Latest From California Healthline:
California Healthline Original Stories
Nurses in Crisis Over Covid Dig In for Better Work Conditions
In tough labor negotiations across the nation, here's what nurses don’t want: “appreciation that is lip service,” “marketing campaigns” and “shiny new buildings.” And this year might well prove to be a turning point in efforts to organize health care’s essential workers. (Christine Spolar and Mark Kreidler and Rae Ellen Bichell, )
Stricter Workplace Rules Will End Distinctions For Vaxxed Employees: Workplace regulators are poised on Thursday to extend California’s pandemic regulations into next year with some revisions that business groups say could worsen the labor shortage. The main change is that both vaccinated and unvaccinated employees would be barred from the workplace if they come in close contact with someone with the virus. Read more from AP.
San Diego To End Covid-19 Hotel Program: San Diego County will stop using hotels as covid-19 shelters by March 31 — more than two years after the troubled program began isolating people with nowhere else to go — because federal money is expected to run out, county housing director David Estrella said. Costing at least $5.2 million a month, the program is the first of its kind and has been praised for its success in preventing the spread of covid-19. Read more from inewsource.
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
Sacramento Bee:
As Omicron Variant Spreads, CA Issues New Travel Advisory
Travelers arriving in or returning to California should get tested for COVID-19 within three to five days of their arrival, according to new guidance released this week by the California Department of Public Health. The new recommendation comes as the state begins to deal with the omicron variant of COVID-19, which state officials believe is spread more easily than other variants of the virus. (Sheeler, 12/15)
Los Angeles Times:
Omicron Spreads In Southern California As State Mask Order Takes Effect
The Omicron variant of the coronavirus has expanded its reach in California, with more cases reported in recent days in Los Angeles, San Diego, San Bernardino and Ventura counties. Omicron’s spread is one of the factors that led California officials to order a statewide mandate for people to wear masks in indoor public settings that took effect Wednesday. (Lin II, 12/15)
Reuters:
Omicron Thrives In Airways, Not Lungs; New Data On Asymptomatic Cases
Major differences in how efficiently Omicron and other variants of the coronavirus multiply may help predict Omicron's effects, researchers said on Wednesday. Compared to the earlier Delta variant, Omicron multiplies itself 70 times more quickly in tissues that line airway passages, which may facilitate person-to-person spread, they said. But in lung tissues, Omicron replicates 10 times more slowly than the original version of the coronavirus, which might contribute to less-severe illness. (Lapid, 12/16)
San Francisco Chronicle:
Is California Facing The Kind Of ‘Omicron Emergency’ Seen In The U.K.?
The omicron variant of the coronavirus is exploding in the United Kingdom — which might seem particularly foreboding for California, since Britain often has been a pandemic bellwether for the state. Coronavirus infections in the U.K. appear to be doubling every two to three days and hit an all-time high Wednesday, driven by the highly transmissible omicron strain. The country’s health chief, Dr. Jenny Harries, told Parliament members that omicron is “probably the most significant threat we’ve had since the start of the pandemic.” (Hwang, 12/16)
AP:
US Faces A Double Coronavirus Surge As Omicron Advances
The new omicron coronavirus mutant speeding around the world may bring another wave of chaos, threatening to further stretch hospital workers already struggling with a surge of delta cases and upend holiday plans for the second year in a row. The White House on Wednesday insisted there was no need for a lockdown because vaccines are widely available and appear to offer protection against the worst consequences of the virus. But even if omicron proves milder on the whole than delta, it may disarm some of the lifesaving tools available and put immune-compromised and elderly people at particular risk as it begins a rapid assault on the United States. (Ungar and Johnson, 12/16)
