In First TV Debate, GOP Recall Candidates Bash Newsom’s Covid Response: A quartet of Republican gubernatorial hopefuls made their case Wednesday to oust Gov. Gavin Newsom from office at their first televised recall debate. The challengers criticized Newsom over covid mandates, crime and housing costs. All were united in their opposition to mask and vaccination mandates, but their approaches varied. Read more from Politico, The Sacramento Bee, Los Angeles Times and AP.
In related news —
Labor Union Balks At Vaccine Requirement: The Newsom administration is proceeding with plans to require state workers to present proof of covid vaccination or submit to weekly testing over the objections of its largest public employee union. “The state is blithely relying on an untrained cadre of worksite level supervisors and managers to wander the worksite floors asking employees to prove up their vaccination status,” SEIU Local 1000 said. Read more from The Modesto Bee.
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
Reuters:
U.S. Developing Plan To Require Foreign Visitors To Be Vaccinated
The Biden administration is developing a plan to require nearly all foreign visitors to the United States to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 as part of eventually lifting travel restrictions that bar much of the world from entering the United States, a White House official told Reuters on Wednesday. The White House wants to re-open travel, which would boost business for the airlines and tourism industry, but is not ready to immediately lift restrictions because of the rising COVID-19 case load and highly transmissible COVID-19 Delta variant, the official said. (Shepardson, 8/4)
Modesto Bee:
Sutter Health To Require Staff To Be Vaccinated For COVID-19
Sutter Health of Sacramento announced a new policy that aims to have its workforce fully vaccinated against COVID-19 by the end of September. Sutter is affiliated with Memorial Medical Center in Modesto, Memorial Hospital Los Banos and the Sutter Gould Medical Foundation physician offices. (Carlson, 8/5)
Orange County Register:
MemorialCare To Require Coronavirus Vaccinations For All Workers
The MemorialCare health system, which operates four major hospitals in Los Angeles and Orange counties and other smaller facilities in the region, announced Wednesday, Aug. 4, it will require all of its workers to get vaccinated against the coronavirus by the end of September, citing an “alarming” rise in patients hospitalized with COVID-19 in recent weeks and the spread of the delta variant. (Sheets, 8/4)
San Diego Union-Tribune:
UCSD Moves Forward With Vaccination Mandate As Some Health Care Personnel Stage Protests
UC San Diego Health employees face “corrective action or the disciplinary process” if they refuse to get vaccinated and do not qualify for an exception or deferral, according to an internal all-hands memo. The notice is the local implementation of a vaccination policy published on July 15 by the University of California Office of the President that states that all employees, students, academics and staff must be “fully vaccinated against COVID-19 before physically accessing university locations and programs.” (Sisson, 8/4)
The Santa Rosa Press Democrat:
Sonoma County Calls For Police, All First Responders To Get COVID-19 Shots
Sonoma County public health officials on Wednesday said they will require all area first responders — law enforcement, fire and emergency medical employees — to be fully vaccinated against the coronavirus by Sept. 1 or submit to weekly virus testing, masking and other safety measures. Underscoring the critical nature of the virus resurgence, the county health officer also urged all local employers to follow the county’s lead and make full vaccination or weekly COVID-19 testing a requirement for employment. (Espinoza and Barber, 8/4)
Modesto Bee:
Judge Asked To Order COVID Vaccines For CA Prison Guards
The federal receiver overseeing medical care inside California’s prisons asked a federal judge Wednesday for a mandatory COVID-19 vaccination order for guards and staff at the prisons, saying the delta variant of the virus “poses enormous risks.” “The risk now is grave,” federal receiver J. Clark Kelso wrote in a 27-page report to the court about conditions inside California Department of Correction and Rehabilitation facilities. “We cannot afford to be lulled by the decline in infections in CDCR, which mirrored the fall in rates in the larger community. (Stanton, 8/4)
