Even as Omicron loses steam and cases continue to drop in the county, San Mateo health officials anticipate new variants of COVID-19.
Chief Health Officer Louise Rogers said the county relies on the state for information on the prevalence of different variants, and is unsure if the BA.2 omicron sub-variant is already present in the area.
"We expect more variants," Rogers said. "And the question really is ... what characteristics will they have."
Rogers said the state will continue to monitor the new COVID-19 variants to determine their impact, if any.
This is part of the state's SMART plan, which means vaccines, masks, awareness, preparedness, testing, education and pharmaceutical treatments.
This plan informs the state's long-term response to COVID as it moves away from an emergency response.
"That plan recognizes that the virus will remain with us for some time, if not forever, and that we need to hone our defenses against the virus as it evolves," he said.
He added that the state's plan emphasizes preparedness, and this includes focusing on personal protective equipment, supporting hospitals in case of staff shortages, and promoting vaccinations and boosters.
Regardless of what the future of the pandemic holds, Rogers stressed that the county will be more prepared than before, given the practice they have had in the past.
"I think the learning we've gained better prepares us to scale up and down as needed," Rogers said.
San Mateo health officials anticipate new variants of COVID-19 even though case rates and hospitalizations have declined countywide and statewide.
San Mateo County is seeing a case rate of 34 cases per 100,000 people, according to state data Friday. This rate is a steady drop from a week ago, which was 49 per 100,000 people.
In addition, the positivity rate has been reduced to 5 percent countywide.
For the most vulnerable communities in the county, those in its "health equity quartile," the positivity rate is 7 percent. This means that there is less disparity in COVID rates for some of the communities most severely affected by the pandemic.
Dr. Anand Chabra, chief of the San Mateo County Health Department's COVID-19 mass vaccination section, encouraged everyone to get vaccinated for maximum protection.
As of this Monday, 89 percent of all county residents have received at least one dose of the vaccine, while 82 percent are fully vaccinated.
Chabra and Rogers acknowledged that there is more work to be done to protect all residents, especially in communities where vaccination rates are below 80 percent.
When asked about the possibility of a fourth vaccination, Chabra said that only certain severely immunocompromised groups are eligible for a fourth dose of the vaccine at this time.
For the average person, three doses are recommended.
People should also wear a high quality mask, get tested if they have symptoms or exposure to COVID and isolate themselves when sick.
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