Tech giant Google is determined to get involved in the fight against COVID-19, investing $150 million for vaccine education and equitable access, and partnering with One Medical to open vaccination clinics.
"We've seen a five-fold increase in people searching for information about COVID vaccines, which is a sign to us that people are ready for more information," Dr. Karen DeSalvo, Google's chief health officer, told ABC7 Bay Area.
According to an interview by the media outlet, Dr. DeSalvo says Google Maps will soon provide access for people to find a vaccination site near them.
"We will support the World Health Organization (WHO). In the U.S., the CDC Foundation and local community organizations, because that's where trust is built on the front lines of the neighborhood," she added.
Dr. Karen DeSalvo, Google's Chief Health Officer to ABC7 Bay Area
He also noted that Google will provide the facilities, while One Medica will provide the vaccines in partnership with the Department of Public Health.
For the time being, however, Google will begin with vaccination clinics in the Bay Area, which are expected to be ready in the next few weeks.
For his part, Dr. Andrew Diamond, medical director of One Medical, noted that they have been in talks with the Mountain View tech giant since October 2020 so that vaccination sites could become a reality.
According to Diamond, vaccines are being received from the counties, and he said the goal is to get as many people vaccinated as quickly as possible.
He said the reason for the $199 One Medical membership is to remind people of their second dose and to give them access to their virtual care 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
However, under the partnership with Google, One Medical will offer free trial memberships.
"If you are not already a member of a single doctor, you can get a free membership that lasts 60 days. That's enough time to get your vaccine. The idea is that you can get an appointment, depending on the availability of our schedule, which is based on the amount of vaccine we have.
Dr. Andrew Diamond, Medical Director, One Medical
Google's chief health officer, Karen DeSalvo, said the company is open and willing to work with other medical providers in the future.
"We have facilities in more than 30 states in the U.S., and we can make them available once local public health authorities think they can be useful," he said.
A team of neuroscientists and engineers at Stanford University has developed a system that can display the neural process of decision-making in real time, including the mental process of switching between options before expressing a final choice.
These scientists and engineers developed a system that read and decoded the activity of monkey brain cells while asking them to identify whether an animation of moving dots shifted slightly to the left or right.
The system successfully revealed the monkeys' continuous decision-making process in real time, with the ebb and flow of indecision along the way, according to a paper published by the university.
Subsequently, the researchers were even able to influence the monkeys' final decisions through subliminal manipulations of the movement of dots.
"Basically, much of our cognition is due to ongoing neural activity that is not overtly reflected in behavior, so what's exciting about this research is that we've shown that we can now identify and interpret some of these covert internal neural states."
William Newsome , Professor in the Department of Neurobiology at Stanford University School of Medicine
"We are opening a window into a world of cognition that has been opaque to science until now," added Newsome, who is also the Vincent VC Woo Director of the Wu Tsai Neuroscience Institute .
It is necessary to understand that neuroscience studies of decision making have generally involved estimating the average activity of populations of brain cells in hundreds of trials.
However, this process overlooks the complexities of a single decision and the fact that each instance of decision making is slightly different.
"Cognition is really complex, and when it is averaged over a bunch of evidence, important details about how we arrive at our perceptions and how we make our decisions are lost."
Jessica Verhein, neuroscience student and co-lead author of the paper
For the experiments, the monkeys were fitted with a neural implant the size of a pinky fingernail that reported the activity of 100 to 200 individual neurons every 10 milliseconds while digital dots scrolled across a screen.
The researchers placed the implant in the dorsal premotor cortex and primary motor cortex because, in previous research, they found that neural signals from these areas of the brain convey the animals' decisions and their confidence in those decisions.
If you love plants and don't have the space for a greenhouse, that's not a problem, and the Redwood City Public Library is offering a short course this January 28th online and equipping you with what you need to get started.
This Thursday, from 6:30 to 7:45, through Zoom videoconferencing platform, the bookstore will offer a mini course to create a terrarium in a hanging glass globe, which will look perfect in any part of the house, giving a sense of peace and well-being.
