Latest From California Healthline:
California Healthline Original Stories
Easy To Say ‘Get Tested.’ Harder To Do. Here’s How.
If you’ve been in a crowd — a protest or rally — experts have advice for figuring out whether you might have been exposed to the coronavirus, and where and when to get tested for it. (Bernard J. Wolfson and Phil Galewitz, )
Injured And Uninsured, Protesters Get Medical Aid From LA Doctor
A Los Angeles ophthalmologist's offer on Instagram has ballooned into a loose network of physicians providing medical care to protesters who were injured while rallying against police brutality and racism. While clashes with the police have died down in some parts of the country, some protesters are seeking care for festering wounds from days-old injuries. (Jackie Fortiér, LAist, )
Californians To Be Required To Wear Masks As Cases Continue To Spike In State: After weeks of mixed messaging and leaving the decision of implementing mask mandates up to counties, Gov. Gavin Newsom said face coverings will be required in spaces where people can’t maintain 6 feet of distance from one another. Masks may help people who are asymptomatic and don’t realize they have COVID-19 from spreading the disease when they go out. Face coverings don’t replace social distancing and other measures, but work alongside them to slow the spread. The CDC sums it up: “Your cloth face covering may protect them. Their cloth face covering may protect you.” Read more from Alexei Koseff of the San Francisco Chronicle; Ana B. Ibarra of CalMatters; Vincent Moleski of the Sacramento Bee; and Fiona Kelliher of the Bay Area News Group.
The announcement comes as cases within the state continue to climb. Across the state, 71 new deaths were reported, bringing the total deaths to 5,493. And there were 3,574 confirmed COVID-19 cases reported in state hospitals on Saturday, the highest total since at least April 1, when California health officials first began releasing that data. The previous high was 3,497 confirmed hospitalizations on April 29. It has steadily risen again as many areas of the state have begun to lift stay-at-home measures and economic and social restrictions. Saturday’s total marked a 22% increase in hospitalizations statewide since May 29.
But health officials continue to discount concerns, saying total new cases is not the best measure of community spread because of aggressive levels of new testing. They point to other metrics they say show that the local outbreak has stabilized — even though the number of new cases increased by nearly 20,000 in the last two weeks and by more than 3,600 just over the weekend.
Read more from Matt Kawahara of the San Francisco Chronicle; Alex Wigglesworth of the Los Angeles Times; Mallory Moench of the San Francisco Chronicle; and Harriet Blair Rowan of the Bay Area News Group.
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:
Coronavirus Tests Are Easy To Get Now, But Not Always Where People Need Them Most
Much of what we know about the coronavirus has been revealed by testing: who has it, how widespread it is and where hot spots are. And testing enables contact tracing, a crucial public health tool that helps prevent small clusters of cases from becoming large outbreaks. Yet our understanding of the pandemic and how best to control it is hamstrung by the fundamental limitations of testing. (Ho and Dizikes, 6/22)
San Francisco Chronicle:
UCSF Tested Thousands Of Mission District Residents For Coronavirus Antibodies: Here’s What They Found
UCSF released the final results Thursday from the mass testing of nearly 4,000 people in a Mission District neighborhood, revealing a high proportion of previous infections among low-income, essential Latino workers. Results of antibody and nasal swab tests showed about 6% of the residents had been infected by late April and early May. Around 2% were actively infected at the time of testing. A disproportionate majority of new infections were among Latinos who continued to work. (Moench, 6/18)
San Francisco Chronicle:
Coronavirus Cases At San Quentin Soar To 190; ‘They’re Calling Man Down Every 20 Or 30 Minutes’
A week ago, Jessica Miller-Marez received a troubling phone call from her husband, 37-year-old Jesse Marez, who is incarcerated at San Quentin State Prison in Marin County. Something strange was happening at San Quentin, Jesse told her. A large number of prisoners had recently arrived on buses from somewhere in Southern California and had been placed in cells on the upper tiers of Jesse’s housing area — a unit known as Badger. (Fagone and Cassidy, 6/20)
