Supervisor Federal D. Glover, District 5

With the highly contagious COVID-19 omicron variant circulating in Contra Costa County, Contra Costa Health Services (CCHS) announced a health order today requiring masks in all public indoor places without exceptions for certain indoor settings. 

Previously, fully vaccinated public speakers and performers, and fully vaccinated groups of 100 or fewer people were allowed to remove their face coverings under controlled conditions.  

The order, which goes into effect on Dec. 29, 2021, now requires all people in Contra Costa, regardless of vaccination status, to mask in public indoor settings. 

Many other Bay Area counties already require everyone to mask in all indoor public settings.

 “The omicron variant is very contagious, and we now know that anyone, regardless of vaccination status, can spread this variant to other people,” said Dr. Ori Tzvieli, Contra Costa County health officer. “We anticipate the case rate and hospitalization numbers to increase over the coming weeks. To reduce spread, cases and hospitalizations, we all need to wear masks anytime we are in an indoor public setting.” 

The first case of the omicron variant was first identified in the county on Dec. 18, and since then case rates and hospitalizations have significantly increased. The average number of daily new COVID-19 cases has increased 149% over the last week and hospitalizations have risen 31%. 

Because cases and hospitalizations involve both unvaccinated and fully vaccinated people, CCHS strongly urges everyone to get vaccinated and boosted as soon as they are able. 

COVID-19 vaccines, including booster doses, continue to offer the most effective protection against hospitalization and death from all variants of COVID-19 circulating in the county. 

Visit coronavirus.cchealth.org/get-vaccinated for information on healthcare providers, pharmacies and clinics offering COVID-19 vaccinations and booster shots. No-cost vaccinations and boosters are also available through CCHS’ public clinics by calling 1-8-33-829-2626.

The requirements for lifting the indoor masking order will remain the same and progress can be tracked on our Indoor Mask Dashboard.

The text of the order is available at cchealth.org/coronavirus.

Debido a la variante ómicron del COVID-19 altamente contagiosa que circula en el Condado de Contra Costa, los Servicios de Salud de Contra Costa (CCHS) anunciaron hoy una orden de salud que requiere el uso de mascarillas en todos los lugares públicos en interiores, sin excepciones para ciertos entornos en interiores. 

Anteriormente, los intérpretes y oradores públicos completamente vacunados y los grupos de 100 o menos personas completamente vacunadas podían quitarse la mascarilla facial en condiciones controladas.  

La orden que entra en vigor el 29 de diciembre del 2021 ahora requiere que todas las personas en Contra Costa utilicen una mascarilla facial en lugares públicos en interiores sin importar su estatus de vacunación. 

Muchos otros condados del Area de la Bahía ya requieren que todas las personas utilicen mascarillas faciales en todos los lugares públicos en interiores. 

 “La variante ómicron es muy contagiosa y ahora sabemos que cualquier persona puede contagiar esta variante a otras personas sin importar su estatus de vacunación”, dijo el Dr. Ori Tzvieli, oficial de salud del Condado de Contra Costa. “Anticipamos que la tasa de casos y las cifras de hospitalización aumentarán en las próximas semanas. Para poder reducir los contagios, los casos y las hospitalizaciones, todos debemos utilizar mascarillas faciales en cualquier lugar público en interiores”. 

El primer caso de la variante ómicron en el condado se identificó el 18 de diciembre y desde entonces las tasas de casos y hospitalizaciones han incrementado significativamente. El número promedio de casos nuevos de COVID-19 por día ha aumentado un 149% en la última semana y las hospitalizaciones han aumentado un 31%. 

Debido a que los casos y las hospitalizaciones afectan tanto a personas no vacunadas como a personas completamente vacunadas, los CCHS recomiendan enfáticamente que todas las personas se vacunen y reciban una dosis de refuerzo tan pronto como puedan.

Las vacunas contra el COVID-19, incluyendo las dosis de refuerzo, siguen ofreciendo la protección más eficaz contra la hospitalización y la muerte a causa de todas las variantes del COVID-19 que circulan en el condado 

Visite coronavirus.cchealth.org/get-vaccinated-es para obtener información sobre los proveedores de servicios de salud, las farmacias y las clínicas que ofrecen vacunas y dosis de refuerzo contra el COVID-19. Usted también puede vacunarse y recibir la dosis de refuerzo sin costo alguno a través de las clínicas públicas de los CCHS, llamando al teléfono 1-833-829-2626.

Los requisitos para retirar la orden de uso de mascarillas en interiores seguirán siendo los mismos y usted puede hacer un seguimiento del progreso en nuestro Tablero de Datos sobre el Mandato de Uso de Mascarillas en Interiores.

El texto de la orden de salud está disponible en cchealth.org/coronavirus.