In addition, the small course will give information on how to keep a plant alive with a balance of light, humidity and heat.
Terrarium. Creator: Christopher Prentiss Michel
You will also be able to learn about the types of terrariums and plants in order to be able to carry out other handicraft projects.
Terrarium supplies are available for pick up at the center's library from January 23rd, while supplies last.
Please note that registrations are limited to available supplies, on a first-come, first-served basis.
The course is suggested for people over 12 years old, accompanied by an adult, and only an old tablecloth or newspapers will be asked for the work area to facilitate the cleaning.
After the state of California lifted the statewide "Regional Stay Home Order" this morning, outdoor meals and personal services can resume with the necessary modifications in San Mateo.
Thus, with certain restrictions lifted, the county returns to Level 1 purple in the state's four-level color-coded system to reduce and tighten restrictions.
"This is encouraging news, but we must warn the public that COVID-19 is still widespread across the country, with nearly 420,000 Americans having died from the virus in less than a year.
This is a great sigh of relief for our struggling small businesses, but we still have a long way to go before life returns to normal. Science and data tell us that wearing our masks stops the spread. So I'll repeat once again, wear your damn mask!"
David J. Canepa, Chair of the San Mateo County Board of Supervisors
The state lifted the order after projections of the Bay Area's four-week intensive care unit (ICU) capacity are above 15 percent, the threshold that allows regions to exit the order, the county said in a statement.
Thus, the order of limited home stay, which limits non-essential activities between 10 p.m. and 5 a.m., expires when the order of regional home stay ends.
In that regard, San Mateo County specified that it follows all applicable restrictions and guidelines of COVID-19 of California and is fully aligned with the State Plan for a Safer Economy .
Therefore, as of today, open-air restaurants can reopen as long as they respect the modifications - takeaway and open delivery with modifications -, while open-air meetings are now permitted, as long as no more than three households meet.
Similarly, they will be able to open the places of worship outdoors only with modifications, cinemas, gyms and fitness centers, museums, zoos and outdoor aquariums.
In the case of Hairdressers, Barbershops and Personal Care Services, these may be opened provided they comply with the appropriate modifications for Level 1 Purple.
All retailers - except independent grocery stores - and shopping centres, will be able to open with a maximum capacity of 25 percent.
However, common areas as well as food courts will remain closed, and offices for non-essential workers will remain remote.
Playgrounds and recreational facilities are also reopened, provided they are outdoors and with certain modifications.
While there are positive signs that the virus is spreading at a slower rate across the state, the VID-19 pandemic is far from over, so it remains critical that Californians continue to wear masks outside the home, maintaining a distance of at least two meters from other people.
Also wash your hands frequently and avoid meetings and mixing with other households.
As of Sunday, January 24, 2021, the San Mateo County Health Department reported 34,294 confirmed cases of COVID-19 and 340 deaths.
Following the January 6 insurrection on Capitol Hill, QAnon, one of the main conspiracy theories of the extreme right in the United States, has become more important, as it is believed to be expanding its strength to other countries and may even become a new religion.
QAnon - short for Q-Anon - emerged in 2017, when an individual began posting under the pseudonym Q on the 4chan forum, which claimed to have access to confidential national security information in the United States.
To date, the theory has gained greater force due to the various conspiracies that are exposed through youtubers that have been hooked on such claims and today could be a real threat to internal security.
This was pointed out by Meili Criezis, a partner in the Innovation Program at the Polarization and Extremism Research Laboratory at American University in Washington, who added that QAnon's core beliefs are basically two elements: "the belief that there is a world controlled by a satanic group of pedophile elites, and the second is the prediction that these individuals will be exposed and executed when 'Recognition Day' comes.
Thus, this group of people who follow such conspiracy theory believe that eventually this Day of Recognition will come, while "conspiracy theorists consider the events on Capitol Hill to be part of the 'storm' before the calm.
The fact is that Donald Trump is part of the equation in such a daring conspiracy theory, since QAnon supporters consider the former American president to be "the one", that messiah who will expose all that network of pedophile Democrats and help the country become a superstate that will help, especially, the Caucasian race.
