Latest From California Healthline:
California Healthline Original Stories
It’s Not Just Covid: Recall Candidates Represent Markedly Different Choices on Health Care
Those seeking to replace California Gov. Gavin Newsom in Tuesday’s recall election disagree with him on more than mask and vaccine mandates. The conservative candidates tend to favor free-market solutions over Newsom’s expansion of publicly funded health coverage. (Samantha Young and Rachel Bluth, )
Biden Issues New Vaccination Mandates — Are More Coming For California?: It’s going to get harder for the one in four eligible Americans — nearly 80 million — and one in five Californians yet to be vaccinated to avoid the shots. President Joe Biden ratcheted up pressure on the unvaccinated Thursday with expanded federal mandates. In California, such vaccine requirements are likely only to multiply. Read more from the Bay Area News Group. Comprehensive coverage of President Biden’s announcement continues below.
All Eligible LAUSD Students Must Get Vaccinated: In a move aimed at keeping children and staff safe amid the ongoing pandemic, the Los Angeles Unified School District has ordered that all children 12 and older be fully vaccinated against covid by January to enter campus grounds and attend class. Read more from the Los Angeles Times, San Francisco Chronicle and San Gabriel Valley Tribune.
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
San Francisco Chronicle:
Even Bay Area Needs More People To Get Shots As Biden Ramps Up Vaccine Mandates
President Biden on Thursday ordered national vaccine mandates that would force tens of millions of Americans to finally get their COVID-19 shots or face weekly testing, as the United States fights to quash the brutal delta surge. The president’s order, which is being developed by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, applies to employees of companies with 100 or more workers. Vaccines also will be required for almost all federal workers, who will not be able to opt out with testing. (Allday, 9/9)
The New York Times:
Biden Mandates Vaccines For Workers, Saying, ‘Our Patience Is Wearing Thin’
Mr. Biden is acting through a combination of executive orders and new federal rules. Under his plan, private-sector businesses that have 100 or more employees will have to require vaccination, or mandatory weekly testing, after the Occupational Safety and Health Administration drafts a rule. Roughly 17 million health care workers employed by hospitals and other institutions that accept Medicare and Medicaid reimbursement will also face strict new vaccination requirements, as will federal contractors and most federal workers. (Rogers and Stolberg, 9/9)
Sacramento Bee:
Biden COVID Vaccine Order Applies To Federal Workforce In CA
President Joe Biden will sign an executive order on Thursday that would require all federal executive-branch employees to get vaccinated against COVID-19.This would affect more than 150,000 workers across multiple federal agencies in California, according to the most recently publicized federal data. His order is more stringent than the one Gov. Gavin Newsom handed down for California state workers in July. Newsom’s order allows most public employees an option to submit to regular coronavirus testing in lieu of getting vaccinated against COVID-19. (Brassil, 9/9)
CNN:
What Matters: Biden's Six-Step Covid Plan, Explained
The US Covid situation is as dire as ever, with 1,500 people dying each day -- an average of 150,000 new cases each day. With more than 100,000 hospitalized Americans, the number of deaths -- almost certainly an undercount -- will continue to rise above the 653,000 current total. It seems sure to eclipse the death total from the 1918 influenza pandemic and is far greater than every US conflict except the Civil War. President Joe Biden, outlining a new Covid strategy on Thursday, expressed near-anger at the unvaccinated. "We've been patient, but our patience is wearing thin, and your refusal has cost all of us," he said, before laying out new mandates and requirements for US citizens to get the virus under control. (Wolf, 9/10)
AP:
Federal Mandate Takes Vaccine Decision Off Employers' Hands
Larger U.S. businesses now won’t have to decide whether to require their employees to get vaccinated against COVID-19. Doing so is now federal policy. ... Large swaths of the private sector have already stepped in to mandate shots for at least some of their employees. But Biden said Thursday that “many of us are frustrated with the nearly 80 million Americans who are not fully vaccinated.” ... The Associated Press reached out to a wide range of companies on Thursday. Many didn’t have immediate responses while others noted that they already require vaccinations. Walmart, the nation’s largest private employer, was one of the first major companies to mandate vaccines for some of its workers. Walmart said in late July that it was requiring that all workers at its headquarters in Bentonville, Arkansas, as well as its managers who travel within the U.S.; be vaccinated against COVID-19 by Oct. 4. (Ortutay, 9/10)
Bloomberg:
Businesses Question Logistics, Cost Of Biden Vaccine Plan
U.S. companies grappling with the thorny issue of whether to require worker vaccinations against Covid-19 say the U.S. government needs to provide more details about a new, far-reaching mandate announced Thursday. President Joe Biden’s directive requires vaccinations for all executive-branch employees, federal contractors and millions of health-care workers, while large private employers must either mandate shots or provide weekly testing. Businesses are now digesting the order, but there are concerns over what the mandate may entail. (Roeder, 9/10)
The New York Times:
New Mandate Raises Question: Who’ll Pay For All The Covid Tests?
