Latest From California Healthline:
California Healthline Original Stories
Going The Distance By Bus Through A Pandemic
Transit ridership has plummeted because of COVID-19, but millions of Americans still rely on buses and trains to get around, often because they have no other choice. (Heidi de Marco, )
California’s Death Toll Passes 2,000 As State Starts To Reopen: More than 40 of California’s 58 counties have now been approved to expand retail operations as their virus conditions improved, with more expected to reopen their economies in the coming days. But officials expect the progress to be slower in Los Angeles County, which accounts for nearly 60% of the state’s total deaths and almost half of the more than 86,000 confirmed infections. The county’s death toll rose Thursday to 2,016, with more than 42,000 confirmed cases. “This is a very sad milestone for us,” county Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer said. Read more from Luke Money, Rong-Gong Lin II and Hannah Fry of the Los Angeles Times.
Meanwhile, in the Bay Area, which wasn’t hit as hard as Los Angeles County, officials try to find the middle ground in choosing between lives or livelihoods. In the Bay Area, few ventured out in recent days even after stores opened for curbside pickup in San Francisco and restaurants reopened dining rooms in Napa. Still, with millions of people now jobless, the calls to return to work have accelerated, along with fears that businesses — and the jobs they provide — will close for good the longer the shutdown grinds on. Meanwhile, the recipe followed by California and the Bay Area for slow and gradual reopening, with ample testing and contact tracing suggests there is a middle way. Read more from Carolyn Said of the San Francisco Chronicle.
In related news from the San Francisco Chronicle: Sweltering in place: Warm Memorial Day Weekend Coincides With Coronavirus Stay-Home Orders
Two Months Into Pandemic, Bay Area Hospitals Still Facing Roadblocks To Getting Protective Gear: Accessing steady streams of vast amounts of medical gowns, gloves, masks and disinfectant has presented unprecedented logistical challenges that officials are only now starting to smooth out, thanks largely to their ability to buy from reliable suppliers — a process that took considerable time to figure out. Particularly in the early weeks of the pandemic’s local spread, when counties and health care providers were scrambling to stock enough equipment to stay ahead of a projected surge in COVID-19 cases, there were pitfalls everywhere. While those in charge of buying PPE say there’s been progress made, for health care providers the picture is more opaque. Read more from Dominic Fracassa 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
San Francisco Chronicle:
Only 3 Bay Area Counties Meet Coronavirus Test Goals, Yet All Are Lifting Some Restrictions
Just three of the nine Bay Area counties are conducting enough daily coronavirus tests to meet state standards to safely reopen — yet all are moving forward to lift shelter-in-place restrictions. Napa, Solano and Marin counties say they have met the testing benchmark set by Gov. Gavin Newsom — at least 150 tests per 100,000 people each day, the number Harvard researchers estimate will capture most positive cases in a community. Sonoma County may also be meeting the state benchmark, based on the tests it conducted Wednesday. But Sonoma doesn’t provide the required seven-day average, so its record is unclear. (Ho, 5/21)
San Francisco Chronicle:
Is Risk Of Coronavirus Transmission Lower Outside? What To Know Before Going Outdoors
The weather is getting warmer. The days are getting longer. Some stores are reopening. And California is slowly easing up on the sheltering restrictions placed on us during this pandemic. In other words, we’re getting out of our homes a little more after weeks of a statewide shutdown. But this isn’t the same world we remember from before. There are new questions about personal contact and social distancing. There are fresh concerns about infection in the environment around us. The Chronicle talked to some health experts about how we can best navigate the Bay Area without contracting the coronavirus. (Whiting, 5/21)
San Francisco Chronicle:
A Bay Area Without Smiles: Coronavirus Masks Are Taking Away Our Most Vital Form Of Nonverbal Communication
The strangeness first hit Jacqueline Colavolpe in late April, on the day her fiance was finally tested for COVID-19 after three weeks of being sick. He had started developing symptoms just after Colavolpe, 33, recovered from her battle with the virus. As they pulled into the drive-through clinic, Colavolpe, a freelance producer who lives in San Francisco, felt overcome with emotion as she made eye contact with one of the nurses who had been so kind to her fiance amid all the panic. Without thinking, Colavolpe smiled at her through the window, but was confused when the nurse didn’t react. Then Colavolpe remembered she was wearing her mask, and burst into tears. (Vainshtein, 5/21)
