Redwood City Responds — An Update on COVID-19 Vaccination and Testing Efforts
Read this blog to learn more about how the City of Redwood City is responding to the COVID-19 pandemic, including vaccination and testing efforts currently underway.
Supporting Vaccination Efforts
We are focused on increasing vaccine access for residents with the greatest exposure to the virus.
The County Health Department now provides several data dashboards showing vaccination totals in the most disadvantaged areas of the County based on income, barriers to accessing health care and other factors.
The data helps us see the reach of the vaccine among residents living in census tracts that comprise the Health Equity Quartile (HEQ), which are the most disadvantaged areas within the County based on the California Healthy Places Index (HPI). Health equity quartile positivity is defined as the positivity rate in the lowest 25% of Healthy Places Index census tracts in the county.
The light blue vertical bars on this chart show the census tracts in Redwood City and North Fair Oaks that are in the Health Equity Quartile. Eight of the census tracts shown here are in Redwood City. The dark blue horizontal line shows countywide vaccination rates for all HEQ census tracts; the vaccination rate for the most impacted tracts is nearly 61%.
The green line shows the vaccination rate for the entire County aged 16 and older; that rate is nearly 74%. The gap between the two lines is 13% — meaning the vaccination rate in the most vulnerable communities is 13% lower than the County as a whole.
While several of the census tracts in Redwood City also have this 13% gap, 6 census tracts in Redwood City have an even greater gap.
For example, currently, census tract 6102.03 has a vaccination rate of less than 50%. This tract includes portions of Central, Downtown, Palm Park, Redwood Oaks, Redwood Village and Stambaugh Heller. The area encompasses El Camino and Woodside Road to Jefferson, and Middlefield and Maple to Charter.
As of May 13, 76.3% of Redwood City and 66.9% of North Fair Oaks residents aged 16 and older have been vaccinated.
FREE COVID-19 Vaccination Clinic — THIS SUNDAY
Because of these disparities, we have partnered with the County of San Mateo, Dignity Health, and Sequoia Healthcare District to operate a weekly COVID-19 vaccination clinic at the Fair Oaks Health Center.
Who: EVERYONE
What: FREE COVID-19 Vaccnation Clinic
When: Sundays, beginning at 11 a.m., while supplies last
Where: Fair Oaks Health Center, 2710 Middlefield Road
This new partnership helps to ensure residents have access to a community-oriented clinic in one of the neighborhoods most impacted by the COVID-19 virus. It also allows for a more predictable schedule as well as both drive-through and walk-up registration without an appointment.
Redwood City and Dignity Health have assumed most of the operational functions of the site while Sequoia Healthcare District provides significant funding.
The County will continue helping with outreach in English and Spanish, including door-to-door canvassing, and the City will continue to share information through our communication channels (like this Blog!).
Need a COVID-19 Test? We Got You Covered!
In addition to vaccinations, it is important keep up testing efforts.
We are pleased to share that, in partnership with the San Mateo County Department of Public Health, Virus Geeks is offering FREE COVID-19 testing at the Community Activities Building (1400 Roosevelt Ave) parking lot on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.
No appointment necessary, drop by anytime.
For more information, go here.
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