San Francisco Chronicle: Court Rejects Religious Objection To COVID Vaccine For Boy In Custody
In its decision Monday, the Second District Court of Appeal in Los Angeles quoted a 1944 ruling by the U.S. Supreme Court on the limits of religious exemptions from secular laws: “The right to practice religion freely does not include liberty to expose the community or the child to communicable disease.” (Egelko, 3/7)

Fresno Bee: It's Still Here And It's Still A Killer. Valley Enters Fourth Year Of Covid-19 Pandemic
Three years ago, health officials in Madera County confirmed the first case of COVID-19 in the central San Joaquin Valley, an older man who caught the virus during a cruise ship vacation. (Sheehan, 3/7)

San Francisco Chronicle: COVID In California: Why Deaths Are Rising In Vaccinated Population
The proportion of COVID-19 deaths among vaccinated people rose sharply toward the end of last year. But that is not a measure of the efficacy of the coronavirus vaccines, according to a new report from the American Medical Association. “Fortunately, there are a lot more people who are vaccinated now,” said Elisa Choi, an infectious diseases physician and a member of the American College of Physicians’ delegation to the AMA House of Delegates. (Vaziri, 3/7)

San Francisco Chronicle: Coronavirus Can Be Transmitted By Dead Bodies, Hamster Research Reveals
Bodies of individuals who died from COVID-19 potentially can transmit the virus to others, according to a new study that researched the issue with hamsters. Following up on previous evidence showing COVID-19 could still be active in dead bodies, researchers at the University of Tokyo in Japan used a Syrian hamster model to analyze the possibility of transmission from a human corpse and whether there are protocols that could reduce that risk. (Vaziri, 3/7)

KQED: Have COVID? Request Paxlovid Even If You're 'Not High Risk.' Here's Why
If you've had COVID in the last year, did you try to find Paxlovid to treat your symptoms? If the answer is no, you may want to reconsider if you get COVID again. (Severn, 3/7)

The Wall Street Journal: U.S. To Ease Covid Testing Requirements For Travelers From China 
The U.S. government is planning to lift Covid-19 testing requirements on travelers from China on Friday, amid a decline in cases there following a winter surge, according to people familiar with the matter. Those traveling to the U.S. from mainland China, Hong Kong and Macau were previously required to submit a negative Covid test before departure following a Biden administration order that went into effect on Jan. 5. At the time, U.S. officials said the restrictions were necessary because of a deadly wave of infections across China and cited a lack of transparency from Beijing about the scale of the surge or specific variants. (Siddiqui, 3/7)

ABC News: House Panel Investigating COVID-19's Origins Will Hold First Hearing
On the heels of a federal agency's new assessment that COVID-19 "mostly likely" emerged from a lab leak rather than natural human exposure, a special panel formed by House Republicans to investigate the origins of the virus will hold its first hearing on Wednesday. (Hutzler, 3/8)

CIDRAP: Survey Reveals Low Trust In US Public Health Agency Information Amid Pandemic 
More than a third of US adults said they trusted the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to provide quality health information during the COVID-19 pandemic, while a quarter trusted state and local health departments, and 10% said they had no trust at all in these agencies, according to the first nationally representative survey on the public's faith in sources of health information. A team led by Harvard University researchers conducted an online and phone survey of 4,208 US adults from Feb 1 to 22, 2022. (Van Beusekom, 3/7)

Los Angeles Times: After COVID-19 School Chaos, California Lawmakers Debate Role Of Superintendent
When California children were stuck at home in distance learning during the COVID-19 pandemic and schools reopened unevenly across the state, raising equity concerns, frustrated parents demanded action from Supt. of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond. But unlike other states, where superintendents were leading the charge, it was Gov. Gavin Newsom who steered the pandemic response in California, negotiating with teachers unions and setting guidelines for schools. Meanwhile, Thurmond was criticized for a lack of action. (Mays, 3/8)

CalMatters: State May Cut Off Walgreens Over Abortion Pill Access
Gov. Gavin Newsom’s surprise announcement via Twitter on Monday that California would not do business with pharmacy giant Walgreens caused widespread confusion in a state where more than one-third of the population pays for prescriptions with government-funded health insurance. Walgreens confirmed last week it would not distribute abortion pills, which are also commonly used for miscarriages, in 20 states where it faces legal pushback. In some of these states, the abortion pill — mifepristone — remains legal. However, Republican governors in these states threatened Walgreens and a cadre of retail pharmacies with legal consequences if they sell the pills. (Hwang and Ibarra, 3/7)

