COVID-19: Purple Tier Status for County of Alameda

November 17, 2020

Dear Berkeley City College Community,

I hope that you are all well and staying safe during this recent COVID-19 surge of cases. The California Department of Public Health reports that there are 1,029,235 COVID-19 cases with 18,263 fatalities as of November 16, 2020. Despite the behaviors of many to shelter in place, to wear face coverings, to wash hands for at least 20 seconds, and to limit gatherings that increase exposure, the County of Alameda has moved back into the Purple Tier Status, per the California Department of Public Health, effective November 18, 2020. The rapid and widespread increases in COVID-19 cases have led to this action and additional information can be found in the November 16, 2020 County of Alameda Press Release re: Purple Tier Status.

“We need Alameda County residents and businesses to, once again, rise to the challenge and help flatten the curve,” said Dr. Nicholas Moss, Alameda County Health Officer. “Stay home for the holidays, wear face masks, maintain at least 6 feet of distance, wash your hands frequently, and get your flu shot. Now more than ever, we must protect ourselves, our loved ones, and our neighbors with these simple strategies. We all must recommit ourselves to the safety measures that helped us lower case rates in September and October.”

Please visit the County of Alameda Emergency Alerts site for recent updates and sign up to receive alerts.

Travel on November 13, 2020. Please note that this advisory includes details regarding practicing self-quarantine for 14-days when traveling to and from the state.

The Berkeley City College campus will continue to be open for faculty, staff, and administrators who need to perform essential functions on Tuesdays and Thursdays, between 10:00 am – 2:00pm. Please continue to submit your Building Access Form to gain approval and access to campus offices and classrooms. Thank you for continuing to practice health and safety protocols while on campus, such as wearing a face covering, washing your hands, and maintaining 6 feet of social distancing. The form provides a record of all personnel who enter the building and serves as record keeping, should there be a case of exposure.

I can appreciate how hard it is to remain vigilant to the guidelines set by the state to shelter in place. You may be longing for the day when you hug a loved one again and I hope we will all be able to join in community with our loved ones sooner rather than later.

You have my sincerest gratitude for all that you do to support students and one another. I wish you and your loved ones health and safety during these continued challenging times.

In Community,

Angélica

Dr. Angélica Garcia (she| her| ella)
President
Berkeley City College

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