July 21, 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
Get the Facts

United States Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy said the country is seeing a “proliferation of misinformation online,” as false information regarding COVID-19 and vaccinations is being amplified on social media platforms. Click here to read more.

It is important to know the facts and share accurate information with our patients and the community. Refer to the attached Talking Points (English and Spanish) to share with patients. You can also visit altamed.org/vaccine for facts and frequently asked questions.

Q: If I got vaccinated, do I need to worry about the Delta variant?
A: Having at least one dose of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines provides limited protection, but only fully vaccinated individuals are well protected from the Delta variant. You are not fully vaccinated until two weeks after your last shot. You can read more on the Delta variant at altamed.org.

Q: What are myocarditis and pericarditis?
A: Myocarditis is inflammation of the heart muscle, and pericarditis is inflammation of the outer lining of the heart. The symptoms are chest pain, shortness of breath, or an abnormal heartbeat (fast, fluttering, or pounding). There have been some cases of males 16 and older getting myocarditis and pericarditis after their second dose of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine. Most patients who received care quickly felt better. The CDC still recommends the COVID-19 vaccination for everyone 12 years of age and older. The benefits of COVID-19 vaccination outweigh the risks, including the possible risk of myocarditis or pericarditis.
 
Q: What is Guillain-Barre Syndrome?
A: Guillain-Barre Syndrome is a neurological disorder that damages nerve cells and causes muscle weakness among some people who have received the Johnson & Johnson/Janssen COVID-19 vaccine. Out of the 12.8 million people who have received the Janssen vaccine, there have only been 100 people suspected of getting Guillain-Barre Syndrome.  

Q: Will a COVID-19 vaccine alter my DNA?
A: Per the CDC, no. COVID-19 vaccines do not change or interact with your DNA in any way. Both mRNA and viral vector COVID-19 vaccines deliver instructions (genetic material) to our cells to start building protection against the virus that causes COVID-19. The material never enters the nucleus of the cell, which is where our DNA is kept.

Q: Is it safe to get a COVID-19 vaccine if I would like to have a baby one day?
A: Per the CDC, yes. If you are trying to become pregnant now or want to get pregnant in the future, you may get a COVID-19 vaccine. There is currently no evidence that COVID-19 vaccination causes any problems with pregnancy, including the development of the placenta. In addition, there is no evidence that female or male fertility problems are a side effect of any vaccine, including COVID-19 vaccines.
Delta Variant Causes Significant Rise in COVID-19 Cases

Los Angeles County
  • The County is now recording more than 10,000 coronavirus cases a week—an alarming sign of the dangers the Delta variant poses to people who have not been vaccinated. Read more here.
  • The County's indoor masking requirement is currently in effect for everyone. You can read more here or refer to Dr. Brown's memo from Friday, July 16.

Orange County
  • Recently rising COVID-19 cases are being seen in Orange County, in part due to the Delta variant. Click here for more information.

COVID-19 Trackers
For AltaMed Employees

Get Your Vaccine
To date, more than 2,500 AltaMed employees have received the COVID-19 vaccines, and more continue to do so. Vaccines are available 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.
  • If you previously submitted the COVID-19 declination form, but have changed your mind and want to receive a vaccine, contact Employee Health.

Before Entering an AltaMed Work Site
Every afternoon, Employee Health sends a list of all the COVID-19 screening results to LDI. Leaders should review this file daily to make sure that any employee, who is in the office that day, has submitted their screening response prior to coming to work. If they have not, please send the employee back to their work entrance for screening and for them to enter their results. As a reminder, the screening survey is required for everyone who enters any AltaMed building.  
Vaccinations and Community Events

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

  • Wednesday, July 28 from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. at NHS Center for Sustainable Communities, a HUD EnVision Center (1051 W. Rosecrans Ave. in Compton)

  • Friday, July 30 from 4:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at Belvedere Park (5035 1st Street in Los Angeles)

All of our 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 5:00 p.m.)
  • AltaMed Medical Group – Pico Rivera, Slauson (Monday to Friday)
  • AltaMed Medical and Dental Group – Huntington Beach (Thursdays and Fridays)
  • AltaMed Medical Group – Orange (Fridays)
  • 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)
Grand Rounds Update
 
Dr. Sherrill Brown, Medical Director of Infection Prevention, presented a COVID-19 Treatment, Vaccine Updates and Q&A Forum during the Tuesday, July 20 Grand Rounds session. 

Topics Discussed:
  • Response to Increased Cases
  • Refresher on PPE Recommendations
  • Updates on Testing Recommendations
  • Refresher on Treatment with Monoclonal Ab
  • Vaccine Dos and Don’ts
 
Resources:
 
Video Presentation Timestamps
  • Presentation: 0:00 – 41:51
  • Q&A Session: 41:52 – 45:57
Work 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.
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.