December 1, 2021 @ 3:00 p.m.
Every Tuesday, Dr. Sherrill Brown, Medical Director, Infection Prevention; Olivia Lee, Manager, Legislative and Advocacy Affairs; and Diego Fuentes, Manager, Benefits and Leave of Absence, update our clinic and corporate line of business leaders.

You can listen to the recording here or read the notes here.
Sherrill Brown, M.D.
Olivia Lee
Diego Fuentes
Omicron Variant

The newest COVID-19 variant, Omicron, is deemed a "variant of concern" by the World Health Organization. Health experts urge the public to be cautious and patient as scientists collect more data on the new variant. President Biden sought to reassure the nation on Monday about the Omicron variant as crucial questions about it remain, telling Americans that the variant is "a cause for concern, not a cause for panic" and that his administration was working with vaccine manufacturers to modify vaccines and booster shots should that prove necessary.

CDC Recommends Boosters for All Adults
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on Monday broadened its recommendation for COVID-19 booster shots for all adults as the new Omicron variant is identified in more countries. Previous guidance from the CDC said all in the U.S. 18 or older "may" get an additional COVID-19 vaccine six months after their initial doses. Now, the agency is recommending that all "should" get one.
Boosters Encouraged for Employees

As health care workers, all AltaMed employees are eligible to receive the COVID-19 boosters. As a reminder, the FDA and the CDC have given mixing and matching vaccine types the green light. Appointments for employee boosters are required.

How to Schedule Your Booster
  1. Email Employee Health.
  2. Call Employee Health at (323) 765-6153.
  3. Contact the Employee Health lead at your respective clinic.

If You Receive the Booster Outside of AltaMed
  • If you get your COVID-19 booster outside of AltaMed, email proof (photo of the vaccination record card) to Employee Health so they may update their records.

After you receive your booster, click here for additional information.
Grand Rounds

Sherrill Brown, M.D., presented at a special Grand Rounds on COVID-19 Treatment, Vaccine Updates, and Q&A Forum on Tuesday, November 30.
 
Topics Discussed
  • Upcoming Interactive Training Workshops
  • Screening
  • Testing
  • Physical Distancing
  • Booster Update
  • People Vaccinated Outside the U.S.
  • Peds Vaccines
  • Omicron Update
  • Questions

Resources

The next COVID-19 Grand Rounds will be held on Tuesday, December 7. A calendar invitation will be sent.
COVID-19 Vaccinations for Children
 
AltaMed continues to provide the COVID-19 vaccination to children ages 5 to 11 who are AltaMed patients. Please urge parents to call the Vaccine Hotline at (888) 909-5232 to schedule an appointment for their child. They can also register or log in to the child's MyAltaMed account to schedule an appointment.

CalOptima Vaccine Events for Children in Orange County
CalOptima is collaborating with the Orange County Health Care Agency (OCHCA) and community partners to host a series of five vaccine events focused on CalOptima members in the newly eligible ages of 5 to 11 and 12 years and older who are unvaccinated. Review the flyer for times, locations, and registration information.
Human Resources Reminders

Annual Performance Review and Merit Increase
Refer to the email sent by Veronica Gomez, Vice President, Human Resources, on November 24 about this year's Performance Review process. Employees are to write comments reflecting on their contributions, strengths and challenges, and areas for continued development. All employees are required to complete the Self Review by Friday, December 3. For questions about this process, please email performancemanagement@altamed.org or contact your HR Business Partner.

All Hands Virtual Meeting
Mark your calendar for the upcoming Virtual All Hands Meeting which will take place on Tuesday, December 14. All Hands is an opportunity to recognize one another and celebrate all of our hard work and accomplishments. The day will be filled with activities, including a team lunch at each site and center. Again this year, employees will have the opportunity to nominate fellow employees and colleagues who exemplify one of the Core Values of the organization, and who go above and beyond for patients and their teams. Complete and submit the nomination form by Friday, December 3.

Holiday Help Program
The Holiday Help program is designed to help support employees facing financial challenges during this time of the year. Employees will have the opportunity to nominate themselves or nominate up to four other employees and colleagues who they feel may be going through a difficult time and may greatly benefit from this monetary support. All awards remain confidential. Employees were sent a memo with a unique link to the Holiday Help nomination. The deadline to submit is close of business Friday, December 10. For any questions, email HolidayHelp@altamed.org.
Flu Season is Here

AltaMed continues to provide free flu shots to all its employees, by appointment only.
  • AltaMed clinics are providing the flu vaccine to employees. Contact the Employee Health lead at your site to schedule an appointment.
  • Contact Employee Health or call (323) 765-6153 to schedule your flu shot or to request a high-dose flu vaccine. Again, appointments are required.
  • If you receive the flu vaccine outside of AltaMed, send proof of the vaccination to flucampaign@altamed.org.
  • Employees who submit their proof of vaccination to Employee Health will be rewarded with 200 Vitality points.
  • Click here for the influenza declination form.
Ongoing Safety Guidelines at Work

  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.
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.

How to Stay Informed

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
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.