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In some ways, the link between viruses, vaccines and heart health is simple.

Think of your heart as a house, said Dr. Jorge Alvarez, an interventional cardiologist at Methodist Cardiology Clinic of San Antonio. “You have the walls of your house, which are like the walls of your heart. You have the doors, which are the valves. And then you have plumbing and electricity.

“A virus can affect all of those aspects of your house,” he said.

That makes being vaccinated against COVID-19, flu and other illnesses an important way for people with heart disease to protect themselves.

That fact can get lost in the swirl of new information, not to mention misinformation, surrounding vaccines. Now that the updated COVID-19 vaccine is available—and can be given at the same time as the flu shot—here are more straightforward answers from the experts on what people with cardiovascular issues should know about viruses and vaccines.

Viruses pose serious heart risks

Heart issues and infection are linked in many ways. One is inflammation, said Dr. Saate Shakil, an assistant professor of cardiology at the University of California, San Francisco.

Diseases caused by viruses, such as the coronavirus, influenza and respiratory syncytial virus, or RSV, can cause inflammation. So can bacterial illnesses such as pneumonia.

If you have coronary heart disease, blood flow is restricted by plaque-filled arteries. In such cases, inflammation could lead to a plaque rupture, blood clot and blocked artery that causes a heart attack or stroke, said Shakil, who has studied links between COVID-19 and stroke.

Other research has shown:

• Problems such as heart attacks and heart failure (the inability of the heart to pump properly) occur in about 20% of adults hospitalized with RSV, according to a 2018 study in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.
• COVID-19 is linked to an increased risk of irregular heartbeats, heart failure and coronary disease. In a study published in 2021 in The Lancet, COVID-19 was associated with a threefold to eightfold increased risk of having a heart attack and a threefold to sevenfold increased risk of having a stroke.
• The risk of a heart attack may be as much as six times higher in the week after a flu diagnosis, found a study published in 2018 in the New England Journal of Medicine.

A virus doesn’t have to attack the heart directly to endanger it, Shakil said. Someone with pneumonia might have trouble breathing, which strains the heart.

Meanwhile, Alvarez said, a high fever caused by infection can sometimes lead to heart rhythm issues in certain people.

Vaccines protect against those risks

Alvarez likens cardiovascular problems to a campfire. Cholesterol, which leads to arterial plaque, is like a growing pile of wood in his analogy. Inflammation is the lighter fluid. A viral or bacterial infection is the match that sets it all off.

A vaccine, he said, is like a bucket of water for that match, stopping the whole process.

A research letter published in February in JACC found that among more than 1.9 million people infected with the coronavirus, vaccination was associated with a lower risk of heart attacks, strokes and other cardiovascular events.

Flu vaccination, meanwhile, is associated with a lower risk of stroke. In an analysis published in the Journal of the American Heart Association in 2021, flu vaccination also was associated with an 18% lower chance of death from cardiovascular problems and a 25% lower chance of death from any cause.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says that people who have heart disease or have had a stroke should talk to their health care team about vaccinations for COVID-19, flu and pneumococcal disease, which includes pneumonia and meningitis. They should also stay current on a Tdap vaccine, which protects against diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis (also known as whooping cough).

The CDC also recommends that adults 60 and older ask about the new RSV vaccine.

A health care professional can offer advice on other vaccines, as well as whether to avoid certain formulations. For example, the CDC says people who are pregnant, have weakened immune systems or are 50 and older should not receive the nasal spray flu vaccine, which is a live virus-based vaccine. “It’s not that they can’t get vaccinated,” Shakil said. “It’s just that the type of vaccine has to be tailored for them.”

Vaccination risks are real—but far outweighed by the benefits

Vaccines can have side effects. The COVID-19 vaccine, for example, has been linked to rare cases of myocarditis and pericarditis, types of heart inflammation.

That has to be viewed in context, said Dr. Gregory Piazza, director of vascular medicine at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston.

