San Francisco officials tell residents not to call 911 amid Omicron surge

The virus has depleted the ranks of emergency and essential workers, leaving California's health system critically strained

Officials in San Francisco are asking residents not to call 911 except in dire emergencies to avoid further straining emergency resources, as coronavirus cases deplete the ranks of health workers, ambulance crews, firefighters and other essential workers.

The Omicron variant, which appears more likely to cause breakthrough cases even among vaccinated people, has begun to thin the ranks of those most needed to fight this latest wave of infections. San Francisco mayor London Breed said on Friday that about 400 city employees, including emergency responders, had either tested positive for Covid-19 or were isolated at home due to exposure.