COVID-19 Update - May 5, 2021

May 5, 2021

Dear Colleagues,

Please see below a public announcement issued by the Alameda County Healthcare Services Agency as well as more information below.

Oakland Coliseum Vaccination Site to Close on May 23rd after Successfully Administering Half a Million Doses. Alameda County Shifts COVID-19 Vaccination Resources to More Community-Based Options.

As Alameda County reaches 71% vaccination rate and nears 1.5 million doses administered, it will expand community-based vaccination access to meet people where they are. Public is urged to remain vigilant in practicing social distancing and to get fully vaccinated as soon as possible.

OAKLAND, CA -- Today, Alameda County and the Governor’s Office of Emergency Services (CalOES) announced that after successfully administering nearly 250,000 doses to Alameda County residents, the Oakland Coliseum mega vaccination site will be closing. The site experienced a rapid reduction in first dose appointments over the last two weeks of April. The site closure comes as CalOES concludes its deployment on May 9th and public requests for first dose appointments at the site have dropped from 4,000/day to 400/day. The County will take over the site on May 10th and keep it open for two more weeks to complete second doses. The Pedestrian Village is only open through May 9th for individuals already scheduled for second dose appointments.

Alameda County is shifting to more focused and localized options that address a changing vaccine landscape and reflect positive feedback about community-based strategies.

“This marks an important milestone for our community. More than 70 percent of our residents have received at least one vaccination, allowing us to move away from mass vaccination. We are grateful to CalOES, the Governor, Federal partners and all of the medical professionals who helped us deliver hundreds of thousands of doses to Alameda County residents,” said Colleen Chawla, Alameda County Health Care Services Agency Director.

“We can now shift our resources into additional focused efforts that will reach residents who are more comfortable receiving their vaccines from trusted community partners and deploying our resources deeply into the communities that have borne the brunt of the pandemic,” Chawla added.

The County plans to complete all scheduled second dose appointments at the Coliseum through May 23rd. This will be done in partnership with Carbon Health, Native American Health Center, Lifelong Medical, Bay Area Community Health, and La Familia to ensure completion of second doses at the Coliseum and its associated mobile units.

Alameda County Health Care Services Agency also reminds the community that the pandemic is not over. The increase of COVID-19 variants and breakthrough infections within vaccinated individuals requires ongoing social distancing, facial coverings, and support for getting family and friends vaccinated.

Alameda County District 4 Supervisor Nate Miley said, “We met the initial mass demand for vaccines with incredible speed and the involvement of every sector of our community. We must move deeper into communities where residents may have barriers preventing access to mass vaccination sites. I encourage all residents to complete their vaccine series by getting their second dose to gain the full protection of the vaccine. For individuals still waiting to get vaccinated, I urge you to do so quickly. The faster we are vaccinated, the sooner we can see our loved ones, visit our favorite community institutions, and revive our economy.”

Alameda County Vaccine Fast Facts:

72% of Alameda County residents (over 900,000 people) have received at least one dose and 46% (over 600,000 people) are fully vaccinated.
Over 80% of residents 65+ have received at least one dose.
Nearly 1.5 million doses have been administered in the county.
Oakland Coliseum mega vaccination site opened February 15, 2021 as a partnership between CalOES and FEMA.
The Counties of Alameda and Contra Costa began their partnership with CalOES on April 12th.

COVID vaccines are available to all residents, 16 and older. Vaccines are readily available directly through health care providers, at pharmacies like CVS and Walgreens, at the Buchanan parking lot at Golden Gate Fields and the Alameda County Fairgrounds, as well as community sites like those at Fremont High School in the Fruitvale and Hayward Adult School, serving Ashland, Cherryland and Hayward Acres.

Alameda County residents that have not received a vaccination are encouraged to call 510-208-4VAX (510-208-4829) or visit bit.ly/AlCoSignUp to arrange an appointment. In addition, there are also numerous walk-in opportunities available.

More information can be found in the following links:

Sincerely,

Ronald Gerhard, Chancellor
Dr. Susan Sperling, President, Chabot College
Dr. Dyrell Foster, President, Las Positas College

COVID-19 Update - May 5, 2021

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