“What we’re talking about with the risks of the vaccine are very infrequent events,” said Piazza, who also is an associate professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School. “And you pit that against the large degree of benefit that you get” by reducing the severity of COVID-19 and reducing the odds of being hospitalized or having a cardiovascular complication.

“Those are real, tangible benefits,” he said.

Piazza, who designed and oversees a large nationwide study of COVID-19 patients, said the scope of serious side effects is “very small. Very, very small.” For example, some vaccinated people had issues with blood clots.

“But many people have issues with blood clots if they are hospitalized because of COVID-19,” Piazza said. A study in England published in Circulation in 2022 found 10,500 more cases of dangerous blood clots among 1.4 million COVID-19 patients than would be expected without COVID-19.

When Alvarez’s patients express concerns about vaccine risks, he points out that their risk of getting in a major car accident on the way to his office—a risk they all were comfortable with—is higher than the risk of a serious reaction to the vaccine.

“Vaccines are safe and effective, and they help save lives,” he said.

Shakil said her patients often have asked about vaccine safety, so she examined the history of each patient for risks. “I see a lot of patients, and I don’t think there was a single patient where we went through their data and felt like it was risky for them to have the vaccination. If anything, it would have been more of a risk for them to have gotten COVID and not have been immunized.”

Vaccines aren’t perfect

Despite their overall benefits, COVID-19 and flu vaccines don’t stop every infection. That does not mean they didn’t work, Alvarez said.

He likens a vaccine to helping your immune system study for a test—it might not score 100%, but it’s going to do a lot better than someone who didn’t study at all.

You don’t have to sort this out alone

Worried or confused about which vaccines you need? It’s OK to grill your cardiologist or primary care physician, Alvarez said.

Ask them to explain their reasoning, then be open-minded about what they say. “There should be some thought and some discussion behind some of these things,” he said.

There are no silly questions, Shakil said. “The worst thing that could happen is that you walk away with more information than you came in with.”

The post What folks with coronary heart illness ought to learn about vaccines at the moment appeared first on DAILY SAN FRANCISCO BAY NEWS.

In some ways, the link between viruses, vaccines and heart health is simple.

Think of your heart as a house, said Dr. Jorge Alvarez, an interventional cardiologist at Methodist Cardiology Clinic of San Antonio. “You have the walls of your house, which are like the walls of your heart. You have the doors, which are the valves. And then you have plumbing and electricity.

“A virus can affect all of those aspects of your house,” he said.

That makes being vaccinated against COVID-19, flu and other illnesses an important way for people with heart disease to protect themselves.

That fact can get lost in the swirl of new information, not to mention misinformation, surrounding vaccines. Now that the updated COVID-19 vaccine is available – and can be given at the same time as the flu shot – here are more straightforward answers from the experts on what people with cardiovascular issues should know about viruses and vaccines.

Viruses pose serious heart risks

Heart issues and infection are linked in many ways. One is inflammation, said Dr. Saate Shakil, an assistant professor of cardiology at the University of California, San Francisco.

Diseases caused by viruses, such as the coronavirus, influenza and respiratory syncytial virus, or RSV, can cause inflammation. So can bacterial illnesses such as pneumonia.

If you have coronary heart disease, blood flow is restricted by plaque-filled arteries. In such cases, inflammation could lead to a plaque rupture, blood clot and blocked artery that causes a heart attack or stroke, said Shakil, who has studied links between COVID-19 and stroke.

Other research has shown:

– Problems such as heart attacks and heart failure (the inability of the heart to pump properly) occur in about 20% of adults hospitalized with RSV, according to a 2018 study in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.

– COVID-19 is linked to an increased risk of irregular heartbeats, heart failure and coronary disease. In a study published in 2021 in The Lancet, COVID-19 was associated with a threefold to eightfold increased risk of having a heart attack and a threefold to sevenfold increased risk of having a stroke.

– The risk of a heart attack may be as much as six times higher in the week after a flu diagnosis, found a study published in 2018 in the New England Journal of Medicine.

A virus doesn’t have to attack the heart directly to endanger it, Shakil said. Someone with pneumonia might have trouble breathing, which strains the heart.

