View as Webpage December 30, 2020 @ 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. You can listen to today's recording here.

Sherrill Brown, MD

Berenice Constant

Steven Satzger

Questions & 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 Wednesday morning COVID-19 huddles Wednesday afternoon COVID-19 Alerts emailed to all employees COVID-19 resource and policy pages on Town Square altamed.org/coronavirus Periodic emails, as needed FAQs Click here to read the weekly FAQs (there are no updates this week)  Refer to the weekly FAQs in earlier editions of the COVID-19 Alert to see if your questions have already been answered

Q & A of the Week Q: It has been communicated several times that AltaMed's policy is that all employees wear a mask at all times unless they are alone in an office with the door closed. If someone is eating at their cubicle, can they have their mask removed?    From the COVID-19 Response Team A: The Temporary Face Masking policy, HR-WEL-007, includes that masks can be removed when eating or drinking. Please remember that masks should be replaced as soon as actual eating or drinking is done; you may not have the mask removed the entire hour or half hour that you may be on lunch break if not eating.

A Message of Thanks Dr. Efrain Talamantes, Health Services Chief Operating Officer, extends his words of gratitude to the employees of AltaMed, and thanks everyone for their energy, commitment, and grit, which have helped us pull through these challenging times.   He reminds us of our mission, vision, and values, which continue to hold true: To eliminate health disparities, to combat social ills, including racism in our community, and to ensure everyone has access to available services.   Thank you to everyone working behind the scenes to make sure our staff and patients take care of themselves and their families.

Information on COVID-19 and Vaccines Distribution AltaMed has submitted its requests for both the Pfizer and Moderna COVID-19 vaccines. We have designated two regional distribution centers to administer the vaccines: AltaMed – Corporate (2040 Camfield Ave.) AltaMed Medical and Dental Group – Anaheim (1325 N. Anaheim Blvd.) We have received the Moderna vaccine at our AltaMed Anaheim regional distribution center. We have not yet received a vaccine in Los Angeles County. We are finalizing our recommendations to prioritize employees based on their exposure risk. Vaccines will be administered according to exposure risk categories with frontline/highest risk employees first. An email with information about how to schedule appointments and additional details will be sent to employees as they are identified to receive the vaccines. Training Staff who will be administering or handling the COVID-19 vaccine have been assigned a training module that must be completed by tomorrow, December 31. This is a requirement per CDC guidelines. Vaccine Survey for Employees and Providers An email was sent to all employees yesterday from Dr. Efrain Talamantes asking staff to complete a COVID-19 Vaccine Survey to help us better understand how to respond to vaccine-related questions. All providers and staff are requested to complete the five-minute survey. Responses will remain anonymous and data will be reported in aggregate and used to help our COVID-19 containment efforts. Employee Town Hall On Tuesday, January 5 at 12:15 p.m., Dr. Sherrill Brown, Infection Prevention Medical Director, will take part in a special employee town hall to discuss AltaMed's COVID-19 vaccine initiative and answer questions. A reminder will be sent to all employees on Monday along with the FAQs—please read the FAQs ahead of time as they may answer your questions. Questions and Input We welcome your questions and input—please submit vaccine-related questions here. Visit altamed.org for additional information—the website is updated regularly. COVID-19 Tracker Click here to see where California stands.

Eduardo Cisneros Named to Biden-Harris COVID-19 Response Team Congratulations to our very own Eduardo Cisneros, Director of Civic Engagement, who is joining the Biden-Harris White House COVID-19 Response Team as the Director of Intergovernmental Affairs. In this role, Eduardo will help lead the implementation of a comprehensive, whole-of-government COVID-19 response strategy to contain the pandemic, restore public trust, and protect all Americans. Eduardo’s last day at AltaMed will be January 13. Read more about this important team and about other recent nominations on buildbackbetter.gov. On behalf of AltaMed, congratulations and best wishes on this new journey!

Safety Guidelines 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. Patient-facing staff, including front office if no plexiglass barrier is used, should wear a face shield or eye covering in addition to a face mask—avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth. Employees must wear appropriate PPE when on site.

Human Resources Reminders Final Days to Request PTO Cash Out Tomorrow is the last day to submit your request to cash out some of your unused PTO in 2021. The guidelines for the program, including eligibility and payout date, can be found on Town Square. Contact the Benefits Department for questions. Benefit Plan Resources Benefit plan resources are posted here. Virtual financial counseling sessions with TIAA-CREF are also always available. To sign up for an appointment, click here and select "Make an Appointment" to enroll, review your short- and long-term financial goals, update beneficiary information, and more.

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.