Tag Archives: COVID-19

Mask Mandate Continues for Students

This week the indoor mask mandate was lifted in California and 12 Bay Area Counties. However, Chabot Las Positas Colleges Chancellor Ronald Gerhard confirmed that wearing masks indoors will still be required for everyone at both colleges and district offices. 

On Feb. 7, in-person instruction returned for thousands of Chabot and Las Positas College students. Chancellor Gerhard took a lot into consideration before making this decision, but the main reason was “..[for students] to again experience face-to-face instruction in a safe and supportive manner.”

In-person learning adds a degree of normalcy for many students and staff. Although wearing a mask at all times is an oddity, it’s currently one of our best options to protect everyone. It is also important to note that the chancellor can change this decision around mask-wearing in the future. 

Many students, their families, and counterparts rightfully have anxiety around the issue of COVID-19 since it’s something that could be spread to their loved ones. 

Safety is the priority, and Chancellor Gerhard cited a news release from Bay Area health officers detailing how the restrictions of unvaccinated people will continue. This news release also went on to list the instances where indoor masking is still required for all regardless of vaccination status: “..in public transportation; health care settings; congregate settings like correctional facilities and homeless shelters; long term care facilities; and in K-12 schools and child care settings.” 

The decision from the state to lift the mask mandate comes at a time where COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations have been rapidly declining over the past month. 

With things improving, the California Department of Public Health still urges everyone to wear a mask in public settings and get vaccinated in order to reduce the spread. For the utmost protection, it is recommended to get a booster shot when eligible. 

As a college student, no one really wants to be told what to do but wearing a mask is also required in K-12 schools and in most jobs. This is a confusing time for many, but it’s better to be safe than sorry.

Chabot Clubs Adapt to Closed Campus

As the college campus remains closed, Chabot’s student clubs have adapted to the situation.

Many clubs are hosting online meetings through Zoom at the usual meeting times. Some have found creative ways to use the service.

Umoja Black Student Union (UBSU) hosted a Zoom study hall. Ukulele Club practices their songs over Zoom. My Sister’s Keeper watched a movie together. However, Animation Club prefers to discuss the movies as they watch, which is difficult on Zoom, so they have had to suspend that activity.

“This predicament came to us like a slap in the face,” said Sammy from Animation Club. “It is sad to not interact with the other members…”

Animation Club members instead post film suggestions for each other on the club’s Instagram page. Other clubs use Facebook, group chats, email, or email newsletters to keep in touch.

“We are trying to stay connected and safe by staying sheltered,” said Kyundre Nelson, UBSU Media/Marketing Officer.

On-campus events have shifted online whenever possible. Dreamers Club hosted an entrepreneurship guest speaker as a webinar. CARP (Collegiate Association for the Research of Principles) has rebranded its IGNITE guest speaker series as ZOOMNITE.

However, not everything works online. Indigeneous People’s Club had to postpone its film festival and cancel its end of year picnic. M.A.D.E. (Machinists, Artists, Designers, Engineers) cannot work without access to the labs. The Engineering Club and Architecture Club also depend on campus resources.

Baile Excelencia had to cancel its “unity show” in April with Chabot’s musical groups. Dance practices, which were normally two or three times a week, had to be canceled.

The group is especially disappointed because many of its senior members, who founded the club two years ago, will be unable to perform in their last semester at Chabot before transferring.

“[W]e do what we have to do to keep the baile and energy alive,” said Michelle Moreno, Baile Excelencia Co-President, who plans to share new dance steps with members on Instagram.

“Although we are saddened by this news, we felt that we were able to uplift and bring joy to our Hayward community in the many events we were invited to over the years.”

Still other clubs decided it was best for them to not try to meet or do anything until the fall.

Face Masks Officially Required in Alameda County

The Health Officer of Alameda County put out an order on Friday, Apr. 17 requiring everyone to wear a face-covering while outside of the home, both indoors at work or outdoors in public.

The order allows a grace period until 8 a.m. on Wednesday, Apr. 22, at which time violation of the order will become a misdemeanor punishable by fine, imprisonment, or both.

The use of face coverings is required in the following situations: being at an essential business or in line to go in, being at a facility for minimum basic operations or essential government functions, doing essential infrastructure work, receiving health care service, waiting for or riding public transportation.