Spurred by persistently high Covid case numbers and only modest vaccination rates, the Biden administration announced Thursday a new effort to combat the pandemic. It intends to mandate that workers at large companies get vaccinated, or submit to regular testing. The rule applies to tens of millions of Americans, about two-thirds of the country’s work force. And it raises a thorny question: Who pays for those coronavirus tests? (Kliff, 9/9)
San Diego Union-Tribune:
San Diego Leaders React To Biden’s COVID Vaccine Mandate
In an afternoon address from the White House, President Biden expressed deep frustration with the 80 million Americans who remain unvaccinated. That includes about 380,000 San Diegans who are currently eligible for a shot. (Wosen and Molnar, 9/9)
CNBC:
TSA To Double Minimum Fines For Travelers Who Refuse To Wear Masks To $500
Travelers who refuse to wear masks could soon face fines of up to $3,000. The Transportation Security Administration on Thursday said it is doubling fines for travelers who won’t follow a federal mask mandate for air, bus and other forms of transportation. Minimum fines will double, starting at $500, and go up to $3,000 for repeat offenders. (Josephs and Mendez, 9/9)
CNN:
'Show Some Respect:' Biden Blasts Travelers Who Harass Flight Attendants Over Face Masks
President Joe Biden on Thursday blasted travelers who harass flight attendants because they don't want to wear a face mask and announced fines would double for those who don't comply with the US federal transportation mask mandate. "If you break the rules, be prepared to pay," Biden said, speaking from the White House. "And by the way, show some respect. The anger you see on television toward flight attendants and others doing their job is wrong. It's ugly." (Sullivan and Wallace, 9/9)
The New York Times:
Biden’s New Vaccine Push Is A Fight For The U.S. Economy
President Biden’s aggressive move to expand the number of vaccinated Americans and halt the spread of the Delta variant is not just an effort to save lives. It is also an attempt to counter the continuing and evolving threat that the virus poses to the economy. ... After weeks of playing down the threat that a new wave of infections posed to the recovery, the president and his team blamed Delta for slowing job growth in August. “We’re in a tough stretch,” he conceded on Thursday, after heralding the economic progress made under his administration so far this year, “and it could last for a while.” (Tankersley, 9/9)
The Washington Post:
Republican Governors Threaten To Sue Over Biden’s Sweeping Vaccine Mandates
Republican leaders in the United States are blasting President Biden’s sweeping new coronavirus vaccine mandates for businesses and federal workers, decrying them as unconstitutional infringements on personal liberties and promising to sue. ... Republican governors from Texas to Missouri and Georgia threatened to fight back. Texas Gov. Greg Abbott called the mandates “an assault on private businesses” and said the state is “already working to halt this power grab.” Wyoming Gov. Mark Gordon said he asked his state’s attorney general “to stand prepared to take all actions to oppose this administration’s unconstitutional overreach of executive power,” as South Dakota Gov. Kristi L. Noem said “see you in court.” Republican National Committee Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel also said the group “will sue the administration to protect Americans and their liberties.” (Timsit and Pietsch, 9/10)
The Wall Street Journal:
Biden Administration Unveils Plan To Cut Prescription-Drug Prices
The plan, which was released Thursday, backs legislation from congressional Democrats, including a push to empower the federal government to negotiate for drug prices in Medicare and pass those lower costs along to the private sector. The road map goes further, however, by outlining administrative actions by agencies and departments that could come in concert with possible legislative changes. Administrative measures include testing reimbursement for drugs in Medicare based on the clinical value they provide to patients and offering federal funding for research into new treatments, according to the plan viewed by The Wall Street Journal. (Armour, 9/9)
CNBC:
Biden Administration Unveils Plans To Lower Prescription Drug Costs
Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra on Thursday unveiled the Biden administration’s road map to lowering the cost of prescription drugs. The plan, summarized in a 29-page document, supports legislation that allows the federal government to negotiate lower prices on the costliest drugs each year and pass those savings on to private insurers. Current rules prohibit HHS from negotiating drug prices on behalf of Medicare — the federal government’s health insurance plan for the elderly. (Lovelace Jr., 9/9)
