Coronavirus Information

Protecting the health of all San Diegans is our top priority. The City of San Diego is taking measures in consultation with, and at the direction of, County public health officials to help prevent the spread of the Coronavirus, also known as COVID-19.

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About Coronavirus (COVID-19)

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is emphasizing that while the current COVID-19 poses a potentially serious public health threat, the risk to individuals is dependent on exposure.

Most common symptoms include:

• Fever
• Cough or shortness of breath
• Headache

COVID-19 is most likely spread from droplets from coughing and sneezing, and symptoms may appear in as few as two days, or as long as 14 days, after exposure.

There is currently no specific treatment for COVID-19, however, most people with this infection will recover on their own. For patients who are more severely ill, hospitals can provide supportive care.

If you think you may have been exposed to COVID-19, contact your health care provider immediately.

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Vaccination Information

To learn more about the phased vaccination process and how you can get vaccinated, visit the City of San Diego COVID-19 Vaccination Program page or the County of San Diego COVID-19 page.

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Face Coverings Required in Public Spaces

Cloth face coverings or masks help reduce the spread of coronavirus, especially when combined with physical distancing and frequent hand washing. Starting June 18, Californians must wear face coverings in common and public indoor spaces and outdoors when distancing is not possible. Learn more about the guidance and limited exceptions. 

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Business Reopening and Relief

The coronavirus pandemic has shut down or significantly altered most of the economy, testing the resiliency of all San Diegans. Necessary public health measures to prevent the spread of the virus have halted tourism, shuttered restaurants and bars, forced many to work from home, severely limited most businesses from interacting with their customers, and caused unemployment and uncertainty for tens of thousands in the San Diego region. 

Temporary Outdoor Business Operation Permit

As a result of state restrictions on indoor activities, the City of San Diego created a temporary program to allow restaurants, retail shops, gyms and fitness centers, barbershops, hair and nail salons and places of worship to operate in outdoor settings adjacent to their businesses including on-street parking, sidewalks, private parking lots and in City parks. 

• Proposals for outdoor dining can be submitted on the Development Services Department Temporary Outdoor Business Operation Permit Page. Here applicants can receive technical assistance and more information. 
• To learn more about eligibility and apply for a permit to operate in one of the City's many parks visit: Park Permitting for Gyms and Religious Institutions. 

Safe Reopening 

Details on what's currently allowed can be found on the County's Safe Reopening page. 

See what's open

Small Business Relief Fund (SBRF)

To ensure the resiliency of local businesses and assist in job retention, the City of San Diego has established a Small Business Relief Fund (SBRF) to provide grants and forgivable or low- to zero-interest-rate loans to eligible small businesses for working capital. Visit the Economic Development Department Business Relief and Support page. 

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Status of City Services & Facilities

View Status of City Services & Facilities

• City of San Diego Operations
  • All City of San Diego public buildings are closed to the general public. 
  • City departments will execute their continuity of operations plans and continue to provide essential services including police, fire-rescue, water, wastewater and trash pick-ups. 
• Parking Enforcement
  Applicable to City of San Diego only. Parking rules on Port of San Diego property and in different cities may vary, so please read signage provided.
  • The City is enforcing all parking regulations effective Monday, Feb. 8. Citations with corresponding fines will be issued to vehicles violating street sweeping parking restrictions, metered parking, time limits and yellow commercial zones. Street sweeping restrictions will also be enforced in areas with parking spaces designated for restaurant pick-up orders.
• Boards and Commissions: All City Board and Commission meetings are virtual and can be watched live during their scheduled meeting time or archived on the City of San Diego's Youtube Public Meetings Channel.  To provide public comment prior to an upcoming meeting, and in lieu of in-person meeting attendance, members of the public may submit their comments using the response webform by indicating the board or commission meeting and the agenda item number they wish to comment on.   
• Community Planning Groups: Please see memo from Planning Department Director regarding Community Planning Group meetings.
• Office of the City Clerk: Please see the update regarding City Council meetings.

