Latest From California Healthline:
California Healthline Original Stories
How Newsom’s Reliance on Big Tech in Pandemic Undermines Public Health System
California Gov. Gavin Newsom has outsourced his way through the covid-19 pandemic, tasking his private-sector allies in Silicon Valley and the health care industry with fundamental public health duties such as testing, tracing and vaccination. Among the losers: the state’s weakened public health system. (Angela Hart, )
Appeals Court Upholds Newsom’s Use Of Emergency Powers: A state appeals court decided unanimously Wednesday that Gov. Gavin Newsom has the legal right to modify or make new state laws during the covid-19 pandemic. The ruling was a setback for two Republican lawmakers who challenged the scope of Newsom's authority. Read more from the Los Angeles Times, The Sacramento Bee and AP.
State Fair Is Postponed: The California State Fair will be delayed and slimmed down this year as leaders of Cal Expo announced Wednesday that they will continue to dedicate most of its buildings and open spaces to the covid-19 response. The fair has been scheduled for July in recent years. Read more from The Sacramento 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
NBC News:
Herd Immunity In The U.S.? San Francisco Offers Reasons For Optimism
San Francisco and its suburbs have been cautious, maintaining various restrictions while other parts of the country reopened businesses and eased mask mandates. Meanwhile, its vaccination rate is among the highest of any major U.S. city, with two-thirds of all adults having received at least one dose. And as parts of the city open up — some San Francisco bars have waitlists to get a table again — experts are offering a cautious optimism. The city may be seeing signs of herd immunity. (Chow and Ingram, 5/5)
San Francisco Chronicle:
Even In S.F. Bay Area, Many People Refuse To Get Shots. We Asked Them Why
A 69-year-old UC Berkeley public health graduate who voted for Bernie Sanders. A 28-year-old Fremont digital designer and COVID-19 survivor. An immigrant from India, 26, who fixes phones in a Fairfield mall. These wildly diverse Bay Area residents share at least one significant decision: They are refusing coronavirus vaccinations, and their reasons for doing so often are rooted in fear of the unknown and skepticism around the well-established science of vaccines. (Asimov, Vaziri and Bobrowsky, 5/5)
San Diego Union-Tribune:
CVS Now Offering Walk-In Coronavirus Vaccination At Pharmacies In San Diego And Throughout The U.S.
If you’re looking for a coronavirus vaccine, you can now get one at CVS pharmacy locations in San Diego and throughout the U.S. without making an appointment, according to an announcement from the company on Wednesday. That includes 1,115 locations in California, with dozens of pharmacies in San Diego County. CVS is also allowing same-day vaccine appointment scheduling — in some cases, you may be able to schedule an appointment as soon as one hour before you show up. (Wosen, 5/5)
San Francisco Chronicle:
CVS Now Offering Walk-In COVID Vaccinations In Bay Area
Walk-in coronavirus vaccinations without an appointment are now available at CVS pharmacies across the country, including 1,115 locations in California, CVS Health announced Wednesday. The company did not specify how many locations in the Bay Area are offering walk-in appointments, but customers can check which pharmacies near them have vaccines available on the chain’s vaccination webpage. (Arredondo, 5/5)
San Francisco Chronicle:
Oakland Coliseum Mass Vaccination Site To Close May 23
The Oakland Coliseum mass vaccination site will close May 23 after administering half a million doses of coronavirus vaccine to people, officials said Wednesday. The site saw a “rapid reduction” in first-dose appointments in the last two weeks of April, Alameda County officials said in a statement. Appointment requests have dropped from 4,000 a day to 400, according to the county, which runs the site along with Contra Costa County and the state Governor’s Office of Emergency Services. (Bobrowsky, 5/5)
The Santa Rosa Press Democrat:
Contra Costa County Offers To Vaccinate Anyone Who Wants One
Contra Costa County has opened its vaccination clinics to anyone who wants to make an appointment or visit a walk-in clinic, according to a news release this week from the county. The East Bay county has opened its clinics to anyone 16 and older who lives in California ― or even other parts of the country, according to the release. The county made the decision after supply began to exceed demand and appointments had gone unfilled over the past two weeks. (Chudwin, 5/5)
Fresno Bee:
Will California Community Colleges Require COVID Vaccines?
