November 16, 2020
Eden Health District COVID-19 Bulletin
"It’s time to buckle up and lock ourselves down again, and to do so with fresh vigilance. . . . Everything that we may have done somewhat cautiously—and gotten away with—in summer may carry a higher risk now, because the conditions are different and the case baseline is much higher."
Zeynep Tufekci, associate professor at University of North Carolina, 11/14/20

"2021 is going to rapidly become a much better year. We have to get through the 3 hardest months right now. I'm hoping people can hunker down and recognize this is a temporary sacrifice what we need to do over the next 2 or 3 months to preserve life."
Dr. Scott Gottlieb, former FDA Commissioner, 11/16/20
School counselor revamps his school's morning announcements by creating video shows
Before the coronavirus pandemic, most of the Bridgehampton, New York, school district knew Ryan Barker as the elementary school guidance counselor. But now, he has become a local celebrity among students due to his humorous virtual morning announcements show.

Barker gives all the credit to Principal Mike Miller, who made the first video back in March. Barker loved his virtual morning announcements so much, that he knew he had to continue them virtually.

"I took it as an opportunity to bring our district together," said Barker. "As virtual and distinct as everybody felt I wanted to keep the community together because we are a small district. The morning announcements sparked from there and it just evolved."
Barker makes one video per day while continuing his full-time job as a school counselor. Even though it can get tedious, he takes it day-by-day -- not letting himself become overwhelmed by the videos he loves to make.

"Just seeing someone smile or someone be happy, that's what it's all about," said Barker. "YouTube, seeing videos, and social media is just such a great way we can connect with our kids and our community."

Source: ABC 7 News
By the Numbers
CONFIRMED CASES
Alameda County: 25,872

Contra Costa County: 21,458

Bay Area: 131,259

California: 1,030,975

U.S.: 11,1014,151
REPORTED DEATHS
Alameda County: 490

Contra Costa County: 253

Bay Area: 1,883

California: 18,265

U.S.: 246,758
California’s new cases of the coronavirus doubled in just the past 10 days, Gov. Gavin Newsom said Monday, representing the fastest rate of increase for the state since the start of the pandemic.

Previously, the fastest increase was the week of June 15 to 21, when it was a 39.2% jump, compared to the first week in November that saw a 51.3% increase in cases.

As a result, California is “pulling an emergency brake” on its strategy to slow the spread of the coronavirus pandemic, forcing most counties to retreat to the most restrictive tier on the state’s scale for reopening their economies.
In the Bay Area, Alameda, Contra Costa, Santa Clara, Napa and Solano counties will go backward into the purple tier, the state’s most restrictive, effective Tuesday. San Francisco and San Mateo counties will move back into the red tier, the second-most restrictive.
Source: SF Chronicle
Bay Area News
Mercury News, November 16, 2020
As the coronavirus comes roaring back, California hospitals are bracing for a surge of patients and urging people not to gather over the Thanksgiving holiday in a bid to keep already worrisome numbers from soaring even higher.

Across the state, more than 4,000 people with either suspected or confirmed cases of the coronavirus are hospitalized. And while that’s roughly half the number who were hospitalized during a summer spike in July, it’s still a dramatic jump from last month when hospitalizations hovered around 3,000. In the Bay Area, more than 400 people were in hospitals as of late last week with Covid-19. 
County Covid-19 Dashboard, November 16, 2020
As of November 13, 2020, 74 patients with Covid-19 are hospitalized in Alameda County, including 20 patients in ICU. This is a decrease from the 94 total Covid-19 patients hospitalized in the county on October 1, 2020, but an increase from the 63 patients hospitalized on November 1, 2020.

NBC Bay Area, November 16, 2020
More Bay Area counties appear to be moving backwards in terms of reopening their economies as coronavirus cases continue to spike across the region and the nation. A Solano County supervisor has confirmed that the county will be moving to the more restrictive purple tier on Monday.