Politico:
Biden Admin Backs Direct Government Drug Price Negotiations
A new Biden administration plan aimed at lowering prescription drug prices endorses giving the government sweeping power to directly negotiate the cost of medicines, calling it one of the key steps Congress could take to make drugs “more affordable and equitable” for all Americans. The plan — developed by the Department of Health and Human Services and released on Thursday — largely backs Democrats’ ongoing efforts to lower drug prices as part of a $3.5 trillion reconciliation proposal, and mirrors a range of legislative options that both House and Senate lawmakers have floated in recent years. (Cancryn, 9/9)
Stat:
Biden Plan To Lower Drug Prices Drawn From Familiar Democratic Playbook
The Biden administration on Thursday unveiled a long-awaited plan to lower prescription drug prices that included a number of aggressive proposals but largely tread over ideas that Democrats have pushed for years. The plan would allow Medicare to negotiate drug prices with manufacturers, a longstanding pledge from Biden, Democratic lawmakers, and every Democratic presidential candidate in 2020. It also would limit yearly price increases, allow the importation of drugs from Canada, and place a cap on out-of-pocket spending for Medicare beneficiaries. (Facher, 9/9)
CNN:
This Is What A US Endgame For Covid-19 Should Look Like, Fauci Says
With more than 75 million eligible Americans still not vaccinated, hospitals in many states overwhelmed and fears that cases could grow further in the fall, experts and officials are scrambling to slow the Covid-19 pandemic. "The one thing that we do know for sure... 160,000 cases a day is not where we want to be," the director of the National Institute for Allergy and Infectious Disease Dr. Anthony Fauci told CNN's Anderson Cooper on Thursday. "Unfortunately, that is where we are right now." (Holcombe, 9/10)
City News Service:
Coronavirus Hospitalizations Decline For 10th Straight Day In LA County
COVID-related hospitalizations in Los Angeles County fell for a 10th straight day on Thursday, Sept. 9. According to state figures, there were 1,368 coronavirus-positive patients in county hospitals, down from 1,385 on Wednesday. The number of people in intensive care was 404, down from 417 a day earlier. The county reported another 49 COVID deaths on Thursday, lifting the overall death toll from the pandemic to 25,563. The county also reported another 2,218 COVID infections, raising the overall pandemic total to 1,425,806. (9/9)
Sacramento Bee:
COVID Case Rate Declining From Delta Peak In Sacramento
Some key indicators of COVID-19 spread have been declining in the Sacramento region over the past few weeks, an encouraging sign that the worst of the current surge may have subsided, though transmission rates remain elevated compared to spring. Sacramento peaked at about 46 daily cases per 100,000 residents the week ending Aug. 13, the county’s coronavirus data dashboard shows. That has since slimmed to 31 per 100,000 in less than a month. (McGough, 9/9)
Los Angeles Times:
California's Unvaccinated Young Hit By COVID Hospitalizations
As the Delta variant brought another wave of COVID-19 infections this summer, the age of those being hospitalized with the illness has dropped significantly in some parts of California compared to earlier surges. That’s because younger people are being vaccinated at lower rates. (Lin II and Money, 9/9)
San Francisco Chronicle:
BinaxNow Vs. Ellume: Why One Rapid COVID Test Seems To Be Sold Out Everywhere
Rapid at-home antigen tests have become convenient tools for people hoping to quickly determine whether their cold symptoms are COVID-19. But the tests, which are not as accurate as PCR lab tests but return results in far less time, can be hard to find in the Bay Area. The two at-home tests approved by the Food and Drug Administration are Abbott Laboratories' BinaxNow and Ellume’s COVID-19 home test. But at least in the Bay Area, it’s challenging to find a drugstore that isn’t sold out of BinaxNow, though Ellume is far easier to get. (Vainshtein, 9/9)
inewsource:
San Diego County Supervisor Breaks Silence On COVID-19 Hotels
After weeks of silence following a scathing independent review of the county’s COVID-19 hotel sheltering program, Board of Supervisors Chair Nathan Fletcher conceded Wednesday that improvements are needed. “I think we have to do a better job, and I acknowledge that and I admit that,” Fletcher said, adding that officials are working to improve the troubled program. (Dulaney, 9/9)