Meanwhile, Alvarez said, a high fever caused by infection can sometimes lead to heart rhythm issues in certain people.

Vaccines protect against those risks

Alvarez likens cardiovascular problems to a campfire. Cholesterol, which leads to arterial plaque, is like a growing pile of wood in his analogy. Inflammation is the lighter fluid. A viral or bacterial infection is the match that sets it all off.

A vaccine, he said, is like a bucket of water for that match, stopping the whole process.

A research letter published in February in JACC found that among more than 1.9 million people infected with the coronavirus, vaccination was associated with a lower risk of heart attacks, strokes and other cardiovascular events.

Flu vaccination, meanwhile, is associated with a lower risk of stroke. In an analysis published in the Journal of the American Heart Association in 2021, flu vaccination also was associated with an 18% lower chance of death from cardiovascular problems and a 25% lower chance of death from any cause.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says that people who have heart disease or have had a stroke should talk to their health care team about vaccinations for COVID-19, flu and pneumococcal disease, which includes pneumonia and meningitis. They should also stay current on a Tdap vaccine, which protects against diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis (also known as whooping cough).

The CDC also recommends that adults 60 and older ask about the new RSV vaccine.

A health care professional can offer advice on other vaccines, as well as whether to avoid certain formulations. For example, the CDC says people who are pregnant, have weakened immune systems or are 50 and older should not receive the nasal spray flu vaccine, which is a live virus-based vaccine. “It’s not that they can’t get vaccinated,” Shakil said. “It’s just that the type of vaccine has to be tailored for them.”

Vaccination risks are real – but far outweighed by the benefits

Vaccines can have side effects. The COVID-19 vaccine, for example, has been linked to rare cases of myocarditis and pericarditis, types of heart inflammation.

That has to be viewed in context, said Dr. Gregory Piazza, director of vascular medicine at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston.

“What we’re talking about with the risks of the vaccine are very infrequent events,” said Piazza, who also is an associate professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School. “And you pit that against the large degree of benefit that you get” by reducing the severity of COVID-19 and reducing the odds of being hospitalized or having a cardiovascular complication.

“Those are real, tangible benefits,” he said.

Piazza, who designed and oversees a large nationwide study of COVID-19 patients, said the scope of serious side effects is “very small. Very, very small.” For example, some vaccinated people had issues with blood clots.

“But many people have issues with blood clots if they are hospitalized because of COVID-19,” Piazza said. A study in England published in Circulation in 2022 found 10,500 more cases of dangerous blood clots among 1.4 million COVID-19 patients than would be expected without COVID-19.

When Alvarez’s patients express concerns about vaccine risks, he points out that their risk of getting in a major car accident on the way to his office – a risk they all were comfortable with – is higher than the risk of a serious reaction to the vaccine.

“Vaccines are safe and effective, and they help save lives,” he said.

Shakil said her patients often have asked about vaccine safety, so she examined the history of each patient for risks. “I see a lot of patients, and I don’t think there was a single patient where we went through their data and felt like it was risky for them to have the vaccination. If anything, it would have been more of a risk for them to have gotten COVID and not have been immunized.”

Vaccines aren’t perfect

Despite their overall benefits, COVID-19 and flu vaccines don’t stop every infection. That does not mean they didn’t work, Alvarez said.

He likens a vaccine to helping your immune system study for a test – it might not score 100%, but it’s going to do a lot better than someone who didn’t study at all.

You don’t have to sort this out alone

Worried or confused about which vaccines you need? It’s OK to grill your cardiologist or primary care physician, Alvarez said.

Ask them to explain their reasoning, then be open-minded about what they say. “There should be some thought and some discussion behind some of these things,” he said.

There are no silly questions, Shakil said. “The worst thing that could happen is that you walk away with more information than you came in with.”

To find locations that provide COVID-19 and flu vaccines, visit the federal website vaccines.gov or call 800-232-0233.

The post What folks with coronary heart illness ought to learn about vaccines as we speak appeared first on DAILY SAN FRANCISCO BAY NEWS.

