Eden Health District COVID-19 Bulletin
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"We're all going to see so much adversity in life, whether we like it or not. It's just how you handle that adversity is what defines you as a person and builds character."
Golden State Warriors All-Star Klay Thompson in message to Bay Area high school graduates,
6/9/20
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The Power of Empathy and Communication
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Though they are sometimes called "invisible" workers, the custodians and housekeepers who clean and restock hospital rooms are often anything but to the patients in those rooms, especially during this pandemic.
Retired Air Force colonel Jason Denney credits hospital housekeeper Rosaura Quinteros with saving his life through their daily conversations when he was in isolation in a pressurized room at Dr. P. Phillips Hospital in Orlando.
A Catholic priest came to administer last rites to Denney, who said goodbye to his family via FaceTime.
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Though English is not her first language, Quinteros said she and Denney quickly formed a bond. Quinteros urged Denney not to lose hope.
For six days, Quineros was a ray of light in his suffocating darkness. Denney noted, "People don't realize that in their brief engagements with other people, the words you say matter. And in the situation I was in, they really matter." Source:
CNN
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Alameda County:
4,119
Contra Costa County:
1,829
California:
143,533
U.S.:
2,029,037
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Alameda County:
108
Contra Costa County:
44
California:
4,9393
U.S.:
113,924
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East Bay Times, June 12, 2020
As of Thursday, 37 workers at St. Rose Hospital had become infected with Covid-19, according to spokesman Sam Singer. None have died as a result of the virus. The coronavirus hit hospital workers in mid to late May and approximately half have been cleared to return to work. The state and Alameda County have sent in health care experts to study the outbreak and offer recommendations to the hospital.
The outbreak is not the first among Bay Area health care workers. More than 50 workers at Santa Clara Valley Medical Center have tested positive for the virus.
Cal Matters, June 12, 2020
Overcrowded housing, or how many people pack into a home, is different from population density, or how many people pack into a square mile. People forced by poverty into overcrowded homes are much more likely to be people of color, due to discriminatory housing, education and banking policies that have segregated neighborhoods and prevented non-white families from amassing wealth, said
Jennifer Ahern, a UC Berkeley professor of epidemiology.
People of color also are more likely to suffer chronic conditions, such as diabetes or high blood pressure, that can worsen COVID-19 outcomes.
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Oakland is an example of a city with wide disparities in coronavirus infection rates and housing conditions. In the ZIP code that contains affluent Montclair neighborhood and Piedmont city, where winding roads slope up towards a ridge of lush nature preserves overlooking the Golden Gate Bridge, just 1% of homes are overcrowded. Fewer than one in every 1,000 residents tested positive for the coronavirus there. But across the city in the ZIP code that encapsulates majority Latino neighborhoods like Fruitvale, the infection rate was six times higher and 21% of homes are overcrowded.
Kaiser Health News, June 12, 2020
In the wake of the coronavirus shutdown, there are worries about the future of the Marin City Health and Wellness Center and others like it. Community health centers, which provide medical services for 1 in 6 Californians, have been forced to cancel in-person patient visits, and more than 200 of the clinics nationwide have closed since March. Despite emergency government aid, the losses have forced widespread layoffs, said Carmela Castellano-Garcia, president of the California Primary Care Association.
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SF Chronicle, June 12, 2020
While the safest option remains staying home until a vaccine or effective treatment option is developed for COVID-19, for those who feel the need to venture out during the pandemic, The Chronicle asked infectious disease experts to rate the risks of some popular Bay Area activities based on a scale of 1 (lowest risk) to 5 (highest risk).
- picnicking with friends in park: 3
- having coffee in a cafe: 4
- staying in a hotel: 3
- swimming at neighborhood pool: 3
- sitting indoors for meal at restaurant: 5
- outdoor exercise: 2
- indoor group exercise: 3
- getting haircut at barbershop: 5
Financial Times, June 9, 2020
The lifting of lockdowns is posing an urgent question for people emerging warily back into society: where are they most at risk of contracting coronavirus? Three key factors determine risk of exposure: proximity to people; duration of exposure; and how confined the environment is. The greatest peril lies where the three overlap.