Los Angeles Times:
Solis Issues Executive Order Mandating L.A. County Employees Get Vaccinated
Hilda Solis, chair of the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors, issued an executive order Wednesday evening requiring the county’s 110,000 employees to provide proof of vaccination against COVID-19 by Oct. 1. In issuing the order, Solis cited an 18-fold increase in coronavirus cases in the county and a five-fold increase in hospitalizations — many involving unvaccinated people — since the county lifted its social distancing restrictions in June and the extra-contagious Delta variant began rapidly spreading across the region. (Rector, 8/4)
Los Angeles Times:
L.A. Mulls Requiring Vaccine Proof In Indoor Public Places
With coronavirus cases continuing to rise, Los Angeles is now considering a proposal to require proof of COVID-19 inoculation as a condition of entry at a host of indoor public spaces in what, if passed, would be the widest-ranging vaccination-verification effort in the city yet. The motion, introduced Wednesday by City Council President Nury Martinez and Councilman Mitch O’Farrell, would require eligible individuals to demonstrate that they’ve received at least one vaccination dose to visit indoor places such as restaurants, bars, retail stores, gyms, spas, movie theaters, stadiums and concert venues. (Money and Alpert Reyes, 8/4)
Los Angeles Times:
L.A. Is Weighing Vaccination Requirements. Here Are 20 Restaurants And Bars Already Implementing Them
On Tuesday, New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio announced that proof of vaccination would be required to visit restaurants, gyms and live shows. On Wednesday, Los Angeles City Council President Nury Martinez and Council Member Mitch O’Farrell introduced a motion that, if passed, could result in similar restrictions in an effort to curb the resurgence of COVID-19 across Los Angeles. But a number of L.A.-area restaurants, bars and music venues are already implementing their own COVID-19 restrictions, such as checking proof of vaccination; requiring negative results of a recent COVID-19 test; and halting on-site dining until case rates fall. (Breijo, 8/4)
Los Angeles Daily News:
LA City Council Weighs Requiring Vaccine Proof At Restaurants, Theaters, Other Indoor Establishments
With coronavirus statistics continuing to soar to unnerving levels, the Los Angeles City Council took up a proposal introduced on Wednesday, Aug. 4, by City Council President Nury Martinez that would require proof of at least partial vaccination against COVID-19 to enter public indoor spaces in the city of Los Angeles, including restaurants, bars, gyms, concert venues, movie theaters and even “retail establishments.” (8/4)
The Santa Rosa Press Democrat:
‘Beyond Angry’: Growing Divide Over COVID-19 Vaccinations In Sonoma County
As the coronavirus pandemic has ebbed and spiked over the past seven months since vaccines became publicly available, public sentiment toward the unvaccinated has shifted along with it. In the early stages of the vaccine rollout, demand exceeded supply by such a vast margin that hardly anyone took notice of the people who chose not to sign up for shots; if they didn’t want to get vaccinated, it just meant everyone else would get theirs sooner. When vaccine supply finally caught up in April, the decision to remain unimmunized began to stand out. But with transmission rates in steep decline, the stakes felt low. The unvaccinated were a curiosity to many, but not necessarily a danger. (Barber, 8/4)
San Francisco Chronicle:
At Least 2,700 San Francisco City Employees Have Not Been Vaccinated. Some Are Frontline Workers
At least 2,700 San Francisco city employees have not been vaccinated against the coronavirus — including some frontline workers — and could eventually lose their jobs if they continue to refuse the shots, according to city data exclusively obtained by The Chronicle. The overwhelming majority of San Francisco’s 36,000-person workforce is vaccinated against the coronavirus. But the San Francisco Police Department, Municipal Transportation Agency and Department of Public Health each had hundreds of unvaccinated employees as of Wednesday, according to data collected by the Department of Human Resources. (Thadani and Moench, 8/4)
Bay Area News Group:
California Vaccinations Up As Delta COVID Surges — But Is It Enough?