The decision of whether to require COVID-19 vaccinations for community college students in the Fresno area will be decided over the coming months, State Center Community College officials announced at a board meeting on Tuesday. That decision could differ from one college district to the next, unlike the uniform announcement made for the University of California and California State University on April 22 that vaccinations would be mandated, as long as at least one is FDA approved by the fall. (Panoo, 5/5)
Los Angeles Daily News:
As Yellow Tier Arrives, Some LA County Coronavirus Rules Remain Tougher Than State’s
Striding into the least-restrictive yellow tier of the state’s economic-reopening blueprint, Los Angeles County will deploy its loosest business restrictions since the pandemic began on Thursday, May 6. But some rules in the county’s public health ordered will remain tougher than the state’s, including a 75% capacity cap at grocery and retail stores. Pasadena and Long Beach were a step ahead of the county, enacting eased guidelines on Wednesday, including the reopening of indoor bars. (5/5)
Los Angeles Times:
California COVID-19 Hospitalizations Lowest Of Pandemic
In another dramatic sign of how rapidly California is recovering from COVID-19, the state recorded its lowest hospitalization rate since the first few weeks of the pandemic, according to data reviewed by The Times. The numbers come just months after the winter surge left hospitals across Southern California overwhelmed with patients and caused a spike in deaths. (Lin II and Money, 5/5)
Sacramento Bee:
California Reports ‘Breakthrough’ Cases After COVID Vaccines
Between Jan. 1 and April 28, California public health officials recorded 3,084 breakthrough cases of COVID-19 in people who were fully vaccinated. That’s out of 12.9 million people who were fully vaccinated.“ As more time passes and more people are fully vaccinated, it is likely that additional post-vaccination cases will occur,” the California Department of Public Health said in a statement. “The number of post-vaccination cases remains small.” (Carlson, 5/5)
Modesto Bee:
Stanislaus Reports ‘Breakthrough’ Cases After COVID Shots
Stanislaus County has reported 20 breakthrough cases of COVID-19 in people who were fully vaccinated. Kamlesh Kaur, a county health services spokesperson, said of the cases, one person was hospitalized. The county Health Services Agency is investigating if the patient was hospitalized due to complications of COVID-19. (Carlson, 5/5)
Modesto Bee:
Stanislaus Has 1,050 Deaths To COVID-19 And 55,105 Cases
Stanislaus County reported three deaths to COVID-19 on Wednesday and 70 new positive tests. A total of 1,050 residents have died from the virus since April 2020, the Health Services Agency said. Positive tests now stand at 55,105. The county has 581,097 negative test results and 53,518 people who are presumed recovered. (Holland, 5/6)
Orange County Register:
Coronavirus: Orange County Reported 47 New Cases, One New Death As Of May 5
The OC Health Care Agency reported 47 new cases of the coronavirus on Wednesday, May 5, increasing the cumulative total in the county to 254,163 cases since tracking began. There were 888 new infections reported in the last 14 days. There was one new death reported Wednesday, the total number of COVID-19 fatalities is 4,979. (Goertzen, 5/5)
Bay Area News Group:
The Mystery Of How The Bay Area Has Dodged Most Contagious COVID-19 Strain — So Far
B.1.1.7, the coronavirus variant first detected in the United Kingdom in December, is expanding its dangerously infectious empire across the U.S., especially in Los Angeles and some other areas of the state. But it’s just a minor player, so far, in the Bay Area. This mysterious power struggle offers a riveting lesson in viral behavior and evolution, as the Machiavellian new variant seeks to dominate a landscape long ruled by less aggressive strains. (Krieger, 5/6)
Orange County Register:
Knott’s Berry Farm Ready To Bring Back Coasters And Rides After 13-Month Coronavirus Closure
Knott’s Berry Farm is ready to fire up the scream machines again and unleash its fleet of rumbling and rambling roller coasters after more than 13 months of coronavirus closures that kept the rides and attractions shuttered and silent.“ There’s a buzz and an energy right now,” Knott’s Vice President and General Manager Jon Storbeck said. “We’re just so excited to see guests come in and hear some screams and laughter and everything that goes with the whole park opening.” (McDonald, 5/5)
CapRadio:
Interview: The COVID-19 Pandemic’s Affect On Our Personal-Space Boundary Norms
Face-to-face meetings are creeping back into our daily lives after more than a year of social-distancing. A steep decline in coronavirus transmission rates and an increasing number of vaccinations are two of the big reasons why. But how comfortable will you be with this shift back to in-person social interaction? Researchers in the United States say the personal-space boundary during the pre-pandemic norm was about 3 feet with strangers and a little more than 2 feet with an acquaintance, according to a study published in the Journal of Cross-Cultural Psychology in 2017. (White, 5/6)
