California On Brink Of Stricter Stay-At-Home Orders: Gov. Gavin Newsom on Monday warned that California is teetering toward a wider coronavirus stay-at-home order as public health officials work desperately to shore up an overwhelmed hospital system. Read more from the Los Angeles Times, LA Daily News, Orange County Register, San Francisco Chronicle and Sacramento Bee.
First Shipment Of COVID Vaccines Arriving Soon: California will receive 327,000 doses of the Pfizer/BioNTech coronavirus vaccine in mid-December, Gov. Gavin Newsom said during a news briefing Monday. The doses will all go to health care workers, but it hasn't been determined yet which workers will go first. 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
Southern California News Group:
November Coronavirus Surge A ‘Train Wreck In Slow Motion’
As the coronavirus pandemic took a steep turn for the worse in November, several Southern California counties ended the month with record numbers of cases and hospitalizations, and deaths have begun to increase in some areas as well. The increase in cases was “unlike anything we have seen since July when the mask mandates went into effect,” said Brandon Brown, an epidemiologist at UC Riverside. “Since we are transitioning into the colder months when more people will be congregating inside with people from outside their household due to the weather, we can expect the cases to continue rising.” (Johnson, 11/30)
Sacramento Bee:
Newsom’s CA Health Corps Struggles As COVID-19 Surges Again
In late March, as the state scrambled to prepare for the emerging pandemic, Gov. Gavin Newsom announced the creation of the California Health Corps to recruit and deploy thousands of retired doctors, newly graduated nurses and other medical professionals into COVID-19 hotspots. Roughly 93,000 people signed up in the days after Newsom unveiled the program, signaling that a groundswell of workers was ready to meet the moment for hospitals and nursing homes. “If you have a background in health care, we need your help,” he declared. But now, as the state faces another surge in COVID-19 and some hospitals are sounding the alarm about a dangerous lack of medical staffing, less than 1% of the people who originally signed up for the Health Corps are available to help. (Pohl, 12/1)
Los Angeles Times:
L.A. County At 'Most Difficult Moment In The Pandemic'
Los Angeles County hit two new troubling milestones in the battle with COVID-19 on Monday, surpassing 400,000 cumulative coronavirus cases and breaking a record for COVID-19 hospitalizations. The county surpassed its previous all-time high of 2,232 hospitalizations set on July 18. On Sunday, the county recorded a total of 2,316 people in its hospitals with confirmed coronavirus infections, according to data released Monday. The rate of increasing hospitalizations in L.A. County has been breathtaking: tripling from a total of 777 recorded on Halloween. (Money, Lin II and Menezes, 11/30)
San Francisco Chronicle:
There’s A Curfew Now In S.F., But You May Hardly Notice A Difference
After weeks of rising coronavirus and hospitalization rates, San Francisco on Monday began its mandatory 10 p.m. curfew. But, little change is expected. For the past eight months, since the stay-at-home orders were first imposed, San Francisco at night has been, well, quite dull.Even in the typically bustling North Beach, restaurants were already closing early due to the coronavirus. (Williams, 11/30)
Bay Area News Group:
Welcome To Silicon Valley, Now Stay Home: Holiday Travelers Return To New COVID-19 Quarantine Rules
“Welcome to Silicon Valley” came with an asterisk Monday after a new quarantine order kicked in overnight requiring many visitors and residents to Santa Clara County to isolate 14 days to prevent the spread of coronavirus. At Mineta San Jose International Airport on Monday morning, some travelers were understanding and changed their plans while others scoffed at the new mandate, which affects those who travel more than 150 miles and goes further than the state’s travel advisory and rules in neighboring Bay Area counties. (Woolfolk and Sulek, 11/30)
LA Daily News:
As Pasadena Sees Dining Rush, Other Cities Consider Their Own Health Departments
Pasadena was filled with crowds of diners over the weekend — making the city feel like it was the night before the Rose Parade, officials and restaurateurs said — as the Crown City of the San Gabriel Valley continued to be the only place for outdoor restaurant dining in Los Angeles County over the holiday weekend. Separate and distinct from the county Department of Public Health, which closed outdoor dining for at least the next three weeks, the Pasadena Public Health Department kept its restaurants open what proved to be a busy local holiday weekend. (Bermont, 11/30)
Santa Rosa Press Democrat:
Sonoma County Braces For Post-Holiday Coronavirus Spike, Boosts Virus Testing
Anticipating a surge in demand following a busy Thanksgiving holiday week, Sonoma County is expanding coronavirus testing, adding a third state-sponsored site in Petaluma as well as a third drive-thru lane at the test location at Sonoma County Fairgrounds. (Batber, 11/30)
Fresno Bee:
Fresno Wants Farmworkers To Be COVID-19 Vaccine Priority
Following a brutal summer where California’s agricultural workforce faced harsh working conditions from wildfire smoke, a blistering heatwave, and coronavirus infections, leaders in the central San Joaquin Valley are pushing for farmworkers to be among the first recipients of a COVID-19 vaccination. As essential workers, farmworkers remain one of the most vulnerable to the virus, top leaders from the Valley said last week. (Lopez, 12/1)
Sacramento Bee:
Blacks In California Are Dying From COVID-19 At A Higher Rate. What’s Being Done To Help?
