Public health officials issued a "stay-at-home" order to be in effect until April 7 or further. We've closed our office at 1035 Market Street and only offering essential services at Strut and the 6th Street Harm Reduction Center. Learn more.
Community

COVID-19 Updates

Given the recent developments regarding the coronavirus, we’re providing information about how to prevent the spread of COVID-19 and changes to our programs and services.
By 
  • San Francisco AIDS Foundation
March 23, 2020   4 Minute Read

Update: March 27, 2020

What’s open this week:

  • Sexual Health Services at Strut/Magnet — limited services, call ahead (no walk-ins)
  • Stonewall Project, Harm Reduction Group, Smart Drinking, Damn Daddy, Outside In, Taking Care of Business (TCB), PROP, Cheers Queers counseling — via phone and video chat
  • 6th St Harm Reduction Center — see schedule for details
  • Mobile Syringe Sites — see schedule
  • Syringe Pick up Crew — normal hours
  • Social support & Individual counseling — see schedule
  • Volunteers — shifts and events canceled

As the state of California continues its mandatory “stay home” order, we want to make sure you have the most accurate information about how to access our services during this time. The order went into effect on Tuesday, March 17 and is effective until April 7, 2020. Most programs and services are cancelled on Monday, March 30 and Tuesday, March 31 for Cesar Chavez Day. We’ll update this page regularly.

Locations & hours (March 27 – April 5)

  • Main Office (1035 Market Street) – Closed
  • Mobile Testing Unit – Closed
  • Strut/Magnet: Limited clinical services available Wednesday – Saturday, 10 am – 4 pm. Walk-in clients are not being seen at this time. Please call the clinic at 415-581-1600 for instructions.
  • 6th Street Harm Reduction Center: Door services are available Monday – Friday, 11 am – 4 pm and Saturday from 4 pm – 8 pm. The Hepatitis C Wellness and locker programs are available Monday – Friday, 11 am – 1 pm for enrolled clients. Suboxone access is available from the Street Medicine Team, Monday and Thursday, 1:30 pm – 4 pm.
  • Mobile Syringe Sites:
    • Monday: Bayview (3rd and Innes), 4 pm – 6 pm
    • Tuesday: Duboce (Bikeway behind Safeway), 6 pm – 8 pm
    • Wednesday: Weise Alley (at 16th), 6 pm – 8 pm
    • Thursday: Hemlock Alley (off Polk St., between Post & Sutter), 7 pm – 9 pm
    • Friday: 16th & Mission St., 7 pm – 8 pm

Available services

San Francisco AIDS Foundation remains committed to providing essential services during COVID-19 because we know that people living with HIV and others in our communities need us now more than ever. We continue to provide onsite services like the emergency provision of PrEP, PEP and HIV care prescriptions, and clinical care for people with symptoms of a sexually-transmitted infection or who might have had an exposure to HIV. Our syringe access and disposal services team are still providing harm reduction supplies to people who would otherwise not have access to these important HIV, hepatitis C and overdose prevention supplies. We’re also conducting a majority of our programming virtually, including substance use treatment, case management, social support, and housing subsidies for enrolled participants.

Get more details below and find specific event information on the calendar. For general questions, email info@sfaf.org.

Sexual health services

If you have symptoms of a suspected sexually transmitted infection or have had a recent HIV exposure, please call 415-581-1600 and select option #3 to be connected with the nursing team at Magnet. They will be able to coordinate services and testing for you.

If you are currently receiving PrEP or HIV care from our clinical team, we can extend your prescriptions to cover this time period. To request a refill, call our navigation team at 415-437-3450. You can also email questions about PrEP to prep@sfaf.org and questions about HIV services to assist4HIV@sfaf.org.

Behavioral health services

  • In-person Stonewall Project groups and walk-ins at 1035 Market Street and Strut are on hold at this time. Clients in our enrolled program can access substance use counseling sessions by phone and via video chat. Some group services are also occurring via video conference. Please refer to this schedule of the Stonewall groups to learn more. If you have questions about Stonewall or the group schedule, call 415-487-3100 or email stonewall@sfaf.org. Note: This is not crisis service and response may be delayed pending staff availability. Please dial 911 or take yourself to the nearest emergency room if there is a life-threatening emergency.
  • PROP: PROP and PROP for All are currently for enrolled clients only. Meetings are taking place via video conference. Please contact Rick Andrews at randrews@sfaf.org or 415-487-3115 with questions. Refer to this schedule for meeting times and video conference instructions. 
  • Cheers Queers: Please contact Rich Lugo at rlugo@sfaf.org or 415-487-3439 with questions.
  • Harm reduction supplies: All harm reduction supplies are available via door service at the 6th Street Harm Reduction Center and mobile syringe sites (days, hours and locations above). This includes Narcan distribution, syringe distribution & disposal services.
  • Syringe Pick Up Crew: Our street-based syringe disposal team is providing rapid response syringe pickups normal hours, Monday-Sunday, 7 am – 7 pm. Learn more about the Syringe Pick Up Crew.

