>> hello every one. thank you so much for your patience. good morning i am san francisco mayor london breed with dr. colfax giving an update what is happening with omicron because we are anxious to know when is this going to start dying down? good things are starting to plateau. it doesn't mean we take our

guard down. even though we are still seeing additional cases even though our hospitalizations are very high, we have the capacity to handle what is coming our way we are starting to see just a number of plateaus and trends from other parts of the country afternoon world show the people ahead of us and the cases skyrocketing. we are paying very close attention. it seems like san francisco is behind all of that. we are following a very similar pattern to other cities across this country. if that is any indication plus with san francisco being 82% vaccinated it is really hopeful for the future and hopeful that we will continue to move forward. we will see some additional improvements as the days go on. i know it has been a very

challenging couple of weeks over the holiday season. as we continue to say one of the most consistent things through out the course of two year pandemic the light at the end of the tunnel is here. we may go through another tunnel but know there is hope and there is light. i am here just to also say because i know that many people are asking a lot of questions. what is going on with testing? what is going on with the tenderloin emergency plan? why are things not moving as quickly? many of us should understand the city and bureaucracy is challenging. keep in mind that we see these numbers of the omicron variant spike. we also see them spike with city employees. a lot of police officers

firefighters muni drivers department of public health workers and those at san francisco general are out with omicron. we are going to continue to experience this challenge for some time. we ask for people to be very patient with us, to know we are doing our best, working to backfill those positions when they are out with over time and the number of other resources. these are the times we are living in. as a result we just have to adjust to our environment. to talk more specifically about where we are with omicron, what to expect for the future and you know the hopefulness when doctor colfax is smiling and excited and hopeful and giving an indication things are going to get better. i know that is what is going to happen. we get to come outside and play

right, dr. colfax? please welcome for an update on the covid-19 omicron variant and what is happening in san francisco here is dr. grant colfax. >> good morning everybody. thank you, mayor breed for your leadership as we enter the third year of the pandemic. third year. we are seeing covid-19 cases drop relatively rapidly in the city. we can now say that we are on the beginning of the downward trajectory with regard to the surge. latest data showcases peaked on january 9 with seven day average of 2164 cases per day. it has steadily dropped each day since then to 1076 per day on january 12th. this is good news. it has has been a rocky start to

2022. hang in there a little longer. the surge is not over yet. hospitalizations which trail the peak in cases will still continue to go up. fortunately, for now we expect to meet capacity within the healthcare system to take care of people with covid and other healthcare needs in the hospitals. we are urging people to remain particularly vigilant for a little bit longer. cases are still very high. cases are still very high especially compared to prior surges. we all need to get well past this peak. look i know that everybody is exhausted. let's give gratitude to front line staff who as the mayor said have been working over time to patch together coverage as colleagues become infected and have to stay home. many of them became infected too.

tonight bely, for the vast majority of our cases in the city, cases are mild because people were fully vaccinated with the first series and for many people they were up-to-date on vaccinations with regard to boosters. at this point it looks good with regard to making it through. we are likely to make it through the surge and come out in a much better place. it is important to emphasize with case rates so high what we see across the country, the state and locally we are in a far different place than a year ago with our prior surge. we are getting through omicron the most transmissible yet. it is more transmissible than alpha and delta. we managed to keep hospitals, clinics and essential services open. most cases have been mild or asymptomatic especially for

those up-to-date on vaccinations, especially for those who get the booster. we have proven covid doesn't have to upend our lives even if we have to be vigilant, smart and flexible to adapt to what is needed when needed. as your public health department i want to stress that our goal is not to prevent every case of covid. omicron proved that is not possible. our goal is to prevent the worst outcomes severe disease. hospitalizations and deaths. with regard to that, i want to ground ourselves in comparison to last year. last year we lost 165 san franciscans to covid in january of 2021. this month to date we have lost five. now we don't know what covid has

in store for us, but we do have great defenses against this virus. vaccinations and boosters and i expect in the relatively near future effective antiviral medication. we know how to layer defenses. during periods with high transmission when we must protect front line workers and vulnerable by masking, testing improving ventilation. staying home when sick. omicron taught us we have vulnerabilities in the system of care. we need testing to be accessible, affordable and fast to truly use this tool together safely. we are working with our state and federal partners to make rapid over the counter tests easy to come by and requiring the healthcare system partners to step up and do their part with regard to testing as they have done with hospitalization.

