COVID-19
breaking news & updates
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"As a mother and a physician, I know that parents, caregivers, school staff, and children have been waiting for today’s authorization. Vaccinating younger children against COVID-19 will bring us closer to returning to a sense of normalcy. Our comprehensive and rigorous evaluation of the data pertaining to the vaccine’s safety and effectiveness should help assure parents and guardians that this vaccine meets our high standards.”
Acting FDA Commissioner Janet Woodcock
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COVID Test Resources
Food Pantries
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Alameda And Contra Costa Counties Ease Mask Mandates Today In Certain Indoor Settings
Contra Costa and Alameda counties will be rolling back masking requirements today, joining other counties in the Bay Area that have already started relaxing mask rules. Alameda County announced Thursday that it would would start easing masking requirements on Nov. 1 in specific indoor settings in which everyone is fully vaccinated. The eligible settings pertain to “controlled spaces not open to the general public” and include gyms and fitness centers, offices, commuter vehicles and indoor group gatherings, such as religious services. Businesses and organizations must confirm that all workers, patrons and attendees are fully vaccinated before they’re allowed to forgo masks inside, no one can have COVID-19 symptoms and there can’t be more than 100 people at the facility at a time. Proof of vaccination can be verified through a vaccination card issued by the CDC, a copy or photo of the vaccination card, vaccination documentation from a health care provider or a digital COVID-19 vaccine record issued by California. Mercury News Read more
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Marin County First In The Bay Area To Lift Indoor Mask Mandate,
Marin County is lifting its indoor mask mandate today, making it the first in the Bay Area to stop requiring face coverings in almost all public places. The county announced Friday that it had hit aggressive vaccination goals and reported consistently low COVID-19 case counts and hospitalizations, making it eligible under previously announced criteria to drop the mandate. Seven other Bay Area counties remain under local orders. The change takes effect at noon today. Anyone who is vaccinated will be able to remove masks in Marin County restaurants, bars, grocery stores, churches and most other indoor spaces. The county already had eased mask restrictions in certain settings including gyms and offices, as long as everyone present was vaccinated. SF Chronicle Read more
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Hope And Hesitancy Among Bay Area Parents As COVID Vaccine For Kids Moves Closer To Reality
While parenting in the pandemic, protection and prevention have been top of mind for parents for the last 20 months. As the COVID-19 vaccine for kids moves closer to reality, parents around the Bay Area are shifting focus to what this means for their young children. For Santa Clara resident Es Esposo and son Ronan, 9, there is hope. Emergency authorization couldn't come soon enough. "With him being a lot more aware, sometimes he'll ask questions about COVID and about how he could be protected," Esposo told ABC7 News. "He wants a shot." Esposo said once Ronan is vaccinated, the added layer of protection will likely expand the family's ability to travel. ABC7 News
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7 COVID-19 Cases Reported At Berkeley High School
The Berkeley Unified School District announced on their website Thursday that seven positive cases were reported at Berkeley High School. According to district officials, the seven people who tested positive for COVID-19 are now isolating at home. "At least five of these cases represent a COVID-19 outbreak at Berkeley High School, per the city of Berkeley Public Health Department, and six of the cases impact Berkeley High School athletics programs," officials said in a statement. NBC Bay Area Read more
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Health Officials "Concerned" That Only 19% Of SF Seniors Have COVID Booster Ahead Of Holidays
New data released from the health department shows only 19 percent or one in five seniors in San Francisco have been vaccinated with a COVID-19 booster shot. "It's not where we want to be," said SFDPH's Deputy Director of Health, Dr. Naveena Bobba. "We want those percentages to be well above 50 percent." Bobba says all seniors, anyone 65 years and older are eligible for a third booster dose if they are at least six months out from their primary vaccination series. "It is extremely important for those that are high risk for COVID to get their booster shot as well as their flu shot as they head into the holiday season," she said. ABC7 News Read more
