Latest From California Healthline:
California Healthline Original Stories
After 18 Months, Sutter Antitrust Settlement Finally Poised for Formal Approval
A year and a half after Sutter Health agreed to a tentative settlement in a closely watched antitrust case, the San Francisco judge presiding over the case indicated she would sign off on the terms, pending agreement on another contentious issue: attorney fees. (Jenny Gold, )
Newsom Sued Over Masks In Schools: Two parent advocacy organizations announced Thursday afternoon that they are suing California Gov. Gavin Newsom and the state’s top health officials over the statewide mandate that children wear masks to school regardless of their vaccination status. Read more from The Sacramento Bee and Bay Area News Group.
Covid Takes Hold Of San Francisco: Coronavirus cases rose faster in San Francisco in the past week than in the Bay Area and California as a whole, and the city’s case rate on several days exceeded both the region’s and state’s. It was a rare occurrence for the city, which has had among the lowest virus rates among major U.S. metropolitan areas throughout the pandemic. Read more from the San Francisco Chronicle. Comprehensive coverage of California’s covid surge continues below.
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
AP:
California's Rising COVID-19 Rate Sparks Pleas To Vaccinate
California health officials pleaded with people to get vaccinated for COVID-19 as infections and hospitalizations continued a worrying rise and three Bay Area counties urged employers to enforce mask-wearing among those who haven’t had the shots. California on Thursday reported nearly 5,600 new cases and the average positive-test rate over seven days was 4.9% — a nearly five-fold increase over last week. (Dazio and Weber, 7/23)
Sacramento Bee:
COVID Delta: Variant Makes Up 83% Of CA Cases In July
The highly infectious Delta variant of COVID-19 has made up more than 80% of California samples sequenced for July, the same proportion top U.S. health officials have recently cited as the national rate. Delta increased from 53% of sequenced cases in June to 83% the first three weeks of this month, the California Department of Public Health reported Thursday. (McGough, 7/22)
Los Angeles Times:
L.A. COVID Cases Accelerate Amid Delta Variant Transmission - Los Angeles Times
With coronavirus cases reaching levels in Los Angeles County not seen since the waning days of the winter surge, public health officials said Thursday that even those who have been vaccinated should take precautions, given how widely the virus is now circulating. This surge is predominantly hitting people who have not been vaccinated. But with the highly infectious Delta variant racing through the region, additional measures — like wearing masks inside crowded public places — can further armor everyone against transmission. (Money and Lin II, 7/22)
LA Daily News/City News Service:
COVID Variant Continues Relentless Spread In LA County, Even Among Vaccinated Residents
A relentless surge of COVID-19 cases continued in Los Angeles County on Thursday, July 22, as another 2,700 cases were reported, with the percentage of infections occurring among fully vaccinated residents steadily rising. In fact, during the month of June, 20% of all newly reported COVID infections in the county occurred among people who had been fully vaccinated. That was up from 11% in May and 5% in April. But Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer said the increase is normal given the continued rise in the number of people who are getting fully vaccinated. (7/22)
Newsweek:
20% Of New Los Angeles COVID Cases Are In Vaccinated People As Delta Variant Spikes
Los Angeles County Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer announced on Thursday that 20 percent of new COVID-19 cases identified in Los Angeles County were in vaccinated individuals. "The Delta variant is a game-changer," Ferrer said. With the Delta variant driving community spread and positive case numbers up in LA County, the percentage of breakthrough cases in fully-vaccinated people has gone up as well. The daily average case rate was 7.1 per 100,000 people on July 15 and shot up to 12.9 on Thursday. (Pedroja, 7/22)
Los Angeles Times:
Why COVID Cases Of Vaccinated People In L.A. County Are Not Surprising
In June, 20% of Los Angeles County’s coronavirus cases were among fully vaccinated residents. That’s up from May, when 11% of coronavirus cases were among that group. Is this a cause for concern? Is something new happening here? Actually, the development is not surprising to health experts, who say it’s to be expected — particularly when transmission substantially increases. (Lin II and Money, 7/22)
Los Angeles Times:
L.A. COVID Surge Amid Delta Variant Spread: How Bad Is It?
