Latest From California Healthline:
California Healthline Original Stories
The Pandemic Is Hurting Pediatric Hospitals, Too
Children’s hospitals were generally in good shape before COVID-19, but now their revenues are plunging as beds they reserved to assist in the pandemic effort remain empty. (Bernard J. Wolfson, )
Newsom Eases Rules For When Counties Can Reopen, Clearing Path For Most Areas To Lift Restrictions: Gov. Gavin Newsom today eased the rules for when counties can reopen restaurants and stores, clearing the way for 53 of 58 California counties to qualify under the new coronavirus standards. Some eligible counties may not choose to pick up the pace for restarting their economies. But those that do must show that hospitalizations and new coronavirus infections are holding steady or dropping. They also will need adequate contact tracing, testing capacity, hospital beds and personal protective equipment to cope with any new outbreaks.
Counties must also meet one of two other conditions: fewer than 25 cases per 100,000 residents for at least 14 days, or a rate of positive coronavirus tests that has dropped below 8%. Qualifying counties could move ahead of the state by resuming dining-in restaurants, permitting shopping in retail stores and reopening schools, provided they implement safety protocols. Two dozen counties were already given permission last week, mainly in the sparsely populated far north or in the Sierra.
“The bottom line is people can go at their own pace, and we are empowering our local health directors and county officials who understand their local communities and conditions better than anyone,” Newsom said during a news conference in Napa.
Read more from Rachel Becker of CalMatters; John Myers, Taryn Luna and Phil Willon of the Los Angeles Times; Alexei Koseff and Erin Allday of the San Francisco Chronicle; Sophia Bollag of the Sacramento Bee; and John Woolfolk of the Bay Area News Group.
Below, check out the full round-up of California Healthline original stories, state coverage and the best of the rest of the national news for the day.
More News From Across The State
San Francisco Chronicle:
Bay Area Goes Two Days Straight Without A Coronavirus Death For First Time Since Start Of March
The Bay Area has reported zero deaths from COVID-19 for two consecutive days - the first time that has happened since March. Health officials in the nine Bay Area counties recorded no new deaths due to the coronavirus on Sunday or Monday, as the area’s death toll remained at 390. (Kawahara, 5/18)
CalMatters:
Medi-Cal Budget Cuts Loom In California
Earlier this year, Gov. Gavin Newsom had proposed expanding the state's health coverage program to reach more people. Then along came the coronavirus, and the Medi-Cal cuts began anew. (Ibarra, 5/18)
The Wall Street Journal:
Some Hospitals Prepared For Coronavirus Cases That Never Came
As the coronavirus pandemic swept from China into Europe last winter, the University of California, San Francisco Medical Center began preparing for the worst. A triage tent was brought in. An entire floor was cleared for Covid-19 cases. A satellite campus was converted to take the overflow. Health screenings started for everyone from doctors to cafeteria workers. But the onslaught that UCSF prepared for ended up arriving as a modest number of cases. The facility was one of dozens of health centers around the country that prepared for a surge in patients but have so far seen far fewer than expected. (Carlton, 5/19)
San Francisco Chronicle:
Newsom Opens Door For Giants, A’s Returning To Field
The Giants and A’s could be back on the field in early June. Gov. Gavin Newsom announced Monday that pro sporting events could be permissible by then — without spectators — if the rate of coronavirus positive tests doesn’t spike. “Sporting events, pro sports in that first week or so of June without spectators and modifications and very descriptive conditions also could begin to move forward,” Newsom said, also mentioning in-person retail outlets that could reopen in early June “if we hold these trend lines.” (Shea, 5/18)
San Francisco Chronicle:
Coronavirus: Few Show Up For Retail Reopening In San Francisco
As Bay Area retailers reopened on Monday for curbside pickup after being shuttered for weeks amid the coronavirus pandemic, foot traffic was slow across San Francisco. While stores are eager to reopen — retail sales plunged by record levels in April — there were signs that most shoppers continue to stay home as broader shelter-in-place orders remain. Many business owners have doubts that online sales alone can sustain them, with shoppers still barred from entering stores to browse products. (Narayan, Simmons and Vainshtein, 5/18)
San Francisco Chronicle:
Eleven Residents Dead In Vallejo Nursing Home Outbreak, More Than 130 Infected
