COVID-19
breaking news & updates
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"If the vaccine proves 95% effective against asymptomatic transmission, then it is the full ‘magic bullet’ that will get us away from having to mask."
Dr. Warner Greene, Professor of Medicine at UCSF and the Founding and Emeritus Director of Gladstone Institute of Virology and Immunology
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Signing Up For COVID-19 Vaccination
Vaccinations are in high demand. But you can find out when it’s your turn to get one. Sign up at myturn.ca.gov or call (833) 422-4255 and schedule your appointment, or get notified when appointments are available in your area. Get more details about vaccination on the California COVID-19 website.
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When Will There Be Enough Vaccine?
With shortages hitting vaccination sites from San Francisco to San Diego, news that Johnson and Johnson’s COVID-19 vaccine could win emergency authorization this week comes as a relief to health officials worried about the spread of dangerous new variants, and raises hopes there could be enough doses this spring to vaccinate anyone who wants a shot. But is that a realistic timeline? Mercury News Read more
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California Will Set Aside 10% of Vaccine For Educators
Gov. Gavin Newsom on Friday said the state will set aside 10% of all first doses of COVID-19 vaccines for educators and school staff starting March 1. A total of 35 counties already prioritize vaccines for educators. But Newsom said he wanted to make that the standard statewide.
"Beginning with a baseline of 75,000 doses every single week, that will be made available to set aside for those educators and childcare workers that are supporting our efforts to get our kids back into in-person instruction," Newsom said at a news conference in Hayward. KTVU Read more
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Second Vaccine Dose Delayed?
How Long You Can Wait May Surprise You
Some vaccine providers have been forced to cancel Covid-19 vaccine appointments due to the winter weather that has ravaged much of the US and caused by delays in vaccine deliveries. That can be worrisome for people who were set to receive their second dose of the two-dose Covid-19 vaccines, which are supposed to have a second inoculation administered three or four weeks after the first.
But if you’re one of those people, there’s good news. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the second dose of the vaccine can be administered up to 42 days, or six weeks, after the initial inoculation. Mercury News Read more
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Pfizer-BioNTech Vaccine Is Highly Effective After One Dose and Can Be Stored in Normal Freezers, Data Shows
The COVID-19 vaccine developed by Pfizer Inc. and BioNTech SE generates robust immunity after one dose and can be stored in ordinary freezers instead of at ultracold temperatures, according to new research and data released by the companies.
The findings provide strong arguments in favor of delaying the second dose of the two-shot vaccine, as the U.K. has done. They could also have substantial implications on vaccine policy and distribution around the world, simplifying the logistics of distributing the vaccine. Wall Street Journal Read more
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California May Not Reach Herd Immunity For Years. But Vaccines Will Make The Coronavirus More Manageable
If everything goes according to plan, much of California could come close to herd immunity levels of vaccination by late summer. Within weeks, the effects could be dramatic: very low case rates, people comfortably allowed to gather again, maybe even some looser rules around mask-wearing. SF Chronicle Read more
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Why COVID-19 Vaccines Could Make Us Mask-Free and Huggable
You’re vaccinated. They’re not. When visiting, is it safe to toss the tiresome mask?
Perhaps. There’s growing evidence that vaccines not only save lives, but can stop or greatly slow spread of the COVID-19 virus – portending a day when we can see each other’s faces again. But because the findings are not yet conclusive, the impact of vaccines on viral transmission remains one of the biggest issues affecting the shape of a post-pandemic world.
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CVS to Help Underserved Americans Schedule COVID-19 Vaccine Appointments
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Latino and Black Americans See Lowest COVID Vaccination Rates, New Data Shows
Latino and Black Americans are being vaccinated against COVID-19 at the lowest rates despite suffering disproportionately high levels of serious complications and deaths, new analysis reveals. Only 3.5% of Latinos and 4.5% of Black Americans have so far received a vaccine shot compared with 9.1% of white Americans and 8.6% of Asian Americans, according to state figures analysed by APM Research Lab.
