Aug 13, 2021
As part of its ongoing efforts to safeguard the community during the pandemic, Chinese Hospital partnered with Chinese Consolidated Benevolent Association (CCBA) and the SF Department of Public Health (DPH) on Friday, August 13th to publicly address the latest COVID-19 trends and provide updates on safety recommendations to the community.
Chinese Hospital and DPH leaders discussed the recent surge in COVID-19 positive cases and hospitalizations due to the Delta variant, urging the community to get vaccinated to slow the spread and prevent severe disease and death.
“Since the beginning of the pandemic, Chinese Hospital has worked closely with its partners to protect the community through robust access to testing, vaccination, and linkage of care,” said Chinese Hospital CEO Dr. Jian Zhang. “Our fight against COVID-19 is not over due to the highly infectious Delta variant. Thankfully, we have a vaccine that is extremely effective in preventing hospitalization and death from COVID-19. If you’re not yet vaccinated, please get vaccinated to protect yourselves and your families from these severe health risks.”
San Francisco Director of Public Health Dr. Grant Colfax, who was not in attendance, echoed the same sentiment about vaccinations.
“With the highly transmissible Delta variant, San Francisco is in the middle of a surge of cases. However, we are still in a better place than many other jurisdictions due to our high vaccination rate,” said Dr. Grant Colfax. “The best way to decrease the spread of COVID-19 is through vaccination. Therefore, the City is requiring proof of vaccination for customers and staff of certain indoor businesses such as bars, restaurants, clubs, and all large indoor events with 1,000 people or more. The past year was a difficult one for everyone and especially for businesses. We want to ensure our economy can thrive once again and that our residents and visitors are safe. Everyone who is eligible should get vaccinated as soon as possible so that we can manage this pandemic as soon as possible.”
Community collaboration, with the support of the City and DPH, has been instrumental to Chinatown’s success in containing outbreaks and minimizing COVID-19 positive cases and hospitalizations.
“I am proud that through Chinese Hospital and its partners’ efforts, Chinatown has remained one of the safest neighborhoods in San Francisco during the pandemic,” said Chinese Hospital Board Chairman Kitman Chan. “Chinese Hospital remains committed to keeping the community safe and working with organizations such as CCBA and SF Department of Public Health to ensure that our community has access to accurate, timely information and testing/vaccination services.”
“Early last year, CCBA and Chinese Hospital held a press event that helped prevent a devastating outbreak and saved lives,” said Larry Yee, CCBA President. “Today our organizations are coming together again in a united effort to prevent another crisis in Chinatown. I am grateful that the community can easily receive vaccination and testing services at Chinese Hospital, as well as a dedicated COVID-19 hotline for any questions or concerns. I encourage everyone to access and use these resources, which will help mitigate the impact of the virus on our community.”
