San Francisco and Covid-19: What Went Right and Lessons Learned

[@marisol8332]

There was a UCSF COVID19 Town Hall back in Feb (I believe) before the SF shelter in place mandate, where a number of workers, I believe mostly nurses, including myself, raised concerns that our hospitals did not seem ready to take on a COVID19 surge. It was a recorded meeting so I believe that it is archived. I am very grateful for the Health Directors who went to talk to Mayor Breed in person and that Mayor Breed actually listened to their concerns. Back then, the voices raising alarm bells were in the minority and from what I saw, were made to feel like we were in the minority. I am very grateful for the courage that it took for those in leadership positions to speak up about preparing for this pandemic in a more timely manner because those actions likely saved countless lives.

[@daveninjaneuro7089]

We've now seen it's impossible to separate politics and public health. However, it's just something we'll have to accept and affect via electing the right officials to take care of all of us.

[@dontworrybehappy5139]

I may be overly optimistic, but I think we still have a chance to return to a more normal time when the CDC, NIH, FDA and other scientific departments are not being muzzled, edited or overruled by the politicians on matters of science.

[@buzzpedrotti5401]

Thanks again. Proud of UC. Terrific people.

[@patriciahoke4722]

SF mayor is refreshing!

[@buzzpedrotti5401]

A mix of health issues & politics in the introduction. But there is no denying your amazing success. Still trying to understand the evidence of whether SF is lucky or which successful measures are different from other US cities, particularly nearby LA. Well done.

[@kimberlyruiz5527]

Hoping to be attending some of your School’s classes someday! :)

[@kennyw871]

Perhaps this is better left to historians, but it's impossible to discuss the pandemic without mentioning the actions and inactions on the part of our president and his administration. Not long before the virus reached our shores, America was judged to be the best prepared country in the world for a national/international health care crisis. Yet, America performed the worst out of 194 countries and the pandemic is far from over. Here we are nine months into a pandemic and the president still has not issued a national mask mandate and other risk reduction methods. Our well prepared and rehearsed contingency plans did not consider direct government interference, especially on the part of the president, but they will have to in the future. As we go forward, cities like San Franciso, should be the model demonstrating how government and health professionals working together minimized the catastrophic effects on morbidity, mortality and the economy from a virus impervious to human suffering, like our president.

[@eastwestcoastkid]

Point well taken.

[@lcbinford]

Is there a new Covid-19, more transmissible, able to pass beyond masking and hand washing?

[@eship6314]

San Francisco has 174 deaths per million (DPM), quite lower than El Centro, CA (1,800 DPM)...Per CDC : Hispanic/Black/Native American are 4x more likely to be hospitalized than White/Asian. El Centro has 74% at risk ethnic groups, while San Francisco only has 20%. Obesity rate is another factor (only 12% SFO, while El Centro at 34%). But, lets pat ourselves on the back and take credit for doing superb job compared to other parts of country, when we're doing good just for being a mostly lean yellow/white town. JFK said it best, victory has a thousand fathers and defeat is an orphan....New studies show Japan has 48% infection rate (more than twice NYC's 20% seroprevalence rate), but near low deaths. Only 3.4% obesity rate in Japan, but 32% here in chubby USA. We blame people that don't wear a mask, but why don't we blame folks that eat junk food and don't exercise. Japan never did a lockdown.