After April 3 state order expires

Staff in local skilled nursing facilities (SNFs) will be required to continue wearing masks under a new Contra Costa County health order.

The order, which requires masks to be well-fitted and cover the nose and mouth, will also apply to paramedics, emergency medical technicians, contractors and vendors when they enter these facilities in Contra Costa. The masking order will not apply to SNF patients or visitors seeing their loved ones.

The County’s health order will go into effect on Monday, April 3, immediately after the state’s COVID masking order for healthcare settings expires.

“Requiring staff at SNFs to wear well-fitting masks will help protect their vulnerable elderly patients from being infected with COVID,” said Dr. Ori Tzvieli, the County’s health officer, who is issuing the order. “We know from our experience during the pandemic that the people SNFs serve – seniors with serious underlying health problems – are the ones who are most susceptible to severe outcomes from a COVID infection.”

Since the pandemic began in 2020, 57% of the deaths from COVID in Contra Costa have been among people ages 75 and older.  

There are 30 SNFs in Contra Costa. Skilled nursing facilities provide a higher level of medical care than other long-term care facilities. The order will not apply to assisted living facilities, residential-care facilities or board-and-care homes, although masking is still highly recommended in those settings.  

Hospitals and outpatient healthcare clinics in Contra Costa County will not be subject to the new County order, although local health systems can choose to enforce their own masking policies. Dr. Tzvieli said hospitals have robust infection-control policies and personnel and can determine if and when masking is required.

California’s pandemic-related health emergency ended on Feb. 28. While the state is lifting its masking requirements for healthcare settings on April 3, local health officials can still issue their own masking orders.

Under the County health order, a well-fitted mask is defined as covering the nose and mouth and it’s strongly recommended that SNF personnel use higher-quality masks, such as an N95 or KN95/94, to provide the maximum protection.

County health staff were asked why the order is still necessary when there has been less than a 1% infection rate in the county in the past 60 days and according to a physician at John Muir Medical Center Concord, the latest COVID strain is treated like a bad cold and they no longer hospitalize for it.

UPDATE: According to Contra Costa Health spokesman Will Harper, “The new local order is narrowly focused on skilled nursing facilities and not any other settings. We are focusing on SNFs in this order because they are where we have seen some of the worst impacts of COVID in Contra Costa County, and we are being cautious with removing one of the last major layers of protection in this setting. As we said in the press release, requiring staff in skilled nursing facilities to wear masks will help protect the vulnerable elderly patients they serve.

From March 2020 to August 2022, deaths of residents of skilled nursing facilities accounted for approximately 27% of all deaths from COVID in the County and, looking more broadly, since the start of the pandemic, 57% of the deaths from COVID in Contra Costa have been among people ages 75 and older.”

Allen D. Payton contributed to this report.

The Physicians’ and Dentists’ Organization of Contra Costa (PDOCC), a labor union representing more than 240 doctors in Contra Costa County’s public health system, announced a contract agreement with county management. 

The agreement was supported by 90 percent of voting PDOCC members and approved by the County Board Supervisors on Tuesday, May 21. It avoids a historic strike which would have impacted operations throughout the county health system. 

The contract enhances the time doctors have to manage their panels of patients and also makes the compensation package more competitive in the Bay Area market. 

The contract addresses many issues PDOCC members raised in their negotiations. During the negotiations county doctors and dentists pointed to high patient caseloads, insufficient time for administrative tasks, long waits for primary care appointments and specialty referrals, chronic short staffing and high turnover – all of which combine to negatively impact patient care and health impacts. 

“Our new contract advances our goal of improving the ability of Contra Costa County to recruit and retain top medical and dental talent to best serve our communities,” said Dr. David MacDonald, PDOCC President. “We will continue advocating for the patient care issues we called attention to in our negotiations, but we are optimistic about our progress and path forward.” 

Join us this Saturday to celebrate WEEK OF THE YOUNG CHILD at the East County First 5 Center. We have an entire morning of events planned to celebrate families with young children – arts and crafts, story time, face painting, and a wildlife presentation.

Bring the whole family!

See you Saturday!

