Redwood City – The County of San Mateo continues to work to protect public health and safety in response to the novel coronavirus known as COVID-19.
The County of San Mateo’s Emergency Operations Center (EOC) remains open to coordinate countywide response and communications in response to the situation. The EOC’s Joint Information Center will provide status reports every Thursday until further notice. Today’s report:
County Sues Pacifica Beach Yoga for Repeated Health and Safety Violations
The County of San Mateo has filed suit to close Pacifica Beach Yoga for repeatedly refusing to comply with state public health orders.
Violations include holding indoor “mask-free” yoga classes when all indoor gyms, fitness centers and yoga studios are under state health orders to cease operations. The suit also asserts the studio has failed to require staff and patrons to wear face coverings while the owner has refused repeated requests by County staff to voluntarily comply with public health orders.
This afternoon, at a hearing, Judge Danny Chou granted the County’s request for a temporary restraining order that Pacifica Beach Yoga immediately shut down. A hearing on the preliminary injunction is set for February 4, at which time both sides will argue whether the injunction should continue.
Read the news release at https://www.smcgov.org/press-release/county-san-mateo-sues-pacifica-beach-yoga-over-repeated-covid-19-health-and-safety
District Attorney: Be Alert for Scams Related to COVID-19 Vaccines
San Mateo County District Attorney Stephen M. Wagstaffe today advised residents to be alert for scams related to the distribution of COVID-19 vaccines.
Scammers may try to exploit the uncertainty and anxiety associated with emergencies such as the COVID-19 pandemic to take people’s money or steal their identities. County residents should be alert to potential scams, including the following:
Someone offers to move you into an earlier group to get the vaccine for a fee.
Someone tries to sell you a place on a COVID vaccine waiting list.
Someone on the street, online, on social media, or knocking on your door tries to sell you a shot of vaccine.
Learn more at https://www.smcgov.org/press-release/district-attorney-be-alert-scams-related-covid-19-vaccines
“We have more demand than supply” – Health Officer Dr. Scott Morrow
In a January 19 post, Dr. Scott Morrow, San Mateo County’s health officer, discusses the status of COVID-19 vaccinations locally and, given the limited supply of vaccine, emphasizes that the “ability to control this pandemic lies primarily in your hands.”
“Despite what you may have heard, which would lead you to believe the problem is one of distribution to the vaccine recipient (patient),” Morrow writes, “the actual currently insurmountable problem is that the supply is massively inadequate for the demand.”
Read Dr. Morrow’s full statement: https://www.smchealth.org/health-officer-updates/january-19-2021-health-officer-statement
County Health’s vaccination plan can be found at https://www.smchealth.org/covidvaccine
County Manager Video Media Briefing
County Manager Mike Callagy provides an update on the County’s efforts to control COVID-19 and takes questions from the local media on a videoconference recorded Wednesday, January 20.
Watch the video on the County’s YouTube channel: https://youtu.be/6Oadfl8vaRk
Subscribe to the channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/sanmateocounty
COVID-19 Business Violation Complaint Counts
As of Jan. 19, 2021, the County’s COVID-19 Business Engagement & Compliance Program has received 1,170 complaints of which 82 percent were abated, meaning the violation was not found or was corrected on the spot. Other cases are in progress or under further investigation.
The team has issued 120 written warnings and 28 administrative citations to repeat violators.
The most common complaint is that a business is not requiring face masks to be worn by either the employee or the customer. This is followed by: not taking steps to ensure social distancing, indoor occupancy is too high and operating indoors instead of outdoor only.
Residents can report alleged business violations, and businesses can appeal at https://cmo.smcgov.org/health-order-violation-reporting-appeals-businesses
Bay Area Remains Under Regional Stay at Home Order
The greater Bay Area including San Mateo County remains under the state’s Regional Stay At Home Order, requiring most residents to stay home except for essential needs with limited exceptions.
San Mateo County also remains in purple Tier 1 of the state’s color-coded, four-tier system for easing restrictions on businesses and activities. The coronavirus is considered “widespread” in purple Tier 1, the most restrictive of the four tiers.
See our Frequently Asked Questions for further information on what’s open and what’s not under the Regional Stay At Home Order.
San Mateo County COVID-19 Case Count
As of January 20, San Mateo County Health has recorded 33,207 confirmed COVID-19 cases and 309 deaths since the pandemic began.
County Health provides detailed information on cases by age group and date and deaths by age group. Learn more at https://www.smchealth.org/coronavirus
Call Center
Residents with non-medical, non-emergency questions about the coronavirus can call 211 or 800-273-6222 at any time, day or night. Callers from landlines and cellular telephones located within San Mateo County are connected with a trained service professional from 211, a confidential service available in 180 languages.