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The Global Vaccination Drive is About to Get a Big Boost
An international effort to speed up the manufacture and distribution of coronavirus vaccines around the globe got a boost Thursday on two fronts: White House officials said the Biden administration would make good on a U.S. promise to donate $4 billion to the campaign over the next two years and the pharmaceutical company Novavax committed to eventually sell 1.1 billion doses of its vaccine.
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Pfizer Begins Coronavirus Vaccine Trial in Pregnant Women
Pfizer and BioNTech on Thursday announced a new trial aiming to test the safety and efficacy of its coronavirus vaccine among pregnant women.
The companies, which together produced one of the two COVID-19 vaccines the Food and Drug Administration approved for emergency use in the U.S., said it had given doses to its first group of participants in the new study, which aims to provide clear data on any impacts the inoculation may have for expectant mothers and their newborn children. The Hill Read more
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Confirmed Cases
Bay Area: 401,324
California: 3,531,846
U.S.: 28,138,103
Alameda County
Vaccines Administered: 325,632
Cases: 79,539
Deaths: 1,200
Test Positivity: 5.0%
Hospitalized Patients: 202
ICU Beds Available: 78
Cases are very high but have decreased over the past two weeks (-42%). The number of hospitalized COVID patients has also fallen in the Alameda County. Deaths have remained about the same level. The test positivity rate in Alameda County relatively low, suggesting that test capacity is meeting current demand. NY Times
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Reported Deaths
Bay Area: 5,189
California: 49,345
U.S.: 499,186
Contra Costa County
Vaccines Administered: 265,553
Cases: 61,628
Deaths: 654
Test Positivity: 5.7%
Hospitalized Patients: 88
ICU Beds Available: 36
Cases are very high but have decreased over the past two weeks (-39%). The number of hospitalized COVID patients has also fallen in the Contra Costa County area. Deaths have increased. The test positivity rate in Contra Costa County is high, suggesting that cases may be undercounted. NY Times
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Hayward COVID-19 Testing Center Moves to Drop-In Service With Shift to New Diagnostic Lab
The City of Hayward COVID-19 Testing Center is now providing coronavirus testing on a drop-in basis rather than by appointment as part of a switch to a new diagnostic laboratory for analyzing test samples. The Center’s drive-up Testing Site will continue to operate from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday at the former Skywest Golf Course. City of Hayward Read more
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Castro Valley Schools Ready to Reopen, Superintendent Says
Castro Valley schools will reopen in phases when the number of COVID-19 case rates within Alameda County drop under state guidelines, with kindergarteners being the first back in a classroom, according to the school district. They will be followed by first- and second-graders, then those attending third through fifth grades, and lastly secondary school students. An exact date for when students will get back into classrooms, however, has not been determined. East Bay Times Read more
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Here's How Close Each Bay Area County is to Reaching The Red Reopening Tier
As coronavirus case rates continue to drop in the Bay Area and across California, officials suggested this week that several counties may soon advance out of the most restrictive purple reopening tier. Currently, all but six counties in the state are in the purple tier - but Gov. Gavin Newsom said last week he anticipates that a “substantial number” will move to the red tier this week, and “even more in the subsequent weeks” if the trends continue. SF Chronicle Read more
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Key Reasons Coronavirus Cases Are Plunging Across The Bay Area and California
As dramatically as coronavirus numbers spiked across the Bay Area, California and U.S. during the winter surge, those numbers have plummeted in the past month. Nationwide, new cases are down more than 70% and hospitalizations down nearly 50% since mid-January. In California - an epicenter of the deadly winter surge - new cases have declined 83% since peaking this year on Jan. 14. Hospitalizations are below 10,000, less than half of what they were at the beginning of the year. SF Chronicle Read more
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San Leandro Grocery Workers To Get Hazard Pay
Full-time and part-time grocery store workers in San Leandro will receive an extra $5 per hour in hazard pay, as a result of an ordinance passed this week by the City Council. The Retail Food Worker Hazard Pay Ordinance is temporary, in response to the coronavirus pandemic. "For nearly one year, grocery store workers have endured a challenging work environment
brought upon them by the pandemic," said Vice Mayor Victor Aguilar. "They have performed at a high level while providing food and essential supplies to our residents." San Leandro Patch Read more
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California is Now The Only State to Widely Ban Indoor Dining - Here's When it Might Resume in The Bay Area
California now has the distinction of being the only state where indoor dining is almost universally shut down, with only five rural counties that have met certain thresholds for lowered coronavirus transmission offering it. All other states now allow indoor dining in some capacity, according to the National Restaurant Association, including many with much higher rates of coronavirus cases than California overall.