East Bay Times, November 16, 2020
In an interview, Walter Wilson, co-founder of the San Jose-based Minority Business Consortium, states, "Covid has exacerbated and really highlighted the types of inequities that are already here, affecting Black-, women- and minority-owned businesses. The lifeblood of any business is credit. When you look at White-owned businesses who seek credit, (many) of their applications are approved. With Black businesses, (few) are approved for credit and this is across the country. It’s even worse in places like Silicon Valley."

Oaklandside, November 16, 2020
Back in early February, as the Year of the Rat scampered in, the delectable dim sum morsels at Peony Seafood Restaurant delighted almost 1,000 diners every Saturday and Sunday. Peony is the only “banquet hall” sized restaurant in Oakland Chinatown.

Currently, the ample kitchen is not completely empty. Peony’s chefs are still making fresh food for to-go orders. Plus, they now offer frozen versions of their dim sum varieties with instructions both in English and Chinese. These easy-to-prepare-dishes just need to be steamed for 6-12 minutes, depending on the variety. But it’s not enough. Limited take-out orders cannot sustain the 450-seat restaurant. “It’s the end of the rope,” says General manager Ming Zhu, who fears that he can only survive another two or three months in the present situation.
Health News
STAT, November 16, 2020
Moderna’s vaccine against Covid-19 is strongly effective, the company said Monday, building excitement about the potential of controlling the global pandemic. The news comes exactly a week after results from Pfizer and BioNTech, which announced broadly similar results. 

The companies said they will file for an emergency use authorization with the Food and Drug Administration in the coming weeks, and will file with other global regulators. The European Medicines Agency announced Monday that it has begun a rolling review of the Moderna vaccine.

The Moderna vaccine reduced the risk of Covid-19 infection by 94.5%. There were 95 cases of infection among patients who received placebo in the company’s 30,000-patient study. There were only five infections in patients who developed Covid-19 after receiving Moderna’s vaccine, mRNA-1273. The Moderna vaccine is given in two doses, 28 days apart.

Both Moderna’s trial and Pfizer’s are continuing and efficacy figures could decline by the time the trials are complete. It is often the case that a vaccine performs less well in the real world than it does in the setting of a clinical trial, experts warn.


STAT, November 16, 2020
So far, both vaccines appear to be generally tolerable — but by no means painless. In its announcement Monday, Moderna said it observed a few short-lived severe side effects in volunteers, including fatigue, muscle pain, and headache. None required hospitalization.

For its part, Pfizer said last week that its independent data monitors reported no serious safety concerns. In an earlier update from its Phase 1 clinical trial, Pfizer’s vaccine led to mild or moderate fever and pain at the site of injection, side effects that resolved over time, the company said.

Neither vaccine is likely to be available until spring at the earliest, in large part because of logistics. (By that time, Pfizer and Moderna are also likely to have generated enough supporting data to justify full FDA approvals.) Pfizer and Moderna expect to produce just 70 million doses of their vaccines by the end of 2020, enough for only 35 million people around the globe. In 2021, the companies could have as many as 2.3 billion doses between them, but in a pandemic-ravaged world of 7.5 billion people, that’s not going to be enough to satisfy demand. Unless more Covid-19 vaccines prove to work in the coming months, the world will be rationing doses well into next year.

Further complicating matters is the issue of storage. Pfizer is capable of manufacturing more doses than Moderna, but its vaccine must be shipped and stored at ultra-cold temperatures, which could make it difficult to deploy in parts of the world that lack specialized freezers.

By contrast, Moderna said its vaccine can be safely stored in a conventional refrigerator. That sets up a short-term situation in which Pfizer’s vaccine is the most bountiful but Moderna’s is the most convenient, which will require some deft maneuvering on the part of global health agencies.
US and California Data: Last 90 Days
Covid Tracking Project, 11/15/20 (bold lines are 7-day averages)
United States
California
California News
East Bay Times, November 16, 2020
The number of new coronavirus cases in California reached its highest point since Aug. 17, an average of about 7,967 per day over the past week, after there were 6,595 reported around the state Sunday. In the past two weeks, the average number of cases reported each day has nearly doubled — a 91% increase from about 4,162 per day at the start of November — while the number of patients hospitalized has increased by nearly 50%.

