County of San Mateo COVID-19 news: Latest COVID-19 guidelines, pandemic resources, public testing and contact tracing

County of San Mateo

#ComeTogetherSMC

This community resource e-newsletter is designed to keep you up to date on COVID-19 information and community resources.

Topics

Latest COVID-19 Guidelines
Resources to Help You Through the Pandemic
Get Tested for COVID-19 at a Public Testing Site
What is Contact Tracing and Why is it Important?

Latest COVID-19 Guidelines

Order by County Health Official

Last month, the county’s health officer issued an order that included guidance on gatherings (no more than 50 people), social bubbles, social distancing and face coverings, among other topics.

When people need to leave their place of residence, they must strictly comply with social distancing and face-covering requirements.

All members of the public must wear a face-covering outside of their home or other place where they reside in the following situations:

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When they are inside of, or in line to obtain goods and/or services, any business or other entity allowed to operate, including but not limited to, grocery stores, convenience stores, supermarkets, laundromats, restaurants, salons and government facilities;

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When they are engaged in work at a business or other entity allowed to operate;

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When they are obtaining services at healthcare operations, including hospitals, clinics, COVID-19 testing locations, dentists, pharmacies, blood banks and blood drives, other healthcare facilities, mental health providers, or facilities providing veterinary care and similar healthcare services for animals, unless directed otherwise by an employee or worker at the healthcare operation; or

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When they are waiting for or riding on public transportation (including without limitation any bus, BART or CalTrain) or paratransit or are in a taxi, private car service, or ride-sharing vehicle.

View County Order

How to Keep You and Your Family Safe

Avoid Crowded Settings

Crowded settings, especially indoors, increase your risk of exposure to COVID-19. Comply with the county’s face-covering order, stay 6 feet away from others, avoid touching your face, and wash your hands or use hand sanitizer as frequently as necessary. Higher-risk individuals (over age 65 or those with serious medical conditions) should consider continuing to stay home until Stage 4 of the state’s re-opening. Minimize errands by having groceries delivered or friends or family to help.

Strong Mental Health for the Family

Attention, parents and teens! There is a new online resource designed to help teens maintain their mental health. The Crushing the Curve website has resources for parents about how to help teens cope with coronavirus-related anxiety, ideas on things to do with teens during quarantine, tips for parental self-care and much more!

Some of the teen topics include helpful ways to cope with racial discrimination, ideas for social bubbling activities, how to set goals during a stressful time and more.

Additional mental health and wellness resources:

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Youth and family mental health guide.

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CA guide for emotional support and well-being.

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Virtual tours via Culture Trip.

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Immigrant Rising’s wellness gatherings for undocumented young people.

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For assistance in finding mental health and/or substance use services, contact the ACCESS Call Center 1-800-686-0101.

Visit Crushing the Curve

Resources to Help You Through the Pandemic

Financial Assistance Programs for Those Ineligible for Federal Programs

Financial Assistance

County assistance: The Board of Supervisors unanimously voted to approve $2 million in Measure K funds to the San Mateo County Immigrant Relief Fund to provide financial assistance to residents of San Mateo County who have been economically impacted by COVID-19, and who are ineligible for federal financial assistance programs because of their immigration status. The Board will also be meeting and reassessing within the month to evaluate if additional Measure K funds could and should be added to this relief fund. The County will be partnering with Legal Aid Society and Mission Asset Fund to distribute the funds throughout San Mateo County. For more information on eligibility requirements and to apply, visit the Mission Asset Fund website.

Housing Assistance Programs

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Housing and homelessness services through the state

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Housing and homelessness services through the county

For assistance with basic emergency needs, contact the local core service agency serving your area. Core service agencies provide a wide variety of services, including:

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Serving as access points for shelter and homeless services.

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Providing referrals and resources for material goods, transportation programs, and food.

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Providing, for eligible residents, emergency financial assistance to maintain their housing or meet other essential needs, such as rental or mortgage assistance, utility payments, etc.