Bay Area News Group:
In San Jose, Face Mask Enforcement Won't Be By Police
With Santa Clara County instituting its first — albeit limited — face-covering requirement starting Friday, and San Jose leaders pondering their own stricter ordinance, what residents won’t see in the Bay Area’s largest city is a police officer coming out to ticket someone for not wearing a mask. Police Chief Eddie Garcia has been vocal about his officers giving warnings, instead of criminalizing non-business violations of the county shelter-in-place order through misdemeanor citations. Garcia said at a city council meeting Tuesday that he anticipates his department getting “inundated with calls from the community” reporting people not wearing face masks, and wanted to head that off. (Salonga, 5/21)
Sacramento Bee:
Coronavirus: Sacramento Giving 800,000 Masks To Businesses
Sacramento will distribute 800,000 masks provided by the state to local businesses, the city announced Thursday. The move comes as Sacramento County has been cleared to begin reopening in-restaurant dining and in-store shopping in the next few days. Sacramento businesses may receive up to 10 free disposable masks per employee, the city said in a news release Thursday morning. (McGough, 5/21)
Los Angeles Times:
Newsom's Promise To Feed Seniors Amid Coronavirus Falls Short
When Gov. Gavin Newsom announced the start of an initiative last month to deliver free meals to California seniors during the COVID-19 pandemic, he declared that “the universe of those eligible is certainly in the millions.” “Even if it’s hundreds of thousands that take advantage of this, just in weeks you’ll see millions and millions of meals as part of this program,” the governor said at his April 24 news conference. (Luna, 5/22)
San Francisco Chronicle:
Contra Costa County DA Launches Investigation Into Deadly COVID-19 Outbreak At Orinda Nursing Home
Contra Costa County prosecutors are investigating an Orinda nursing home where at least four residents have died and more than 50 people have been infected with the coronavirus, officials said. The Contra Costa County district attorney’s office is collaborating with state law enforcement and regulatory agencies on an investigation into the COVID-19 deaths at the facility, according to a statement from deputy district attorney Melissa Smith. (Bauman, 5/21)
Sacramento Bee:
CA To Hire More State Workers To Help With Jobless Claims
The state’s embattled unemployment department will hire 1,800 people — including 600 phone agents — over the next two weeks as the state frantically scrambles to help respond to frustrated out-of-work California residents who continue to get jammed phone lines and lengthy waits for answers. Sharon Hilliard, director of the Employment Development Department, heard a barrage of complaints from California Assembly and Senate members Thursday at budget hearings. One by one, Assembly members described constituents’ frustration getting through to the agency, which manages the state’s unemployment insurance program. (Lightman, 5/21)
San Francisco Chronicle:
UCSF Doctor Sees Mysterious Swelling Of Feet In Children, Possibly Coronavirus-Related
The children began showing up in early April with unusual bruise-like swellings on their feet that so baffled Dr. Kelly Cordoro, a pediatric dermatologist at UCSF, that she decided to launch an investigation. As many as 15 children from San Francisco and the Peninsula were coming into UCSF’s Benioff Children’s Hospital every week with the reddish-purple lesions known as acral perniosis, a condition that is also known as “frost nip” and is normally associated with cold, damp weather. “The number of patients is extraordinary,” said Cordoro, who has seen dozens of children with the condition. Normally, “I may see three kids with pernio in a season, total.” (Fimrite, 5/21)
San Francisco Chronicle:
Santa Clara County Seeks Volunteers To Help Trace Coronavirus Infections
As shelter-in-place restrictions begin to loosen, Santa Clara County is seeking to build an army of 1,000 contact tracers with the help of volunteers, officials said Thursday. Contact tracing, a key part of containing infectious disease, involves interviewing infected people, notifying contacts who may have been exposed and connecting people with the right resources, said Dr. Sarah Rudman, assistant county health officer. (Bauman, 5/21)
Fresno Bee:
Fresno, Clovis Schools To Lose Millions Due To Coronavirus