Sacramento Bee:
California Democrats Want To Mandate Hospital PPE Stockpile
Gabe Montoya hasn’t hugged his mom since March 6. Montoya, 41, is an EMT in the emergency department at a Kaiser hospital in Downey, and said since the start of the pandemic in March, it’s been a near-daily struggle to get the personal protective equipment needed to keep him and his patients safe from COVID-19. Montoya said the limited gear means health care workers can’t be sure they’re not exposed to, and then carrying home, the deadly virus. (Wiley, 6/18)
San Francisco Chronicle:
‘It’s Almost Like There’s This Monster Inside Of You’: Bay Area People Share Their Battles With COVID-19
Being a survivor of the coronavirus doesn’t mean you’ve recovered. In the months since the virus first crept into the Bay Area, more than 500 people have died and more than 17,500 others have positively tested for the virus. For the rest, the prospect of getting sick looms large.Now, after 100 days in — as most counties in the Bay Area have begun to open up — it can feel like the air is looser, that the worst part is over. But those who battled the virus say they haven’t necessarily defeated it. (Hartlaub and Vainshtein, 6/19)
Bay Area News Group:
'Street Medics' Provide Emergency Care And Compassion At Bay Area Protests
Far from the antiseptic halls of UC San Francisco Medical Center, medical experts are taking their skills to the loud and crowded streets of the Bay Area’s anti-racism protests and rallies – aiding the weary and injured, so voices stay strong. And if the unrest turns violent, these volunteer members of a growing national network of activist healthcare workers are ready to rush in to stanch bleeding, wrap wounds and rinse tear gas from eyes. (Krieger, 6/21)
Sacramento Bee:
Coronavirus Hits Sacramento CA Low Income Neighborhoods
The recent surge in Sacramento County’s confirmed COVID-19 cases has hit several socioeconomically-disadvantaged communities hard, including some places that had previously avoided the worst of the outbreak, according to a Sacramento Bee review of county and census data. All five of the ZIP codes with the highest rates of COVID-19 cases per 10,000 residents diagnosed from mid-May through mid-June are in areas with high poverty rates. Del Paso Heights, Old North Sacramento and Lemon Hill were hit especially hard. (Clift and Reese, 6/20)
Bay Area News Group:
Study: Coronavirus Risks Lower Than We Think
Months into the new coronavirus pandemic, researchers are grappling with an urgent question: How much risk do we have of catching COVID-19 — or dying from it — from our chance encounters? The debate has flared as authorities find themselves alternately accused of moving too fast or not fast enough in easing restrictions so more business and activity can resume. Overall, it’s probably less now than many likely believe, given the daily drumbeat of new cases, hospitalizations and deaths, according to new research this month by a pair of medical scientists at Stanford University and UCLA. (Woolfolk, 6/22)
San Francisco Chronicle:
Efforts At Coronavirus Vaccines And Treatments Abound In The Bay Area
The frenetic search for the miracle that will rid the world of COVID-19 is branching out in a thousand directions, and a large part of the microbial treasure hunt is going on in the Bay Area, where major progress has been made in the 100 days since residents were ordered to shelter in place. Scientists at universities, laboratories, biotechnology companies and drug manufacturers are combing through blood plasma taken from infected patients for secrets that will help them fight the disease. (Fimrite and Morris, 6/22)
Los Angeles Times:
December Deaths Of California Kids Could Be Linked To Coronavirus
A cluster of mysterious deaths, some involving infants and children, is under scrutiny amid questions of whether the novel coronavirus lurked in California months before it was first detected. But eight weeks after Gov. Gavin Newsom declared a statewide hunt for undetected early COVID-19 deaths, the effort remains hobbled by bureaucracy and testing limits. Among those awaiting answers is Maribeth Cortez, whose adult son, Jeremiah DeLap, died Jan. 7 in Orange County while visiting his parents. He had been healthy, suffering on a Friday from what he thought was food poisoning, and found dead in bed the following Tuesday, drowned by fluid in his lungs. (St. John and Choi, 6/21)
