Latest From California Healthline:
California Healthline Original Stories
Newsom Wants to Spend Millions on the Health of Low-Income Mothers and Their Babies
Democratic legislators back measures that would end the “pink tax” on diapers and menstrual products, provide mental health support, and pilot a guaranteed-income program. (Anna Almendrala, )
Don’t Toss Your Mask Just Yet: The California Occupational Safety and Health Standards Board meets Thursday and will consider new workplace rules that would only allow workers to go maskless if everyone in a room is fully vaccinated against the coronavirus. The rules could remain in place into early next year. Read more from AP and KABC.
Lawmakers Weigh $10K Bonus For Medical Professionals: California lawmakers are considering legislation that would require hospitals, clinics and skilled nursing facilities to pay medical professionals $10,000 in “hero pay” for their work during the COVID-19 pandemic. But some employers and business groups have called the bill “dangerous and costly.” Read more from the Los Angeles Times.
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
Modesto Bee:
California Wasted 31,000 COVID-19 Vaccine Doses
California has wasted more than 31,000 doses of the vaccine since December, just a fraction of the more than 39 million doses delivered to residents of the country’s most populous state since the vaccine rollout began. When COVID-19 vaccines first became available and local health departments were crushed by an onslaught of demand, state officials and health experts stressed the importance ensuring not a single dose went to waste. (Yoon-Hendricks, 6/2)
Bay Area News Group:
Alameda County Wasted Most Coronavirus Vaccine Doses In California
A Bay Area county sits atop an unfortunate list. Alameda County has wasted more coronavirus vaccine doses than any other county in California, according to The Sacramento Bee, which based its reporting on data obtained through a public records request. The data, which the Bee shared with this news organization, shows the East Bay county tossed 7,055 shots, or 0.39% of the more than 1.8 million it received. That’s three times more than any other Bay Area County wasted. (DeRuy, 6/2)
Los Angeles Times:
Rural California Is Falling Behind In COVID Vaccine Rates
Some rural counties in Northern California are falling further behind in COVID-19 vaccination rates compared with the rest of the state, causing cases to remain flat or, in some cases, to rise. A Times analysis found that the counties with the lowest vaccination rates were likely to have higher recent case rates per capita. Counties in rural Northern California and the greater Sacramento area fared worst, while Southern California and the Bay Area have fared best in terms of higher rates of vaccination and lower daily case rates, the analysis found. (Money, Lin II and Greene, 6/2)
Los Angeles Daily News:
UCLA Releases Model To Guide Which Areas Should Be Given Vaccine Priority
A team of UCLA researchers on Wednesday, June 2, announced a predictive model to help guide public health officials on which neighborhoods in Los Angeles County should be prioritized for vaccine distribution based on residents’ risks of COVID-19. The model’s maps and data are publicly available, and the research titled “COVID-19 Medical Vulnerability Indicators: A Predictive, Local Data Model for Equity in Public Health Decision Making,” is set to be published in the International Journal of Environmental Health. (6/2)
The Bakersfield Californian:
Kern County Latino COVID-19 Task Force To Hold Vaccination Clinics In Coming Days
The Kern County Latino COVID-19 Task Force will hold five vaccinations this week in areas throughout Kern County. “We have been working diligently to ensure our underserved communities and neighborhoods in Kern County have access to the COVID-19 vaccines,” Jay Tamsi, co-founder of the task force, said in a news release. “It’s also very important as our economy rebounds, that’s always been our number-one goal. The Kern County community understands that they absolutely need doses of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines to be fully vaccinated, and J & J when accessible. This is our shot at getting back to normal so it’s important that all of us contribute in our part and make sure we are fully vaccinated.” (6/2)
The Bakersfield Californian:
As Vaccines Become Widely Available, Some Kern County Regions Fall Behind
As the coronavirus vaccine becomes more available to all who want it, divisions across Kern County have begun to form. Some areas, like Kernville, have seen the vast majority of residents take the vaccine, while others have fallen behind. Data compiled by the California Department of Public Health shows stark divides between different parts of Kern. The CDPH separated the data by zip code, with the zip code encompassing much of Kernville, 93238, showing at 100 percent vaccination rate. (Morgen, 6/2)
Bay Area News Group:
California Vaccine Lottery: 5 Things To Know About Prizes