San Francisco Chronicle:
Omicron Variant In California: Apple Delays Return-To-Office Plans Indefinitely
California still has only 39 known omicron infections, but that could change quickly — and what it portends is very much in question. Amid concerns about the omicron variant and rising case rates, a statewide mask mandate — with some exceptions — goes back into effect today for public spaces, regardless of your vaccination status. Here’s what’s changing. San Francisco offices and gyms where everyone is fully vaccinated will not need to return to masking after California on Tuesday granted last-minute exemptions from its face mask rule. (Vaziri, Fracassa, Reinhart and Li, 12/15)
Politico:
HHS Forecast Shows Omicron Stretching U.S. Covid Testing Supply
Biden administration health officials are privately warning Covid-19 test makers and laboratories that demand for tests could double or even triple over the next two months as cases surge across the country, five people with knowledge of the matter told POLITICO. Internal modeling developed by the Health and Human Services Department’s Testing and Diagnostic Working Group projects that the nation's supply could be stretched by the need to conduct 3 to 5 million tests per day by late January or early February — a sharp increase from current daily levels of more than 1.6 million. (Lim and Cancryn, 12/15)
The New York Times:
Apple Has A New Return To Office Date: Indefinite
Apple, which had already delayed its employees’ return to physical offices from September to October to January to February, has a new timeline: to be determined. Tim Cook, Apple’s chief executive, told employees in a message viewed by The New York Times on Wednesday that the company was delaying a return to hybrid work “to a date yet to be determined.” (Browning, 12/15)
CNN.com:
Traveling To Disney Parks During Covid-19: What You Need To Know Before You Go
If you’re planning to travel to one of the Disney Parks & Resorts around the world, here’s what you’ll need to know and expect if you want to visit during the Covid-19 pandemic. (12/16)
CBS News:
Why Does It Still Take So Long To Get A COVID-19 PCR Test Result?
New COVID-19 restrictions for international travel and other activities are fueling consumer demand for highly accurate polymerase chain reaction, or PCR, tests with rapid turnaround times. Some clinics can deliver a PCR test result within hours, which these days can be as essential as a plane ticket for air travel. The downside? It will likely cost you hundreds of dollars. (Cerullo, 12/15)
The Wall Street Journal:
CDC’s Early Covid-19 Test Hampered By Design Flaw, Contamination
A design flaw and contamination caused the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s initial batch of Covid-19 tests to fail, an investigation by the agency concluded, adding to the understanding of a major misstep in the early U.S. response to the pandemic. In February of 2020, public-health laboratories reported errors with the PCR test that the CDC designed to identify the virus that causes Covid-19. That left the U.S. partly blind to Covid-19’s early spread. (Abbott, 12/15)
CapRadio:
As Vaccine Availability For Kids Expands, Rates Vary Across California
As news came out in May that the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine would be available for teens, James Frazee said he poured over studies to weigh the benefits of getting his 13-year-old son the jab. Frazee, a community college professor who is vaccinated, said he came away unconvinced. “The scientific literature doesn’t make a case for vaccinating him,” Frazee said. Like some other parents, Frazee argues that children aren’t as affected by COVID-19 as adults, and that possible side effects from the vaccine — as rare as they may be — outweigh can be more harmful. (Svoboda, 12/15)
San Francisco Chronicle:
Does Brand Of Vaccine Booster Matter For How Well Protected You’ll Be Against Omicron?
