COVID-19: San Francisco

After examining the effects of COVID-19 on the San Mateo community, I decided to take it a step further and document the changes of San Francisco. Plenty of photos of COVID San Francisco have already been posted, but I wanted to examine the topic with a more "micro" lens, mostly focusing on changes in more places that are considered ordinary.

Similar to San Mateo, the majority of shops in downtown and busy areas were boarded up during this period of time. The ones that weren't boarded ended up getting looted during the protest a couple of weeks later. After that, literally, every shop became boarded up. Additionally, with the quarantine in effect, there was a disproportionate amount of homeless people versus other people. The only people still wandering around downtown seemed to be either the homeless people that have nowhere to go or the people that had to do essential errands.

I think the most surprising observation was that so many businesses got wiped out by the forced shutdown. Both on Market Street and around 4th and King Caltrain station were full of empty buildings looking for new lease contracts. I can't believe how with just 1-2 months of quarantine resulted in so many businesses going under. It's as if these businesses never considered the possibility of an economic downturn. It's also possible it would be easier and cheaper to just restart again after the shutdown rather than to lose money during the shutdown. I'm no businessman and either way, combined with the previously mentioned changes, it made downtown San Francisco almost feel like an apocalyptic ghost town.

However, the parks and open space in the suburb parts of San Francisco were filled with life with families were gathering together walking around the neighborhood. Certain roads and regions were closed to expand the area of public space for people. Dolores Park was just as packed, it almost feels like all the people in downtown just migrated to parks. It's refreshing to see that there's still life in the city and the mood isn't all gloom and doom.

These basketball hoops are a very popular spot for outdoor basketball. You'd find these courts full every day after work with people running games. Thus, they removed the hoops to enforce social distancing. Of course, there are still dedicated ballers who play on a rimless court.

I've never seen the Caltrain station so empty. This was shot after during evening hours when it should've been rush hour. Though the train is considered an essential service and is still operating, not a single soul can be found.

Empty streets outside the Caltrain station.

This coffee shop has the most confusing signs. It has "OPEN" signs plastered everywhere, including on its boarded windows. But it was most definitely not open.

Napping man, walking pigeon, man getting a haircut.

Empty Peet's. This place is usually is packed.

Empty Muni station.

Even before the protests, Westfield Mall has already had tall boards up.

I've never seen the cable tracks so empty.

Dolores Park piloted this new idea of drawing circles so people are encouraged to social distance. I think it works out quite well.

Man watching the ocean.

Upper Great Highway which is beside Ocean Beach is almost entirely blocked off to be used as a public space for people to walk around.

Union Square. Empty streets and boarded windows.

After the protests and the looting, all the shops that weren't boarded quickly fixed that.