COVID-19 Vaccines and Boosters VA is providing COVID-19 vaccines, as authorized by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Supply varies by facility. You can also receive your Pfizer booster outside of VA. You can locate a vaccine site at https://www.vaccines.gov/search/. Make sure to take your CDC COVID-19 Vaccination Record Card when you go! We continue to encourage all eligible individuals to get vaccinated.

Who can get the vaccine?

We are now providing COVID-19 vaccinations to all eligible veterans and anyone who served in the military, and their caregivers and spouses, and some other beneficiaries (see below) under the authority granted by the SAVE LIVES Act.

Those now eligible for COVID-19 vaccines under the SAVE LIVES Act include:

• veterans: All Veterans are now eligible for a COVID-19 vaccine at VA. Eligibility includes anyone who served in the US military, including the US National Guard, Reserves, or Coast Guard, and Veterans regardless of character of discharge.
• Spouses and Surviving Spouses of Veterans: For COVID-19 vaccine eligibility, we are including spouses of same-sex and common-law marriages. Eligibility includes a widow or widower of a Veteran.
• Caregivers of a Veteran: For COVID-19 vaccine eligibility, we define a caregiver as a family member or friend who provides care to the Veteran. Caregivers may help the Veteran with personal needs like feeding, bathing, or dressing. They may also help the Veteran with tasks like shopping or transportation.
• CHAMPVA Recipients: Recipients of Civilian Health and Medical Program of the Department of Veterans Affairs (CHAMPVA) benefits, including spouses or children of permanently and totally disabled Veterans or of Veterans who have died from service-connected disabilities. Recipients must meet CDC age requirements for vaccine administration.

What vaccines are available?

We offer the Moderna vaccine, as well as the Johnson & Johnson vaccine.

How can I register to be contacted for a COVID-19 vaccine appointment?

Those eligible under the SAVES LIVES Act can receive the COVID-19 Vaccine at the SFVAHCS Fort Miley campus. The COVID-19 Vaccination Clinic is now open every Monday through Friday, from 8 am to 4 pm—with no need to make an appointment or register ahead of time. Simply visit the Medical Center and inform screeners you are here to receive a COVID-19 vaccination.

If you know an individual who is interested in receiving the vaccine at the Fort Miley campus or one of the SFVAHCS’ community-based outpatient clinic (CBOC) locations, please instruct them to make an appointment:

• Call this number to make a vaccine appointment for any of the following locations: 415-750-2204
  • San Francisco VA Medical Center – Fort Miley Campus
  • Downtown San Francisco
  • San Bruno
  • Oakland
  • Santa Rosa
  • clear lake
  • Ukiah
  • Eureka

I’m a Veteran who is not enrolled in VA health care. How can I enroll?

Veterans can apply for VA health care by calling 877-222-8387 or visiting https://www.va.gov/health-care/how-to-apply/.

I have a specific medical condition and don’t know if it’s a good idea for me to be vaccinated. Who should I ask?

If you have a question about your personal medical history, please communicate with your primary care provider. You can also learn quite a bit about the specifics of the COVID-19 vaccine at our Keep Me Informed tool.

In the meantime, what can I do to fight COVID-19?

Keep up the 3W’s!

It’s important for everyone to continue using all the tools available to help stop this pandemic as we learn more about how COVID-19 vaccines work in real-world conditions. Even after vaccination, Veterans and employees should continue to:

• Wear a face covering
• Watch your distance (stay 6 feet apart)
• Wash hands frequently

To get the latest updates and sign up to stay informed about COVID-19 vaccines, visit VA’s vaccine information page

The post COVID-19 Vaccines And Testing | VA San Francisco Well being Care appeared first on DAILY SAN FRANCISCO BAY NEWS.

To reach the unvaccinated in San Francisco, the city will bring COVID-19 vaccines into people’s homes, Mayor London Breed announced on Tuesday.

