Latest From California Healthline:
California Healthline Original Stories
Blood Drives — And Donors — Fall Off As Coronavirus Worries Grow
Cancellations and no-shows for blood drives in states where the virus is spreading — and in ones where it’s not — pose risks for the nation’s inventories. (JoNel Aleccia, )
California Orders Insurers To Waive Out-Of-Pocket Costs For Coronavirus Testing Amid Concerns Price Would Deter People: The California Department of Insurance and Department of Managed Health Care ordered all full-service commercial and Medi-Cal plans to “immediately reduce cost-sharing — including, but not limited to, co-pays, deductibles or coinsurance — to zero for all medically necessary screening and testing for COVID-19, including hospital, emergency department, urgent care and provider office visits where the purpose of the visit is to be screened and/or tested for COVID-19.” About 9% of the U.S. population, and 7% in California, lacked health insurance in 2018, according to the Kaiser Family Foundation. However, many people with private insurance have large deductibles. “If you have a $7,000 deductible and don’t have $7,000, you are essentially uninsured,” said Jennifer Tolbert, the foundation’s director of state health reform. “That’s a problem when you are trying to address a crisis like this.” Read more from Kathleen Pender of the San Francisco Chronicle.
Test Kits Flown Out To Quarantined Cruise Passengers As Some Wonder If Ship Will Be Doomed To Become Floating Petri Dish: Military helicopters delivered testing kits Thursday to a cruise ship being held off the coast of California, as officials in Washington faced angry questions about whether the vessel is set to become the latest breeding ground for the deadly novel coronavirus. The Grand Princess, which was returning to San Francisco after a two-week cruise to Hawaii, remained offshore and in limbo at the request of California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D). About 100 people were expected to be tested, among them 11 passengers and 10 crew members who have shown potential signs of covid-19, the respiratory disease caused by the coronavirus. Results were expected Friday. Read more from Reed Albergotti, Hannah Sampson and Brady Dennis of The Washington Post.
In related news from the Los Angeles Times: Neighbors Of First Californian To Die From Coronavirus Anxiously Await Word. ‘That’s Close To Home’
‘If Nurses Aren’t Safe, Then Really Our Community Isn’t Safe’: In the fight against the coronavirus, nurses play a critical role, but some on the front lines in the hardest-hit areas in the United States say they fear that their health is not being made a priority. Nurses in California said they have had to beg for N95 masks, which are thicker than surgical masks and block out much smaller particles, and have faced ridicule from colleagues when expressing concerns about catching the highly contagious virus. Some have complained about being pulled out of quarantine early to treat patients because of staff shortages. Meanwhile, a quarantined nurse in a northern California facility said Thursday that they have not been tested for coronavirus due to issues with the federal government’s bureaucratic roadblocks. Read more from Farah Stockman and Mike Baker of The New York Times, Rebecca Klar of The Hill, and Anna Bauman of the San Francisco Chronicle.
Below, check out the full round-up of California Healthline original stories, state coverage and the best of the rest of the national news for the day.
More News From Across The State
KQED:
First Two San Francisco Cases Of Coronavirus Detected
The first two cases of novel coronavirus infection have been detected in San Francisco, Mayor London Breed announced at a press conference Thursday. The two patients are being treated in isolation at separate hospitals in San Francisco, and the cases appear unrelated. (Arcuni, 3/5)
The Washington Post:
As Coronavirus Spreads, There’s A Big Shortage Of School Nurses
The Sacramento City Unified School District recently sent a newsletter to families about the novel coronavirus that is spreading around the world — it’s already in Sacramento — to explain the measures the school system is taking to protect students, teachers and others. The first point of action was this: “School Nurses are advising and providing classroom lessons on handwashing and proper coughing/sneezing etiquette.” (Strauss, 3/5)
KQED:
Kids Are Less Susceptible To COVID-19, But It's Not Clear Why
A World Health Organization-China Joint Mission report from last month found that kids comprised only 2.4 percent of cases, and that they generally suffered less severe respiratory symptoms than adults. Most children experienced cold-like symptoms such as a fever, runny nose and cough. Vomiting and diarrhea were extremely rare. And children are, so far, not experiencing acute respiratory distress syndrome or septic shock, which is occurring in some adults. (McClurg, 3/5)
Los Angeles Times:
How A Healthy-Looking Baby Might Spread The Coronavirus
First, the mother and nanny were hospitalized with pneumonia, suspected of being infected with the novel coronavirus. The next day, the father fell ill with a fever and sore throat and was hospitalized too. With no one to care for him, the baby was brought to the hospital to be cared for in an isolation unit. The child — a 6-month-old boy — came to the hospital with no symptoms of COVID-19. He seemed perfectly healthy, was breathing fine and had no fever on his arrival at the hospital, medical professionals observed. (Lin, 3/5)
Sacramento Bee:
CA Survivalist And Camping Food Companies Are Swamped
The assembly lines at Katadyn North America Foods in Rocklin were laboring to keep up with demand, churning out sealed pouches of freeze-dried sausage and pasta. In the coronavirus era, everything is a rush order at Katadyn. “We’ve been out of this for about a week, so we’re trying to catch up,” said Ralph Boyle, general manager. “There’s a huge demand, back order, on this one.” (Kasler and Sabalow, 3/6)
Los Angeles Times:
The Flu Has Killed Thousands. So Why All The Focus On Coronavirus?