Fresno Unified School District is projected to lose nearly $80 million in revenue in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic that shuttered schools and businesses and triggered a national unemployment explosion. The $79.3 million loss is a “ballpark” figure district staff estimated following Gov. Gavin Newson’s budget revision last week, Deputy Superintendent Ruthie Quinto told The Bee. California is set to lose $54.3 billion, with $7.5 billion of that slashed from K-12 education. (Velez, 5/21)
Fresno Bee:
Fresno County OK’d To Reopen Restaurants With Conditions
Fresno County will be able to move forward with plans for reopening major economic sectors after two months of statewide stay-at-home orders to prevent the spread of COVID-19. The California Department of Public Health announced Thursday afternoon that it approved Fresno County’s declaration that the county meets the necessary criteria to accelerate the reopening of dine-in restaurants, as long as those businesses conform to conditions to keep people as safe as possible from the coronavirus. (Sheehan, 5/21)
Fresno Bee:
Coronavirus: New Deaths As Fresno City, County Set Reopening
Two more people in Fresno County were reported dead Thursday and 34 new cases were recorded as the county received state approval to reopen businesses that were shut down due to the coronavirus pandemic. The death toll in Fresno County has reached 22, and a total of 1,372 cases have been confirmed since the outbreak. There have been 426 recoveries. (Rodriguez-Delgado, 5/21)
Sacramento Bee:
2 CVS Stores In Sacramento To Offer Drive-Up Coronavirus Test
Starting Friday, CVS Health will be offering up to 50 tests a day for COVID-19 at drive-thru windows in two of its capital region pharmacies, at 8101 Greenback Lane in Fair Oaks and at 1350 Florin Road in Sacramento. “Patients will drive up and will utilize our drive-thru window or a curbside approach,” said Sharon Vitti, senior vice president of CVS Health. “The testing will not be within the store. Patients will collect a specimen and that specimen will be sent off site for processing, so the results will be available in two to four days.” (Anderson, 5/21)
Sacramento Bee:
Sacramento CA Restaurants To Open. No Parties Or Fitness Gyms
It turns out Memorial Day weekend will not be quite the big economic and social reopening moment that Sacramento residents and businesses owners had hoped. Sacramento County health chief Peter Beilenson on Thursday reversed his approval from earlier this week for fitness centers to reopen, saying state health officials had stepped in to tell him it’s too soon. Beilenson said state health officials also told him to back off of his plans to allow groups of up to 10 get together, with social distancing, starting this weekend. (Bizjak and Stanton, 5/21)
San Francisco Chronicle:
The Guidelines That Could Guide Us Astray In Coronavirus Reopening
The federal government offered guidelines for businesses to reopen this week, Gov. Gavin Newsom issued rules for counties the week before, and state Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond says recommendations for school districts are forthcoming. But not all guidelines are created equal. Some present detailed, serious advice while recognizing genuine regional differences in the risks of reigniting the coronavirus pandemic. Others are mere abdications of leadership. (5/18)
Los Angeles Times:
Newsom Wise To Give Local Leaders COVID-19 Discretion
Gov. Gavin Newsom has entered his own Phase 2 of the virus war: relinquishing one-man control over the state’s battle against the bug. In truth, he has barely been staying one step ahead of rural rebels who have been challenging his control and testing him — in some burgs seizing authority from the governor. Newsom has wisely relented. There’s no need to get into the equivalent of a shooting war with these rural communities — especially those in the far north, where many people resent being part of California anyway. (Skelton, 5/22)
San Francisco Chronicle:
‘Sports Can’t Become The Next Nursing Homes’ As California Restart Approaches
Gov. Gavin Newsom announced Monday that professional sports could begin to return in early June, without fans and under “prescriptive conditions.” So, in a couple of weeks, we will begin to see what the new sports world looks like. Newsom called it an “opportunity to begin to work with county health directors” and to start “organizing around what that might look like.” The green light on the road back has been given. (Ann Killion, 5/18)
Fresno Bee:
Some CA Sheriffs Wrongly Ignore Newsom’s COVID-19 Orders