When a person can bring together between five and twelve people who want to be vaccinated, the city sends a mobile vaccination unit – doctors or nurses plus vaccination equipment – to their home or work place to give the vaccine.

The mobile vaccine unit has been supplying vulnerable groups of the population – such as senior citizens in dormitories and people who are home or homeless – and has administered around 6,000 doses since February. Now the service is available to anyone who organizes a small group, even if it’s just their own family members.

“It’s important that we make it as easy as possible for people to get vaccinated,” Breed said at an early afternoon press conference in the outdoor dining area of ​​Sheba Piano Lounge.

Breed found that vaccination rates are still lagging among the black and Latin American communities in San Francisco.

By Tuesday, 77% of all eligible San Franciscans had been fully vaccinated and 84% had received at least one dose. But for the black community, according to district data, only 64% got their first chance and only 74% of Latinos.

Breed added that of the 93 people currently hospitalized in San Francisco with COVID-19, the majority are black or Latinos.

“I understand people have concerns” about the history of the health system, she said. “But the fact is, we are in a different time where we need to focus on saving lives.”

“It’s really a matter of life or death,” added Breed, calling vaccinating more people “the final hurdle” of the pandemic.

She also found that San Francisco had fewer than 600 COVID-19-related deaths, far fewer than other major cities – Los Angeles County had a total of 24,690 deaths and New York City had 33,557.

But with the Delta variant fueling a surge in cases, San Francisco Health Department models show that at the current rate, there are about 300 more deaths likely within a few weeks, Breed said – the vast majority among unvaccinated people.

“We should be so proud” of how San Francisco has fared in the pandemic so far, Breed said. “So let’s not stop now.”

“Vaccines are still our way out,” said Dr. Grant Colfax, the city’s health director. “The best protection is the vaccine, the masking, and the encouragement to your friends, family and community members to get vaccinated today.”

While there are some breakthrough infections in fully vaccinated people, vaccination is the difference between “sniffing and choking” or “a few days in bed at home” and “a few weeks in an ICU bed,” Colfax said.

“This is not a good time to be unvaccinated,” he said.

To schedule a vaccination visit to San Francisco, visit the mobile vaccination center website. You can also call the San Francisco Department of Public Health’s vaccine call center at 628-652-2700.

Danielle Echeverria is a contributor to the San Francisco Chronicle. Email: danielle.echeverria@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @DanielleEchev

The post San Francisco will now carry COVID vaccines to folks’s houses appeared first on DAILY SAN FRANCISCO BAY NEWS.

July 27, 2021 4:57 pm

The city of Santa Monica is moving towards requiring its city workers to receive the COVID-19 vaccine once it is cleared by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). This decision is part of the City of Santa Monica’s commitment to protecting the health of its residents, customers, and employees. The move comes as Los Angeles County sees a sharp surge in cases and other government organizations are implementing similar guidelines, including Pasadena, San Francisco, New York City, the state of California, and the US Department of Veterans Affairs. As officials, rescue workers, and first responders, this will bring the Santa Monica workforce together with leading medical organizations, cities, and public institutions across the country.

“Just as the city of Santa Monica is often a strong role model in local government, we do everything we can to ensure the well-being of our Santa Monica community and the city’s dedicated people,” said interim city manager John Jalili. “Vaccination is the best way to prevent the spread of COVID-19, and any vaccination will make a measurable difference in our recovery.”

The city will meet with the workers’ organizations representing the city’s diverse workforce to discuss the implications of a mandatory vaccination policy. The city’s leadership will continue to promote the safe, free, and effective vaccine to increase voluntary compliance across the organization. Currently, 59% of the city’s workforce said they had been vaccinated. The city has coordinated seven vaccination clinics for the community and staff since March, and made it easier to schedule hundreds of vaccination appointments for staff.

To make an appointment for a COVID-19 vaccination, visit impfstoffe.gov.

###

The post Metropolis of Santa Monica Transferring In the direction of Requiring Vaccines for its Workforce – santamonica.gov appeared first on DAILY SAN FRANCISCO BAY NEWS.