Bay Area News Group:
COVID Affected How We Will Communicate With One Another, Local Expert Says
A group of more than a dozen locals — a mix of students and residents — engaged in a conversation hosted by the Santa Cruz County Public Libraries that focused on how to re-engage with others as COVID-19 activity shifts. Kendall Sooter, a professor of communication studies at Cabrillo College, gave a presentation called “Communication After COVID” that broached the subject of how becoming virtual to appease the virus has had a long-time, if not permanent, effect on how individuals will connect with one another as more and more of society becomes vaccinated. (Hartman, 5/6)
KQED:
Another Cost Of The Pandemic: Dying Alone
During the pandemic, most hospitals, nursing homes and assisted living facilities have been following visitor guidelines issued by the California Department of Public Health. Protocols vary depending on the transmission rates in each county. As coronavirus transmission wanes, restrictions are beginning to lift. Mercy Hospital of Folsom is now starting to allow visitors. But for about eight months, with visitors strictly forbidden, patients had to receive devastating diagnoses alone in hospital rooms, and families were forced to make harrowing decisions, like whether to send someone to hospice, over the phone. Erin Wemmer, a palliative care coordinator at the hospital, now wonders if the rules keeping families apart were too strict. (McClurg, 5/5)
Los Angeles Times:
Google Says 20% Of Its Workers Will Be Remote After Pandemic
Google says it expects that about 20% of its workforce will continue to work remotely after its offices reopen this fall, while about 60% will have hybrid routines consisting of about three days in the office and two days “wherever they work best.” The remaining 20% can change their location to a different Google office. (5/6)
Sacramento Bee:
When To Expect Your $600 California State Stimulus Payment
Hundreds of thousands of Californians can expect a stimulus check from the state within the next eight weeks, if they haven’t already received one. One-time payments under the “Golden State Stimulus,” ranging from $600 to $1,200, are on the way for eligible Californians who qualify to receive the state’s Earned Income Tax Credit. (Bojórquez, 5/6)
San Francisco Chronicle:
S.F. Shifts $3.75 Million From Law Enforcement Budgets To Support Black Business Communities
Mayor London Breed on Wednesday announced the distribution of a $3.75 million award intended to support training, technical assistance and neighborhood revitalization in San Francisco’s historically Black and African American small business communities. The funds are part of the Dream Keeper Initiative, a measure that will redirect money from the San Francisco Police Department and Sheriff’s Office budgets to nonprofits that serve the Black community, city officials said in a release. (Arredondo, 5/5)
ABC 10:
CA Not Impacted By Overturned CDC Moratorium
In California, the state eviction moratorium was a law that extended renter protections into June for people devastated by the coronavirus pandemic. While there are some questions in the air, Asm. David Chiu (D-San Francisco), the author of the original moratorium bill in California, said the ruling won’t be impacting California’s moratorium. (Escalante, 5/5)
Los Angeles Times:
A Judge Vacated The CDC Eviction Moratorium. What You Need To Know
A federal judge on Wednesday ruled that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention overstepped its authority when it issued a nationwide eviction moratorium. The moratorium, implemented under the Trump administration and extended to June 30 under President Biden, aims to protect the millions of Americans unable to pay rent amid the economic downturn triggered by the COVID-19 pandemic. (Logan, 5/5)
San Diego Union-Tribune:
State Regulator Watching Scripps Health Ransomware Attack Closely
The California Department of Public Health confirmed Wednesday that it is monitoring the ransomware attack that has severely impacted Scripps Health facilities throughout San Diego County, but has thus far determined that emergency procedures under way since Saturday have been adequate to ensure patients are safe. The agency, which oversees all hospitals in the state, said that Scripps notified it of the “ransomware attacks” and that it is “actively monitoring” the situation. (Sisson, 5/5)
Fierce Healthcare:
Cyberattack Forces Scripps Health To Go Offline, Disrupts Patient Care
San Diego-based Scripps Health is struggling to restore its IT systems after a cyberattack May 1 that has significantly disrupted care, impacted email servers and forced medical personnel to use paper records. Some critical care patients were diverted and the online patient portal was taken offline, The San Diego Union-Tribune reported. Scripps Health operates five hospitals in the San Diego area. (Landi, 5/5)
National Law Review:
SB 642 Clears California Senate Health Committee
California Senate Bill 642 (“SB 642”) cleared the California Senate Health Committee on April 28, 2021. If enacted, SB 642 would, among other things, significantly impact management and governance rules applicable to California medical practices. (5/4)
