State Says Unmasked Students Will Be Barred; Then Backtracks: Hours after announcing a strict policy on mask requirements in schools reopening this fall, the California Department of Public Health revised itself. Local education officials will be empowered to deal with students who refuse to wear face coverings. Read more from the Los Angeles Times, Sacramento Bee and San Francisco Chronicle.
So What Are The Rules? AP offers a cheat sheet, but here are the highlights: Everyone must wear masks while inside; no physical distancing is required; asymptomatic students exposed to covid don't have to stay home; and vaccinations for all teachers and any eligible youth are strongly encouraged but not mandated.
More News From Across The State
San Francisco Chronicle:
FDA Issues Warning For Johnson & Johnson Vaccine After Cases Of Rare Neurological Disorder
Federal regulators Monday added a warning to the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine after a small number of people out of millions who received the one-dose shot developed a rare but serious neurological disorder. The Food and Drug Administration has identified 100 cases of people developing Guillain-Barré syndrome, which can cause muscle weakness and paralysis, after receiving the Johnson & Johnson vaccine. That’s a tiny fraction of the nearly 13 million Johnson & Johnson inoculations given so far. (Johnson, 7/12)
Bay Area News Group:
Had The J&J Vaccine? What You Should Know About Latest Risk
Federal regulators Monday announced additional warnings for providers and recipients of Johnson & Johnson’s COVID-19 vaccine about an observed increased risk of a rare neurological disorder known as Guillain-Barré Syndrome. The new reports — while rare and considered still preliminary — are another setback for the single-shot vaccine that was temporarily halted in use in April over concerns about rare instances of potentially deadly blood clots. (Woolfolk, 7/12)
Politico:
Top U.S. Officials See Booster Shots As Inevitable
Biden administration health officials believe the most vulnerable Americans will eventually need coronavirus booster shots — but they are still debating how quickly that should happen, two administration officials said. The internal deliberations have stretched on for months as health officials watch for signs of waning immunity among the vaccinated. The talks have included extensive behind-the-scenes coordination between the administration and drug companies manufacturing Covid-19 vaccines. (Cancryn, Owermohle and Banco, 7/12)
San Diego Union-Times:
100 Days Later: A Look At National City's Vaccination Campaign
After a 100-day push to vaccinate as many National City residents as possible, nearly 60 percent have received at least one shot against COVID-19 as of July 6 — the last day of a citywide campaign to inoculate its local population. The South Bay city of 61,000, which was among the hardest-hit areas during the pandemic, now has more than 35,900 individuals 12 and older who have received at least one of the three vaccines — Pfizer, Moderna and the one-shot Johnson and Johnson. (Murga, 7/13)
Los Angeles Times:
L.A. County Sees New Significant Rise In COVID-19 Cases, 99% Involved The Unvaccinated
Los Angeles County officials reported the fourth straight day of more than 1,000 new COVID-19 cases on Monday, more troubling evidence that the disease is increasing its spread among the unvaccinated. The county Department of Public Health reported 1,059 new cases Monday. On Friday, 1,044 coronavirus cases were reported countywide, followed by 1,069 more on Saturday and an additional 1,113 Sunday, according to data compiled by The Times. (Money and Lin II, 7/12)
San Francisco Chronicle:
Marin County Reports Surge Of New Cases As Delta Variant Dominates
Marin County health officials unveiled a new coronavirus data dashboard on Monday to help residents keep track of variant activity in the region, following a sharp rise in infections driven by the highly contagious delta variant. Delta, thought to be up to twice as contagious as the original coronavirus, made up about 70% of cases over the past 30 days that underwent genomic sequencing in the county, according to data collected by the health department. (Vaziri, 7/12)
Ukiah Daily Journal:
New Covid-19 Outbreak Connected To Ukiah Restaurant, Willits Frontier Days
Two employees of a Ukiah restaurant and at least five people who attended community events in Willits recently tested positive for the Covid-19 virus, the Mendocino County Public Health Office reported. According to a press release, at least five people who attended Willits Frontier Days, which included several events in recent weeks, recently tested positive for Covid-19. County officials are recommending that anyone who attended such events between June 25 and July 4 “seek Covid-19 testing if unvaccinated, or to seek testing if exhibiting symptoms while vaccinated.” (7/12)
Los Angeles Times:
Are COVID-19 Symptoms Different With The Delta Variant?