You’ve seen it on social media, heard it at a dinner party, and maybe you’ve even said it yourself. “The flu has killed tens of thousands more people,” the line goes. “So why is everyone freaking out about the coronavirus?” It’s a reasonable question. After all, both viruses produce similar symptoms — fever, body aches, cough, fatigue — and if you live in the United States, you are currently much more likely to catch the flu than the new coronavirus that originated in China late last year. (Netburn, 3/5)
The Associated Press:
Trump Signs $8.3B Bill To Combat Coronavirus Outbreak In US
President Donald Trump on Friday signed an $8.3 billion measure to help tackle the coronavirus outbreak that has killed 12 people in the U.S. and infected more than 200. The legislation provides federal public health agencies with money for vaccines, tests and potential treatments and helps state and local governments prepare and respond to the threat. The rapid spread of the virus has rocked financial markets, interrupted travel and threatens to affect everyday life in the United States. (Taylor, 3/6)
CNN:
Coronavirus: Senate Approves $8.3 Billion Response Package
The finally tally for the Senate vote was 96-1. Sen. Rand Paul was the lone senator to vote against the measure. Ahead of the vote on final passage, the Kentucky Republican also offered an amendment to the coronavirus funding package that would offset costs by canceling some foreign aid spending. But the Senate voted to table, or kill, the motion. (Foran and Barrett, 3/5)
The Wall Street Journal:
Senate Passes Coronavirus Spending Bill, Sending Package To Trump
The legislation, which passed the House overwhelmingly on Wednesday, funds research efforts to develop a vaccine, allocates money to state and local governments to battle the outbreak and sends dollars overseas to assist response efforts. It also eases requirements on Medicare beneficiaries receiving telemedical services and provides $20 million to fund an increase in U.S. small business loans. (Duehren, 3/5)
The Washington Post:
Trump May Be Greatest Obstacle To Sending A Clear Message On Coronavirus
As leading public health experts from across the government have tried to provide clear and consistent information about the deadly coronavirus, they have found their messages undercut, drowned out and muddled by President Trump’s push to downplay the outbreak with a mix of optimism, bombast and pseudoscience. Speaking almost daily to the public about an outbreak that has spread across states and rocked the markets, Trump has promoted his opinions and at times contradicted the public health experts tasked with keeping Americans safe. (Olorunnipa, 3/5)
CNN:
Pence Admits 'We Don't Have Enough Tests' To Meet Demands As Delay In Coronavirus Testing Persists
Confusion and delays appear to persist in testing Americans for coronavirus even after an outcry from state and local health authorities that the United States was behind in determining the extent of the outbreak. Vice President Mike Pence, who is leading the administration's response to the coronavirus crisis, acknowledged Thursday there was a shortfall in the number of testing kits required to meet demand. "We don't have enough tests today to meet what we anticipate will be the demand going forward," Pence told reporters while touring 3M facilities in Minnesota. (Liptak, 3/5)
The Wall Street Journal:
Viral Outbreaks, Once Rare, Become Part Of The Global Landscape
The rapid and global spread of the deadly new coronavirus caught households, business leaders, investors and policy makers off guard, but health experts and economists who study pandemics say it shouldn’t have come as a surprise at all. Epidemics of infectious diseases have become a regular part of the global landscape in the past quarter-century, thanks in part to economic trends including urbanization, globalization and increased human consumption of animal proteins as society becomes more prosperous, these experts say. (Hilsenrath, 3/6)
The New York Times:
How Worried Should You Be About The Coronavirus?
