Missed the COVID-19 Town Hall? Catch Up Here

Below is a summary of the virtual Town Hall that took place on Monday, February 1. You can watch the full video by clicking the image below.

Case, Testing, and Hospitalization Updates

As of Sunday, January 31, there have been 2,681 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Berkeley and 27 deaths. This is an increase of 761 cases over the last 30 days. The case rate is currently 22.2 new cases per day per 100,000 people. You can read the latest numbers on our COVID-19 dashboard. Overall, trends are beginning to decline from their peak earlier last month.

Hospitalizations in Alameda County have also begun to drop from their peak from earlier last month, with 318 people currently hospitalized, 97 of which are in ICUs. With ICU capacity increasing again, last week the State lifted its Regional Stay at Home Order in all regions across California. This means that the original tiered system is back in effect, with Alameda County, along with almost every county in California, now in the Purple Tier.

There have been 196,780 tests conducted on Berkeley residents since records began on March 2, with a seven day average positivity rate of 2.1%. For information on how to get tested, click here.

Vaccine Updates

As of January 29th, the City has received 4,000 doses, of which 1,975 have been administered. Because these numbers are updated weekly on Fridays, the shipment received for the week is counted, but not enough time has passed to distribute it, causing the distribution rate to appear lower. These numbers do not reflect doses received by Alta Bates, Kaiser Permanente, Sutter Health, University Health Services, or other providers.

The City is currently finishing up Phase 1A (healthcare workers and skilled nursing facilities) and has begun Phase 1B, which includes people 65 and older and those at risk of exposure at work in education, childcare, emergency services, or food and agriculture. However, due to the incredibly limited number of vaccines, we are currently vaccinating people aged 75+ in that group. To better understand what that means to our community: there are around 18,000 people in Berkeley aged 65 and over, who would need 36,000 doses, yet in the first month of vaccine shipments, the State has only provided the City 11% of the number of doses required to vaccine that population. However, with the new federal administration prioritizing acceleration of vaccinations, we are hopeful future shipments will have increased numbers.

To receive a vaccine, it is recommended you contact your primary healthcare provider. If they are unable to provide the vaccine and you are in a group currently eligible, you can sign up through the City to add your name to the vaccine interest list, and you will receive an appointment based on your prioritization when available. Additional information about vaccines can be found here.

School Reopening Updates

Once we reach a case rate of 25 new daily cases per 100,000 (under the County measurements) over five consecutive days, the State will allow for reopening of grade K-6 schools. We expect to reach this threshold soon, and the City will be supporting BUSD in getting schools open. The State is looking at County metrics as the barometer to reopen schools in Berkeley, not the City’s numbers. As of last week, Alameda County at 28.9 new daily cases per 100,000. Middle and high schools can reopen when we enter the Red Tier, which requires a case rate of less than 7 per 100,000.

The City is working with BUSD in paving the way for reopening, including meeting regularly with BUSD leadership to provide additional support and exchanging updates and collaborating with counterparts in Alameda County, San Francisco and Santa Clara to align and exchange schools information, tools and resources regionally. Currently, the City is updating information to schools and responding to many questions; putting in place a Reopening Plan review team to evaluate schools’ Covid Safety Plans (CSPs) and reopening plans; developing criteria for evaluating CSP’s; and establishing process flows and evaluation and communication tools.

I am committed to accelerating the vaccination rollout and have made it clear to City staff that this must be a priority. We are in discussions with various partners in making this happen. However, as mentioned above, access to vaccines remains very scarce. When we do have the doses available, I do want to prioritize essential workers such as teachers.

I understand the mental health toll the last few months has taken on students and parents, and reopening plans need to reflect that. Mental health resources can be found here. BUSD will have additional updates with Superintendent Stephens providing another update at a Zoom meeting on February 11th at 7pm.

Other Updates

  • Research shows that the new variants are more contagious, but it does not appear to be deadlier nor does it lead to more hospitalizations. Vaccines may be slightly less effective on these variants, but appear just as effective in preventing serious illness and deaths. However, given it’s more contagious, it is important to follow social distancing protocols and limit personal interactions to slow the spread.

  • Equity is a key part of the vaccination rollout. COVID-19 has shown a spotlight on the racial disparities in society, which exist even in Berkeley. We are committed to prioritizing equity in outreach and vaccinations. We are working on an outreach initiative to bring people together to get info out to vulnerable communities.

  • The City is working with the University on the latest outbreak, which has seen a surge of 137 cases after students returned for the spring semester. You can get the latest information on COVID-19 at UC Berkeley on their dashboard.

  • Local businesses can apply for a grant for outdoor commerce. Applications are due by February 28th. Additional support and resources for businesses can be found here.

  • Enforcement of social distancing protocols are complaint driven. We are taking an educational approach, providing people with the tools needed to be in compliance. Staff frequently visit areas with multiple complaints. Call 311 or email covid19@cityofberkeley.info.

Jesse Arreguin