COVID-19
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Masking No Longer Required At The Bay Area’s 3 Major Airports
The Bay Area’s three major airports will no longer require masks inside their facilities , a dramatic policy reversal following a federal judge’s ruling Monday to strike down mask mandates on airplanes and other modes of public transit. Officials at Mineta San Jose, San Francisco and Oakland International airports released separate, similar statements Tuesday, saying they will hew to updated guidance from the federal Transportation Security Administration, while urging employees and travelers to respect each other’s individual choice regarding mask usage. SF Chronicle Read more
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Should You Still Mask Up On Planes And Buses?
Bay Area Experts Assess The Risks Of Public Transit
Air, rail and bus travelers faced an altered pandemic-risk landscape this week after a Monday ruling by a federal judge abruptly ended the nation’s mask mandate on public transportation. While videos and photos of passengers excitedly shedding their masks — some midflight — have gone viral, some Bay Area experts on Tuesday decried the sudden end of a longtime pandemic safety measure. “I think it was miscalculated,” said Dr. Abraar Karan, an infectious diseases expert at Stanford Health. “It was pushed by a judge and not a public health agency, which confuses people. Airlines are happy about it, but airline CEOs are not focusing on public health.” SF Chronicle Read more
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Not All Bay Area Transit Agencies Lifting Masking Requirement, Causing Some Confusion
Now that the federal mask mandate is no longer in effect, that doesn’t mean it automatically applies for public transportation agencies like Muni and BART. That is causing confusion for many riders. “I thought you didn’t have to wear it. I wasn’t aware there is a mandate. I’m hearing that from you,” BART rider Ali Sabzwari told KPIX. Sabzwari commutes regularly from Hayward into San Francisco for work. He says he was the only one not wearing a mask Tuesday. Most commuters we spoke to weren’t even aware of the change in federal rules or that transportation agencies at the state and local level will have the authority to keep mandates still intact. KPIX5 Read more
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Does It Feel Like Everyone Has COVID? Why Some Experts ay S.F. May Be In A Surge Now Even Though Cases Are Low
Peter Chin-Hong doesn’t normally like relying on anecdotal evidence. But in the last few weeks, he said, it has become harder to ignore what feels like an undercounted coronavirus surge in San Francisco. “There’s been so many people getting COVID,” Chin-Hong, an infectious disease specialist at UCSF, told The Chronicle. “The amount of people and outbreaks I've been hearing about are not in sync with the official numbers.” While San Francisco’s case counts are showing an increase as the Omicron BA.2 subvariant spreads across the U.S., Chin-Hong said that he and other researchers do not believe current case rates reflect the scale of the increase, in part because fewer people are getting tested than before. SF Chronicle Read more
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COVID Vaccine/Treatment News
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Boost Now? Boost Later? Tricky Calculation For a 4th Coronavirus Shot
Bill and Rudi Weissinger remain COVID-cautious. They’ve had three shots of the Moderna coronavirus vaccine. They wear masks at the grocery store and avoid large gatherings. When Bill recently offered a friend a fist-bump rather than a handshake, the friend said, “Oh, still?” Yes is the answer, and most of their friends in Friday Harbor, Wash. — an island community — are similarly vigilant. The Weissingers want to get another booster shot. They’re in their mid-70s and eligible. But they also plan to travel to France later this year. Boost now? Boost later? “Our fear is if we get the booster now, it will have faded by then,” Bill says. Washington Post Read more
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Moderna Says Redesigned COVID Vaccine Produced Stronger Immunity Against Omicron Than Current Shots
Moderna on Tuesday released clinical data demonstrating that a new version of its COVID-19 vaccine that targets several mutations produced a stronger immune response against the major virus variants, including Omicron and Delta, than the company’s current shots. The biotech company’s redesigned vaccine targets nine mutations found in the beta COVID variant, as well as the original strain of the virus that first emerged in Wuhan, China, in late 2019. Four of the mutations targeted by the updated vaccine are shared with Omicron. Moderna and Pfizer are developing new shots that target multiple virus variants in the hope of producing vaccines that provide longer-lasting protection against infection. CNBC Read more
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If You Get The Coronavirus, How Do You Get Anti-COVID Drugs?