LA Times, November 16, 2020
With coronavirus again surging across California, officials are faced with a narrowing number of options to slow the spread. Weekly coronavirus cases have doubled in the last month around the state, and Los Angeles County recorded more than 6,800 cases over the weekend, an alarming spike that has officials talking about more restrictions.

The most immediate concern is the Thanksgiving holiday, which officials fear could spread the illness further if people take part in gatherings. But beyond that, officials are trying to balance the necessity of combating this latest spike with their desire to minimize further closures of businesses, already devastated by the pandemic, to slow their reopening.

Mercury News, November 16, 2020
Building homes, not apartments, is housing’s sweet spot in this pandemic era. Homebuilders across California filed 17,042 permits this summer for single-family homes — the second-busiest quarter since 2007, according to U.S. Census Bureau stats compiled by the St. Louis Fed.

It’s all part of a widespread and curious coronavirus impact on housing. Amid the pandemic, house seekers share a growing desire for more living space. As the economy emerged from a springtime lockdown, we saw house hunters, lured by historically low mortgage rates, push California homebuying to levels not seen since before the Great Recession.

LA Times, November 16, 2020
California voters rejected an ambitious state ballot initiative to substantially raise business property taxes. But they approved many local tax and bond measures. Why the distinction?

One reason is that voters are suspicious of Sacramento politicians. The public may not especially trust local officials either, but they’re closer and can be better watched and held accountable. Another reason is that voters this year are very anxious about the economy as the pandemic takes a toll on businesses, jobs and retirement savings. They didn’t want to unleash a major new property tax hike that might further cripple the California economy.

LA Times, November 15, 2020
A fresh surge of coronavirus cases on Saturday and Sunday has alarmed Los Angeles County officials, who say they may consider imposing a curfew and other health measures in an effort to stem the spread of Covid-19. New cases topped 3,000 for two consecutive days over the weekend.

County public health officials recorded 3,780 new cases of the virus Saturday, the highest one-day total since the peak of the crisis in mid-July. On Sunday, officials reported 3,061 new cases and three deaths.

Sacramento Bee, November 15, 2020
With precipitation reaching Northern California and high elevations in the Sierra Nevada mountains reporting snow, the ski season is just around the corner. Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, resorts will be implementing safety precautions, including riding the lift with only those in your household and wearing face coverings at all times.

Many ski areas have gone cashless and will restrict occupancy inside lodges and restaurants. Increased distance between skiers and riders, and more sanitation areas have been added. Some ski resorts, such as Heavenly, Northstar and Kirkwood, will require guests to book a reservation before hitting the slopes.

Badger Pass, the ski and snowboard area at Yosemite, will not open for the 2020-21 ski season “due to ongoing concerns related to Covid-19,” according to their website. Both Nordic and downhill skiing will be unavailable.
US News
The Guardian, November 16, 2020
Michigan and Washington have joined several other states in announcing renewed efforts to combat the coronavirus as more than 11 million cases of Covid-19 have now been reported in the United States – with the last million coming in less than a week – and as many Americans prepare to observe Thanksgiving.

As of Sunday, Johns Hopkins University’s coronavirus tracker has reached 11 million after topping 10 million cases on November 9 – with the most recent million coming in just 6 days. It took 300 days for the US to hit the 11 million mark since the first case was diagnosed in Washington state on January 20.

Associated Press, November 16, 2020
President-elect Joe Biden’s scientific advisers plan to meet with vaccine makers in coming days even as a stalled presidential transition keeps them out of the loop on government plans to inoculate all Americans against Covid-19. President Donald Trump’s refusal to accept that he lost the election means that the Biden team lacks a clear picture of the groundwork within the government for a mass vaccination campaign that will last the better part of next year, says Biden’s chief of staff, Ron Klain.

