When Mayor London Breed informed us that Houses of Worship will be allowed to reopen on Monday, June 15, we thought we would be following the State’s guidelines. However, the San Francisco Health Department issued its own order on June 15. According to Dr. Tomás Aragón, Health Officer for SF and an Infection Disease Doctor who is a native of SF, having attended St. James elementary and Riordan HS, the City’s Phase 2 guidelines are more cautious than other Counties. He explained that the Reproduction (R) rate is the number to keep and eye on. If the R is 1, then one person can infect another person. However, if the R is 5, then 1 person can infect 5 others. He said currently, San Francisco has a R of about 1 and they’re trying to keep it low. Ideally, if the R number is a negative number, then the overall infection rate would be less than 1 individual per infected person. He adds that once infection increases, he can’t undo the infection. But by being cautious, he can slowly open up the City and business activities while trying to maintain the R close to 1.
Currently, SF Health Order for the number of people allowed to remain in indoor activities like restaurants and Houses of Worship is still zero. No one is allowed to gather inside yet. However, they do allow up to 12 people to gather outside. Which means that we cannot open up our Churches for masses with the public just yet.. We are allowed to gather with a small group indoors to hold livestream masses and to hold outdoor masses for up to 12 people. Because of this, St. Anne will not be open for public masses until we hear otherwise. We will continue live-streaming masses at our regular time, Mon-Sat at 8:45am; Sundays at 5pm Saturday Vigil, 10am & 12pm (Chinese).
Thank you for your patience and understanding. We continue to pray for a containment of and a cure for this disease. And may all who’ve been infected recover fully, may those who have died find eternal peace with our Heavenly Father and may all who lost of loved one, find comfort from our Loving God. Good St. Anne, pray for us!!!
– Fr. Dan