California’s surgeon general, Dr. Nadine Burke Harris, said in a webinar last Monday that African-Americans make up 6% of the state’s population and slightly more than 4% of COVID-19 cases, but account for 7.4% of deaths. To discuss the burdens and solutions for COVID-19 among California’s Black population, Burke Harris, Governor Newsom’s office, the California Legislative Black Caucus and Assemblywoman Dr. Shirley Weber (D-San Diego), convened the webinar with Black leaders from across the state. (Mink, 11/30)
Los Angeles Times:
As Virus Again Surges In California, Race Is A Defining Factor In Nursing Facilities, Research Shows
As COVID-19 once again surges across California, skilled nursing facilities with more Black and Latino residents are being hit harder than those with fewer residents of color, according to a new study. Facilities with the highest number of Latino residents had coronavirus case rates 57% greater than those with few Latino residents. (Chabria, 12/1)
San Francisco Chronicle:
Coronavirus Cases And Deaths Soared In Nursing Homes Across California. Here’s Why
The number of residents in California nursing homes who became ill or died from the coronavirus more than doubled between May and August — the result of several risk factors that have made nursing homes particularly vulnerable to outbreaks, a report by the California Health Care Foundation revealed. The foundation partnered with researchers from Cal Hospital Compare, IBM Watson Health and UCSF to study data from more than 800 nursing homes in May and August to better understand COVID-19 outbreaks in these facilities. (Sanchez, 12/1)
Sacramento Bee:
‘Biblical Mandate.’ California Churches Ready To Defy Newsom After Supreme Court Ruling
Gov. Gavin Newsom’s order preventing indoor church services in much of California, a move aimed at halting the spread of COVID-19, may have hit a major legal obstacle. Last week, the Supreme Court struck down New York state’s rules that limited in-person attendance at houses of worship, declaring it was unconstitutional to severely restrict church and synagogue attendance while allowing merchants and other non-religious institutions to welcome big crowds. The 5-4 ruling — with the swing vote cast by President Donald Trump’s newest appointee to the court, Amy Coney Barrett — could scramble the pandemic legal landscape as coronavirus infections surge in California and elsewhere. A Pasadena church last week petitioned the Supreme Court for an injunction that would block Newsom’s rules on church gatherings. (Kasler, 12/1)
The New York Times:
Los Angeles Reverses Decision To Close Virus Testing Site For A Film Shoot
The mayor of Los Angeles, Eric Garcetti, said early Tuesday that the city would reopen a coronavirus testing site at Union Station, a major transit hub, after residents criticized a decision to temporarily close the site during a film shoot. The movie, “He’s All That,” which features the TikTok star Addison Rae and is a reboot of the 1999 romantic comedy “She’s All That,” had received approval to film inside and outside the station on Tuesday, the city and county’s film office said. About 170 cast and crew members were expected to take part in the movie scenes, the film office said. (Vigdor and Opam, 12/1)
Bay Area News Group:
Santa Clara County Exec Snaps Back At 49ers, Shanahan Over Coronavirus Sports Ban
Santa Clara County executive Dr. Jeff Smith fired back Monday at 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan’s “extreme disappointment” over how the franchise learned of a county contact sports ban forcing the team to play at least its next two home games in Arizona. In his postgame comments Sunday, Shanahan did not challenge Santa Clara County’s health orders or the reasoning behind it, which is to stem a severe surge in COVID-19 cases. But the 49ers coach lashed out at the vast uncertainty that accompanied Saturday’s directives. Shanahan and his team only learned of their December eviction as they headed to Los Angeles for Sunday’s game. (Inman and Woolfolk, 11/30)
Modern Healthcare:
California Urges COVID-19 Tests For All Hospital Staff, Patients