Lisa Krieger, science writer, Mercury News, June 11, 2020
Science is a process of being less and less wrong over time. COVID-19 is new, so there’s lots of uncertainty. And the pandemic’s size and scale caught us by surprise. As we learn more, our understanding of the virus continues to change including:
- Masks are useful after all
- Don't blame China; our early cases came from all over.
- It's not just a respiratory disease.
- Your mail probably won't kill you: the highest risk of infection is in enclosed, crowded and connected environments
- Children aren't completely safe.
The Atlantic, June 9, 2020
The pandemic isn’t going away, and its growth is hard to predict.
Washington Post, June 11, 2020
Those infected with the coronavirus are urged to self-quarantine for 14 days, partly based on the idea that symptoms usually last about that long. While the majority of people with mild illness recover completely in that time, doctors say they’re seeing a small percentage who remain sick for many weeks, or even months. But with so little known about the virus, they’re unsure whether those symptoms suggest it is still alive in the body and creating continued havoc, or whether it has come and gone, leaving a lingering immune or inflammatory response that makes people continue to feel sick.
SF Chronicle, June 12, 2020
Of outdoors writer Tom Stienstra's 50 favorite Bay Area hikes, about 39 are open right now. The rest are likely to open soon. In the meantime, Stienstra recommends 10 great hikes you can take today.
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LA Times, June 12, 2020
As California rapidly reopens its economy, health officials have made clear the only way to avoid a wave of new coronavirus infections is with strict safety rules, including social distancing, limits on the capacity of businesses and wearing face coverings when around other people. But a mask rebellion is underway in some parts of the state, with residents pushing back on mandatory face-covering rules even with coronavirus cases on the rise and as more businesses open their doors and some people yearn to return to old routines.
Mercury News, June 11, 2020
As individual counties move with varying speed to reopen after nearly three months of the Covid-19 pandemic shelter in place, California public health officials are keeping a close watch on the surge in new cases, especially in 11 counties. The public can follow along by visiting
a new page on the state health department website
that was launched this week.
Orange County Register, June 11, 2020
Orange County will no longer require people to wear face coverings in public, but will “strongly recommend” them to help curb the spread of the coronavirus as more businesses reopen Friday under new state guidelines. County officials on Thursday, June 11, announced a new list of businesses that can resume as California enters Stage 3 of the state’s reopening plan, including bars and breweries, gyms, movie theaters and family entertainment centers, hotels, museums and campgrounds.
Sacramento Bee, June 12, 2020
What happens if there isn’t enough medical equipment available to treat every person who gets sick with COVID-19? Who gets an ICU bed? Who gets a ventilator? The California Department of Public Health has a new plan for that worst-case scenario.
On June 9, the CDPH released
new pandemic crisis care guidelines
,
after more than 60 community and advocacy organizations representing millions of Californians objected to the first set of guidelines the department released in April.
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CNBC, June 12, 2020
The coronavirus outbreaks seen in about half a dozen states across the U.S. isn’t the feared “second wave,” it’s still the first, scientists and infectious disease specialists say. To be defined as a second wave the virus would need to retreat and reappear, or a new variant would have to emerge, said Ian Lipkin, a professor of epidemiology and director of the Center for Infection and Immunity at Columbia University. “The recent increase in cases does not reflect either.”
Associated Press, June 12, 2020
In the battle against COVID-19, public health workers spread across states, cities and small towns make up an invisible army on the front lines. But that army is under assault when it’s needed most. Officials who usually work behind the scenes managing everything from immunizations to water quality inspections have found themselves center stage. Elected officials and members of the public who are frustrated with the lockdowns and safety restrictions have at times turned public health workers into politicized punching bags, battering them with countless angry calls and even physical threats.
