COVID-19 affects San Francisco

Tourist locations in San Francisco closed due to COVID-19.

Museums and multiple other tourist locations in San Francisco have closed due to COVID-19 till the end of March.

 The Academy of Sciences, SFMOMA, Exploratorium, Legion of Honor and other museums in San Francisco have all closed since March 14 due to the executive order from Gavin Newsom  and recommendations of health officials of the State of California to cancel gatherings of 250 people and more.

Mayor London Breed announced on March 13 that the Health Officer of the City and County of San Francisco have issued a Public Health Order that prohibits all non-essential events of 100 or more persons. The order will stay in effect until April 30.

The order has affected the people who work in museums and tourist spots as they are now prohibited from coming in to work. 

Angel Stewart is an associate at the Academy Stores in the Academy of Sciences and has been affected by its closure.

“I can’t go to work for two weeks which means no money! Which sucks because I have upcoming bills due,” Stewart said.

Others have not entirely been affected by the actions of the virus. David Vuong is a sales lead at the Academy Stores that has also been banned from coming into work. He was asked if COVID-19 has affected him.

“Other than stopping my primary source of income temporarily, not badly. I still attend classes online and I have a lot of free time currently,” Vuong said.

It has gone as far that those who are no longer working are now allowed to apply for unemployment for the time being until they are able to return to work.

Places like the Academy of Sciences have stated that they will remain closed to the public until March 31 but that will likely be extended due to the Public Health Order set by Mayor Breed.

As of March 16, San Francisco County, among many other counties in the Bay Area, have announced that they will be on lockdown for the next three weeks. Residents are prohibited from leaving their homes except from buying essentials at grocery stores or going to the doctors.