July 27, 2021 4:57 pm

The city of Santa Monica is moving towards requiring its city workers to receive the COVID-19 vaccine once it is cleared by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). This decision is part of the City of Santa Monica’s commitment to protecting the health of its residents, customers, and employees. The move comes as Los Angeles County sees a sharp surge in cases and other government organizations are rolling out similar guidelines, including Pasadena, San Francisco, New York City, the state of California, and the United States Department of Veterans. As officials, rescue workers, and first responders, this will bring the Santa Monica workforce together with leading medical organizations, cities, and public institutions across the country.

“Just as the city of Santa Monica is often a strong role model in local government, we do everything we can to ensure the well-being of our Santa Monica community and the city’s dedicated people,” said interim city manager John Jalili. “Vaccination is the best way to prevent the spread of COVID-19, and any vaccination will make a measurable difference in our recovery.”

The city will meet with the workers’ organizations representing the city’s diverse workforce to discuss the implications of a mandatory vaccination policy. The city’s leadership will continue to promote the safe, free, and effective vaccine to increase voluntary compliance across the organization. Currently, 59% of the city’s workforce said they had been vaccinated. The city has coordinated seven vaccination clinics for the community and staff since March, and made it easier to schedule hundreds of vaccination appointments for staff.

To make an appointment for a COVID-19 vaccine, visit impfstoffe.gov.

Media contact

Constance Farrell Public Information Officer

The post Metropolis Of Santa Monica: Metropolis Of Santa Monica Shifting In direction of Requiring Vaccines For Its Workforce appeared first on DAILY SAN FRANCISCO BAY NEWS.

SAN FRANCISCO, May 18, 2021 / PRNewswire / – The San Francisco Health Network posted a comment on the NEJM CATALYST April 6, 2021 entitled “Concentration of Vaccines in Neighborhoods with High Levels of Covid-19.” SFHP has teamed up with the SFHN network by providing a multilingual call center to help the community navigate the web-based planning systems and launching successful interventions to reach different communities via social media, text messaging, robo-calling Vaccination calls, letters and direct vendors to ensure that all members of our community have free and fair access to the COVID-19 vaccinations in San Francisco County.

“Public health systems have played an important role in the vaccine response for low-income, diverse communities. The state of CA has relied on high-tech methods to attract the public to vaccination, which may be a barrier to access to care for low-income communities.” said Fiona Donald, MD, chief medical officer of the San Francisco Health Plan. “We believe that SFHP can help remove these barriers and provide alternative ways of accessing vaccines through our multilingual call center and direct contact with low-income, diverse communities in the UK San Francisco. “

The mission of the San Francisco Health Plan (SFHP) is to improve the health outcomes of different people San Francisco Communities through successful partnerships. Supporting the needs of our supplier network is central to our mission. SFHP has partnered with a Bay Area provider, Tactical Telesolutions, Inc. (TTS) to provide a multilingual call center. SFHP and TTS were able to hire and train the call center staff in less than three weeks to provide urgent support to the SFHN network for COVID-19 vaccinations.

“We were excited to do our part to support the dedicated staff at the city’s vaccination centers and clinics with their vaccination efforts. Our focus was on helping the key In-Home Support Service staff and vulnerable populations who do may not do anything to help with scheduling. ” Our staff and the call center have heard from our SFHP members and IHSS staff how much they appreciate their help with the vaccination. Our partners in town were impressive and we were proud to be part of the effort, “said John F. Grgurina, Jr., CEO of the San Francisco Health Plan.

Via San Francisco Health Plan
The San Francisco Health Plan is an NCQA accredited, licensed community health plan that provides affordable health coverage to more than 157,000 low and middle income families San Francisco. SFHP is designed for and by the residents it serves – many of whom otherwise could not receive health care for themselves or their families. Through SFHP, members have access to a full range of medical services, including screening, hospitalization, prescription drugs, family planning, and substance abuse programs. SFHP’s mission is to improve the health outcomes of the various San Francisco Communities through successful partnerships. The San Francisco Health Plan is also the third party administrator for the nationally recognized Healthy San Francisco program. More information about SFHP can be found at www.sfhp.org,

About NCQA
NCQA is a private, not-for-profit organization dedicated to improving the quality of health care. NCQA accredits and certifies a wide range of health organizations and recognizes clinicians in key clinical areas. NCQA’s HEDIS® is the most widely used tool for measuring performance in healthcare. The NCQA website (www.ncqa.org) contains information designed to help consumers, employers, and others make informed healthcare decisions.

