Live Healthy: Disease & Prevention
Disease & Prevention
Vaccines (including the flu shot), STD/HIV testing, tuberculosis and hepatitis services, and diseases carried by mosquitoes and ticks. For information on routine immunizations, please visit the Immunization Programs & Vaccines page.
STD/HIV Clinics and Testing
The San Mateo County STD/HIV Program works to prevent STD/HIV infection and care for individuals and families affected by HIV in San Mateo County. The Program provides comprehensive, community-based prevention and testing services, STD/HIV related health care, social services, advocacy, and referrals to community agencies providing drug treatment, housing, food, dental care and other services.
COVID-19
With COVID-19 levels rising in San Mateo County and the region County Health recommends being up to date with vaccines, staying at home if you are sick, testing if you have symptoms, and to consider wearing a mask. If you do get sick with COVID-19 talk to your health care provider about treatment.
Influenza (flu)
County Health is urging everyone over the age of 6 months to get a flu shot to protect themselves and their loved ones. The best way to reduce your risk from seasonal flu and its potentially serious complications is to get vaccinated every year. The flu shot and COVID-19 vaccine can be administered at the same time.
Older adults, pregnant women, young adults, children, and people with other underlying health conditions are most at risk of getting the flu, but everyone six months and older should get vaccinated.
It takes two weeks after being immunized to be fully protected, so it’s best not to delay getting a shot.
You can get flu shots from:
- Your primary health care provider
- Retail pharmacies and stores, with information and appointments available on MyTurn
Flu symptoms include fever, cough, sore throat, a runny or stuffy nose, muscle or body aches, headaches and fatigue. There are other viruses that can cause these symptoms, but a high fever and bad cough usually indicate flu.
Tuberculosis (TB)
What It Is, Where to Get Tested, and What to Do if You Have It
Tuberculosis (TB) is a serious disease that affects people all over the world. TB used to be one of the leading causes of death in the United States, but not anymore. In most cases, tuberculosis is preventable, treatable, and curable.
- California Tuberculosis Screening Guidelines for Child Care Centers and Schools
- San Mateo County TB Testing Clinics
- TB Latente vs. TB Activa
- Latent TB laban sa Aktibong TB
- Rifampin Fact Sheet
- 3HP Fact Sheet
- INH Fact Sheet
- Sputum Collection Instructions - English
- Sputum Collection Instructions - Spanish
- Sputum Collection Instructions - Tagalog
- Home Isolation Instructions - English
- Home Isolation Instructions - Spanish
- Home Isolation Instructions - Tagalog
- 2020 Annual TB Report
- 2017 Annual TB Report
- 2018 Annual TB Report
- 2019 Annual TB Report
- 2021 Annual TB Report
- San Mateo County TB Testing Clinics
- 2022 Annual TB Report
- 2023 Annual TB Report
- Read more
Viral Hepatitis
The word “hepatitis” means inflammation of the liver. Hepatitis is most often caused by a virus. In the US, the most common types of viral hepatitis are Hepatitis A, Hepatitis B, and Hepatitis C.
Viral hepatitis is the leading cause of liver cancer and the most common reason for liver transplantation. An estimated 4.4 million Americans are living with chronic (lifelong) hepatitis. Most do not know they are infected.
Lyme Disease & Tick Testing
The incidence of Lyme Disease in San Mateo County is very low.
There were 24 reported cases from 1991 to 1999, ranging from 1 to 4 cases each year. Compare this number to over 9,000 to 16,000 nationwide cases reported each year during the same time period.
The microorganism that causes Lyme Disease (Borrelia burgdorferi) is not common among ticks in San Mateo County. Young ticks, or nymphs, are more likely than adults to be infected; the nymphs often clear the infection by the time they reach adulthood.