For Aydee Martinez and her teenaged son, the risk calculation between COVID-19 and the vaccine flipped on Wednesday. She’d heard people say it’s bad to get the shots, he’d seen commentary about them on the internet. Then people they knew started getting sick. Some of them died. It was as simple as that. Not cash prizes or free tickets to amusement parks tempting them to get the shots, or employers insisting they do. (Woolfolk, Oh and Rowan, 8/4)
San Francisco Chronicle:
Will I Need A Booster Shot? Here's What Bay Area Residents Need To Know
Clamor for an extra dose — or booster shot — of coronavirus vaccine is rising, as the highly contagious delta variant causes even vaccinated people to get occasional infections. In San Francisco, people who had received the single-shot Johnson & Johnson vaccine lined up Wednesday at San Francisco General Hospital to get a dose of mRNA vaccine, in what appears to be a first-of-its-kind program in the country. No official federal guidance has been issued on boosters. People who are older, have compromised immune systems, or got the J&J vaccine are particularly anxious for more information. But boosters are also controversial, because for every extra shot that an American gets, the global supply of the life-saving vaccines shrinks. And 42% of Americans have not gotten even one dose, leading some experts to believe the priority should be to get them vaccinated first. (Ho, 8/4)
City News Service:
Los Angeles County Endures Worst COVID-19 Caseload Day Since February; Child Is Among 16 Deaths
Los Angeles County reported its highest daily number of new COVID-19 infections since early February on Wednesday, Aug. 4, while also announcing 16 more deaths linked to the virus — including a child younger than 12. The child had unspecified underlying health conditions, according to the county Department of Public Health. It marked the sixth COVID-19 death of a child in the county since the pandemic began. Two were under age 12 and four were between 12 and 17. The 16 new deaths announced Wednesday lifted the county’s overall death toll from the virus to 24,720. (8/5)
Orange County Register:
Orange County Reported 92 New Cases And No New Deaths As Of Aug. 4
The OC Health Care Agency reported 92 new cases of the coronavirus on Wednesday, Aug. 4, increasing the cumulative total since tracking began in the county to 267,131. Officials noted the update for the day included numbers reported for 18 hours, not the full last day because of a delay. (Goertzen, 8/4)
Modesto Bee:
Hospital Cases Of COVID-19 Increase Again In Stanislaus
The COVID-19 patient count continued to rise Wednesday in Stanislaus County. It also reported zero deaths for a second straight day. The county’s five hospitals had 125 patients with confirmed infections, up from 118 on Tuesday, the Health Services Agency reported. The count has risen by about 90 since mid-July but remains well below the 300-plus last winter. (Holland, 8/5)
San Diego Union-Tribune:
Hospital Admissions Rising Across San Diego As COVID-19 Spreads Among The Unvaccinated
As the number of coronavirus-related hospitalizations continues to drift upward in San Diego and across the nation, cracks are beginning to show among the women and men tasked with taking care of those whose infections become life threatening. According to the latest weekly tracking report from the county health department, total COVID-19 related hospitalizations reached 407 Tuesday, one week after the number hit 316. Most of the patients have not been vaccinated. (Sisson, 8/4)
The Bakersfield Californian:
Kern Public Health Reports 1 New Coronavirus Death, 263 New Cases Wednesday
Kern County Public Health Services reported one new coronavirus death and 263 confirmed cases Wednesday. That brings the count of deaths to 1,427 and the confirmed cases since the pandemic began to 114,342. Thirty-nine delta variant cases have been identified, and there have been 70 alpha variant cases. (8/4)
inewsource:
SDSU Report Blasts County COVID-19 Sheltering Program
San Diego County awarded a $30 million contract for operating COVID-19 hotels to an unqualified company with poorly trained staff, who forced residents to suffer through long delays for much-needed medication and who allowed for gaps in services that may have led to overdoses and suicide. Those are among the findings outlined in a 154-page report released Tuesday from San Diego State University. (Dulaney and Castellano, 8/4)
Bay Area News Group:
San Jose Child Care Provider Pushes COVID Education
As people in the world adjust back to their everyday lives, Maria del Carmen Castillo continues to work around the San Jose community to ensure she is educating as many people as she can on the COVID-19 pandemic while still combatting her own obstacles. Castillo, 59, has been a child care provider for 13 years, and she also works part-time as a community health worker at food distribution sites, community events, schools and educational workshops for women from various organizations. She provides information to low-income people about pap smears and mammograms as well as COVID-19 programs, including where they can get tests. (Lopez Haro, 8/5)
San Francisco Chronicle:
Which Masks Should You Wear As The Highly Contagious Delta Variant Surges In The Bay Area?
