San Diego Union-Tribune: New Bill Would Allow Nurse Practitioners To Perform Abortions Without Physician Supervision 
A new bill introduced by state Senate President Pro Tempore Toni Atkins of San Diego seeks to add first-trimester abortions to the range of services that experienced nurse practitioners can perform without the supervision of a physician. Soon to be assigned to a committee, Senate Bill 1375 would clarify two existing pieces of legislation. (Sisson, 3/3)

Los Angeles Times: More California Nurse Practitioners Could Offer Abortions Under Bill 
California would allow nurse practitioners to more easily work independently of a doctor and perform abortions under legislation that expands reproductive care as other states move to restrict access. The bill is one of several introduced this year by California Democrats who have been preparing countermeasures to expand abortion access for those who live in and out of the state, a months-long effort that comes in response to the possibility that the U.S. Supreme Court could overturn Roe vs. Wade, the nearly 50-year-old landmark decision that barred states from criminalizing abortions. (Gutierrez, 3/3)

Sacramento Bee: CA Could Allow Nurse Practitioner Abortions Without Doctors
A new California bill would allow independent nurse practitioners to perform abortions without doctor supervision — a shift supporters say would improve access to the procedure in rural areas with few doctors. Senate President Pro Tem Toni Atkins, D-San Diego, on Thursday announced Senate Bill 1375, which would build on previous legislation that gave nurse practitioners the ability to serve patients independently, eliminating the need for doctor oversight. (Holden, 3/3)

Los Angeles Times: Universal Studios Hollywood To Lift Its COVID-19 Mask Rules 
Ahead of an expected order by county officials easing pandemic health protocols, Universal Studios Hollywood announced it will no longer require guests visiting the theme park to wear masks or show proof of vaccinations or a negative COVID-19 test starting Friday. The announcement aligns with an order likely to be announced Thursday by Los Angeles County Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer that masks are no longer required in public places such as bars, stores, offices, restaurants, gyms and movie theaters. She is also expected to lift vaccine verification requirements at outdoor mega-events in the county — such as at SoFi and Dodger stadiums, L.A. Memorial Coliseum and the Hollywood Bowl. (Martín, 3/3)

AP: NFL Suspends All COVID Protocols, Cites 'Encouraging Trends' 
The NFL has suspended all aspects of its COVID-19 protocols, citing recent trends showing that the spread of the coronavirus is declining. In an agreement with the players’ association, the league sent a memo to the 32 teams Thursday in which it mentioned “encouraging trends regarding the prevalence and severity of COVID-19, the evolving guidance from the CDC, changes to state law and the counsel of our respective experts” as reasons for the move. Should the NFL find reasons to reimpose any aspects of the protocols, it will do so in conjunction with the NFL Players Association. (Wilner, 3/3)

Oaklandside: Why You Still Need A Mask, According To A Doctor On The Frontlines Of Health Care In Oakland
With COVID restrictions and the virus itself in so much flux, we reached out to Dr. Noha Aboelata, the CEO of Roots Community Health Center in East Oakland, to talk about the current state of the pandemic as it reaches the end of its second year. (Rasilla, 3/3)

Berkeleyside: Berkeley Health Officials Give Schools The OK To Lift Mask Mandates
Berkeley health officials will follow the state’s lead later this month in letting schools drop face covering requirements for students and staff. As of Thursday, however, the Berkeley Unified School District had not said whether it will act on the change or keep its mask mandate in place. Public health officers from Berkeley and Alameda County announced Thursday afternoon that they will allow childcare settings and K-12 schools to choose whether to require masks starting March 12. The change aligns local mask rules with a plan Gov. Gavin Newsom announced Monday to end state-level face covering requirements on that date. (Savidge, 3/3)

San Francisco Chronicle: What Will It Take For S.F. Public Schools To Drop The Mask Mandate? Officials Won’t Say
District officials say they will continue to require masks indoors, noting that county and state health officials “strongly recommend” students and staff continue to use them. But require and recommend are not the same, and many families and health experts are asking for clarity on what criteria the district is using to decide when it will lift the mandate. (Tucker and Vainshtein, 3/3)

Fresno Bee: Anti-Mask Protesters Film Students At A Fresno School 
Students at Fresno’s Dailey Elementary Charter School will eat lunch indoors for at least the rest of the week after anti-mask protesters took photographs and video of students and shouted at staff members over the state’s coronavirus safety measures. The Bee obtained a message that the school’s Executive Director Jeanne Pentorali sent to parents late Wednesday. (Montalvo, 3/3)

NBC News: CDC Numbers Show More Than 90 Percent Of People In U.S. Can Ditch Masks
Data released Thursday by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention show that Covid-19 levels have dropped significantly enough that more than 90 percent of people in the U.S. can go without masks. The updated data, which show that nearly everyone in the country lives in areas with low to medium risk for Covid, were released days after the agency issued new guidance that tweaked how it measured that risk. (Stelloh, 3/3)