The first of three drawings for cash prizes to Californians who have received the COVID-19 vaccine will take place Friday, June 4. Here are five things to know about the Vax for the Win program: How much money is it? On June 4 and again on June 11, 15 people will be picked to receive $50,000 each. On June 15, 10 people will win $1.5 million each. The prizes are taxable. (6/2)
AP:
California To Pay $2M Church Legal Fees Over Virus Closures
The state of California has agreed not to impose greater coronavirus restrictions on church gatherings than it does on retail establishments in a pair of settlements that provide more than $2 million in fees to lawyers who challenged the rules as a violation of religious freedom. A deal approved Tuesday by a federal judge comes after lawyers for a San Diego-area Pentecostal church took their challenge against the state to the U.S. Supreme Court three times and won. (Melley, 6/2)
Orange County Register:
Coronavirus: L.A. County Reported 120 New Cases And Nine New Deaths, June 2
Los Angeles County public health officials reported 120 new cases of the coronavirus, bringing the total number of cases to 1,244,254 as of Monday, June 2. Officials reported nine new deaths linked to the coronavirus, for a total 24,354 deaths since tracking began. There were five fewer hospitalizations reported since Tuesday, decreasing the official count of hospitalizations to 254, with 19% in ICU. (Goertzen, 6/2)
The Bakersfield Californian:
Kern Public Health Reports 5 New Coronavirus Deaths, 41 Cases Wednesday
Kern County Public Health Services reported five new confirmed coronavirus deaths and 41 new cases Wednesday. That brings the county's count of deaths attributed to the virus to 1,394, and the cases to 110,188. Public Health reports that 39,554 people have recovered from the illness, and 68,068 people are presumed to have recovered. (6/2)
Southern California News Group:
Coronavirus: Orange County Reported 31 New Cases And Three New Deaths As Of June 2
The OC Health Care Agency reported 31 new cases of the coronavirus on Wednesday, June 2, increasing the cumulative total in the county to 255,322 cases since tracking began. There were 403 new infections reported in the last 14 days.Three new deaths were reported Wednesday, increasing the total number of COVID-19 fatalities to 5,068. (Goertzen, 6/2)
San Francisco Chronicle:
California Won't Closely Track Every Breakthrough Case. Some Experts Call That Smart
California is telling counties to report post-vaccination cases of COVID-19 only in people who are hospitalized or have died, a shift from earlier surveillance that included all so-called breakthrough infections regardless of severity. The move aligns the state with the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which stopped collecting nationwide data on mild or asymptomatic COVID-19 cases last month. (Allday, 6/2)
Los Angeles Times:
California Parents Form Post-COVID Education Activist Group
The group OpenSchoolsCA coalesced around parent anger over how long it was taking to reopen California campuses that were closed for a year or more amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Their discontent simmered for months when reopenings offered students much less than a full five-day-a-week school experience. Leaders of OpenSchoolsCA announced Wednesday that they intend to continue their activism through a nonprofit to promote direct parent influence in the state’s highly political education landscape. (Blume, 6/2)
The Hill:
Appeals Court Rejects Bid By Landlords To Resume Evictions
A federal appeals court in Washington, D.C., on Wednesday denied a request by a group of landlords to resume evictions, leaving the temporary nationwide eviction moratorium intact for now. The ruling from the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals is the latest twist in a multifront legal challenge to the eviction freeze that was enacted by federal public health officials as a way to keep financially distressed renters in their homes and out of crowded homeless shelters during the coronavirus pandemic. (Kruzel, 6/2)
KQED:
A ‘Stimulus Gap’: Why Many Undocumented Californians Are Missing Out On Pandemic Aid Meant For Them
Last year was extremely difficult financially for Leydi’s family, who live in San Francisco’s Mission District. She and her husband lost their jobs, so this aid, one of the few government assistance programs they qualify for, would make a big difference. But to get the rebate, Leydi and her husband, Jorge, have to file their taxes. And for undocumented immigrants without Social Security numbers, that requires getting an Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN) from the Internal Revenue Service. To request one, applicants need to confirm their identities and foreign status by providing documentation like a birth certificate, driver’s license or passport. (Cabrera-Lomelí, 6/2)
Los Angeles Times:
After A COVID Downturn, California Economy Ready To Rebound
