Coronavirus

Watson Wellness Center Prepares for COVID-19 Mobile Testing

Published

5 years ago

July 9, 2020

Alarmed by the state surge in the COVID-19 infections, members of local medical and nonprofit organizations vehemently petitioned the Alameda County Board of Supervisors to delay reopening places of commerce, leisure and worship.

Appearing to heed that advice, the Alameda County Health Care Services Agency announced in June 29 that “given recent increases in COVID-19 case and hospitalization rates in our county and region, we are temporarily pausing our reopening plans.”

Encouraged by the county’s delay, Dr. Geoffrey Watson, of the James A. Watson Medical Center is preparing for new cases and hospitalizations he is seeing in the Black and Brown community.

Returning to his 1992 roots when his “Men’s Mobile Van” traveled to churches, recovery centers, gyms and midnight basketball events to screen folks for prostate cancer, diabetes, hepatitis, HIV/AIDS, and hypertension, Watson will use those same mobilization tactics to combat COVID-19.

“We reignited our mobile testing last month at Bishop Jerry Maclin’s Glad Tidings church in Hayward, and currently Pastor Brondon Rheems of the Center of Hope Community Church is writing a grant to pay for testing for all of his parishioners, Watson said.

“If funded, we will test his parishioners going to service. Those without a temperature will get a green band and be allowed to enter. Those that test ‘red’ will be sent home, and we will initiate contact tracing protocol.

“We have connected with Foundation laboratory and Quest laboratories for a new FDA test that produces results in five minutes. This test gives COVID-19 antibody rates that inform us of the stage of infection, and when clients possibly contracted the virus, which will allow more efficient contract tracing.”

Watson is seeking city and corporate funding for vans and the purchase of testing kits.

“For now, we’re reaching out to churches and setting up testing sites for parishioners, but if we are going to comprehensively respond to this pandemic, we have to go to more people in the community,” he said.

Funding will allow two teams of nurses to go into nursing homes, board-and-care homes, and test developmentally delayed people housed in close quarters. They can also go to homeless encampments and recovery centers.

Foundation Laboratories has given test-kits that have two swabs, where most testing kits only have one.

“The two swabs allow us to test for other viruses beyond SARS-COV-2 to inform people whether it’s the flu or COVID-19,” Watson said. “We would do pop-up testing with lab technicians we’ve partnered with.”

The James A. Watson Wellness Center has previously partnered with the Black Nurses Association, UCSF and pre-med students. “Our test-kits are the best out there,” Watson said. “Unfortunately, the tests are expensive, around $100 per kit, that’s why we’re seeking corporate support as these tests are not covered by insurance.”

Oakland Frontline Healers has petitioned the City Council to fund Watson’s work as well as, ROOTS Medical Clinics’ services and outreach and OFH’s 26 nonprofits distributing PPE, food and other services.

“Funds to do mobile testing in the community-at-large and accurate dissemination of information is critical right now,” Watson said. “We’re planning to publish preventative wellness weekly status reports in the Post Newspaper. This information will list the racial makeup of infection; where numbers are up or down; what COVID stage communities are in and allow our teams to safely go into communities with all the supplies, equipment, and staff needed for patients that cannot come to the clinic.”

For testing information call 510-444-9460, ex. 365.

Tanya Dennis

Posts by Tanya Dennis

Related Topics:Center of Hope Community Church featured Pastor Brondon Rheems Tanya Dennis

Up Next

Opinion: COVID-19 — a Test and Warning to the Faithful

Don't Miss

Kaiser Permanente Announces $100 Million in Funding to Support Black Businesses, Organizations

Tanya Dennis

Click to comment

Alameda County

After Years of Working Remotely, Oakland Requires All City Employees to Return to Office by April 7

City Administrator Jestin Johnson recently told city unions that he is ending Oakland’s telecommuting program. The new policy will require employees to come to work at least four days a week. These new regulations go into effect on Feb. 18 for non-union department heads, assistant and deputy directors, managers, and supervisors. All other employees must be back at work by April 7.

Published

2 months ago

February 19, 2025

Oakland Post

Oakland City Hall. File photo.

By Post Staff

The City Oakland is requiring all employees to return to the office, thereby ending the telecommuting policy established during the pandemic that has left some City Hall departments understaffed.

City Administrator Jestin Johnson recently told city unions that he is ending Oakland’s telecommuting program. The new policy will require employees to come to work at least four days a week.

These new regulations go into effect on Feb. 18 for non-union department heads, assistant and deputy directors, managers, and supervisors. All other employees must be back at work by April 7.

The administration may still grant the right to work remotely on a case-by-case basis.

In his memo to city unions, Johnson said former President Joe Biden had declared an end to the pandemic in September 2022, and that since then, “We have collectively moved into newer, safer health conditions.”