Note: Emergency financial assistance funds are limited, and applicants must meet the eligibility criteria and complete the application process to be considered.

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Housing Industry Foundation’s Emergency Housing Fund offers community members who are threatened by homelessness and living in San Mateo County an opportunity to apply for an emergency grant of up to $2,500. Applicants will be required to demonstrate need. Grants may be used only for rent, a security deposit or utilities, and will be paid directly to the landlord/property management or utility company. Housing Industry Foundation application

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San Mateo County Eviction Regulations. The San Mateo County Board of Supervisors has extended an emergency moratorium on eviction for non-payment of rent by residential tenants impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic until Aug. 31, 2020. The emergency regulation is countywide, which means it applies in all cities located within the county, as well as in the unincorporated area. Find more information on the County's COVID-19 Help for Residential and Commercial Renters webpage. If you have questions or need additional help regarding the eviction moratorium, visit Community Legal Services in East Palo Alto’s (CLSEPA) website, youarecommunity.org, or call (650) 422-2885.

Other Resources

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The Great Plates Delivered SMC program helps seniors at high risk of contracting COVID-19 stay home and stay healthy by delivering three nutritious meals a day. The Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) Public Assistance program has extended this program through Aug. 9, 2020. To learn more about the County of San Mateo's participation in the Great Plates Program, or if you are a senior who wants to participate locally, call 1-800-675-8437.

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COVID-19 Resource Page for Residents & Small Businesses

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Second Harvest Food Bank and the County's Food Assistance page.

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The San Mateo County Economic Development Association (resources for assistance and guidance for businesses and workers impacted by COVID-19)

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211 Hotline – San Mateo County’s COVID-19 Non-Emergency Non-Medical Hotline

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San Mateo County COVID-19 data

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Your voice is essential! Please complete the 2020 Census at my2020census.gov

Get Tested for COVID-19 at a Public Testing SiteTesting

You can get tested for COVID-19, at no cost, at a public testing site in San Mateo County. The County, working with the state and Verily's Baseline testing program, is continuing to provide rotating sites for self-swabbing COVID-19 testing to anyone without restriction, though you need to make an appointment, with a Gmail account, up to 72 hours in advance through the Project Baseline website. You do not need a doctor’s note or medical insurance, regardless of immigration status.

Visit the County's COVID-19 Testing page for site locations and hours of testing. Also, watch this video or check out this graphic for a step-by-step on the testing process.

After being tested, residents will receive results and other information by email. San Mateo County Health will reach out to residents who test positive to follow up with isolation requirements and contact tracing. You can also receive testing through private providers.

Sign up for Testing

What is Contact Tracing and Why is it Important?

You may have heard the phrase contact tracing, but what, exactly, is it? Contact tracing involves identifying people who have an infectious disease, the people who they encountered, and then working with them to stop the spread of the disease.

For COVID-19, health workers will notify you that you may have been in contact with an infected person and will encourage you to get tested. Contact tracing has been used for decades to fight infectious disease.

What does contact tracing entail?

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You will receive a call, text or email from the San Mateo County Public Health department to inform you of COVID-19 exposure.

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The department will not share information about who may have exposed you. This information is confidential.

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You will get free, confidential testing, regardless of your income, health insurance, or immigration status.

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They will help you understand your infection risk. They will tell you what to do immediately to prevent further spread, which most likely will include isolation and quarantine.

How do I know if the person calling me is legit?

Official contact tracers will never ask for your social security number, financial information or health insurance information. They also will not ask you about your immigration status. If someone claiming to be a contact tracer asks for your social security number or any kind of financial or health insurance information or tries charging you money or fees, it is a scam!

In this video, the San Mateo County district attorney warns about contact tracing scams, and you can read about other COVID-19 scams on this County of San Mateo webpage.

#ComeTogetherSMC - County of San Mateo

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