Sacramento Bee:
COVID-19 Alert: FDA Issues Warning About 9 Hand Sanitizers
Though hand sanitizer remains a high demand product in the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the FDA issued a warning against nine hand sanitizers as possibly being toxic. All nine, made in Mexico by Eskbiochem SA de CV, might contain methanol also known as wood alcohol. “Methanol is not an acceptable ingredient for hand sanitizers and should not be used due to its toxic effects,” the FDA warning says. “Consumers who have been exposed to hand sanitizer containing methanol should seek immediate treatment, which is critical for potential reversal of toxic effects of methanol poisoning.” (Neal, 6/21)
Sacramento Bee:
CalPERS Long Term Care Insurance Plans Face Price Hike
CalPERS has suspended enrollment in its long term care insurance plans and is preparing for a rate hike as the coronavirus takes a toll on the plans. Health officials expect “significant premium increases” and will share specifics in September, CalPERS Chief Health Director Don Moulds told the CalPERS board this week. The new rates would go into effect in July 2021, Moulds said. (Venteicher, 6/18)
Ventura County Star:
Public Health Officer Works To Contain Coronavirus In Ventura County
Angry critics speaking at the first Board of Supervisors meeting the public could attend since a shutdown was imposed in March did not hold back. Citing their own legal research, they argued Tuesday that their constitutional rights had been violated during the fight to stop the spread of the coronavirus. (Wilson, 6/20)
Sacramento Bee:
Sacramento County CA Reports Nearly 100 Coronavirus Cases
Sacramento County health officials added almost 100 more patients to its coronavirus infection count Sunday, just a day after breaking its previous record for highest daily increase in COVID-19 cases. Sunday’s increases in infections are part of a broader surge in cases across the state. California saw a record-high increase in cases, with 4,515 confirmed Saturday. That’s 350 more than the previous high of 4,165 set Wednesday. All told, more than 175,000 Californians have been infected with coronavirus and nearly 5,500 people have died, according to data provided by Johns Hopkins University. (Moleski, 6/21)
The Bakersfield Californian:
Kern County Reports 97 New Coronavirus Cases Sunday
The Kern County Public Health Services Department reported 97 new confirmed COVID-19 cases Sunday morning. That brings the total cases to 3,900, along with 60 previously reported deaths.California Department of Public Health figures show 93 people in Kern are hospitalized, with 38 of those patients in intensive care units. Those numbers were last updated Friday. (6/21)
Sacramento Bee:
California Schools Brace For Lawsuits As They Plan To Reopen
Computers, cleaning supplies, custodial staff and civil suits. COVID-19 has introduced both new costs and threatened funding for California’s schools, which are facing unprecedented questions about classroom safety as they plan for fall reopening. (Hawkins, 6/19)
San Francisco Chronicle:
Virus Cases Spike As Contra Costa County Reopens
Coronavirus cases in Contra Costa continue to rise amid the county’s aggressive push to reopen the local economy, raising concern that the county may be moving too fast. “Our cases are increasing, our hospitalizations are increasing, our deaths are increasing and our testing positivity rate is increasing,” Anna Roth, Contra Costa’s health services director, told county supervisors Tuesday. (Vaziri, 6/18)
San Francisco Chronicle:
California Senate Kills Bill To Ban Commercial Evictions During Coronavirus
The California Senate declined on Thursday to advance a bill that would have banned commercial evictions statewide and allowed some retail tenants to break leases during the coronavirus crisis. The real estate industry strongly opposed SB939, sponsored by state Sens. Scott Wiener, D-San Francisco, and Lena Gonzalez, D-Long Beach. The sponsors said it was a critical move to save small restaurants and other small businesses that have seen revenue collapse. (Li, 6/18)
Fresno Bee:
Fresno CA Amazon Warehouse Reports 15th Coronavirus Case
