From early on, the coronavirus pandemic has laid bare stark health inequities through infection and death rates. Testing access quickly became a concern, and now, so has vaccine access — state health department data indicate that Black and Latino Californians are under-represented among people getting vaccinated. Dr. Kim Rhoads and Dr. Carina Marquez, who have been working on community-driven initiatives to address those inequities, talk about the importance of prevention and community engagement to public health.

At the beginning of the year, a tenant attorney predicted an “avalanche” of evictions unless California legislators reached a deal to extend tenant protections. They did, and applications recently opened for a support program designed to help both low-income tenants and their landlords with growing rent debt. Shanti Singh, legislative and communications director for Tenants Together, a coalition of 50 renters rights organizations in California, gives an overview of the protections and what tenants and landlords must do to access support funds.

Reporters Nuala Bishari and Brian Howey reflect on covering homelessness policy in San Francisco over a year of pandemic health measures. They have broken stories on hygiene stations, testing, unused RVs, encampment 'sweeps,' shelter-in-place hotels and vacancies in supportive housing.

A year into the COVID-19 pandemic we speak with a therapist about the challenges his clients have faced dealing with the stress and trauma of one of the most turbulent times in American history.

Advocates for residents of long term care facilities like nursing homes have been pushing for San Francisco to ease pandemic-related restrictions on people visiting their loved ones for weeks. Just a day before, the city health department had issued an order expanding visitation by removing strict local guidelines and aligning with state policy that allows for indoor, in-person visits when they can be done safely. Two advocates with the San Francisco Long Term Care Ombudsman program explain why visitation is so important to facility residents.

Limiting social interaction to be almost entirely online has had serious mental health consequences, particularly for young people who would otherwise be in school. But the pandemic means that help in any form, from new friendships to sessions with a professional therapist, must also take place primarily online. High school sophomore Sadie Crawford and Dr. Martha Merchant, a clinical psychologist, share how they are building those highly personal connections virtually.

Youth mental health was a growing concern even before the pandemic, but the isolation of sheltering in place has come with an increase in depression and unhappiness among young people. San Francisco high school students have been reaching out to one another despite schools being closed to offer some support. Alan Wang, Joyce Truong and Abigail Ault, who have been active in peer wellness programs, share their perspectives.

Language barriers and a largely online scheduling system make it difficult for monolingual non-English speakers and people who aren’t digital natives, often seniors, to access the vaccines that they’re eligible for. So a local organization serving primarily Asian American seniors is advocating for improved access to vaccines, and bringing doctors who can administer vaccines to the seniors who need them. Anni Chung, CEO and president of Self-Help for the Elderly, explains how they're getting seniors vaccinated.