we anticipate new tools to become available soon such as retroviral medications to better protect people who are especially vulnerable to severe disease. as we come out of onl omicron we will drop restrictions when and where they may being sense. we acknowledge that individuals have different level of comfort with the risk of covid and because of certain medical conditions. your risk assessment may vary. what you are willing to do with yourself and family may change depending on your risk assessment. individuals may want to adapt to their own risk and comfort level within the conditions stipulated under our health orders. we ask you to be tolerant and work together to make each other

feel comfortable and supported. it is certainly possible we will deal with other variants in the future hopefully, we will be able to wait covid among the other infectious diseases we have to contend with by not letting them up end our lives. san francisco, thank you for all you have done and continue to do as a city and we will continue to get through this together. thank you. questions? >> i am confused. you are saying that the cases are beginning to fall rapidly downward. the surge is not over? >> well, the cases are still high. it depends if you depend surge

as straight up. we are still in the surge. cases are higher than ever before. i just want to make sure that people understand that we are not out of the woods yet. cases are still extremely high. they plateaued and are going down. they are at a high level. we are looking at data from other places where it had been ahead of us and it showed that cases could go up fast come down fast. we are on the downward trend. they could go back up. we hope that is not the case. given where we have been for over two years now, i think the point is cases are starting to come down. hospitalizations are still going up. the rate of increase is starting to slow down. the important news is that hospital capacity still remains robust. we still have capacity to take care of people if they have covid or other medical conditions in the hospital

system that is a key metric going forward. >> what type of restrictions are you talking about? >> well, it will be combination of factors we are looking at. it is too premature to speculate the order they would be lifted. we would look at similar processes by which we have lifted restrictions after the prior surges. it is the layered defenses we required. you know we have had the indoor masking back into place. that is something we would look at in other similar restrictions. i don't want to jump too far ahead. we are still at high rates. hospitalizations are going up. they will level off we expect soon. important thing is after having been through the surges we want

to be responsive in a way that reflects that we need to live with this virus. we don't want to hold onto restrictions waiting for omicron or covid to go away. that is not going to happen any more. we will reach a place where covid is endemic. we will live with the virus. our lifting of restrictions will reflect that new reality. [indiscernable] >> the prior boosters is that going to help us? >> i refer you to the healthcare orders with regard to where people are required to have boosters. our point is that omicron has shown that people need to be up-to-date on vaccinations to be as protected as possible from omicron with regard to hospitalizations which is our goal here. getting people access to

boosters is key. one of the reasons we have been so successful with the surge is because we have a high booster rate. 61% of people vaccinated in the city have received a booster and are up-to-date on vaccinations. that is far higher than the national or state average. we want people to continue to get boosters. we will make them available in the healthcare systems including health department and pharmacy partners. [indiscernable]

>> it is clearly important that we have testing capabilities throughout san francisco that people can trust. unfortunately we have had challenges with bad operators. i really applaud the city attorney's office and the city attorney for taking action and paying close attention to challenges that could arise for people taking the situation for granted. >> it is not unchecked power for the police department. the fact is we want to address the challenges of crime in our city. in facts, you know, everyone is now carrying around all of these gadgets, phones, some someone's face in the public. anyone not law enforcement can see everything going on.

people from all over the city and when you talk about a situation for example what happened in union square. the fact that there was a lot of online chatter our officers were aware and needed another resource through video to observe the behavior and because of our ordinance could not there are a lot of things that could have been prevented based on information we get. we are not only asking to allow this to happen based on evidence. part of my ordinance is to say we have to also report this information like when this is accessed by the san francisco police department it will be made public, it will be provided to the board of supervisors. if there is a need to do an investigation or anything about why they chose to do it and it it wasn't necessary, that will be

dealt with. the goal is to address public safety. the fact we need the tool. responsible use of this tool to do so. [indiscernable] >> my response is that the voters will decide because we are talking about the fact that, you know we have major challenges with public safety. when i say public safety not just about theft. it is about assault and the number of people who have been attacked on our streets, the number of people who have been robbed and as salted. we want to make sure that we are using every tool at our disposable responsibly to keep people from san francisco safe. i don't think what i propose in my ordinance is unreasonable in light of everything that has been happening in san francisco. >> the voters of san francisco support you. go forward with it.

>> thank you very much. from the mouths of citizens. >> mayor could you address the businesses and restaurants in san francisco that have had a lousy christmas. >> everyone had a lousy christmas. >> what words do you have for them for some of the restrictions to be lifted? >> my hope is that yes as dr. colfax said. we also have a responsibility to follow the state orders. mostly when we look at the data hospitalization rates number of people who sadly passed away, it makes it possible for us to potentially remove a significant number of restrictions. i think ultimately regardless of the restrictions that is not keeping people away from these places. it is really not wanting to contract omicron.

that is really what people are focused on is keeping distance to not get it. it is highly infectious and challenging, people are getting it. the good news is that people for the most part are not ending up in the hospitalizations and dying in numbers we experienced this last year before we had access to the vaccine. i am hopeful and optimistic for the future and sadly so many small businesses and restaurants and families and people not able to get together is very, very challenging. my hope is as we begin to reopen and see numbers decline we are careful and go out and support our restaurants. we order pick up from the restaurants and support our small businesses. it is going to take all of us to get through this. part of that is san franciscans

doing more to support our businesses. my drycleaner i have been going to the same drycleaner since i had a drycleaner. i am not getting as many clothes cleaned as before. talking to find out how can i as long time customer be supportive? donations are helpful to the businesses you care about and support in that way. >> thank you very much everyone.