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Beloved Bay Area Holiday Lights Display Returns This Season After COVID-19
Organizers of one of the Bay Area’s best-known holiday lights displays have announced that it will be Christmas again at Casa del Pomba, after they were forced to cancel their event last year because of the coronavirus pandemic. The dazzling display at the Livermore home of Deacon Dave Rezendes returns Friday, Dec. 3 for its 38th season, according to a press release from Casa del Pomba, or “House of the Dove,” as Rezendes’ home is known. Opening ceremonies will start at 6:30 p.m., Dec. 3 with a Christmas procession down Hillcrest Avenue in Livermore. |
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Moderna Says FDA Needs More Time To Review Its COVID Vaccine For Teens
Moderna said the Food and Drug Administration will need more time to complete its assessment of the biotech company’s COVID-19 vaccine for children ages 12 to 17. The agency is looking specifically at the risk of myocarditis in kids, Moderna said in a statement Sunday, and the review may not be completed before January 2022. Myocarditis is the inflammation of the heart muscle. “The company is fully committed to working closely with the FDA to support their review and is grateful to the FDA for their diligence,” Moderna said. CNBC Read more
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Definition Of "Fully Vaccinated" Could Change, CDC Chief Says
If you’ve received a two-dose course of the Moderna or Pfizer COVID vaccines, or a one-and-done Johnson & Johnson shot, you’re considered by health officials to be fully vaccinated against the coronavirus. For now. But that could change as eligibility for booster shots continues to expand. Last week, COVID boosters were approved for Moderna recipients and all who got the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, and everyone can now choose their own brand of booster shot. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky said that the agency “may need to update our definition of ‘fully vaccinated’ in the future” as boosters are becoming more widely available. SF Chronicle Read more
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COVID Vaccinations Provide Better Protection Than Natural Immunity, CDC Study Shows
A new study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has shed even more light on how effective vaccines are in preventing an infection from COVID-19. The report, published Friday, found that COVID-19 vaccines were 5.49 times more effective in preventing infection from the virus than natural immunity derived from a previous infection. The findings, the CDC said, add more credence to the protective quality of vaccines, even among those who have already gotten sick from COVID-19.
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Side Effects Of COVID-19 Shot In Children Ages 5 To 11 "Mild," Investigator Says
When a U.S. Food and Drug Administration advisory committee recommended Tuesday that the agency grant emergency use authorization for Pfizer-BioNTech’s COVID-19 for children between the ages of 5 and 11, it was based on data gathered during clinical trials conducted around the United States. One of those clinical trials was conducted by Dr. Emanuel “Chip” Walter Jr., chief medical officer of the Duke Human Vaccine Institute and professor of pediatrics at the Duke School of Medicine in Durham, North Carolina. Walter held a briefing Wednesday on the Duke trial, sharing an insider’s perspective on the scientific process. The clinical trial, which began in March, first investigated various reduced dosages of the Pfzier-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine in children ages 5 to 11. The study determined that one-third of the adult dose, or 10 micrograms, produced an adequate immune response that was “best tolerated for children of that age, with the fewest side effects like fever, aches and chills and things like that,” Walter said.
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When Will There Be A COVID Vaccine For Children Under 5?
Last Tuesday, an advisory panel to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration recommended that children ages 5-11 be made eligible for the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine. The FDA and the CDC must now also approve the vaccine for that age group, which could happen as early as next week. Next on the horizon for Pfizer - the only vaccine currently available to people under 18 - is children under 5. Right now, Pfizer is conducting clinical trials for its vaccine for children as young as 6 months old. The trials for kids are split into three age groups: 5-11, 2-5, and 6 months to 2 years old.
