San Francisco Public Press (https://www.sfpublicpress.org/2020/03/)
Phone and email scams are nothing new, but crises create an opportunity for those who prey on fear, and during the coronavirus pandemic, variations on old scams have cropped up that target the vulnerable — that might be people who are isolated or who have limited digital literacy. » Read more
UPDATE: Shortly after this story was published, health officers from seven Bay Area jurisdictions issued a joint press release extending the shelter-in-place order through May 3. The headline of this story has been changed to reflect that update. The text and audio file below have not been modified. » Read more
During the shelter-in-place orders people who can do their work from home are doing their best to cope. Career and life coach Marty Nemko shares some tips on how to stay productive and focused. He also has suggestions for small business owners and those who have lost work during the pandemic. » Read more
Since March 11, the San Francisco Public Press and “Civic” have accelerated to a pace we did not think possible for our small nonprofit newsroom. In two and a half weeks, we published 34 stories that brought as many visitors to our website as we saw in the last three months of 2019. I can tell you definitively: We did not plan for this. Instinct kicked in for those of us with daily newspaper, broadcast and wire service experience. The need is urgent.
As the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in San Francisco rose to nearly 300 and the death toll to 3 on March 27, San Francisco officials held a virtual press conference to announce tightening rules for the shelter-in-place order meant to curb the spread of the virus. » Read more
Bay Area biotech companies are using their resources to fight the COVID-19 pandemic. Dr. Warner Greene is a senior biologist and clinician with Gladstone Institutes in San Francisco. He and his colleagues are using techniques developed in AIDS research to understand the life cycle of the coronavirus that causes COVID-19 and how existing drugs that have already been tested could be used to treat patients. » Read more
Despite assurances from officials that the practice would stop, city workers continue to confiscate homeless people’s tents and remove encampments as the coronavirus spreads across a shuttered San Francisco, according to residents, a city employee and 311 call records.
Just one day after the city announced that it would stop removing homeless encampments in actions known as “sweeps,” removals surged to 31 and continued at an average pace of 16 per day, according to data from 311, the city’s non-emergency complaint line and hub for reporting homeless encampments. » Read more
Grocery stores have been deemed essential during the pandemic, and their employees are stationed on the front lines. One San Jose grocery store worker has died of COVID-19, said Jim Araby, strategic campaigns director at United Food and Commercial Workers Local 5. » Read more
In less than two weeks, a well-meaning post in a neighborhood Facebook group has evolved into an extremely organized support system for an entire community during the time San Francisco’s COVID-19 shelter-in-place order is in effect.
The Sunset Neighborhood Help Group directly connects residents with elderly and at-risk neighbors who need help buying groceries and running errands. » Read more
Top city officials returned to San Francisco’s coronavirus emergency operations center at Moscone Center on Wednesday to once more impress upon the public the importance of sheltering in place and leaving home only for essential activities. One person has now died of COVID-19 in San Francisco and as of Wednesday the city had confirmed 172 cases. » Read more