Los Angeles Times:
California’s First Surgeon General Navigates COVID Pandemic
Burke Harris, 45, a Jamaican American pediatrician born in Canada and now based in San Francisco, has so far spent half of her tenure as one of the nation’s most influential public health figures guiding California’s efforts during the pandemic. Her sweeping charge by Gov. Gavin Newsom to create a governmental office tackling the state’s health problems, including adverse childhood experiences, toxic stress and healthcare inequities, has amplified the need for solutions amid the pandemic. She is the first person to be California surgeon general, and is building on her legacy as the first Black person and first woman to have the role. It’s rare to see a Black woman lead in an even rarer position — only three other states have a surgeon general. (Evans, 5/6)
National Law Review:
California Public Health Dept Not Requiring Quarantine For Asymptomatic Workers
On May 3, 2021, the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) released updated public health recommendations advising that fully vaccinated non-healthcare workers can refrain from quarantining after a known workplace exposure to COVID-19, but only if they are asymptomatic. (5/4)
Fresno Bee:
Fresno County Gonorrhea Cases High, Other STDs Plummet
While California continues to hammer at COVID and its test positivity rate, there is a growing concern among state and Fresno County public health officials over a trend that seemingly runs contrary to a year of shelter in place orders, quarantines and shuttered bars, restaurants and college campuses. A health alert is in effect for an “alarming” amount of cases of sexually transmitted disseminated gonorrheal infections across the state and including Fresno County, where data are distinct. (Kuwada, 5/6)
Bay Area News Group:
Alameda County Is Legalizing Home Kitchen Restaurants
Alameda County residents will now be able to legally prepare and sell home-cooked meals. County supervisors Tuesday passed the first reading of an ordinance permitting such operations. The ordinance creates a process for cooks to get permits for what are known as “Microenterprise Home Kitchen Operations,” or “MEHKOS,” which were mostly illegal throughout California until a state law was passed in September 2018. (Sciacca, 5/5)
San Francisco Chronicle:
Will You Stop Wearing A Mask Outdoors? Here's What 4 COVID Experts Say They're Doing
With California’s new pandemic regulations and guidance, mask-wearing might be heading toward a sea change in the state. After the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention updated its mask-wearing mandate for vaccinated people, California followed suit. As of Monday, those who have been fully inoculated against COVID-19 are no longer required to wear masks outdoors, except in crowded settings like performances, sports events and festivals. (Vainshtein, 5/5)
Los Angeles Times:
More Airline Passengers Refuse Masks; FAA Levies Big Fines
The incidents of passengers being unruly — ignoring crew members’ instructions, fighting and refusing to wear a mask — have been surging, according to the FAA, even while the number of Americans flying on commercial planes remains about 40% below pre-pandemic levels. The rise comes despite a new federal law that makes wearing a mask on commercial flights mandatory, punishable by a fine of $250 for the first offense and up to $1,500 for repeat offenses. Before it became law, the nation’s airlines adopted mask-wearing policies, enforcing them by banning repeat offenders from flying. (Martín, 5/5)
AP:
San Francisco Women Stabbed Amid Wave Of Attacks On Asians
Two elderly Asian women were stabbed as they waited for a bus in downtown San Francisco — the latest in a series of attacks against Asian Americans nationwide since the start of the pandemic last year. A woman working at a flower stall Tuesday afternoon told KGO-TV that she saw a man walking on Market Street shortly before the attack carrying “a pretty big knife” with knuckles on the handle. “Her back was turned and all I see is feathers came out of her jacket. So I am very sure that she got sliced,” the witness said of one victim. “He walked away like nothing happened, like Sunday morning.” (5/6)
The Hill:
Two Elderly Asian Women Injured In 'disgusting And Horrific' Stabbing In San Francisco
A man is in custody for allegedly stabbing two elderly Asian women as they waited for a bus in downtown San Francisco Tuesday afternoon. San Francisco police responded to a report of a double stabbing and found two Asian women in their 80s and 60s with several stab wounds. (Guzman, 5/5)
KPCC:
Man Arrested In San Francisco Stabbing Of 2 Asian Women
Two older Asian women were stabbed on Tuesday while waiting for a bus in downtown San Francisco, authorities said. The attack occurs amid a spate of anti-Asian violence in the country since the start of the pandemic. The women, aged 84 and 63, both remain in the hospital and are receiving treatment for multiple stab wounds, the San Francisco Police Department said in a news release on Wednesday. Neither woman is in critical condition. (Bowman, 5/5)