Health officials say Los Angeles County is in the midst of a new coronavirus surge — with an average daily case count that’s now nine times higher than it was just four weeks ago. But this latest upswing comes at a decidedly different point in the pandemic. Even with recent increases in transmission, and the worrisome spread of the highly infectious Delta variant of the coronavirus, most Angelenos are now fully vaccinated, and experts say they continue to enjoy strong levels of protection against COVID-19. (Money and Lin II, 7/22)
Southern California News Group:
Southern California Would Be Back In Purple, Red Tiers If Old Color-Coded System Still Existed
California has come a long way in the battle against COVID-19. But maybe not as far as many think. Case rates have risen enough in recent weeks that if the state’s old four-color tier system were still in place, Los Angeles County could have just moved into the most restrictive purple tier, where Southern California spent the darkest days of the pandemic, while Orange, Riverside and San Bernardino counties would likely now be in the second-most restrictive red tier, according to state data updated Thursday, July 22. (Johnson and Carter, 7/23)
Sacramento Bee:
Sacramento Hospital Braces For COVID Surge As CA Cases Rise
Health leaders at UC Davis Medical Center are sounding the alarm on the Sacramento region’s exploding rate of COVID-19 cases, with one official calling it “hard to tell” whether the situation will grow as bad as the dire surge California experienced last winter. “A Sacramento-area COVID-19 surge is likely, given the highly contagious (Delta) variant and the low vaccination rate,” UC Davis Health wrote in a news release sent Thursday. (McGough, 7/22)
San Francisco Chronicle:
Delta And Lambda Variants In California: What You Need To Know
The Bay Area has become an “emerging hot spot” as coronavirus cases and hospitalizations surge throughout the region and state, driven by the highly contagious delta variant. Meanwhile, the lambda version of the coronavirus has been attracting attention in the U.S. since the World Health Organization labeled it a “variant of interest” in June. While its progress in the U.S. has been slow and experts say it currently poses nowhere near the threat of delta, studies are under way to learn more. (Flores and Vainshtein, 7/22)
Bay Area News Group:
Stanford Reports Seven COVID Cases In Vaccinated Students
Seven vaccinated Stanford students tested positive for the coronavirus this week, the university announced on Thursday, days after it loosened COVID testing requirements for inoculated students and staff living on campus. In an email to students, the university alerted that all of the newly infected students were symptomatic. A spokesperson declined to comment on the severity of the students’ symptoms or whether the cases were connected to a specific outbreak. (Selig, 7/22)
Sacramento Bee:
Woodland Bar Closes For Month After Workers Contract COVID
The Thirsty Goat in Woodland is closed until the end of the month after two workers contracted COVID-19. The bar said Wednesday in a social-media post that the employees had contracted the coronavirus from unvaccinated customers. According to the Thirsty Goat, two guests informed the staff that they had tested positive and hadn’t received a vaccine, and had not worn a mask during their visit to the bar. A manager and another worker were infected despite being fully vaccinated. (Delianne, 7/22)
Los Angeles Times:
Klobuchar Takes Aim At Online COVID Lies With Section 230 Bill
Sen. Amy Klobuchar introduced a bill Thursday to make online platforms like Facebook Inc. and Twitter Inc. legally liable for misinformation about health issues such as COVID-19. The proposal comes less than a week after President Biden said that misinformation about the virus and vaccines is “killing people,” as infections surge in parts of the U.S. with low vaccination rates. (Edgerton, 7/22)
Bay Area News Group:
San Mateo County Buildings To Require Masks For All
San Mateo County employees and members of the public visiting county buildings will have to wear face masks whether vaccinated or not starting Monday to help slow the spread of COVID-19, the board president said Thursday. Though San Mateo County boasts enviable vaccination rates — more than 88% of those 12 and older eligible for the shots have been vaccinated — Supervisor David Canepa said “the virus knows no county boundaries.” And COVID-19 infections and hospitalizations are rising, he said, chiefly among the unvaccinated. (Woolfolk, 7/22)