San Francisco Chronicle:
S.F.'s Moscone Center Opens For First Conference Since March 2020
Thousands of dentists arrived at Moscone Center on Thursday for San Francisco’s first major convention since March 2020’s pandemic closures. The California Dental Association’s annual fall gathering kicked off the city’s return to large-scale indoor events, a crucial economic engine for the city’s biggest industry, tourism. Moscone Center welcomed the attendees after serving as a centerpiece of the city’s pandemic response, previously housing the Department of Emergency Management headquarters, a homeless shelter and a mass vaccination site. (Li, 9/9)
Modesto Bee:
Vaccine For COVID And Flu? Moderna Making One-Dose Booster
It’s difficult to predict what this year’s flu season will look like, but Moderna, the company behind one of the nation’s three COVID-19 vaccines, is attempting to make the what-ifs a bit more predictable. Moderna announced Thursday it is planning to create a single dose vaccine that serves as a booster against both COVID-19 and the influenza virus as part of it’s “novel respiratory vaccine program.” (Camero, 9/9)
Modesto Bee:
Getting First COVID Vaccine Dose Improves Mental Health: Study
There’s another health benefit to getting vaccinated against COVID-19 — and it takes effect after a single dose. People who received the first dose of any coronavirus vaccine between December 2020 and March 2021 were less prone to developing mild or severe depression than those who had not been vaccinated, according to a new study published Wednesday in the journal PLoS One. (Mazhukhina, 9/9)
Sacramento Bee:
Why Did CDC Change Definition For ‘Vaccine’? Agency Explains
Social media is calling bluff on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for modifying its definition of the words “vaccine” and “vaccination” on its website. Before the change, the definition for “vaccination” read, “the act of introducing a vaccine into the body to produce immunity to a specific disease.” Now, the word “immunity” has been switched to “protection.” (Camero, 9/9)
San Diego Union-Tribune:
COVID-19 Poll: Vaccination Remains A Divisive Issue In San Diego County
San Diego County residents on COVID-19 vaccination status. SurveyUSA asked 500 adults from San Diego County about the coronavirus vaccination. (Alvarez, 9/9)
San Diego Union-Tribune:
Most San Diego Police Officers Responding To Survey Say They Oppose Vaccine Mandate, Would Consider Quitting
About 90 percent of San Diego police officers who responded to a recent survey said they oppose COVID-19 vaccine mandates, and 65 percent of them said they would consider quitting the force if the city were to impose a requirement. About 45 percent said they would rather be fired than comply with a mandate, according to the survey, which was conducted in the past week by the San Diego Police Officers Association. (Hernandez, 9/9)
The Bakersfield Californian:
Fair Board Approves Pandemic Safety Protocols Without Mask Or Vaccination Mandate
Signs warning about the risks of COVID-19 will go up at all entrances of the upcoming Kern County Fair and there will be additional hand-washing and sanitization stations across the fairgrounds but no mask or vaccination mandate under a set of safety protocols approved unanimously Thursday by the event's governing board. (Cox, 9/9)
San Francisco Chronicle:
S.F. Schools Report No COVID Outbreaks, Even As Delta Overwhelms Districts Elsewhere
No COVID-19 outbreaks have occurred in San Francisco schools since they reopened to in-person learning in mid-August, and case rates have remained steady among young children in recent months, even as the highly contagious delta variant has spread, according to data released Thursday by the Department of Public Health. Just 13 city children have been hospitalized because of the coronavirus since the pandemic started in early 2020, and none are currently, officials said. Of San Francisco’s 118,000 children, 5,543 have had the virus, and none have died from it, according to city data. (Tucker, 9/9)
Marin Independent Journal:
Marin COVID-19 Monitor: School Cases ‘Lower Than Expected’
The number of new coronavirus cases at Marin schools this fall is on par with a year ago — even though the situation was starkly different then and there was no delta variant, a health official said Thursday. “These numbers are not higher than last year when we compare apples to apples,” said Dr. Lisa Santora, the county’s deputy public health officer. “In fact, they are lower than expected, demonstrating the effectiveness of vaccination in our community and on the school campus.” (Brenner, 9/10)
