Breed announced three new COVID-19 testing sites in underserved neighborhoods in San Francisco. The City partnered with Verily (Alphabet’s life science subsidiary) to pilot a mobile testing site in the Tenderloin, which began walk-through COVID-19 testing on May 20. An additional site was opened at the City College Student Health Center, while the City and partner organizations will be bringing testing directly to families in Bayview-Hunters Point. See all testing sites here.
- On May 18, Mayor Breed launched Great Plates Delivered SF to deliver meals to seniors in need and support local businesses during the COVID-19 crisis. The program will deliver three free restaurant meals a day to eligible seniors who are at high risk from COVID-19. SF New Deal, a nonprofit partnering with over 65 local restaurants across San Francisco, is the program’s primary vendor.
To stay up to date with all City of San Francisco updates, follow the Mayor’s updates here.
UPDATES FROM THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA
- On May 22, Governor Newsom launched California Connected, a statewide contact tracing program and public awareness campaign. The program will connect public health workers with individuals who test positive for COVID-19, as well as the people with whom they have been in close contact, to ensure they have access to confidential testing and medical care. So far, 500 contact tracers have been trained, and 300 more are being trained this week. The state plans to have a total of 10,000 statewide contact tracers as part of its plan to reopen California.
- On May 19, Governor Newsom signed an executive order on a variety of issues in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The order waives the 10 percent cash or in-kind matching requirements for state grants awarded to organizations providing domestic violence services, as well as certain certification requirements for Cal Grant applicants. It also extends the timeframe for local governments to submit claims for reimbursement to the State Controller’s Office.
To stay up to date with all State of California updates, follow the California Department of Health’s updates here.
HOW YOU CAN HELP
- Donate your expertise to CVKey Project, a nonprofit powered by tech volunteers working to build privacy-first applications that help our communities safely reopen during the COVID-19 crisis. Learn more about the work of CVKey Project here and sign up to help.
More Ways to Help with COVID-19 Relief
GRATITUDE AMID COVID-19
sf.citi would like to recognize the many courageous San Franciscans holding our City together during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Which other San Francisco heroes need recognition during these challenging times? Let us know by tagging sf.citi on Twitter (@sfciti ) or Instagram ( @sf.citi) and using the hashtag #OneCitySF, or by filling out the form below.
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