"A significant portion of Donald Trump's supporters have been attracted to the conspiracy theory, and I suppose it's interesting to think about what this could mean for the Republican Party itself and its future," Criezis said.
While for many of these supporters, the outcome on Capitol Hill on January 6 was not what they expected and they did not achieve their goal - of Donald Trump staying in power - so they began to question "the plan," there are those who are expressing greater loyalty and confidence in the conspiracy theory.
He noted that although companies such as Twitter and Facebook have cancelled and closed accounts for these types of groups, they find ways to communicate through other means, such as WhatsApp and Telegram messaging systems, in addition to Heavenly, Fortune and Parler.
"Although Facebook is trying to eliminate them, and they're doing a good job on Twitter, they still find a way forward despite everything... they're everywhere," he said during the session "Q-Anon, Domestic Terrorism and Threat to Democracy," conducted by Ethnic Media Services.
The associate member of the Global Network on Extremism and Technology noted that QAnon supporters have included other extremist groups on their lists, such as white supremacists or "proud boys.
He noted that, according to several researchers, the QAnon phenomenon has reached places like Canada, Germany and even Japan, in addition to 68 other countries. "It has definitely spread to many countries. The way these conspiracies are taking place in other countries is specific to that environment, so they will not necessarily follow the American context".
For his part, Colin P. Clarke, assistant professor of politics and strategy at Carnegie Mellon Institute, noted that the people who demonstrated at the Capitol are "fanatics or evangelical-Christian religious extremists who see Trump as the second coming of Christ.
This, he said, could be seen in the clothing and objects that the people who participated in the violent demonstrations on January 6 were made to wear, and even images related to the neo-Nazi movement could be seen.
"There is a large dose of anti-Semitism that serves as the connective tissue, so to speak, among many of these groups, in some of them, you also see aspects of misogyny. Especially in the 'proud boys' type and some of the white supremacist type," he said.
The fact is that the acts that took place on Capitol Hill must be re-evaluated, and viewed as "violent domestic extremism.
He explained that "there is a real type of struggle at this time within the federal government within the think tanks and the Academy to establish the right terminology and it is going to be just one of the many challenges we have as we think about how to combat this threat.
The other big challenge, he said, is that there is no domestic terrorism designation, but it is possible that the current federal administration, headed by Joe Biden, will take action.
"The First Amendment right to privacy, which comes into play and must be carefully weighed against any benefits of a domestic terrorism statute, is a solution that people have raised and I think is quite attractive because it is making domestic terrorism a federal crime," he said.
Clarke noted that hate crimes are even considered a different category of crime "and there are many cases where violence has been perpetrated against racial and ethnic minorities that could be qualified in this category - domestic terrorism.
In this regard, he said that the FBI is in charge of domestic issues, the CIA has responsibility for international issues, but now it is necessary to see the links between citizens and groups operating abroad.
"We can work with partners and allies abroad to share information and cooperate on intelligence, extradition, surveillance, reconnaissance and other issues," he said, adding that there is intervention, particularly by Russia, that seeks to fund groups like QAnon that seek to destabilize the country.
The specialist highlighted that one in five people arrested for the insurrection in the Capitol was ex-military, which means they had the capacity and training to bring the demonstrations to a critical point.
"I think these groups are actively recruiting veterans because they have training in the use of weapons and in most cases they have training in operational security and not only does it bring a certain prestige or credibility to a group, but it is also a force multiplier for the group from a tactical perspective," he said.
Ricardo Corzo Moreno, a theologian specializing in Latino churches and former president of the Multiethnic Group of the Presbyterian Church in the United States, pointed out that the fact that Latinos participated in the events that took place on Capitol Hill is that 70 percent of that community is Catholic and another 20 or 25 percent is evangelical.
"Religion has a view that it is very strong in creating bonds in the community and something you have to understand is that it will not allow this world to eventually be divided," he said.