Orange County Register:
Survey: Orange County Voters Split On Recall; Support Masks In Schools
Support for recalling Gov. Gavin Newsom on Sept. 14 is stronger among likely voters in Orange County than it is statewide, according to a survey released this week. But the poll shows that even residents here, in a county that was once considered a bastion of conservativism in California’s sea of blue, are evenly split over whether to remove the Democratic governor. On other timely issues, such as the situation in Afghanistan and coronavirus protection measures, the poll found that views of local voters line up pretty closely with national averages. For example, while vocal minorities who’ve been speaking at county and local meetings may suggest otherwise, a narrow majority of O.C. residents support “vaccine passports,” along with requiring masks in schools and vaccines for eligible students if they want to attend school in person. (Staggs, 9/9)
The Bakersfield Californian:
School Districts Unveil Dashboards With Information About Positive COVID Cases
Kern County school districts have begun to unveil public dashboards on their websites that include information about positive COVID cases within their own school communities. So far the Bakersfield City School District, Greenfield Union School District and Lamont Elementary School District have public COVID dashboards, but administrators from other districts, including the Kern High School District, have said they plan to release dashboards soon. (Gallegos, 9/9)
Sacramento Bee:
Still No Independent Study In Sacramento School District
A week into the school year, hundreds of Sacramento City Unified School District families wishing to have their students learn virtually in 2021-22 amid the COVID-19 pandemic are still waiting for the district’s independent study program to launch. The families of more than 2,100 of the district’s 40,000 students have expressed interest in the long-term independent study program, called Capital City, according to a presentation during a school board meeting Sept. 2, the first day of school. (McGough, 9/9)
NBC News:
The U.S. Just Had Its Hottest Summer On Record
The United States had its hottest summer on record this year, narrowly edging out the previous milestone that was set 85 years ago during the Dust Bowl. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration announced Thursday that the average temperature this summer for the contiguous U.S. was 74 degrees Fahrenheit, or 2.6 degrees warmer than the long-term average. The heat record caps off a season full of extremes, with parts of the country experiencing persistent drought, wildfires, record-breaking heat waves, hurricanes and other extreme weather exacerbated by climate change. (Chow, 9/9)
CapRadio:
Caldor Fire Updates: Firefighters Prepare As Red Flag Warning Starts Thursday Night
Fire officials reduced some evacuation orders in Meyers near South Lake Tahoe Thursday but are preparing for extreme weather conditions that could start tonight into Friday morning. The area around the Caldor Fire will be under a red flag warning from 11 p.m. Thursday until 11 p.m. Friday as thunderstorms are forecast to bring high winds, possible lightning and very little rain. Officials said the change in the weather is slowing down any additional change to evacuations or road closures. (9/9)
Los Angeles Times:
Dixie Fire Heads North, Forcing Evacuations Amid Bad Weather
The monstrous Dixie fire, now burning for nearly two months, surged north on Wednesday, forcing residents to flee as the possibility of dry lightning and fierce winds threaten to intensify the blaze. Propelled by bone-dry fuels, the blaze tore through forested areas and made a significant push toward the remote community of Old Station in Shasta County, prompting its mandatory evacuation, fire officials said. (Seidman, 9/9)
Stat:
FDA Misses Deadline For Deciding On E-Cigarette Products
The Food and Drug Administration announced Thursday that it has failed to meet a court-ordered deadline for deciding which e-cigarette products can stay on the market. In fact, it has yet to rule on whether any of the largest and most controversial e-cigarette companies, including JUUL, can keep selling their products. Tobacco control advocates and vaping industry supporters alike are furious, and the delay could land the FDA back in federal court. (Florko, 9/9)
San Diego Union-Tribune:
