The Alameda County Public Health Department, which previously updated and shared information on COVID-19 cases, rates, and more data on their website, is not currently updating it. According to the website:
“The State’s electronic data systems for reporting case numbers and test results are experiencing technology issues. This means that Alameda County’s trends for cases, testing, and positivity rates are unstable at this time due to incomplete reporting. Hospitalization and death rates are not affected as they are reported through different systems.
Until the technological issues are resolved, the State will not be moving counties on or off the Monitoring List. Alameda County was added to the Monitoring List on July 12th, and we are subject to statewide restrictions on reopening of sectors and schools.
We will update this disclaimer when the issues are resolved.”
However, hospitalizations and death rates should still be accurate on the county site.
OUSD and the Tech Gap
OUSD schools start next Monday, August 10. Many families still don’t have computers or WiFi for their kids, and everything so far will be virtual, distance learning. According to the district, 8,000 mobile WiFi hotspots will be distributed at school sites this week and next week. Some schools already loaned out Chromebooks to families last March.
The district is still waiting to receive more hotspots and Chromebooks. This is the official survey that parents/guardians are supposed to fill out, from the district: #OaklandUndivided Tech Check Survey. However, schools have also sent out their own surveys to address immediate needs so they can loan computers and hotspots. The district survey is available in English, Spanish, Chinese, Arabic, Vietnamese, and Khmer/Cambodian.
From the district:
Phase 1 – OUSD loans out Chromebooks and provides Hotspots that will provide internet access to families: To begin school, OUSD will loan devices and support internet connection to all students who need it.
- Schools will distribute loaned computers at registration/tech distribution events and other times as announced by schools. Chromebooks and hotspots will be checked out to families. Some schools have already started this process. Please look for communications from your site, or reach out to your school leader.
- Families who need support, please complete the #OaklandUndivided Tech Check Survey. Your school site will help families fill out the survey at registration/tech distribution events. This survey will give us a full picture of student and home tech needs across the city AND determine eligibility for a #OaklandUndivided home computer. In the first two days of the survey going live, over 2600 students have already completed the survey
Phase 2 – #OaklandUndivided replaces loaned computers: Starting at the end of August, #OaklandUndivided will provide technology to students with demonstrated need. For those families, OUSD will then collect the loaner computers provided at the beginning of the school year and replace them with a student-owned #OaklandUndivided computers. To determine need, all families will need to take the #OaklandUndivided Tech Check Survey. The #OaklandUndivided campaign seeks to ensure that every Oakland public school student in need has a computer, internet connection, and technology support in their home for this school year and beyond. More information can be found here.
Alameda County Will Pay Some People to Stay Home
The county recently announced a new plan to keep people who have COVID-19 at home: they will pay people $1,250 for two weeks to quarantine themselves if they tested positive, as reported by NBCBayArea. This is only for people who don’t qualify for EDD or sick leave, AND who have a referral from a clinic and if they’re in a high-risk area.
County Supervisor Wilma Chan said the county set aside $10 million for this program, and is expected to help 7,500. Many people who are undocumented, or for other reasons who can’t receive benefits or afford to stay home, will benefit.
Momo Chang is a freelance journalist based in the San Francisco Bay Area. She is the Oakland Voices Co-Director. Her work focuses on healthcare, immigration, education, Asian American communities, food and culture. She is a former staff writer at the Oakland Tribune. Momo has received journalism awards from the Society of Professional Journalists for investigative reporting and the Asian American Journalists Association, among others. Her work has appeared in the East Bay Express, San Francisco Chronicle, Wired, and The New York Times. Momo is primarily a print journalist who also produces audio and visual stories for documentary film and radio. She is a Senior Contributing Editor for Hyphen and formerly the Content Manager at the Center for Asian American Media (CAAM).
Because of the SELFISHNESS, arrogance, and immaturity of America, we’ll be doing this 2 years from now.