San Francisco, CA — Mayor London N. Breed and City officials today announced San Francisco’s fourth neighborhood COVID-19 vaccine site. Located at the Local 261 Union building at 3271 18th Street in the Mission District and operated in partnership with the Latino Task Force, the new Mission site is one of three neighborhood sites opening in the next three weeks as the City augments efforts to ensure that highly impacted neighborhoods have equitable access to the vaccine. 

The goal of San Francisco’s vaccination strategy is to make receiving the vaccine as convenient, comfortable and low-barrier for as many people as possible, particularly in those neighborhoods disproportionately affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. In addition to this new site, on April 19, the City will significantly augment operations from one to three days a week with an expanded footprint at a site in Visitacion Valley/Sunnydale at 1099 Sunnydale Avenue, which had been previously run by Bayview Child Health. On April 28, the City will open another neighborhood vaccine access site in the OMI neighborhood at 50 Broad Street. These neighborhoods are home to many Latino, Black, Asian and Pacific Islander residents and essential workers, who have been hardest hit since the onset of the pandemic. 

“The Latino community in San Francisco has been hit hard by COVID-19, and throughout the pandemic we’ve focused on providing this community with the resources they need to stay safe and healthy. We’re continuing that same focus on equity with vaccines and are working with community organizations to locate vaccine sites in neighborhoods that have carried the burden of this pandemic,” said Mayor Breed. “Getting people vaccinated quickly, along with all the other steps we’ve been doing for more than a year now like mask wearing and social distancing, will help us keep each other safe and end this pandemic. This site makes it even easier for people to get vaccinated, right in their own neighborhood.”

The new Mission vaccine site at 18th Street and Shotwell follows the successful launch of the City’s first neighborhood site at 24th and Capp. The site at 24th and Capp was created in February in partnership with UCSF and the Latino Task Force and has vaccinated over 10,000 predominately Latino and Mission residents since opening. The new site is planned to be open Thursdays through Saturdays from 11:00am to 6:00pm. The site will serve people 16 and older who live in priority zip codes and will have an initial capacity of 200 doses per day. 

Given that supply of the vaccine remains extremely limited, the 18th and Shotwell site is by appointment only with limited drop-in availability. Members of the public can sign up for an appointment in person at the 18th and Shotwell site as well as the Mission testing site at 24th and Mission, Wednesday – Sunday, 9am-2pm; at Unidos en Salud at 24th and Capp, Sunday-Wednesday, 9am-2pm; and at the Mission Hub at 701 Alabama Street on Mondays, Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays from 10:00am to 3:00pm. Residents and workers of the priority zip codes 94124, 94134, 94112, 94110, 94107, 94102, 94103, and 94130 can also email LatinoTaskForceSF@gmail.com with any questions. 

The 18th and Shotwell site is located within walking distance from the 16th Street BART station and Muni bus lines, to ensure that it is accessible and convenient for people that it will serve. Muni and Paratransit are free for anyone traveling to and from COVID-19 vaccine appointments. The SFMTA is also providing additional access to taxi service for those using the Essential Trip Card. Information can be found at sfmta.com/COVID and sfmta.com/Paratransit. 

“Bringing vaccines directly to the most vulnerable communities is exactly how we will protect our constituents at the pace we need,” said Supervisor Hillary Ronen. “The Latinx community in the Mission has been hardest hit in the city, and making it easy and convenient to get vaccinated will make all the difference in keeping the Mission healthy and getting San Francisco back on its feet as soon as possible.”

Neighborhood vaccine access sites established with community partners, such as this new Mission site and the future ones in Visitacion Valley and Lakeview/OMI, are one critical piece of a larger network of vaccine distribution that also includes high-volume vaccination sites, community clinics, pharmacy partnerships, and mobile vaccination teams. In addition to the 18th and Shotwell site, the City continues to locate vaccine resources in neighborhoods that have disproportionally carried the burden of COVID-19 and has created neighborhood vaccine access sites in the Mission (24th and Capp), Bayview (1800 Oakdale), and the Excelsior (20 Norton Street).  

