Neighborhood wastewater monitoring in Davis will end on September 30, 2022 however Citywide wastewater monitoring continues through 2023. What this means is that specific neighborhood sampling will end while overall City sampling continues. 

Currently, the lab measures the level of SARS-CoV-2 in the wastewater samples to help identify new potential outbreak locations. This type of sampling does not isolate individual households. The results from wastewater monitoring are important because it provides information on whether COVID-19 infections are falling, rising, or remaining the same. Since wastewater can show COVID-19 infections before some people show symptoms, wastewater monitoring can be an early warning sign of rising infection rates. In 2023, the City's wastewater will monitor COVID-19, Monkeypox, and influenza, whereas before it was only monitoring for COVID-19. 

• For the City-level data on wastewater monitoring, click here.
• To learn more about wastewater testing; click here.

The test kit vending machine has been moved and is now at the Yolo County HHSA Service Center branch in Davis, located at 600 A Street.

• Tests in the vending machine are FREE
• Residents should take only what they need
• The vending machine will be refilled regularly by County staff.
• Test kit vending machines are also available in West Sacramento, Esparto, Winters and Woodland.

There are many options for free and low-cost COVID-19 testing in our community and county.

• COVID-19 testing will still be done by healthcare providers and local retail pharmacies like CVS, RiteAid, Walgreens, or Walmart, which also offer over-the-counter, at-home test kits.

A list of testing resources will be posted on the Yolo County website for easy community access. Here is more information: 

• For Yolo County testing resources: You can call (833) YOLOCOV (965-6268) or visit the COVID-19 resources page of the Yolo County website for additional testing information across the county: https://www.yolocounty.org/covid
• In California, health insurance plans will reimburse you for over-the-counter testing kits you purchase at local retailers. If you are on Medicare or Medicaid, you can get COVID-19 test kits for free.
• In addition, all US households are eligible to order free COVID-19 at-home tests through the US Postal Service. You can request at-home kits at www.COVID.gov/tests. It’s easy to place an order, and it’s completely free. The at-home test kits usually arrive in the mail in 7–10 days.
• Check with your healthcare provider.

Yolo County provides an array of information on vaccination, testing, symptoms and more at Yolo County COVID-19.

In accordance with Senate Bill 115, applications are no longer open for the CA COVID-19 Rent Relief Program. State law extends eviction protections until June 30,2022 for qualifying applications received by March 31. But eviction protections do not extend for non-payment of rent after March 31.

For the California Rent Relief website, visit: https://housing.ca.gov/.

For a handout: English | Español

The CDC provides the following information regarding COVID-19 and pets

Coronaviruses are a large family of viruses. Some coronaviruses cause cold-like illnesses in people, while others cause illness in certain types of animals, such as cattle, camels, and bats. Some coronaviruses, such as canine and feline coronaviruses, infect only animals and do not infect people. Some coronaviruses that infect animals can be spread to people and then spread between people, but this is rare.

The risk of animals spreading SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, to people is low. The virus can spread from people to animals during close contact. More studies and surveillance are needed to understand how SARS-CoV-2 is spread between people and animals. People with suspected or confirmed COVID-19 should avoid contact with animals, including pets, livestock, and wildlife. For more information, visit: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/daily-life-coping/animals.html.

As we look back to when Healthy Davis Together launched in September 2020, there were so many unknowns about COVID-19. Testing was hard to find, COVID-19 vaccines and boosters were not yet available, treatments for those infected were limited and wastewater monitoring for the virus was just beginning. As Healthy Davis Together testing comes to a close on June 30, 2022, we’re at a different point in the pandemic.

COVID-19 will be in our lives for the foreseeable future, including new variants, but we now have the accumulated knowledge and many more tools to protect ourselves and our community. The City and UC Davis rallied together through Healthy Davis Together and we did what we set out to do – to reduce the spread of COVID-19 in Davis and contribute to a safe, gradual return to city and campus life. We are so proud to be part of such a remarkable and resilient community. 

HDT came at an important time when there weren’t a lot of other testing options and when our community was in need. Now, there are many ways to get tested, such as at pharmacies, the County, and even at home with rapid testing that doesn't require an appointment. HDT was the tool we needed at the time of most necessity.

The City is very thankful to all the partners, businesses, schools, colleges, community members and organizations that pulled together during the pandemic to help protect their community, families and friends. We are so proud to be part of such a remarkable and resilient community.

For information about Healthy Davis Together, visit: https://healthydavistogether.org/.

For over two years, Healthy Davis Together partnered with UC Davis and the City of Davis to prevent the spread of COVID-19 in our community. “Davis vs. COVID-19” is a docuseries exploring how Healthy Davis Together offered a comprehensive approach to protect an entire community during the pandemic. Click below for the various videos. 