San Diego-Area Program Warns Against Mixing Cannabis With Certain Prescription Meds
Seventeen pharmacies in San Diego County will soon begin distributing flyers to patients warning of potential interactions between prescription medications and cannabis. The pilot program will provide information to patients about possible cannabis-medication interactions, as well as seek feedback through an online survey to evaluate whether patients find such information useful. (Riggins, 9/9)
AP:
California May Require Menstrual Products In Public Schools
California public schools and colleges would have to stock their restrooms with free menstrual products under legislation sent Thursday to Gov. Gavin Newsom as women’s rights advocates push nationwide for affordable access to pads, tampons and other items. The bill by Democratic Assemblywoman Cristina Garcia builds on her 2017 law requiring low-income schools in disadvantaged areas to provide students with free menstrual products. (Thompson, 9/9)
The Bakersfield Californian:
Unveilings Begin For Kern BHRS' Mental Health-Inspired Mural Project
If you're not feeling OK these days, that's perfectly OK. And there are people and local programs ready to help. That's part of the message that Kern Behavioral Health & Recovery Services is sharing through its everGREEN mural project, which will have its first unveiling on Friday. (Dias, 9/9)
Los Angeles Times:
Judge Lets Stand L.A. Ban On Homeless RV Parking
A law that prohibits homeless people from parking recreational vehicles overnight in some locations has sidestepped a constitutional challenge, for now, after Los Angeles city officials told a federal judge the law is not being enforced. While not addressing the constitutional issues, U.S. District Judge David O. Carter declined to issue a preliminary injunction against the law as long as the moratorium remains in effect. (Smith, 9/9)
The Mercury News:
$2.75 Billion For Homeless Housing Up For Grabs In California
California housing officials on Thursday made $2.75 billion available for cities, counties and nonprofits to create new homeless housing — vastly expanding a program that already has provided more than 1,600 residential units in the Bay Area. Thursday’s expansion more than triples the size of Gov. Gavin Newsom’s Homekey program, which launched last year to purchase hotels, apartments and other buildings, and convert them into long-term housing for homeless residents. In 2020, the program doled out $846 million and created 6,029 units of housing throughout the state. (Kendall, 9/9)
Sacramento Bee:
CA To Rehabilitate Old Buildings Into Housing For Homeless
The Newsom administration is ready to spend $2.75 billion to rehabilitate rundown buildings so they can house homeless Californians. The effort will include refurbishing hotels, motels, vacant apartment buildings, tiny homes and other properties, according to a Thursday announcement from the Governor’s Office. (Bojórquez, 9/9)
KQED:
Kevin Faulconer On Governing San Diego And His Agenda On COVID And Crime
With just days until voting ends in the recall election, Marisa and Scott talk with Paul Mitchell, vice president of Political Data Inc. about what early returns tell us about the electorate and what he's watching as in-person voting ramps up. Then, Kevin Faulconer, former Republican mayor of San Diego, joins to talk about his campaign for governor in the recall election, how his parents shaped his career path, his fellowship in San Francisco's Tenderloin neighborhood and his plans on COVID-19 response and criminal justice. (Lagos and Shafer, 9/9)
CalMatters:
Newsom Recall: Candidates Stretch The Truth
Everyone’s entitled to their own opinions, but not to their own facts. That holds true for politicians, including the candidates in California’s Sept. 14 recall election and Gov. Gavin Newsom. Campaigning during a resurgent COVID-19 pandemic and deadly, unprecedented wildfires, their approaches to the state’s problems can vary. (Kamal, 9/9)
San Francisco Chronicle:
Elizabeth Holmes' Trial Delayed After Juror's Potential COVID Exposure
The trial of former Theranos CEO Elizabeth Holmes has been delayed just a day after opening statements took place after a juror was potentially exposed to the coronavirus, according to multiple reports. Friday’s hearing was postponed and the next trial date is Tuesday, Sept. 14. During an emergency Zoom hearing late Thursday, Judge Edward Davila said a juror may have been exposed last weekend and was awaiting a coronavirus test. The juror is vaccinated and isn’t showing symptoms. (Li, 9/9)
San Diego Union-Tribune:
Breakthrough Prize Winners Include La Jolla Scientist