With the omicron coronavirus variant spreading at a rate that world health officials are calling unprecedented, a growing chorus of experts are saying that boosters are a must — and that people should get them as soon as possible. But does the type of vaccine you get for your booster matter to how protected you’ll be against omicron? (Hwang, 12/15)
The Hill:
Study Suggests Antibodies From Two Moderna Doses Less Effective At Neutralizing Omicron
A preprint study published Wednesday indicated that the antibodies in blood samples from recipients of two Moderna doses were less effective at neutralizing the omicron variant, suggesting an increased risk of symptomatic breakthrough cases. ... They found these antibodies in two-dose Moderna recipients were at least 50 times less effective at neutralizing the omicron strain, which “could lead to an increased risk of symptomatic breakthrough infections.” (Coleman, 12/15)
The Washington Post:
CDC Advisers To Weigh Limits On Johnson & Johnson Vaccine Because Of Continued Blood Clot Issues
Vaccine advisers to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are meeting Thursday to weigh possible limits on the use of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine because of continued blood clot issues, mostly in young and middle-aged women, according to clinicians familiar with the agenda. ... The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices will be presented with new data that appears to show the rate of the clots in people who received the Johnson & Johnson shot has increased since April, although the problem is still rare. There have been about nine deaths related to the issue, according to a federal official familiar with the situation. (Sun and McGinley, 12/15)
The Washington Post:
Fauci Says Omicron-Specific Vaccine Is Not Yet Needed Because Booster Shots Will Protect
Anthony S. Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, said Wednesday that an omicron-specific coronavirus vaccine is not needed at this time because early data indicates existing booster shots bolster disease-fighting antibodies. ... “Our booster vaccine regimens work against omicron. At this point, there is no need for a variant-specific booster,” Fauci said at a White House coronavirus briefing. “If you are unvaccinated, you are very vulnerable — not only to the existing delta surge we are experiencing, but also to omicron.” (Johnson, 12/15)
NBC News:
Fauci Pushes For Universal Coronavirus Vaccine
The scientific quest for a universal coronavirus vaccine received a boost Wednesday, as three top federal researchers, including Dr. Anthony Fauci, outlined a path to develop new vaccines that could tackle a variety of ailments including Covid-19, some common colds and future viruses. Writing in the New England Journal of Medicine, Fauci and two colleagues said the virus that causes Covid-19 is unlikely to be eliminated, and current vaccines are too limited to prevent the emergence of new variants. Other coronaviruses are also likely to spill over from animals to become future pandemic threats, they wrote. (Bush, 12/15)
Politico:
Navy Starts Kicking Out Sailors For Refusing Covid Vaccine As Republicans Rage Over Mandate
The Navy has begun kicking out sailors who refuse to get the Covid-19 vaccine, but it won’t slap dishonorable discharges on anyone for their decision to ignore a direct order. Overall, 5,731 active-duty sailors remain unvaccinated, and at this point Navy officials say they believe most of those will likely continue to refuse the order, weeks after the Nov. 28 deadline for full vaccination. (McLeary and Forgey, 12/15)
The Washington Post:
Biden's Vaccine Policy For Private Companies To Be Reviewed By Three-Judge Panel
A federal appeals court on Wednesday rejected requests to initially review the Biden administration’s coronavirus vaccine or testing requirements for large private companies with a full complement of judges and will instead handle the case with the usual three-judge panel. The decision divided the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 6th Circuit and drew sharp dissents from a pair of judges who used the opportunity to express deep concerns about the legality of the administration’s policy, which is set to take effect Jan. 4. (Marimow, 12/15)
San Francisco Chronicle:
Are California’s Strict COVID Mandates Working? Here’s What The Data Shows
With California approaching an unfathomable milestone of 75,000 coronavirus deaths and 5 million COVID-19 cases since the start of the pandemic, many are wondering if the state’s many mitigation measures — some of the most stringent in the nation — have made a tangible difference in reducing the toll of the virus. On Wednesday, Californians adjusted to new rules requiring everyone to mask up again in indoor public settings for at least a month, regardless of vaccination status — with a few regional exemptions — to blunt the impact of another winter surge. (Vaziri and Nielson, 12/15)