Burglary suspect Jesse Alexander of Clayton seen in surveillance footage. Stolen merchandise by recovered by police. Photos: APD

By Antioch Police Department

Excellent work by one of our patrol teams to catch a burglary suspect.

On Friday night, March 24, 2023, two optometry businesses were burglarized, and the suspect attempted to burglarize another. Garret Louie Optometry at 2225 Buchanan Road and Eye to Eye Optometry at 4051 Lone Tree Way were the two that were burglarized. The suspect, 40-year-old Jesse Alexander of Clayton, shattered windows to gain entry and began filling bags with glasses.

Officers search near Eye to Eye Optometry and the suspect’s car. Photos: APD

He got away those two times, but our officers began watching other optometrist locations in our city, specifically Diablo Valley Optometric Group at 3700 Sunset Lane. While they were watching the business, the suspect from the other burglaries arrived and attempted to gain entry to that business by shattering a window. Our officers contacted the suspect while he attempted to burglarize the business, and he decided to run from them.

They chased him and caught him nearby. Officer Aguilar located the suspect’s vehicle in the Walmart parking lot and inside the vehicle were the stolen glasses from the other businesses. The suspect was arrested for multiple charges related to burglary and resisting arrest and given a ride to the Martinez Detention Facility. This is just one example of the incredible police work our officers do on a daily basis.

FOAL Board Members in front of the recently unveiled Antioch Library display window are, left to right, standing: Member at Large Ed Judkins, President Walter Ruehlig, left center: Financial Secretary Patty Chan, Secretary Marian Ferrante, Vice President Merle Whitburn, Member at Large Kay Dean, Treasurer Lenora Langman. Photo courtesy of Walter Rhuelig.

Friends of the Antioch Library (FOAL) will hold their next used book sale fund-raiser at the library on Thursday April 6 from 12- to 6; the 7th from 9-5; 8th from 9 to 4. Paperbacks are 50 cents and hardbacks one dollar; children’s books are 25 and 50 cents.

FOAL is a non-profit organization started in 1985 and dedicated to raising funds and sponsoring library activities. The Antioch Library is located at 501 W. 18th Street.

AK-47 and bullets seized. Photos: Concord PD

AK-47 used in shooting, loaded handgun seized

Concord PD SWAT, Crisis Negotiations Team, drone activation and assistance by Antioch PD 

By Concord Police Department

During the early morning hours on Thursday, March 16th, 2023, Concord Police officers were dispatched to the area of Revere Drive and Grant Street in Concord for a report of a shooting. Officers arrived on scene and located several spent shell casings, as well as a single victim. The victim was not hit by gunfire, but the evidence at the scene suggested at least 12 shots from a rifle were fired at the victim.

Later that morning, the Concord Police Department’s Investigations Division began working the case and within hours, identified three Suspects responsible for the shooting. The suspects were seen at a residence in the City of Antioch and the investigation revealed the firearm used was an AK-47 style rifle. Arrest warrants for the Suspects were sought, granted and that evening, the Concord Police Department activated the SWAT and Crisis Negotiations Team (CNT) to serve the arrest warrant. The SWAT team is only activated during incidents involving a high threat to the public and officers when attempting to make an arrest.

The CNT was able to deploy a negotiator, who has received extensive training in peacefully resolving volatile situations, inside the SWAT’s armored vehicle. This vehicle allowed us to take a negotiator and place them into a position to optimize negotiations and the safety of the negotiator.

The Antioch Police Department assisted Concord PD by providing an armored rescue vehicle, as well as the Contra Costa County Office of the Sheriff, who assisted us in providing their Bearcat for the operation.

Additionally, the Concord PD’s drone team deployed and was able to observe the residence to ensure the safety of approaching officers and negotiators. During this time, with the drone overhead, the operator observed two of the suspects fleeing the area in a vehicle. Additional Concord Police Officers were able to conduct a traffic stop on the vehicle and safely arrest the occupants. A loaded handgun was located in that vehicle. Moments later, a suspect was seen, via the drone, placing a rifle into a secondary vehicle and fleeing the scene in that vehicle. Concord Police Officers conducted a traffic stop on that vehicle and located an AK-47 style rifle, the one suspected of being used in the shooting.

