San Francisco, facing COVID-19 uptick, shutters indoor dining

SAN FRANCISCO — San Francisco health officials announced Tuesday that they would be rolling back several coronavirus reopenings, meaning that indoor dining will be suspended, capacity at gyms and theaters will be reduced and the city’s high schools will have to wait to reopen.

The city has one of the state’s lowest rates of coronavirus cases and deaths and was not forced by state health officials to implement the new restrictions. But health authorities have noticed a recent uptick in cases and decided to act to prevent another surge of infections.

The new restrictions, which go into effect Friday at 11:59 p.m. Pacific time, represent another blow to the city’s famed restaurant industry.

“Unfortunately, we’ve been in this for a long time now, and people are tired and people have gotten complacent,” said Mayor London Breed, who has received national acclaim, and some local blowback, for her handling of the coronavirus.

Unlike many cities statewide, San Francisco has regularly been more restrictive than state mandates in reopening its economy. The payoff has come with a low infection rate, resulting in San Francisco becoming the first urban center in California to enter the least restrictive tier for reopening.

Yet over the last two weeks, health authorities have noticed a rise in the positivity rate for coronavirus that gives them concern. Although they still will allow certain schools to remain open, or reopen, they are ordering high schools to take a pause before resuming classes.

In a news conference Tuesday, Breed and San Francisco’s public health director, Dr. Grant Colfax, also warned San Franciscans to take heed as the holidays approach, recommending cessation of nonessential travel, and to limit holiday gatherings only to household members.