By CBS San Francisco Staff

SAN FRANCISCO (CBS SF) -- With a surge in coronavirus cases, the information you need to know is coming fast and furious. Here's a roundup of the COVID stories we've published over the last 24 hours.

San Francisco Diners Enjoy Last Weekend Of Eating Outdoors, Services Before Shutdown
SAN FRANCISCO -- It was a full house at Perbacco in the Financial District on its last night of dinner service before Sunday's shutdown. Under the new stay-at-home order, restaurants will have to close outdoor dining. Only takeout and delivery will be allowed. Owner Umberto Gibin says this time around, he feels a sense of relief. "This time I said, if this what it takes to take us to where we need to be, and have the infections low, and the hospitalization numbers low, then let's do it now," Gibin said. "We were just waiting for the inevitable anyway." Gov. Gavin Newsom had said the Bay Area would likely fall under the state's order in mid to late December. Then on Friday, several Bay Area counties decided to preemptively put the stricter restrictions in place this week. Read More

San Francisco Bay Area Hospitals Battling Steady Rise In COVID Patients
SAN FRANCISCO -- Hospitals across the Bay Area are preparing for a surge in COVID-19 patients as the state continues to see record numbers in new cases per day. On Saturday, health officials said the Bay area has a little over 21 percent of its ICU capacity remaining. It's still not at the "critically low" level that 2 other regions in California have already reached But hospitals are seeing more patients come in. As several counties trend toward reaching the 15 percent remaining ICU threshold, the question becomes which ones can add more surge capacity beds if needed. It varies from one county to another and how easy it is to activate these beds, how functional they would be if they're needed, and also to be considered is the issue of how much ability to transfer patients, if need be," said Stanford School of Medicine Professor of Epidemiology Dr. John Ioannidis. Read More

Hospital ICU Capacity Likely to Drop as Holiday Infection Rate Climbs
SAN FRANCISCO -- Bay Area hospitals' intensive-care capacity -- the key metric now being monitored by the state -- hovered around 22 percent on Saturday. It had tumbled from 29% Wednesday to about 21% on Friday. Two regions -- the San Joaquin Valley and Southern California -- have already passed below the 14 percent threshold, triggering stay-at-home orders. Five Bay Area counties took a preemptive move in that direction on Friday. Although the ICU metric is barely four days old, it's becoming clearer how that number will behave and what a trend might look like. "You know, it's just the way it is, there's going to be some wobble in the numbers, says UCSF epidemiologist George Rutherford. "What you want to see is the overall trend and follow that." From automobile accidents to people requiring major or emergency surgery, any number of things can drive the ebb and flow of ICU numbers on any given day. Coronavirus is just part of the demand on a system that has limits. Read More

San Francisco Bay Area Rents Plummet Amid Pandemic
SAN FRANCISCO -- Since the start of the coronavirus pandemic, San Francisco rents have plummeted more than any other major city in the country. The average rent in one San Francisco neighborhood is now to $1,600. Some housing experts even argue the city has turned in to a renter's market. The mass exodus in San Francisco during the pandemic resulted in more housing supply and less demand but, even after big price drops, San Francisco still retains the title as the most expensive rental market in the country. At $2,700 a month for a one-bedroom apartment, the city tops New York and Los Angeles. Neighboring cities San Jose and Oakland round out the top five. These rent prices have fallen to levels that haven't been seen since the last recession -- drops of more than 20 percent compared to last year in many neighborhoods. Read More

Contra Costa County Braces for New Lockdown Sunday Night
PLEASANT HILL -- For months many businesses in Contra Costa County have worked hard and been creative in finding ways to stay open safely but, virtually overnight, everything changed. On Friday, Contra Costa County shocked the business community by announcing new restrictions to begin ahead of the state lockdown order. On Sunday night at 10 p.m., all outdoor dining venues that have popped up in downtown Danville will be shut down. Primo's Pizza has spent thousands of dollars creating an outdoor sports bar with giant tents and 13 televisions. Owner Drew Nichols says he was on board with Gov. Newsom's plan to restrict businesses when hospitals got overcrowded. "But we aren't doing that," he said. "Now they're just saying we're 'preventative.' This could go on for months, I mean, you're preventing businesses from doing business so I don't quite grasp that." Read More