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COVID Vaccines Are Very Good. Here's How Using Your Nose Might Make Them Better
COVID-19 vaccines may be the greatest success story of this pandemic. Developed in less than a year and already administered to more than 200 million Americans, they are remarkably effective at preventing severe illness, keeping people out of hospitals and saving lives. In highly vaccinated places like the Bay Area, they have altered the trajectory of the coronavirus plague. But we can do better, some scientists say. Around the world and in a few laboratories at Stanford and other major Bay Area research centers, scientists are working on what could be the next generation of COVID vaccines, many of them designed to be inhaled through the nose and from there to mount a frontline immune barrier. SF Chronicle Read more
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When Disease Impairs Immunity, Vaccines Are Hampered, Too
COVID-19 vaccines are remarkably effective, and, at this point, they are the best tool we have against the pandemic. But for people who are immunocompromised, like cancer patients, the regular course of shots may offer little to no protection. Former Secretary of State Colin Powell died at 84 from complications of COVID, despite being fully vaccinated. Powell also had multiple myeloma, a cancer that affects plasma cells. While many conditions can make people more vulnerable to breakthrough illness, multiple myeloma is among the riskiest. But blood cancers aren’t the only conditions that can leave patients more susceptible to devastating infections like COVID-19. Organ transplant recipients are given drugs that intentionally suppress their immune systems. STAT Read more
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State/National/International News |
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The Official Global Virus Death Toll Has Passed Five Million. The Full Count Is Undoubtedly Higher
The coronavirus is responsible for more than five million confirmed deaths around the world as of Monday, according to data from the Center for Systems Science and Engineering at Johns Hopkins University. Such a loss would wipe out almost the entire population of Melbourne, Australia, or most of the nation of Singapore. Experts say that five million is an undercount. Many countries are unable to accurately record the number of people who have died from Covid-19, like India and African nations; experts have questioned the veracity of data from other countries, like Russia. NY Times Read more
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Tonga Reports Its First-Ever COVID-19 Case
The island nation of Tonga on Friday reported its first-ever case of COVID-19 after a traveler from New Zealand tested positive. Tonga is among the few remaining nations in the world that have avoided outbreaks of the virus. Like many of its neighbors, Tonga's isolation has helped keep it safe but it faces big challenges should the virus take hold due to its under-resourced health system. The nearby nation of Fiji avoided significant outbreaks until April, when the Delta variant ripped through the island chain, infecting more than 50,000 people and killing at least 673. NPR Read more
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Cheap Antidepressant Shows COVID Treatment Promise
A cheap antidepressant reduced the need for hospitalization among high-risk adults with COVID-19 in a study hunting for existing drugs that could be repurposed to treat coronavirus. Researchers tested the pill used for depression and obsessive-compulsive disorder because it was known to reduce inflammation and looked promising in smaller studies. They’ve shared the results with the U.S. National Institutes of Health, which publishes treatment guidelines, and they hope for a World Health Organization recommendation. The pill, called fluvoxamine, would cost $4 for a course of COVID-19 treatment. By comparison, antibody IV treatments cost about $2,000 and Merck’s experimental antiviral pill for COVID-19 is about $700 per course. Some experts predict various treatments eventually will be used in combination to fight the coronavirus. Mercury News Read more
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COVID Survivor Returns To Hospital To Apologize For Being Unvaccinated: "This Virus Is Real"
After spending 28 days fighting for his life against COVID-19, an unvaccinated man returned to the hospital he was treated at to apologize to caregivers for not getting the vaccine. Richard Soliz said he was skeptical and pointed to social media for being the reason he did not get a vaccine. He said he read about the side effects, claims of microchipping and questions about government approval. Soliz said he didn't know anyone who had been sick with the virus, until he couldn't breathe. "That's when I really knew I was in a bad situation, that's when I knew, 'Hey, this is COVID. Man. I contracted the virus,'" Soliz said. For days, Soliz hung by a thread while he was on a ventilator. He is now out of the hospital and still recovering, but said he regrets not making the decision to get the vaccine. ABC7 Read more