The California Department of Public Health has recommended that all general acute-care hospitals in the state test healthcare staff weekly and test and monitor all patients being admitted. In a letter sent to hospitals Nov. 25, Deputy Director Heidi Steinecker said hospitals should start weekly testing on Dec. 7 of healthcare workers who have risk of unknown exposure to COVID-19, such as those who work in emergency departments or intensive care units, and including environmental services employees. Weekly testing of other healthcare workers should begin Dec. 14. Any symptomatic workers should be tested immediately. (Christ, 11/30)
Orange County Register/San Gabriel Valley Tribune:
Nurses Allege Understaffing And A Lack Of Adequate COVID-19 Protections
Nurses and medical professionals at Los Robles Regional Medical Center and West Hills Hospital and Medical Center picketed Monday, alleging staffing shortages and inadequate COVID-19 safety protections for employees and patients. The workers are represented by SEIU Local 121RN. That includes more than 400 nurses at Los Angeles-based West Hills, 700 nurses and 100 licensed professionals at the Los Robles center in Thousand Oaks and roughly 1,200 nurses at Riverside Community Hospital. (Smith, 11/30)
San Diego Union-Tribune:
COVID-19 Is Crushing San Diego County Hospitals
San Diego County hospitals reported a relentless upward trend in COVID-19 patient admissions Monday just as the governor warned that a similar situation statewide will soon spur “deep purple moves” in places where coronavirus is causing the most mayhem. In a midday news conference, Gov. Gavin Newsom warned that his administration has been talking to public health directors in places where the virus is hitting hospitals especially hard, such as San Francisco and Los Angeles. (Sisson, 11/30)
Modesto Bee:
Stanislaus Hospitals Could Reach Limit For COVID-19 Patients
Stanislaus County reported 448 new cases of COVID-19 on Monday, just hours after state health officials released dire projections for a coronavirus surge that could overwhelm hospitals in the region. It’s believed to be the highest daily count since the 409 cases on July 7. Two deaths also were reported on the county’s online dashboard Monday, bringing the total to 426. (Carlson, 11/30)
San Diego Union-Tribune:
State Suspends Medi-Cal Payments To Borrego Health During Criminal Investigation
State officials have suspended Medi-Cal payments to the Borrego Community Health Foundation as a result of the criminal federal investigation into the nonprofit healthcare provider’s billing practices, the company said in an open letter. The California Department of Health Care Services recently took the action after FBI and state Department of Justice agents executed four search warrants in October at Borrego Health offices and one of its main contractors, Premier Healthcare Management of El Cajon, the announcement said. (McDonald, 12/1)
San Diego Union-Tribune:
California Is Failing To Provide Free And Equal Education To All During Pandemic, Suit Alleges
The state of California has failed during the COVID-19 pandemic to provide a free and equal education to all students, violating the state Constitution and discriminating against Black, Latino and low-income families, according to a lawsuit filed Monday. These children have been left behind during months of distance learning, lacking access to digital tools as well as badly needed academic and social-emotional supports, according to the lawsuit filed by the Public Counsel on behalf of California students, parents and several community organizations. (Agrawal, 12/1)
Politico:
California Families Sue State Over Distance Learning Inequities
Seven families took California to court Monday, accusing the state of failing to ensure "basic educational equality" during a prolonged period of remote learning brought on by the Covid-19 pandemic. The plaintiffs say the state isn't providing the equipment, training and support that low-income families desperately need and that it has left it up to districts and teachers to navigate the challenges on their own, providing scant guidance or oversight. Meanwhile, they say, families have been forced to pay for basic school supplies or make do without a computer for each child or reliable internet access. (Murphy, 11/30)