San Joaquin Valley, SoCal Enact Stay-Home Order Beginning Sunday
SAN FRANCISCO -- Faced with a dire shortage of hospital beds, health officials announced Saturday the vast region of Southern California and a large swath of the Central Valley will be placed under a sweeping new lockdown in an urgent attempt to slow the rapid rise of coronavirus cases. The California Department of Public Health said the intensive care unit capacity in both regions' hospitals had fallen below a 15% threshold that triggers the new measures, which include strict closures for businesses and a ban on gathering with anyone outside of your own household. The new measures will take effect Sunday evening and remain in place for at least three weeks, meaning the lockdown will cover the Christmas holiday. Much of the state is on the brink of the same restrictions. Some counties have opted to impose them even before the mandate kicks in, including five San Francisco Bay Area counties where the measures also take effect starting Sunday. Read More

Other Trending Bay Area COVID Stories

San Mateo County Will Not Enact Stay At Home Order
BURLINGAME -- San Mateo health official say while they appreciates the measures taken by other Bay Area Counties that announced early stay-at-home orders Friday, their efforts remain focused on following the state's existing guidelines and process. They emphasized the public's responsibility to comply with safety protocols to slow the spread. Jeff Silverman, the owner of UK Hair on Burlingame Ave., says he expects to get more clients from other counties, after their stay-at-home orders go into effect. Hair salons will be closed in nearby counties in the next few days. Silverman has seen this kind of influx before. "Everyone was coming here from Alameda County, Santa Clara, San Francisco, which was great you know for business for us, because we were down at least 50%, but the concern was are people coming from other counties, are their numbers going to start to climb," he said. Read More

Debit Card Distribution Weak Link in EDD Fight to End Unemployment Benefits Fraud
SACRAMENTO -- Lawmakers are trying to help millions of California residents who have been receiving their unemployment benefits via debit cards sent from the state Employment Development Department. Those cards are susceptible to fraud and identity theft and victims are demanding change. At present, Bank of America has an exclusive contract with the EDD. People receiving unemployment insurance benefits can only get those funds via a BofA debit card or by check. Security experts say debit cards without security chips are more susceptible to scammers who can "skim" data from the magnetic strips. One lawmaker is trying to change that and believes it could solve some of the rampant fraud problems. "EDD needs to figure out a way to ensure that people have the option for direct deposit," said California Assemblywoman Lorena Gonzalez. Read More

'Dark COVID Winter Has Arrived;' Bay Area Health Officers Announce Regional Stay-At-Home Restrictions To Begin
SAN FRANCISCO -- Bay Area counties are moving ahead to adopt the state's new regional stay-at-home order in light of the spike in COVID cases and surge in ICU patients, Bay Area health officials announced Friday. The health officers from Alameda, Contra Costa, Marin, Santa Clara, San Francisco and the City of Berkeley announced their jurisdictions would enact California's regional stay-at-home order and not wait until the region falls below the 15 percent available ICU capacity that would trigger the three-week stay-at-home order. Alameda County and the City of Berkeley would enact the order Monday at 12:01 a.m. Contra Costa, San Francisco and Santa Clara County's order would be effective at 10 p.m. Sunday, while Marin County's order would begin at noon on Tuesday. The restrictions will remain in effect through January 4. Read More

Campaign To Recall Newsom Ramps Up In Light Of Impending Stay-At-Home Order
SACRAMENTO -- California's looming COVID-19 restrictions based on regional intensive care unit capacities are reigniting an effort to recall Governor Gavin Newsom. According to CBS 13, many Sacramento area business owners are now backing the push for a recall. The campaign was born in June of this year and now has half of the signatures it needs to call for a special election by March. Small business owners said Newsom's latest decision was the last straw. Read More