Activism

Doctor Prescribes “Common Sense” for COVID-19 Pandemic

“People have a false sense that the worse is over because the Omicron variant is not as deadly as the Delta variant, but what they don’t realize is that, although the milder Omicron variant dominates the news, the more deadly Delta variant hasn’t gone anywhere,” said Dr. Donna Carey, a physician for Alameda County and first lady of True Vine Ministries.

Published

4 years ago

February 2, 2022

Oakland Post

Dr. Donna Carey, a physician for Alameda County and first lady of True Vine Ministries.

By Tanya Dennis

A member of Oakland Frontline Healers believes that simple common sense is the practice needed to halt the COVID-19 pandemic.

Dr. Donna Carey, a physician for Alameda County and first lady of True Vine Ministries — which has provided testing and vaccines for the virus — spoke to the Oakland Post in a recent interview.

“If we’re to recover from this pandemic and return to normal, we must approach COVID-19 with common sense,” noting that as of Nov. 9, 2021, Alameda County has seen over 120,000 infections and over 1,400 deaths, with African Americans, Latino/a/x, and Pacific Islanders disproportionately affected.

“It’s still here and Omicron is so contagious it has surpassed the deaths caused by the Delta variant because of increased infection rates,” Carey said. “An average of 2,200 people a day die (nationally), mostly unvaccinated, due to Omicron. I recommend everyone double-mask when out in public.”

Carey further recommends people remain in their personal social bubbles. “When COVID-19 hit in 2020, we were advised to keep our social circles small,” Carey said.

People are returning to theaters, restaurants, and gatherings with strangers. “Use common sense,” Carey said. “You don’t know where these people have been or what they have been exposed to. Stay in your bubble, only socialize with close friends and family.”

Carey recommends everyone continue to employ good hand-washing routines as well. “Good hand washing is also good for the flu virus,” she said. “The reason we had such a low flu season last year was because people were washing their hands. Germs are there when you scratch your eyes or put something in your mouth: hand washing is about cleanliness and should continue as a life habit.”

Expressing concern over the long-range impact of the virus on children, Carey encourages every person aged 5 and older to get vaccinated. “Our children are facing long-term consequences. Omicron has changed the landscape,” Carey said. “There have been over 1 million pediatric cases (nationally) in the last two weeks. That’s an 80% increase of infection.

“Will those children fully recover? We don’t know what the long-term effect will be in 20 or 30 years. Will this impact their health and reactivate like chicken pox and create shingles or create brain fog?”

The best protection for kids ages 5 and under is for their parents to be vaccinated and continue to vigilant “about who comes over your house, where your kids are going, and show them the right way to wear a mask. Kids playing sports should limit their play to one team, not one or two, even if they are vaccinated. Limiting exposure (to the virus) is key,” Carey said.

Carey also took a common-sense attitude to the incidence of vaccine-related deaths. “With any medication there is a risk ratio factor,” Carey said. Each person must consider their own health protocols. Is their diabetes out of control? Are they on steroids long term? Is their immune system compromised?

Each individual must talk to their doctors “about the vaccine. Have that conversation,” Carey said.

Carey also spoke to the issue of irrational fear of vaccines. “We hear of people dying from car and plane accidents, (but) that doesn’t prevent us from getting in a car or on a plane,” Carey said. “People die from eating shrimp or peanuts, yet we know the chance of dying from eating shrimp is low. There are side effects from COVID-19 and the vaccine, but (potential death from the virus is) way lower for those that take the vaccine.”

COVID-19 will end depending on “when we get to a high level of people getting vaccinated,” Carey said. “COVID is going to be here for a while, so it’s going to be boosters every year, and developing vaccines for new variants, much like the flu shot every year.

“The reality is, I don’t see us getting away from needing a booster, and, fortunately, I don’t have any concerns about the vaccine affecting us adversely.”

Oakland Post

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Activism

Chase Oakland Community Center Hosts Alley-Oop Accelerator Building Community and Opportunity for Bay Area Entrepreneurs

Over the past three years, the Alley-Oop Accelerator has helped more than 20 Bay Area businesses grow, connect, and gain meaningful exposure. The program combines hands-on training, mentorship, and community-building to help participants navigate the legal, financial, and marketing challenges of small business ownership.

Published

1 week ago

February 21, 2026

Oakland Post

Bay Area entrepreneurs attend the Alley-Oop Accelerator, a small business incubation program at Chase Oakland Community Center. Photo by Carla Thomas.

By Carla Thomas

The Golden State Warriors and Chase bank hosted the third annual Alley-Oop Accelerator this month, an empowering eight-week program designed to help Bay Area entrepreneurs bring their visions for business to life.

The initiative kicked off on Feb. 12 at Chase’s Oakland Community Center on Broadway Street, welcoming 15 small business owners who joined a growing network of local innovators working to strengthen the region’s entrepreneurial ecosystem.

At its core, the accelerator is designed to create an ecosystem of collaboration, where local entrepreneurs can learn from one another while accessing the resources of a global financial institution.

“This is our third year in a row working with the Golden State Warriors on the Alley-Oop Accelerator,” said Jaime Garcia, executive director of Chase’s Coaching for Impact team for the West Division. “We’ve already had 20-plus businesses graduate from the program, and we have 15 enrolled this year. The biggest thing about the program is really the community that’s built amongst the business owners — plus the exposure they’re able to get through Chase and the Golden State Warriors.”

According to Garcia, several graduates have gone on to receive vendor contracts with the Warriors and have gained broader recognition through collaborations with JPMorgan Chase.

“A lot of what Chase is trying to do,” Garcia added, “is bring businesses together because what they’ve asked for is an ecosystem, a network where they can connect, grow, and thrive organically.”

This year’s Alley-Oop Accelerator reflects that vision through its comprehensive curriculum and emphasis on practical learning. Participants explore the full spectrum of business essentials including financial management, marketing strategy, and legal compliance, while also preparing for real-world experiences such as pop-up market events.

Each entrepreneur benefits from one-on-one mentoring sessions through Chase’s Coaching for Impact program, which provides complimentary, personalized business consulting.

Garcia described the impact this hands-on approach has had on local small business owners. He recalled one candlemaker, who, after participating in the program, was invited to provide candles as gifts at Chase events.

“We were able to help give that business exposure,” he explained. “But then our team also worked with them on how to access capital to buy inventory and manage operations once those orders started coming in. It’s about preparation. When a hiccup happens, are you ready to handle it?”

The Coaching for Impact initiative, which launched in 2020 in just four cities, has since expanded to 46 nationwide.

“Every business is different,” Garcia said. “That’s why personal coaching matters so much. It’s life-changing.”

Participants in the 2026 program will each receive a $2,500 stipend, funding that Garcia said can make an outsized difference. “It’s amazing what some people can do with just $2,500,” he noted. “It sounds small, but it goes a long way when you have a plan for how to use it.”

For Chase and the Warriors, the Alley-Oop Accelerator represents more than an educational initiative, it’s a pathway to empowerment and economic inclusion. The program continues to foster lasting relationships among the entrepreneurs who, as Garcia put it, “build each other up” through shared growth and opportunity.

“Starting a business is never easy, but with the right support, it becomes possible, and even exhilarating,” said Oscar Lopez, the senior business consultant for Chase in Oakland.