January 19, 2022 @ 3:30 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 lines of business leaders.

You can listen to the recording here or read the notes here.
Sherrill Brown, M.D.
Olivia Lee
Diego Fuentes
COVID-19 Cases Highest Ever

According to Sherrill Brown, M.D., Medical Director, Infection Prevention, we are currently seeing increased COVID-19 hospitalizations and the highest number of cases in the recorded history of this pandemic. At AltaMed, we are also seeing an increased demand from patients for upper respiratory tract infection visits and an increased demand for testing. Many of our own employees are getting exposed, getting sick, or have family members exposed and/or sick, and the result is a high number of staff call-outs.

Key Reminders:

  • The risks of hospitalization and death remain high for unvaccinated individuals.

  • Getting a booster shot is the best way to keep your immunity strong and protect you and your loved ones from being hospitalized or dying from COVID-19, including from the fast-spreading Omicron variant.

  • Boosters are authorized and recommended for all persons 12 and older. Individuals 12 and older who received the Pfizer vaccine and individuals 18 and older who received the Moderna vaccine are eligible for a booster five months after their initial full series was completed. Johnson & Johnson vaccine recipients are encouraged to get boosted two months after their first vaccination. 

  • Get a booster and a flu shot—they safe to get at the same time.
Test Kits Now Available to Households

Federal Government
  • The Biden Administration has purchased one billion at-home rapid COVID-19 tests that will be mailed for free. Test kits are now available to order online, and will be mailed directly to households. The initial program will allow four, free tests to be requested per residential address. To place your order for the at-home tests, click on COVIDTests.gov. They will ship within 7 to 12 days after ordering.
 
Los Angeles County Testing Kits
  • The Pick-Up Testing Kit is a testing program designed to increase and facilitate access to COVID-19 tests for Los Angeles County residents unable to obtain appointments. The program allows residents to pick up a PCR test kit, perform the test, and return the completed test to designated sites for processing. Residents will be notified of their test results within 24 to 48 hours. Testing kits will be available without an appointment and until daily supplies are exhausted at designated locations. In alignment with all County-operated testing locations, the Pick-Up Testing Kit will also concurrently test for COVID-19 and Influenza (A and B).

Testing Service for AltaMed Patients
  • MD Labs continues to provide free COVID-19 PCR testing to AltaMed patients at AltaMed Medical and Dental Group - Anaheim and AltaMed Medical and Dental Group - South Gate. The pop-up testing sites are open from 8:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. and 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. Appointments are not required and results will take 24 to 72 hours. Direct AltaMed patients seeking primary diagnosis of COVID-19 to these sites. They will need to provide an ID, and if they have insurance, they will need to provide that information as well. Patients without insurance will still be tested. An email address is also required so the results can be sent to them. 
Booster Mandate for AltaMed Employees

Employee Health is currently working to provide boosters to AltaMed employees by the Tuesday, February 1 deadline. As booster events are scheduled, information will be shared with employees. For now, employees can make an appointment to receive their booster. After you receive your booster, click here.

If You Receive the Booster Outside of AltaMed

Appointment Required to Schedule Your Booster
  • Email Employee Health.
  • Call Employee Health at (323) 765-6153.
  • Contact the Employee Health lead at your respective clinic.
Grand Rounds Information

Sherrill Brown, M.D., presented at a special Grand Rounds on COVID-19 Treatment, Vaccine Updates, and Q&A Forum on Tuesday, January 18.
 
Topics Discussed:
  • COVID-19 and Omicron Data Updates
  • Clinical Updates
  • Change in Isolation/Quarantine
  • Treatment with Paxlovid and Antivirals
  • At-Home Testing
  • Questions
 
Resources:
Ongoing Safety Reminders at AltaMed

  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
  • 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.