November 3, 2021 @ 4:30 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 line of business leaders.

You can listen to the recording here or read the notes here.
Sherrill Brown, M.D.
Olivia Lee
Diego Fuentes
Employee COVID-19 Booster Process

As health care workers, AltaMed employees are eligible to receive COVID-19 boosters by first making an appointment. To make an appointment, contact the Employee Health lead at your respective clinic or center. Corporate employees can email Employee Health (2035 Camfield Ave.) to schedule their booster appointment. As a reminder, the FDA and the CDC have given mixing and matching vaccine types the green light.
 
Pfizer Booster Availability and Criteria
To schedule your Pfizer booster appointment, contact the Employee Health lead at your respective clinic or center. Corporate employees can email Employee Health (2035 Camfield Ave.) to schedule their booster appointment.

Reminder: The following groups are eligible, six (6) months or more after their initial mRNA series:
  • Age 18 and older who work or live in high-risk settings, including first responders (health care workers, firefighters, police, congregate care staff)
  • Age 65 and older
  • Age 18 and older who live in long-term care settings
  • Age 18 and older who have underlying medical conditions

Moderna Booster Availability and Criteria
Beginning Tuesday, November 2, the Moderna booster is available to AltaMed employees. To schedule your Moderna booster appointment, contact the Employee Health lead at your respective clinic or center. Corporate employees can email Employee Health (2035 Camfield Ave.) to schedule their booster appointment.

Reminder: The following groups are eligible, six (6) months or more after their initial mRNA series:
  • Age 18 and older who work or live in high-risk settings, including first responders (health care workers, firefighters, police, congregate care staff)
  • Age 65 and older
  • Age 18 and older who live in long-term care settings
  • Age 18 and older who have underlying medical conditions

Johnson & Johnson/Janssen Availability and Criteria
Beginning Tuesday, November 2, the Johnson & Johnson/Janssen booster is available to AltaMed employees. To schedule your Johnson & Johnson/Janssen booster appointment, contact the Employee Health lead at your respective clinic or center. Corporate employees can email Employee Health (2035 Camfield Ave.) to schedule their booster appointment.

Reminder: The following are eligible, two (2) months or more after their initial Janssen vaccine:
  • Age 18 and older 

AltaMed recommends getting the booster on a Friday afternoon to allow you extra time to rest at home should you need. After you receive your booster, you can click here for additional information.
COVID-19 Vaccine for Children Ages 5 to 11

On October 29, the FDA authorized the Pfizer low-dose COVID-19 vaccine for children 5 to 11. With FDA clearance, up to 28 million more children could be eligible for the child-size doses. On Tuesday, November 2, the CDC advisory panel recommended moving forward with giving the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine to children ages 5 to 11. The agency's Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices voted unanimously, 14-0, in favor of the recommendation. Click here to read more.

According to the White House, the federal COVID-19 vaccine distribution program for children ages 5 to 11 will be fully up and running next week. The Biden administration has already begun transferring 15 million vaccine doses from Pfizer to pediatricians’ offices, pharmacies, hospitals, and health centers. Click here for more information. On that same note, California health officials intend to offer doses to 3.5 million children in the age group statewide as soon as the end of this week.
Los Angeles City Mandates Take Effect on November 8

On Monday, November 8, the City of Los Angeles vaccine mandates will go into effect, requiring patrons to show evidence of vaccination to enter restaurants, bars, coffee shops, gyms, nail salons, and barbershops along with movie theaters and shopping malls. Click here to read more.
Employee Flu Shots Available by Appointment
 
AltaMed continues to provide free flu vaccines to employees:
  • Contact the Employee Health lead at your clinic to schedule your 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.
  • Click here for the flu declination form.

Note: Employees who submit their proof of vaccination to Employee Health will be rewarded with 200 vitality points.
 
Click here to follow the CDC's weekly influenza map. 
Human Resources Reminders

Q4 Compliance Training
Please complete your Quarter 4 compliance training by Friday, November 5 and have the opportunity to receive 25 recognition points which can be used to redeem prizes. The final due date for completion of the Q4 compliance training is Friday, December 3.

Open Enrollment
AltaMed's annual Open Enrollment period runs through Friday, November 19. Information and the registration links to the weekly webinars are located on the home page of Town Square. Employees should also visit PlanSource, AltaMed's benefits enrollment system, to review benefits and make any necessary changes.
Safety Guidelines While 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
  • 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.