Most of the Latinos who attended the January 6 protests in Washington were evangelicals, and they, he said, "have what we call a literal understanding of the Bible," which even reads in a prophetic and apocalyptic way.
For many of these evangelicals, Donald Trump is God's anointed according to many of the prophecies, "and this is really important to understand their psychological concept when talking to evangelicals about someone being ordained by God.
Corzo Moreno said he was concerned that acts such as those seen on Capitol Hill and QAnon theories could lead to the creation of a new religion, and that it could even cross borders outside the United States.
The above, after several photographs taken on January 6 in the country's capital, the participants carried all kinds of objects and images related to religion, such as the cross, knelt, prayed, filled Bibles and rosaries with them, which links every day, a little more to politics, conspiracy and religion.
Gov. Gavin Newsom, Senate President Pro Tem Toni Atkins and Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon issued a joint clarification Monday on the extension of the moratorium on evictions, which protects California residents from losing their homes to the effects of COVID-19.
"The COVID-19 continues to devastate communities across our state and too many Californians are one paycheck away from losing their apartments or homes. These families need protection and relief now," said California Governor Gavin Newsom.
The official said that this agreement to extend the moratorium on evictions will protect tenants and small owners from losing their homes until June 30 this year.
He added that work is already underway "as quickly as possible to implement California's portion of the latest federal stimulus bill, ensuring that up to $2.6 billion in tenant assistance is administered quickly, equitably and responsibly.
"These critical federal funds, targeted at the most at-risk households with rent arrears, will help tenants stay afloat during and after this pandemic. Tenants with qualified incomes and their landlords may choose to receive direct rental assistance in exchange for forgiveness of prior rental debt," he said.
In that regard, he noted that the moratorium on evictions and the rapid deployment of funds to those most at risk are among the state's priorities; however, there is still work to be done to address the crisis of the structural cost of housing in California.
"The pandemic aggravated these problems, it didn't create them. And our work to address these fundamental problems must continue with urgency and resolution," Newsom said.
The President of Mexico, Andrés Manuel López Obrador, and his counterpart from the United States, Joseph R. Biden Jr., held a telephone conversation this Friday afternoon in which they agreed to strengthen and strengthen the collaboration between both governments, based on mutual respect and shared hope, for the benefit of both peoples.
From Monterrey, the Mexican president congratulated President Biden for his recent protest, while expressing his best wishes for his administration, as well as his government's willingness to work together on the broad bilateral agenda.
The Mexican Ministry of Foreign Affairs -SRE- pointed out that during the conversation, which took place in a cordial tone, President López Obrador celebrated the recognition of the contributions of the Mexican migrant community in the United States.
In turn, he said that Mexico reiterated the thesis that the basic solution to the migration phenomenon is linked to the promotion of development in the communities of origin.
The two presidents agreed that teams from both countries will work together to advance a common approach to development and well-being.
The heads of state also discussed the challenge posed by the COVID-19 pandemic and stressed that effective cooperation among nations is required to combat it.
In this regard, they agreed that their governments will work together to address various challenges arising from the global health situation.
The President of Mexico was accompanied by the Secretary of Foreign Affairs, Marcelo Ebrard Casaubón, as well as by Alfonso Romo Garza.
For 17-year-old Paula "N", everything was going great with her boyfriend, a 20-year-old, after a couple of months of dating, the COVID-19 pandemic came and got in the way of the two continuing to see each other.
A month later he asked her for a picture, one of those where skin takes center stage, he went from asking her to show her back to one of her naked torso, and six pictures later she was already naked on her smartphone -Smartphone-.
Two weeks later Paula was on the devices of all of Carlos' friends, she found out from a friend who told her and showed her what they were saying about her. She called her boyfriend and questioned him for spreading the images she had lovingly sent her, he denied everything and ended up saying, "You're crazy. We'd better leave her there, I'll be damned.
Paula did not stop crying for days, she felt fear, courage, shame and disgust. At one point she even thought about hurting herself if her parents found out. She decided not to do anything legally because "whoever is going to listen to me, there are many who have the same problem, I won't do it again," she told Peninsula 360 Press in an interview.
