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Today marks the second week of the COVID-19 Shelter in Place Order.

While it is still too early to tell, I remain hopeful that the Bay Area's early physical distancing measures will result in a flattened infection curve. The Bay Area is fortunate to have a group of dedicated public health leaders working together.

I am providing a number of updates on the extension of the order, information on how to apply for the City’s COVID-19 rental, arts, and small business relief funds, and excerpts from my virtual town hall Q&A: 

Berkeley Shelter in Place Order Extended until at least May 3, 2020 

Seven health officers across the Bay Area extended shelter-in-place orders until at least May 3. Yesterday, Regional Health Officers issued a the joint statement alerting the community that the shelter in place order would be extended. You can read the latest order and press release here. 

Even though the Shelter at Home order has created massive disruptions to our daily lives, it is important take a moment to appreciate the leadership of Berkeley’s Emergency Operations Center, Department of Public Health Department, and other City staff, acting in unison with neighboring Bay Area cities and Counties, and leading the country in taking necessary physical distancing measures to slow the COVID-19 infection. 

Without these measures, our public health system could be overwhelmed far beyond the current influx. We are seeing a doubling of cases every six days instead of the doubling every three days that was occurring in New York. 

Applications for the COVID-19 Relief Funds are Now Open 

The incredibly fast response of City staff in setting the parameters and developing the application process for these Council-directed funds is much appreciated. 

• Apply here for housing retention grants
  • What: Berkeley's Housing Retention Program provides grant assistance to Berkeley residents at risk of eviction.
  • Deadline: Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis. The program will be open 60 days after the shelter-in-place order if lifted, or longer if deemed necessary.

• Apply here for small business continuity grants
  • What: $1 million to help mitigate COVID-19 related financial losses.
  • Deadline: Applications for the first round of grant funding will be accepted through Monday, April 6 at 5pm (PDT).

• Apply here for arts organizations continuity grants
  • What: $1 million to help mitigate COVID-19 related financial losses.
  • Deadline: Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis beginning on Monday, March 30, 2020 at 9 AM (PDT).

Update: Permitted Construction Work During Crisis 

In the latest shelter order, Berkeley’s Public Health Officer clarified the type of construction work that is permitted during the crisis: 

1. Projects immediately necessary to the maintenance, operation or repair of Essential Infrastructure;
2. Projects associated with Healthcare Operations, including creating or expanding Healthcare Operations, provided that such construction is directly related to the COVID-19 response;
3. Affordable housing that is or will be income-restricted, including multi-unit or mixed-use developments containing at least 10% income-restricted units;
4. Public works projects if specifically designated as an Essential Governmental Function by the lead governmental agency;
5. Shelters and temporary housing, but not including hotels or motels;
6. Projects immediately necessary to provide critical non-commercial services to individuals experiencing homelessness, elderly persons, persons who are economically disadvantaged, and persons with special needs;
7. Construction necessary to ensure that existing construction sites that must be shut down under this Order are left in a safe and secure manner, but only to the extent necessary to do so; and
8. Construction or repair necessary to ensure that residences and buildings containing Essential Businesses are safe, sanitary, or habitable to the extent such construction or repair cannot reasonably be delayed.

In addition, residents may contract with arborists, landscapers, gardeners, and similar service professionals, but only to the limited extent necessary to maintain the habitability, sanitation, operation of businesses or residences, or the safety of residents, employees, or the public (such as fire safety or tree trimming to prevent a dangerous condition), and not for cosmetic or other purposes (such as upkeep). 

I want to thank our regional health directors for considering these issues. 

Update on the City Response 

Here are a few of the other major ways the City of Berkeley has been responding to the crisis in face of an inadequate, but growing, response from the federal government: 

• Conducting contact tracing interviews with people that may have had contact with infected individuals to determine appropriate follow-up actions which help determine additional individuals exposed. This is a time intensive, labor intensive process and we’re lucky to have our diagnostic team. However, the absence of testing (a federal failure) leaves people who were contacted but are asymptomatic without many avenues for dealing with this information.
• As of Monday, establishing a paramedic team to respond to COVID-19 and triage calls for unhoused individuals. More needs to be done around protocols here but this is a critical and much needed intervention.
• Finding more sites for social distancing among sheltered and unsheltered people, including isolation for those exhibiting symptoms/confirmed cases (see below for more details).
• Developing a pilot program to provide childcare for essential City staff at recreation centers; coordinating with Alameda County on a Countywide database of available childcare facilities for healthcare professionals and other essential service workers.
• Coordinating with Alameda County on the County Medical Surge Plan (which is implemented when the healthcare system becomes overwhelmed).
• Working with Easy Does It to provide protective equipment for those serving community members who use wheelchairs.

Questions and Answers from my Recent Virtual Town Hall 

Thank you to all that attended my virtual town hall last week. Here is an excerpt of a few of your questions along with answers: 

• Q:
  
  How can we donate personal protective equipment (PPE) to our first responders?
  