If you come down with the coronavirus and are at high risk, how can you get access to anti-COVID drugs? The medications are becoming increasingly available, and there is no longer a shortage of the drugs in most locations, California health officials say. It’s important to know your coronavirus test status early in the infection and seek drugs promptly. For those who have a regular health provider, you can ask for a prescription. The U.S. government also has set up “test-to-treat” sites, which are meant to allow people to get tested and free anti-COVID pills at the same location, such as a pharmacy or clinic, as long as staff can either conduct a coronavirus test or evaluate an at-home test result and have on-site healthcare providers who can assess the patient. LA Times Read more
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For mRNA, COVID Vaccines Are Just The Beginning
Katalin Karikó never intended to make vaccines. For years before the pandemic, the Hungarian-American biochemist had been working to realize the therapeutic potential of mRNA—first trying to create a synthetic version of the messenger molecule that wouldn’t trigger the body’s inflammatory response, and then, once she and colleague Drew Weissman had achieved that goal, trying to get the medical and scientific community to pay attention. She had envisioned the technology being used to treat those recovering from heart attacks and strokes. But it was the frantic race for a COVID vaccine that earned Karikó belated global recognition. The work she and her colleagues had done on mRNA provided the foundation for Moderna and BioNTech to quickly develop COVID vaccines that have now saved millions of lives. Wired Read more
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COVID Vaccine Concerns Are Starting To Spill Over Into Routine Immunizations
Kids aren’t getting caught up on routine shots they missed during the pandemic, and many vaccination proponents are pointing to COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy as a big reason why. Public health experts, pediatricians, school nurses, immunization advocates and state officials in 10 states told POLITICO they are worried that an increasing number of families are projecting their attitudes toward the COVID-19 vaccine onto shots for measles, chickenpox, meningitis and other diseases. That spillover of vaccine hesitancy may also be fueling an uptick in religious exemption requests from parents of school-aged children. Politico Read more
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Why Cheap, Older Drugs That Might Treat COVID Never Get Out Of The Lab
In March 2020, Dr. Joseph Vinetz left the contemplative world of his Yale University infectious-disease laboratory and plunged into the COVID ward at Yale New Haven Hospital, joining an army of health care workers who struggled to treat the deadly viral disease. There were no drugs against COVID-19, and no way to predict which infected patients would develop pneumonia or fall into an inflammatory tailspin leading to severe illness or death. In desperation, Vinetz and countless other doctor-scientists trawled the literature for existing medicines that might help. Kaiser Health News
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State/National/International News
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CDC Asks DOJ To Appeal Ruling Ending Mask Mandate
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Wednesday that it has asked the Department of Justice to appeal Monday’s ruling by a federal judge that struck down the mask mandate for mass transportation. The Justice Department filed the appeal early Wednesday evening. “It is CDC’s continuing assessment that at this time an order requiring masking in the indoor transportation corridor remains necessary for the public health,” the CDC said in a statement. “CDC will continue to monitor public health conditions to determine whether such an order remains necessary. CDC believes this is a lawful order, well within CDC’s legal authority to protect public health.” Mercury News Read more
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Leaving COVID Safety To Personal Choice Will "Come Back To Bite Us," Ex-Obama Health Official Says
A former Obama health policy director on Monday criticized what she sees as a potentially dangerous shift in government messaging on COVID safety protocols. “My biggest issue with the it’s-your-call kind of theme that’s out there (is) we don’t do this in any other area of illness, health, or disease or burden. I don’t tell a patient with high LDL cholesterol, ‘Hey, you go figure out what your 10-year cardiovascular risk is, and you can decide,’” Dr. Kavita Patel said on CNBC’s “Squawk Box.” "Of course, they are able to decide what their options are after I talk to them about what I think is best,” added Patel, a primary care physician in the Washington, D.C. area. CNBC Read more
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A New Version Of Omicron Is Gaining A Foothold In The U.S., CDC Finds
Another Omicron subvariant is gaining traction in the United States, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported Tuesday. The subvariant, called BA.2.12.1, is an offshoot of the BA.2 version of Omicron. While BA.2 remains the dominant variant in the U.S., BA.2.12.1 now accounts for roughly 1 in 5 new cases nationwide. The majority of cases in the U.S. — around 75 percent — are still caused by BA.2., which has been the country's dominant variant since late March. NBC News Read more
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How One California District Invested Its COVID Funds In Literacy, Boosting Student Achievement — And Morale
Alice Campbell is only 7 years old but already has definite opinions about books. Her favorite is “Cat in the Hat,” followed closely by “One Fish Two Fish Red Fish Blue Fish” and “Fox in Socks. “I love reading and I’m very, very good at it,” she said during a recent break at her first grade classroom at Lockeford Elementary, amid the vineyards, almond orchards and horse ranches northeast of Lodi in the Central Valley. “It’s super-duper fun.” Alice is not an outlier. Thanks to federal COVID relief funds, she and many of her classmates are now participating in a reading program first introduced in the district in 2014. EdSource Read more
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Rise In At-Home Testing Means We Could Be Undercounting COVID-19 Cases Even More Than Before
As the number of COVID-19 cases grows in the United States, experts wonder if the country fully understands the current threat from the pandemic. The Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation estimates that only 7% of positive COVID-19 cases in the U.S. are being detected, meaning case rates are actually 14.5 times higher than officially reported. The last time the infection detection rate was this low was at the outset of the pandemic, in March 2020. CNN
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Better Ventilation Can Prevent COVID Spread. But Are Companies Paying Attention?