Paula's case is becoming more and more commonplace, the same thing has happened to some of her friends, she tells us. However, there are also some girls who seek to be part of that movement which they call "FedEx" or "Zelda", the first name referring to the delivery of packages or in this case, send the "pack", while the second name evokes the video game where Link is the main character, and by this they mean passing a link to download images of a sexual nature.
Jorge "N"'s case was different, he was 17 when it all happened, he's gay, but his parents didn't know it until one of his cousins showed them a website where videos of him masturbating appear. His parents questioned him about it, Jorge got up the courage to tell them everything.
Miguel was a guy she met on a social network called Grinder, everything started in March and by April they were already dating, they talked about everything, but things quickly escalated to a sexual dialogue.
Until before the pandemic they met several times, after the confinement everything went to the virtual, through WhatsApp, Miguel demanded more and more "material" to be able to advance in the relationship, but the insistence led Jorge to get tired and end the relationship.
Miguel got upset and told Jorge that if the relationship did not continue, everyone would find out about his private life. And so he did. He uploaded the videos and photographs to a pornography site, where Jorge could no longer do anything.
"I've gone down in flames. The truth is I was beautiful, I liked it, I fell in love, and I swear I never thought about what I would do with my videos. I was so afraid that people I know who didn't know I was gay would know. The good thing was that my parents understood the situation and supported me, but I never heard from him again, he didn't answer my messages or return my calls. It was all over. You have to be careful," he said.
At some point Jorge thought of denouncing him, however, he did not because of the stigma that exists for people from the LGBTTTIQ+ community. "They don't get us off as whores, and they think we even like to be exposed. The police don't know how to act with us and they are macho.
According to the academic, activist and "hackfeminist", Irene Soria Guzmán, it is very possible to lose the notion that the Internet is a space that everyone builds, however, to the use of social networks and messaging platforms, this place becomes private and has specific rules that often do not protect the user, and more so women.
"-The Internet- is not the public square, and even though it seems that it is, it is not, -the young people- they are having an affective relationship under the rules of these applications," said the specialist.
In an interview, he noted that sometimes young men share their intimate photographs as a form of belonging or as a token of affection, while their male peers abuse that trust and share their images.
He added that men, too, have been taught that they have the right to appropriate women's bodies, and that only they can enjoy such photographs.
"Most cases of distribution or dissemination of photographs without consent are made by men," he said. "Girls share these pictures often feeling pressured or feeling that they are going to gain some validation in a group or that they are going to be part of something, and these young men take advantage of that. It comes from a patriarchal education.
For most men, sharing sexually explicit photographs is like sharing achievements and treasures that they have gained after violating young women's trust, "they simply see it as community support," explained Irene Soria.
He also recalled that, after studies, it has been observed that young people circulate the photographs or videos of these women, using keywords in various messaging platforms, to avoid being detected when they request or send the images.
In the face of this, he pointed out, "it is necessary to empower young women and girls, because they have every right to say no to requests, to be worth no less for saying no, on the contrary, if they do not want to, do not feel good about it and it is not something that satisfies them, they have the right to say no. They do not teach us to set limits".
"Empower yourself, empower your body, it's yours, it's your rules. Whatever you want to happen is going to happen and no one has to pressure you to do anything at all, that includes waxing, wearing a skirt or not wearing makeup. You're worth it for what you are," she said.
"Young people must know that just as they have the right to set limits in the physical, they must also set limits in the virtual," he added.
Although the discovery of sexuality is very normal, it is important to consider that there are methods and tools that can help and facilitate virtual interaction with a sexual nature.
There are messaging platforms such as Telegram or Signal that allow the self-destruction of photos and videos, in addition to the person who is sharing these images, can have control of the time you want them to be seen.
In turn, these platforms allow you to have encrypted messaging, and secret me so neither party can take screenshots, and warns the other participant if the other person has attempted any action to obtain the information recorded there.
To this, Irene added that it is essential that when a photo or video is taken, the face, tattoos or particular signs are not shown so that it can be verified which person is the one who issued the images.