  A:
  
  The City has created a program to collect PPE from residents and from Earthquake Caches. The Public Donations webpage provides details of how to donate personal protective equipment (PPE) and sanitizing supplies (e.g. hand sanitizer, disinfectant wipes, etc.) beginning Monday, March 30. Items must be in sealed packages or unopened boxes.
  • N-95 masks (expired masks accepted)
  • Masks (isolation or surgical)
  • Gowns (isolation or surgical)
  • Gloves
  • Anti-bacterial hand sanitizer (all sizes)
  • Disinfectant wipes and sprays (bleach and peroxides)
  • Face shields
  • Shoe covers
  • Goggles/eye protection
  • Tyvek coveralls

 

• Q:
  
  What latest actions has the City been taking to distribute essential supplies and educational materials to encampments? What is the status of the hotels in Oakland that are to be used as temporary shelter for homeless folks? Do you have information on the two sites the City is looking to establish for quarantining homeless folks?
  
  A:
  
  The City is working with NGOs to distribute supplies to the encampments. You can donate supplies to Consider the Homeless at http://www.considerthehomeless.org/ or Where Do we Go at https://www.facebook.com/WhereDoWeGoBerkeley/ and https://twitter.com/WhereDoWeGoBerk.
  
  I’m pleased that the latest COVID-19 shelter order states that “governmental and other entities are strongly urged to, as soon as possible, make such shelter available and provide handwashing or hand sanitation facilities to persons who continue experiencing homelessness.”
  
  The City has been given the go-ahead to access State-procured hotels in Oakland for COVID-19 positive and presumed positive homeless people and this appears close to happening. If it does, we will use the trailers placed on City property at the 1200 block of University Avenue to help elderly and medically vulnerable homeless people who do not have a positive test or those that have not yet been tested . A house formerly owned by the Redevelopment Agency is also being repurposed. The City is working on how to transport people to these locations.
  
  In addition, my office wrote, and the Council directed the establishment of a sanctioned encampment in January 2020 to provide tents, handwashing stations, porta potties, trash pickup, onsite staff and housing referrals In February, the Council and CALTRANS identified parcels to be used for this purpose. The COVID-19 emergency has delayed these efforts. This is the time to double down on providing these facilities, for the sake of the unhoused and all of us.
  
  The City is using one site (Senior Center) for storage of PPE that is procured from the state, vendors or donations. We are considering other sites for shelter expansion -- both for reducing the number of people in current shelters and bringing more people off of the streets but there is no finalized list.
  
  We have been instructed that homeless people with COVID-19 symptoms and lack access to care can call Alameda Health System 510-437-8500 for telephone screen and more information. Advocates can use this number to provide help as well. However, I remain concerned that our region’s response to helping the unhoused in this emergency is slow and could result in unnecessary loss of life.

• Q:
  
  How else can I help?
  
  A:
  
  The Berkeley Preparedness Network has set up a Mutual Aid network (www.berkeleymutualaid.org) to support vulnerable populations with grocery delivery etc. during the crisis. Please visit the website for more information about how to benefit from services and how to volunteer to help.
  
  The network is in the process of reaching out to those without internet access as well, with bilingual flyers at all Berkeley Safeway markets, Berkeley Bowl, and Mi Tierra Foods, as well as a bilingual Google Voice Mail: 510 519-6770.

• Q:
  
  What is the current number of COVID-19 cases in Berkeley?
  
  A:
  
  As of 10:00am March 30, 2020, there are 19 lab-confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Berkeley. This does not reflect the total number of people in Berkeley with COVID-19 due to limitations on testing. Data shows that there is community spread in our area. Many people experience mild or no symptoms, but they can still spread it to others.
  
  For a daily update on cases please visit: https://www.cityofberkeley.info/coronavirus/

• Q:
  
  Are there any tests available via drive in to Berkeley residents for those with symptoms of fever and shortness of breath?
  
  A:
  
  There is no drive in available in Berkeley at the moment. Testing for COVID-19 is done through clinicians. You should call your doctor before heading to the hospital. If you don't have a primary care physician, contact an urgent care center.
  
  List of urgent care centers in and near Berkeley
  
  Starting this week, the City will dispatch a team to assess unhoused individuals and triage them for testing.
  
  The City of Hayward has partnered with Avellino Labs for an innovative free drive through testing facility located at a Fire Station for anyone (regardless of residency or immigration status) with fever over 100 degrees and shortness of breath or other respiratory symptoms. Tests are being administered by Hayward firefighters and paramedics, EMTs and fire science students from Chabot College. San Francisco will begin curbside testing this week as well and Berkeley is nearing implementation of this idea in the face of the severe shortage of tests. I will be sure to send updates on this issue.

• Q:
  
  Why has the City closed cannabis dispensaries?
  
  A:
  
  I am happy to report that Berkeley’s Public Health Officer revised the order to clarify that dispensaries may offer curbside pickup and delivery during the crisis.

 

Federal Stimulus Bill Clarifications 

• Please note that the additional unemployment benefit of up to $600 will be applied on a weekly basis (not per paycheck as suggested in my prior newsletter). You can find a link to an updated version here.
• As AARP (American Association of Retired Persons) notes, lower-income seniors receiving Social Security benefits, disability, or other retirement benefits are still eligible for the $1,200 one-time check even if they do not file taxes: https://www.aarp.org/politics-society/advocacy/info-2020/coronavirus-stimulus-checks.html