Americans are abandoning their masks. They’re done with physical distancing. And, let’s face it, some people are just never going to get vaccinated. Yet a lot can still be done to prevent COVID infections and curb the pandemic. A growing coalition of epidemiologists and aerosol scientists say that improved ventilation could be a powerful tool against the coronavirus — if businesses are willing to invest the money. Kaiser Health News Read more
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CDC Shakes Up COVID Travel Advisory System, Removes Every Country From Its "Do Not Travel" List
After months of warning all travelers to avoid a long list of countries due to "very high" COVID-19 levels, the CDC has removed all countries from its "Do Not Travel" list. The federal agency on Monday removed 89 countries from its "Do Not Travel" list. The highest Level 4 designation will now be reserved for "special circumstances" reflecting a dangerous spike in COVID cases, a new variant or health care infrastructure collapse. While the Level 4 list had at one point included well over 100 destinations, there are currently no Level 4 countries. USA Today Read more
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New CDC Team: A Weather Service To Forecast What’s Next In Pandemic
A new team of federal health scientists officially embarks Tuesday on a mission to provide what has often been absent from the nation’s response to the coronavirus pandemic: better, faster information about what’s likely to happen next in this public health emergency and in future outbreaks. “We think of ourselves like the National Weather Service, but for infectious diseases,” said Caitlin Rivers, an epidemiologist and associate director for science at the initiative, run by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Washington Post Read more
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Total Confirmed Cases
Bay Area: 1,305,552
California: 9,171,559
U.S.: 80,779,003
Alameda County
Primary Vaccine Series Completed: 85.7%
Total Cases: 261,204
Total Deaths: 1,865
Test Positivity (7-day rate): 3.2%
Hospitalized Patients (as of 4/20): 46
ICU Beds Available (as of 4/20): 115
As of April 20, cases have increased recently and are very high. The number of hospitalized COVID patients has also risen in the Alameda County area. Deaths have remained about the same level. The test positivity rate in Alameda County is relatively low, suggesting that testing capacity is adequate for evaluating COVID-19 spread in the area. NY Times
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Total Reported Deaths
Bay Area: 8,311
California: 89,818
U.S.: 989,902
Contra Costa County
Primary Vaccine Series Completed: 86.2%
Total Cases: 192,489
Total Deaths: 1,297
Test Positivity (7-day rate): 3.9%
Hospitalized Patients (as of 4/20): 31
ICU Beds Available (as of 4/20): 33
As of April 20, cases have stayed about the same recently and are still high.The number of hospitalized COVID patients has fallen in the Contra Costa County 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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Is Wearing A Mask While Traveling Still Helpful If You're The Only One?
Face masks offer the most protection against the spread of virus-carrying particles in the air when everyone wears them. But research also suggests that masks can protect the wearer alone, by acting as a barrier between particles and their nose and mouth. CNN 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 178 new cases and 1 new death per day.
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Over the past week, Contra Costa County has averaged 84 new cases and 0.3 new deaths per day.
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Top 10 Locations of Cases in
Alameda County, cumulative
as of 4/20/2022
Oakland: 76,261
Hayward: 33,852
Fremont: 26,697
San Leandro: 16,026
Eden MAC: 14,632
Berkeley: 13,867
Livermore: 13,114
Union City: 11,477
Alameda: 9,028
Castro Valley: 8,951
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Top 10 Locations of Cases in
Contra Costa County, cumulative
as of 4/20/2022
Richmond: 28,227
Antioch: 25,701
Concord: 20,810
Pittsburg: 16,657
San Pablo: 12,042
Brentwood: 11,596
Oakley: 9,663
Walnut Creek: 9,654
San Ramon: 8,389
Martinez: 6,376
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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 Ed Hernandez. 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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