Dear Constituent,

Reminder my virtual town hall, "COVID: What Now?", is tomorrow, Tuesday, Nov. 1, from 5:30-6:30 p.m. with these public health experts:

• Dr. Erica Pan, state epidemiologist, California Department of Public Health
• Dr. Robert Wachter, chair, UC San Francisco Department of Medicine

You can watch the virtual town hall on my Senate website. If you would like to submit a question in advance to our panelists, you can do so here. The deadline to submit questions is 5 p.m. today, Oct. 31.

With the flu season starting and the holidays approaching, it's a good time to get expert information about the new COVID subvariants and the steps you can take to avoid serious illness during this new pandemic reality. During the town hall, our experts will address such questions as:

• Is it safe to enjoy eating indoors at restaurants?
• Should I still wear a mask on public transit or while shopping?
• What about masks in large, indoor gatherings?
• How can I avoid long COVID?

We'll also discuss some new trends, including the effectiveness of current treatments and the effectiveness of the new COVID bivalent booster shots. And we'll ask our panel questions you submit, which you can do so here, no later than 5 p.m. today, Monday, Oct. 31.

Finally, we'll address some of the changes to expect in January and early next year, such as:

• Ending free distribution of tests, vaccines, and treatments
• Expiration of the state's COVID sick leave program
• Gov. Gavin Newsom's plan to end California's COVID-19 State of Emergency on Feb. 28, 2023

I look forward to you joining our "COVID: What Now?" virtual town hall by logging onto my Senate website tomorrow, Tuesday, Nov. 1, 5:30-6:30 p.m.

Sincerely,

Nancy Skinner
State Senator, District