>> the market is one of our vehicles for reaching out to public and showing them how to prepare delicious simple food. people are amazed that the library does things like that. biblio bistro is a food education program. it brings such joy to people. it teaches them life skills that they can apply anywhere and it encourages them to take care of themselves. my name is leaf hillman and i'm a librarian and biblio bistro is my creation.

i'm a former chef and i have been incubating this idea for many years. we are challenged to come up with an idea that will move the library into the future. this inspired me to think, what can we do around cooking? what can i do around cooking? we were able to get a cart. the charlie cart is designed to bring cooking to students in elementary students that has enough gear on it to teach 30 students cooking. so when i saw that i thought bingo, that's what we're missing. you can do cooking classes in the library, but without a kitchen, it's difficult. to have everything contained on wheels that's it. i do cooking demonstrations out at the market every third wednesday. i feature a seafood, vegetable, and i show people how to cook the vegetable.

>> a lot of our residents live in s.r.o.s single resident occupancies and they don't have access to full kitchens. you know, a lot of them just have a hot plate, a microwave, and the thing that biblio bistro does really well is cook food accessible in season and make it available that day. >> we handout brochures with the featured recipe on the back. this recipe features mushrooms, and this brochure will bring our public back to the library. >> libraries are about a good time. >> i hired a former chef. she's the tickle queen at the

ramen shop in rockwood. we get all ages. we get adults and grandparents and babies and, you know school-age kids and it's just been super terrific. >> i was a bit reluctant because i train teachers and adults. i don't train children. i don't work with children, and i find it very interesting and a bit scary, but working here really taught me a lot you know how easily you can influence by just showing them what we have and it's not threatening, and it's tasty and fun. i make it really fun with kids because i don't look like a teacher. >> in the mix, which is our team center, we have programs for our kids who are age 13 to 18 and those are very hands on. the kids often design the menu.

all of our programs are very interactive. >> today, we made pasta and garlic bread and some sauce. usually, i don't like bell pepper in my sauce, but i used bell pepper in my sauce, and it complemented the sauce really well. i also grated the garlic on my bread. i never thought about that technique before but i did it and it was so delicious. >> we try to teach them techniques where they can go home and tell their families i made this thing today, and it was so delicious. >> they're kind of addicted to these foods, these processed foods, like many people are. i feel like we have to do what we can to educate people about

that. the reality is we have to live in a world that has a lot of choices that aren't necessarily good for you all the time. >> this is interesting, but it's a reaction to how children are brought up. it is fast-food, and the apple is a fast-food, and so that sort of changes the way they think about convenience, how eating apple is convenient. >> one of the things that i love about my program out at the market is the surprise and delight on people's faces when they finally taste the vegetable. it's been transformative for some people. they had never eaten those vegetables before but now they eat them on a regular basis. >> all they require is a hot plate and a saute pan, and they realize that they're able to cook really healthy, and it's also tasty. >> they also understand the importance of the connection

that we're making. these are our small business owners that are growing our food and bringing it fresh to the market for them to consume, and then, i'm helping them consume it by teaching them how to cook. >> it connects people to the food that they're buying. >> the magic of the classes in the children's center and the team center is that the participants are cooking the food themselves and once they do that they understand their connection to the food to the tools, and it empowers them. >> we're brokering new experiences for them so that is very much what's happening in the biblio bistro program. >> we are introducing kids many times to new vocabulary. names of seasonings, names of vegetables names of what you call procedures. >> i had my little cooking

experience. all i cooked back then was grilled cheese and scrambled eggs. now, i can actually cook curry and a few different thing zblz and . >> and the parents are amazed that what we're showing them to cook is simple and inexpensive. i didn't know this was so easy to make. i've only bought it in the market. those comments have been amazing and yeah, it's been really wonderful. >> we try to approach everything here with a well just try it. just try it once, and then, before you know it, it's gone. >> a lot of people aren't sure how to cook cauliflower or kale or fennel or whatever it is,

and leah is really helpful at doing that. >> i think having someone actually teaching you here is a great experience. and it's the art of making a meal for your family members and hope that they like it. >> i think they should come and have some good food good produce that is healthy and actually very delicious. >> cooking is one of my biggest passions, to be able to share, like my passion with others, and skills to h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h

h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h >> president walton: good afternoon. welcome to the regular meeting of the san francisco board of supervisors. madam clerk please call the roll. >> clerk: thank you mr. president. [roll call vote] supervisor chan not present.