SFDPH: COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations falling; booster planning and child vaccine rollout underway

Grant Colfax, Director of Health, presented the Department of Public Health’s COVID-19 update, telling the commission that the city’s fourth surge had peaked and key metrics were improving.

Colfax said cases per 100,000 have generally declined since the peak and hospitalizations were falling; he reported "54 individuals as of September" hospitalized and "22 in the ICU." He emphasized vaccines’ impact on severe disease, presenting hospitalization rates per 1,000 cases of 12.6 for fully vaccinated people versus 85.1 for people not fully vaccinated, and stated San Francisco’s vaccination coverage compares favorably with state and national rates.

On boosters, Colfax outlined the sequence required for broader booster availability — FDA authorization, CDC recommendation and state guidance — and said the department is preparing operationally for prioritized booster distribution for people 65 and older and high‑risk groups while continuing to prioritize first and second doses. He also described preparations to vaccinate children ages 5–11 when federal and state approvals permit, including coordination with schools and expanded clinic capacity.

Colfax asked the commission to sustain outreach to neighborhoods and emphasized the department’s multi‑pronged vaccine strategy: data‑informed operations, hyper‑local planning, community engagement and a broad delivery network of nearly 100 vaccination sites, mobile units and health system partners.