Councilmember Susan Wengraf
 
 
  
Health Alert

March 3, 2020

Dear Friends and Neighbors,
 

FIRST COVID-19 CASE IN BERKELEY IS A REMINDER TO PREPARE
Help slow the spread with simple, everyday behaviors

    Berkeley, California (Tuesday, March 3, 2020) - City of Berkeley Health Officer Dr. Lisa Hernandez announced Tuesday that a resident tested positive for COVID-19, a new coronavirus spreading around the world and for which everyone should prepare locally.

    The resident returned to Berkeley on Feb. 23 from Italy, one of the growing number of countries with a COVID-19 outbreak. Concerned about being exposed through travel, the resident largely stayed at home in a voluntary self-imposed quarantine.

    The City of Berkeley has its own public health jurisdiction, and Berkeley Public Health is investigating whether the individual had contact with others. Individuals potentially exposed will be identified, notified and evaluated. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and California Department of Public Health (CDPH) are providing guidance on risk exposure and management for the new case. In addition, City Manager Dee Williams-Ridley on Tuesday at noon proclaimed a local emergency, which allows the City to marshal more resources to prepare for any additional cases.

    "While the risk of infection remains low, the expanded presence of the virus in our community is a reality we should all prepare for," said Dr. Lisa Hernandez. "There are steps that all of us in the community can take now to improve basic hygiene and also prepare for a wider spread in the future.
 
    The virus is so new that there are no approved medications, nor a vaccine. Responses without medications are essential:
  • wash your hands often with soap and water
  • stay home when sick
  • don't touch your face with unwashed hands
  • cover coughs with a tissue or your elbow
Practicing these everyday behaviors will slow the spread of the disease. These acts are the most impactful action you can take right now.

    Patients with confirmed COVID-19 infection have experienced mild to severe respiratory illness with symptoms such as fever, cough, and shortness of breath. It appears to cause less severe illness in younger people; those with more significant impacts tend to be older and medically fragile individuals with underlying medical conditions.

    "The City activated its Emergency Operations Center over a month ago to prepare for this kind of case, and staff will be doing more as more cases emerge," said Mayor Jesse ArreguĂ­n. "The best thing people can do is follow medical advice from our Health Officer and the CDC: act now to improve hygiene and prepare for the future."

Looking ahead



    "The more people that prepare, the more resilient we'll be as a community," said Dr. Hernandez. "Individual  actions collectively also help the most vulnerable, especially the elderly or those with chronic respiratory issues."

Rely on trusted information sources

    There is a lot of misinformation circulating about COVID-19 on social media. Do not believe everything you read. Rely on trusted health authorities, including World Health Organization (WHO), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), California Department of Public Health (CDPH), and City of Berkeley Public Health.

    See our dedicated COVID-19 webpage to learn about the preventive measures we recommend, what symptoms to look for, and what to do if you get sick. As this situation develops, we will continue to update this page with the most current information and recommendations.

Be well,

Susan Wengraf 
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     AC Alert will be Berkeley's primary emergency alerting system for the public. It is one of the tools the City of Berkeley uses to communicate emergency information and instructions to the community. AC Alert can send:
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    Listed AT&T "land lines" are automatically included to receive voice messages from AC Alert for emergency warnings. Community members must sign up to receive voice or text alerts on cell phones, VoIP phones, unlisted phones, TTY/TDDs or through email.

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Susan Wengraf
Berkeley City Council District 6
(510) 981-7160
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