SOURCE San Francisco Health Plan

The post San Francisco Well being Community and San Francisco Well being Plan Accomplice to ship COVID-19 Vaccines appeared first on DAILY SAN FRANCISCO BAY NEWS.

SAN FRANCISCO, May 18, 2021 / PRNewswire / – The San Francisco Health Network posted a comment on the NEJM CATALYST April 6, 2021 entitled “Concentration of Vaccines in Neighborhoods with High Levels of Covid-19.” SFHP has teamed up with the SFHN network by providing a multilingual call center to help the community navigate the web-based planning systems and launching successful interventions to reach different communities via social media, text messaging, robo-calling Vaccination calls, letters and direct vendors to ensure that all members of our community have free and fair access to the COVID-19 vaccinations in San Francisco County.

“Public health systems have played an important role in the vaccine response for low-income, diverse communities. The state of CA has relied on high-tech methods to attract the public to vaccination, which may be a barrier to access to care for low-income communities.” said Fiona Donald, MD, chief medical officer of the San Francisco Health Plan. “We believe that SFHP can help remove these barriers and provide alternative ways of accessing vaccines through our multilingual call center and direct contact with low-income, diverse communities in the UK San Francisco. “

The mission of the San Francisco Health Plan (SFHP) is to improve the health outcomes of different people San Francisco Communities through successful partnerships. Supporting the needs of our supplier network is central to our mission. SFHP has partnered with a Bay Area provider, Tactical Telesolutions, Inc. (TTS) to provide a multilingual call center. SFHP and TTS were able to hire and train the call center staff in less than three weeks to provide urgent support to the SFHN network for COVID-19 vaccinations.

“We were excited to do our part to support the dedicated staff at the city’s vaccination centers and clinics with their vaccination efforts. Our focus was on helping the key In-Home Support Service staff and vulnerable populations who do may not do anything to help with scheduling. ” Our staff and the call center have heard from our SFHP members and IHSS staff how much they appreciate their help with the vaccination. Our partners in town were impressive and we were proud to be part of the effort, “said John F. Grgurina, Jr., CEO of the San Francisco Health Plan.

Via San Francisco Health Plan

The San Francisco Health Plan is an NCQA accredited, licensed community health plan that provides affordable health coverage to more than 157,000 low and middle income families San Francisco. SFHP is designed for and by the residents it serves – many of whom otherwise could not receive health care for themselves or their families. Through SFHP, members have access to a full range of medical services, including screening, hospitalization, prescription drugs, family planning, and substance abuse programs. SFHP’s mission is to improve the health outcomes of the various San Francisco Communities through successful partnerships. The San Francisco Health Plan is also the third party administrator for the nationally recognized Healthy San Francisco program. More information about SFHP can be found at www.sfhp.org,

About NCQA

NCQA is a private, not-for-profit organization dedicated to improving the quality of health care. NCQA accredits and certifies a wide range of health organizations and recognizes clinicians in key clinical areas. NCQA’s HEDIS® is the most widely used tool for measuring performance in healthcare. The NCQA website (www.ncqa.org) contains information designed to help consumers, employers, and others make informed healthcare decisions.

View original content: http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/san-francisco-health-network-and-san-francisco-health-plan-partner-to-deliver-covid-19-vaccines-301293972. html

SOURCE San Francisco Health Plan

The post San Francisco Well being Community and San Francisco Well being Plan Accomplice to ship COVID-19 Vaccines | Information appeared first on DAILY SAN FRANCISCO BAY NEWS.

