Long lines for COVID testing in San Mateo County

Burlingame resident Amber Brosnan said she waited in a line for nearly 45 minutes at a San Bruno location that ran out of test kits before she could be tested. At a location in San Mateo, she said she waited just 20 minutes. 

“It’s really organized, and they said they’re not going to run out,” said Brosnan, who intends to spend the holidays with family and was in contact with someone who displayed symptoms. 

The county’s tests are offered regardless of symptoms, and those able are recommended to go through their health care provider. The County Health website indicates at least 24 locations open, and while appointments are not required, they are recommended. The county has the capacity to test 5,000 people weekly, according to the health department’s website. 

For the second year, county residents are balancing risks associated with holiday gatherings — this year’s decisions weighing heavily on emerging omicron variant data. While the variant, first identified in the county Dec. 15, is believed to spread more easily than other variants, it’s also been found to cause less severe illness in preliminary studies. 

Health officials, however, have warned that even if symptoms are less severe and less likely to cause hospitalizations, sheer numbers of infections could still overwhelm hospitals. There are currently 10 known and 6 suspected COVID hospitalizations in the county, which is still significantly lower than when it surged this summer because of the delta variant.

Vaccination numbers remain above 90% for those 5 and older, among the highest rates in the state.

Go to smcgov.org/testing for a full list of county testing sites.