San Mateo County transit workers vaccinations to start next week

Navarro is still trying to confirm the details of how the vaccine process would work for his members and had not yet heard from the county Friday, but was glad that workers for Bay Area transit agencies would have priority access. Navarro said transit operators had been scared since the beginning of the pandemic amid concerns they would contract the virus and pass it to their families. Many have been going to work every day, starting and ending shifts worried about COVID-19 exposure. Navarro said of the 415 transit workers he represents, around 35 to 40 have tested positive since the pandemic started.

“All we can do is take it day by day at this point,” Navarro said.

When California in January changed to an age-based eligibility vaccine prioritization system, transit employees originally in Phase 1b Tier 2 were pushed down the priority list. The decision left transit operators in limbo about their prioritization status and when they might be eligible for vaccinations. In response, transit agencies and labor leaders throughout the state pushed California to recategorized them. The March 11 update said vaccine eligibility for public transit workers includes airport and commercial airline workers. The updated guidelines reasoning for the prioritization said public transit workers are at high risk for occupational exposure and that maintaining transportation operations continuity is critical.

Charles Stone, SamTrans chair and Belmont mayor, said getting vaccine priority for front-line workers will help bring security and safety to workers and reduce the likelihood of bringing COVID-19 home to their families. Stone was one of several Bay Area transit agency representatives and labor leaders who signed a March 4 letter pushing for vaccine prioritization for front-line transit workers from Bay Area county public health offices like San Mateo County Health. The county previously had the option to utilize its flexibility in local control to add transit workers to its 1b Tier 1 population but instead followed previous state guidelines, which did not. The letter asked for priority vaccination for front-line transit workers due to the unique role transit operators play in transporting front-line workers, elderly care workers and grocery and pharmacy workers to and from workplaces, along with their increased risk at their jobs.

San Mateo County Transit District spokesman Dan Lieberman said earlier in the week that SamTrans had 26 front-line staff test positive since the pandemic, while Caltrain had 14 people.

“I think that multiple advocacy efforts were helpful,” Stone said. “The California Transit Agency was certainly working hard on this as well and did wonderful work. The unions of transit agencies have been pushing for this as well.”

curtis@smdailyjournal.com

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