Latest From California Healthline:
California Healthline Original Stories
Can the US Keep Covid Variants in Check? Here’s What It Takes
The U.S. has fumbled almost every step of its public health response in its battle against covid-19. Experts say that must change if we’re going to outflank the variants emerging as the virus continues to mutate. (Anna Maria Barry-Jester, )
New Covid Cases Plunge 25% or More as Behavior Changes
End of holiday gatherings or fear of the virus may be at play – or hope for the vaccine (Christina Jewett, )
Blue Shield Will Run California’s New Vaccination Process: State health officials announced Wednesday that Blue Shield will be put in charge of the new vaccine distribution network meant to streamline what has been a chaotic rollout. The transition in oversight will take several weeks. Read more from the San Diego Union-Tribune and Los Angeles Times.
71% of Californians Want The Vaccine, But Will It Be Enough? About 71% of state residents contacted by the California Health Care Foundation said they would “definitely” or “probably” get vaccinated, but 16% said they would “definitely not.” According to infectious-disease expert Dr. Anthony Fauci, the U.S. will not effectively suppress the pandemic until 75% to 85% of the population gets fully vaccinated. Read more from the San Francisco Chronicle.
Below, check out the roundup of California Healthline’s coverage. For today's national health news, read KHN's Morning Briefing.
More News From Across The State
NPR:
How California Is Trying To Fix Vaccine Distribution
California, the deadly epicenter of the nation's winter coronavirus surge, has consistently ranked in the very bottom tier of states in vaccinations administered per capita. State officials say missing vaccination data and collection snafus are partly to blame. But in the face of ongoing criticism that high-tech California can't seem to efficiently administer the vaccine at scale, state leaders have announced a major do-over. The in-progress revamp includes the launch of a statewide vaccine portal next month and bringing in an as-yet unnamed third-party administrator to help fix a jumbled system that basically has each of the state's 58 counties running its own vaccine program. State public health leaders say the moves, which follow the lifting of regional stay-at-home orders, will centralize delivery and streamline appointments while bolstering data collection, equity and accountability. (Westervelt, 1/27)
LA Daily News:
LA City Council Focuses On Equitable Distribution Of Coronavirus Vaccines
Several Los Angeles City Council members on Wednesday, Jan. 27, grilled county health and fire department officials about their efforts to roll out vaccines in communities that have been the most vulnerable to COVID-19, such as Boyle Heights, Pacoima, MacArthur Park and South Los Angeles. Those areas have among the highest COVID-19 death and case rates, but recent statistics from the county have shown that vaccination rates have been higher in more affluent areas, such as the west San Fernando Valley, the South Bay and some areas in the San Gabriel Valley. (Chou, 1/27)
Los Angeles Times:
How You'll Get Your COVID-19 Vaccine Doses In L.A. County
The city and county of Los Angeles have released confusing and at times conflicting information about how people will sign up to get the COVID-19 vaccine and make an appointment to get their second dose. A key thing to understand is that the system that’s in place now puts much of the onus on the patient. This is the most up-to-date and complete information we have right now, but it may change. We will do our best to keep this article updated with the most recent guidance. If you work at a pharmacy or hospital, reach out to your employer to find out more information about the process. (Roy, 1/27)
LA Daily News:
Seniors Get Shots And Smiles At Granada Hills During ‘Bye Bye COVID-19’ Vaccination Party
They got their shots — and they laughed a lot. Residents at Aegis Living of Granada Hills had some fun on Wednesday, Jan. 27 during a “Bye Bye COVID-19” vaccination party. Members of the assisted residence received tee shirts, munched on cookies decorated with masks and had their photo taken at a balloon decorated photo booth created by Ja’net Wyatt, owner of Pop Balloons. They even handed out their own customized commemorative stickers. (1/27)
Los Angeles Times:
L.A. COVID Vaccine Rollout Puts Seniors At A Disadvantage
On a chilly January afternoon, 86-year-old Selda Hollander sat on the grass next to a baseball field in Encino. Though eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine, Hollander hadn’t been able to navigate the appointment system online or over the phone. She had heard about the unofficial standby line at the Balboa Sports Complex and decided to try her luck. “I can’t figure out if it’s worth it,” she said, shivering slightly as she hugged her knees against the cold. “I’m waiting for the vaccine, but I can get sick because of the weather.” Hollander is one of countless seniors who are struggling to navigate the region’s rocky rollout of the COVID-19 vaccine. Those over 65 have discovered that being eligible for the vaccine is one thing; actually receiving it is another. (Smith, 1/28)