Additionally, the City has expanded mobile vaccine teams to the Tenderloin, Visitacion Valley, Treasure Island, Chinatown and other neighborhoods with the highest infection rates for COVID-19 and limited access to health care services. Last week, the City vaccinated 300 residents at Treasure Island and at Ping Yuen, Chinatown’s largest senior living facility.

“As eligibility expands citywide, we remain focused on ensuring equitable access to vaccine for those neighborhoods, like the Mission, that have been most impacted by this pandemic,” said Dr. Grant Colfax. “Thanks to our close partnership with the Latino Task Force, we’ve seen how a neighborhood vaccine site can be successful in drawing members of our community who may not normally feel comfortable going to a traditional healthcare setting to get the vaccine. The supportive and caring atmosphere fostered by our partners goes a long way towards helping people overcome their fears and propels us towards our goal of getting as many vaccines in arms as quickly as possible.”  

Across these efforts, San Francisco is averaging over 11,000 doses a day, and 60% percent of San Franciscans 16 and older have received at least one dose. Thirty-eight percent of San Franciscans have been fully vaccinated. Eighty-four percent of San Franciscans 65 and older have received at least one dose of the vaccine and nearly 70% percent have been fully vaccinated. 

While more than 53% of the Mission neighborhood’s entire population has been vaccinated, testing continues to show that the Latino community is experiencing high rates of new infection, with recent testing revealing that COVID-19 test positivity is 2.3 times higher in the Latino population compared to the general SF population. However, the number of new cases  per month for Latinos is at its lowest point since April 2020 at 262 cases, a 92% percent reduction from 3,216 at the peak of the most recent surge. Latinos have also experienced higher rates of hospitalizations due to COVID-19 across all age groups, not just in the 65 and older population, which is more typical in the general population. However, the City’s hospital census remains low at just 22 patients, down from 259 at the highest point of the winter surge. 

San Francisco’s COVID-19 vaccine dashboard shows that the City’s focus on racial equity in vaccine distribution has been successful. A higher proportion of the DPH-administered vaccinations have gone to people of color than the total citywide vaccinations. For example, the Latino population represents 14% percent of the City’s vaccine eligible population and has received more than 25% of DPH’s vaccinations. The dashboard also shows that the top three neighborhoods receiving the largest amount of DPH-controlled vaccines are the Bayview, Mission and Excelsior.  

Insufficient vaccine supply remains the single biggest factor limiting the City’s vaccination effort. Newly eligible people age 16 and over should visit SF.gov/getvaccinated to learn about options for receiving the vaccine and to find links to book appointments at different vaccination sites. Because supply remains extremely limited while eligibility is expanding, it may take a number of weeks to find an available appointment. Eligible individuals should continue to be patient, should keep checking the website, and should accept the first vaccine that is offered, with the exception of people 16 and 17 years old, for whom Pfizer is currently the only approved vaccine.

“Community led emergency response builds trust, saves lives and ultimately makes San Francisco a much more resilient city. Partners like the Latino Task Force have been instrumental in delivering life saving care and resources to our diverse communities during this global pandemic,” said Mary Ellen Carroll, Executive Director, San Francisco Department of Emergency Management. “As a City we must continue to empower, support and invest in these partnerships as we seek an end to this pandemic and prepare for future emergencies.” 

“San Francisco’s success in creating equitable access to vaccinations has been made possible by the exceptional community partnerships that put our most vulnerable residents first,” said Joaquín Torres, Assessor-Recorder. “The launch of this site is another example that when community leads and the City responds, we can do right by community, provide relief where it’s needed, and push our City towards the healthy and safe recovery that all of us want to see.”

“It has been an honor for the Latino Task Force to partner with the City of San Francisco and also our partners at UCSF. We have had the support of Mayor London Breed since the very beginning of this pandemic. Now, our focus is to offer with dignity and compassion low barrier, easy access to the vaccine for Latinos, BIPOC, elders and young people 16 and older in the Southeast neighborhoods of San Francisco,” stated the Latino Task Force.

