inewsource: San Diego’s COVID-19 Hospitalizations On The Rise
Doctors and health officials are seeing a rise in COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations across San Diego County, and the latest set of subvariants is dominating the spread. Experts say thanks to widespread vaccinations, COVID-19 is becoming less severe. But while the latest surge in cases isn’t resulting in as many deaths or hospitalizations as seen early on in the pandemic, the public should still be wary of one complication: long COVID. (Niebla, 9/5)

CalMatters: COVID Surge: How To Stay Safe
California is facing a COVID surge, but there's no reason to panic yet — immunity is rising and a new booster shot is on the way. (La, 9/5)

CNBC: Moderna Says New Covid Vaccine Effective Against BA.2.86 Variant
Moderna’s new Covid vaccine produced a strong immune response against BA.2.86, a highly mutated omicron variant that health officials are watching closely, according to clinical trial data the biotech company released Wednesday. The updated shot produced an 8.7-fold increase in protective antibodies against BA.2.86, which has been detected in small numbers nationwide. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention previously said the strain, also known as “Pirola,” may be more capable of escaping antibodies from earlier infections and vaccinations, but new research also suggests that the variant may be less immune-evasive than feared. (Constantino, 9/6)

San Francisco Chronicle: New COVID Variant BA.2.86 — Nicknamed ‘Pirola’ — Is Here
Scientists are racing to understand a new COVID-19 strain dubbed BA.2.86 and assess its potential for fueling a fresh autumn surge of cases. The lineage, informally called “Pirola” on social media, has garnered attention due to its substantial genetic deviations from other omicron subvariants that have been the prevailing strains of COVID-19 for the past two years. (Vaziri, 9/5)

Bay Area News Group: COVID-19, Flu And RSV: A Guide To This Fall's Vaccine Options
If you’re like many Californians, you rushed out in the spring of 2021 to get two COVID-19 shots. That was followed by a third “booster” shot in the fall. When a new and improved vaccine was offered in 2022, you might have gotten that, too. (Krieger, 9/5)

AP: To Mask Or Not To Mask? Biden Goes Both Ways After First Lady Tests Positive For COVID-19 
President Joe Biden turned up in a mask for the first time in months on Tuesday, a day after his wife tested positive for COVID-19. But the president quickly ditched it during a ceremony honoring an 81-year-old Vietnam veteran, and the two unmasked octogenarians shared a hearty handshake before they parted. The White House had said earlier that Biden, who had tested negative for the virus earlier in the day, would wear a mask indoors, but that he might remove it when standing at a distance from others. (Long, 9/5)

Newsweek: Republicans Declare War On Mask Mandates
Citing arguments that masks didn't work to slow the spread of the virus during COVID—which most studies contest—Ohio Republican Senator JD Vance announced plans September 5 to introduce the Freedom to Breathe Act, which would permanently prevent the federal government from reimposing federal mask mandates in the United States. (Reynolds, 9/5)

The Bakersfield Californian: Experts: Routine Preventive Care Is Crucial To Maintaining Both Our Mental And Physical Health
Kern Behavioral Health and Recovery Services and Kern County Public Health Services joined forces again this month to focus the community's attention on the benefits of preventive care. (Mayer, 9/5)

Axios: Primary Care Docs Affiliated With Health Systems Drove Up Spending: Study
Primary care physicians affiliated with large health systems drive up spending on patient care through increased referrals to specialists, emergency department visits and hospitalizations, per a study led by the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. The findings in JAMA Health Forum are the latest to challenge claims by the hospital industry that consolidation leads to economies of scale that result in less spending. (Reed, 9/5)

Modern Healthcare: Physician Compensation Sees More Incentives, Some Focus On Quality
Physician compensation is on the rise as provider organizations try to attract more doctors in a tight labor environment. ... To recruit more physicians, providers are turning to higher base salaries, in addition to sweetening the deal with signing bonuses or educational opportunities. Productivity remains the largest factor in calculating total compensation, but employers are also incorporating quality metrics. (Hudson, 9/5)