As public health officials continue to urge Americans to roll up their sleeves for COVID-19 vaccines, coronavirus infections have been on the rise in areas where vaccination rates remain low. That’s due in no small part to the Delta variant, which has become the dominant strain in the United States. Delta has taken over in an alarmingly short time. Based on genomic testing, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that the variant first identified in India accounted for 10% of cases during the two-week period ending June 5. Four weeks later, Delta’s share had swelled to nearly 52%. (Khan, 7/12)
KQED:
How We'll Know When The COVID-19 Crisis Is Really Over
In many ways, American life is returning to normal: Masks are no longer required in many locations, schools and universities are slated to reopen, and the days of social distancing are beginning to fade as concerts and sporting events bring spectators back. In the U.S., we're now averaging 154 deaths a day from COVID-19 — a tiny fraction compared to the pandemic's peak — and some safety measures and restrictions remain in place. Life hasn't quite returned to the pre-pandemic status quo, but it feels much closer to it than it did six months ago. But while we may long for officials to give an all-clear and declare the pandemic history, the health crisis is definitely not over, both in the U.S. and abroad. (Wamsley, 7/12)
Bay Area News Group:
Santa Clara County COVID Data Reveals More Than 250 Workplace Outbreaks
Santa Clara County recorded more than 250 workplace coronavirus outbreaks in 2020 and 2021, new data shows, giving the most comprehensive picture to date of how the virus spread through essential businesses during the peak months of the pandemic. The outbreaks impacted almost every sector, including retailers and grocery stores, restaurants, construction sites, manufacturing and food processing plants, warehouses, and public agencies like the California Highway Patrol, Cal Fire, the city of San Jose, the San Jose Police Department and the Valley Transportation Authority. (Kelliher, 7/12)
KQED/AP:
Pesticide Caused Kids’ Brain Damage, California Lawsuits Say
Lawsuits filed Monday in California seek potential class-action damages from Dow Chemical and its successor company over a widely used bug killer linked to brain damage in children. Chlorpyrifos is approved for use on more than 80 crops, including oranges, berries, grapes, soybeans, almonds and walnuts, though California banned sales of the pesticide last year and spraying of it this year. Some other states, including New York, have moved to ban it. (Thompson, 7/12)
The Bakersfield Californian:
Medical Professionals Report Increase In Heat Illness Cases
Kern County physicians say they're seeing an increase in heat-related illnesses lately as temperatures soar and local residents fail to keep themselves adequately hydrated or otherwise protected from excessively high temperatures. While there have been reports of people literally passing out because of the heat and hurting themselves in the ensuing collapse, many of the cases related to people who end up in emergency rooms or health clinics because of pre-existing conditions such as diabetes and heart failure. (Cox, 7/12)
Sacramento Bee:
CA Wildfire Unleashed Toxic Smoke 150 Miles, Study Says
The deadliest wildfire in California history spewed a toxic cocktail of air pollution that could be detected 150 miles away. A study released Monday by the California Air Resources Board said the 2018 Camp Fire subjected area residents to unhealthy levels of particulate matter, zinc, lead and other dangerous chemicals. (Kasler, 7/12)
The Bakersfield Californian:
Smoke From River Fire Prompts Health Caution About Air Quality In The Valley
The San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District issued a health caution to Valley residents due to the smoke impacts from the River Fire. The district is warning residents to stay indoors and reduce their exposure to particulate matter emissions from the wildfire, which can cause serious health conditions. Smoke from the River Fire in Mariposa County is causing impacts in the Valley portion of Kern, as well as the counties of Tulare, Kings, Fresno, San Joaquin, Stanislaus, Merced and Madera, according to a news release from the district. (7/12)
Los Angeles Times:
California Fires Are Burning Faster, Hotter, More Intensely -- And Getting Harder To Fight
But many of 2021’s biggest blazes have one thing in common: They are burning faster and hotter than some firefighters have seen this early in the year. A winter and spring of little rain and minimal snow runoff — followed by months of unusually warm conditions and several summer heat waves — left the vegetation primed to burn fast, giving crews little time to get a handle on the flames before they explode. (Smith and Wigglesworth, 7/13)
Los Angeles Times:
17 Million Gallons Of Sewage Discharged From Hyperion Treatment Plant, Closing Some Beaches To Swimming