The Bakersfield Californian:
BC Offering Two-Week Course On Infectious Diseases, Contact Tracing
Bakersfield College has opened additional sections of its no-cost, two-week online course PBHS B99: Infectious Disease Contact Tracing. According to a BC news release, the course provides participants with the opportunity to learn more about infectious diseases, public health, terminology and contact tracing. (11/30)
San Francisco Chronicle:
S.F. Could Become Largest U.S. City To Ban Smoking In Apartments. Fines Could Hit $1,000 A Day
San Francisco could become the largest U.S. city to ban smoking cannabis and tobacco in apartment and condo buildings. The Board of Supervisors is expected to vote Tuesday on a proposal to protect residents from secondhand smoke. Smoking is illegal in common spaces such as stairwells and hallways, and many landlords ban it indoors entirely. (Thadani, 11/30)
Modesto Bee:
Modesto-Based Nonprofit Has A New Name, And The Same Commitment To Feeding People
Interfaith Ministries of Greater Modesto has changed its name to better convey its core mission of feeding people. The nonprofit became Food Initiative of Greater Stanislaus as of Nov. 21. The switch brings an acronym, FIGS, and a new logo depicting the biblical fruit. The group continues its decades-long service out of headquarters on Kerr Avenue in the Airport Neighborhood. This includes clothing for low-income people, fitness classes and links to services for children exposed to domestic violence. (Holland, 12/1)
Bay Area News Group:
Wish Book: Grants Are A Lifeline For Struggling Families ‘Pushed To The Brink’ By COVID
For more than a decade, the Redwood City nonprofit My New Red Shoes has provided shoes and clothes to struggling families, boosting the self-esteem of kids who are homeless or in other unstable situations and ensuring parents don’t have to worry about one more expense in the ever-pricier Bay Area. But as the coronavirus pandemic took hold this spring, the agency realized it needed to make a pivot, and fast. Many of the clients it helps lost their jobs or saw their paychecks shrink as restaurants cut back hours and fewer people called for Uber rides. Others were front-line workers who stayed on the job, which meant they not only faced a heightened risk of contracting the virus but also had to pay rising child care costs because schools were closed to in-person learning. (Savidge, 12/1)
Fresno Bee:
750,000 Californians Are About To Lose Jobless Benefits. What Is Congress Doing?
Unemployment insurance for self-employed people has been a lifesaver for Lis McKinley, not just for her finances but – at 61 – also for her health. McKinley owns and runs Let’s Make Room, which helps people reorganize and move their homes. Because of the unemployment insurance, McKinley said she has been able to turn down most requests that involve face-to-face interactions with a client. “It’s a risk I’m not willing to take, and it’s a risk I couldn’t even justify under the current situation,” said McKinley, who lives in Oakland. (Park and Lightman, 12/1)
Capital Public Radio/KXJZ:
Can Gavin Newsom Use The Pandemic To Beat Back Homelessness?
If $800 million wasn’t a sufficiently appetizing carrot to get his audience to buy more motels, Gov. Gavin Newsom could dangle a more spiritual enticement: less time burning in the afterlife. At the California State Association of Counties’ annual conference in mid-November, more than 200 county supervisors and other officials awaited answers via Zoom for how the governor was planning to ward off all manners of local government armageddon — pestilence, wildfires, budget deficits. (Levin, 11/30)
Santa Rosa Press Democrat:
After Months Of Tension Managing Growing Homeless Population, Petaluma Getting More Shelter Resources
The colder temperatures make it difficult to keep a guitar tuned, so after Ron Stamp strummed a few sour notes he put his blue Fender down in frustration and lit a cigarette. The 36-year-old Tampa native has been homeless in the Bay Area for five years. (Baig, 11/30)