The New York Times: A Huge Threat To The U.S. Budget Has Receded. And No One Is Sure Why
For decades, runaway Medicare spending was the story of the federal budget. Now, flat Medicare spending might be a bigger one. Something strange has been happening in this giant federal program. Instead of growing and growing, as it always had before, spending per Medicare beneficiary has nearly leveled off over more than a decade. The trend can be a little hard to see because, as baby boomers have aged, the number of people using Medicare has grown. But it has had enormous consequences for federal spending. Budget news often sounds apocalyptic, but the Medicare trend has been unexpectedly good for federal spending, saving taxpayers a huge amount relative to projections. (Sanger-Katz, Parlapiano and Katz, 9/4)

Roll Call: Medicare Pandemic Advances Deepen Debt For Some Hospitals
Congress poured money into the U.S. economy throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. But for a few hospitals, one of the lifelines that Medicare threw to the medical industry ultimately became another stone around their necks. Medicare flooded hospitals with cash after the virus prompted the Trump administration to halt elective care — a crucial source of revenue — but not all of that money was a giveaway. In fact, $107.3 billion came through advances on Medicare claims that were doled out between April and October of 2020.  (Clason, 9/6)

Bay Area News Group: Abortions On A Boat? Bay Area Doctor's Plans Remain Docked
The UCSF doctor who made national headlines last year for seeking to provide abortions in federal waters, several miles off the coasts of states that heavily restrict them, is still stuck on land — for now. Dr. Amy “Meg” Autry’s ambitious plan involved raising tons of money and purchasing a vessel where abortions could be offered to those living near the Gulf Coast who can’t afford to drive or fly elsewhere. (Mukherjee, 9/5)

San Francisco Chronicle: See A Person In Crisis On S.F.’s Streets? Here’s What City Says To Do
Worried about someone’s safety on the street? When in doubt, call 911. That’s what city officials are telling San Franciscans to do when they witness unhoused people in medical emergencies or believe a drug user may be overdosing. (Toledo, 9/5)

San Francisco Chronicle: New Ruling Denies S.F.’s Request To Ease Encampment Sweep Ban
The legal battle over San Francisco homeless encampment sweeps remains just as contentious as ever after a new federal appeals court ruling left both sides claiming they got what they wanted. A three-judge panel of the Ninth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals on Tuesday denied the city’s request to modify a lower court’s injunction preventing the city from clearing most homeless tent camps. (Morris, 9/5)

San Francisco Chronicle: S.F. Has 1,000 Empty Units For The Homeless
Supervisor Dean Preston is urging San Francisco’s Department of Homelessness and Supportive Housing to fill 500 vacant units for formerly homeless people within 90 days and to pledge to keep its vacancy rate below 5% to deal with the epidemic of unhoused people on city streets. San Francisco has an estimated 1,002 empty permanent supportive housing units, or about 10% its stock of about 10,000 units, according to Preston’s office, with about 774 available for referral and 288 “offline” for maintenance, inspection or other issues. (Toledo, 9/5)

Times Of San Diego: 'A Few Grains' Can Kill: Mesa College Seeks To Raise Awareness Of Fentanyl Dangers 
Health officials, political leaders and school administrators gathered at Mesa College on Tuesday to call for greater awareness of the dangers of fentanyl — and for every student and home to have a dose of Narcan. “Through awareness we can save lives,” said Dr. Ashanti Hands, president of Mesa College, during a press conference on the campus quad. (Jennewein, 9/5)

Fresno Bee: Fresno Needle-Exchange To Move Into County Health Offices 
Fresno County will provide an indoor space for hypodermic needle exchanges for the first time as part of a pilot program that will also offer a suite of other medical and social services. (Sheehan, 9/5)