There are also applications that allow censorship or distortion of certain parts of the image, so that they are not shown in their entirety.
In addition, if the images were taken with a mobile phone or tablet, the devices must have security passwords to protect their photos and videos, and the passwords must be changed from time to time to prevent someone from misusing them, Soria Guzman said.
Sexting and sexual behaviors
A comprehensive analysis of 23 studies on adolescent sexual behavior, involving 41,723 participants, revealed that adolescent sexting is associated with a number of risk factors for youth, including multiple sexual partners, lack of contraceptive use, and mental health problems such as anxiety, behavioral depression, and substance use.
According to a study conducted by the University of Calgary and published in the medical journal JAMA Pediatrics, there is a need for educational campaigns that raise awareness of digital health, safety and behaviour issues to help young people navigate their personal, social and sexual development in a digital world.
"Sexting has become the newest method of expressing sexual behavior in adolescents. It is common and increasing," said Dr. Sheri Madigan, PhD, an associate professor in the Department of Psychology at the University of Calgary, who was responsible for the study.
"Our previously published research suggests that one in four teens receives sexual messages and one in seven sends them. We also know that most young people don't talk about this at home," he added.
The study also revealed that 49 percent of parents have no intention of talking to young people about their sexual health online or off, "so it's really a coin toss to know if young people are going to learn about safe, legal and ethical digital practices for their parents.
That's why sexting should be incorporated into the sex education curriculum in schools, said Camille Mori, a master's student at Madigan's Determinants of Child Development Lab and lead author of the JAMA Pediatrics article.
"More than anything, this study is a call for more and better education," says Mori. "We need to have those conversations about consent. Not just in terms of sexual consent, but also around image distribution. What does consent mean in the digital age? What do you do when you receive messages? And what is your responsibility when someone shows you or forwards someone else's text message? We need to talk about ethics and the consequences of this on both sides," he said.
The 23 studies analyzed for the JAMA Pediatrics article included adolescents aged 12 to 17, and the studies were conducted between 2012 and 2018. The meta-analysis examined studies from around the world, most of them based in North America, but also from countries such as Nigeria, Korea, Australia, Peru and others.
Laws and sexting
It should be noted that in the case of California, when sexting is consensual and occurs between adults it is perfectly legal under state law, so if each party agrees to send nude videos, sexually explicit videos or flirtatious messages, there are no regulations against it.
However, there are several ways in which sexting becomes a criminal act and can result in significant charges.
On the one hand, sexting requires the consent of all persons involved. If one person does not consent to these messages, the other must immediately stop sending messages, photos, videos or audios, otherwise he or she may be accused of harassment.
The "Porn Revenge"
In addition to disseminating sexual messages or images without consent, sexting can also become illegal if a party shares private images or videos that it received without the owner's consent.
This often occurs after a breakup, as a member may be angry and choose to leak their ex's nudes, but this is a clear violation of California's Revenge Porn Laws or the California Penal Code, and can result in up to six months in a county jail and a $1,000 fine for the first offense.
In addition, a second offense can double the penalty and, if the case involves a minor, becomes a child pornography case, which can be charged as a misdemeanor or felony and may require the defendant to register as a sex offender.
Sexting between adults and minors is a crime
Anytime an adult sends an inappropriate or sexual message, image or video to a minor, it is illegal and can result in multiple charges. If an adult sends a lewd message to a minor, it is a violation of the California Penal Code.
Also, if an adult receives a sexually explicit image or video of a minor and keeps it, it would be a violation of the state's Revenge Porn Laws.
It should be noted that if an adult offers money to a minor in exchange for sexual activity, it may result in a charge of solicitation of a minor.
California law has very strict laws about interactions between adults and minors and will take any act of sexting with someone 17 or younger very seriously.
Even in cases where the sexting occurred between two minors, if one of them is 16 or 17 years old, he or she can be charged in adult court rather than in juvenile court, however, these cases may remain in juvenile court, which will have milder penalties, but the parents of the accused must still seek a lawyer to form a defense.