San Francisco on Friday opened approval for COVID-19 vaccines for the general population in communities hardest hit by the pandemic ahead of the April 15 statewide expansions.

Everyone aged 16 and over can now book an appointment if they live in one of the following eight postcodes: 94124, 94134, 94107, 94110, 94112, 94102, 94103 and 94130.

These zip codes include Bayview, Hunters Points, Visitacion Valley, Portola, Sunnydale, Excelsior, Mission, Oceanview, Ingleside, Balboa Park, Potrero Hill, Dogpatch, Mission Bay, SoMa, Tenderloin, and Treasure Island.

Anyone 16 and older living in these zip codes can visit one of two vaccination centers that do not require a reservation: Zuckerberg San Francisco General at 1001 Potrero Ave. is open daily from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. and Southeast Health Center at 2401 Keith St. is open daily from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. The only vaccine approved for use between the ages of 16 and 17 is the Pfizer Shot, which is available at these two locations.

Anyone 18 years or older in any of these areas can stop by the Southeast Health Center at 2401 Keith Street daily from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. This is where the Moderna vaccine is located.

Parents and guardians must be approved in person at both the San Francisco General and Southeast Health Center, city officials said. Anyone 16 or 17 years old who is receiving the vaccine must be accompanied by a legal guardian.

On April 15, the state will grant immunization rights to anyone aged 16 or over. San Francisco is ahead of the state in certain zip codes, and several other counties have taken a similar move. Eligibility to vaccinate is completely open in Contra Costa and Santa Clara counties, although appointments can be difficult to find.

Alameda County expanded eligibility for COVID-19 vaccines Thursday to include the general population in vulnerable communities hardest hit by the pandemic. Anyone 16 and over can now book an appointment if they live in one of 12 postcodes in Hayward, Oakland, San Leandro, and San Lorenzo: 94601, 94603, 94605, 94606, 94607, 94621, 94541, 94544, 94545, 94577, 94578 and 94580.

The post San Francisco opens vaccines to these 16 and over in these ZIP codes appeared first on DAILY SAN FRANCISCO BAY NEWS.

SAN JOSE (KPIX 5) – Frontline and key workers at homeless shelters have requested to be prioritized for COVID-19 vaccinations. It worked in several cases.

Julissa Patino is the Housing Coordinator at HomeFirst, a homeless service provider in San Jose. She says social distancing at work just isn’t an option.

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“Most of the time I have to see people physically. Most people don’t have phones so we couldn’t coordinate Zoom meetings, ”said Patino.

She has had COVID-19 before and feared she might get it again.

“Luckily I didn’t get it too bad, but it’s a little scary to work here knowing I can get it back and putting these people at risk for having underlying health conditions,” she said.

Patino’s boss moved in Santa Clara County that HomeFirst’s key employees be placed on the priority list for Covid-19 vaccinations.

The county agreed.

“Hopefully I can get vaccinated in the next few weeks,” said Patino.

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San Francisco’s Glide Memorial Church does the same for its frontline workers serving the homeless.

“If we can provide the vaccine to these people who provide these safety net services, it will create safety for all residents of San Francisco, both sheltered and sheltered,” said Kenneth Kim, senior director of programs at Glide Memorial Church.

State guidelines use animal shelter workers in Phase 1B Tier 2. Right now we are in phase 1A, which has three levels: first come healthcare workers and long-term care residents, then people over 65, educators and farm workers.

The state has also started vaccinating people in Phase 1B Tier One. The shelter workers are scheduled to be next in line, but many have not yet heard a schedule of when it will be their turn.

“No, nobody spoke to us, nobody said anything to us. We have no idea when that would happen, ”said Wesley Dawan, an East Oakland Collective volunteer.

Dawan supplies books for the collective, but also spends time in camps connecting people to services.

“You have no idea who was where. So you take the precautions, stay three feet apart, put the mask on, and do what you can with it, ”Dawan said.

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“They basically risk their lives and go to work every day,” said Jennifer Friedenbach, executive director of the Coalition on Homelessness.

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