Bay Area News Group:
Public Defenders Want To Be In Inmate COVID-19 Vaccine Tier
Citing how they have to be in the same environments as their incarcerated clients, a group of over 100 Santa Clara County public defenders are asking county officials to put them in the same tier as jail inmates for COVID-19 vaccine distribution. Several such attorneys made the plea in public comment at a Board of Supervisors meeting on Tuesday, and scores of their colleagues in the public defender and alternate defender offices signed onto a related letter submitted to county leaders. The attorneys spoke of how they have to forego safety to represent their clients in cramped courtrooms, and how they serve jailed defendants being held in facilities that have seen multiple large outbreaks since the start of the year. (Salonga, 1/27)
Orange County Register:
Orange County Working Out Bugs With Vaccine App, Officials Say
A day after taking criticism from county supervisors on the functioning of their COVID-19 vaccine scheduling platform, Orange County health officials said they continue to work with its creator to make it work better. It is still unclear how OC’s vaccine app, Othena, may integrate with a similar platform the state announced this week called MyTurn. As of Sunday – the most recent data from the OC Health Care Agency – more than 148,000 people had gotten at least their first shot (both vaccines authorized in the U.S. need two doses for maximum effectiveness); that total includes people inoculated by health providers as well as via the county’s two super sites and its smaller clinics. (Robinson, 1/27)
Modesto Bee:
Storm Doesn’t Stop COVID Vaccinations In Stanislaus County
Stanislaus County’s fourth coronavirus vaccine clinic will open Friday in Patterson, bringing the two-step vaccine to the western portion of the county. The county worked with the city of Patterson, Patterson Unified School District and the Del Puerto Health Care District to establish the clinic at Creekside Middle School. Starting at 9 a.m., the clinic will administer 500 doses Friday to eligible county residents in the Phase 1A priority group and seniors age 65 and older. No appointments are required. Bring proof of residency or employment within Stanislaus County. (Carlson, 1/27)
Los Angeles Times:
L.A. Mayor Garcetti Receives His First Dose Of The COVID Vaccine, Aide Says
Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti is certainly younger than 65. And he isn’t a healthcare worker. But the mayor is on the front lines of the pandemic response, according to aides. So Garcetti, who turns 50 next week, received a COVID-19 vaccination last Thursday. (Smith, 1/27)
Bay Area News Group:
California Had 40,000+ Excess Deaths In 2020
Newly published mortality data from the California Department of Public Health suggests that over 40,000 more people died in California last year than would have been expected before the coronavirus infected millions of people around the state. The dramatic 15% increase in deaths over the average of the previous three years is significantly more than the nearly 26,000 deaths that state health officials attributed to COVID-19 as of the end of the year. It suggests at least two phenomena at work, experts say: COVID has killed more people than is reflected in official tallies, and the pandemic has had ripple effects that increased deaths from other causes, as people suffer without treatment because of fears of exposure. (Blair Rowan, 1/27)
San Diego Union-Tribune:
January Now The Deadliest COVID-19 Month In San Diego
A 28-year-old woman and a 29-year-old man, both from central San Diego and with other underlying health conditions, are among the 44 COVID-related deaths announced by the county health department Wednesday. The pair in their 20s illustrate the true cost of so many infections piling up in late December and early January which, according to the county’s official tally, is now the deadliest month of the pandemic. A total of 751 lives have been lost since the first day of 2021, 83 more than in December and nearly four times as many as were recorded during the summer surge in July. (Sisson, 1/27)
Los Angeles Times:
Cal/OSHA Emergency COVID Rule Hasn't Done Much, Workers Say