The Mercury News:
Erik Karlsson Won't Be At Olympics If IOC's COVID Rules Remain
Sharks defenseman Erik Karlsson said he would likely not participate in February’s Winter Olympics in Beijing if China’s quarantine rules for those who test positive for COVID-19 remain the same. The International Olympic Committee has stated that athletes who test positive for COVID-19 in China would need to produce two negative tests 24 hours apart to exit protocol. However, if they continue to test positive, the quarantine period could last from 21 days to five weeks. (Peshelka, 12/15)
AP:
AP Source: NFL Plans Changes To COVID-19 Protocols
The NFL is planning “significant changes” to its COVID-19 protocols amid the worst three-day stretch for the league during the pandemic, a person familiar with the plans told The Associated Press on Wednesday night. The person, who spoke on condition of anonymity because details haven’t been finalized, said the league and the NFL Players Association are discussing three main areas: testing protocols; return to play guidelines to allow asymptomatic players who’ve tested positive to return sooner; and encouraging booster shots. (Maaddi and Dixon, 12/16)
San Diego Union-Tribune:
San Diego Unified Gives Families COVID Test Kits To Take Home Over Winter Break
San Diego Unified is sending its 97,000 students home with rapid COVID-19 testing kits this week in anticipation of a potential COVID spike over the winter break. Each kit contains two COVID-19 antigen rapid tests. The state recommends families test students once three days before they return to school and then again on the day they return to school. (Taketa, 12/15)
The Bakersfield Californian:
PBVUSD Board Asks State Not To Implement Further COVID-19 Vaccine Mandates, In Narrow Vote
The board of the Panama-Buena Vista Union School District narrowly voted in favor of asking the state not to proceed with any additional vaccine mandates in schools. The resolution, which passed in a 3-2 vote, is a response to Gov. Gavin Newsom’s October announcement that he intends to direct the California Department of Public Health to roll out a vaccine mandate to students. (Gallegos, 12/15)
Modesto Bee:
Despite Rule, Unmasked People At Turlock Unified Meeting
For about 25 minutes Tuesday evening, a Turlock Unified trustee and members of the public attended a school board meeting unmasked despite the board’s rule requiring face coverings when students are present. This was the first board meeting involving student representatives since they were told to leave Nov. 16 because adults refused to wear face coverings. The board passed a resolution at a special meeting Nov. 29 requiring masks when students attend at the district’s request. That applies to two high school students who serve as board representatives and students invited as honorees. (Isaacman, 12/16)
EdSource:
How One California School District Is Using Its Covid Relief Money To Help Students
With the passage of the American Rescue Plan, the most recent of three major Covid relief bills, California has received more than any other state: A total of $26.3 billion, amounting to an average of $4,260 per student. Schools can spend that money on anything that helps students recover from the pandemic, including mental health counselors, tutors, tablets and Wi-Fi hot spots, and activities like field trips and after-school clubs intended to make school fun again. (Jones, 12/16)
San Francisco Chronicle:
JPMorgan Cancels In-Person S.F. Health Care Conference, Goes Virtual In Blow To Union Square
JPMorgan Chase has canceled its in-person San Francisco health care conference in January and will go virtual as omicron cases spread. It’s a major blow to the hospitality sector and the conference’s main hub, Union Square, which was already reeling from mass thefts last month. The bank had remained committed to holding the conference in person in the wake of the crime spree but said the health of attendees was at risk from the pandemic. The cancellation comes less than a month before the conference is set to take place — Jan. 10-13. (Li, 12/15)
The Mercury News:
California City Investigating Why Fire Personnel Refused To Enter Facility To Administer Care
An independent investigation into the actions of Rialto fire paramedics who refused to enter a local care facility last month as a man suffered cardiac arrest has been launched, city officials announced Wednesday, Dec. 15. The paramedics under investigation have been placed on leave, acting fire Chief Brian Park said in a statement. (Whitehead, 12/16)
CalMatters:
Massive Nursing Home Fine Obscured From Public View
