10/26/09 – Mayor Gavin Newsom today announced the initial arrival of the first major shipment of the H1N1 swine flu vaccine in San Francisco. Approximately 28,000 doses of the injectable vaccine have been delivered to the San Francisco Department of Public Health. High risk patients who get their healthcare at public health clinics will begin getting the vaccine today. Injectable vaccine is also available at Kaiser and other clinician offices throughout the City.

Meanwhile, Department of Public Health staff has begun cataloguing, organizing and distributing a large portion of H1N1 swine flu vaccine to 9 sites throughout the City in preparation for a series of H1N1 swine flu vaccination clinics designed especially for high risk individuals who do not have a primary care provider or whose primary care provider does not have the vaccine.

“This is a public health issue with a big City-wide effort behind it,” said Mayor Newsom. “We are working diligently to ramp up for a series of vaccination clinics beginning on Thursday, October 29 and continuing for up to six days if necessary. Right now, we are looking for volunteers among San Francisco residents—clinical and non-clinical individuals—who want to help us deliver this vaccine to high risk residents.” Read more.

The vaccine is free of charge at vaccine sites. To find out the locations and times for the H1N1 Swine Flu Vaccine clinics that begin on October 29, go to http://www.sfcdcp.org/FluVaccinesSites.html.

10/22/09 – Mayor Gavin Newsom today joined San Francisco General Hospital and Trauma Center (SFGH) to celebrate the rebuilding of the SFGH inpatient care facility. The groundbreaking ceremony is less than one year after 84% of San Francisco voters passed Proposition A, which authorized city financing of the project.

“The people of San Francisco appreciate the value of San Francisco General and they sent that message loud and clear last year,” said Mayor Gavin Newsom. “Now we are moving forward to strengthen General by building a new hospital that the entire city can be proud of for generations to come.”

The new 448,000 square-foot building, scheduled to open in 2015, will be nine stories (seven stories above ground and two below) and house 284 inpatient beds, 32 more beds than the current hospital. The new building will feature a state-of-the-art environment including patient care areas which have been designed to reduce errors and infections and improve quality and nursing care. The $887.4 million hospital will be LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certified and will feature a seismically compliant design allowing the hospital building to move 30 inches in any direction. Read more

For information on the San Francisco General Hospital rebuild, please visit www.sfdph.org/dph/rebuildSFGH/.

Mayor Gavin Newsom announced that San Francisco will be organizing free H1N1 (swine) flu clinics throughout the City and County of San Francisco, utilizing a combination of public schools, private schools and community centers.

"We anticipate receiving our first shipment of 100,000 doses of the H1N1 vaccine sometime in late October to begin distributing free of charge," said Mayor Newsom. "This initial shipment will be available first to those in groups who are at highest risk for more severe disease. But eventually, everyone who wants protection from H1N1 will be able to get it."  Read more

According to a new report released by the Kaiser Family Foundation 94% of participants in San Francisco's health care program are at least somewhat satisfied with it, and 92% would recommend it to a friend.

Kaiser surveyed a random sample of 1,026 participants in Healthy San Francisco program which began in July 2007 to offer care to the city's uninsured residents. The program costs about $120 million a year and is funded by city funds, state grants, participants' fees and employer contributions.

Mayor Gavin Newsom, joined last week by National AFL-CIO President John Sweeney, urged Congress to pass health care reform with a strong public option, touting the success of San Francisco's universal health care system. Leaders cited "Healthy San Francisco" as an example of how a public option can effectively cover the uninsured and create choice and competition in the insurance market without negatively impacting job growth.

"Even those who fight reform cannot deny that our present health care system is broken. It is inefficient, unfair, and enormously costly," said Mayor Newsom. "A public plan can work. San Francisco is proving it by driving down costs, improving access to care and creating competition."

For more information please visit:

- Mayor's Office Newsroom

- Kaiser's HealthySF Survey

- HealthySF Program Information

07/01/09 - Mayor Gavin Newsom today opened San Francisco’s Medical Respite and Sobering Center, the City’s newest facility providing temporary post-hospitalization care and sobering services for many of the City’s most vulnerable residents. The center also celebrated becoming the new home of Community Awareness and Treatment Services (CATS), a private non-profit agency that has served this primarily homeless population for over 30 years.

"San Francisco is dedicated to providing all its citizens with exceptional healthcare," Mayor Newsom said. "This respite center ensures that our most vulnerable residents are not forgotten and have access to quality care and treatment." Read more