Contra Costa Health (CCH) is refocusing its response to the COVID-19 pandemic on eliminating preventable deaths in the county.
The Path to Zero initiative includes strategies to use more underutilized COVID-19 protections, especially prescription medications and home testing resources — particularly in communities where infection and death rates are highest.
“No one should die from COVID-19 when free testing, vaccines and effective medication are all readily available in our community,” said Contra Costa Health Director Anna Roth, in a statement. “Preventable COVID-19 deaths in our county are unacceptable,”
“The time has come for us to think differently about this virus,” Roth said. “When a member of our community dies from COVID today, we should understand why and then work to remove any barriers to treatment that may have contributed to that death.”
CCH has opened its advice nurse line to any county resident who tests positive for COVID-19 (PCR/lab or home test). Advice nurses screen callers and schedule free telehealth appointments and prescriptions for treatment, if medically appropriate.
Most people 12 and older can get a prescription for antiviral medication, reducing the risk of serious illness or death. The medication works best within 48 hours of a positive test result.
Call 1-877-661-6230 if you test positive to make an appointment for a free same-day consultation.
CCH on Monday also issued a health advisory to medical providers, urging them to ensure all COVID-positive residents have timely access to the appropriate medicine.
Throughout this month, CCH will roll out additional efforts to reduce preventable COVID-19 deaths, aiming to reduce spread, save lives through early testing and treatment, and address social inequities putting many at higher risk of dying from COVID-19.
“There are stark differences in COVID mortality rates between our wealthiest, healthiest neighborhoods and those with significant challenges to community health,” said Gilbert Salinas, CCH Chief Equity Officer. “Path to Zero helps us to sharpen our focus on our most vulnerable communities.”
The Path to Zero campaign is informed by a mortality review team of medical experts, analyzing Contra Costa’s COVID-19 deaths to prevent more deaths and better understand possible missed opportunities to access care and treatment. Mortality review is a medical best practice used to fight many other diseases, including tuberculosis and HIV.
“We already know many of the steps we need to reduce preventable deaths in our county,” said Dr. Ori Tzvieli, Contra Costa’s health officer. “This approach allows us to fine-tune our efforts to ensure we provide maximum benefit where it is needed the most.”
The mortality review process will help CCH develop an evidence-based description of what a “preventable” COVID-19 death looks like – typically one in which the patient didn’t have access or didn’t use some of the means available to reduce risk of serious illness or death as the result of their infection.
New cure for Covid discovered: Turn off your TV
Spot on.
So true!
+100
“Path to Zero” is CCH’s bid to remain relevant. The rest of us have moved on.
“ The time has come for us to think differently about this virus”
I think the time has come for Roth to lip sync for her life and then “sashay away”
Ann and Ori need to lay off the crazy pills. Also, stop giving them the “Dr.” moniker…Dr’s took the Hippocratic oath – those two follow the hypocritical oath.
Anecdotal evidence time: When we had the surge in November 2021-Jan 2022 I spoke with 14 different individuals who were initially denied any actual treatment for COVID. 4 were cited as having symptoms that were too mild and to come back if it worsened. Of those 4, one got hit hard. The remaining 10, 1 straight up lied about being considered a “high risk” class and magically received treatment – monoclonal antibody treatment. 3 folks were able to get ivermectin and/or Hydrochloriquine (spelling, sorry) from outside sources and recovered fast (with mild symptoms). 2 received Remdesivir and had fairly adverse reactions – we can’t prove if Covid or the drug…but I found that interesting.
Overall – the county sucks at handling this problem and what I heard above was giving them more power. I am disgusted with how they hamstrung doctors from giving treatment to patients already infected, how the jab was touted as gods gift…only to find out its benefits are minimal, the side effects potentially severe, and unlike inflation the jab’s effects are transitory. [See what I did there? 🙂 ]
get out of the way and stop meddling you pompous, arrogant bureaucrats.
Mortality Review Team. Sounds like a scam.
just get sick and eat some soup and then get over it a few days later.
three years of hysteria is dubious
We need a path to zero buffoons who want to hang on to their power trip in county government.
Gotta spend those Biden Covid bucks to qualify for more coming ….
There are PLENTY of other things that people should not die from…….yet they still do, and NOTHING but Crickets from You!!!
Good point…drug use, smoking, mental health issues, cancer…
Covid is WAY down on the list of things that cause illness and death.
The Contra Costa Health Department is useless and worthless.
Ivermectin would cure the cold.
This is what happens when people get used to “under the table” money.
The rhetoric continues even tho’ it’s meritless.
So what changed?
This has been a HOAX from the very beginning. The faked everything with regular sick and dying people.
Not being allowed to murder innocent babies is the new NPC hysteria. They don’t want to defend grooming kids and the ghost of ukraine turned out to be propaganda. How many more trillions are they getting today?
Hi Anna, we see you. Even behind your mask
You will never have zero cases it’s a virus…with a 98% survival rate
Bridge to nowhere. Path to Zero. Road to hell gettimg repaved.
Anne Roth is stating that ‘no one should die from COVID’ … can she tell us how many have actually died FROM covid …