College of San Mateo opening COVID-19 'Test to Treat' site as cases rise on Peninsula
SAN MATEO – San Mateo County health officials reported Tuesday that COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations have increased in the last month but they are not concerned about the increase.
Marc Meulman, director of public health, policy and planning at San Mateo County Health, shared the county's updated case numbers Tuesday with the Board of Supervisors at the board's first in-person meeting since the start of the pandemic in March 2020.
The county's seven-day average case rate was 34.5 cases per 100,000 people on Monday, compared to 12 per 100,000 a month ago.
"The level of virus transmission is similar to what we were experiencing last summer though ... our COVID hospitalization levels are much lower," Meulman said.
As of Monday, there were 21 COVID-19 patients hospitalized in the county, and Meulman said the county continues to have one of the highest testing rates in the state.
He also announced that a "Test to Treat" site will open at the College of San Mateo this week. The state confirmed that the site will open on Thursday.
Test to Treat is a federal program that allows people to get COVID tested and prescribed medication if they test positive and are eligible for treatment. The prescriptions can also be filled at the same site.
Three other Test to Treat sites exist at CVS stores in Burlingame, San Bruno and Foster City. A map of Test to Treat sites is available online at https://covid-19-test-to-treat-locator-dhhs.hub.arcgis.com/.
In terms of vaccinations, 90 percent of county residents have received at least the first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine so far.
However, vaccine uptake is still lagging in some groups. Among Pacific Islander, Hispanic and Black residents, 80 percent or less of each of these populations have received the first vaccine dose, according to county data.
Louise Rogers, chief of San Mateo County Health, said they are working to overcome gaps in vaccination rates and to increase booster uptake among older adults.
Rogers encouraged residents to prevent the spread of COVID-19 by following these best practices: remain up to date with vaccinations, wear high-quality masks and maintain good ventilation indoors.
She also encouraged immunocompromised people to have a plan for rapid testing and consult with a doctor to see if they qualify for available COVID-19 treatment.
COVID-19 information is available on the county health website at https://www.smchealth.org/coronavirus.
