Please see the complete weekly update on the EBGTZ website and highlights below. Click here to download the PDF version.
We hope that you and loved ones are staying safe during the wildfires. Resources include the AirNow website for current local air quality, AC Alerts for Alameda County safety alerts and cooling/clean air centers, Alameda County COVID-19+wildfire guidance, the CAL FIRE evacuation map, and updates on the @calfireSCU Twitter feed. The Alameda County Health Care for the Homeless team is distributing 4,000 non-medical N95 masks to unsheltered people who lack access to safer indoor air.
East Bay COVID-19 updates
COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations in the East Bay have stabilized overall in the past few weeks. Current estimated transmission rates are 1.02 in Alameda County, 1 in Contra Costa County, and 0.97 in Solano County, compared to 0.93 statewide.
Alameda and Contra Costa Counties remain on the California State Data Monitoring List, and Solano County is back on the list with more than 100 new COVID-19 cases per 100,000 people in the past 14 days. While new limited outdoor activities are allowed (e.g. outdoor pools and salons in Alameda County), reopening remains paused.
Alameda County:
130 new cases per 100,000 people over the past 2 weeks.
New cases in August were much more likely to be ages 30 and younger and to have close contacts at work, compared to cases in March.
Contra Costa County: There are 150 new cases per 100,000 people over the past 2 weeks. The estimated transmission rate is 1.
Solano County: There are 111 new cases per 100,000 people over the past 2 weeks. The estimated transmission rate is 0.97.
On Monday, August 24, the Alameda County Responsibility to Community Health (ARCH) Program launched to provide financial assistance for county residents in high-risk communities who have tested positive for COVID-19. Referrals will be made through community-based case investigation services. For more information please see the FAQ and press release.
New guidelines and studies on COVID-19 antibody testing and schools New IDSA guidelines on COVID-19 antibody testing recommend against antibody tests except in surveillance studies or special circumstances when PCR testing fails. In these special circumstances, providers should test for IgG or total antibodies 3-4 weeks after symptom onset. Current tests may measure non-protective antibodies and cannot accurately determine if someone has protective immunity, so they “cannot inform decisions to discontinue physical distancing or lessen the use of personal protective equipment.”
Antibody surveillance testing in New York City shows significant disparities between communities with more than 50% people antibody-positive in one zip code in the Corona (!) neighborhood of Queens (predominantly people of color), 33% in the Bronx, and 19% in Manhattan, compared to 27% overall.
Emergency Support: Positive Women's Network - USA (PWN) is launching the PWN Emergency Support Fund for Women Living with HIV. If you are a PWN member who needs to apply for financial assistance, click here. If you would like to donate to the PWN Emergency Support Fund, click here!
Webinar/CME event:Self-Compassion for Clinicians, hosted by Community Health Center Network will be held on Tuesday, September 22 from 12-1pm. There will be a lively discussion that reviews the principles of Dr. Kristin Neff’s mindful self-compassion practices, presented by Dr. Tamika Bailey of Alta Bates.
Action: This week, the week before international overdose awareness day, joing San Francisco AIDS Foundation and others in raising awareness of this public health crisis and taking action to advocate for legislation and initiatives that will prevent these deaths. Please join on social media via the hashtag #EndOverdoseCA. More information and graphics can be found in this Social Media Toolkit.
“Let your passion promote you!” Come join the HIV Prevention Team at Lifelong Medical Care as a part-time PrEP Navigator and enjoy flexible work hours and opportunity for career growth. More information about the position can be found here.
Expecting Justice is a multi-year collective impact program to improve birth outcomes for Black and Pacific Islander (PI) communities in San Francisco. They are seeking a Program Associate who will be an integral part of the backbone team to help guide this collaboration.
WORLD is seeking a Peer Advocate and a Case Manager/Navigator. Learn more about these open positions here.
Alameda County Health Services Agency is looking for a Deputy Medical Director of Healthcare for the Homeless. To learn more, please email Elsie.Kusel@acgov.org and Log2@acgov.org
You are always welcome to go to the EBGTZ website for detailed updates (usually posted Wednesday evenings). Please follow and share our Instagram, Facebook and Twitter accounts.
Thank you for all that you do for our communities!
Sophy and Yamini
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Sophy S. Wong, MD, Director
Yamini Oseguera-Bhatnagar, Program Manager East Bay Getting to Zero
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