San Mateo County has 21.3 percent of the population with their COVID-19 vaccinations up to date, double that of California (10.1 percent), however, the Latino community has the lowest percentage of those up to date, with only 8.0 percent.
Local health officials said that to date, more than 165,000 residents in San Mateo County are considered up to date with their COVID-19 vaccinations, meaning they have received the latest vaccine, which became available in September and is formulated to be effective against the most recent variants of the disease.
While the percentage of up-to-date residents in San Mateo County is among the highest in California, vaccination rates are much lower this year than in past years, locally and nationally, and up-to-date percentages for some demographic groups in the county are low.
The American Indian and Alaska Native population has the highest percentage of people up to date with their COVID-19 vaccination, at 26.6 percent, followed by Caucasians at 25.4 percent, Asian Americans at 22.8 percent, African Americans at 14.8 percent, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islanders at 9.1 percent, Latinos at 8.0 percent, and multi-race people at 7.0 percent.
As the peak winter travel season continues, San Mateo County health officials continue to urge vaccination as the best protection against the worst effects of COVID-19, including hospitalization and death.
Additionally, County Health’s Immunization Program has partnered with local health care providers to provide free community clinics offering COVID vaccines to uninsured and underinsured residents in neighborhoods with lower Healthy Places Index scores.
To date, these partners have completed more than 40 clinics throughout the county: in Daly City, South San Francisco, San Mateo, Half Moon Bay, Redwood City and East Palo Alto, officials said in a statement.
San Mateo Medical Center, which serves more than 60,000 publicly insured residents, has been providing COVID vaccinations at its outpatient clinics in San Mateo, Daly City, North Fair Oaks, Half Moon Bay and elsewhere, and Street and Field Medicine teams have offered shots to people experiencing homelessness. Vaccinations have also been offered at the County Navigation Center.
“We have achieved a lot, but there is still work to be done,” said Lizelle Lirio de Luna, director of Family Health Services, which runs the Immunization Program.
“While overall uptake of the latest COVID vaccine has been weaker in San Mateo County and elsewhere than in previous years, we still urge everyone who is eligible to get the vaccine. It is the best thing you can do to protect yourself and your family,” she added.
COVID-19 vaccines are widely available in San Mateo County and throughout the region. Residents should contact their primary health care provider, pharmacies such as CVS and Walgreens, or check vaccines.gov for the nearest location.
Many pharmacies are offering free COVID-19 shots to uninsured residents; call or check pharmacy websites for more information.
Similarly, residents without medical coverage can also contact County Health at 650-573-2877 or email SMCHealth_IZ@smcgov.org to learn how to access no-cost vaccines.
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