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Chapter 1: Applying the Science Chapter one of “Davis vs. COVID-19” explores the development of Healthy Davis Together’s COVID-19 testing and wastewater monitoring programs.	Chapter 2: Taking Care of Local Businesses Chapter two of “Davis vs. COVID-19” describes the impact and outcomes of Healthy Davis Together’s Business Partner Program.	Chapter 3: Getting Back to School Safely Chapter three of “Davis vs. COVID-19” recounts how Healthy Davis Together’s collaboration with school districts helped schools reopen safely.
Chapter 4: Adopting New Public Health Behaviors Chapter four of “Davis vs. COVID-19” traces the impact of UC Davis’s Aggie Public Health Ambassadors, mass communications, and engaging community leaders to encourage residents to adopt public health guidelines.	Chapter 5: Reaching the Entire Community Chapter five of “Davis vs. COVID-19” reflects on the COVID-19 testing and vaccination strategies Healthy Davis Together used to engage hard-to-reach communities where they are.	Chapter 6: Town & Gown Chapter six of “Davis vs. COVID-19” explores the partnerships and collaborations that made Healthy Davis Together successful.

COVID-19 will be in our lives for the foreseeable future, including new variants, but we now have the accumulated knowledge and many more tools to protect ourselves and our community. For example, getting vaccinated and boosted, testing if you have symptoms or have been exposed to someone who has COVID-19, following public health guidance on isolation and quarantine, and listening to public health expert recommendations. These tools will remain important actions everyone can do to help reduce the spread of COVID-19 and its variants during a surge.

Healthy Davis Together’s wastewater monitoring program will also continue into 2023. Wastewater monitoring for SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, has become an important public health tool to track virus trends in community wastewater. Monitoring wastewater can act as a public health radar, warning officials and the public of a coming wave of infections or reassuring them that the spread is subsiding.

With the support or our partners, organizations and the community, Healthy Davis Together has achieved so much – with more results to come when the evaluation of the program is completed this month. Examples of what we have achieved together include:

• Conducting more than 800,000 COVID-19 community tests across 120 locations 
• Administering 16,000 COVID-19 vaccines to 8,700 individuals with 38% of doses being provided to self-identified Hispanic/Latinx residents
• Collecting over 10,000 air filter and wastewater samples
• Supporting more than 50 K–12 schools with testing and education materials
• Providing free testing, grants, and other resources to keep over 400 local businesses open
• Forging strong, lasting bonds within our community

In July 2022, an analysis was given by Mathmatica of HDT's effectiveness in improving the health and economy of the Davis community and underscoring the value of a precision public health strategy.

According to Mathmatica, in the first 16 months, the HDT program helped to:

    -  Reduce COVID-19 case counts by 60%
    -  Prevent 4,144 cases of COVID-19
    -  Avoid 275 COVID-19 related
       hospitalizations
    -  Avert 35 COVID-19 related deaths

Read the full evaluation here.

We are fortunate that there are many options for free and low-cost COVID-19 tests in our community and county.

COVID-19 testing will still be provided by:

• Healthcare providers;
• Local retail pharmacies like CVS and Rite Aid, which also offer over-the-counter, at-home test kits;
• OptumServe in Woodland, which offers antigen and PCR COVID-19 tests as well as treatment options for those who test positive and may be at higher risk of serious infection;
• Some libraries may have free, at-home tests, depending on supplies, for community members. Please check with your local library; and
• The federal government, if you haven't already ordered your free COVID-19 at-home tests through the US Postal Service. You can request at-home kits at www.COVID.gov/tests.

For Yolo County testing resources:

• You can call (833) YOLOCOV (965-6268) or visit the COVID-19 resources page of the Yolo County website for additional testing information across the county: https://www.yolocounty.org/covid
• In California, health insurance plans will reimburse you for over-the-counter test kits you purchase at local retailers. If you are on Medicare or Medicaid, you can get COVID-19 test kits for free.

If you are worried about the expiration date of certain over-the-counter test kits, please read this letter from the California Department of Public Health.

Yes. If you have received a COVID-19 test from HDT, you can continue to access your lab results through the Healthy Davis Together website until September 28, 2022. After September 28, you will need to send a request to testingservice@healthydavistogether.org. Please note that it may take up to a week to get your test records after September 28, 2022. We encourage you to download your testing records before the end of September. All HDT test data and records will continue to be stored safely and securely.

If you are unable to locate your record using the site, you can submit a request to testingservice@healthydavistogether.org. Please note that it may take up to 10 days for vaccine record retrieval.