However, city officials banned reusable shopping bags Wednesday as a way to enforce social distancing protocols imposed by the state government to limit the spread of COVID-19. 

The reusable bag ban was enforced by the San Francisco Department of Public Health (SFDPH) under a new social distancing protocol that was published Wednesday, which restricts people from using reusable shopping bags at supermarkets to prevent outside germs from entering. 

The order says explicitly that store employees are not allowed to let "customers bring their own bags, mugs, or other reusable items from home" into essential businesses during the quarantine. 

San Francisco Mayor London Breed on Wednesday said the citywide shelter-in-place public health order would be extended through May 3: