COVID-19
breaking news & updates
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"I think (the J&J pause) is going to be a blip on the calendar in terms of getting Americans vaccinated, I don’t think it’s going to affect the timeline at all. My hope is that it will actually build confidence in people that we don’t take adverse events lightly, and that we investigate them, and that we really are making sure these vaccines are very, very safe."
Dr. Ashish Jha, Dean of Brown University’s School of Public Health
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J&J Vaccine Pause Shouldn't Affect Oakland Coliseum Appointments
Officials in Alameda and Contra Costa counties said Tuesday that they do not anticipate canceling appointments at the Oakland Coliseum COVID-19 vaccination site amid the state's pause in administering the Johnson & Johnson vaccine. The two counties assumed operation of the Coliseum mass vaccination site Monday. The site has been jointly operated by the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the state's Office of Emergency Services since it opened in mid-February. For now, those being vaccinated at the Coliseum will receive doses of the two-shot vaccine developed by Pfizer, according to the two counties. Castro Valley Patch Read more
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South Hayward Firehouse Clinic is a COVID-19 Vaccination Site
The Hayward Fire Department, in partnership with Tiburcio Vasquez Health Center and the Alameda County Department of Public Health, has established a COVID-19 vaccination site at the Firehouse Clinic on the grounds of Hayward Fire Station 7 in South Hayward. The site at 28300 Huntwood Ave. is offering the COVID-19 vaccine by Moderna to Tiburcio Vasquez Health Center patients and community members who are age 65 and older or work in the healthcare, emergency services, education and childcare, and food and agriculture sectors. Appointments and days and hours of operation are subject to change based on vaccine supply. Learn more or add a name to the waiting list. Or text (510) 800-7198 and provide a name and age to receive a link to join the list.
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Alameda County Residents 16 And Older Now Eligible For COVID-19 Vaccine
Alameda County has now opened up COVID-19 vaccine eligibility to residents as young as 16 years old. The county updated its expanded eligibility requirements on Sunday, while stressing, "We continue prioritizing vaccines for residents in our hardest-hit neighborhoods." Health officials also noted that those aged 16 and 17 only have the option of receiving the two-shot Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine, as the other vaccines currently available in the U.S., those from Moderna and Johnson and Johnson, have only been approved for those 18 years and older. KTVU Read more
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Here's Every Website You Can Use to Book a Vaccine Appointment in California
California will open up vaccine eligibility to individuals 16 and over on Thursday, and a rush of millions of residents will be jumping online to find vaccine appointments. There will likely not be enough appointments immediately available for those who want a shot, and public health officials are asking people to be patient. While you won't have to wait until fall for your vaccine, it make take you days, weeks, even a month or two to get an appointment. SF Gate Read more
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39 Fully Vaccinated People Infected With COVID-19 in Sonoma County
At least 39 fully vaccinated people in Sonoma County have come down with coronavirus over the course of the last two and a half months, according to county officials. However, doctors are cautioning against that headline, saying the efficacy rates actually appear to be very strong, and this is not a surprise. "That is exactly what we expected and in fact it's probably better than expected," says Dr. Peter Chin-Hong of UCSF. ABC7 News Read more
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Offices Are Still Dangerous Places, Bay Area Residents Say in COVID Poll
Half of Bay Area residents believe working in an office is still risky, according a new poll from a prominent business group, reflecting the difficulties big employers may have in bringing workers back after more than a year of social distancing. About one in five of those surveyed said working in the office was “very unsafe,” while a third described it as “somewhat unsafe” in a poll of 1,000 registered voters for the Bay Area Council. But other experiences - from dining inside to attending sports events - were deemed even riskier by respondents, the poll found. Mercury News Read more
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Bay Area Restaurateurs Sue to Recover Permit Fees Charged Amid COVID-19
Restaurants in a handful of greater Bay Area counties have filed class-action lawsuits seeking refunds for liquor license and health permit fees assessed by the state and counties even though they were forced to shutter completely or operate at significantly lower capacity under COVID-19 public health orders. Restaurant owners in Contra Costa, Santa Clara, Monterey and Sonoma in recent days have joined those across much of the state that filed similar lawsuits against the California Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control and the counties in which they operate. Mercury News Read more
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"We Need to Be Leading By Example": Why This East Oakland Pastor Got Vaccinated
Last Thursday, the final day of AllenTemple Baptist Church's pop-up vaccination clinic in deep East Oakland, Senior Pastor Jacqueline Thompson could be found in her office juggling meetings with her staff and public health officials. Since the start of the pandemic, Thompson’s East Oakland church has been involved in COVID relief efforts such as running a neighborhood testing site. Allen Temple recently partnered with Kaiser Permanente and the East Bay Community Foundation to produce a video series interviewing Black community members about why they chose to get vaccinated. Oaklandside Read more
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San Francisco Details Protocols for Resuming Live Indoor Events
Officials in San Francisco on Wednesday provided details on capacity limits and safety protocols for indoor live-audience events and other gatherings to resume starting Thursday, April 15. The release issued by Mayor London Breed and SF Director of Health Dr. Grant Colfax outlined the planned expansion of existing rules for outdoor live-audience events, performances and other activities including private events such as conferences and receptions. Under the new health order, indoor ticketed and seated events will be allowed to operate at up to 35% capacity as long as attendees provide proof of vaccination or a negative COVID test before entering the venue. KPIX 5 Read more
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If You Got The J&J Vaccine, Here's What Experts Say You Should Do Now