Social support & case management services

  • Black Brothers Esteem: Community support and referrals to food resources and health care. The following groups will be offered on video chat:

    For more information, contact Preston at pvargas@sfaf.org or 415-340-2564.

  • Centers of Excellence: Medical case managers are offering one-on-one support via phone or through video chats. Social support events are currently on hold. To set up an appointment, send an email to Hitomi Stiller at hstiller@sfaf.org. Clients of UCSF Ward 86 or Parnassus should request a referral from their current social worker.
  • Elizabeth Taylor 50-Plus Network: Social support events are currently on hold. The 50-Plus team is checking in with members by phone and video chat. Email 50PlusNetwork@sfaf.org.
  • Housing & Benefits: The Housing & Benefits team is meeting one-on-one with existing clients via phone or through video chats. Please reach out to your case manager directly or email us at info@sfaf.org if you want to schedule an appointment.
  • Latino Programs: All social support events are currently on hold. Spanish speaking community members can receive limited individual services by phone or video chat. For more information please contact: jzepeda@sfaf.org or at 415-734-8011.
  • Los Programas Latinos: Todos los eventos de servicio social están suspendidos hasta nuevo aviso. Servicios individuales en Español están disponibles a través de llamadas telefónicas o a través de video conversaciones. Para más información favor de contactar a Jorge Zepeda: jzepeda@sfaf.org  o al 415-734-8011.
  • Positive Force: Individual one-on-one check-ins are available for community members living with HIV by phone or video chat. Email us at pforce@sfaf.org to talk to one of our team members. The PLUS Seminar scheduled for March has been canceled.
  • TransLife: Our weekly Wednesday group meeting has been put on hold. Individual one-on-one check-ins are available for participants by phone or video chat. To set up an appointment, please send an email to Joaquin Meza at jmeza@sfaf.org.

Volunteer services

All volunteer shifts and events are canceled.

Prevent the spread of coronavirus

  • Stay home except for essential needs and limit all travel.
  • Cover your cough or sneeze. Cough or sneeze into your arm or elbow.
  • Wash your hands regularly and consistently. Use soap and water with vigorous scrubbing for 20 seconds or hand sanitizing scrubbing for 20 seconds or until dry. If using hand sanitizer, be sure to use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer with at least 60 percent alcohol.
  • Try to avoid touching your face, to prevent the potential spread of viruses from surfaces.
  • Routinely clean frequently touched surfaces, like doorknobs, light switches, faucets, tables, with a disinfectant. The EPA has provided a list of cleaning products that are effective against the coronavirus.
  • Masks. There is no current recommendation to wear masks to prevent disease. Individuals exhibiting flu-like symptoms (fever, cough, shortness of breath) should wear a surgical mask when in public spaces.
  • If you are not in a county affected by the public health order to stay home, stay home if you are sick. You’ll get better quicker if you rest. According to the CDC, avoid returning to work until you have been free of fever (less than 100.4), signs of a fever, and any other symptoms for at least 24 hours, without the use of fever-reducing or symptom reducing medication (ex. Tylenol, cough suppressant).
  • Social distance.  A distance of 6 feet minimizes the potential of exposure to viruses from uncovered coughs or sneezes. Try to avoid crowded public spaces where contact with others is likely. Try to avoid handshakes and other contacts with other people where possible.
  • Plan ahead. Learn about emergency operation plans for your workplace and child’s school.  Ensure that you have at least a 7-day supply of routine medications.

Information Resources

Information Resources

Local

National

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19): Cases in the US page is updated every weekday at noon.

Global

The World Health Organization is providing daily global updates.

Discrimination Harms All Our Health

The virus has now been reported on every continent except Antarctica. Several news media outlets around the world have reported stories of hostility and discrimination against members of Asian communities because cases of the virus were first reported in Wuhan, China.

This kind of discrimination is unacceptable and harmful to health outcomes. The best way for all San Franciscans to stay healthy and prevent the spread of the virus is to practice consistent hand washing, cough or sneeze into your sleeve, stay home if you are sick, and get a flu shot. It’s critically important that we come together with compassion and unity during this stressful time. It’s good for everyone’s health.

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