People throughout the Bay Area are masking up again under revived mandates — a familiar drill in a region long accustomed to requirements for face coverings that were relaxed for the first time only a few weeks ago. But the latest surge is being fueled by the delta variant, which experts say has made them rethink their previous guidance. Their more cautious approach is based on scientific findings that delta is a more formidable foe, up to twice as contagious as the original coronavirus strain. (Hwang, 8/4)
Orange County Register:
Unmasked Clients Make For Nervous Workers As County Offices Reopen In OC
Orange County has not yet followed Los Angeles and San Francisco by reinstituting indoor masking, and O.C.’s reputation as a bastion for COVID deniers, mask opponents and vaccine refusers doesn’t ease workers’ minds. Just months into the pandemic, Orange County’s chief health officer resigned after vitriol — over masks, shutdowns and whether COVID-19 was a real emergency — resulted in nightly marches at her home. (Sforza, 8/4)
Bay Area News Group:
You Got COVID, But You're Vaccinated. How Sick Will You Feel?
The pandemic of the unvaccinated now threatens people who are vaccinated — but new evidence shows that these startling “breakthrough” infections tend to be milder, shorter and only occasionally spread to others. The trend is driven by the emergence of the highly transmissible delta variant, combined with the mask-free gatherings that started after the state reopened on June 15, said Dr. Ralph Gonzales, chief innovation officer for UC San Francisco Health. Until now, vaccinated people were almost always protected from earlier variants or the original strain of the virus. (Krieger, 8/4)
CIDRAP:
Flu Vaccine Linked To Less Severe COVID-19
COVID-19 patients who had received the flu vaccine 6 months to 2 weeks prior to diagnosis were less likely to have sepsis, stroke, and—with some time constraints—deep vein thrombosis (DVTs) and admission to the intensive care unit (ICU) or emergency department (ED), according to a study yesterday in PLOS One. The researchers used an electronic medical record network to match 37,377 COVID-19 patients who had received the flu vaccine with 37,377 of those who hadn't in January 2021, drawing from 56 healthcare organizations predominantly in the United States. (8/4)
Southern California News Group:
California Superintendent Thurmond: Mandate Or Not, Folks, Just Get The Coronavirus Vaccine
The state’s top schools chief made another push for Californians to get their COVID-19 shots, saying during a visit to Los Angeles County on Wednesday, Aug. 4, that given the continuing rise in coronavirus cases just as schools are reopening, that the best thing people can do to protect themselves and others would be to get vaccinated immediately. There have been preliminary conversations at the legislative level about mandating vaccinations in K-12 schools, he said, noting, however, that there’s no guarantee if or when such a proposal would become law. No bill has been introduced, and the legislative session is set to end mid-September. (Tat, 8/5)
Sacramento Bee:
Los Rios Community Colleges Require COVID-19 Vaccines
Los Rios Community College campuses will require COVID-19 vaccinations for all employees and students. The board of trustees of the four-campus community college district voted on Tuesday night to require vaccinations no later than Oct. 1 as coronavirus cases increase in the Sacramento region and beyond, according to a press release. (Morrar, 8/4)
San Diego Union-Tribune:
Southwestern College Requires COVID-19 Vaccine For Students, Employees
Southwestern College students, faculty and staff must be vaccinated against COVID-19 before returning to campus for the fall semester on Aug. 23, officials announced Wednesday. The process will rely on individuals attesting that they have been fully immunized. Students and employees who are partially inoculated upon their return to the college and would require a second dose will have to provide proof of their next vaccine appointment, said College Superintendent Mark Sanchez. (Murga, 8/4)
Modesto Bee:
Turlock Schools Pursue Local Control Over Mask Requirements