Modesto Bee:
Fall 2021 Semester COVID-19 Policies At Stanislaus State, MJC
Wondering what you can expect at California State University, Stanislaus, and Modesto Junior College this fall? The Modesto Bee spoke with campus leaders to break down each college’s COVID-19 safety plans. Classes start Aug. 23. (Isaacman, 7/22)
SF Gate:
Why Should Vaccinated People Wear Masks? UCSF Expert Gives His Take
Counties across California are recommending that people wear face masks, even those who are fully vaccinated, in public indoor places as the highly contagious delta variant drives an uptick in COVID-19 cases. Solano County is the only county in the Bay Area that hasn't issued a mask advisory, and several counties outside the region are calling for a return to masking indoors, including Monterey, Santa Cruz and San Benito. Los Angeles County is requiring masks in indoor public spaces. (Graff, 7/22)
KQED:
Contra Costa, Santa Clara, San Francisco Counties Urging Employers To Require Vaccines
Public health officials in Contra Costa, Santa Clara and San Francisco counties are now recommending that businesses require their employees to get vaccinated. The guidance comes as the delta variant continues to spread across the Bay Area, sparking stark increases in case numbers and hospitalizations. "What we really want to do is empower businesses and say that public health is fully behind these types of requirements," said Dr. Naveena Bobba, the deputy health director for San Francisco. (Sparling, 7/22)
San Francisco Chronicle:
Bay Area Counties Urge Employers To Require Universal COVID-19 Vaccination Policies
The health officers of Contra Costa, Santa Clara and San Francisco counties urged all employers to consider requiring employees to get vaccinated for the coronavirus Thursday as cases rapidly rise. Officials said almost all cases and hospitalizations were in unvaccinated populations. A state workplace safety committee heard last week that virus cases have been increasing in workplaces across California, as the highly infectious delta variant continues to spread. (DiFeliciantonio, 7/22)
Bay Area News Group:
Bay Area Counties Urge Employers To Require Vaccinations; Santa Clara Will Mandate For 22,000 County Workers
Santa Clara, Contra Costa and San Francisco county health officials Thursday urged employers to require their workers to get vaccinated as soon as possible as the Bay Area sees a surge in COVID-19, chiefly among those who’ve not been inoculated. And Santa Clara County said late Thursday afternoon it intends to lead by example by requiring all 22,000 of its employees to become vaccinated. (Woolfolk and Castaneda, 7/22)
Los Angeles Times:
COVID-19 Vaccine Truth On Side Effects And Other Concerns
U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy issued his first formal health advisory last week, warning Americans that misinformation about COVID-19 vaccines poses an “imminent and insidious threat to our nation’s health. ”Such advisories are typically used to flag the dangers of tobacco use or the opioid epidemic. Murthy’s was the first to target vaccine disinformation. (Khan, 7/22)
Capital & Main:
California Expands Access To Health Insurance For Undocumented Immigrants
California is set to become the first state to offer government-funded health insurance to low-income undocumented immigrants ages 50 and above — the latest historic expansion of safety net supports for Golden State residents no matter their citizenship status. Governor Gavin Newsom recently unveiled this year’s $263 billion state budget, which expands social services for undocumented Californians. The state is paying for the equity-boosting measures with a surplus of tax dollars from the state’s richest residents and federal aid meant to help states recover from the COVID-19 pandemic. (Albaladejo, 7/22)
San Diego Union-Tribune:
New Doctor Contracts At Palomar Health Move Forward Despite Continued Protests
A group of doctors and nurses gathered to protest Palomar Health’s decision to pursue a controversial new doctor contract for hospital-based physicians and other key medical staff Wednesday. But, while many passing motorists honked their support, the demonstration, and others like it that have occurred in recent weeks, did not cause Palomar leadership to back down. (Sisson, 7/22)
San Diego Union-Tribune:
Will Illumina Pull Off Its $7.1B Bid To Acquire Grail? European Union Regulators May Have Final Say