Washington Post, November 16, 2020
Even as the coronavirus ravages the United States, a wide array of tourism, hospitality, restaurant and retail groups have fought to preserve their ability to operate anyway, seeking to stave off shutdowns and some other restrictions that public health experts see as essential for bringing the nation’s deadly contagion under control.

The lobbying barrage arrives as epidemiologists continue to sound the alarms about the country’s latest, and perhaps deadliest, coronavirus surge since March. Shattering records, the U.S. daily caseload topped 177,000 new cases on Friday, with spikes in Midwestern states where Republican governors have eschewed mask mandates and other new restrictions.

NY Times, November 16, 2020
Three cases in front of the Supreme Court ask whether government officials or judges should calibrate responses to the public health crisis. One view, expressed by Chief Justice Roberts in a concurring opinion in the California case, is that officials charged with protecting the public “should not be subject to second-guessing by an unelected federal judiciary, which lacks the background, competence and expertise to assess public health and is not accountable to the people.”

USA Today, November 16, 2020
Small hospitals, understaffed and financially vulnerable before the pandemic, are under siege as the virus runs unchecked from North Dakota to the Texas Panhandle. Many of these hospitals are in towns where people are more likely to eschew precautions such as masks and social distancing at churches, grocery stores and other public places. 

Many of the nation’s nearly 1,800 rural hospitals lack the equipment, workforce and expertise to handle a surge of Covid-19patients. Nurses and doctors are getting sick, leaving already short-staffed hospitals more desperate for workers.
“These rural hospitals are designed for primary care, general surgery,” said Alan Morgan, CEO of the National Rural Health Association. “They were never designed for a global pandemic response.”

Associated Press, November 16, 2020
Mall owners are going ahead with plans to bring Santa Claus back this year. But they are doing all they can to keep the jolly old man safe, including banning kids from sitting on his knee, no matter if they’ve been naughty or nice. Kids will instead tell Santa what they want for Christmas from six feet away, and sometimes from behind a sheet of plexiglass. Santa and his visitors may need to wear a face mask, even while posing for photos. And some malls will put faux gift boxes and other decorations in front of Saint Nick to block kids from charging toward him.
Other safety measures include online reservations to cut down on lines, workers wiping down holiday-decorated sets, and hand sanitizer aplenty.
CA Education News
KQED, November 15, 2020
Twenty disaster service workers are helping the district assess school buildings to make sure they’re ready to open safely. That includes checking every classroom for proper ventilation and making sure every sink for handwashing is available.

Although the district has a target date of January 25 to open classrooms to the city’s youngest and most vulnerable students, they still need to inspect 65 buildings. Dawn Kamalanathan, the chief facilities officer for the San Francisco Unified School District, said "that data is critical for helping us understand the magnitude of the problem-solving that might have to occur at certain sites and across the district.”

San Diego Union-Tribune, November 15, 2020
On a recent morning, Citlali Medina Cruz logged onto her iPad to take a test for her 12th grade government class, sitting at a desk in her bedroom surrounded by family photos and images of Christ and the Virgin Mary. In the kitchen, her mother prepared quesadillas for lunch, while her grandmother listened to telenovelas.

Six-year-old Jyla, a student at McKinley Elementary School in the San Diego Unified School District, also engages with school through a screen, but in a different learning environment. The kindergartner is part of a learning pod of five families who share the cost of full-time tutors to guide their children through the maze of virtual learning and take turns hosting the group at their homes. The San Diego Union-Tribune is following the two girls — one at the start of her education and the other at the culmination of her K-12 experience — as they and their families navigate the unfamiliar terrain of school amid a pandemic.

