San Mateo County handles dual epidemics

As of Tuesday, 58 patients were being treated with COVID-19 across the county with three people in the ICU but Meulman noted cases in congregate care settings have remained in the single digits and local hospitals have been able to manage the fluctuating demand for care.

“This is a longer phase of high transmission than we have experienced in prior periods,” Meulman said. “This number of hospitalized patients is comparable to the height of the delta surge a year ago but lower than the high of the winter omicron surge, which reached as high as 160 patients.”

During the omicron surge, more than 200 patients were being treated on any given day with COVID-19. Since then, variants have become more contagious but appear to be less lethal and a key difference between then and now is access to vaccines, officials say.

More than 90% of county residents have received at least their first vaccine dose but county officials have continued to implore the public to get vaccinated if they still haven’t and to keep up to date on booster shots. About 63% of residents have received their first booster dose while roughly 35% of people ages 50 and older and 45% of those 65 and older have received their second.

“On the vaccination front, we want to reinforce that this is a time of high transmission. It’s very important to get up to date, especially if you’re eligible for a booster. The existing COVID-19 vaccines remain the single most important tool in preventing serious illness, hospitalization and death,” Lizelle Lirio de Luna, director of Family Health Services, said. “There are so many pathways throughout the county right now whether it’s through your health care provider or through pharmacies all throughout the county.”

Chief of Health Louise Rogers also lauded local partners in education who have stressed the importance of getting vaccinated and are currently preparing for a safe return to in-person instruction after a summer characterized by high COVID-19 transmission.

But while COVID-19 vaccines may be available, treatment against monkeypox, a skin disease that causes rashes and blisters, has been in short supply. San Mateo County has received about 650 doses to date with many of those doses going to San Francisco where a greater number of infections are being reported, Rogers said.

More than 1,130 monkeypox cases have been reported across the state with nearly 370 in San Francisco and 16 cases in San Mateo County, according to the California Department of Public Health.

Monkeypox is generally spread through skin-to-skin contact or bodily fluids during close intimate contact, sexual activity and sharing bedding or clothing. Anyone can contract the illness but cases thus far have been largely concentrated among men who have sex with men, Rogers said.

Thousands more doses are needed to adequately protect those at greatest risk in the Bay Area but Rogers said a national vaccine shortage has become the greatest challenge in addressing the epidemic.

“That is a national issue but we’re experiencing it in the Bay Area and in San Francisco to a greater degree, in particular, because there are a higher number of cases,” Rogers said.

The county has been distributing its doses to local health care partners and agencies in San Francisco given that many county residents at greatest risk of contracting the virus frequently seek care in the northern city, Rogers said.

What limited doses are available are being used to treat people identified as close contacts. Meulman called the population the county’s “utmost priority,” and noted vaccination of that group can either prevent infection or greatly reduce the severity of symptoms.

“That is a really high priority for us here in public health,” Meulman told supervisors.

Symptoms to look out for include rashes or sores and other flu-like symptoms like headaches, fatigue, chills and swollen lymph nodes, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Those experiencing symptoms should see a medical provider to be tested and treated, Meulman said. People should also isolate themselves if feeling sick, cover blisters or skin lesions and wear a mask, according to CDPH.

Meanwhile, Rogers said Bay Area health officials are working closely to address the epidemic which began spreading widely across the states in March and has caused leaders in San Francisco and California to declare a state of emergency.

“The health officers have been partnering in the region to ensure a very coordinated Bay Area response,” Rogers said. “We all hope [the state of emergency declaration] sends a very strong message to the federal government about the need for vaccines to come to California and certainly to prioritize the communities that have been most impacted.”

Visit the County Health website at smchealth.org/coronavirus for more information on COVID-19 and smchealth.org/post/monkeypox-information-guidance for more information on Monkeypox.

sierra@smdailyjournal.com

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