COVID-19 Provider Health Alert (Contra Costa County)

March 11, 2020: Last night, Contra Costa Health Services (CCHS) issued a “ Provider Health Alert Update ” for COVID-19 that supersedes previous guidance. The guidance was issued to assist providers in mitigating community spread of COVID-19. Physicians are encouraged to read the Health Alert in its entirety; key recommendations include:

  • Most people infected with COVID-19 will have mild disease; accordingly, healthcare providers are encouraged to advise patients with mild symptoms not requiring medical care to stay at home and to only seek medical attention when symptoms worsen.

  • The latest CDC guidance states that clinicians should use their judgment to determine if a patient has signs and symptoms compatible with COVID-19 and whether the patient should be tested. Clinicians are strongly encouraged to test for other causes of respiratory illness such as flu. Please read the Health Alert for guidance on highest priority patients for testing.

  • Advise patients that are not hospitalized that they should remain in home isolation until they receive the results of their test. Have patients sign the home isolation agreement and fax their form to Contra Costa Public Health at 925-313-6465. Click here for access to forms and documents.

Please read the Health Alert in its entirety for additional information, including actions required of health care professionals and information about patient testing.

IMPORTANT: This Health Alert is issued by Contra Costa County for Contra Costa County patients. We will continue to forward Health Alerts from both Alameda, Contra Costa and City of Berkeley as they are released.
Situation Update

Contra Costa County: Contra Costa Health Services announced that there is a total of 10 confirmed COVID-19 cases among Contra Costa residents, including 6 with no known travel/exposure history, indicating that community spread is occurring. The County has issued interim guidance for social distancing:

  • Persons at higher risk of severe illness from COVID-19 (older people and people with certain underlying health conditions) should not go to mass gatherings such as parades, sporting events, religious services, celebrations and concerts where people are within arm’s length of each other and there are 50 or more people.

  • Cancel or postpone large gatherings such as concerts, sporting events, celebrations, conventions, religious services and community events where 50 or more people are within arm’s length of each other.

Click here for more information.

Alameda County: Alameda County Public Health Department reported a third case of COVID-19 among Alameda County residents. The individual is the spouse of the second confirmed case, and is an older adult, who had disembarked from the Grand Princess cruise ship in February. This individual had already been quarantined at home, remains isolated, and is being monitoring.

The disembarking of passengers from the Grand Princess Cruise Ship in the Port of Oakland and is being led by the state and federal governments, with Alameda County and the City of Oakland providing support as needed. The passengers will not be released into the general public. California residents aboard the ship will be taken to federal facilities for isolation and quarantine, while non-California residents will be transported to federal facilities in other states. Anyone with immediate health care needs upon disembarkation may be transported to local or regional health facilities to receive care.

Alameda County has issued new guidance to the public to increase social distancing and minimize community transmission:

  • Persons at higher risk of severe illness from COVID-19 (older people and people with certain underlying health conditions) should stay home and away from crowded social gatherings as much as possible. These types of gatherings include, but are not limited to parades, conferences, sporting events, and concerts where large numbers of people are within arm’s length of one another.

  • Cancel or postpone non-essential mass gatherings and large community events where large numbers of people are within arm’s length of one another. The county is providing more detailed guidance for event planners.

Click here for more information.
Updated Guidance for Health Care Workers with Potential Exposure

Please be aware that the on March 7, 2020, the CDC updated its “Interim U.S. Guidance for Risk Assessment and Public Health Management of Healthcare Personnel with Potential Exposure in a Healthcare Setting to Patients with Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19)”. Among the updates include “allowances for asymptomatic HCP who have had an exposure to a COVID-19 patient to continue to work after options to improve staffing have been exhausted and in consultation with their occupational health program.” Specifically, the guidance states:

"Facilities could consider allowing asymptomatic health care personnel (HCP) who have had an exposure to a COVID-19 patient to continue to work after options to improve staffing have been exhausted and in consultation with their occupational health program. These HCP should still report temperature and absence of symptoms each day prior to starting work. Facilities could have exposed HCP wear a facemask while at work for the 14 days after the exposure event if there is a sufficient supply of facemasks. If HCP develop even mild symptoms consistent with COVID-19, they must cease patient care activities, don a facemask (if not already wearing), and notify their supervisor or occupational health services prior to leaving work."

Physicians are encouraged to read this guidance in its entirety.
Contact Information for Local Public Health Departments:

Alameda County Public Health Department Communicable Disease Section: (510) 267-3250 from 8:30 AM - 5:00 PM on weekdays. After hours calls should be directed to (925) 422-7595 and ask for the public health duty officer on call.
 
Contra Costa Public Health Department : (925) 313-6740. After hours calls should be directed to the Sheriff's Dispatch at (925) 646-2441. 

City of Berkeley Public Health:   (510) 981-5292 from 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM on weekdays. After hours: Phone: (510) 981-5911 and ask for the Health Officer on call 
This information will also be posted online at   www.accma.org/COVID-19  and will be updated frequently. Please check the ACCMA website regularly for updates. 

If you have any additional questions, please contact the ACCMA at (510) 654-5383.