AP: Anti-Vaccine California Doctor Pleads Guilty To Joining Capitol Riot
A California doctor known as a leading purveyor of coronavirus misinformation pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor charge on Thursday for joining the mob that stormed the U.S. Capitol last year. Dr. Simone Gold, founder of the anti-vaccine group America’s Frontline Doctors, entered the plea to a charge of entering and remaining in a restricted building or grounds. The conviction carries a maximum sentence of six months in jail. (Kunzelman, 3/3)

AP: As Vaccine Demand Falls, States Are Left With Huge Stockpile 
As demand for COVID-19 vaccines collapses in many areas of the U.S., states are scrambling to use stockpiles of doses before they expire and have to be added to the millions that have already gone to waste. From some of the least vaccinated states, like Indiana and North Dakota, to some of the most vaccinated states, like New Jersey and Vermont, public health departments are shuffling doses around in the hopes of finding providers that can use them. (McDermott, 3/3)

ABC News: Without COVID-19 Vaccines For Youngest Children, Families Feel Left Behind By 'Next Phase' 
While much of the country is relieved to move into a new phase of the COVID-19 pandemic, millions of families with young, unvaccinated children have looked on with frustration, feeling forced to now raise their guard even higher. "Just going to the grocery store is less safe now, because we can't rely on other people protecting him by wearing a mask," said Rebecca Sanghvi, the mother of a 2-year-old son. (Haslett, 3/3)

ABC News: With Millions Still Unboosted Against COVID, Public Health Experts Face Tricky Messaging Around Potential 4th Shot 
The number of Americans who are receiving their first COVID-19 vaccine now stands at a pandemic low, with fewer than 80,000 Americans initiating vaccination each day. Further, since December, the rate of people getting boosted has also fallen significantly, dropping from 1 million booster shots administered a day to less than 140,000. ... Amid the declining interest, some scientists and health officials say it is possible Americans could need an additional booster this fall, or seasonal boosters in the future, to address waning vaccine immunity or new coronavirus variants. (Mitropoulos, 3/3)

Sacramento Bee: First Sentencing In California Office Of AIDS Fraud Scandal 
The former state worker at the center of a $2.7 million fraud scheme inside California’s Office of AIDS was sentenced Thursday to five years, 10 months in federal prison. Schenelle M. Flores, once a manager at the office inside California’s Department of Public Health, used money from the fraud scheme to spend $200,000 on expenses at Disneyland, as well as expenses for hotels, suites at San Francisco Giants games, cruises, Sacramento Kings tickets, other sporting events and a yacht rental for her daughter’s birthday party. (Stanton, 3/3)

Los Angeles Times: Community College Won't Take Disability Case To Supreme Court 
Responding to intense protests from the disability community, the Los Angeles Community College District’s Board of Trustees has backed down from appealing to the U.S. Supreme Court over a lawsuit filed by two blind students claiming they were denied equal access to education. During a closed session meeting Wednesday night, the board voted unanimously ahead of a deadline to direct its lawyers to refrain from appealing to the high court over the 2017 lawsuit and to continue instead with mediation. The suit alleged discrimination of two students’ civil rights after the district failed to properly help them with accommodations to which they are legally entitled. (Shalby, 3/3)

AP: House Backs Bill To Help Veterans Exposed To Toxic Burn Pits 
A bill that would dramatically boost health care services and disability benefits for veterans exposed to toxic burn pits in Iraq and Afghanistan won approval Thursday in the House. The measure has the backing of the nation’s major veterans groups and underscores the continued cost of war years after the fighting has stopped. The bill’s fate is unclear in the Senate, but if passed into law, it would increase spending by more than $300 billion over the next decade, according to the Congressional Budget Office. ... The bill passed by a vote of 256-174 with 34 Republicans joining all House Democrats in voting for it. (Freking, 3/3)

The Hill: White House Requests $22.5B For 'Immediate' COVID-19 Response Needs
The Biden administration is requesting $22.5 billion from Congress for the COVID-19 response, setting up a tussle with Republican lawmakers who have resisted new funding.  In a letter to Congress dated Wednesday, the White House said the additional funds are crucial for efforts around vaccines, treatments, and testing. In addition, $5 billion of the funding will go towards the global COVID-19 response, including vaccinating other countries, which is key to helping stop new variants from arising.  (Sullivan, 3/3)

Sacramento Bee: Sacklers, Purdue Pharma Reach $6B Settlement With CA, Others 
California Attorney General Rob Bonta announced Thursday that California and other states have reached a $6 billion settlement with Purdue Pharma and its founding family, the Sacklers, over their role in the opioid crisis. “No settlement can reverse the devastating harm Purdue and the Sacklers have caused this country through their illegal practices that led to the opioid epidemic,” Bonta said. “Nearly one million lives have been lost – a number that continues to rise – and more continue to struggle with addiction. This is a crisis that calls not only for accountability from the companies that have caused it, but real relief for the communities working to control it.” (Anderson, 3/3)

