SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. (KRON) – “This surge continues with no signs of slowing,” said San Francisco Health Director Dr. Grant Colfax.
During an online briefing, Monday, San Francisco health director Dr. Grant Colfax said COVID cases in San Francisco have ticked up 50% since Thanksgiving with nearly 2,900 now diagnosed.
And hospitalizations have doubled during the same period from 73 to 148.
“If the hospital census keeps rising at the current rate, San Francisco will run out of ICU beds within the next 3-4 weeks.”
While grim, that is better than the initial projections which had San Francisco running out of ICU beds a day or two after Christmas.
And Colfax also made it clear the new vaccine is not going to help with the current surge.
“The hope of this vaccine will not crush this curve. And with limited supply, the vaccine will not save us from this current increase and surge in hospitalizations.”
While ICU capacity in the Bay Area region stands just above 17%, San Francisco data reflects a better situation with ICU capacity at 30%, but Colfax says hospitalizations run 2 weeks behind cases, so it is bound to get worse.
“Please, don’t travel, protect loved ones, do your part, sacrifice this year, so we can be together next year. Stay home, do not gather, wear a mask. our actions do save lives.”
And colfax says the actions San Franciscans take over the next few weeks will determine what the next few months will look like.