Finding Peace this Holiday Season Whether your holiday traditions are built on Christmas or on Hannukah (the festival of lights), or if you focus this season on the seven principles of Kwanzaa (the celebration of African American culture), these celebratory traditions share one thing in common. They focus on peace.  In the Christian tradition, the message of Christmas is the declaration of angels announcing the birth of Christ, “Peace on earth, goodwill toward men.” The message of Hannukah is that in time of peace, the rebuilding of the temple at Jerusalem had been completed, and its rededication was the culmination of that endeavor. For Kwanzaa, the first principle is umoja, which means unity. Unity among families, communities, nations, and races brings about peace.  But how do we find peace this holiday season when there is still so much upheaval? I had hoped that by now, with the widespread availability of COVID-19 vaccines, we would have achieved a greater sense of normalcy and we would be able resume some of our cherished holiday traditions. Whether it’s attending a Christmas service at my church or gathering with family and close friends to exchange gifts and celebrate life, I was very much looking forward to it. But these are not times like those of the past. We have a new variant that has disrupted our plans and upended our efforts to go back to the way we were. Now, even those who are fully vaccinated are urged to get a booster to increase their level of safety against this virus. And quite frankly, we are all exhausted.  How can I talk about peace when life is all but peaceful? How do we find a sense of well-being when so many are still unwell, falling victim to this virus? I’d like to suggest that there are two ways we can help to bring about a sense of peace.  First, look beyond yourself and trust in a greater power. In my Christian tradition, when things seem unmanageable; when obstacles seem insurmountable; I remember the angelic declaration, “Peace on earth.” It is encouraging for me to realize that the divine will for my life is that I experience inner peace and peace with my neighbors. Peace comes from knowing I do not have to face any of life’s burdens without divine guidance.  Second, focus on giving to others. There is a sense of peace to be gotten when we redirect our energies from preoccupation with ourselves and our own challenges and seek to bring happiness to others. St. Paul wrote, “It’s more blessed to give than to receive.” That’s a principle I have been practicing for many years. Even though we are still making our way through a pandemic, I have reached out to my community partners such as St. Vincent de Paul of Contra Costa County and the Pittsburg Senior Center to give food items to some of the most vulnerable in our community. Every gift touches a life and I find peace and contentment.  I wish for you peace during this holiday season. Trust in a greater power. Give to others. In so doing, I think you will find peace this holiday season.  Homekey Program Brings Innovative Interim  Housing to Contra Costa County   A 172-unit interim housing site in Pittsburg will be among the first in California to open thanks to the state’s Homekey program to build and sustain housing for residents experiencing homelessness. Delta Landing, recipient of a $21.5 million Homekey grant in 2020, will open later this month after extensive site renovation. In addition to new paint, roof, furnishings, laundry and fire sprinkler system, clients can make use of a new wellness center for physical and behavioral health needs and co-located services to help them regain permanent housing. “We are grateful to California and Gov. Gavin Newsom for the opportunity to add critically needed services in East County for residents without housing,” said Diane Burgis, chair of the Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors. “Historically there has been a severe lack of beds in this part of the county, and Delta Landing is a great first step toward addressing that need.”  The site at 2101 Loveridge Road was previously a motel, used since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic as a non-congregate emergency shelter for county residents with funding from the state’s Project Roomkey program. The Homekey award allowed Contra Costa to negotiate the purchase of the motel and provide the necessary renovations to make a state-of-the-art interim housing facility with services such as basic healthcare, housing navigation and case management provided on site. Clients staying at the site were temporarily placed at other Project Roomkey locations in the county during renovations and will relocate back to Delta Landing this month. “We know that the first service that people experiencing homelessness need is a stabilized living situation,” said Contra Costa Supervisor Federal Glover, whose district includes Pittsburg. “Delta Landing provides that stable place, so clients can make full use of the services and supports to transition into permanent housing.” The county’s most recent homeless point-in-time count, in January 2020, showed that one-third of residents living outdoors in Contra Costa were in eastern Contra Costa – more than 500 people. But, before Delta Landing, there were only 20 available shelter beds in the county east of Concord.  Contra Costa’s Public Works Department led nearly $6 million renovation project. Homekey will also $4.196 million toward operation of this permanent facility, which is managed by Bay Area Community Services (BACS), a contractor of Contra Costa Health Services’ Division of Health, Housing and Homeless Services (H3). Visit cchealth.org/h3 for information about services for people experiencing homelessness in Contra Costa County.

Contra Costa Health Services (CCHS) has pre-ordered thousands of pediatric doses of Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine as the county prepares for federal and state health officials to expand eligibility to kids ages 5-11. 

CCHS expects to receive about 20,000 doses of the pediatric version of the Pfizer vaccine for county and partner clinics early this week. Other healthcare providers and pharmacies are also stocking up and getting ready. 

CCHS is also working with education and healthcare partners in the region – including John Muir Health, Kaiser, La Clinica and Lifelong Medical – to host vaccine clinics at school sites once eligibility expands to younger kids. We will be announcing more details about school-based vaccine clinics soon.

“I know a lot of parents have been waiting a long time to be able to get their younger kids vaccinated,” said Diane Burgis, chair of the Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors. “We’re almost there. If everything goes right, parents will be able to get their children fully vaccinated before the winter holidays.”

The timing of when the vaccine becomes available to younger children depends on when federal and state officials complete their review process. The Food & Drug Administration (FDA) on Friday approved the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine for emergency use in children ages 5-11.

This week, the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC) will be deciding whether to recommend Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine next week for children ages 5-11. The CDC’s recommendation is required before vaccines can be given to this age group.

If the CDC recommends the vaccine for the younger age group, it may take a couple of days until immunization clinics actually begin administering the pediatric vaccines. The Western States Scientific Safety Review Workgroup, a regional collaborative of scientists from several states including California with expertise in immunization and public health, must also weigh in after the CDC makes it decision.

Parents should check with their child’s regular healthcare provider or local pharmacies about availability. CCHS expects to begin offering the pediatric vaccine by Nov. 6 at county-run vaccination clinics. 

The pediatric COVID-19 vaccine, which is one-third the dosage given to teens and adults, will come in different vials and packaging than the adult version. Like with adults, children ages 5-11 still must get two shots at least three weeks apart to get the maximum protection of the vaccine, which was shown to have a 90.7% efficacy rate in clinical trials among this age group.

Initial demand for the pediatric vaccine is expected to be high as eager parents seek protection for their children. There are an estimated 92,000 county residents between the ages of 5 and 11. 

Contra Costa County has a high vaccination rate among its eligible residents, including among those ages 12-15, which is currently the youngest age group eligible for COVID-19 vaccination. About 87% of residents ages 12-15 have received at least one dose of vaccine.