Covid Has Leveled Off — And Some Officials Are Concerned: California’s coronavirus case rate, which has fallen steadily over the past month, has leveled off — and officials are nervous about what will happen as people gather indoors for holidays and other respiratory viruses such as the flu start to take their toll. “We’ve got to be mindful of the winter months,” Gov. Gavin Newsom said at a news conference in Oakland. Read more from the San Francisco Chronicle.
In related news —
Newsom Gets Mixed-and-Matched Booster: Gov. Gavin Newsom received a shot of the half-dose Moderna covid booster during a livestreamed news conference at Oakland’s Asian Health Services clinic on Wednesday. Newsom received the Johnson & Johnson vaccine in April. Read more from the San Francisco Chronicle and 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
Sacramento Bee:
CA To Receive 1.2 Million Child Doses Of COVID Vaccine
With a coronavirus vaccine expected to be authorized soon in the U.S. for use in younger children, California is preparing for its largest eligibility expansion since the jab was made available to the general 16-and-older population in April. Dr. Mark Ghaly, state Health and Human Services secretary, said Wednesday that California expects to receive 1.2 million doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine formulation for kids 5 to 11 in a few days, with rollout to start next week. Doses would be distributed across a few thousand providers across the state. (McGough and Korte, 10/27)
Los Angeles Times:
California Plans Ambitious Effort To Vaccinate Young Children
California health officials said Wednesday that they are prepared to pull out all the stops to vaccinate children ages 5 to 11 against COVID-19 as the country draws closer to authorizing eligibility for that age group. Though a number of federal and state hurdles remain, state officials said they are preparing to offer doses to the roughly 3.5 million children in that age group by the end of next week, as the holiday season approaches. (Money and Lin II, 10/27)
KQED:
California Prepares For Rollout Of Pfizer Vaccine For Younger Kids Ahead Of Likely CDC Approval
California has preordered 1.2 million doses of Pfizer-BioNTech's pediatric COVID-19 vaccine, and 4,000 medical providers are ready to administer the shots once they're approved by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, state public health officials said Wednesday. The announcement was made a day after a Food and Drug Administration advisory panel voted to recommend a lower dose of the vaccine for emergency use authorization in young children. (Dillon and Whitney, 10/27)
CapRadio:
California Says It's Ready To Vaccinate Younger Kids Against COVID-19 When Federal Approval Comes
Ahead of the winter months, California health officials say they will have enough COVID-19 vaccines for the state's 3.5 million children ages 5-11 when federal approval comes, and are urging eligible people to get booster shots. “The coming months as we approach the fall and winter are going to be challenging for the state,” said Health and Human Services Secretary Dr. Mark Ghaly. “These boosters will help strengthen our immunity ahead of these winter months,” which ushered in a massive spike in California’s cases and deaths last year. (Nixon, 10/27)
Bay Area News Group:
Milpitas To Open COVID-19 Vaccine Site For Children On Nov. 7
Milpitas will open a vaccination site for children ages five to 11 on Nov. 7, according to a post on the city’s Facebook page posted Wednesday. The shots will be available from 2 p.m. to 7 p.m. at the Milpitas Community Center, located on East Calaveras Boulevard near city hall. No appointment is needed and the vaccine is free. The site will also offer Pfizer boosters to those 18 years old and up who have waited six months since their second Pfizer dose. No proof of immigration status is needed to get a dose. (Greschler, 10/27)
San Francisco Chronicle:
When Will There Be A COVID Vaccine For Children Under 5? Here's What We Know.