About 6.8 million Americans have received the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine, which federal health officials on Tuesday asked states to pause after six women in the U.S. developed serious blood clots within about two weeks of their vaccinations. “It’s an exceedingly rare side effect. But a very concerning one,” said Dr. Warner Greene, a senior investigator with the Gladstone Institutes in San Francisco. Greene and other vaccine experts added that the benefits of the Johnson & Johnson shot almost certainly still outweigh the rare risk of a blood clot or stroke. SF Chronicle Read more
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Moderna Says Vaccines Are Over 90% Effective 6 Months After Second Shot
Moderna's COVID-19 vaccine is more than 90% effective against the coronavirus approximately six months after the second dose is administered, according to preliminary data published in the New England Journal of Medicine. Axios Read more
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Tweaked COVID Vaccines in Testing Aim to Fend Off Variants
Dozens of Americans are rolling up their sleeves for a third dose of COVID-19 vaccine - this time, shots tweaked to guard against a worrisome mutated version of the virus.Make no mistake: The vaccines currently being rolled out across the U.S. offer strong protection. But new studies of experimental updates to the Moderna and Pfizer vaccines mark a critical first step toward an alternative if the virus eventually outsmarts today’s shots. AP Read more
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Will People Who Travel For a COVID Vaccine Be Able to Get a Second Shot Closer to Home?
With fewer COVID-19 vaccine doses available the next two weeks and significantly more people soon eligible to take them, many Bay Area residents will be heading outside the region to score their life-saving shots. But will those who traveled to great lengths for their first doses when appointments were hard to come by find their second shots closer to home? Most Bay Area counties, health care providers and pharmacies are allowing people to book second-dose appointments even if they received their first shots elsewhere. Because of the limited vaccine supply, however, that’s easier said than done for some people. Mercury News Read more
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Welcome To The New Colonialism: Rich Countries Sitting On Surplus Vaccines
Old colonial lines are being reinforced. As western nations edge closer to effectively vaccinating their populations, much of the rest of the planet languishes in fear of new Covid variants and the long-term impacts of the pandemic and its economic consequences. The US has acquired enough vaccines for three times its population. At the same time, according to Unicef, 130 countries had yet to administer a single dose of vaccine as of mid-February. Some countries aren’t poised to see widespread vaccine access until 2023. The Guardian Read more
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The mRNA Vaccines Are Looking Better and Better
A year ago, when the United States decided to go big on vaccines, it bet on nearly every horse, investing in a spectrum of technologies. The safest bets, in a way, repurposed the technology behind existing vaccines, such as protein-based ones for tetanus or hepatitis B. The medium bets were on vaccines made by Johnson & Johnson and AstraZeneca, which use adenovirus vectors, a technology that had been tested before but not deployed on a large scale. The long shots were based on the use of mRNA, the newest and most unproven technology. The Atlantic
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Vaccine Resources
Food Pantries
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Confirmed Cases
Bay Area: 429,187
California: 3,707,770
U.S.: 31,417,160
Alameda County
Vaccines Administered: 1,169,582
Cases: 84,792
Deaths: 1,447
Test Positivity: 1.3%
Hospitalized Patients: 110
ICU Beds Available: 106
Cases have increased over the past week and are high. The number of hospitalized COVID patients has remained at about the same level in the Alameda County area. Deaths have decreased. The test positivity rate in Alameda County is relatively low, suggesting that test capacity is adequate for evaluating COVID-19 spread in the area. NY Times
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Reported Deaths
Bay Area: 6,083
California: 60,632
U.S.: 564,280
Contra Costa County
Vaccines Administered: 855,912
Cases: 66,666
Deaths: 767
Test Positivity: 2.1%
Hospitalized Patients: 39
ICU Beds Available: 56
Cases have stayed about the same over the past week and are still high. The number of hospitalized COVID patients has fallen in the Contra Costa area. Deaths have remained at about the same level. 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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State/National/International News
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COVID Cases Are Rising In More Than Half of U.S. States Despite Ramp-Up in Vaccination
As U.S. COVID cases rise, the country is also administering vaccine shots at the swiftest pace ever. Cases are on the rise in 27 states, with Michigan continuing to lead the nation in daily new infections per capita. Following more than 70,000 coronavirus cases reported on Monday, the seven-day average of daily new cases in the U.S. is 68,960, according to data from Johns Hopkins University. That figure is up 7% from one week ago. CNBC Read more
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How The Decline In COVID-19 Testing Could Blind California to New Problems
As new and more contagious variants of the COVID-19 virus emerge in California at a troubling rate, testing for the pathogen has plummeted, challenging the state’s effort to trace their spread, discover outbreaks or detect whether they are eluding our vaccines. Rates of testing have fallen by more than 60% since January’s peak, according to the most recent data by the California Department of Public Health. Statewide, a total of 186,112 tests were reported on March 31, down from 477,718 on Jan. 4. The precipitous decline is reflected in Bay Area data, as well, falling about 40% in Santa Cruz County, 30% in Santa Clara, Contra Costa and Alameda counties and 25% in San Mateo County over the past three months. Testing is also down nationally. Mercury News Read more
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Working-Age Latino Immigrants 11 Times More Likely to Die From COVID, Study Shows
The COVID-19 pandemic was even deadlier for working-age Latino immigrants than previously known, according to a recent University of Southern California Study. Latino immigrants, between the ages of 20 and 54, are nearly 11.6 times more likely to die from the virus than U.S.-born people who are not Latino, according to the study. The figure “astonished” the study’s lead author Erika Garcia, an assistant professor of preventative medicine at the Keck School of Medicine at USC. The research, published in the journal, Annals of Epidemiology, was based on data from 10,200 death certificates of Californians whose deaths occurred between February 2020 to July 2020.
