San Francisco became the second city in the country, after New York, to mandate proof of vaccination for indoor activities on Thursday.
But with summertime activities like concerts and festivals still on the horizon, indoor and outdoor COVID-19 safety is a concern for health experts, particularly with the surge of the delta variant.
"We should be applauding the mayor’s effort to try to keep everybody in the city safe," said Dr. Robert Siegel, a professor with the Department of Microbiology and Immunology at Stanford University, on Thursday’s "Ask An Expert" with KCBS Radio’s Holly Quan and Dan Mitchinson.
"The first thing, if you want to keep yourself safe for everybody, is to get yourself vaccinated," said Siegel. But the delta variant has made things different this time around, he added.
"Activities, before that were relatively safe, are no longer safe," he said. "Anything that involves direct contact with somebody who may not be vaccinated indoors or outdoors is potentially a risk for getting infected, even if you’ve been vaccinated."
Siegel recommended sticking to virtual for events, if possible. If something has to be outdoors, like a sporting event, everyone should be masked. "You don’t know whether the person who’s yelling next to you may or may not be vaccinated," he said.
If it feels like mandates are being reversed since reopening, you’re not wrong. "We have effectively gone backwards because the virus has moved forwards," he added. "That said, the vaccine is wildly effective."
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