San Francisco, CA — In advance of the weekend, Mayor London N. Breed today renewed her call for all San Franciscans to stay home and only go outdoors for essential trips near their home, such as to the grocery store or pharmacy and for exercise. Both locally-owned and federally-owned parking lots near beaches and major recreational areas have been closed to prevent people from gathering at these locations.

On March 16, the City issued a Public Health Order requiring that residents remain home to reduce the spread of the coronavirus. Non-essential business, playgrounds, pools and gyms remain closed citywide to discourage group activities and community spread of the virus. Parking lots managed by the City and County of San Francisco have been closed at Ocean Beach, the Beach Chalet, the Marina Green, and Little Marina.

Federal parking areas at Baker Beach, West Bluff, Long Avenue, Battery East, Langdon Court, Navy Memorial, Merrie Way, and Sloat Boulevard at Ocean Beach were closed yesterday. The Mayor also requested that the Federal government close East Beach parking lot at Crissy Field and the parking lot at Fort Funston, which will now both be closed.

“We need to stay home for our health care workers, our first responders, our grandparents, and our best friends so they stay safe during this crisis,” said Mayor Breed. “This is not about any one person, it’s about all of us doing our part to keep our community healthy. We can each do our part to stop the spread. Stay home. Together, we can save lives.”

San Franciscans may walk, bike or go for a run, but must maintain at least six feet from others when outdoors, unless they share a household. To prevent the spread of coronavirus, residents should not play team sports or share exercise equipment.

“The health of our community depends on your commitment to stay home to slow the spread of the virus,” said Dr. Grant Colfax, Director of Health. “Our health care workers and first responders are going to work on the front lines, helping those with acute needs. We must all continue to do our part to protect our family, neighbors, and loved ones by recommitting ourselves to staying home and leaving the house only for essential reasons.”

Vulnerable populations, such as people with chronic health conditions, are more likely to become very sick or die as a result of contracting COVID-19, and must stay home as much as possible.

“It’s important that we stay home to make sure we keep our community safe,” said Sarah Wan, Executive Director, Community Youth Center. “Though we might be separated physically, it’s important to stay together emotionally. We still need to look out for one another.”

The goal is to limit face-to-face interactions, but for those who may be isolated during this time, there are ways to stay connected such as talking or video chatting on the phone, emailing or talking through the door.

“We need to stay home for our loved ones. Many people don’t believe that this disease will hurt them, but it’s about protecting those around you who might be vulnerable and those fighting this virus on the frontline. Do this for your elderly grandmother, your sister who is a nurse, or your friend with asthma,” said Márcia Contreras, Deputy Executive Director, Mission Housing Development Corporation.

The City’s Emergency Operations Center (EOC), in partnership with various City agencies, has helped place signage at public locations throughout the city, including parks, playgrounds, and the Embarcadero, to remind the public to remain six feet apart at all times when outdoors. Over the past few weeks, the EOC has disseminated tens of thousands of printed educational materials in multiple languages to residents and businesses about the need to stay home and maintain social distancing.

Public service announcements are also running on radio, digital and social media platforms. In addition, San Francisco created a COVID-19 outreach toolkit for coronavirus that contains flyers, social media graphics, and fact sheets in English, 中文, Filipino, and Español for download and use. This information is available to all communities in San Francisco, the Bay Area, the state and the country. The toolkit can be found at: sf.gov/information/outreach-toolkit-coronavirus. The latest up-to-date information continues to be shared on the City’s SF.gov website, through the City’s AlertSF text messaging system, as well as on social media sites such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and NextDoor.

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