San Mateo County focuses on high-risk sectors

Following state movement, the county recently began vaccinating Phase 1B residents ages 65 and older. But while some areas have started providing doses to COVID-sensitive sectors, Rogers noted supply into the county is far too limited to begin expanding.

To date, nearly 85,000 San Mateo County residents have been vaccinated or about 13.2% of the eligible population, said Dr. Anand Chabra, the section chief of COVID-19 mass vaccination and medical director of Family Health Services.

Supervisor Don Horsley, a former San Mateo County sheriff, pressed the importance of protecting law enforcement officers against the virus, a sentiment shared by board President David Canepa. Contrary to common assumptions, officers are often the first people to arrive at the scene when an emergency call is made, Horsley said.

Similarly, Sheriff Carlos Bolanos expressed his own disappointment in the rollout of vaccines to law enforcement personnel during the meeting.

“My main concern and frustration continues to be that law enforcement has been out in the field, providing exceptional services to the public and they haven't received the vaccine,” said Bolanos.

The San Mateo County Police Chiefs and Sheriff Association, or SMCPCSA, which represents police departments, the Sheriff’s Office, Probation Department, District Attorney’s Office and others, asked the county to prioritize vaccinations for law enforcement personnel in Phase 1B, which began last week. In a Feb. 5 letter to Rogers, it expressed concern about its members’ inability to receive timely vaccinations from the county and the risks of exposure to law enforcement personnel.

As part of Phase 1A vaccination efforts, firefighters, certified as emergency medical technicians, were given early access to vaccines along with other medical first responders.

Vaccinations for farmworkers were also top of mind for Horsley, whose district spans much of the coastal farmland in the county. Unlike the mass vaccination site staged at the San Mateo County Event Center, Rogers said officials would likely have to bring doses to the coast and communities where farmworkers reside.

Rogers previously stated the county was searching for a vendor to move doses and stage vaccine clinics in hard to reach communities.

Supervisor Dave Pine emphasized the need to vaccinate educators as parents and officials push to reopen schools for in-person instruction by the spring. Supervisor Carole Groom noted retail employees are also a high-risk population needing attention.

“I realize our biggest problem is lack of vaccine but I don’t want us to forget those front-line people who provide necessary services for everybody in their daily lives,” said Groom.

Phase 1B in the state’s vaccination framework includes food and agriculture workers, along with educators, child care workers and emergency response employees.

Current county estimates suggest roughly 40,000 residents would fall within Phase 1B, excluding seniors. Nancy Magee, the San Mateo County superintendent of schools, estimates there are 15,000 educators eligible for vaccination, said Rogers. Eligibility would also be open to 21,000 food, agriculture and child care workers, 2,100 law enforcement personnel and 1,600 farmworkers, she said.

While focused on expanding vaccination access, officials are also concentrated on economic recovery. Roughly $97.5 million in relief has been spent in the county, drawn from Measure K funds, federal Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act dollars and other leveraged funds.

Aid has largely been directed at providing grants to small business owners and rent relief to struggling residents faced with mounting debt including $15.2 million to immigrant families. Food insecurity has also skyrocketed, said Tracy Weatherby with the nonprofit Second Harvest. The county has provided $4 million in funding to the agency now serving 500,000 people across San Mateo and Santa Clara county.

But during Tuesday’s meeting, nonprofit leaders noted much more assistance would be needed to keep families and businesses afloat.

“Overall that’s a lot of money and it sounds like it should have taken care of the problem but believe me it doesn’t,” said Bart Charlow, the CEO of the nonprofit Samaritan House. “We’re going to need a lot more funds to get people through, especially when the eviction moratorium ends.”

An additional $22.8 million in federal assistance has been granted to the county specifically for rental assistance. The program, to be managed by the state-selected vendor, Local Initiatives Support Corporation, would provide landlords with 80% of back rent owed with 20% to be forgiven.

The county is also slated to receive an additional $24.5 million of federal funding allocated through the state that would also go toward emergency rental assistance.

Concerned with having the funds managed by a third party, supervisors asked the county staff to closely engage LISC when distributing funds to ensure equitable distribution. All funding must be expended by Dec. 31.

sierra@smdailyjournal.com

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