San Mateo County filed a lawsuit Thursday to close the Pacifica Beach Yoga studio for repeatedly refusing to comply with state public health orders due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The violations include holding "maskless" yoga classes indoors when all indoor gyms, fitness centers and yoga studios are under state health orders to cease operations, the city council said in a statement.
In that regard, the county detailed that the owner of the study has rejected repeated requests from San Mateo staff to voluntarily comply with public health orders.
"This business has left us no choice," said San Mateo County Counselor John Beiers. "Our community expects that when their state government imposes homestay laws, those laws will be applied fairly and equitably to ensure that everyone plays by the same rules.
The lawsuit filed in San Mateo County Superior Court seeks an order for the owner of the studio to comply with all public health orders by COVID-19 and immediately stop all indoor operations.
So far, the county's COVID-19 Business Compliance Team has received 26 online complaints since late October against Pacifica Beach Yoga alleging health order violations.
Following visits and warnings to the study, a county compliance officer issued an initial $250 citation on November 14, 2020. After subsequent citations, the fines imposed so far total $3,750.
During a hearing, Judge Danny Chou granted the county's request for a temporary restraining order to close Pacifica Beach Yoga immediately.
The hearing on the preliminary order is set for February 4, 2021, at which time the court will evaluate the need to continue with the order.
"We have a simple and clear message here in San Mateo County: 'Wear your damn mask. It's not about you, it's about everyone around you, including your friends, your loved ones and the people you don't even know who you're in contact with," said David J. Canepa, chairman of the Board of Supervisors.
Pacifica Beach Yoga is the first business against which the County has filed a lawsuit for failure to comply with health care orders.
Due to the pandemic and limited ICU capacity, San Mateo County remains under a Regional Stay-At-Home Order that requires most indoor businesses to close and people to stay home, except for essential needs and other limited exceptions.
The City of San Francisco on Friday opened the city's first high-volume COVID-19 vaccination site at San Francisco City College, which was established to help the city reach its goal of vaccinating all residents by June.
The vaccination site on the university's main campus on Ocean Avenue is being operated by the city and staffed by health care workers from the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF).
However, for now, appointments will be by invitation only because supplies remain limited.
Once fully operational, the city expects to be able to vaccinate up to 3,000 people per day at the site, and once more doses of the vaccine are secured, the city expects to increase that number to 10,000 people per day.
"Large vaccination sites, such as this one at City College, will be critical to ensuring that people are vaccinated quickly and safely, and that our city is on the road to recovery," Mayor London Breed said in a statement.
"San Francisco has a plan and we are ready to distribute 10,000 doses per day once we have enough vaccine. To fully implement this plan, we need more vaccine and will continue to do everything we can to be ready when our vaccine supply increases," he added.
According to city officials, the City College site is the first of three planned vaccination sites. The other two sites that will open in the coming weeks are under construction at the Moscone Center in the South of Market neighborhood and the San Francisco Market in the Bayview.
After opening the three sites, the city hopes to expand vaccination efforts to other neighborhoods such as Mission, Western Addition and Chinatown, with the goal of eventually vaccinating virtually all residents by June.
Dr. Grant Colfax of the San Francisco Department of Public Health called Friday's launch "an important milestone" in ending the pandemic.
"While the supply of vaccine arriving in San Francisco remains extremely limited, this site and the other high-volume vaccination sites that will open in the coming weeks will provide the physical space, medical personnel, and logistical processes to efficiently administer the vaccine when needed," he said.
Because the vaccine is distributed to health care providers through the California Department of Public Health, the city has little control over the delivery process.
According to the state's immunization plan, Phase 1A includes health workers and residents in long-term care facilities. Level One of Phase 1B includes persons 65 years of age or older and those working in food, agriculture, education, child care, and emergency services.
City officials said the city still needs at least 420,000 doses of the vaccine to complete Phase 1A and vaccinate people 65 and older.
The city encourages those who live or work in San Francisco to register at www.sf.gov/vaccinenotify to be notified once they are eligible to receive the vaccine.