SWAT and CNT was able to approach the residence safely and secure any evidence inside. The incident concluded without further incident.

The case will be forwarded to the Contra Costa County District Attorney’s Office for filing considerations.

Source: STraffic

$90 million Next Generation Fare Gate project

BART is moving forward with a historic purchase of brand-new fare gates to be installed systemwide as part of its latest effort to win riders back and overhaul safety in the system. The new fare gates will bring a new look and improved experience, offering state-of-the-art technology that will boost safety by reducing fare evasion, enhancing access for people in wheelchairs and those who bring bikes and strollers on BART, and optimizing the reliability and maintenance needs of the fare gates.

At the March 23, 2023, BART Board of Directors meeting, staff recommended the Board move forward with the first purchase of the $90 million Next Generation Fare Gate project. Staff recommended awarding up to $47 million to STraffic America to implement the project. BART staff will develop an installation timeline with STraffic and will stress-test the new fare gate design at a yet-to-be-determined station later this year. The project calls for all stations to have new fare gates by 2026.

“We want to deter fare evasion, modernize our aesthetic and reduce maintenance,” explained Sylvia Lamb, BART’s assistant general manager of infrastructure delivery, at Thursday’s BART Board of Directors meeting.

The transit agency’s board of directors received an update Thursday on the fare-reliant agency’s long quest to implement new gates that prove harder to jump and prove more reliable.

“There’s an appetite out there to go ahead and get this thing done,” said Bob Powers, BART’s general manager, adding the agency will soon be on a “path that’s going to get us to a systemwide replacement very, very quickly.”

Source: STraffic

Thursday’s presentation was informational only. At the second presentation, to be made on April 13, BART directors will seek the board’s approval for the $47 million fare gate contract.

“This is a very happy day, and I can’t wait to vote next month,” said BART Director Bevan Dufty.

To inform the endeavor, BART built and installed prototypes that it deployed in several stations in its system beginning in 2020, particularly around elevators, in an effort to make it easier for elevator users to tag in and out of the system. It has also retrofitted some of the older gates in an attempt to make them more resistant to fare evasion.

The agency has estimated that fare evasion could cost as much as $15-25 million in lost revenue every year, although the exact figure is difficult to pin down.

The new fare gates will look unlike any other of the current 700 fare gates in the BART system. While the new design has not yet been finalized, the gates will have clear swing barriers that will be very difficult to be pushed through, jumped over, or maneuvered under.

The next generation fare gates will not have the orange fins riders have become accustomed to. They will also be different than the new swing-style fare gates designed by BART staff and recently installed to enclose elevators into the paid area.

The new gates will be able to handle large crowds without slowing people down as they move in and out of stations while processing their Clipper cards. The gates will have advanced 3D sensors that are able to detect if someone is in a wheelchair or has a bike, stroller, or luggage with them, allowing for more time before the swing barrier closes. The gates will have LED lighting on the swing barriers and the pathway through the gate to help visually impaired riders. STraffic has worked extensively with members of the ADA community and is committed to continue this work while designing the BART gates.

“New fare gates will transform the rider experience and will deliver immediate improvements to safety and reliability,” said BART Board President Janice Li. “BART researched world-wide best practices in fare gate designs to help guide this pivotal purchase. I want to thank the local, state, and federal funding sources who have stepped up to support this impactful project. I am committed to seeing this project fully funded and fully implemented without delay.”

To date, BART has secured $73 million of the $90 million project, with funding from:

• BART Funds (Operating-to-Capital Allocations and Measure RR) $23M
• County Transportation Agency Funds $28M
• Federal Funds $15M
• State Funds $6.5M

In recommending the vendor, BART staff evaluated proposals from industry leaders and scored each proposal on their technical approach, qualifications, experience in delivering similar projects, and price. STraffic America, LLC offered the best value to BART and committed to subcontracting 11% of the work to Disadvantage Business Enterprises.

Allen D. Payton contributed to this report.