Neighborhood Site Information and Appointments 

• Excelsior – Excelsior residents 18 and over can get vaccinated at the new Excelsior neighborhood vaccine site, located at 20 Norton Street. Operating hours are Wednesday through Saturday, from 9:30am-3:30pm on Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays and 12 pm-6pm on Fridays. The site has an initial capacity of 150 doses per day. Given that supply of the vaccine remains extremely limited, the Excelsior site is by appointment with limited drop-in availability. Excelsior neighborhood residents and workers can call Excelsior Strong/Latino Task Force at (415) 562-8638 to schedule an appointment. 
• Bayview – Bayview residents 18 and over can get vaccinated at the Southeast Community Center neighborhood vaccine site (corner of 1800 Oakdale and Phelps, entrance on Phelps) in the Bayview. Hours are 9:30-3:30 Friday, Saturday and Monday. Capacity: 400 doses per day. The Bayview neighborhood vaccine site is by appointment with limited drop-in availability. Bayview residents and workers can call the Rafiki Coalition for an appointment at 415-654-0491 or visit https://rafikicoalition.org/wellness/.  
• Mission (24^th and Capp) – Anyone 16 and over who lives in priority zip codes: Bayview (94124), Visitacion Valley (94134), Excelsior/Outer Mission (94112), Mission/Bernal (94110), Potrero/Dogpatch (94107), Tenderloin (94102), SOMA/Civic Center (94103), and Treasure Island (94130). Hours are Sunday-Wednesday, 9am-4pm. Capacity: 500 doses a day. Contact Unidos en Salud for an appointment at 1-844-965-0987 or visit their website at Bridge Rapid COVID-19 Testing Campaign — United In Health 
• Mission (3271 18th Street) – Anyone 16 and over who lives in priority zip codes:  Bayview (94124), Visitacion Valley (94134), Excelsior/Outer Mission (94112), Mission/Bernal (94110), Potrero/Dogpatch (94107), Tenderloin (94102), SOMA/Civic Center (94103), and Treasure Island (94130). Appointments by walk-up only. Sign-ups on site or at Mission testing site at 24th and Mission, Wednesday – Sunday, 9am-2pm and at Unidos en Salud at 24th and Capp, Sunday-Wednesday, 9am-2pm and at the Mission Hub at 701 Alabama Street on Mondays, Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays from 10:00am to 3:00pm. Email LatinoTaskForceSF@gmail.com with questions.   
• Sunnydale/Visitacion Valley (1099 Sunnydale Avenue) – Launching April 19th. Sunnydale/Visitacion Valley residents 18 and over can get a vaccine by appointment or by drop-in at 9:30am-3:30pm, Monday-Wednesday. This site will be operated in collaboration with FacesSF and Visit Healthcare. Contact FacesSF at 415 239-8705. Email kwu@facessf.org with questions. 
• Lakeview/OMI (50 Broad Street) – Launching April 28 for Lakeview/OMI residents 18 and over on Wednesdays, 10am-6pm; Fridays, 9am-4pm; and Saturdays, 9am-1pm. This site will by appointment and drop-in and be operated in collaboration with the Southwest Community Corporation/I.T. Bookman Community Center and Visit Healthcare. Contact the OMI COVID-19 Hotline for an appointment at 415 712-0313. Email Covid19@itbookmancenter.org with questions. 

Anyone who works or lives in San Francisco and is eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine can go to SF.gov/getvaccinated to find vaccination locations and make an appointment. The City will continue to provide regular updates to the public about the vaccine in San Francisco at SF.gov/covidvaccine. 

In order to assist individuals who are 65 and older and those with disabilities who are unable to easily access the internet or schedule an appointment through their provider, the City has set up a call center to learn about vaccine options and receive assistance in booking an appointment to some locations. The number is (628) 652-2700. Phones are answered 8:30am - 5:00pm Monday through Friday. Callers can leave a message on weekends. 

###