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Costco Begins Offering COVID-19 Vaccines in The Bay Area for Health Care Workers
Costco on Saturday became the latest pharmacy chain to announce that it would begin offering coronavirus vaccines to Bay Area residents. Starting this week, Costco will be administering vaccines, typically Moderna, at select stores across California, including one in Marin County.
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Info Session on COVID Vaccination for the Homeless in Alameda County
Interested in learning about the COVID vaccination plan for people experiencing homelessness in Alameda County? Please join an info session featuring Dr. Kathleen Clanon, Vaccine Director, Health Care Services at Alameda County, as she shares updates with the community. Details: Monday, March 1, from 9:30-11 a.m. Register
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State/National/International News
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Play Ball! California Eases Outdoor Sports Rules For Schools, Youth Leagues
The California Department of Public Health gave updated guidance for youth sports Friday that will be received with cheers from many communities around the state that have been clamoring to get kids back on the field. In the announcement, the state said all outdoor sports may be played in counties that have COVID-19 case rates at or below 14 per 100,000. SF Gate Read more
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California’s Case and Hospitalization Numbers Keep Improving; Nearly 7 Million Vaccines Administered
COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations continue to decline in California after a massive winter surge sent the state back into some of the strictest lockdown orders of the pandemic. Meanwhile, almost 7 million vaccine doses have been administered in the state after one of the slowest starts in the nation. On Friday, California counties reported 7,621 new cases of COVID-19, according to data tracked by this news organization, bringing the state’s seven-day average of new cases down to 7,081. That’s the lowest average since Nov. 12, at the beginning of the winter surge. The average daily new cases have declined 82 percent since the start of the year. Mercury News Read more
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U.S. Life Expectancy Drops a Year in Pandemic, Most Since WWII
Life expectancy in the United States dropped a staggering one year during the first half of 2020 as the coronavirus pandemic caused its first wave of deaths, health officials are reporting. Minorities suffered the biggest impact, with Black Americans losing nearly three years and Hispanics, nearly two years, according to preliminary estimates Thursday from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. AP Read more
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As Israel Reopens, "Whoever Does Not Get Vaccinated Will Be Left Behind"
Israel has raced ahead with the fastest Covid vaccination campaign in the world, inoculating nearly half its population with at least one dose. Now, the rapid rollout is turning the country into a live laboratory for setting the rules in a vaccinated society - raising thorny questions about rights, obligations and the greater good.
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COVID Could Impact Mental Health For Years to Come. Here's How to Cope
There's hope that the coronavirus pandemic will end soon as the pace of COVID-19 vaccinations picks up in California. But we’re not out of the woods yet. The past year has already taken a toll on mental health, and it’s going to take fortitude to get through the rest of the year. Get some tips from mental health experts on how to keep us grounded and healthy into a post-coronavirus future. KQED Read more
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"I Wanted to Go in There and Help": Nursing Schools See Enrollment Bump Amid Pandemic
Last December, Mirande Gross graduated from Bellarmine University in Louisville, Kentucky, with a bachelor’s degree in communications. But Gross has changed her mind and is heading back to school in May for a one-year accelerated nursing degree program. The pandemic that has sickened more than 27 million people in the United States and killed nearly 500,000 helped convince her she wanted to become a nurse. Kaiser Health News Read more
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Do You Qualify For California’s New $600 COVID-Relief Payment?