Sacramento Bee, November 14, 2020
UC Davis officials are looking into a gathering that may have been held at an off-campus fraternity house Thursday, potentially exposing 20 students to the virus that causes Covid-19 after one fraternity member tested positive for the coronavirus. In a news release Saturday, the university said it learned that a member of the Theta Chi fraternity tested positive for the coronavirus on Thursday, the same day that a large gathering was believed to have taken place at the fraternity’s off-campus residence. Officials said the gathering took place Thursday evening and involved 10 to 20 people, violating campus guidelines as well as local health guidelines.
On Friday, Yolo County Public Health sent a quarantine order to the 10 fraternity members.
US Education News
USA Today, November 15, 2020
Volusia County, a school district on the east coast of Florida surrounding Daytona Beach, allowed students who didn’t want to return to in-person learning to tune into class remotely. They follow the same class schedule as their peers but instead of walking the halls between classes, they switch to different video calls. 

The mix is roughly 35,000 students in-person and 16,000 remote. Another 9,000 chose to switch to a fully virtual option that the district has always offered but never seen used in such numbers. The setup leaves teachers like teacher David Finkle feeling divided, wishing there were two of him to be better able to help the two distinct groups of students in his classes at DeLand High School.

LA Times, November 16, 2020
The enrollment of new international students at U.S. higher education institutions was down by 43% this fall, and 90% of campuses reported that foreign students deferred attendance to a future term, according to a report released by the Institute of International Education.

NPR, November 16, 2020
Many kids have lost the chance to compete, or to simply play, with schools and community programs shut down, and nervous parents unwilling to let their children interact with peers. A recent youth sports study says the impact could be lasting.

Axios, November 16, 2020
Thanksgiving will be a big test for colleges with students on campus. Some schools, including the University of South Carolina, Syracuse University and Emory University, plan to end in-person instruction ahead of the holiday, while others are asking students not to go home. Health officials fear indoor gatherings and traveling will worsen the spread of Covid-19 nationwide. If students do go home, experts recommend self-isolation, coronavirus tests and flu shots.

USA Today, November 15, 2020
"The top reasons families don’t file the FAFSA is because they think they won’t qualify for aid," said Ashley Boucher, spokeswoman for Sallie Mae. "This couldn’t be further from the truth, because nearly all who apply will qualify for something." College is a huge financial commitment, she said. "The last thing you want to do is pay more for it than you have to."
Couple married 71 years together beats the coronavirus
When he goes out, which is rare these days, he catches himself muttering to passersby. “Wear a mask,” the elderly man grumbles to the maskless in his Huntington Beach retirement community.

His wife of 71 years keeps her mouth shut, which is not something she often does. “If they’re so stupid not to wear a mask, I’m not going to tell them,” she says. “They don’t know how serious it is.”

Meet Sam and Edith Gollay, extenders of life, defeaters of the coronavirus and experts on how to stay together for more than seven decades. Sam is 98. Edith is 92.

They were married in 1949 during the Truman administration. They were married before the invention of the credit card, super glue, the microchip, the Barbie doll and the polio vaccine.

Here’s a quick secret to long life, according to Sam. “Luck,” he said, and he meant it. He considers himself the luckiest man on the face of the earth.

Sam and Edith are both in wheelchairs, and they need caregivers to help them get through their days. But, in the midst of a pandemic, the caregivers coming and going isn’t always safe. In July, a caregiver came to the Gollay house in Huntington Beach sick. She told them it was just a case of allergies.

It was not. “I was so mad,” Edith said.

The caregiver had the coronavirus. Within a week, both Sam and Edith had the coronavirus. And it got real bad, real fast. They were both admitted to the hospital.
The Gollays were kept in separate rooms on different floors. Sam got the worst of the illness. He had to be on oxygen 24 hours a day, and the medicine he was taking made him loopy. He didn’t recognize Edith.

“It was scary,” Edith said. “I was all by myself. The nurses were afraid to come in.”

Of course, Sam took the opposite point of view. “I’m never afraid,” he said with bluster. She said Sam was more dead than alive. “I didn’t want him to be alone,” she said. So she insisted that she be moved into his room, which she was.

They got out of the hospital in a week. Lucky, Sam said again.