Eleven residents have died in a COVID-19 outbreak at a Vallejo skilled nursing facility where more than 130 people have been infected with the coronavirus, county officials said. In total, 99 residents and 32 staff members at Windsor Vallejo Care Center have been infected with the coronavirus as of Monday morning, said Dr. Bela Matyas, county health officer. Nine of the residents who died were on “comfort care” before they tested positive for COVID-19, Matyas said, meaning they were receiving end-of-life treatment and died at the facility. (Bauman, 5/18)
Sacramento Bee:
Sacramento Wrestles With Masks And Manners As Economy Reopens
Victor Hinojosa and his fiance Brittany Kaighen went shopping for an engagement ring last week, pandemic or no pandemic. The couple stopped in at the Kenny G & Co. jewelry store, which had just reopened at the Fountains at Roseville shopping center. They leaned against the glass counter while owner Kenny Gordon showed them a sampling of rings. Social distancing took a holiday. Hinojosa and Kaighen were nowhere near six feet away from Gordon. None of the three wore a mask. (Kasler, Anderson and Sabalow, 5/19)
Fresno Bee:
Fresno County Boosts COVID-19 Testing, Contact Tracers
Fresno County recently secured thousands of COVID-19 test kits and swabs, along with refurbished N95 masks and face shields, health officials said Monday. The boost in test supplies helps Fresno move closer to meeting California Gov. Gavin Newsom’s criteria for counties to move to the next step of reopening their economy as the coronavirus pandemic marches on. Newsom eased up on some guidelines Monday. (Calix, 5/18)
Fresno Bee:
Fresno Food Stamp Applications Increase During Coronavirus
A Mendota mother of three says she has endured stressful weeks to feed her family since the outbreak of coronavirus here. The 34-year-old mother says being able to put food on the table – especially now with kids at home during the coronavirus pandemic – is getting more difficult. Although, she said, the milk and meals the schools provide have helped a lot. “We need to eat to survive,” said Angeles, who asked to be identified by her first name only since she’s trying to resolve an issue with her CalFresh benefits, the California program formally known as food stamps. (Amaro, 5/18)
Sacramento Bee:
“We Got This”: Masketeers Deliver For Local Health Workers
It had been weeks and Nadia Niazi was still trying to process how quickly it all had come together. How an idea and a gnawing sense that she could do something to help during this public health crisis turned into a 60-person team of medical mask makers scattered across three counties. Together, the team became Masketeers Sacramento & Beyond, a far-flung group of sewers, assemblers and drivers who in a little more than six weeks from late March to the first days of May made and delivered more than 2,500 masks to supply-strapped health care professionals, essential workers, schools and seniors. (Smith, 5/19)
Fresno Bee:
Video Of Crowded Flight From Fresno To Dallas Going Viral
Video of a packed American Airlines flight from Fresno to Dallas on Sunday is being shared widely online. “So overcrowded,” says Tammy Gonzalez in a short clip she posted to Twitter, which shows some passengers onboard without face masks. “Apparently airlines are exempt from CDC guidelines for social distancing,” Gonzalez wrote. “All rows with the exception of maybe 4 rows were completely full of passengers. I’ve never felt so unsafe in my life.” (George, 5/18)
Fresno Bee:
Central Valley Counties See New COVID-19 Cases As CA Seeks To Reopen
As California Gov. Gavin Newsom signaled an ease to shelter-in-place restrictions, Fresno County reported a new coronavirus-related death and a jump in coronavirus cases on Monday. The county health department reported a jump of 71 new cases, including the new death. The total number of positive cases rose to 1,263. That comes as efforts continue to reopen counties sooner than first expected. (Rodriguez-Delgado, 5/18)
Sacramento Bee:
Sacramento To Reopen Courts June 12; Placer Sets June 1 Date For Jury Trials
Sacramento Superior Court will remain closed until June 12 except for essential services and will restart jury trials in mid-July. In Sacramento, court operations have been drastically limited in response to the coronavirus pandemic. Courthouses and courtrooms are closed to most judicial business and the criminal hearings allowed to proceed are now livestreamed. (Smith, 5/18)
Sacramento Bee:
Butte County CA Pastor Won’t Apologize For COVID-19 Exposure
Pastor Michael Jacobsen isn’t apologizing. The leader of Palermo Bible Family Church in Butte County said Sunday that he doesn’t need to defend his decision to hold services in person a week earlier — an event at which an estimated 180 congregants were present with someone who had been infected with the coronavirus. (Kasler and Sabalow, 5/18)