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With 100 Days Till The Olympics, Japan Grapples With a New Wave of Infections
Organizers marked 100 days until the start of the Tokyo Olympics on Wednesday with a subdued ceremony amid tougher restrictions and growing questions over the event as Japan endures another surge of coronavirus infections. Parts of Tokyo and other municipalities remain under a quasi-state of emergency ordered last week to stem what officials describe as Japan’s fourth wave of infections. Japan has recorded nearly 3,200 infections a day over the last week, according to a New York Times database - few by the standards of the United States and Europe, but a worryingly high number for Asia. NY Times Read more
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CDC Studies "Breakthrough" COVID Cases Among People Already Vaccinated
Ginger Eatman thought she was safe after getting her second COVID-19 vaccination in February. But she kept wearing her mask, using hand sanitizer and wiping down the carts at the grocery store anyway. A few weeks later, she noticed a scratchy throat. So Eatman got tested for the coronavirus. It came back positive. "I was shocked. I almost cried," she says. "It was like: No, that can't be." NPR Read more
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Israel May Be Reaching Herd Immunity
A leading Israeli doctor believes the country may be close to reaching "herd immunity". This happens when enough of a population has protection against an infection that it stops being able to spread - and even people who don't themselves have immunity are indirectly protected. For COVID the estimated threshold for herd immunity is at least 65%-70%. BBC Read more
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How One California Restaurant's
Experiment May Help Diners Breathe Safely
When California’s Monterey County allowed restaurants to reopen in March, indoor dining returned to the cliff-perched Sierra Mar, known for its spectacular views of the Pacific Ocean. The Big Sur restaurant now featured some new pandemic touches: 18 tabletop mini-purifiers, 10 precisely distributed HEPA air purifiers, an upgraded heating and air conditioning system, and four sensors measuring the air quality in real time. Washington Post Read more
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Scientists Haven’t Figured Out Long COVID - Here Are 5 of Their Best Hypotheses
Most people who get the coronavirus will fully recover and go right back to their lives. But the latest research suggests that at least 10 percent have long-term symptoms, even after their body has apparently cleared the virus. The condition, known as “long COVID,” has emerged as a scary feature of the pandemic - a reminder that even as hospitalizations and deaths come down, millions of people will continue to suffer from the aftermath of infection. Vox Read more
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Capacity Limits No Longer Mandatory at California Churches
The state on Monday officially lifted all capacity limits on churches and other places of worship effective immediately. According to the state’s COVID-19 website, industry guidance for “Places of worship and cultural ceremonies” was updated on April 12. Officials said the capacity guidelines are recommended, but no longer mandatory. KRON4 Read more
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Lost Taste And Smell From COVID-19? A New Cookbook Aims to Help
One of the most common COVID-19 symptoms is the loss of taste and smell. For some people, those symptoms can last weeks. Now, a new cookbook aims to help people recover some of the joy of cooking and eating - even while senses are still inhibited - and blends aspects of culinary science and medical research by looking at taste, smell and other sensory perception to help people who lost their senses enjoy food again. ABC News Read more
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How Coronavirus Vaccines Work
Different types of vaccines work in different ways to offer protection, but with all types of vaccines, the body is left with a supply of “memory” cells that will remember how to fight that virus in the future. SF Chronicle 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 813 new coronavirus cases, which amounts to 49 cases per 100,000 residents.
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Over the last seven days, Contra Costa County officials have reported 732 new coronavirus cases, which amounts to 65 cases per 100,000 residents.
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Top 10 Locations of Cases in
Alameda County, as of 4/14/21
Oakland: 26,336
Hayward: 13,251
Fremont: 7,635
Eden MAC: 5,747
San Leandro: 5,263
Livermore: 4,169
Union City: 3,881
Berkeley: 3,504
Newark: 2,682
Castro Valley: 2,479
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Top 10 Locations of Cases in
Contra Costa County, as of 4/14/21
Richmond: 10,059
Antioch: 9,228
Concord: 7,814
Pittsburg: 6,614
San Pablo: 5,130
Brentwood: 3,671
Oakley: 3,051
Bay Point: 2,692
Walnut Creek: 2,767
San Ramon: 2,006
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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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