Sure, some of it is luck. But there is a lot of caring and compromise that has helped keep Sam and Edith together all these years.

What is the secret to a long marriage?
“What’s the secret …?” Sam says. “I’ll tell you what the secret is: The woman is always right.”

Edith, as you might expect, has a different opinion. “Always make the man think he’s smarter,” Edith said. “But the woman always has to stay one step ahead.”

Daily New Confirmed Covid-19 cases per million people
(shown in rolling 7-day average)
International News
Local Sweden, November 16, 2020
Sweden on Monday announced a ban on public events of more than eight people at a press conference where ministers urged the population to "do the right thing." The new limit is part of the Public Order Act and therefore is a law, not a recommendation like many of Sweden's coronavirus measures. People who violate the ban by organizing larger events could face fines or even imprisonment of up to six months. The ban applies to public events such as concerts, performances, and sports matches, but not to places like schools or workplaces or to private gatherings.

Associated Press, November 15, 2020
Mexico on Saturday topped 1 million registered coronavirus cases and nearly 100,000 test-confirmed deaths, though officials agree the number is probably much higher.

How did Mexico get here? By marching resolutely, even defiantly, against many internationally accepted practices in pandemic management, from face mask wearing, to lockdowns, testing and contact tracing. What is more, officials in Mexico claim science is on their side. Assistant Health Secretary Hugo López-Gatell says any wider testing would be “a waste of time, effort and money.” Face masks, López-Gatell says, “are an auxiliary measure to prevent spreading the virus. They do not protect us, but they are useful for protecting other people.”

Except science does not appear to be on their side. International experts have recommended mass testing, and say face masks protect both the wearer and other people.

Associated Press, Nonmember 16, 2020
The World Health Organization has recorded 65 cases of the coronavirus among staff based at its headquarters, including at least one cluster of infections, an internal email obtained by The Associated Press shows, despite the agency’s public assertions that there has been no transmission at the Geneva site.

The revelation comes amid a surge of cases in Europe, host country Switzerland, and the city of Geneva, in particular, and the email said about half of the infections were in people who had been working from home. But 32 were in staff who had been working on premises at the headquarters building, indicating that the health agency’s strict hygiene, screening and other prevention measures were not sufficient to spare it from the pandemic.

Reuters, November 16, 2020
The new coronavirus may have been circulating in Italy in September 2019 according to a study by the National Cancer Institute (INT) of the Italian city of Milan. The Italian researchers’ findings, published by the INT’s scientific magazine Tumori Journal, show 11.6% of 959 healthy volunteers enrolled in a lung cancer screening trial between September 2019 and March 2020 had developed coronavirus antibodies well before February.

Bloomberg, November 16, 2020
Japan and the International Olympic Committee are looking to have spectators attend next July’s Tokyo Games after putting together a raft of safety measures for the games, one of the biggest global events to be pushed back due to the coronavirus pandemic.
IOC President Thomas Bach said after a meeting in Tokyo on Monday with Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga that the two sides were compiling a “huge toolbox” to counter the pandemic and the IOC would make great efforts to have participants and spectators vaccinated before arrival -- if a vaccine was available by then. The IOC would collaborate with National Olympic Committees on vaccine for athletes and take on some of the costs, he said in a separate briefing.

The Guardian, November 16, 2020
A Chinese citizen journalist detained since May for reporting on the coronavirus outbreak from Wuhan is facing up to five years in jail after being formally indicted on charges of spreading false information. Zhang Zhan, a 37-year-old former lawyer, was arrested more than 6 months ago after reporting on the outbreak. She is being held in a detention facility in Shanghai.
She was accused of “picking quarrels and stirring up trouble”, an accusation frequently used against critics and activists inside China, after reporting on social media and streaming accounts.
Analysis/Opinion
Christie Aschwanden, Wired, November 15, 2020
Let me put this as clearly as I can: As a means of eliminating risk in the midst of a pandemic, the everyone-has-gotten-tested method is utterly absurd.
It’s true that getting a positive result tells you some crucial information: It’s time to cancel all your plans and isolate until you’re past the point of infectiousness.