Los Angeles Times: Could A Texas Judge Halt Abortion Pill Access In California?
A conservative federal judge in Texas is poised to rule in a lawsuit that could disrupt abortion access across the nation — including in states with strong abortion protections such as California — by halting distribution of a key abortion pill. “Ironically, the case is filed in Texas, but the impact will be felt entirely in states that permit abortion,” said Elisabeth Smith, an attorney who directs state policy and advocacy at the Center for Reproductive Rights. (Jarvie, 3/7)

Stat: Becerra: Judge Set To Rule On Abortion Pill Is 'Beginning To Read The Law'
Health secretary Xavier Becerra on Tuesday warned of dramatic consequences if a federal judge revokes the federal approval of mifepristone, a form of medication abortion. The judge, Matthew Kacsmaryk, is set to rule on a case brought in Texas by anti-abortion advocates seeking to overturn the drug’s initial approval more than two decades ago. Mifepristone, taken in combination with misoprostol, accounts for over half of U.S. abortions. It is also used to treat miscarriage. “Everyone thought by now we would have a ruling from that judge,” Becerra said, speaking at a STAT event. “My suspicion is he’s beginning to read the law.” (Facher, 3/7)

The Washington Post: Sen. Feinstein Says She’s Out Of The Hospital And Home Recovering From Shingles 
California Democratic Sen. Dianne Feinstein — the oldest member of Congress — said Tuesday that she has returned home from the hospital where she was being treated for shingles. “I want to thank everyone for the well wishes and the hospital staff for providing excellent care,” she tweeted. “I’m recovering at home now while I continue receiving treatment and look forward to returning to the Senate as soon as possible.” (Kornfield, 3/7)

The Washington Post: Justin Bieber And Dianne Feinstein Got Shingles. What Causes It?
Pop star Justin Bieber, 29, and Dianne Feinstein, the 89-year-old Senate Democrat from California, have both recently reported health issues related to a shingles outbreak. ... We answered common questions about shingles, the symptoms and getting vaccinated. (Amenabar, 3/7)

San Diego Union-Tribune: UC San Diego Gets $15 Million Crypto Donation To Research Airborne Disease 
UC San Diego has received a $15 million donation in cryptocurrency to help boost research into airborne disease, university officials announced Tuesday. The gift came from Vitalik Buterin, the world’s youngest crypto billionaire whose vaunted tech company Ethereum moves money around the globe. The 29-year-old entrepreneur stressed the importance of public health initiatives that share data freely. (Smith, 3/7)

KVPR: Madera Supervisors Decline To Hire Firm To Study Hospital Reopening
A consulting group was offered up to create a reopening plan for Madera Community Hospital. But KVPR’s Soreath Hok reports the Madera County Board of Supervisors turned down the idea. (Koh, 3/7)

VC Star: Involuntary Mental Health Treatment Extended Under Board Action
In a move key psychiatrists call long overdue, a Ventura County board has expanded the options for involuntary hospitalization of severely mentally ill patients in keeping with other large counties in the state. (Wilson, 3/7)

Los Angeles Times: She Didn’t Need The Risky Surgery. County Doctors Talked Her Into It Anyway, Lawsuit Says
After a stay at a Los Angeles County public hospital, Bernetta Higgins was home and feeling better when one of the surgeons called. The doctor, Rodney White, and his nurse told Higgins to return to the emergency room at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center and tell the staff she had chest pain, according to an email from the nurse documenting the call. Higgins wasn’t hurting, but she followed the doctor’s orders and went to the ER. White had told her earlier about “a new experimental surgery” that “would take care of it” — a tear in the lining of her aorta. (Petersen, 3/7)

Fierce Healthcare: Physicians Are Twice As Likely As The General Population To Attempt Suicide, Medscape Survey Finds
Nearly a quarter of physicians reported clinical depression in a new Medscape survey, while 9% admitted to suicidal thoughts, and 1% shared that they attempted to end their lives. Medscape surveyed 9,100 physicians across 29 specialties last year. While physicians often address the suicide crisis throughout the U.S., many are struggling with their own mental health. Two-thirds of doctors reported colloquial depression, according to the survey. (Burky, 3/3)

