(updated 11:00 pm on 8/1/2022)

We understand this is a difficult time for everyone and want to assure our community that your City Council and City staff are working tirelessly to support and protect the well-being of the City of Pacifica. We are in this together and will get through this together.

San Mateo County has moved from Medium/Yellow to the High/Red COVID-19 Community Level category

The CDC calculates a county’s case rate, the region’s new COVID-19 hospital admissions, and the percentage of in-patient beds in use by COVID-19 patients to determine the COVID-19 Community Level. In the CDC’s formulation, the move from Medium/Yellow to High/Red is driven by increasing hospitalizations in San Mateo and San Francisco counties and demand on local health care systems.

San Mateo County Health continues to strongly recommend that individuals wear a high-quality face covering indoors, stay current with vaccinations and boosters, and get tested and treated if appropriate if they have symptoms.

As San Mateo County moves to the higher-risk category, the CDC recommends that residents wear a face covering indoors in public and on public transportation, stay up to date with COVID-19 vaccines, get tested if symptomatic, and connect with a doctor or Test-to-Treat offering if infected. Those at high risk for severe illness should consider taking additional precautions (such as avoiding crowded indoor activities with poor ventilation). Read more here on how to protect yourself and others.

New: CDPH Redefines “Close Contact ” and “Infectious Period”:

The definitions have updated to the below:

• Close Contact:
  • Someone sharing the same indoor airspace, e.g., home, clinic waiting room, airplane etc., for a cumulative total of 15 minutes or more over a 24-hour period (for example, three individual 5-minute exposures for a total of 15 minutes) during an infected person's (laboratory-confirmed or a clinical diagnosis) Infectious period.
• Infectious Period:
  • For symptomatic infected persons, 2 days before the infected person had any symptoms through Day 10 after symptoms first appeared (or through Days 5-10 if testing negative on Day 5 or later), and 24 hours have passed with no fever, without the use of fever-reducing medications, and symptoms have improved.
  • For asymptomatic infected persons, 2 days before the positive specimen collection date through Day 10 after positive specimen collection date (or through Days 5-10 if testing negative on Day 5 or later) after specimen collection date for their first positive COVID-19 test.

Impacts to City and Other Services

All City of Pacifica facilities are open to the public, but health and safety guidelines are being observed.

Updated: Travel Advisory

CDPH and CDC recommend delaying travel until persons are fully vaccinated. The State updated their travel recommendations on May 3, 2022, and June 12, 2022:

All travelers arriving in or returning to California from other states or countries should follow CDC travel guidance. Here are links to Domestic Travel guidelines and International Travel guidelines that have been updated on May 3, 2022 and June 12, 2022, respectively.

• Whether you’re vaccinated or not, it is recommended to get tested no more than 3 days before travel (previously was 3 – 5 days).
• As of June 12, 2022, testing is not required for air passengers traveling from a foreign country to the United States to show a negative COVID-19 viral test or documentation of recovery from COVID-19 before they board their flight (previously testing was required).
• You do NOT need to get tested or quarantine if you recovered from COVID-19 in the past 90 days. You should still follow all other travel recommendations. If you develop COVID-19 symptoms after travel, isolate and consult with a healthcare provider for testing recommendations.
• As of April 18, 2022, requiring masks on public transportation conveyances and at transportation hubs is no longer in effect.
• All travelers who test positive or develop symptoms of COVID-19 should isolate and follow public health recommendations

Please visit the CDC webpage for Travel Recommendations by Destination for additional information: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/travelers/map-and-travel-notices.html