Berkeleyside: You Can Now Call The Berkeley Mental Health Crisis Team
The Specialized Care Unit, Berkeley’s mobile crisis team, is taking calls as of Tuesday. Bonita House — the mental health care organization running the $4.5 million two-year pilot program — has hired five SCU team members and is still recruiting, said Samantha Russell, the nonprofit’s director of crisis services, during a town hall-style Zoom meeting on Aug. 16. ... The SCU has a dedicated 10-digit phone number, 510-948-0075, Russell said. (Gecan, 9/5)

CNN: ADHD May Increase Risk Of Anorexia, Major Depression, PTSD And Suicide, Study Says
Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder is associated with a higher incidence of depression, anorexia or post-traumatic stress disorder as well as the risk of suicide attempts, a new study found. A neurodevelopmental condition, ADHD is a pattern of hyperactivity, inattention and impulsive behavior that interferes with daily functioning or development. People with ADHD were 30% more likely to attempt suicide and 9% more likely to develop major depression, according to the study, which could only show associations and not prove a direct cause and effect. (LaMotte, 9/5)

Military Times: Former VA Leaders Ask Public To Call Vets To Help Prevent Suicide
All seven living former Veterans Affairs Secretaries are joining with a coalition of advocacy groups to call for all Americans to participate in National Warrior Call Day this November in an effort to help prevent veteran suicides. The event — set for Nov. 12, the day after national Veterans Day ceremonies — is designed to highlight the estimated 17 veterans a day lost to suicide and prompt members of the public to take a role in reaching out to veterans. (Shane III, 9/5)

Military.com: VA Failed To Process 56,000 Requests To Update Veterans' Dependents Dating As Far Back As 2011 
The Department of Veterans Affairs said Tuesday it failed to properly process 56,000 requests from veterans to add or remove dependents -- some dating back to 2011. The agency discovered the mistakes while looking into a technical problem that caused headaches for roughly 900 veterans trying to file online appeals on their PACT Act claims decisions. (Kime, 9/5)

Sacramento Bee: CA Disability Services For Families Vary By Race, Ethnicity 
For years, Ana Soto’s heart sank at the sound of the jingle from their neighborhood ice cream truck. If her son Max heard the chimes, she knew it was moments before he would take off running. This left Soto, a San Joaquin County resident, with a difficult decision: chase after Max or stay put to watch over her youngest daughter. (Angst and Miranda, 9/5)

WMFE: Ad Council Aims To Reach Hispanic Families With Alzheimer's Awareness Message
The nonprofit agency that brought us Smokey Bear, McGruff the Crime Dog and the saying "Friends don't let friends drive drunk," has turned its attention to educating Hispanic families about the early signs of Alzheimer's disease. The Ad Council's campaign, titled “Some Things Come With Age," is a new phase of its partnership with the Alzheimer's Association. (Byrnes, 9/5)

Bay Area News Group: Alameda County Prosecutors Seek Shutdown Of Flavored Tobacco, Synthetic Cannabis Company
Alameda County prosecutors are taking aim at a Livermore-based company they claim is illegally selling flavored tobacco products to children and manufacturing illegal synthetic cannabis products. (Green, 9/6)

CapRadio: Why Do Firefighters Experience Higher Risks For Cancer? A California Researcher Plans To Find Out.
Many Californians have seen firsthand how wildfire smoke makes living and breathing difficult. The short-term health impacts, ranging from asthma flare-up to irritation on parts of the body like the eyes and throat, are easy enough to understand. But experts say new research is necessary to understand the longer-term effects of regular exposure to smoke. (Secaira, 9/5)

Times Of San Diego: Death Certificate: Bob Barker, Longtime ‘Price Is Right’ Host, Died Of Alzheimer's Disease 
Legendary “The Price is Right” host Bob Barker died from complications of Alzheimer’s disease, according to a death certificate made public Tuesday. The document, first obtained by TMZ, also cites hypertension, hypothyroidism and hyperlipidemia as contributing factors in the 99-year-old personality’s death. Barker never publicly disclosed an Alzheimer’s diagnosis, so it remained unclear how long he may have suffered from the disease. (Ireland, 9/5)