Does one have the constitutional right to infect another with the COVID-19 virus? And do sheriffs in California have the right to ignore orders by the governor? Those questions came to mind this past week after several central San Joaquin Valley sheriffs posted on social media their displeasure with Gov. Gavin Newsom and his emergency orders related to the COVID-19 pandemic. (5/22)
CalMatters:
COVID-19 Has Magnified Inequities In Health Care For Communities Of Color
There is broad acknowledgement across the state that communities of color, particularly black and Latino communities, are bearing the brunt of the COVID-19 pandemic. This, unfortunately, does not come as a surprise to our community partners who are on the ground each and every day, seeing the lack of resources for groups that face stigma, implicit bias and language access barriers to care, treatment and beyond. (Kiran Savage Sangwan, 5/19)
Los Angeles Times:
Coronavirus Is Makes Universal Basic Income Look Good
The idea of a universal basic income — a regular stipend paid to every American adult to meet minimum life needs — has been bubbling around the edges of American politics for decades. With the coming of the coronavirus pandemic, UBI may finally move to center stage, and stay there. (Michael Hiltzik, 5/22)
CalMatters:
Newsom’s Budget Designed To Push Heroes Act And Federal Aid
The first step to effectively deal with any problem is defining it accurately – and the recession-battered state budget is a case in point. There’s no doubt that the pandemic-induced recession is one of the worst in California history and that its negative fiscal effects – both increased spending and reduced revenues – are many billions of dollars. There is, however, much uncertainty about the dimensions of the budget crisis, and therefore what might be required to “meet the moment,” to use one of Gov. Gavin Newsom’s favorite phrases. (Dan Walters, 5/17)
San Francisco Chronicle:
Safe Drinking Water Must Be Part Of Coronavirus Response Package
An extraordinary coalition representing over 500 California voices on water — from local water agencies to environmental justice and community-based organizations to agriculture to environmentalists to civil rights leaders like Dolores Huerta — have come together in this time of crisis with a simple message to our leaders. Access to water must be included as part of the next major federal legislative package. We cannot expect to halt the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic without water for handwashing and basic sanitation. (Harlan Kelley Jr. and Susana De Anda, 5/17)
San Francisco Chronicle:
Health Or Wealth? Republicans Champion Economy, And It’s Likely To Pay Off
Anytime there’s a crisis, politicians are going to try to make it look like they’ve got your best interests at heart. In the case of the pandemic, our best interests are twofold: our physical health and our economic health. (Willie Brown, 5/16)
CalMatters:
Here’s How To Build A Caring Economy For Post-Pandemic California
Faced with rebuilding California’s economy – one founded upon caring and fairness – let’s ignore Wall Street and ivory tower economists. More can be learned from selfless frontline workers, like Danielle Mahabir. (Bruce Fuller and Scott Moore, 5/19)
CalMatters:
Unleash Private Enterprise To Jumpstart California’s Economy With These Four Moves
Two months into California’s economic lockdown, it’s time to start working on creating a V-shaped economic recovery. Gov. Gavin Newsom has shown strong leadership during the past couple months in response to the coronavirus outbreak. Now he needs to unleash the power of private enterprise to protect our livelihoods. (Ken Monroe, 5/20)
CalMatters:
Living In A Student Dorm During Coronavirus In California
California college students cancelled their housing contracts and left their dorms en masse following the shift to online classes and statewide lockdown caused by the coronavirus. But at the University of California at Berkeley, several hundred stayed on campus, either because they couldn’t afford to make it home, did not have a home to go to or were afraid of exposing themselves or loved ones to the virus. I was one of them. (Vanessa Arredondo, 5/20)
Sacramento Bee:
Organizations Help Young People Hurt By Coronavirus Lockdown
Trauma affects us all. Even if you do not experience it first hand, vicarious trauma, also known as secondary trauma, can mean that you experience the same physical and mental effects as someone who experienced the trauma. It’s safe to say that the global pandemic we are all experiencing is a traumatic event. And while some of us have the tools and community support to cope, marginalized people, in particular our young marginalized people, and their needs are being drowned out by COVID-19 news. (Paul Willis, 5/20)
Los Angeles Times:
As We Reopen, Who Do You Allow Into Your Coronavirus Bubble?