Even if you assume these tests are 100 percent accurate, they’ll only tell you what your status is at the specific time the test is done. These tests are not 100% accurate.
Covid testing is important, as a rule—it’s how we can identify people who have the coronavirus so they can separate themselves and stop the chains of transmission. Where people are coming together repeatedly in shared spaces, as in schools and workplaces or on sports teams, frequent testing can reduce transmission and outbreaks—but only when it’s paired with a robust system for isolation and contact tracing.

Testing alone isn’t enough; for disease surveillance to make a difference, it must be used alongside behavioral interventions such as masking and social distancing. If you’re assuming that a negative test means you can give up on those behaviors—that you can safely gather for dinner at a grandparent’s house or spend a weekend in a cabin with your buddies—then you’re asking for trouble.

Zeynep Tufekci, The Atlantic, November 14, 2020
The end may be near for the pestilence that has haunted the world this year. Good news is arriving on almost every front: treatments, vaccines, and our understanding of this coronavirus.

We have reasons to celebrate, but—and you knew there was a but—a devastating surge is now under way. And worse, we are entering this dreadful period without the kind of leadership or preparation we need, and with baseline numbers that will make it difficult to avoid a dramatic rise in hospitalizations, deaths, and potential long-term effects on survivors.

We desperately need to flatten the curve again before hospitals nationwide are overrun. When community transmission is this high, every kind of exposure is more dangerous. A gym class is more likely to have someone who is infectious. Workplaces will have more cases, meaning more employees will unknowingly bring the virus home. More people at the grocery store will be positive. A casual gathering of friends may be harder to hold outdoors. Even transmission from surfaces may pose a higher risk now, because lower humidity levels may improve the survivability of the virus.

Courtney Brown, Axios, November 16, 2020
America is facing its worst rate of new coronavirus infections — and widespread sickness is expected to be compounded by economic pain from the necessary lockdown measures, much like we saw earlier this year. What's different now is the lack of near-term hope for stimulus as the country tries to control the virus — at a time when economists say it's critical to mitigate fallout for the unemployed, businesses and municipalities.

The key will be whether "policymakers in Congress can extend the income bridge" and prevent "a second-round negative impact on the economy from the deterioration in state and local budgets," economists at Brean Capital said in a client note. The big questions: If and when Congress will make progress on a deal. And what the Fed can do — or will do — on its own to provide economic support.

Scott Gottlieb and Mark McClellan, Wall Street Journal, November 15, 2020
Americans are understandably tired of Covid, but accepting temporary restrictions now will help prevent even more painful personal and economic disruptions.

A patchwork of local policies won’t be potent enough. People move across borders and bring the virus. Governors and local leaders should first reinforce steps known to be effective: wearing a quality mask, avoiding gatherings and maintaining social distance, especially indoors. Halloween gatherings contributed to the current spread, and Thanksgiving will be no different without more vigilance. At least while infections are widespread and surging, governors and local leaders should mandate the use of masks and impose clear and consistent plans to restrict gatherings. They should remind people to avoid large groups at Thanksgiving and stay home if possible.
East Bay Focus
Alameda County
Widespread (Purple)
  • 7.0 Adjusted case rate of new Covid-19 positive cases per day per 100,000 residents
  • 2.5% Positivity rate
  • 2.8% Health equity metric
Contra Costa County
Widespread (Purple)
  • 10.0 Adjusted case rate of new Covid-19 positive cases per day per 100,000 residents
  • 3.7% Positivity rate
  • 4.1% Healthy equity metric
by day as of 11/15/20
by day as of 11/15/20
Over the last seven days, Alameda County officials have confirmed 1,021 new cases, which amounts to 62 cases per 100,000 residents.
Over the last seven days, Contra Costa County officials have confirmed 1,234 new cases, which amounts to 109 cases per 100,000 residents.
Top 10 Locations of Cases in Alameda County, as of 11/15/20. Alameda County does not publish cases per 100,000 in the last 14 days by city.
Oakland: 9,761