On Tuesday, an advisory panel to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration recommended that children ages 5-11 be made eligible for the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine. The FDA and the CDC must now also approve the vaccine for that age group, which could happen as early as next week. Next on the horizon for Pfizer — the only vaccine currently available to people under 18 — is children under 5. Here’s what we know so far. (Echeverria, 10/27)
Los Angeles Times:
COVID-19 Risk In Kids Is Small, But Vaccines Can Save Lives
Although the chances of serious illness and death from COVID-19 are exceedingly slim for children, experts say there’s a very good reason for parents to get their kids vaccinated. COVID-19 has become one of the leading causes of death in children nationwide. There were 66 COVID-related deaths among children ages 5 to 11 in the yearlong period that ended Oct. 2, according to data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, making COVID-19 the eighth-leading cause of death in that age group. (Lin II and Money. 10/27)
The Bakersfield Californian:
Local Agencies Offering Free Vaccinations — And Boosters — At Dozens Of Clinics Across The County
Vaccinations designed to protect people against COVID-19 have been widely available in Kern County for months. But availability doesn't mean all those eligible have taken advantage by getting the jab. On the contrary, according to the Kern County Department of Public Health Services, only 53.2 percent of Kern’s eligible population had been fully vaccinated as of Oct. 25. That's nearly 20 percentage points behind the state as a whole, which has a 72.6 percent vaccination rate. (Mayer, 10/27)
Sacramento Bee:
CA Says Many Correctional Officers Would Quit Over Vaccine
California state officials are worried prison guards’ resistance to vaccines runs so deep that a strict vaccination mandate could lead many to quit their jobs, with potentially “crippling” effects to the prison system, according to a Monday court filing. Gov. Gavin Newsom and the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation are appealing a vaccination order for all prison employees issued last month by U.S. District Judge Jon S. Tigar in Oakland. Newsom’s administration on Monday asked Tigar to pause his order while the appeal makes its way through court. (Venteicher, 10/27)
Los Angeles Times:
El Super Grocery Chain Fined More Than $1.1 Million For COVID Sick Leave Violations
The El Super supermarket chain has been fined more than $1.1 million by the California labor commissioner for allegedly failing to comply with state COVID-19 sick leave requirements. An investigation by the commissioner’s office found that “some workers were forced to work while sick, others were told to apply for unemployment while quarantining or in isolation, while others waited months to be paid.” (Smith, 10/27)
Los Angeles Times:
Los Angeles County Settles With Agoura Hills Restaurant That Defied Outdoor Dining Restrictions
Los Angeles County has settled its suit with an Agoura Hills restaurant that repeatedly defied public health officials’ outdoor dining ban. The settlement last week ended a months-long standoff that saw Cronies Sports Grill operating without a public health permit for most of 2021. (Martinez, 10/27)
Los Angeles Times:
In-N-Out's Vaccine Battle With California
In-N-Out Burger, the iconic California eatery, is increasingly at war with health officials over COVID-19 rules. Earlier this month, San Francisco’s only In-N-Out was forced to temporarily close for violating a local rule requiring proof of vaccination for indoor customers. (Yee, 10/27)
The (Santa Rosa) Press Democrat:
Big Wave Of COVID-19 Deaths Tied To Summer Surge Comes To An End
The deadly fallout of COVID-19’s most recent surge in Sonoma County — driven largely by the highly transmissible delta variant — appears to have come to an end. So far in October, the virus has claimed the lives of 6 local residents, far fewer than the 38 people who succumbed to COVID-19 complications at the peak of the summer surge in August, or the 25 in September. (Espinoza, 10/27)
The (Santa Rosa) Press Democrat:
Sonoma County Releases Youth Hospitalization Data
Since the beginning of the pandemic, 19 Sonoma County residents under age 18 have been hospitalized after contracting the novel coronavirus — a half dozen of them with a serious COVID-related condition that leads to the inflammation of various body parts, including the heart, lungs, kidneys and brain. (Espinoza, 10/27)
San Diego Union-Tribune:
It's OK To Go Trick-Or-Treating This Halloween But Here's Why San Diego Experts Urge Caution
Surely, the two-thirds of San Diego County residents now fully vaccinated would have expected Halloween to look very different this year when they started getting their shots last winter. But as kids head out for trick-or-treating on Sunday, the numbers do not look much different than they did one year ago, prompting public health officials to counsel caution just as they did last Halloween. (Sisson, 10/27)
San Diego Union-Tribune:
Three Vaccinated Tigers Have COVID-19 At The San Diego Zoo
San Diego Zoo officials announced Wednesday that three of their Malaysian tigers have COVID-19, marking the first wildlife cases the organization has reported since vaccinating hundreds of animals this summer. Nose and throat swabs from Connor, a 10-year-old male tiger, tested positive for the virus on Friday in the zoo’s lab. That result was confirmed by a state lab on Tuesday. Fecal samples from 7-year-old brothers Berani and Cinta also tested positive for the virus. All three cats have mild symptoms, including a reduced appetite, moving around a bit less than usual and a slight cough. (Wosen, 10/27)
Modesto Bee:
Stanislaus County Fair Plans Return In 2022 From Pandemic
After being disrupted the last two years by COVID-19, the Stanislaus County Fair plans to come roaring back next summer. The annual agricultural expo at the Stanislaus County Fairground in Turlock is slated to return to its pre-pandemic form for its traditional 10-day run July 8-17 next year. CEO Matt Cranford called the last two years “brutal” for the fair, but starting next year, all of the favorite attractions should be back, including the midway carnival rides, live concerts and more. (Rowland, 10/27)
