August 4, 2021 @ 5:00 p.m.
Every Tuesday, 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.

Olivia Lee, Manager, Legislative and Advocacy Affairs, presented on behalf of Government Affairs.  

You can listen to the recording here or read the notes here.
Sherrill Brown, M.D.
Berenice Constant
Steven Satzger
Increase in Positivity Rates and COVID-19 Testing Requests

AltaMed is working to address the increase in COVID-19 testing requests, overall positivity rates, and staffing/PTO requests.
  • In Los Angeles and Orange counties, there is a rise in COVID-19 cases—currently the positivity rate at AltaMed is between 12% and 13%.
  • There is an increase in COVID-19 testing requests, back-to-school physicals, and vaccinations as required by some school districts.
  • If a child needs a COVID-19 test for back-to-school, refer them to their school district’s website for information, including testing times and locations.

Patient Vaccinations
  • Continue to speak with patients and encourage them to get the vaccine. All three COVID-19 vaccinations have been effective against the Delta variant and in helping prevent hospitalization and death. 

AltaMed's Testing Procedures
  • Patients who have symptoms of COVID-19
  • Asymptomatic, but a high risk of close exposure to COVID-19, if unvaccinated
  • Screening test prior to a procedure or surgery
  • Patients residing in a congregate living facility
  • Returning back-to-school, if needed
 
Testing Before Travel
  • The recommendation is for AltaMed not to test prior to travel as we cannot guarantee that test results will be returned in a timely manner.
  • The recommendation is for the traveler to get tested at a site that can guarantee test results are returned in time prior to travel.

Resources
  • Click here for the new policy for COVID-19 Rapid Testing – Curbside
  • Click here for AltaMed testing workflow
Employees Must Send Proof of Vaccination

Send Your Proof
Employee Health will be contacting employees who have declined the vaccine or do not have vaccination information on file. If you have been vaccinated outside of AltaMed, please email proof of your vaccination to Employee Health.

Employee Vaccinations
Vaccinations are available to employees on Thursdays at AltaMed Pharmacy – Commerce (5417 E. Whittier Blvd. in Los Angeles). 
  • To schedule an appointment, contact Employee Health or call (323) 765-6153.
  • You will need to find street parking at this location.
CDC Change in Masking Guidelines

AltaMed continues to require that employees and patients, even if they are fully vaccinated, wear masks at all times as they work in or visit an AltaMed facility.

  • The CDC recommends that even those who have been vaccinated wear masks indoors as daily infection rates increase due to the Delta variant.
  • Click here to read more.
  • The CDC recommends indoor masks for all teachers, staff, students, and visitors at schools nationwide, regardless of vaccination status.
  • With the new CDC guidance, nearly all vaccinated Californians should return to wearing masks indoors since the guidelines apply to regions with “high or substantial” transmission rates.
  • Last week, California public health agencies also recommended that people wear masks indoors regardless of their vaccination status.
  • Click here to read more.
Grand Rounds

Sherrill Brown, MD, Medical Director of Infection Prevention, presented a COVID-19 Treatment, Vaccine Updates, and Q&A Forum during the Tuesday, August 3 Grand Rounds session.  

Topics Discussed:
  • COVID-19 data
  • Response to increased cases
  • Update on Delta variant
  • Update on vaccines and boosters
  • Update on testing algorithm
  • Update on treatment with monoclonal antibodies for underinsured
  • Vaccine talking points
 
Resources:
 
Video Presentation Timestamps
  • Introduction: 0:00 – 2:12
  • Presentation: 2:13 – 32:11
  • Q & A Session: 32:12 – 41:47
AltaMed Vaccination Sites

All of the AltaMed vaccination sites are open to those aged 12 or older. Continue to talk to your patients about getting the COVID-19 vaccine, as well as other vaccinations. There are no restrictions and there is no waiting period to get vaccinated.

How to Make an Appointment
  • AltaMed Patients:
  • MyAltaMed.net if they already have an existing account
  • AltaMed Vaccine Hotline at (888) 909-5232
  • Non-AltaMed Patients and Community Members:
  • AltaMed Vaccine Hotline at (888) 909-5232
  • MyTurn

AltaMed Vaccination Sites
  • AltaMed General Pediatrics at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles (Sundays and Mondays)
  • AltaMed Medical Group – Northgate Market, Olympic (Fridays)
  • AltaMed General Pediatrics – Westlake, 3rd Street (Tuesdays, Thursdays, Fridays)
  • AltaMed Medical and Dental Group – Commerce, Goodrich (Thursdays 4:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. and Saturdays 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.)
  • AltaMed Medical and Dental Group – East Los Angeles, 1st Street (Monday to Friday)
  • AltaMed Medical Group – Westlake, 3rd Street (Tuesdays, Thursdays, Fridays)
  • AltaMed Daniel V. Lara Clinic – East Los Angeles (Monday to Friday)
  • AltaMed Medical and Dental Group – El Monte (Every Monday from 8:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.)
  • AltaMed Medical Group – Pico Rivera, Slauson (Monday to Friday)
  • AltaMed Medical and Dental Group – Huntington Beach (Thursdays and Fridays from 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.)
  • AltaMed Medical Group – Orange (Fridays from 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.)
  • AltaMed Medical and Dental Group – Santa Ana, Main (Monday to Friday)

AltaMed Pharmacy Sites
  • AltaMed Pharmacy – Anaheim (Thursdays)
  • AltaMed Pharmacy – Boyle Heights (Monday to Friday)
  • AltaMed Pharmacy – Commerce (Monday to Friday)
  • AltaMed Pharmacy – Commerce, Goodrich (Thursdays and Saturdays)
  • AltaMed Pharmacy – Huntington Park (Monday to Friday)
  • AltaMed Pharmacy – Pico Rivera, Passons (Monday to Friday)
  • AltaMed Pharmacy – Santa Ana, Bristol (Monday to Friday)
  • AltaMed Pharmacy – South Gate (Thursdays) 
  • AltaMed Pharmacy – West Covina (Saturdays)
Staying Safe

  1. 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.
  2. Maintain hand hygiene—Staff should have easy access to hand sanitizer dispensers to clean hands frequently, and should wash their hands for 20 seconds at a time.
  3. Practice physical distancing—Stay six feet apart from other individuals whether inside or outside.
  4. Wipe down any work surfaces you touch.
  5. 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 administrative and clinical settings—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.
  6. Employees must wear appropriate PPE when on site.
Community Vaccination Events

AltaMed continues to host several community COVID-19 vaccination events. Click here for the full list of event sites and information.

  • Thursday, August 5 from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. at Northgate Market – El Monte (3828 Peck Rd.)

  • Saturday, August 7 from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. at Central City Neighborhood Partners (501 S. Bixel St. in Los Angeles)

Please share this information with your patients and community.
Available Resources for Patients and Community

CalHOPE
In partnership with CalHOPE, Health Education and Wellness is offering free crisis counseling and other support services to patients, employees, and community members affected by COVID-19. Informational cards have been distributed to all clinics and PACE centers. For questions about this initiative or to request more cards, contact Jessica Solares, Director of Health Education and Wellness.  

Rental Assistance
The federal moratorium on evictions expired last week and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau has published a Rental Assistance Finder to help renters and landlords avoid the eviction process and navigate financial hardships related to the pandemic.  
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 most recent 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
  • Go to the COVID-19 Vaccine news blocks on Town Square for current information and helpful resources.

How to Stay Informed
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.