The European Commission announced Thursday that it’s launching an in-depth investigation into San Diego sequencing giant Illumina’s $7.1 billion bid to buy Bay Area cancer diagnostic firm Grail. The commission, which functions as the European Union’s executive arm, has until Nov. 29 to decide whether the deal would stifle competition in the field of early cancer detection. That timeline could be a problem for Illumina, as the company’s lawyers have previously stated that the deal will expire by Sept. 20 unless extended. (Wosen, 7/22)
Bay Area News Group:
Dixie Fire Now California’s Largest Wildfire Of The Season
The Dixie Fire burning in Butte and Plumas counties is now California’s largest wildfire of the season, authorities said, and the fight to contain it is only expected to get more difficult in the coming days. As of 7 p.m. Thursday, the fire had scorched 113,006 acres and was 18 percent contained, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection. The Beckwourth Complex, the previous leader, had charred 105,670 acres and was 98 percent contained. (Green, 7/22)
Los Angeles Times:
Dixie Fire Reaches Megafire Status, Tamarack Fire Grows
The Dixie fire burning in Butte and Plumas counties mushroomed to more than 100,000 acres Thursday, becoming the second California blaze this year to surpass that acreage milestone. The aggressive fire has now destroyed at least eight structures, the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection said, and at least 1,500 more are threatened as it continues its slow crawl east toward Lake Almanor. (Smith and Ormseth, 7/22)
Sacramento Bee:
Thick Smoke Blankets Much Of US, Spares Sacramento
Western wildfires are coughing up vast amounts of smoke, deteriorating the air quality and posing health risks for millions. But this time, you are more likely to smell the smoke in New York City than you are in much of California. (Davidson, 7/22)
San Francisco Chronicle:
Next 3 Days Are Critical In Battle Against 113,000-Acre Dixie Fire, Firefighters Say
Firefighters battled seven wildfires across California on Thursday, including the fast-moving Dixie Fire, which is burning near the burnscar of the deadly 2018 Camp Fire. The Dixie Fire, which Cal Fire said has scorched 113,006 acres in Butte and Plumas counties and was 18% contained as of Thursday evening, is burning in a northeast direction on both sides of Highway 70, said Efren Lopez, a defensible space inspector with Cal Fire. Flames were in the areas of Bucks Lake — which is on the south end of Highway 70 — and in the area of Butt Valley Reservoir, on the northeast side of the highway, Lopez said. (Hernandez, 7/22)
LA Daily News/City News Service:
West Nile Virus Positive Mosquitoes Found In Bellflower, Studio City And Tarzana
The Greater Los Angeles County Vector Control District on Thursday, July 22, announced the first West Nile virus positive mosquito samples to be confirmed this year in its service area. The positive mosquito samples were collected from mosquito traps in Bellflower (90706), Studio City (91602), and Tarzana (91356), confirming the presence of the virus in mosquito populations within the community. Results for additional samples are pending. (7/22)
Los Angeles Times:
Why Is Finding Therapy So Difficult? Christy Desai Of Okay Humans Has A Modern Answer
All the conventions of actually getting therapy are clearly stuck in the past, alongside the negative social perception of seeking mental health help. As that eases, shouldn’t the complicated and bureaucratic process ease too? Enter Desai, a licensed marriage and family therapist, who thinks she has a solution to making securing therapy even slightly less hellish. She’s starting with a bricks-and-mortar location for Okay Humans, but going into the physical office is just about the only old-school thing about it. We caught up with Desai to chat about her new venture and the changing world of therapy. (Giljum, 7/22)
San Francisco Chronicle:
City Backlash Against Homeless Encampment Is Coming To A Boil In Marin County
A familiar battle is playing out in Marin County between a city and one of its homeless encampments. Novato officials say they’re fighting back after an advocacy group and residents of homeless encampment filed a lawsuit and a federal judge temporarily blocked enforcement of the city’s new limits on homeless camping. (Vainshtein, 7/22)
San Diego Union-Tribune:
Get Vaccinated. It's Not Complicated. The Surge Of The Delta Variant Makes It Clear.