Sacramento Bee:
Do Cholesterol Drugs Reduce COVID Risks? Studies Are Conflicting
In the middle of public health emergencies, doctors and scientists often turn to existing therapies and medications and apply them to new diseases in the hopes they play a helpful role in reducing illness severity or death. However, just one of the many drugs that have been explored during the COVID-19 pandemic continues to produce conflicting results: statins, or medications that lower cholesterol. (Camero, 10/27)
East Bay Times:
Free Flu Shot Vouchers Offered To Oakland Communities
With the flu season in full swing and health experts predicting higher rates of flu cases this fall, Bank of America and CVS Health are partnering to provide underserved communities in Oakland with free flu vaccine vouchers, valid through March. (10/27)
CapRadio:
A Sacramento Medical Group Is Offering Counseling For Health Care Workers To Address Burnout
Burnout is affecting nearly everyone in any position, but it seems to be very acute in the medical field. Sutter Medical Center emergency room physician and Sierra-Sacramento Valley Medical Society board member Adam Dougherty says people keep leaving the field. Dougherty said they are trying to address the scores of doctors leaving the profession by offering counseling and other programs through the Society. (10/27)
The Bakersfield Californian:
National First Responders Day: Public Health Is Committed To Our Community
Public health combines many different disciplines to prevent and mitigate health risks in the general public. Our work is aimed at keeping our communities healthy and safe through education, awareness and promotion of healthy and active living, implementation of health policy to prevent injuries, regulation of food service, and promotion of vaccination and other methods of controlling infectious disease. This work is often unnoticed until there is a public health emergency. (Carrigan, 10/28)
Los Angeles Times:
San Francisco Poised To Give Sick Pay To House Cleaners, Nannies And Caregivers
San Francisco has had a law on its books mandating sick pay for employees since 2006. But the city’s estimated 10,000 domestic workers — who include house cleaners, nannies and caregivers — have had a hard time taking advantage of the benefit, forcing them to work through injury or forego caring for an ill child. (Seidman, 10/27)
Los Angeles Daily News:
Dominguez Channel Odor Continues Waning, Investigation Includes Illicit Dumping, Officials Say
Los Angeles County’s Department of Public Works has made significant progress in reducing the odor coming from the Dominguez Channel that has plagued Carson residents and those in nearby cities for nearly a month, officials said Wednesday, Oct. 27, while confirming for the first time that their ongoing investigation is looking into whether chemicals from local refineries, chemical plants and other facilities are partially responsible for the stench. Public Works Director Mark Pestrella and other officials provided those updates during the county’s second virtual town hall on what they have dubbed the Dominguez Channel Odor Incident. (Lee, 10/27)
Los Angeles Daily News:
LAPD Shootings Of Suspects With Mental Illnesses Up In 2021, Numbers Show
Almost a third of police shootings in 2021 have involved people believed to be suffering from mental illnesses, the Los Angeles Police Department said this week. That’s a higher rate than in 2020, according to numbers released by the department after Tuesday’s police commission meeting. Out of 31 shootings so far, at least 10 have involved people with mental illnesses. That’s 32 percent.Last year, that rate was 19 percent, and in 2019 the rate was just 15 percent, according to numbers from LAPD’s annual use-of-force review. (Cain, 10/27)
San Francisco Chronicle:
S.F. To Extend Pandemic Homeless Hotel Program As It Struggles To Permanently House Unsheltered
San Francisco will extend its emergency hotel room program for homeless people until September 2022, a decision that could cost the city an extra $21 million. Homelessness officials said Wednesday that they need more time to “thoughtfully” move people from hotels into permanent housing, despite more than 1,000 vacant supportive housing units across the city. About 1,200 people are living in the hotels, while hundreds — or possibly thousands — of people continue to sleep on San Francisco’s streets every night. (Thadani, 10/27)
Voice of OC:
Officials Booted A San Clemente Homeless Camp; Many Wonder Where Is The Promised Assistance
Two months after CalTrans forced a camp of homeless people off state agency property just below south Orange County, advocates say many remain out on the streets. This is after county officials and elected leaders made assurances, in the weeks leading up to the encampment removal on Aug. 27, that those staying on the property located right under the City of San Clemente would get connected with services and support. (Pho and Ellatar, 10/28)
Orange County Register:
Anaheim City Council Turns Down Housing For Homeless Women
Homeowners in Anaheim’s Westmont-Colony Neighborhoods said no. The Anaheim Planning Commission said no. Now the City Council has said no to a proposal to turn a large, single-family home in the Colony district of central Anaheim into transitional housing for homeless women dealing with a mental illness. (Walker, 10/27)
San Francisco Chronicle:
Why Did S.F. Supervisors Vote Against A Project To Turn A Parking Lot Into 500 Housing Units?
Over the last two decades, San Francisco developer Build Inc. has been on a winning streak, adeptly navigating the city’s treacherous political landscape and winning planning approvals for housing projects in Hayes Valley, Dogpatch, Tenderloin, Civic Center, South of Market and Bayview-Hunters Point. On Tuesday night that perfect record came to an end in dramatic fashion. In an 8-3 vote, the Board of Supervisors rejected a proposed 495-unit tower at 469 Stevenson St., a 28,000-square-foot lot on an alleyway just off the corner of Sixth and Market streets. The parking lot is owned by Nordstrom, which uses it for valet parking for its nearby department store. (Dineen, 10/27)