As California became the national epicenter of the COVID-19 pandemic in the final weeks of 2020, state officials adopted sweeping emergency measures meant to protect workers. But implementation of the new rule has been a letdown, further casting doubt on Gov. Gavin Newsom’s ability to wrangle a virus that has killed tens of thousands of Californians. Low-wage workers facing recurring outbreaks on the job say little has changed in the two months since the measures took effect. Union leaders fault the painfully slow rollout to long-standing failures at California’s Division of Occupational Safety and Health, or Cal/OSHA, which oversees worker safety. (Jenny Zou, 1/28)
Los Angeles Times:
Amid Crowded Hospitals, L.A. COVID Cases Start To Decline
Just weeks ago, Los Angeles County’s hospitals were overwhelmed and on the brink of a worst-case catastrophic scenario, with plans ready if doctors needed to ration healthcare. But with the region now in its fourth week of declining hospitalizations, it was clear Wednesday that the county was decisively on its way out of its third surge of the pandemic, its deadliest yet. (Lin II and Money, 1/28)
Los Angeles Times:
Coronavirus Cases Among L.A. Firefighters Drop Sharply
The number of Los Angeles firefighters testing positive for the coronavirus has dropped significantly since the city fire agency began offering its members vaccinations, Fire Chief Ralph Terrazas said in a memo to firefighters this week. In the memo dated Tuesday and obtained by The Times, Terrazas said the Los Angeles Fire Department has seen a “sharp decline” in cases since firefighters started getting the shots Dec. 28. A chart included with the memo shows that the LAFD was averaging more than 15 new cases a day before the vaccination program. The number soon plummeted. In the most recent week, the department has averaged fewer than five new cases a day. (Smith and Welsh, 1/27)
Los Angeles Times:
How To Prevent COVID Spread As L.A. Reopens This Week
With coronavirus cases finally on the decline in California, officials are once again allowing parts of the economy to reopen. That includes hard-hit Los Angeles County, where officials have relaxed a slew of local restrictions in light of the state rescinding a regional stay-at-home order covering Southern California. (Lin II and Money, 1 27)
Orange County Register:
Disneyland Recalls Workers To Prepare For Reopening Buena Vista Street Restaurants
Disneyland has begun recalling employees as Disney California Adventure and Downtown Disney prepare to reopen restaurants that were shuttered by the state’s recently-lifted stay at home order. More than 230 Disneyland food and beverage workers are being recalled as part of the reopening of Buena Vista Street restaurants and food carts, according to the Workers United 50 union. (MacDonald, 1/27)
The Bakersfield Californian:
COVID-19 Has Now Infected 1 In 10 Kern Residents; Local Experts Unsure If Peak Has Occurred
Closing in on 11 months since the pandemic started, Kern County has now seen 92,000 cases of COVID-19, which means 1 in 10 county residents have tested positive for the virus. That puts Kern among the most impacted counties in the state in terms of the percentage of people infected with the virus, just behind San Bernardino, Los Angeles and Riverside counties. (Shepard, 1/27)
LA Daily News:
Chinatown Service Center Starts Mobile COVID Testing Service
The Chinatown Service Center is launching a mobile COVID-19 testing unit to serve communities in the West San Gabriel Valley and the Chinatown area near downtown Los Angeles on Wednesday, Jan. 27. The mobile unit will travel to senior facilities, schools and offices and focus on Chinese-American and Latino communities that are disproportionately impacted by those who are becoming infected with coronavirus. (Haddock, 1/26)
San Francisco Chronicle:
Oakland International Is First Airport In U.S. To Sell COVID Testing Kits Via Vending Machines
Oakland International this week became the first airport in the U.S. to sell COVID-19 test kits in vending machines, according to airport officials. The COVID-19 test kits are located at both airport terminals in contactless kioks. The at-home kits require individuals to submit a saliva sample via FedEx. Individuals will receive results on a mobile phone app, airport officials said. “As one of the first airports to offer on-site rapid COVID testing, we are now providing even more testing options for travelers,” Bryant L. Francis, Port of Oakland aviation director, said in a statement. (Flores, 1/27)
Orange County Register:
COVID-19 ‘Fatigue’ Is A Real Thing — And Not A Good One, Say USC Researchers
COVID-19 “fatigue” is having a negative effect on some protective measures that people are taking to guard against the coronavirus — although mask-wearing is up, according to a new USC survey. Protective measures such as avoiding close contact with non-household members and staying home are waning as the pandemic drags on, the study reported. (1/27)
Bay Area News Group:
Photos: Hayward City Hall Glows With Gold Light To Remember Local COVID-19 Victims