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Pandemic Binge Drinking Could Be Behind Spike In People Who Needed Liver Transplants
Heavy drinking during the pandemic might be causing an increased need for liver transplants, researchers reported this week. They found that the number of people who were put on a liver transplant waiting list or who got a liver transplant due to alcoholic hepatitis was 50 percent higher than what was expected based on pre-pandemic trends. Healthline Read more
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People With Substance Use Disorder Are More Vulnerable To COVID-19
People with substance use disorders get infected with the coronavirus more often. Not only that - they're more likely to end up in the hospital and die from COVID-19 than people without an addiction. This is what researchers like Dr. Nora Volkow found in the early days of the pandemic. Volkow directs the National Institute on Drug Abuse. Volkow says their latest study finds the heightened risk of breakthrough infections cuts across a whole range of substances - tobacco, alcohol, cocaine, opioids and cannabis. NPR Read more
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COVID Expanded The Boundaries Of Personal Space - Maybe For Good
The stop distance procedure is simple: A researcher moves toward a study participant. When the approaching person gets too close, the volunteer says, “Stop.” The task is straightforward. But it is also quite effective at probing the dimensions of a person’s physical comfort zone, or “personal space.” This procedure was integral to a preprint study that was conducted at Massachusetts General Hospital to test changing perceptions of personal safety zones before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. Scientific American Read more
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Total Confirmed Cases
Bay Area: 596,860
California: 4,915,796
U.S.: 45,971,331
Alameda County
Total Vaccines Administered: 2,515,741
Total Cases: 115,489
Total Deaths: 1,389
Test Positivity (7-day rate): 1.3%
Hospitalized Patients (as of 11/1): 111
ICU Beds Available (as of 11/1): 103
As of November 1, cases have stayed about the same recently and are still high. The number of hospitalized COVID patients has fallen the Alameda County area. Deaths have increased. The test positivity rate in Alameda County is relatively low, suggesting that testing capacity is adequate for evaluating COVID spread in the area. NY Times
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Total Reported Deaths
Bay Area: 6,665
California: 71,950
U.S.: 745,838
Contra Costa County
Total Vaccines Administered: 1,796,709
Total Cases: 99,348
Total Deaths: 1,025
Test Positivity (7-day rate): 2.2%
Hospitalized Patients (as of 11/1): 65
ICU Beds Available (as of 11/1): 49
As of November 1, cases stayed about the same recently and are still high. The numbers of hospitalized COVID patients and deaths in the Contra Costa County area have fallen. The test positivity rate in Contra Costa County is relatively low, suggesting that testing capacity is adequate for evaluating COVID-19 spread in the area. NY Times
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What’s Also Suffered During The Pandemic? Our Teeth.
Dentists Share What You Must Know Now
Look at the latest stats and talk to dentists, and this much becomes clear: The pandemic has been murder on our mouths. A 2021 survey commissioned by the American Association of Endodontists reveals more than half of Americans say it’s led them to blow off checkups. What’s more, those working from home seem to have slacked off when it comes to their daily dental hygiene routine: 31 percent report snacking more on sweets, 21 percent confess they don’t brush in the morning, and 24 percent say they're flossing less frequently. AARP 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 past week, Alameda County has averaged 118 new cases and 3.1 new deaths per day.
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Over the past week, Contra Costa County has averaged 102 new cases and 2.3 new death per day.
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Top 10 Locations of Cases in
Alameda County, cumulative
as of 11/1/21
Oakland: 22,322
Hayward: 10,216
Fremont: 6,601
Berkeley: 5,041
San Leandro: 4,546
Eden MAC: 4,444
Livermore: 3,929
Union City: 3,068
Castro Valley: 2,330
Newark: 2,081
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Top 10 Locations of Cases in
Contra Costa County, cumulative
as of 11/1/21
Richmond: 14,996
Antioch: 14,523
Concord: 11,188
Pittsburg: 9,493
San Pablo: 6,555
Brentwood: 6,223
Oakley: 5,266
Walnut Creek: 4,304
Bay Point: 3,779
San Ramon: 3,236
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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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