San Mateo County officials announced Thursday that they will expand COVID-19 vaccinations starting Feb. 22 to teachers and daycare providers, first responders, and food and farm workers eligible for the state’s Phase 1B, as supply permits.
“People are understandably clamoring for the vaccine, and we need to act as soon as possible to make that happen as soon as possible,” San Mateo County Supervisor Carole Groom said in a prepared statement. “We must do everything we can under the constraints we have to mitigate the enormity of the pandemic as COVID-19 continues to devastate our community.”
Echoing the state level, the county has worked with private health providers to immunize health workers, residents of long-term care facilities and seniors since the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines became available in December. As of this week, one-third of seniors 65 and older in San Mateo County have received the first dose of vaccine, according to the county.
This effort will expand on Feb. 22 to include eligible essential workers such as educators, childcare workers, law enforcement, and food and agricultural workers, including certain supermarket employees, as limited vaccine supply permits.
“Getting vaccines into the arms of San Mateo County residents is our highest and most pressing priority,” said County Supervisor Dave Pine, who is a member of a COVID-19 subcommittee on the board along with Groom. Pine added severe supply restrictions that complicate efforts and calls for patience and understanding.
The reason to wait until Feb. 22 to expand eligibility is that it will allow the province and partners to continue to focus on vaccinating health professionals and residents 65 and older who are most at risk of death from the coronavirus. More than 8 in 10 of San Mateo’s 447 deaths – 84% – are those aged 65 or older.
The county, through San Mateo County Health and the county-run San Mateo Medical Center, is working closely with private health care providers, community organizations and other partners to vaccinate eligible residents. Given the vaccine supply permits, the county will provide immunization pathways for newly eligible residents who do not have access to the vaccine through their usual healthcare provider on Feb. 22, the county said.
The province works with organizations representing educators, childcare workers, law enforcement, and restaurant and farm workers to support vaccination plans based on an equality framework. The county will encourage local health care providers to vaccinate priority populations in low-income neighborhoods whenever possible before appointments are opened to the wider eligible population, officials said.
Nearly 85,000 people have received a first dose of vaccine since Sunday. Nearly 20,000 have completed the two-dose vaccine series.