LA Times, June 12, 2020
Oregon Gov. Kate Brown said Thursday evening that a noticeable increase in coronavirus infections was cause for concern and that she was putting all county applications for further reopening on hold for seven days. The Oregon Health Authority reported 178 new confirmed COVID-19 cases Thursday, marking the highest daily count in the state since the start of the pandemic. The second-highest daily case count in the state, 146, was recorded Sunday.
Boston Globe, June 11, 2020
With limited options for procuring PPE for frontline workers, state officials turned to an international gray market populated by pandemic profiteers and middlemen who promised lots of gear, quickly. Massachusetts linked up with a range of providers, and waded into a kind of guy-who-knows-a-guy world that sometimes resulted in deliveries that came weeks late or contained second-rate product.
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Therapist tailors treatment to each Covid-19 patient
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USCF respiratory therapist Max Rausch has seen a lot in the ICU over the past few months. At one point, half of the ICU was Covid-19 positive and on a ventilator at the medical center's Parnassus campus.
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Asked what's most challenging about treating Covid-19 patients, Rausch replied, "
There are some general settings and strategies that work for many patients on ventilators – like turning people on their stomachs to help improve the oxygenation of their blood. But a lot of COVID patients aren’t responding to that technique. And the disease attacks each individual differently, so we’re having to get inventive and figure out what works and doesn’t work."
How does he keep his spirits up on the hardest shifts? “I’ve had lots of patients who were extremely sick, and they made it home.”
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EdSource, June 11, 2020
NY Times, June 12, 2020
On sending children to school, camp or child care, 70 percent of the epidemiologists that responded to a NY Times survey said they would do so either right now, later this summer or in the fall, much sooner than most said they would resume other activities that involved big groups of people gathering indoors. “This is the dreaded question,” say experts struggling to weigh virus risks and uncertainty against family well-being. They cautioned that they might change their planning depending on a range of factors including the rate of infection transmission in their area, and the safety measures schools are taking.
CNN, June 11, 2020
Teachers, parents and, yes, even children are anxiously waiting for schools to reopen in the fall, but the biggest questions on everyone's mind are when and how that can happen safely. CNN asked health and education experts about the pros and cons of reopening schools.
USA Today, June 12, 2020
Traditional graduation speeches are yet another casualty of the new coronavirus. After schools were closed down across the country to slow the spread of Covid-19, some school districts converted graduations to drive-thru affairs or delayed them to a time when mass gatherings would be permitted again.
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Alameda County Office of Education, June 9, 2020
The Golden State Warriors, in partnership with the Alameda County Office of Education, gathered some of their biggest stars to honor the Bay Area’s high school Class of 2020 with a video address to graduates. The video, which was recorded in May and shared with Bay Area schools ahead of graduation ceremonies, features Head Coach Steve Kerr, All-Stars Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson, and East Bay native Juan Toscano-Anderson saluting members of the Class of 2020 for their resilience during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Washington Post, June 11, 2020
Students who move into Virginia Tech’s residence halls for the fall term are on notice: They must wear face masks indoors except in their own bedrooms or bathrooms or when eating a meal. They also must follow a regimen of “physical distancing” from people and other measures to prevent the spread of the novel
coronavirus
. Those who don’t sign it won’t get a bed on campus. Those who flout the rules face possible eviction.
Bloomberg, June 11, 2020
The lockdowns have raised long-simmering issues: Was the four-year on-campus experience worth the exorbitant cost, which many students could only afford by taking out huge loans? And how sustainable is the entire model, with tuition increases that outpace inflation and ever-more extravagant amenities offered in a bid to lure students? Bloomberg Opinion writers Tyler Cowen and Noah Smith met recently online to debate the future of American higher education.
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Bloomberg, June 12, 2020
Masks can reduce the growth rate of coronavirus infections by 40%, according to researchers who studied the experience of places in Germany that promoted their use. After Jena, a town in German, introduced widespread masks, new confirmed infections were 25% lower than in the control group. That sort of impact appeared to be even higher when the authors looked at the experience of larger cities in Germany.