Two more employees at Fresno’s Amazon warehouse tested positive for COVID-19 this week, bringing the total to at least 15 cases in the facility. The giant Amazon warehouse in south Fresno reported one case Wednesday and another case Friday through a company app called A to Z, where employees receive work notifications. (Tobias, 6/20)
Sacramento Bee:
Amid COVID-19, At-Risk Sacramento County Workers Return To Office
Thousands of Sacramento County workers, including some who are particularly vulnerable to the coronavirus, are set to return to work Monday even as COVID-19 cases continue to grow across the region and public health officials caution against large gatherings indoors. About 2,800 Sacramento County employees — about one in four employees — have received paid administrative leave since March. That includes non-essential workers, and those either over the age of 65 or with proven existing health issues, putting them at a higher risk for severe reaction to the coronavirus. (Yoon-Hendricks, 6/21)
Sacramento Bee:
UC Davis CA Study: Many Filipinos Not Tested For Coronavirus
A new survey conducted by Filipino American researchers at the University of California, Davis shows that hundreds of California’s Filipino Americans are at risk for contracting the coronavirus, but have yet to be tested. More than 800 people in the Filipino community statewide answered the survey over 10 weeks. Despite the fact that 41 percent of the respondents reported they or other members of their household were health care workers, 93 percent said they still had not been tested. (Wong, 6/22)
San Francisco Chronicle:
Outdoor Dining, Indoor Retail, Churches Can Reopen In Alameda County Starting Friday
Outdoor dining, retail stores, malls and limited religious and cultural services will be allowed to reopen in Alameda County starting on Friday, county officials announced. Health officer Dr. Erica Pan issued an updated health order that also allows for outdoor fitness classes and museums, dog parks and college sports to resume with safety measures in place. (Kawahara, 6/18)
Bay Area News Group:
Tesla Worker Receives Termination Notice After Coronavirus Concerns
A Tesla employee who accused the company of not doing enough to protect Fremont plant workers from the new coronavirus, has been notified he will be terminated from his job on Friday. Carlos Gabriel, of Hayward, received an email from Tesla on Tuesday giving him two business days to notify the company about his plans to return to his job, or he would be let go by Friday. In its email, which Gabriel shared with this new organization, Tesla said its decision was based on Gabriel’s “lack of response” to company emails and voicemails in April and May about his intentions of coming back to work. (Crum, 6/18)
Sacramento Bee:
Sacramento Catholic Diocese Says Priest Contracted COVID-19
A priest at St. Peter’s Parish in Dixon has tested positive for the COVID-19 virus after he celebrated Mass at the church for more than a week, the Catholic Diocese of Sacramento announced Thursday. Father Hector Montoya, pastor of St. Peter’s Parish, tested positive for COVID-19, the infectious respiratory disease caused by the coronavirus. The diocese says it has been informed that key elements of health guidelines created for public celebrations of Mass were not being practiced at the church. (Ahumada, 6/18)
Los Angeles Times:
Police Unions See Clout Wane After George Floyd Protests
For decades, law enforcement unions in California have held powerful sway over local and state politicians, wielding the cash and clout to punish those who crossed them and to reward those who didn’t. Their often pugnacious style of politics was on display in Los Angeles recently, when officers, including a union board member, berated Councilwoman Monica Rodriguez over proposals to redirect some law enforcement funding and threatened to take their anger to the ballot box. (Chabria, 6/22)
Los Angeles Times:
Protesters Demand To Know Why 18-Year-Old Was Shot By Deputy
Protesters and sheriff’s deputies engaged in a tense standoff Sunday evening over the officer-involved shooting of a Gardena man, with authorities using what appeared to be tear gas to disperse a small group who had broken off from the otherwise peaceful demonstration. “We don’t want to see your children hurt,” someone announced from a sheriff’s helicopter that circled overhead, urging families to leave so that they were not exposed to pepper spray or tear gas and to protect themselves from troublemakers. (Mejia, Do and Newberry, 6/21)