 Dear Friends,
In this time of extraordinary uncertainty, I hope you and your loved ones continue to remain healthy and safe at home.
Even as Alameda County has proactively taken steps to decrease the number of COVID-19 infections, cases are increasing within the County. The numbers, however, are showing early signs of slowing.
Thank you for your compliance with the Shelter in Place Order. We MUST continue to comply with the standards of social (physical) distancing. As we are all in this together, we NEED YOUR HELP to SLOW THE SPREAD.
I, along with the rest of your Alameda County leadership and essential personnel, are proud to continue serving our Alameda County communities, providing essential public services. Thank you for your continued support through these challenging times.
In this bulletin, you can read about the County's new Dashboard web link for tracking COVID-19 cases, how California schools continue to provide meals, the new Fremont COVID-19 testing center, changes at BART, Alameda County tax penalty waivers, help for small businesses, community resources and much more.
Again, I cannot emphasize it enough, please make sure you are following the guidelines and orders put in place by the County of Alameda, State of California and the Centers for Disease Control. Please stay in your homes. Please wash your hands and maintain a standard of 6 feet social distance. If you must go out, please be sure to do so only for essential reasons and avoid groups of more than ten people in a single setting.
Please continue to visit the Alameda County Public Health Department's website at www.acphd.org, which has detailed information on how to stay safe and what measures the County is taking. The County also has an information center open Monday through Friday, from 8a.m. to 5:30p.m. at 510-268-2101/ nCoV@acgov.org.
In this time, we join communities around the world in a common endeavor, using advances in modern medicine and our instinctive will to heal. We will overcome-- and that success will belong to each and every one of us. We are in this together. Better days and thriving business will return.
Take good care of yourselves and those most vulnerable. You can reach my office at 925-551-6995 or email me at District1@acgov.org.
Very Sincerely,
New Bay Area Public Health Recommendation to Cover the Face. Cloth face coverings, when combined with physical distancing and hand washing, may prevent transmission of Coronavirus to others when leaving the house for essential activities.
Medical masks should be preserved for health care workers and first responders. Bay Area health officials are recommending residents cover their nose and mouth with cloth when leaving home for essential travel such as to doctor appointments, grocery shopping or pharmacy visits. The regional recommendation aligns with new guidance from the California Department of Public Health
Read the full press release.
On March 31, the Alameda County Public Health Officer and six other Bay Area public health jurisdictions announced the regional Shelter in Place Order has been extended to May 3, 2020 in order to preserve critical hospital capacity throughout the region.
The new order adds clarifying language around essential business and activities, as well as some new directives, including but not limited to:
- Use of recreational areas (e.g. playgrounds, picnic areas) and recreational facilities (e.g. tennis and basketball courts, golf courses) is prohibited.
- Essential businesses to develop a social distancing protocol before April 3
- Most construction—residential and commercial—is prohibited
- Essential businesses expanded to include additional service providers
Find a brief summary of the major changes in the order here.
State of California Executive Order
Alameda County released this week, a dashboard with detailed information on COVID-19 cases
The Alameda County Public Health Department has published an online dashboard of COVID-19 cases displayed by individual city. The site will be updated daily. www.acphd.org/2019-ncov.aspx
 As Bay Area counties have extended mandatory shelter in place orders, BART service has been reduced to match demand and increase essential rebuilding projects. Beginning Wednesday, April 8, Monday-Friday service will run every 30 minutes until further notice. Ridership data shows social distancing remains possible on all trains with this change. Effectively, every other train is being cancelled Monday-Friday. Reducing service also allows greater flexibility to maintain stable service should BART employees need to take time off due to illness or to care for children and family members.
Get all the details about this and other BART updates here.
In response to COVID-19, Governor Gavin Newsom issued an Executive Order that allows California schools to continue to provide school meals while campuses are closed. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has approved waivers to some of its meal service requirements, allowing schools across the country to:
- alter schedules and offer additional meals outside of normal programs; and
- allow parents/guardians to pick up meals without a student present. This optional waiver is in the early stages of implementation at this time.
Many Alameda County school districts are offering take-out style student meals to follow social distancing protocols. Districts are adjusting to changing developments as quickly as possible. Meal Service Map ACOE has compiled and mapped student meal service options at acoe.org/meals with updated links to information about each district's offerings. We recommend checking district websites for the most current schedules, locations and site-specific requirements.
| Student Meals Resources & Information |
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NEW COVID-19 Testing Center in Fremont
The Fremont Fire COVID-19 Testing Center, located at the Fremont Fire Tactical Training Center, 7200 Stevenson Blvd., was created to help alleviate the pressure on hospital emergency departments, provide faster test results for recently exposed first responders and front line healthcare workers, and to increase our community’s ability to suppress new transmissions through isolation after testing.
Call 510-252-6808 to schedule an appointment.
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In addition to Alameda County, the State of California and the federal government are working to help small businesses, workers, and renters. You can read about actions the state and federal government are taking here:
Property Tax Penalty Waivers for Eligible Taxpayers Are Part of the COVID-19 Financial Relief Effort.
The Alameda County Treasurer-Tax Collector (TTC) will work with taxpayers on an individual basis to address hardships caused by the Coronavirus and the Shelter in Place Order. Beginning after the property tax delinquent date, which remains April 10th, the TTC office will make available a penalty cancellation request form specifically related to COVID-19. Taxpayers will need to submit the appeal form and sign a statement, under penalties of perjury, indicating that they were unable to pay on time for reasons related to the impacts of the Coronavirus from “reasonable cause and circumstances beyond the taxpayer’s control” under current state law. Valid reasons to seek penalty cancellation, which may change if state law changes, may include illness, recent effects from under- or unemployment, and business losses (including loss of rental income). Eligible taxpayers will include homeowners, small businesses, and landlords. Documentation will be required, specific to COVID-19. A special team in the TTC office will be set up to process these requests, and will attempt to respond to all requests within 60 days. The TTC continues to ask all those who are not impacted by COVID-19 to pay by the April 10th deadline. The office remains open and operating, receiving mail and answering phones, but not accepting in-person payments. Payments can be made online at https://acgov.org/propertytax/online.htm or by phone at 510-272-6800. The office can also be reached via e-mail at ttaxpublicmail@acgov.org. Sign up to receive the Treasurer-Tax Collector’s COVID-19 updates and press releases at https://treasurer.acgov.org/TreasurerBlog.
Your Alameda County Board of Supervisors passed an emergency ordinance suspending evictions in the Unincorporated County for renters and homeowners who are experiencing loss of income, significant out-of-pocket medical expenses or childcare needs as a result of the County COVID-19 shelter order. The Ordinance took effect immediately upon passage and will be in effect until April 23, 2020 unless extended by the Board. .
The ordinance and staff report are available here.
Track Board Proceedings From Home
In order to facilitate the Shelter in Place Order, the Alameda County Board of Supervisors will now be making public comment through teleconference.
Click here for procedures to make public comment and view Board meetings.
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Community Resources
Addressing the Needs of People Experiencing Homelessness
For Faith-Based and Community-Based Organizations
For Travelers
Other Resources
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