Colleges have set deadlines for students and staff to show proof of vaccinations for the fall term, mask mandates have gone into effect in eight counties, and San Francisco could be experiencing a boost in tourism from travelers seeking vaccines.
1. Bay Area College Students Prepping to Show Vaccination Proof
California State University students and staff have already started submitting proof of coronavirus vaccinations in preparation of the fall term, although other schools appear to be following suit.
NBC reported CSU leaders had set a September 30 deadline for students and staff to submit proof of vaccination for the fall term. However, that deadline could differ based on the individual campus in question, and NBC had encouraged everyone planning to attend the fall semester to check with the individual campuses before returning.
Students and staff who fail to meet the deadlines or receive exemptions will have to undergo weekly tests as a safety precaution. Anyone refusing those tests can be removed or dropped from residential halls or in-person classes. Anyone with only one dose of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines have until September 10 to show they have been fully vaccinated.
NBC also reported At Cal State Fullerton, more than 20,000 students and faculty at Cal State Fullerton have successfully uploaded their vaccination records. Nearly 38,000 students had been registered for fall classes as of July 20, including the fully remote courses. Likewise, 25,000 students at San Diego State University have also uploaded completed vaccine records.
2. Eight Counties Now Require Masks
Berkeleyside.org reported that, as of August 3, 2021, Alameda, Contra Costa, Marin, San Francisco, San Mateo, Santa Clara, San Francisco, and Sonoma counties have all started requiring masks to be worn in any indoor public settings. Businesses will also be required to implement the indoor face covering order for all employees, and businesses have been recommended to make face coverings available to anyone who could enter their premises.
The report also stated the mandate applies to everyone over the age of 2, regardless of vaccination status.
The decision to require masks comes as the U.S. has been reporting an average of about 677,000 daily vaccinations over the past week as of August 4, according to MSNBC. While Covid vaccinations option remain limited for children under the age of 12, the FDA permitted the use of the Pfizer-BioNTech Covid vaccine for children ages 12 to 15 back in May.
MSNBC also reported Moderna’s vaccine was expected to be authorized for kids as young as 12, and Moderna also plans to expand the size of its clinical trial testing for its vaccine to kids ages 5 to 11.
3. Vaccine Could Aid San Francisco Tourism
International tourism to San Francisco has seen a growth spike in recent weeks, and it’s not just due to new safety plans put in place by tourism groups and the police.
WBAY.com reported people have been flying into the airport from all over the world to get the COVID-19 vaccine from a clinic in the San Francisco International Airport. Since May, the airport has given over 1,000 vaccines to tourists from 58 countries, most of them from Taiwan and Mexico.
And while the airport has suddenly become the destination for vaccinations, officials have been urging the tourists to take advantage of all the local economy has to offer, especially if they can do so safely after getting vaccinated.