Under their own supply restrictions, San Mateo county officials are looking for ways to help residents access COVID-19 second-dose vaccines after tens of thousands of consultations were canceled by Sutter Health.
“We did not receive supplies to take on this role and mitigate the impact,” said Deputy Head of Health Srija Srinivasan during a virtual press conference on Wednesday. “But we would certainly like to work with Sutter partners on any path that could be accessed if there were consultations available and the right vaccine.”
Sutter Health said in a statement that supply restrictions have put at risk some 90,000 vaccine consultations. The health professional stopped scheduling the first dose in early February due to “insufficient vaccine delivery” and eventually had to postpone any other first doses until March 9, the statement said.
Sutter’s team is still working to inform patients about cancellations. Those whose appointments were canceled will receive a call within seven to 10 days to reschedule, said Sutter Health.
“We are urgently requesting the additional allocations that we need from the state to avoid canceling the more than 90,000 second-dose vaccination consultations currently in our books,” says the statement. “This is an extremely unfortunate situation for our patients and will be preventable if we can get an additional supply of vaccine.”
Distribution challenges
Srinivasan said the county was informed of the cancellation of the vaccination on Tuesday night and, on Wednesday, began investigating how many residents of San Mateo County were affected. The figure was not available until Wednesday.
The county experienced its own supply challenges, including shipping delays due to intense winter storms that affect much of the country. Last week, authorities had to borrow vaccine doses from health partners, though not from Sutter, to move ahead with planned clinics for teachers and police, said Srinivasan.
Vaccine clinic planning has also been challenged by recent state updates on how many doses the county is scheduled to receive. This week’s delivery of doses has not yet been received and no information has been provided by the state regarding next week’s distribution to the county, said Srinivasan.
“We worked to ensure that we would have a second dose for every first dose that we administer, so that we don’t have to be in an uncertain position,” said Srinivasan.
Still, Srinivasan said the county is interested in working with Sutter to help mitigate the effect of the second dose’s cancellation on San Mateo County residents.
Second doses of Moderna and Pfizer Inc. vaccines can be administered up to six weeks after the first dose, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Patients will not have to restart the series if a second dose is administered after the six-week window, although data are limited on the efficacy of both vaccines after that.
Switching vaccines to second doses is discouraged, noted Srinivasan.
Vaccine progress
Despite supply challenges, Srinivasan and county manager Mike Callagy expressed optimism about the newly approved Johnson & Johnson vaccine. About 1.1 million doses are expected to reach the state in the next three weeks, said State Senator Josh Becker, D-San Mateo, during a news conference on Monday.
“The best shot is the one that goes in your arm,” said Callagy. “We encourage everyone to get any vaccine available as soon as it becomes available.”
Srinivasan also highlighted an announcement by the Biden government that the country will have guaranteed sufficient doses for every adult in the United States by May.
More than 159,000 residents have received at least one dose in the county, more than half going to seniors over 65. Of the county population aged 65 and over, 66% received at least the first dose.
Two months after vaccinating the elderly, the county is working to address barriers to access for the remaining unvaccinated elderly population, including elderly people who stay at home or those who do not have access to mass vaccination sites.
Authorities are also focused on creating efficient and accessible paths for underserved communities, Callagy said. Recognizing the population of essential workers living in East Palo Alto and Redwood City, two hard-hit communities, Srinivasan said the county is partnering with local organizations to build confidence in the county’s vaccination efforts.
“It is absolutely a county priority that the vaccine is as equitable as possible,” said Srinivasan. “We are definitely responsible.”
A two-day clinic will be hosted at the San Mateo County Event Center on Friday and Saturday for Phase 1B health workers and essential workers, including education, food and agriculture teams, retail employees and police and senior citizens.
Early changes
By March 15, the state is expected to increase eligibility for residents aged 16 and over who are at increased risk of contracting the virus due to underlying medical conditions, depending on the offer.
In addition, Callagy said that an announcement by Governor Gavin Newsom is expected this week, which will outline possible changes in the distribution of vaccines, the state’s tiered reopening system or both.
The county is currently on the state’s second most restrictive red level, indicating the potential for substantial spread of the virus. Having been at the red level for a week, the county will need to stay there for two more weeks and meet the criteria for the next orange level for two consecutive weeks before additional restrictions are lifted, according to the current structure.
Recognizing a decrease in COVID-19 infections and movement in front of vaccines, the authorities have also warned residents to remain vigilant with the practice of safety precautions.
“We hope and pray that this trend will continue as we see another vaccination rollout in this county, but we must also be vigilant because we know we are not there yet,” said Callagy. “The light is certainly at the end of the tunnel.”
Visit the county’s website at smchealth.org/covid-19-vaccination for more information on vaccination efforts.
(650) 344-5200 ext. 106