View as Webpage April 7, 2021 @ 5:00 p.m.

Today's Weekly COVID-19 Briefing (Recorded at 7:45 a.m.)

Every Wednesday, Dr. Sherrill Brown, Medical Director, Infection Prevention; Berenice Constant, Vice President, Government Affairs and Civic Engagement; and Steven Satzger, Director, Learning and Training, update our clinic and corporate line of business leaders. This morning Olivia Lee, Manager, Legislative and Advocacy Affairs, presented on behalf of Government Affairs.   You can listen to today's recording here or read today's notes here.

Sherrill Brown, M.D.

Berenice Constant

Steven Satzger

Employee Vaccinations Continue Vaccination Appointments Employee Health continues to offer Dose 1 and Dose 2 vaccines to employees once a week on Thursdays at AMU (2035 Camfield Ave.). Click on the date below to schedule your appointment: Thursday, April 8 Thursday, April 15 Thursday, April 22 You will receive a reminder before your appointment. Remember to: Work with your supervisor to ensure your availability. Wear short sleeves. Do not carpool with your colleagues.  For Dose 2, bring your vaccination card with you. Submit Your Proof If you received the vaccine outside of AltaMed, email a copy of your vaccination card to Employee Health for documentation purposes only. Complete Your Declination If you are waiting to get the vaccine for any reason, please fill out the COVID-19 declination form. You may change your mind at any time and sign up to get vaccinated. Earn 500 Vitality Points AltaMed employees can earn 500 Vitality points for submitting proof of having received the COVID-19 vaccine. Visit the Vitality site on Town Square, log in and go to the Points Planner, then select the COVID Awareness and Prevention option. Follow the directions and earn your Vitality points.

Pins Available to COVID-19 Vaccinated Employees and Patients AltaMed employees and patients who have been vaccinated will receive a COVID-19 Vaccinated pin. These pins were sent last week to clinic and pharmacy vaccination sites for patient distribution, and another batch is available for employees. Non-vaccination clinics will receive pins via interoffice for distribution beginning today to share with staff who have been vaccinated. Please wear these pins to inspire and encourage our patients and community to get vaccinated and help defeat the pandemic.

New Vaccine Eligibility Updates Statewide Effective Thursday, April 15, individuals aged 16 and older will be eligible to receive COVID-19 vaccines. Click here to read more. Note: The Pfizer vaccine is administered to those 16 years and older, while the Moderna and Johnson & Johnson vaccines are administered to those 18 and older. AltaMed currently offers all three COVID-19 vaccines. Please continue to encourage your patients to get the vaccine—all three vaccines are effective. Orange County We are offering vaccination appointments to AltaMed patients and community members who meet the county eligibility requirements. Los Angeles County We have a limited supply of vaccines and are prioritizing appointments for eligible AltaMed patients. If patients meet the eligibility requirements, clinics can make appointments for their patients or they can direct patients to call the AltaMed Vaccine Hotline at (888) 909-5232 to make an appointment.  AltaMed patients can schedule an appointment through MyAltaMed. If you do not have an account, sign up today at myaltamed.net.   AltaMed Vaccination Sites AltaMed Medical Group – Pico Rivera, Passons (once a week, every Thursday) AltaMed Medical Group – Huntington Park (once a week, every Monday) AltaMed PACE – Santa Ana, located at 3601 W. Sunflower Ave,. Suite 100 AltaMed Medical and Dental Group – Anaheim (effective April 9, this site will only offer vaccines in the pharmacy) AltaMed Medical and Dental Group – Huntington Beach (effective April 8, on Thursdays and Fridays) AltaMed Medical and Dental Group – South Gate (April 10 only)   AltaMed Pharmacies Most of our pharmacies are providing the vaccine to our patients who can call the AltaMed Vaccine Hotline at (888) 909-5232 to schedule their appointment.  PACE PACE continues to vaccinate its eligible participants.

Opening Tiers Governor Newsom announced on Tuesday, April 6 that the state would lift its tiered system of risk and restriction by Tuesday, June 15 if vaccine supply is sufficient and hospitalizations are low. The state will continue to monitor COVID-19 metrics and may revisit the June 15 date if the numbers are not favorable. Click here to read more. As of Monday, April 5, Los Angeles County moved into the orange tier. Similarly, Orange County has already moved into the orange tier. Click here for information. Follow the COVID-19 Tracker to see where the state and other counties are in the reopening process.

Working and Staying Safe Wear your masks—Face masks are to be worn at all times over your nose and mouth (except when drinking or eating), and should be stored properly or discarded. Patients need to wear masks at all times in examination rooms as well. Maintain hand hygiene—Staff should have easy access to hand sanitizer dispensers to clean hands frequently, and should wash hands for 20 seconds at a time. Practice physical distancing—Stay six feet apart from other individuals whether inside or outside. Wipe down any work surfaces you touch. If employees need to be within six feet of someone for a prolonged period of time, wear a face shield and face mask in both an administrative and clinical setting—avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth. In addition, a face shield and face mask need to be worn at all times when interacting with patients. Employees must wear appropriate PPE when on site.

Only a Few Days Left to Vote Dr. Efrain Talamantes, Senior Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, Health Services, is a nominee for Modern Healthcare's 50 Most Influential Clinical Executives award. Help us recognize him for his tireless work for AltaMed, our patients, and the community by voting for him as an influential clinical executive. Voting closes Tuesday, April 13. Modern Healthcare's awards and recognition program honors individuals in health care who are paving the way to better health through their executive responsibility, leadership qualities, innovation, community service, and achievements both inside and outside of their respective organizations.

Questions and Communications  We welcome your questions, suggestions, and input. We do review each question and respond appropriately, so please continue to email us—click here. Know that this is a safe space and most questions will be answered individually prior to being shared anonymously with staff. FAQs Click here to read the weekly FAQs (answers to new questions are pending). Refer to the weekly FAQs in earlier editions of the COVID-19 Alert to see if your questions have already been answered. Town Square Current information and helpful resources can be found in the COVID-19 Vaccine news block on Town Square. How to Stay Informed COVID-19 Alert emailed to employees following the Wednesday morning huddle COVID-19 resource and policy pages on Town Square altamed.org/vaccine

Please Note: If you are contacted by the media with questions about the coronavirus outbreak or for any other reason, please email Veronica Orozco, Sr. Manager, Public Relations. The Public Relations team monitors all media coverage of AltaMed (social and traditional platforms) to uphold our reputation. If you have questions and concerns regarding media coverage, please call Veronica at (323) 482-3073. If you'd like to read news releases from AltaMed, visit our external website, AltaMed.org under Newsroom.