The Turlock Unified School District is following in the footsteps of Modesto City Schools, which last week sent a letter to the California Department of Public Health seeking local decision-making power on COVID-19 protocols including masks. At its meeting Tuesday night, the TUSD board voted to work with legal counsel to create a letter asking the state to give county public health officials control of mandates and guidance for K-12 masking “based on our county’s data and not the state’s,” district spokeswoman Marie Russell said in an email. (Farro, 8/4)
Marin Independent Journal:
Marin County Schools To Require Vaccine Status Verification From Employees And Students 12 And Over
Marin school employees and students 12 and older will be required to supply proof of COVID-19 vaccination status this fall, county officials announced Wednesday. Those who have not been immunized will be required to be tested weekly for coronavirus infections. (Brenner, 8/5)
San Francisco Chronicle:
San Francisco Schools Will Not Mandate Vaccination For Teachers, Staff, In Line With Nearly All California Districts
San Francisco’s public school teachers and staff are not required to get vaccinated against the coronavirus to return to the classroom. However, the district has asked employees to submit their vaccination status, officials reiterated at a town hall on Tuesday. “We have encouraged all of our staff to get vaccinated,” said Dr. Vincent Matthews, the district’s superintendent. “We are currently assessing exactly who is vaccinated. We’re going to use that data to determine what our next step will be.” (Vaziri, 8/4)
Southern California News Group:
Disneyland Plans To Require Advance Reservations For Foreseeable Future
Disneyland plans to keep requiring advance reservations after the pandemic solution instituted amid state-mandated COVID-19 attendance capacity restrictions proved invaluable at reducing crowding and managing demand. Advance reservation requirements for Disneyland and Disney California Adventure daily tickets are expected to continue for the foreseeable future, according to Disney officials. (MacDonald, 8/4)
Mosaic 2021:
‘The Pandemic Has Changed Me’: San Jose Nurse Reflects On Toughest Year Of Career
Nhi Duong clocked in for her shift at O’Connor Hospital in April 2020 not knowing it would be one of the most stressful days of her 16-year career as a nurse. In any other year, handling the case of a 31-weeks-pregnant patient in her 30s waiting in a hospital bed for her check-in would be routine for Duong. But this year was different. This time, the case of the pregnant patient who had contracted COVID-19 and wasn’t breathing was anything but simple. (Nguyen, 8/4)
San Francisco Chronicle:
New Wildfire: River Fire Near Colfax Burns 35 Structures, Grows To 1,400 Acres
A wildfire that started Wednesday afternoon near the city of Colfax in Placer County quickly exploded to 1,400 acres, damaged or destroyed about 35 structures and was threatening another 4,000 properties by the evening. Thousands of people were evacuated from areas in Nevada and Placer counties. Half of threatened properties were in the city of Colfax. (Difeliciantonio, 8/4)
CapRadio:
Fast-Growing River Fire Prompts Evacuation Order For Colfax Residents In California’s Sierra Nevada Foothills
A growing wildfire burning in the Sierra Nevada foothills has prompted several evacuation orders on Wednesday, including for the town of Colfax. The River Fire, which ignited just after 3:30 p.m. according to video footage from a nearby PG&E tower camera, has now grown to more than 1,400 acres and has destroyed 35 to 40 structures, according to Cal Fire. (8/4)
Modesto Bee:
6,600 People Evacuated As River Fire Blazes Through Colfax
At least several homes have burned in a wildfire that sparked Wednesday and spread rapidly near Colfax. The blaze prompted authorities to issue several evacuation orders in Placer and Nevada counties. The Placer County Sheriff’s Office said the River Fire has prompted a mandatory evacuation for the Bear River Campground and a closure of Highway 174. Heavy plumes of smoke from the fire can be seen in Sacramento, about 45 miles southwest of the blaze. (Shaikh, 8/4)
The Washington Post:
Dixie Fire And River Fire Burn In Northern California, Forcing Thousands Of Evacuations
As the Dixie Fire in Northern California surged on Wednesday, scorching the community of Greenville that firefighters had worked overnight this week to save, the nearby River Fire grew rapidly in less than a day, forcing thousands to evacuate. The Dixie Fire grew to more than 278,000 acres by Wednesday evening amid a red flag warning — indicating the risk of “extreme fire behavior” caused by hot, dry and windy conditions — that was issued through Thursday evening local time. (Pietsch, 8/5)