“Face coverings” are defined in Order No. 20-08 as “a covering made of cloth, fabric, or other soft or permeable material, without holes, that covers only the nose and mouth and surrounding areas of the lower face.”

Medical grade masks such as N95 masks and surgical masks are currently in short supply. The County requests the public to save those masks for health care providers and first responders.

The order exempts children twelve years and younger from wearing a face covering and especially warns that children two years or younger should not wear one due to the risk of suffocation.

Other exceptions include people in a car (alone or with members of their household) and people engaged in outdoor recreation such as walking, hiking, biking, or running. Although, it is recommended to carry a face covering with you in case you need it later.

Face coverings should be washed regularly depending on the frequency of use; a washing machine is sufficient. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) warns to be careful not to touch your eyes, nose, and mouth when removing the face covering and to wash hands immediately after removing.

Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) is largely transmitted in the respiratory droplets expelled when sneezing or breathing. People infected with the COVID-19 virus can be contagious for up to 48 hours before showing symptoms. In fact, many people only develop mild symptoms or no symptoms at all, all while being equally contagious.

For these reasons, the CDC, California Department of Public Health (CDPH), and Alameda County Public Health Department (ACPHD) have recommended wearing a face covering, in combination with sheltering in place, physical distancing of at least 6 feet, and frequent hand washing.

The City of Hayward announced Apr. 20 that it had acquired 10,000 masks for distribution to essential local businesses. Representatives for the essential local businesses can request masks through Hayward’s COVID-19 hotline at (510) 583-4949 or by filling out a form on the City of Hayward website.

Interim Chancellor Ron Gerhard sent out an email to the Chabot-Las Positas Community College District, alerting colleagues to the health order and instructing employees to have their supervisor either approve their homemade face coverings or issue a new one from the district’s limited supply.

The Hayward Police Department co-signed the Apr. 20 joint news release with other City of Hayward departments but avoided mention of enforcement. The San Leandro Police Department relayed the announcement from Alameda County Health Department but also did not speak on its plans to enforce the order.

The Alameda County Health order includes a link to the CDC website, where people can find instructions on making face coverings from materials at home.

https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prevent-getting-sick/diy-cloth-face-coverings.html

Stay-in Place New Order Takes Effect for the Bay Area

On March 31 at 11:59 p.m., a new stay-in-place order took effect to reduce the spread of coronavirus (COVID-19). The new stay-at-home order will be extended through May 3, 2020, in order to preserve critical hospital capacity. 

Six counties: Alameda, Contra Costa, Marin, San Francisco, San Mateo, and Santa Clara, as well as the city of Berkeley, have instituted the new order that requires nonessential businesses to remain closed and for residents to stay indoors and only leave home when doing essential activities, such as grocery shopping.

According to Dr. Chris Farnitano, health officer for Contra Costa County in a news release, “extending the stay-at-home order should reduce the number of sick patients seeking care at one time, giving us time to acquire more medical supplies for providers who will be providing care to people sick with COVID-19.” 

In the same news release, Dr. Farnitoano adds that “the extension will allow doctors and nurses to better treat those who do get sick and save countless lives. The new stay-at-home order will supersede the previous order and go into effect immediately.”

The new order defines what essentials business are, what activities are prohibited, and new directives. The use of playgrounds and other similar recreational areas is prohibited and closed for public use. Sports requiring people to share a ball or other equipment, as well as shared public recreational facilities such as golf courses, tennis and basketball courts, etc. are prohibited. 

Funeral homes and cemeteries; moving companies, rental car companies and ride-share services that specifically enable essential activities are still allowed. Essential businesses that continue to operate facilities must scale down operations to their essential component only.

The new order also requires essential businesses to develop a social distancing protocol before April 3. Most construction, residential and commercial has been deemed nonessential and is prohibited. However, the expansion of essential businesses now includes service providers that enable residential transactions (notaries, title companies, realtors, etc.).

Director of the San Francisco Department of Public Health, Dr. Grant Colfax, stated in a recent news release, “what we need now, for the health of all our communities, is for people to stay home. Even though it has been difficult, the Bay Area has really stepped up to the challenge so far, and we need to reaffirm our commitment. We need more time to flatten the curve, to prepare our hospitals for a surge, and to do everything we can to minimize the harm that the virus causes to our Communities.”

Coronavirus (COVID-19), is a virus so new and unique that it has no approved medicines or vaccines and social distancing is the most powerful tool to slow the spread.