Updated: Vaccinations

• Booster Shots, first and second dose vaccines are available for those age 12 and up through vaccine events at the San Mateo County Event Center pharmacies, health care systems and smaller clinics serving communities across the county. More information can be found on San Mateo County Health’s website. People in certain groups or situations are now eligible to get a 2nd COVID-19 booster. This includes adults ages 50 years and older, people ages 12 years and older who are moderately or severely immunocompromised and people who got 2 doses (1 primary dose and 1 booster) of Johnson & Johnson’s vaccine.
• Children between the ages of 5-11 are eligible to receive COVID-19 vaccines. COVID-19 vaccination options for children include your child’s pediatrician, local pharmacy, San Mateo Health vaccination clinics and school vaccination clinics. On May 17, 2022, U.S. Food and Drug Administration amended the emergency use authorization (EUA) for the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine, (also known as COMIRNATY) authorizing the use of a single booster dose for administration to individuals 5 through 11 years of age at least five months after completion of a primary series with the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine.
• As of June 18, 2022: Children under the age of 5 are eligible to receive COVID-19 vaccines. Pfizer is a 3 shot dose while Moderna is a 2 shot dose. According to SMCH, families seeking vaccines for children under 5 should contact their pediatric care provider to schedule an appointment. Other options include Walgreens (for ages 3 and up) and CVS (for 18 months and older). Information is also available on MyTurn.
• Walk-ins are also available are various clinics throughout San Mateo County.
• Visit the My Turn appointment system or by calling the statewide call center at 833-422-4255 to check for available appointments near you.

High-Risk Exposures

Certain exposures may be deemed higher risk for transmission, such as with an intimate partner, in a household with longer periods of exposure, or while performing unmasked activities with increased exertion and/or voice projection or during prolonged close face-face contact (e,g., during contact sports like wrestling, during indoor group singing, during crowded events where cheering occurs like games, concerts or rallies, particularly if indoors). In such cases, exposed persons should be extra vigilant in undertaking recommended mitigation measures.

Similarly, if the close contact is more likely to become infected due to being unvaccinated, immunocompromised, or if they are more likely to transmit the virus to those who are at higher risk for severe COVID-19, they should also take greater care in following recommendations to limit spreading the virus to others during the 10 days following their exposure. These close contacts should get tested, and may consider quarantining or self-limiting their exposure to others, and are strongly recommended to follow the testing and mitigation measures outlined in this guidance.

Reminder: Face Coverings

Masks are strongly recommended in all City facilities.

Face Coverings

“Face covering” means a surgical mask, a medical procedure mask, a respirator worn voluntarily, or a tightly woven fabric or non-woven material of at least two layers. A face covering has no visible holes or openings and must cover the nose and mouth. A face covering does not include a scarf, ski mask, balaclava, bandana, turtleneck, collar, or single layer of fabric.

Effective March 1, 2022, the requirement for unvaccinated persons to mask in indoor public settings and businesses was replaced by a strong recommendation that all persons, regardless of vaccine status, mask in indoor public settings and businesses (examples: retail, restaurants, theaters, family entertainment centers, meetings, state and local government offices serving the public. Additionally, after March 11, 2022, the universal masking requirement for K-12 and Childcare settings terminated.

As of April 20, 2022 in alignment with the CDC's announcement that its order requiring masking on public transportation and at transportation hubs is no longer in effect, effective immediately California's requirement for masking on public transit and in transportation hubs is terminated. (Please note that this is subject to change.) CDPH strongly recommends that individuals in these settings continue to wear a mask.

Additionally, masks are strongly recommended for all persons, regardless of vaccine status, in indoor public settings and businesses (examples: retail, restaurants, theaters, family entertainment centers, meetings, state and local government offices serving the public); on public transit (examples: airplanes, ships, ferries, trains, subways, buses, taxis, and ride-shares); and in transportation hubs (examples: airport, bus terminal, marina, train station, seaport or other port, subway station, or any other area that provides transportation). Surgical masks or higher-level respirators (e.g., N95s, KN95s, KF94s) with good fit are highly recommended.

Reminder: Get Free N95 Masks

The U.S. government is now giving 3 free adult-size N95 masks to anyone that needs them. You can pick up yours at community health centers or pharmacies like CVS, Walgreens, and Krogers. Walmart and Sam’s Club.

Reminder: COVID-19 Testing Sites

Testing for COVID-19 is widely available across San Mateo County including:

• Bay Area PLS in San Bruno (rapid antigen tests available)
• Pre-register for testing through the Jefferson Union High School District
• Make a reservation for COVID-19 testing in San Mateo County through Verily. You will need to create a Google account
• Seton (walk-up Monday – Friday 7:30am – 2:30pm; closed for lunch 12:00pm – 12:30pm)
• Curative in Park Merced in San Francisco

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