Debris flows overwhelmed the Hyperion sewage treatment plant in Playa del Rey on Sunday afternoon, forcing officials to use an emergency measure to discharge 17 million gallons of sewage through a pipe one mile offshore. Timeyin Dafeta, the executive plant manager at the Hyperion Water Reclamation Plant, the city’s oldest and largest wastewater treatment facility, said in a statement Monday that about 17 million gallons of sewage — or 6% of a daily load — was discharged one mile offshore instead of the typical five miles to prevent the plant from discharging much more raw sewage. (Miller, 7/12)
Los Angeles Times:
California Budget Includes Financial Help, Eviction Protections
As California emerges from the pandemic, state leaders have approved a $100-billion plan to spur the recovery, with checks going out for rent relief, state stimulus payments and grants to businesses. On Monday, Gov. Gavin Newsom capped a series of recent actions on what he is calling his California Comeback plan by signing budget legislation that will trigger a massive distribution of cash to struggling residents and businesses. (McGreevy, 7/12)
Los Angeles Times:
'Gimme Shelter': Holes In California's COVID-19 Eviction Laws
Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, many have feared that a wave of evictions will devastate millions of renters — particularly low-income residents who have borne the brunt of the pandemic. So far in California, that wave has been averted, thanks in part to new laws passed at the local, state and federal levels that aim to block evictions for those affected by the virus.But those laws have significant gaps. By one estimate, nearly 10,000 households have been evicted statewide during the pandemic. (Dillon, 7/12)
San Francisco Chronicle:
'There Is No Vaccine For Hunger.' Bay Area Demand For Food Help Remains High
The Oakland Coliseum is no longer mobbed with people waiting for vaccinations, but on the other side of Interstate 880 hundreds of cars still line up three times a week for free food distribution from the Alameda County Food Bank. Even as the pandemic subsides and many return to work, the need for food assistance remains extraordinarily high throughout the Bay Area, according to anti-hunger organizations. People who were living paycheck to paycheck pre-pandemic faced even deeper financial holes during several months of joblessness, and many continue to struggle. It could take years for them to regain their financial footing. Across the San Francisco metro region, 6.2% of people faced food scarcity — defined as sometimes or often not having enough to eat — during June 9-21, according to the U.S. census. (Said, 7/12)
CapRadio/CalMatters:
Low-Wage Workers In California Can’t Afford To Take Family Leave. This Bill Seeks To Change That
Miranda Griswold and her partner were thrilled to grow their family when they had their first child in 2018. The less thrilling part: adding baby costs to their existing expenses — alimony payments, student loans and credit card bills. Griswold had a C-section and her doctor recommended she stay at her Merced home for six weeks of recovery time. Her fiancé, who works at a commercial printing press, returned to work after one week of vacation because they couldn’t afford for him to take more time off using family leave, which would replace only 60% of his wages. (Kamal, 7/12)
Sacramento Bee:
Elk Grove Residents Weigh In On Millions Of Dollars In COVID Cash
Elk Grove leaders will soon get a glimpse of where residents and business owners want the millions of dollars the city will receive in federal COVID-19 relief funds to be spent. Leaders learned from federal officials earlier this spring that the city could receive nearly $22 million in American Rescue Plan Act funds over the next two years. (Smith, 7/12)
CalMatters:
'Menstrual Equity' Bill Would Require CA Colleges To Provide Period Products
A bill pending in the Legislature would require California’s public universities, community colleges and secondary schools to provide free menstrual products on campus. Students pushing for the bill say they are trying to break through taboos surrounding a matter of basic hygiene, and that many low-income students suffer from “period poverty,” in which they are unable to afford the pads and tampons they need. (Forschen, 7/13)
NPR:
Women Say There Are Too Many Barriers To Accessing Postpartum Depression Drug
To get a new drug for postpartum depression, some insurers want women to try other drugs first and even electroconvulsive therapy. It could be a test for California's new mental health parity law. (Dembosky, 7/13)
Sacramento Bee:
California’s COVID-19 Response Totaled $8.5 Billion In Direct Costs Last Year, Report Says
A recent state budget report reveals the estimate and how the money was spent. (McGough, 7/13)
CapRadio:
Not Everyone Has Embraced Sacramento’s “Safe And Active Streets” Program