San Francisco Chronicle:
Dixie Fire Tears Through Historic Town Of Greenville In Plumas County
The Dixie Fire ravaged the town of Greenville in Plumas County on Wednesday, leaving its historic main street in smoky piles of rubble, buildings gutted by flame. Light poles were bent over, downed wires were scattered, and spot fires were blazing throughout town — images captured by a Chronicle photographer who surveyed the scene. (Hernandez, 8/4)
Los Angeles Times:
Dixie Fire Burns Homes, Businesses In Greenville
The massive Dixie fire, which has been burning in Northern California for three weeks, burned into the small town of Greenville Wednesday evening, fueled by intense winds. The fire tore through Greenville, destroying businesses and homes as the sky was cast in an orange glow. A photographer on assignment for the Associated Press described seeing a gas station, hotel and bar burned to the ground. (Seidman, 8/4)
Bay Area News Group:
Bay Area Air Quality: Shift In Wind May Bring Wildfire Smoke
Smoke drifting southward from fires raging in the state’s north will likely bring hazy skies to North and East Bay residents to close out the week, prompting authorities to issue an air-quality advisory for Thursday and Friday. Data from meteorologists and other sources led Bay Area Air Quality Management District officials to issue the alert Wednesday due to the River Complex, McFarland and Monument fires. Residents in Marin, Sonoma and Napa counties may see initial effects earlier, with some Solano, Alameda and Contra Costa residents following on. (Kelly, 8/4)
CBS News:
California Tourist Town Running Out Of Water Amid Drought
The historic California town of Mendocino is running out of water, as the wells the tourist town depends on are drying up amid a devastating drought. The Alegria Inn is paying to truck in water so its guests can shower. "Right now it costs $600 for 3,500 gallons, and that's lasting us a week," said Eric Hillesland, who runs the inn. (Evans, 8/4)
CapRadio:
Sacramento Mayor Releases Plans To Shelter Homeless Residents At 20 Sites
Sacramento Mayor Darrell Steinberg released on Wednesday the city’s first Homeless Master Siting Plan, paving the way for City Council to preapprove certain sites as homeless shelters and temporary housing solutions. The City Council will vote on the plan next Tuesday. If it passes, the 20 priority sites laid out in the plan could be used to house about 3,600 homeless people a year. (Mizes-Tang and Salanga, 8/5)
Orange County Register:
Homeless Survey In 2nd District Finds Strong Link To Opioids
One of the clear findings from the first 120 or so completed surveys confirms something Wright knew already, from his years of Wound Walk excursions with the homeless. Many homeless people in the Second District need detox services for substance abuse, particularly opioid addiction. Some, in fact, tell Wright they would accept treatment that minute if they could. But it’s not so easy. The county sets aside fewer than 50 beds in detox centers for people who can’t afford insurance. So the best Wright can do is promise to come back and see if he can help them get on a list. (Walker, 8/5)
Bay Area News Group:
San Jose To Begin Clearing Massive Airport Homeless Camp
With millions of dollars of federal funding on the line, San Jose plans to start this month on the daunting task of dismantling one of the Bay Area’s largest homeless encampments. But removing hundreds of people who are camped on vacant land around the Mineta San Jose International Airport presents “significant legal and ethical challenges,” officials warned, and can’t realistically be completed until June 2022. With housing and emergency shelter in short supply, it’s unclear where the displaced residents will go. (Kendall, 8/4)
San Diego Union-Tribune:
Migrants In Tijuana Vaccinated At Camp, Shelters
Hundreds of migrants and asylum seekers waiting at the Tijuana border were vaccinated Tuesday against COVID-19 by local health authorities. The Baja California Secretary of Health allocated hundreds of Pfizer vaccines for migrants who have been staying at a migrant camp near the El Chaparral border crossing, as well as at seven shelters in Tijuana. (Mendoza, 8/4)