I live alone in New York City, and the only human I have had contact with since COVID imprisoned us all in place is my best friend, Herb, who comes over for dinner. We are both older and therefore at risk and quarantine-wise, we are in harmony. We see only one another, we do not go out without masks and, when sheltering in place finally ends, we have the same plan on when to return to movies and restaurants, which is never. But I see a problem ahead. (Joyce Wadler, 5/22)
San Francisco Chronicle:
Closed Roads. Shared Golf Courses. Computers For Kids. Bright Spots Of SF’s Shelter-In-Place Should Last Forever
There’s no point mincing words. The state of the world — and San Francisco — is grim. People are getting sick and dying. People have lost their jobs. Our kids haven’t seen the inside of a classroom or a teacher in person in two months. Our nerves are frazzled, our patience is thin, and we haven’t hugged anybody outside our household in ages. But like with any crisis, some good has emerged. And before we rush to get back to normal — which frankly won’t ever quite happen — we should consider the positive parts of shelter-in-place that are worth fighting to keep. (Heather Knight, 5/16)
CalMatters:
State Should Look Into SoCalGas Over COVID-19 Threat Against San Luis Obispo
The COVID-19 pandemic invites us to grapple with our interconnectedness as we rely on each other to keep ourselves safe and supported. Yet amid efforts to collaborate and creatively solve problems, Southern California Gas Co. is capitalizing on this crisis to bully and to sow division. (Heidi Harmon, 5/22)
Sacramento Bee:
Texas Gov. Abbott Owes CA An Apology For COVID-19 Death Joke
Texas experienced its biggest single-day increase in COVID-19 cases on Saturday, with 1,801 new cases reported. That didn’t stop Texas Gov. Greg Abbott from taking to Twitter in an attempt to mock California’s struggle to contain the deadly virus. (5/20)
CalMatters:
How To Address Mental Health Issues Of Youth In Fallout From COVID-19
There will be many ways that the COVID-19 pandemic will reshape American life. While our immediate attention is on the impact the virus has had on physical health, we also need to address how the pandemic will impact the mental health of our young people and their families. (Shawn Ginwright, 5/17)
Los Angeles Times:
Grab Sanitizer And Masks — It's Republican Dirty Trick Season
Grab your swimsuits, soggy face masks and social distancing yardsticks. It’s beach time in a plague year! In the intoxicating swirl of corn dogs, benzodiazepines and blank terror — I mean fun in the sun — don’t forget to mark another great American occasion, one we get to enjoy only once every four years: Dirty Tricks Season. (Virginia Heffernan, 5/22)
Sacramento Bee:
CA Casinos Wrong To Risk Customer Health During Coronavirus
If you wouldn’t bet your life on a card game, don’t even think about visiting a casino during the coronavirus pandemic. Casinos around California are preparing to reopen their doors for business even though Gov. Gavin Newsom has pleaded with them to wait. But the casinos, located on tribal land and operated by California Indian tribes, enjoy sovereignty. So, they can simply ignore the governor and reopen before it’s safe. (5/19)
Los Angeles Times:
Coronavirus And Pets: Scams Exploit Animal Lovers Amid Virus
Not surprisingly, animal shelters and rescue groups nationwide and across the Southland have reported a surge in pet adoptions since the coronavirus forced everyone to stay home. A furry friend can do wonders to help ease the stress, anxiety and loneliness of life during the pandemic. (David Lazarus, 5/22)
CalMatters:
Rethinking Work And Life In Lessons Learned From COVID-19
Recently, I remotely participated in the first Senate Budget Subcommittee hearing on the COVID-19 pandemic. More than 10,000 Californians streamed the hearing and provided public comment over the phone. This was the return to democracy in the COVID era. This is the new normal. Being a part of this historic event, I challenged my own bias against working from home. (Anna Caballero, 5/17)