Vaccine Rollout Information 

On Wednesday, February 24th, restaurant workers will be eligible for the COVID-19 Vaccine. Supply is still limited and the City is encouraging workers to get vaccinated at a location that is near where they live, which can be in multiple counties. Our already limited vaccine supply has also been heavily impacted by the storms throughout the United States. Because our effective date for Tier 1B is technically tomorrow, the sites might not yet reflect the current tier information.

To sign-up for a vaccine in San Francisco, you can go to https://sf.gov/get-vaccinated-against-covid-19 which has links to multiple available locations. If you are unable to sign up for an appointment, keep checking the website as locations and availability will change. Note that if you are a food or agriculture worker, you will be eligible to sign up. Be sure to check that you are eligible per your county’s requirements on the sign up page of the site.

You may be asked to verify your eligibility status, for example, with a paystub or letter from your employer. Providers are required to use reasonable processes to verify eligibility criteria and to avoid overly burdensome documentation requirements. Requirements will vary by site. Specific proof of eligibility requirements will be listed when you register or on your confirmation notice.

You’re Invited: IRC + White House Staff Meeting

On Wednesday, February 24th at 10am PT, the Independent Restaurant Coalition (IRC) will host the White House Office of Public Engagement for a special Zoom meeting focused on the COVID-19 Recovery Plan. The White House wants to present President Biden’s plan, discuss the RESTAURANTS Act, and get feedback from the restaurant and bar community. 
 
You and your staff are invited to join this call. This Zoom meeting is the first time the White House will address questions from the independent restaurant and bar community. Click HERE to RSVP. 
 
If 2021 has shown anything, it’s that independent restaurants have a seat at the table like never before. Now, we have an unprecedented opportunity to share our perspective directly with the White House. The more people who can join, the better. Please share this invitation with other restaurants and bar operators and encourage their teams to attend. We need to show the Biden Administration that we’re here and we need help. 

Preparing for the Red Tier: Best Practices for Reopening Webinar 

 

The San Francisco Office of Economic Development & Workforce (OEWD) is hosting a webinar this Wednesday, February 24th, at 4:00pm to discuss how businesses can prepare for the next round of reopening in the red tier.
 
You can register here to get the Zoom link, or you can simply tune in on OEWD’s Facebook page, where the webinar will be streamed live.
 
Please Note: OEWD expects this webinar to be well-attended. Since Zoom has a capacity limit on calls, there is a chance that the webinar will fill up, in which case some users may be unable to access the webinar through the Zoom link provided during registration. If you are unable to access the webinar through the Zoom link, you can tune in on OEWD’s Facebook page, where the webinar will be streamed live. No registration is required to access the webinar on Facebook.
 

PPP Change Announced by Biden 

The Biden Administration is expected to announce today that commencing Wednesday, for a 2 week period, the SBA will only take applications for new PPP loans from companies with 20 or fewer employees. It is unclear what the measurement period is re: # of employees or how loans that are in process may be impacted. Bottom line, talk to your bank today if your loan is still outstanding and see if you can get it approved prior to Wed.

If not, don't panic. At this time, 50% of the PPP funds have been reserved. So there is $ left and as we all know, the later you get your loan, the better off you may be given the Bay Area's continued lock down (CA now the only state with no indoor dining).

18% of PPP2 loans have gone to restaurants/hotels. This is more than 2x the first round (roughly 8%).