Alameda County Health Doctor Dr. Erica Pan, a key figure in the county’s response to the coronavirus pandemic, is leaving that position for a position with the state health department.
Pan has been named a California state epidemiologist and deputy director of the California Department of Public Health’s Center for Infectious Diseases, according to a statement from Governor Gavin Newsom’s office on Monday.
Dr. Nicholas Moss, who has served as Alameda County Deputy Director of Health since earlier this year, will intervene as interim health officer beginning Tuesday, the county said in a statement.
Pan joined the Alameda County Health Department in 2011 from the San Francisco Department of Public Health, where she served as director of public health emergency preparedness and the Bioterrorism and Infectious Diseases Emergency Unit.
She was named Interim Alameda County Health Officer in July 2018. Amid the coronavirus outbreak, Pan was the author of county-wide refuge orders, and Alameda has been one of the most deliberate counties in the state for reopening.
“I deeply appreciate Dr. Pan’s leadership over the years and I am especially grateful for the courage and determination he has shown during this pandemic,” said Colleen Chawla, director of the Alameda County Health Services Agency, it’s a statement. “I am confident that it will continue to advance California’s pandemic response.”
In an interview Monday night, Pan said he will remain in the Bay Area since the Communicable Disease Control Division at CDPH is based in Richmond.
“I am looking forward to bringing my local experience, perspective and skills to serve across the state,” said Pan.
Alameda County announced Monday that it would pause its reopening plans due to recent increases in coronavirus cases and hospitalizations. Health officials said they would withdraw a request from county supervisors Tuesday to support the search for state variations. Alameda County has seen its case rate increase from 63.2 to 71.1 per 100,000 people in the past seven days, while hospitalizations have increased daily since June 22, authorities said, reaching 102 through Sunday.
Chronicle staff writer Carolyn Said contributed to this report.
Matt Kawahara is a staff writer for the San Francisco Chronicle. Email: [email protected] Twitter: @matthewkawahara
