City Calls on Community to Act Now to Slow the Spread of COVID-19

Published on March 11, 2020

PRESS RELEASE

 March 11, 2020, 7:15 pm

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact:

Sarah Henry, Public Information Officer

510-747-4714

City calls on community to act now to slow the spread of COVID-19 

SITUATION STATUS

On Tuesday, March 10, an Alameda Firefighter tested positive for COVID-19. Throughout the day we received a lot of questions, many of which we were not able to answer due to state and federal law, including who the firefighter is, where they have been, and where they live. What we can say is that the City followed all the proper protocols, alerted employees and the community with the information we were able to share, and has enhanced cleaning and other efforts in place to help protect our employees and community members.

After the test came back positive for COVID-19, the County that the firefighter is currently located in began conducting an investigation to understand the risk of exposure, including identifying any calls or hospitals the Alameda firefighter may have been to. The County health agency is directly notifying anyone who might have been exposed and the firefighter and their family remain in quarantine at home.

PROACTIVE STEPS

The City of Alameda has taken proactive steps to slow the spread of COVID-19 in our community. We have posters and hand sanitizer available at all our facilities. We created a webpage and fact sheet with up-to-date information at www.alamedaca.gov/alerts. We have taken many steps to increase sanitation including deploying 17 hand sanitizer stations throughout the City. We are following recommendations by the Alameda County Public Health Department regarding cancelling mass events. And we are working with the County to make sure sanitization is a top priority in areas where people who are unhoused reside.

PREVENT THE SPREAD

People over 60 and people with underlying health conditions are at a much higher risk of severe illness. The County recommends those at high risk stay home and away from crowded social gatherings as much as possible. According to the Alameda County Department of Public Health, over 80% of individuals who test positive for COVID-19 have mild symptoms. To help ensure those with health risks have access to the treatment they need, the general public should take action now to prevent an overwhelmed health care system.

The best thing we can do to protect ourselves and our community, especially those who are more vulnerable, is follow recommended precautions, including:

• Washing hands with soap and water

• Covering your cough or sneeze

• Avoiding touching eyes, nose or mouth with unwashed hands

• Staying away from work, school, or other people if you become sick

• Avoiding close contact with people who are sick

  TESTING IS IMPROVING

  City officials are participating in conference calls with federal, state, and local officials to receive the most up-to-date information on the COVID-19 outbreak. Today we learned that while testing has been lacking, it is coming up to speed. There are 79 labs in 50 states, including 11 in California, with more coming online in the days to come, as well as more testing being done at commercial labs. If you have symptoms and would like to be tested, please consult with your health care provider before going in.

  We understand there is a feeling of uncertainty in the community. Please know that the health and welfare of our employees and community members is our top priority. We will continue to post updates at www.alamedaca.gov/alerts when new information is available.

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