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City Updates

The following is a list of recent updates from the City of San Diego. For information regarding cases, information and directives from the County of San Diego, please visit www.coronavirus-sd.com.

• Mayoral Executive Order COVID-19 1/28/2021
• Mayoral Executive Order COVID-19 1/25/21
• Mayoral Executive Order COVID-19 12/30/20
• Mayoral Executive Order COVID-19 10/22/20
• Mayoral Executive Order COVID-19 8/18/20
• Mayoral Executive Order COVID-19 7/20/20
• Mayoral Executive Order COVID-19 7/7/20
• Mayoral Executive Order COVID-19 6/30/20
• Executive Order Informational Bulletin 6/22/20
• Mayoral Executive Order COVID-19 6/5/20
• Mayoral Executive Order COVID-19 5/29/20
• Mayoral Executive Order COVID-19 5/21/20
• Mayoral Executive Order COVID-19 4/30/20
• Mayoral Executive Order COVID-19 3/30/20
• Mayoral Executive Order COVID-19 3/16/20
• Proclamation of Local Emergency 3/12/20
• Memo re: COVID-19 Preparations 3/10/20

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Homeless Services

Early on, the City of San Diego, County of San Diego, Regional Task Force on the Homeless and San Diego Housing Commission came together to establish a Homeless Operations Branch under the City's Emergency Operations Center (EOC) to coordinate the needs, resources and logistics of homeless service operations. This team makes key decisions to protect this at-risk population. Learn more about homeless services and resources during COVID-19.
 

Operation Shelter to Home in the San Diego Convention Center

Operation Shelter to Home launched on April 1, 2020, by moving individuals already in shelters into the San Diego Convention Center to allow for proper physical distancing and prevent the spread of COVID-19. On March 5, 2021, Mayor Todd Gloria announced that residents of the operation at the San Diego Convention Center would be safely relocated back to the City’s reconfigured shelters, where they will continue to receive shelter and services. Learn more about the transition and the operation

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Rent Relief Program and Residential Eviction Moratoriums

Rent Relief

• COVID-19 Housing Stability Assistance Program and Additional Rental Assistance for Residents

Residential and Commercial Eviction Moratorium

The State of California and the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have enacted temporary bans on residential evictions due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

These temporary eviction bans apply to landlords and tenants in the City of San Diego.

The CDC’s federal temporary eviction ban is effective from September 4, 2020, through December 31, 2020.

Governor Gavin Newsom has extended the eviction moratorium until June 30, 2021, by signing into law Senate Bill (SB) 91. The State's initial temporary eviction ban, Assembly Bill (AB) 3088 which prohibited evictions of most rental housing tenants expired on February 1, 2021.

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Public Transit

MTS is restoring many services that were reduced in April, in order to increase the amount of space available for distancing on board. There will be no timetables printed for these revised services, but schedules will be posted on the MTS website. 

For updates on COVID-19 impacts on MTS service, and MTS responses, please visit: sdmts.com/schedules-real-time/alerts-and-detours

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Volunteer

Many San Diegans are in need during this time. Please see a list of organizations below seeking volunteers. You can also visit 211sandiego.org for more opportunities.

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Additional Resources

• Join the California Health Corps - California is preparing for an increase in the number of people who urgently need health care in our communities during the COVID-19 outbreak. To ensure adequate staff for health care sites throughout California, the state is calling on healthcare providers, behavioral health professionals, and health care administrators to register today.
• Mental Health Resources - The outbreak of infectious diseases such as the recent Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) can be a stressful time for individuals and communities. It is not uncommon to feel anxious or worried while listening, reading or watching the news. While it’s necessary to keep up-to-date and make changes to daily life in order to help control the spread of COVID-19, the constant news cycle coupled with social distancing measures can have a real impact on mental health. Find resources to manage your mental health at coronavirus-sd.com
• AgeWell Social Calls - For many older adults, a compassionate voice in their lives can make a powerful difference especially during these unprecedented times. The City of San Diego Parks & Recreation AgeWell Services staff will call you, FREE, Monday - Friday, between 8 a.m. - 11 a.m. just to check in and say "Hello".