Reuters, June 12, 2020
Fears of a second wave of Covid-19 infections grew on Friday with a record daily increase in India, warnings against complacency in Europe and word from half a dozen U.S. states that their hospital beds were filling up fast. Health officials worldwide have expressed concerns in recent days that some countries grappling with the devastating economic impact of lockdowns may lift restrictions too swiftly, and that the coronavirus could spread during mass anti-racism protests all over the world.
Rochelle Kopp, Japan Times, June 12, 2020
For many Japanese, Japan’s low death per capita rate from Covid-19 in comparison to many other industrialized countries has indeed become a point of pride. Initially, many observers were worried that Japan would have a much higher death toll than it currently has. With its high proportion of elderly residents and densely packed cities, combined with little polymerase chain reaction (PCR) testing and a reluctance to impose harsh lockdowns, it seemed that Japan might end up looking like hard-hit areas such as northern Italy or New York. Fortunately, though, that grim scenario did not materialize.
BBC, June 12, 2020
In some African countries there’s simply not enough testing to get an accurate picture of how many people have been infected with coronavirus. In others, governments are reluctant to acknowledge the spread of the virus. The Tanzanian government has stopped publishing coronavirus case numbers, and insists that the pandemic there is over.
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In absolute terms, the US has been hit harder than any other country. About a quarter of worldwide deaths have been recorded on these shores. And while the virus is no longer growing at an exponential rate, the threat it poses remains significant: According to a forecasting model by Morgan Stanley, the number of American cases will, if current trends hold, roughly double over the next two months.
Thomas Curwen, LA Times, June 12, 2020
Though they do not prevent a virus from causing an infection, vaccines can control the infection before it leads to symptoms and disease. By staging a scrimmage against the immune system, vaccines teach the body to enlist and train a specialized force of white blood cells and antibodies that are called up in the event of a life-threatening attack. With more than 7.5 million confirmed cases worldwide, creating vaccines to protect humans against this threat is a top priority.
Nico Lang, VICE, June 11, 2020
Activists and experts fear that protesters will be scapegoated for any upticks in transmission that result from the demonstrations. Those who have been present on the ground at protests told VICE that attendees are largely making good-faith attempts to maintain social distancing and protect themselves from Covid-19, but officers are ensuring that effort is all but futile. It could be weeks before there is a clear indication of whether Covid-19 is, indeed, being spread at police brutality demonstrations, as it can take up to 14 days for coronavirus symptoms to appear.
David Crow, Financial Times, June 8, 2020
Not only have black people died from the disease in disproportionately high numbers: there are early signs they will bear the brunt of the economic fallout too. Deep-seated disparities in access to healthcare, high rates of poverty and cramped living conditions have combined to make the virus especially lethal for people of color.
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Alameda County Data and Resources
: 1,023 n
ew cases have been recorded over the last two weeks. The number of confirmed infections is currently doubling every 43.4 days.
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Contra Costa County Data and Resources
: 445 new cases have been recorded over last 2 weeks. The number of confirmed infections is currently doubling every 27.8 days.
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Top 8 Locations of Cases in Alameda County
, data as of 6/11/20
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Oakland:
1,621
Hayward:
747
Eden MAC:
259
Fremont:
209
San Leandro:
181
Union City:
147
Castro Valley:
131
Newark:
123
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Top 8 Locations of Cases in Contra Costa County
, data as of 6/11/20
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Richmond:
420
Concord:
216
Antioch:
150
San Pablo:
145
Pittsburgh:
127
Bay Point: 102
Pleasant Hill:
71
Brentwood:
70
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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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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.
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Your feedback is welcome. Please share the Bulletin.
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The
Eden Health District Board of Directors
are Gordon Galvan, Chair, Mariellen Faria, Vice Chair, Charles Gilcrest, Secretary, Roxann Lewis and Pam Russo. 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 and international news on the pandemic plus links to a diverse range of commentary and analysis. On Monday, Wednesday and Friday the bulletin includes an education section.
We welcome your feedback on our bulletin. Please contact editor
Stephen Cassidy
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