A Scripps Research biochemist whose work points to possible ways of preventing major diseases of the heart and nervous system has been awarded a $3 million Breakthrough Prize — the largest financial award in science. Jeffrey Kelly is one of nine people who received a Breakthrough Prize on Thursday for doing everything from creating better ways to sequence DNA to developing more precise tests for the fundamental laws of nature. (Robbins, 9/9)
Sacramento Bee:
COVID Vaccines, Masks Are Constitutional For Public Health
On Aug. 16, my law school — University of California, Berkeley School of Law — began in-person classes for the first time in 17 months. Every student, instructor and staff member had to be vaccinated unless there was a medical or religious exemption. Statistics show almost 100% compliance with the vaccination policy, with very few individuals on campus having received exemptions. Every person in the building must wear a mask at all times except when in a private office. (Erwin Chemerinsky, 9/8)
Orange County Register:
California’s Recall Election Is About Keeping Schools Open
Public schools in the Los Angeles Unified School District have finally welcomed students back to campus — most students returning for the first time since March 2020 — and while I’ve long awaited this return, many parents remain anxious for September 14. That’s when California voters will be asked if they want to recall Gov. Gavin Newsom. That ballot question could easily be rewritten to ask voters if they want to keep California schools open, or allow them to close back down indefinitely. (Margaret Orenstein, 9/9)
The Washington Post:
A San Quentin Covid-19 Survivor Reflects And Looks Forward
Oddly enough, I will remember the covid-19 year I spent in San Quentin State Prison as perhaps some of the best of times during my incarceration — the worst of times notwithstanding. But those better times appear to be over. Let me explain. In May 2020, a rushed transfer of 122 prisoners from the California Institute for Men blasted covid-19 into San Quentin, sparking a firestorm that infected more than 2,000 of us, including me, by the end of July — and killed 28 of my incarcerated peers. Just like that, it happened. We’d been safe for months — until suddenly we weren’t. (Joe Garcia, 9/9)
San Francisco Chronicle:
Four Things California Can Do Right Now To Fight Texas' Antiabortion Law
The right to choose is under assault. Texas’ new “heartbeat” statute bars all abortions after six weeks of pregnancy. This includes those in cases of rape or incest. It also grants $10,000 and up to bounty hunters who can bring legal action against anyone who helps a woman in defiance of the statute. Pro-choice Californians — 70% of the state — support a woman’s right to choose. That majority surely to want to do something to fight to preserve that right across America. And we can. Here are four things California’s Legislature can do right now to put a wrench in Texas’ efforts to destroy the right to choose. (Dennis Aftergut, 9/9)
Los Angeles Times:
The DOJ's Counterattack Could Effectively Strike Back Against Texas' Abortion Ban
We now have the Department of Justice’s answer to the Texas abortion ban, and it’s spare, straightforward and unusual. Both Atty. Gen. Merrick Garland and President Biden vowed to marshal every federal resource against the law, Texas Senate Bill 8, which is patently unconstitutional in preventing abortions that are plainly protected under Roe vs. Wade and its progeny. (Harry Litman, 9/9)
Los Angeles Times:
How Can Women Keep Abortion Rights After Texas Abortion Law?
For nearly half a century, the federal courts could be counted on to protect women and their constitutional right to a safe and legal abortion. The U.S. Supreme Court affirmed in four major rulings — starting with Roe vs. Wade — that women have a right to an abortion up to the point of viability of the fetus at about 24 weeks and could not be hindered by onerous requirements. As states came up with a profusion of unconstitutional restrictions, including bans on abortions early in pregnancy, federal district and appellate courts batted them down one after the other. The courts have stopped a dozen state laws that would have banned early abortions. (9/9)
The Mercury News:
Editorial: Women Will Die Because Of Texas Abortion Law Decision
The Supreme Court’s 5-4 decision Wednesday allowing Texas’ new abortion law to stand is one of the most despicable high court decisions of the last 100 years. Women will die as a result. This we know. Outlawing abortions doesn’t stop them from happening. It only makes them unsafe. (9/4)