Like many cities around the world, Sacramento used the pandemic as an opportunity to rethink how its streets are utilized. In addition to outdoor dining taking over roads and sidewalks, the city launched a “Safe and Active Streets” pilot program. Transportation Planning Manager Jennifer Donlon Wyant admits not everyone has embraced the program. (7/12)
San Gabriel Valley Tribune:
USC Nurses To Stage 2-Day Strike Starting Tuesday, July 13
Registered nurses at Keck Hospital of USC and USC Norris Cancer Hospital plan to stage a two-day strike this week to protest alleged understaffing they claim has impacted patient care and left nurses worn out. The action, scheduled for Tuesday, July 13 and Wednesday, July 14, comes on the heels of a June strike authorization vote in which nearly all nurses voted to authorize a walkout. They are represented by the California Nurses Association/National Nurses United. (Smith, 7/12)
Modesto Bee:
Tuition Of Five Central Valley Healthcare Students To Be Paid
A nonprofit is covering the cost of professional education for five Central Valley healthcare students who have vowed to serve the region post-residency. Legacy Health Endowment, a charity foundation financing healthcare solutions for 19 zip codes within north Merced and south Stanislaus counties, will give each student about $400,000. Four are in medical school and one is in dental school, said the organization’s press officer. The individuals will work within the counties for five years following residency. (Briseno, 7/13)
Los Angeles Times:
COVID Decimates Sacred Heart Jesuit Retirement Home
They were teachers, scholars, mentors, ministers to the troubled. They devoted their lives to God and helping others. After they grew old, they came to a secluded campus in the hills of the Santa Clara Valley to spend the rest of their days in quiet contemplation. One by one, the retired priests succumbed to COVID-19.In the span of a month, beginning in early December, eight residents of Sacred Heart Jesuit Center in Los Gatos died. (Campa, 7/13)
The Wall Street Journal:
Related Cos., CareMax Partner Up To Develop Senior Health Centers In Underserved Communities
Related Cos., one of the largest owners of affordable housing in the U.S., is acquiring as much as a 9% stake in healthcare provider CareMax Inc. as part of its plan to develop scores of senior health centers in underserved urban communities throughout the U.S. ... Miami-based CareMax currently operates 41 medical centers in Florida that serve 65,000 people, about 22,000 of them seniors. Founded in 2011, the firm plans to use the Related capital and expertise to expand into New York, California, Texas, Ohio and other states. (Grant, 7/13)
The Bakersfield Californian:
'A Healing Modality': Locals Transforming Virtual Reality From Gaming Platforms To Therapeutic Uses For Seniors
Virtual reality isn’t just for gamers anymore, said Chris Brickler, CEO and co-founder of Dallas-based MyndVR, the company that is partnering with Bakersfield-based Vaquero Energy, which is underwriting a program that allows 10 senior centers and hospices to receive free VR headsets. (Mayer, 7/12)
Democrat & Chronicle:
Latino Caregivers In Need Of Support Get Help From California Program
The Santiagos, an elderly Latino couple living in California, are part of a demographic that is often hard to reach for service providers seeking to help caregivers. ... As the number of Latino family members caring for aging loved ones climbs, caregivers in those households face barriers to resources and support. They often cite language, culture and distrust of outsiders as reasons that them isolated and overwhelmed. (Rodríguez, Medina and Kisken, 7/12)
Bay Area News Group:
Sunnyvale: Doc Arrested, Allegedly Forced Himself Onto Patient
A Bay Area doctor has been arrested on accusations that he physically forced himself on a woman he once treated as a patient, with her alleging that he repeatedly ignored her rejections of his romantic advances and held her down to kiss her, authorities said. The woman told investigators that she came forward “out of concern for other potential victims,” according to a Monday news release issued by the Sunnyvale Department of Public Safety. (Salonga, 7/12)
CapRadio:
As Oak Park Gets More Access To Diabetes Screening, Residents Say Additional Resources Are Needed
In Sacramento’s Oak Park neighborhood, people at risk for or living with diabetes can now access screening and counseling for free through a UC Davis clinic. But some Oak Park residents say that’s only a drop in the bucket when it comes to reducing health disparities. The Imani Clinic has added diabetes screening and counseling to its list of free services in an effort to bring down high diabetes rates in Black and brown communities. The clinic is housed in the WellSpace Health building on Alhambra Boulevard, and is run by UC Davis students and supervising physicians. (Caiola, 7/12)