Johnson said “multiple departments” already have all their staff back in the office or workplace.

The City’s COVID-era policy, enacted in September 2021, was designed to reduce the spread of the debilitating and potentially fatal virus.

Many cities and companies across the country are now ending their pandemic-related remote work policies. Locally, mayoral candidate Loren Taylor in a press conference made the policy a central issue in his campaign for mayor.

City Hall reopened for in-person meetings two years ago, and the city’s decision to end remote work occurred before Taylor’s press conference.

At an endorsement meeting last Saturday of the John George Democratic Club, mayoral candidate Barbara Lee said she agreed that city workers should return to the job.

At the same time, she said, the city should allow employees time to readjust their lives, which were disrupted by the pandemic, and should recognize individual needs, taking care to maintain staff morale.

The John George club endorsed Lee for Mayor and Charlene Wang for City Council representative for District 2. The club also voted to take no position on the sales tax measure that will be on the April 15 ballot.

Oakland Post

Posts by Oakland Post

Bay Area

Authorities Warn: There’s a COVID Surge in California

According to data estimates by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the coronavirus in California’s wastewater has spiked for eight consecutive weeks. Hospitalizations and emergency room visits have also increased since the rise of the new subvariants. Over the last month, Los Angeles County experienced an average of 389 hospital patients per day that tested positive for the coronavirus. The FLiRT subvariants such as KP.3.1.1. Made up over 2% of coronavirus samples nationwide, an increase of more than 7% last month.

Published

8 months ago

August 17, 2024

Oakland Post

Photo provided by California Black Media.

By Bo Tefu, California Black Media

California is experiencing a COVID-19 surge this summer, experts warn, as numbers of infections increased for the third month this year.

State public health authorities attribute the summer COVID surge to more infectious subvariants that have emerged as the coronavirus evolves.

Dr. Elizabeth Hudson, regional chief of infectious disease at Kaiser Permanente Southern California, stated that subvariants of COVID-19 called FLiRT increased in recent months, particularly one named KP.3.1.1 that has become the most common strain in the country.

Dr. Peter Chin-Hong, an infectious diseases expert at UC San Francisco, said that the subvariant KP.3.1.1 seems most adept at transmission.

“The subvariant is the one that people think will continue to take over, not only in the United States, but … around the world,” Chin-Hong said.

The majority of the people who tested positive for COVID-19 complained of a sore throat and a heavy cough. Risk factors that can increase the illness include age, underlying health issues, and vaccine dosage.

Health experts stated that the demand for the COVID-19 vaccine has increased in Northern California. However, people are having a hard time getting the vaccine due to the increasing number of cases.

Oakland Post

Posts by Oakland Post

California Black Media

Gov. Newsom and Gov. DeSantis Go Head-to-Head in Nationally Televised Debate

Conservative Fox News personality Sean Hannity moderated the duel, during which the TV pundit, more than once, injected his opinion, and appeared to be providing subtle assists to DeSantis. As the debate progressed, it was clear that opinions about each topic discussed was representative of the philosophical and political chasm that divides liberal and conservative America, and a preview of campaign mudslinging that is bound to intensify as the 2024 presidential campaign ensues.

Published

1 year ago

December 10, 2023

Oakland Post

The debate between Gov. Gavin Newsom and Gov. Ron DeSantis was moderated by Fox News personality Sean Hannity. California Black Media image.

By California Black Media

In an intense, 95-minute-plus televised faceoff between California Gov. Gavin Newsom and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis on Nov. 30, the men traded jabs and putdowns, defended their respective gubernatorial records, disagreed sharply on how to solve the country’s most pressing problems, and expressed clashing views on the performance of the Biden-Harris administration.

Conservative Fox News personality Sean Hannity moderated the duel, during which the TV pundit, more than once, injected his opinion, and appeared to be providing subtle assists to DeSantis.

As the debate progressed, it was clear that opinions about each topic discussed was representative of the philosophical and political chasm that divides liberal and conservative America, and a preview of campaign mudslinging that is bound to intensify as the 2024 presidential campaign ensues.

“I’ll tell you why I’m here,” Newsom said. “I’m here to tell the truth about the Biden-Harris record and also compare and contrast Ron DeSantis’ record and the Republican Party’s record” with that of California.

DeSantis blasted Newsom’s management of the COVID-19 crisis and criticized Newsom for prevalent crime, homelessness and deteriorating social conditions in California cities.

“You have the freedom to defecate in public in California,” DeSantis said. “You have the freedom to pitch a tent on Sunset Boulevard. You have the freedom to create a homeless encampment under a freeway and even light it on fire. They’re not the freedoms our founding fathers envisioned.”