Medscape: Specialty, Age May Contribute To Doctors' Suicidal Thoughts
A physician's specialty can make a difference when it comes to having suicidal thoughts. Doctors who specialize in family medicine, obstetrics-gynecology, and psychiatry reported double the rates of suicidal thoughts than doctors in oncology, rheumatology, and pulmonary medicine, according to Doctors' Burden: Medscape Physician Suicide Report 2023."The specialties with the highest reporting of physician suicidal thoughts are also those with the greatest physician shortages, based on the number of job openings posted by recruiting sites," said Peter Yellowlees, MD, professor of psychiatry and chief wellness officer at UC Davis Health. (Lehmann, 3/7)

Berkeleyside: South Berkeley Seniors Live With Lack Of Heat, Shoddy Repairs Under New Management
Tenants at South Berkeley’s Harriet Tubman Terrace apartments have had their living conditions upended after ownership of the building changed, and a host of renovations began in the fall of 2021. The six-story, 90-unit affordable senior housing at 2870 Adeline St. is owned by the Maryland-based nonprofit Foundation Housing and managed by Stockton-based FPI Management. (Yelimeli, 3/7)

Los Angeles Times: Inside One Woman’s Fight To Stave Off Homelessness As Eviction Cases Flood Courts
In her small studio apartment in Westlake, Leticia Graham stared at her tablet as the courtroom on her screen filled with people like her: renters facing eviction. With mounting panic, she realized she was supposed to have been there in person. She had little saved for a new apartment, and knew losing her case would leave her homeless. But like a majority of renters in eviction court, she did not have a lawyer, and the judge was explaining that she had made crucial mistakes as the clock ticked on her trial, which was scheduled for that day. It was her only shot at staying longer in her home. (Esquivel, 3/8)

Voice of San Diego: She Was Proof Oceanside's Self-Sufficiency Program Works. When The City Suspended It, She Spoke Up 
After Oceanside’s city staff quietly suspended a program for low-income families last year, longtime resident Claudia Muñoz decided to speak up. “When I found out it had been suspended, I knew I had to do something,” Muñoz said. “I wanted to give a voice and a face to this program that has changed so many lives, including mine.” Muñoz, a single mom of two who overcame near homelessness, is a former participant of Oceanside’s Family Self-Sufficiency program, a savings incentive program for low-income families that have Section 8 housing vouchers or live in HUD-assisted housing. HUD is the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. (Layne, 3/7)

Los Angeles Times: Thanks To The Supreme Court, California Gun Cases Hinge More On History Than Modern Threats
In the high-stakes legal battles currently being waged over California’s bans in federal court — where decisions are anticipated soon — America’s gruesome modern history with the powerful weapons hasn’t been the focus. Instead, lawyers for the state and gun rights groups seeking to overturn the bans have been arguing over the relevance of much older laws governing very different weapons. In the case over the assault weapons ban, recent filings have focused on a New Jersey law enacted in 1771 that prohibited people from setting up “trap guns” to fire at animals or intruders who tripped a rope. (Rector, 3/7)

San Diego Union-Tribune: San Diego State University Professor Dies Of Legionella Pneumonia 
A San Diego State University physiology professor died of Legionella pneumonia on March 4, and the school is continuing to investigate whether the deadly bacteria was present in the building where he worked, officials said Tuesday. (Robbins, 3/7)

Los Angeles Times: L.A. Residents Who Drive Less Are Exposed To More Air Pollution, Study Finds
Despite the conventional wisdom, not everybody drives all the time in Los Angeles. Those who don’t, it turns out, pay more of a price in terms of the air they breathe than major car commuters, according to a new study. Researchers from the USC Sol Price School of Public Policy concluded that residents of wealthier, whiter areas exported air pollution to the neighborhoods around their commutes. (Castleman, 3/7)

CalMatters: He’s Filed More Than 2,000 Disability Lawsuits In California. This Case Could Set Precedent
It all started with a parking spot. On a breezy afternoon in September 2017, Chris Langer couldn’t find one that would accommodate his van and the ramp he uses for his wheelchair behind a San Diego lobster shop. What transpired next has been the subject of arguments before two federal courts and opened a wide door to more federal disability lawsuits in California, home to more of these lawsuits in the last litigious decade than any other state. (Duara, 3/7)

The (Santa Rosa) Press Democrat: 'I Just Want To Amplify It’: Santa Rosa Teachers Echo Student Calls For Mental Health Help
“I just want to amplify it,” Montgomery teacher Simone Harris said, referring to resources her students had called for at Tuesday’s meeting, “because what I heard was loud and clear. We need to deal with mental health on our campuses. We need more supervision, but we definitely need more mental health support.” (Hay, 3/7)