While still well below their winter peaks, the latest spikes in new COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations are raising concerns among health officials and among many Americans — just not among enough, given how many people still remain unvaccinated. New coronavirus cases have more than doubled in the past month in San Diego County and statewide, fueled by the highly infectious delta variant that now makes up 83 percent of new U.S. cases. The surge is even stronger in Los Angeles County, leading authorities to reimpose indoor mask mandates. (7/21)
San Diego Union-Tribune:
Trust Eric Topol. Get Vaccinated. Wear A Mask Indoors. The Science Backs It Up.
Eric Topol is a physician-scientist, author and professor of molecular medicine at Scripps Research in La Jolla. When Topol talks about COVID-19, people listen, especially on Twitter, where he has 465,000 followers and often discusses vaccines at @EricTopol. He recently visited our San Diego News Fix podcast to discuss the current state of the pandemic with cases and hospitalizations spiking. (Kristy Totten, 7/22)
Los Angeles Times:
Why Face Mask Mandates For All Should Be Back On The Table
Are mask requirements again necessary in the U.S.? Our research shows why the answer is yes in many places: The unvaccinated are least likely to wear masks. We could avoid mask mandates if everyone who is eligible gets vaccinated. Nearly half of the U.S. population is fully vaccinated, and almost 70% of adults (and nearly 90% of those 65 and up) have received at least one dose. But these vaccination rates vary substantially by county. Federal and local governments must continue to find creative ways to encourage — or require — vaccination. France recently introduced new vaccination requirements, and despite some controversy, a rush for vaccines ensued. (Peter Enns and Jake Rothchild, 7/20)
San Francisco Chronicle:
COVID Is Making A Comeback In California. Here's What We Should Do About It
The resurgent pandemic shows state and federal policies to contain it are failing. Yes, vaccines are the most effective bulwark against the coronavirus, but too many Californians and other Americans have declined to get them, endangering themselves and others — including children for whom the shots have yet to be approved. Officials must pursue more aggressive strategies to encourage vaccination among the resistant, hesitant and apathetic while reinstituting mask mandates and other precautions against further spread. (7/20)
The Mercury News and East Bay Times:
Five Things Californians Should Do To Slow The Delta Variant
With COVID-19 case rates rapidly multiplying, we are witnessing in California and the Bay Area the start of another surge that will hospitalize and take the lives of the unvaccinated and those who are immunocompromised. It’s doubtful our governor will meet this moment as he should with the steps necessary to prevent the highly contagious Delta variant from exponentially spreading. Gavin Newsom suffers from political paralysis, frozen from doing the right thing because of a recall led by those who resist any restrictions on movement or requirements to wear masks. It’s up to us — individuals, business leaders, school officials and local government leaders — to fill the leadership void with the tools we have available. (7/21)
Los Angeles Times:
Don't Exempt Religious Objectors From Vaccination Mandates
Policies requiring vaccination against COVID-19 need not include, and should not include, exceptions for those who have religious objections to vaccinations. Many universities, including the University of California, are requiring vaccination for all students, staff and faculty returning to campus. Many employers, public and private, are doing so as well. These policies are essential to protect public health. The virulent Delta variant of the coronavirus has made it imperative to ensure vaccination of as many people as possible. (Erwin Chemerinsky, 7/23)
San Francisco Chronicle:
Why Restaurants Requiring Vaccination Proof Could Be Key To Increasing Bay Area Vaccination Rates