First, while global knowledge of Covid-19, the disease caused by the new coronavirus, is growing every day, much remains unknown. Many cases are thought to be mild or asymptomatic, for example, making it hard to gauge how wide the virus has spread or how deadly it is. Second, much of the risk comes not from the virus itself but from how it affects the societies it hits. (Fisher, 3/5)
San Francisco Chronicle:
PG&E’s Bankruptcy Exit Plan Gets A Price Tag: $57.65 Billion
Concluding PG&E Corp.’s bankruptcy was always going to be an extremely expensive undertaking, but the company has recently provided a clearer sense of just how costly the process will likely become. A key document PG&E filed with state regulators shows its plan to resolve the case and pay victims of fires its power lines caused comes with an eye-popping price tag of $57.65 billion. That would appear to make the company’s exit from protection under Chapter 11 of the U.S. Bankruptcy Code one of the priciest undertakings of its kind. (J.D. Morris, 3/6)
Los Angeles Times:
Coronavirus And The Stupidity Of Trump's Healthcare Approach
Until now, President Trump’s approach to healthcare was alarming chiefly to discrete populations such as low-income families, immigrants, people with preexisting conditions and seniors. They were in the crosshairs of initiatives to hamstring Medicaid, prevent undocumented residents from seeking medical treatment, destroy the Affordable Care Act and raise the cost of Medicare. (Michael Hiltzik, 3/2)
Los Angeles Times:
Why The Coronavirus Crisis Proves We Need Universal Healthcare
The incipient spread of the coronavirus in the U.S. has laid bare the precarious nature of a health system in which millions of people lack health insurance. The way to avoid rapid spread of the virus is to make sure that people who need access to care get it as soon as possible. But in this country, 30 million people are uninsured and 44 million more are under- insured because they can barely afford to pay the high deductibles and out-of-pocket costs in their plans. (Sara R. Collins and David Blumenthal, 3/5)
Sacramento Bee:
CA Coronavirus Fears Best Addressed With Science And Facts
The new coronavirus has reached Sacramento, creating serious concerns. Here are two important things we can all do to help stop its spread: keep calm and trust science. Face masks? Forget them. Buying face masks may only hurt efforts to contain the virus’ spread. Want extra protection? Wash your hands frequently and avoid touching your nose and mouth. Hand sanitizer is always a good idea. After all, it’s still flu season. (2/29)
Bay Area News Group:
Coronavirus And Sports: Leagues, Teams Should Take Lead
The coronavirus — specifically COVID-19 — is here and it doesn’t appear to be going away anytime soon. And the big business of sports has a role to play in stopping it in its tracks. All leagues — big and small — should be proactive and consider reschedulings, closed-door games, and cancellations in the near future. (Dieter Kurtenbach, 3/5)
San Francisco Chronicle:
California Shows How To Build On The ACA
As we near the 10th anniversary of the Affordable Care Act, our country faces two divergent paths to address health care cost and affordability. One road includes federal actions that not only undermine the ACA but threaten to wipe out the law as it goes back to the U.S. Supreme Court in the fall. In California, we have taken a different path to protect and build on the ACA. The results of these differing strategies are becoming increasingly clear and are being felt by millions of people. (3/6)
CalMatters:
Democratic Presidential Candidates Should Focus On Health
In this Tuesday’s presidential primary, Democratic voters will be overwhelmingly focused on defeating President Donald Trump. Policy issues have taken a back seat. But to the extent that any other issue persists, it is health care policy. (Raphael J. Sonenshein, 3/2)
Los Angeles Times:
We Compost Everything Else In California. Why Not Dead Bodies?
Addressing climate change doesn’t just mean taking cars off the roads and shutting down coal-burning plants. It requires rethinking everything humans do that contributes in ways large and small to our carbon footprint. That includes how we travel to work, what we eat for dinner, what household products we buy and even what’s done with our bodies after we shuffle off this mortal coil. (3/4)
CalMatters:
Here's How To Fix California Mental Health Care System
When Gov. Gavin Newsom focused this year’s State of the State address on California’s looming crisis of homelessness, he vowed to improve the state’s mental health programs. “We will be laser-focused on getting the mentally ill out of tents and into treatment,” the governor said. The governor is right that mental health programs need a reboot, and fortunately there is a roadmap for how to do it: two reports from California’s independent government watchdog, the Little Hoover Commission, lay out proposed reforms. (Pedro Nava, 3/4)
Sacramento Bee:
Let’s Cut Our Dependence On Dangerous Chemicals To Grow Food
Forty years ago, farm neighbors told my surprised family that our wildlife friendly farming practices were organic - which doubled the value of our rice crop. Our farming methods evolved after my father-in-law’s return from World War II. Like many peers, he tried new technologies - chemical pesticides and synthetic nitrogen fertilizer - and saw them kill the wildlife he loved and the soil he relied on. He sensed that a food system based on toxic chemistry was a dead end. Instead, he developed an approach that incorporated wildlife – instead of fighting it. (Brian Leahy, 3/6)
Los Angeles Times:
Housing Sit Empty While L.A.'s Homeless Languish
The effort to house homeless people in the Los Angeles area is beset by many problems — the difficulty finding sites for new housing projects, the resistance from neighbors, the slow pace of construction, the high cost. One thing that shouldn’t be difficult, though, is keeping track of what housing is available for unsheltered people to move into and when it’s available. (3/2)
San Francisco Chronicle:
The Play Gap: Children Are Losing The Joy And Creativity
Three years ago, I photographed the Rohingya crisis in a Bangladeshi refugee camp where most of the refugees were children, some orphaned just days before. Surprisingly, the most unexpected sound in the camp was not the mournful silence of traumatized people; it was the laughter of children, playing on the edge of every frame. Sliding down mud hills and organizing games around bottle caps, these children were instinctively using play to adapt and heal: keenly aware of, yet defying, all that was wrong in their world. (Nancy Richards Farese, 2/29)