September 7, 2023

County Names New Director of Emergency Management 

County Executive Mike Callagy has appointed Dr. Shruti Dhapodkar as the new director of the Department of Emergency Management. Dhapodkar will play a key role in addressing challenges from earthquakes, wildfires, tsunamis, pandemics, climate change and other threats and crisis, both natural and human-caused. The appointment is subject to confirmation by the Board of Supervisors. A vote is expected at its Sept. 12 meeting. An emergency manager in San Mateo County Health since 2017, Dhapodkar played a key role during the COVID-19 pandemic emergency response.

County Health Preps for Respiratory Illness Season 

San Mateo County Health continues to conduct COVID-19 surveillance by monitoring wastewater data, hospitalizations, severity of disease, and other circulating infections, such as influenza and RSV. With the new COVID-19 vaccine a few weeks away, residents can still protect themselves by staying home if sick, accessing testing and treatments, ventilating indoor spaces, and wearing a mask. The California Department of Public Health’s COVID-19 website offers additional information on protective measures. Health care providers and pharmacies will offer the new COVID-19 vaccination this fall.

Office of Community Affairs Celebrates Welcoming Week 

The County of San Mateo is kicking off a series of events for Welcoming Week, a national annual campaign that celebrates the work in communities to become welcoming places for all, including immigrants. Hosted by the County's Office of Community Affairs, Welcoming Week kicks off September 10 with a family-friendly event at Friendship Park in North Fair Oaks. Bilingual story times and arts & crafts activities will also be held at various San Mateo County Libraries throughout the week, in addition to a screening of the film The Donut King and a Facebook live panel on immigration law.

Supervisors to Review Listening Session Results 

The results of the County of San Mateo's Measure K listening sessions and survey will be presented to the public and the Board of Supervisors in a study session at its Oct. 3 regular meeting. At the Oct. 17 Board meeting, the staff will then propose a plan to collect proposals from community-based organizations to contract for work related to the Board’s identified priorities for Measure K half-cent sales tax dollars. Those proposals will be evaluated by program specialists in January and February. Once approved, contracts will be developed and programs will begin in July of 2024.

Behavioral Health Promotes Suicide Prevention Month

For September’s Suicide Prevention Month, Behavioral Health & Recovery Services, Star Vista and partners are offering suicide awareness and prevention trainings and events and promoting the statewide theme, “Share Hope Together." The act of sharing — of hope, stories, time, resources, or experiences — can serve as a powerful tool in suicide prevention. The Board of Supervisors at its Sept. 12 meeting will present a proclamation declaring September as Suicide Prevention Month, a time to raise awareness and remind individuals, friends and families about resources that are available.

FDA Extends Expiration Date for Some COVID-19 Test Kits

Many test kits distributed free of charge by the U.S. government or continue to be available from other public agencies may be expired or nearing their expiration date. The Food and Drug Administration, however, has extended the expiration dates for a number of test kits by certain manufacturers. “An extended expiration date means the manufacturer provided data showing that the shelf-life is longer than was known when the test was first authorized,” according to the FDA. A list of authorized at-home tests with information on whether the expiration date has been extended for certain manufacturers can be found here.

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