The inspection report painted a bleak picture of life inside Northpointe Healthcare Centre in Fresno: Residents grimaced in pain from bedsores. Staff told inspectors they were stretched so thin they sometimes skipped treatments and failed to distribute medications. One resident was hospitalized with sepsis after missing four doses of an antibiotic, the report stated. After multiple visits in early 2018, state inspectors slapped the 99-bed facility with an “immediate jeopardy” deficiency, the type reserved for the most egregious incidents in nursing homes. Then the federal government levied a massive fine: $912,404, the largest penalty given to any California nursing home in at least a decade, according to a CalMatters analysis of federal data. For years, consumers had little way of knowing that fine even existed. (Wiener, 12/15)
San Francisco Chronicle:
Monica Gandhi And Bob Wachter Are Seen As ‘Diametric Poles’ On COVID Measures. Here’s What They See Coming In 2022
UCSF Department of Medicine Chair Bob Wachter and infectious disease doctor Monica Gandhi turned into Twitter celebrities and public health emissaries amid the coronavirus pandemic. But they don’t always agree. With the holidays approaching, the new omicron variant emerging and 2022 around the corner, Gandhi and Watcher joined Fifth & Mission host Cecilia Lei and Chronicle health reporter Erin Allday live on Twitter Spaces on Dec. 10 to talk about their different pandemic perspectives, and what we can — or should — expect from COVID-19 in 2022. (12/15)
Sacramento Bee:
New California State, Kaiser Permanente Jobs In Sacramento
Sacramento is hiring health care workers. Whether you’re looking for a job with the State of California or Kaiser Permanente — there’s a job for you. (Taylor, 12/16)
Bay Area News Group:
Homes, Independence For Bay Area Residents With Disabilities
Ashley Oliver was used to people telling her she’d never be able to take care of herself or live on her own. On a recent afternoon, sitting in the cute, one-bedroom apartment where she now lives by herself in Redwood City, 29-year-old Oliver described how good it feels to prove them all wrong. “To have my own place is to have my own freedom,” said Oliver, who has epilepsy and an intellectual disability that affects her learning and coping skills. “I worked very hard to get to the place that I am.” (Kendall, 12/16)
CapRadio:
California Lawmakers Look To Create First-In-The-Nation Heatwave Ranking System
In response to the increasing intensity and frequency of deadly heat waves in California, state lawmakers are now working on a plan for better emergency alerts. Much like the ranking of hurricanes and tornadoes, this system would be used to help people better understand the severity of forecasted heat. While there aren't details yet what the system would look like, legislation could be introduced as early as January. Proponents will be building off of similar frameworks created by the EPA and Red Cross. (White, 12/15)
NBC News:
White House Unveils Plan To Replace Every Lead Pipe In The U.S.
President Joe Biden promised his infrastructure proposal would replace every lead pipe in the country. Now the White House says it has a plan to deliver, despite a significant funding gap. The administration’s plan for lead pipes and paints, which Vice President Kamala Harris will detail in a speech Thursday, illustrates how officials are hoping to cobble together enough money to meet Biden’s goal through sources like the infrastructure law, Covid relief funding and the president’s stalled Build Back Better bill. (Lederman, 12/16)
Los Angeles Times:
Proposed Tax Would Fund L.A. Homeless Housing
In an ambitious effort to address the homelessness crisis in Los Angeles, a coalition of housing advocates, labor unions and progressive activist groups plans to file paperwork Thursday for a ballot measure that would increase taxes on real estate transactions in the city to fund permanent housing for homeless people and those at risk of ending up on the street. The organizers hope to collect nearly 65,000 signatures by spring to place the tax proposal on the November 2022 ballot. (Oreskes, 12/15)
Bay Area News Group:
Bay Area A Major Anomaly In New Report About State's Pandemic Population Changes
The Bay Area, once a magnet for newcomers, saw the steepest decline of any region in California in the number of people moving to its counties, according to a new report released Wednesday that shows the pandemic has had a dramatic impact on where people are choosing to live. Not only did fewer people migrate into the state, but Bay Area residents are some of the only ones in the state continuing to pack up and move — and they now make up an even larger share of those saying goodbye to the Golden State than before the pandemic. (Greschler, 12/15)