Hayward City Hall glowed in gold as lights were lit Monday evening to remember the city’s 149 COVID-19 victims. The city honored the the lives lost to COVID-19 in Hayward during the first year of the pandemic with a memorial display of 149 American flags which wrapped the rotunda, and the message “We Remember” being projected on the building for 149 hours. (Tyska, 1/27)
Bay Area News Group:
Good Samaritan Hospital Says Disciplinary Action Not Taken In Vaccine Scandal, Contradicting Hospital Spokeswoman
A day after a spokeswoman for Good Samaritan Hospital said an executive there had been disciplined in the fallout of a coronavirus vaccine scandal with a Los Gatos school district, the corporate parent company that owns the San Jose hospital said no disciplinary action had been taken. In the subject line of an email sent Wednesday afternoon, Antonio Castelan, a member of HCA Healthcare’s public relations and crisis communications team, said the company wished to correct a “misstatement” concerning Good Samaritan. (Deruy, 1/27)
LA Daily News:
Keck Hospital Of USC Nurses Demand Improved Safety Measures Amid Coronavirus Pandemic
A group of nurses delivered a letter to USC president Carol L. Folt on Wednesday, Jan. 27, asking the Keck Hospital of USC administration to host a virtual Town Hall to address safety concerns and answer questions about how the hospital is handling the pandemic. The USC rally was part of a nationwide action held by National Nurses United on Wednesday in 19 states, urging hospitals and government officials to protect healthcare workers amid the coronavirus pandemic. The demonstrations, urging that hospital employers “put patients first,” were also staged in Marina Del Rey, Inglewood and Alhambra. (Grigoryants, 1/27)
Sacramento Bee:
Sutter Health Confirms 200 Jobs Cut, Says More Could Come
Sacramento-based Sutter Health is eliminating roughly 200 positions from its non-clinical workforce, but signaled that these may not be the only layoffs in 2021 as it undertakes a restructuring process. “Our work will continue into 2021 as we look at ways to eliminate variation, align resources and become much more efficient with our indirect costs so we can best serve our patients and communities,” company leaders said in a statement sent to The Sacramento Bee. “This includes department restructures, as well as closing some programs or reducing certain services, particularly where patient demand has been declining.” Sutter spokesperson Amy Thoma Tan said that, while the company has identified 200 positions it will eliminate, fewer people may actually lose jobs since some of them will be redeployed to fill positions in departments that have higher demand. (Anderson, 1/28)
The Bakersfield Californian:
Pesticide Report Renews Debate On Health Risks
A new report showing greater use of pesticides in Kern and other Central Valley counties has rekindled a discussion about whether enough is being done to protect local communities from health risks presented by certain agricultural practices. The state released numbers late last month indicating the total volume of pesticides applied statewide rose 1.3 percent between 2017 and 2018 to reach 209 million pounds, the second-highest total in at least 20 years. More recent figures have not been released. (Cox, 1/27)
Capital Public Radio/KXJZ:
Unhoused Residents Died As A Storm Ravaged Sacramento And Officials Debated Homelessness Solutions
At least two unhoused people died in the storm, including a woman sleeping in a tent downtown. Their deaths came as winds approaching 70 miles per hour lashed out across the region, and as local officials debated whether to open warming centers and safe places for people to seek shelter indoors. Sacramento City Council on Wednesday declared a local health emergency in order to reopen the downtown library as a warming center to get people off of the streets. This is just the third time in several years that the library opened. The last time was just weeks ago, in December, after Greg Tarola, a 63-year-old homeless man, was found dead downtown, wrapped in wet blankets from overnight rain. (Hooks, 1/27)
Sacramento Bee:
Sacramento Opens Winter Shelter For Homeless Amid Storm
The Sacramento City Council decided to open a warming center to shelter the homeless on Wednesday night after a vicious storm destroyed homeless camps and injured some unhoused residents the night before. Sacramento Mayor Darrell Steinberg said he hopes the city will keep the homeless warming center open every night through the end of the winter. Steinberg made the request after facing strong backlash for not opening a warming center or any emergency facilities during a severe winter storm Tuesday night. With all shelters in the city typically full, thousands of homeless people had nowhere to go. At least one person died. (Clift, 1/27)