Hayward: 3,865

Fremont: 1,889

Eden MAC: 1,672

San Leandro: 1,483

Livermore: 1,120

Union City: 1,013

Berkeley: 886

Newark: 701

Castro Valley: 687
Top 10 Locations of Cases in Contra Costa County plus (in parentheses) cases per 100,000 in last 14 days, as of 11/16/20
Richmond: 3,945 (218)

Concord: 2,766 (107)

Antioch: 2,858 (215)

Pittsburgh: 2,306 (155)

San Pablo: 1,822 (446)

Bay Point: 1,061 (252)

Brentwood: 881 (152)

Walnut Creek: 768 (90)

Oakley: 682 (130)

San Ramon: 537 (90)
East Bay Resources


We are proud to partner with the East Bay Community Foundation in publishing this bulletin. Through donations to its Covid-19 Response Fund, the EBCF provides grants to East Bay nonprofit organizations delivering essential services to those most impacted by the economic fallout from the pandemic.
Holiday Celebration Guidance
CDC website, November 12, 2020
The safest way to celebrate Thanksgiving this year is to celebrate with people in your household. If you do plan to spend Thanksgiving with people outside your household, the CDC offers steps to make your celebration safer.

Contra Costa Health Services website
Embracing gratefulness, connection, resiliency and hope are more important than ever, as is protecting the ones you care about and are thankful for. As you plan for and enjoy the holidays, Contra Costa Health Services provides guidance on how to keep yourself and others safe while enjoying traditions.
Osterholm Podcast
In the November 12, 2020, episode, Dr. Michael Osterholm and host Chris Dall discuss the pandemic's growing strain on healthcare systems across the US, limitations of modeling, the concept of paying to prevail, encouraging news in the vaccine world, and the implications of infected mink in Denmark.
Mask On Eden Area
Working in collaboration with the Alameda County Public Health Department, the Cities of Hayward and San Leandro, and the Castro Valley and Eden Area Municipal Advisory Councils, the District has printed “Mask On” posters for each city and community in the Eden Health District area. The posters are free and intended for businesses, health clinics, schools, churches, public agencies and nonprofit organizations to display in their entrances.

“Wearing masks in public or any gatherings, including events with friends and extended families, is essential for slowing the spread of the virus,” stated Eden Health District Director Pam Russo. “While we are seeing signs of progress in California, Alameda County remains a Covid-19 'hot spot' in the Bay Area. Please wear a mask to protect yourself while protecting others.”
The public is welcome to download and print or share “Mask On” posters from the District’s website. Posters are available in English, Spanish and Chinese languages.

Posters may also be retrieved during business hours from the lobby of the Eden Health District office building located at 20400 Lake Chabot Road, Castro Valley. Posters for the City of Hayward are also available from the Hayward Chamber of Commerce located at 22561 Main Street, Hayward.
Public Education Covid-19 Flyers
Contra Costa County Health Services has recently published highly informative flyers addressing the risks of becoming infected in certain settings and activities.
Eden Area Food Pantries
We have posted information on food pantries and food services in the cities of Hayward and San Leandro and unincorporated Alameda County including Castro Valley and San Lorenzo. You can access the information here on our website. Alameda County has also released an interactive map listing food distributions and other social services. 
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The Eden Health District Board of Directors are Gordon Galvan, Chair, Mariellen Faria, Vice Chair, Roxann Lewis, Pam Russo and Thomas Lorentzen. The Chief Executive Officer is Mark Friedman.

The Eden Health District is committed to ensuring that policy makers and community members receive accurate and timely information to help make the best policy and personal choices to meet and overcome the challenges posed by the Covid-19 pandemic.

Each bulletin includes a summary of the top health, Bay Area, California, national, education and international news on the pandemic plus links to a diverse range of commentary and analysis. We publish the Bulletin on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, unless the day fall on a public holiday.

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