Gov. Gavin Newsom and Democratic legislative leaders in Sacramento on Wednesday announced a deal to give $600 in aid to low-income Californians and grants to small businesses that have been hard hit by the coronavirus pandemic. The state estimates it will make 5.7 million payments to residents, with the total package at roughly $9.6 billion, in the relief effort that Newsom envisioned last month as part of his budget proposal for this year.
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A Different Early-Bird Special:
Have Vaccine, Will Travel
When the coronavirus hit, Jim and Cheryl Drayer, 69 and 72, canceled all their planned travel and hunkered down in their home in Dallas, Texas. But earlier this month, the Drayers both received the second dose of their Covid-19 vaccinations. And in March, armed with their new antibodies, they are heading to Maui for a long overdue vacation.
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COVID-19 Detection: Could Your Apple Watch or Fitbit Help Slow The Coronavirus Pandemic?
Growing evidence suggests that a smartwatch or wearable such as a Fitbit could help warn wearers of a potential COVID-19 infection prior to a positive test result. Wearables such as the Apple Watch, Samsung Galaxy smartwatch, Fitbit and other devices can collect heart and oxygen data, as well as sleep and activity levels. Researchers are studying whether a body's health data might signal an oncoming COVID-19 infection.
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What's Safe After COVID-19 Vaccination? Don't Shed Masks Yet
You’re fully vaccinated against the coronavirus - now what? Don’t expect to shed your mask and get back to normal activities right away. That’s going to be a disappointment, if not a shock, to many people. At least for now, people should follow the same rules as everybody else about wearing a mask, keeping a 6-foot distance and avoiding crowds - even after they’ve gotten their second vaccine dose. Vaccines in use so far require two doses, and experts say especially don't let your guard down after the first dose. NBC Bay Area Read more
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Have You Tested Positive for COVID-19?
People who test positive for COVID-19 but aren't sick enough to need hospitalization are still required to isolate at home. CDC Read more
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- COVID-19 testing is a good idea, but keep in mind, people who test negative can still harbor the virus if they are early in their infection.
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A viral test tells you if you have a current infection.
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An antibody test might tell you if you had a past infection.
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Over the last seven days, Alameda County officials have reported 1,183 new coronavirus cases, which amounts to 72 cases per 100,000 residents.
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Over the last seven days, Contra Costa County officials have reported 1,091 new coronavirus cases, which amounts to 96 cases per 100,000 residents.
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Top 10 Locations of Cases in
Alameda County, as of 2/21/21
Oakland: 24,739
Hayward: 12,441
Fremont: 7,013
Eden MAC: 5,438
San Leandro: 4,894
Livermore: 3,974
Union City: 3,659
Berkeley: 3,211
Newark: 2,554
Castro Valley: 2,286
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Top 10 Locations of Cases in
Contra Costa County, as of 2/21/21
Richmond: 9,393
Antioch: 8,524
Concord: 7,261
Pittsburg: 6,125
San Pablo: 4,818
Brentwood: 3,326
Oakley: 2,773
Bay Point: 2,541
Walnut Creek: 2,524
San Ramon: 1,829
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Mask On!
Protect Yourself While Protecting Others
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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 in the Eden Health District area. These posters are free of charge and intended for businesses, health clinics, schools, churches, public agencies and nonprofit agencies to display in their entrances. The posters are available in English, Spanish and Chinese languages.
The public is welcome to download and print or share "Mask On" posters from our website.
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About Eden Health District
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The Eden Health District Board of Directors are chair Mariellen Faria, vice chair Pam Russo, secretary/treasurer Roxann Lewis, Gordon Galvan and Varsha Chauhan. 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.
We welcome your feedback on our bulletin. Please contact editor Lisa Mahoney.
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