California’s strict public health measures during the pandemic protected its economy, setting the stage for an even faster recovery in the state than nationwide, UCLA economists reported. The Golden State’s strong technology and white-collar business sectors, along with a relatively rapid boost in home building, will buoy its economy, offsetting a slower return of tourist-dependent leisure and hospitality jobs, according to the UCLA Anderson quarterly forecast. (Roosevelt, 6/2)
Los Angeles Times:
More California Counties Allowed To Reopen Their Economies
As the coronavirus pandemic recedes, California is continuing to reopen its economy. In the penultimate weekly update of the state’s COVID-19 reopening roadmap, four more counties — Marin, Monterey, San Benito and Ventura — moved into the least restrictive yellow tier. Counties within that category, of which there are now 19, can allow most businesses to operate indoors with some safeguards. (Money, 6/2)
Los Angeles Times:
COVID Hit L.A. Black-Owned Business, But A Bike Shop Sprouted
In April 2020, during the earliest days of the pandemic lockdown, Kellie Hart found herself itching to get out of the house. A former athlete who played college basketball, she craved activity. A social butterfly, she missed hanging out with friends and meeting people. To alleviate those wants, she started a bike club. More than a year later, the RideWitUs LA Bike Club & Store on Slauson Avenue near La Brea has expanded into a brick-and-mortar store. The success of RideWitUs happened in a complex and frightening climate for Black businesses. The pandemic had a devastating effect on many. But it also inspired entrepreneurship. (Ramsey, 6/2)
KQED:
Amid Ongoing Debate, State Senate Approves Bill To Decriminalize Psychedelic Drugs In California
The California Senate approved legislation to decriminalize the possession or sharing of psychedelic drugs, Tuesday. Senate Bill 519, introduced by state Sen. Scott Wiener, D-San Francisco, now heads to the state Assembly. (Dembosky and Sarah, 6/2)
San Francisco Chronicle:
Feds Net More Than 40 Pounds Of Fentanyl In East Bay Raid
In what authorities said was the largest federal seizure of fentanyl in Northern California, more than 40 pounds of the potent and deadly drug was seized and seven people were arrested at two homes in Oakland and San Leandro, the U.S. Attorney’s Office announced. The suspects, prosecutors said, distributed the drug throughout the Bay Area, including to San Francisco and Concord. According to court documents, the drug ring filled more than 100 fentanyl orders in April and May. (Rubenstein, 6/2)
San Francisco Chronicle:
Bay Area Air Quality Board Delays Vote On Controversial Anti-Pollution Rules
After hearing five and a half hours of public commentary, the Bay Area Air Quality Management District postponed its scheduled vote Wednesday on whether to require refineries to install technology that would greatly reduce the amount of pollution they emit. Board chair Cindy Chavez asked the board to reschedule its vote so the panel could have a “thoughtful discussion” of the proposals before it. The next meeting is tentatively scheduled for 8:30 a.m. on June 16. (Garafoli, 6/2)
Bay Area News Group:
Lou Gehrig Day Monumental In Piscotty's Efforts To Fund ALS Cure
Major League Baseball will launch its inaugural Lou Gehrig Day on Wednesday, in an effort to raise awareness and accelerate the fight to cure ALS. Oakland A’s outfielder Stephen Piscotty and his family have been key contributors in baseball’s efforts. Piscotty lost his mother, Gretchen Piscotty, to amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), commonly known as Lou Gehrig’s Disease, in 2018. He, his brothers Nick and Austin, and his father, Mike, started the ALS Cure Project to raise money and awareness toward a cure for the deadly disease. (Rubin, 6/2)
VC Star:
Conejo Unified School Board Approves Teen Talk Sex Ed Curriculum
The Conejo Valley Unified School District board of education has approved a sex education curriculum, a big step in a years-long process that sparked much community debate. The decision will allow the district to comply with the 2016 California Healthy Youth Act. ... State law requires districts to provide a comprehensive sexual health education, including HIV prevention information to students in seventh through 12th grades. (Patel, 6/2)
Los Angeles Times:
As COVID-19 Collides With HIV/AIDS, The Pandemic May Be Taking An Ominous Turn
As the world’s less affluent countries scramble for COVID-19 vaccine and contend with deadly surges of the disease, researchers in South Africa have just documented an ominous development: the collision of the pandemic with HIV/AIDS. Geneticists and infectious disease specialists there have uncovered potentially dangerous coronavirus mutations in a 36-year-old woman with uncontrolled HIV who was unable to shake the SARS-CoV-2 virus for close to eight months. The driving force behind the patient’s rapid accumulation of genetic changes is probably her impaired immune response due to her unsuccessfully treated HIV, the researchers said. (Healy, 6/3)