Earlier this month, French President Emmanuel Macron announced a new policy requiring proof of vaccination or a recent negative COVID-19 test for entering venues like restaurants and bars, and it had astonishing results: Within a day, over 2% of the unvaccinated population signed up to get shots, representing nearly 1 million people. That number has quickly climbed to over 2 million. The threat of missing out on croissants and cappuccinos seemed to be enough to convince the vaccine-hesitant. In the Bay Area, the possibility of having such a rule in bars and restaurants is extremely compelling. We are obsessed with food and blessed with diverse culinary opportunities and fresh ingredients. Unfortunately, restaurants are among the few places where removing a mask is unavoidable, and indoor dining is known to be an activity where COVID-19 can spread. What if we took the step of requiring a vaccination passport to get into restaurants, too? Would that be enough to raise our vaccination rate in the face of the contagious delta variant? (Robert Siegel, 7/22)
San Francisco Chronicle:
What's The Best Way To Help Californians Recover From The Pandemic? Give Them Cash
The COVID pandemic has wreaked havoc on the economic mobility of families across California. While higher-income workers have escaped relatively unscathed financially, the Insight Center reports that more than 1 in 3 Californian households, or 3.3 million people, are struggling to meet their basic needs. California is bearing witness to rampant inequality — with Black and Latinx households twice as likely as white households to struggle to stay afloat. (Michael Tubbs, 7/22)
Los Angeles Times:
Eric Clapton's Not God, Just Another Vile Anti-Vaxxer
Clapton, who is 76, has been in the news this week — not for rock-goddery but his reckless anti-vax rhetoric. His dangerous stance on vaccines has forced yet another conversation about the importance of “separating the music from the man.” Fans have started to argue again that Clapton was such a Michelangelo in music with songs such as “Layla,” “Cocaine” and “Wonderful Tonight” that his grave misconduct can never make them question his work. (Virginia Heffernan, 7/23)
Los Angeles Times:
Why You Should Forget About That Pandemic Weight Gain And Cut Yourself Some Slack
Buried in the sweetness of a return to some sort of pre-pandemic life is the dread of something less palatable: an uncomfortable date with my scale. I know it’s going to tell me I’ve gained 10 pounds. And with that knowledge, there’s a fleeting thought that maybe I’m not ready to put on a public face, at least not yet — not while I’m looking like this. (Jillian Horton, 7/20)
Sacramento Bee:
CA Must Make Reforms To Cal-OSHA To Provide Worker Safety
For millions of Californians, the COVID-19 pandemic has forever changed the way we work. Daily commutes and late nights at the office are out and Zoom is in. But for millions of wage earners, predominantly Black and brown workers, the “new normal” is more dangerous workplaces. The jobs these workers held before the pandemic became death-defying virtually overnight. They now come with new risks from the front lines of climate-driven heat and wildfire smoke to more virulent pathogens. California’s Division of Occupational Safety and Health simply lacks the capacity to keep workers safe, and the agency does not have the ability to bring anything but inadequate penalties on employers who flout the law. (Stephen Knight, 7/21)
Los Angeles Times:
Climate Change Is Driving Extreme Floods, Wildfires And Heat. Will The World Meet The Moment?
Climate change is making normal weather events — heat waves, droughts, rainstorms and hurricanes — more extreme and more devastating to communities unprepared for the onslaught. What’s most frightening, however, is that extremes are happening faster than many predicted or wished. It’s clear that the world is running out of time to slow the devastation.The impacts of climate change are undeniable. So why are the world’s developed countries still slow-walking efforts to wean their economies off fossil fuels and slash the greenhouse gases responsible for climate change? (7/22)
San Francisco Chronicle:
Big Oil Has Fouled The Bay Area's Air For Too Long. You Can Put A Stop To It This Week
I prescribed steroids, high-dose inhalers, stronger allergy medication. And yet he came back to my office every week or two for the duration of that baseball season, always wheezing. The medication helped, but only briefly. Finally, about six weeks into this pattern, it was obvious: He had to stop playing baseball. The air in his Richmond community was making him too sick. In 2018, air pollution from fossil fuels was responsible for 1 in 5 premature deaths worldwide. In the Bay Area alone, fine particulate matter (PM2.5), the most deadly form of air pollution, is estimated to kill 3,000 people per year. (Amanda Millstein, 7/19)