AP: Purdue Pharma, US States Agree To New Opioid Settlement
In all, the plan could be worth more than $10 billion over time. It calls for members of the Sackler family to give up control of the Stamford, Connecticut-based company so it can be turned into a new entity with profits used to fight the crisis. The deal would not shield members of the family from criminal charges, although there’s no indication any are forthcoming. Sackler family members have not unequivocally offered an apology but issued a statement of regret about the toll of OxyContin, its signature painkiller, which users learned could be manipulated to produce quick highs. (Mulvihill and Seewer, 3/3)

Orange County Register: Countering The Deadly Scourge Of Fentanyl In Orange County 
The synthetic opioid was responsible for just 4% of drug-related deaths in 2013, but more than 70% in 2021. It’s now the leading cause of death for children 17 and under. “The fentanyl epidemic is our most significant long-term health crisis,” Orange County Sheriff Don Barnes said at a public hearing Thursday, March 3. “Our resources are outmatched by the sheer quantity of what is being trafficked.” (Sforza, 3/3)

The Bakersfield Californian: Kern County Prepares 'Safe Parking And Camping' Sites As Alternative To Homeless Encampments 
Kern County is close to establishing a “safe camping and parking” site following a new ordinance that prohibits homeless encampments in many public areas. On Tuesday, the Board of Supervisors unanimously approved a three-year, $3.5 million contract with Community Action Partnership of Kern to operate the safe camping and parking location, which will be on the grounds of the M Street Navigation Center, also operated by CAPK. (Morgen, 3/3)

Sacramento Bee: Gov. Gavin Newsom’s Premature School Mask Mandate Retreat 
Despite Gov. Gavin Newsom’s insistence that “the latest data and science” continue to guide his COVID policy, his administration’s abandonment of school mask requirements this week amounted to a bare-faced concession to strident voices and shortsighted politics. In the name of defusing the governor’s loudest critics and appeasing those insisting on convenience over caution, the decision will leave teachers and schools vulnerable to the vagaries of the virus and students susceptible to still more educational deprivation. The fading winter surge and rising vaccination rates certainly warrant some easing of mask mandates and other precautions. But the importance of keeping schools open and functional justifies retaining the added protection of masks while so many young Californians remain unvaccinated. (3/2)

Los Angeles Daily News: Newsom Slowly Unwinds Mandates 
Gov. Gavin Newsom is slowly unwinding mandates and decrees aimed at addressing the coronavirus pandemic. It’s about time, but kudos to him for doing so. (3/2)

Los Angeles Daily News: Newsom Takes Still Another Course On COVID-19 
At some point in the future, if we have one, historians will ponder when and why COVID-19 morphed from a public health crisis into an ideological confrontation, with vaccinations and masks as symbols of political leaning and with school children as innocent pawns. However it happened, the politicization of the pandemic continues to flavor its response. Officials insist that they are “following the science” when they impose or lift personal behavior decrees, but it’s obvious that they also are sensitive to the political effects. (Dan Walters, 3/2)

San Francisco Chronicle: COVID Made Flying Even More Miserable. It Doesn’t Have To Be That Way
Pandemic-era air travel is a miserable combination of unhappy passengers and unreliable service — except in Palm Springs. There, flying still feels like a miracle. And, if we’re lucky, sun-splashed, open-air PSP — the code by which this airport is known — will become a model for post-pandemic flight across California, and especially in the smaller airports of our growing inland regions. (Joe Mathews, 2/27)

Los Angeles Times: Could The COVID-19 Virus Mutate To Evade The Vaccines? 
It is now well known that SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, can mutate to evade vaccine protection against infection. The Omicron variants — BA.1, B1.1 and BA.2 — can infect those who were previously infected by other variants, even when vaccinated. A third booster shot offers some protection from an Omicron infection, but it wanes after three or four months, leaving most people susceptible to reinfection. That said, the immunity conveyed by prior infection or vaccination still dramatically reduces the incidence of hospitalization and death. (William Hasseltine, 2/27)

San Francisco Chronicle: We’re In A Fentanyl Crisis. California Needs To Stop Dragging On Supervised Injections Sites
When news broke last month that San Francisco is allowing people to use drugs inside the new Tenderloin Treatment Linkage Center, the mayor’s spokesperson sent out an email calling the decision an “emergency initiative ... about doing everything we can to help people struggling with addiction.” Critics accused the city of running a “supervised drug consumption area,” which is currently illegal under state and federal law. Whatever authorities want to call it, providing users with safe places to consume drugs is a good idea. (Travis Lupick, 2/27)