FOCUS OF COVID-19 PANEL UNVEILED
Vaccine equity, building on city’s efficient policy changes among priorities
The San Diego City Council’s newly created COVID-19 response and recovery committee will focus on vaccine equity, the city’s use of federal aid, reviving tourism and promoting innovations prompted by the pandemic.
The committee also will evaluate the effectiveness of city policies enacted during the pandemic, particularly regarding homelessness and small businesses, and whether they yielded any long-term lessons.
The committee’s recently unveiled work plan says the panel will also focus on guiding San Diego’s recovery from COVID-19 and helping the city be prepared for future pandemics.
“The committee should plan for future pandemics by reflecting on lessons learned in the past year and develop recommendations in the event the city faces a similar situation in the future,” said Council President Dr. Jennifer Campbell, committee chairwoman.
Campbell is joined on the committee by Councilmembers Marni von Wilpert, Stephen Whitburn and Sean Elo-Rivera.
In memos summarizing their ambitions for the committee, members agreed that a priority should be “silver linings” changes — innovations forced by the pandemic that have turned out to be more efficient or effective ways to do things.
“We have adapted and made radical changes in our way of life, and some of those changes are positive,” von Wilpert said. “The committee should discuss the ability to capture and build upon some of these improvements.”
Examples include loosening outdoor dining rules, moving building permit approvals online and allowing public testimony at council meetings using Zoom instead of requiring in-person attendance.
A proposed state law, AB 339, would require local governments to continue allowing online participa
tion at public hearings.
“The committee should discuss and bring forward a resolution supporting AB 339 and be a leader statewide in democratizing local government,” Elo-Rivera said.
The committee will also monitor city vaccination efforts, which are being led by the Fire-Rescue Department.
During the committee’s meeting Monday, Deputy Chief Chris Heiser said the city has administered 65,783 vaccinations, including 40,682 at Petco Park and 19,813 in Balboa Park.
The committee plans to home in on vaccine equity, including how vaccines are distributed to underserved communities, homebound seniors and people with disabilities.
Committee members said they also plan to address hurdles like vaccine hesitancy, language barriers and the digital divide — where lack of broadband Internet in lowincome areas makes it harder to schedule vaccine shots.
Members said they plan to explore mobile vaccination vehicles and pop-up vaccine centers to serve every community in San Diego.
Another focus will be the city’s use of $306 million in federal pandemic aid it was awarded this spring. That’s on top of $248 million in federal aid last year, and other government aid in the form of small-business loans and rent relief.
Committee members said they plan to evaluate how the city has spent the money from effectiveness and equity perspectives.
The committee also plans to consider ways to help San Diego’s tourism economy revive and explore ways to help the city’s arts and cultural institutions recover post-pandemic.
A key policy the committee plans to review is a city ordinance requiring hotels to rehire laid off workers based on seniority. The goal of the policy was to prevent hotels from using the pandemic to replace many of their higherpaid veteran workers.
Campbell said it makes sense to have a city committee focused on the long-term impacts of the pandemic.
“We must also acknowledge that our response is only the beginning of a long-term recovery process that will require bold, thoughtful leadership now and in the future,” she said.