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Commentary: Become Aware, Get Tested During Hepatitis C Awareness Week

Published

10 years ago

February 25, 2014

By Armond S. Robinson

At its meeting on Feb.18, the Oakland City Council passed a resolution declaring March 8-15 Hepatitis C Awareness Week, calling on residents to learn about the risk factors for this preventable disease and to participate in Citywide education events.

This week of awareness is a part of a larger “Hep C Free Oakland” campaign initiated by the OASIS Clinic, an Oakland clinic dedicated to reducing the scope and consequences of hepatitis C in our communities.

In the U.S., nearly 5 million people have been exposed to Hepatitis C but the majority are unaware of their infection. Here in Oakland, a disproportionate number are people of color. I am one of those people.

At 62, knowing that Black men are at higher risk for colon cancer, I made an appointment with a primary care physician to get an overdue colonoscopy referral. My doctor also ordered several blood tests, one of which, fortunately, was for hepatitis C.

I had no symptoms of infection; she simply followed recommendations that all baby boomers should be tested.

Hepatitis C is called the silent killer for a good reason: had I not gotten that screening test, I would be walking around today, completely ignorant of my infection. The symptoms of Hep C are usually vague, such as fatigue, fever, joint and muscle aches, but even with minimal symptoms Hep C can lead to severe liver problems such as cirrhosis or even worse, cancer.

After learning my status, I sought treatment, and multiple follow up tests have shown that my virus is gone: I am cured. It is remarkable how few people know that the majority of people who get treated for Hep C can be cured.

In the past, Hep C treatment was difficult, but newer treatments are shorter and the drugs have fewer side effects. Hep C medications are improving rapidly, and cure rates are getting higher. There is hope, and it abounds.

But you probably won’t know you have it unless you are tested. And you should get tested if you could ever have come in intimate contact with someone else’s blood, or if you were born between the years of 1945 and 1965. Nowadays, the test just takes a fingerstick and 20 minutes. That’s not asking much, for an investment that could save your life.

Hep C Awareness Week will take place in Oakland on March 8- 15. There will be literature, education and testing at clinics and medical facilities throughout the city.

The OASIS Clinic, located at 520 27^th St., Oakland, will offer free rapid testing from 9 a.m. – 5 p.m., Monday through Friday of Awareness Week; you can find out your status right then and there and get all the information you need.

The week will culminate with a march around Lake Merritt beginning at 11 a.m. on Saturday, March 15, starting from Snow Park at 19^th and Harrison. Testing will also be available there. So, be safe and get tested.

Come out, join the walk, and help yourself and others get and stay healthy.

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Related Topics:Hep C Oakland City Clinic OASIS Clinic

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Oakland Post: Week of April 24 – 30, 2024

The printed Weekly Edition of the Oakland Post: Week of April 24 – 30, 2024

Published

3 days ago

April 26, 2024

Oakland Post

To enlarge your view of this issue, use the slider, magnifying glass icon or full page icon in the lower right corner of the browser window.

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Alameda County

DA Pamela Price Stands by Mom Who Lost Son to Gun Violence in Oakland

Last week, The Post published a photo showing Alameda County District Attorney Pamela Price with Carol Jones, whose son, Patrick DeMarco Scott, was gunned down by an unknown assailant in 2018.

Published

7 days ago

April 22, 2024

Oakland Post

District Attorney Pamela Price with Carol Jones

Publisher’s note: Last week, The Post published a photo showing Alameda County District Attorney Pamela Price with Carol Jones, whose son, Patrick DeMarco Scott, was gunned down by an unknown assailant in 2018. The photo was too small for readers to see where the women were and what they were doing. Here we show Price and Jones as they complete a walk in memory of Scott. For more information and to contribute, please contact Carol Jones at 510-978-5517 at morefoundation.help@gmail.com. Courtesy photo.

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City Government

Vallejo Welcomes Interim City Manager Beverli Marshall

At Tuesday night’s Council meeting, the Vallejo City Council appointed Beverli Marshall as the interim city manager. Her tenure in the City Manager’s Office began today, Wednesday, April 10. Mayor Robert McConnell praised Marshall’s extensive background, noting her “wide breadth of experience in many areas that will assist the City and its citizens in understanding the complexity of the many issues that must be solved” in Vallejo.

Published

7 days ago

April 22, 2024

Oakland Post

Beverli Marshall began her first day with the City on April 10. ICMA image.

Special to The Post

At Tuesday night’s Council meeting, the Vallejo City Council appointed Beverli Marshall as the interim city manager. Her tenure in the City Manager’s Office began today, Wednesday, April 10.

Mayor Robert McConnell praised Marshall’s extensive background, noting her “wide breadth of experience in many areas that will assist the City and its citizens in understanding the complexity of the many issues that must be solved” in Vallejo.

Current City Manager Michael Malone, whose official departure is slated for April 18, expressed his well wishes. “I wish the City of Vallejo and Interim City Manager Marshall all the best in moving forward on the progress we’ve made to improve service to residents.” Malone expressed his hope that the staff and Council will work closely with ICM Marshall to “ensure success and prosperity for the City.”

According to the Vallejo Sun, Malone stepped into the role of interim city manager in 2021 and became permanent in 2022. Previously, Malone served as the city’s water director and decided to retire from city service e at the end of his contract which is April 18.

“I hope the excellent work of City staff will continue for years to come in Vallejo,” he said. “However, recent developments have led me to this decision to announce my retirement.”

When Malone was appointed, Vallejo was awash in scandals involving the housing division and the police department. A third of the city’s jobs went unfilled during most of his tenure, making for a rocky road for getting things done, the Vallejo Sun reported.

At last night’s council meeting, McConnell explained the selection process, highlighting the council’s confidence in achieving positive outcomes through a collaborative effort, and said this afternoon, “The Council is confident that by working closely together, positive results will be obtained.”

While the search for a permanent city manager is ongoing, an announcement is expected in the coming months.

On behalf of the City Council, Mayor McConnell extended gratitude to the staff, citizen groups, and recruitment firm.

“The Council wishes to thank the staff, the citizens’ group, and the recruitment firm for their diligent work and careful consideration for the selection of what is possibly the most important decision a Council can make on behalf of the betterment of our City,” McConnell said.

The Vallejo Sun contributed to this report.