Latest From California Healthline:
California Healthline Original Stories
California Stands to Lose Big if US Supreme Court Cancels Obamacare
California has more at stake than any other state should the U.S. Supreme Court strike down the Affordable Care Act. Millions of people could lose their health coverage and the state could lose billions in federal money each year. (Angela Hart, )
Justices Bound to See ACA as ‘Indispensable,’ Says Californian Leading Defense
The U.S. Supreme Court will hear arguments Tuesday in a case that could overturn the Affordable Care Act. California Attorney General Xavier Becerra, who is defending the law with the backing of more than 20 other states, told California Healthline that he predicts the justices will uphold it. (Samantha Young, )
3 Bay Area Doctors On Biden’s Transition Team: Three UC San Francisco physicians will help guide President-elect Joe Biden’s pandemic response strategy as members of his newly announced Transition COVID-19 Advisory Board. The UCSF physicians named to the panel are: Dr. Eric Goosby, Dr. Robert Rodriguez and Dr. David Kessler, who is a former commissioner of the FDA and will serve as a co-chair of the board. Read more from the Bay Area News Group.
Disneyland Halts Hotel Reservations: The Disneyland resort’s three hotels are no longer accepting reservations and will remain closed indefinitely as the coronavirus closure of Disney’s two adjacent theme parks stretches toward eight months. The Disneyland Hotel, Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel & Spa and Paradise Pier Hotel will remain shuttered. Read more from the Orange County Register.
In related news: Disneyland announces additional furloughs as state guidelines leave theme park ‘in limbo’
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
San Francisco Chronicle:
Here Are The Californians Who Could End Up In Joe Biden’s Administration
With the election of Kamala Harris as vice president and San Francisco’s Nancy Pelosi seeking another term as House speaker, Californians will already be playing an outsize role in Washington under President-elect Joe Biden. But the state is also full of wealthy donors, business leaders, university professors and elected officials leading the “resistance” to President Trump that could help fill out Biden’s Cabinet and the thousands of other appointments that make up the federal government. (Koseff, 11/9)
San Francisco Chronicle:
Here’s How Biden’s Win Could Help California School Districts, Teachers And Students
After four years of school voucher talk under the Trump administration, the education community across California was giddy in the wake of Joe Biden’s presidential win, with his platform of more money for teachers, increased pandemic support and free college tuition. “I’m excited for our country,” said state Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond, adding California has endured four years of White House threats to pull funding if the state didn’t toe the Trump line, by immediately reopening schools, for example. “Biden wants to be a partner.” (Tucker, 11/9)
San Francisco Chronicle:
Affordable Care Act Challenge Before Supreme Court Could Strip Insurance From Millions
As the Supreme Court hears a challenge Tuesday to the Affordable Care Act, the stakes are enormous: insurance coverage for more than 20 million Americans during a disastrous pandemic. Medicaid coverage for more than 15 million with low incomes. About $27 billion a year in federal funding for California. And, arguably, the public standing of the court, particularly its newest justice, Amy Coney Barrett. (Egelko, 11/9)
NPR:
Could COVID-19 Ever Be Considered A Preexisting Condition?
Health insurers used to be able to deny coverage – or charge more – for an applicant who had a preexisting medical condition. That's the industry term for a condition that could range from allergies to cancer. The Affordable Care Act changed all that as of 2014, guaranteeing coverage for those with preexisting conditions. But now the Supreme Court is hearing oral arguments, starting Tuesday, on a case filed to overturn the Affordable Care Act. (Kritz, 11/9)
The Bakersfield Californian:
Covered California Open Enrollment Period Kicks Off Monday
Covered California’s open enrollment period kicked off Monday in an effort to get health coverage to the more than 1 million uninsured Californians who are eligible for assistance. An estimated 1.2 million uninsured people in the state are either eligible for financial help through Covered California or qualify for low-cost or no-cost coverage through Medi-Cal, according to Covered California. In Bakersfield, an estimated 33,420 people were uninsured last year, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. (Wilson, 11/9)
NBC Los Angeles:
Open Enrollment Period For Covered California Runs Through Jan. 31
Mayor Eric Garcetti joined state health officials Monday to kick off the Covered California health insurance open enrollment period, noting that 1.2 million people in the state are currently uninsured amid the COVID-19 pandemic, despite being eligible for financial help through either Covered California or Medi-Cal. "This has been a year full of a lot of pain and stress,'' Garcetti said. "These sorts of conversations help people realize that this (health care coverage) isn't out of their reach. In fact, it makes us all healthier, makes us all stronger.'' (11/9)
Modesto Bee:
Mass Vaccines Still Months Away Despite Promising New COVID Data From Pfizer, Gov. Gavin Newsom Says
Californians shouldn’t get their hopes up about getting a coronavirus vaccine this year, Gov. Gavin Newsom said Monday, cautioning that even once a vaccine is approved, mass availability will still be months away. He made the remarks during a press conference the same day pharmaceutical company Pfizer announced early data shows its COVID-19 vaccine is more than 90% effective. (Bollag, 11/9)
San Diego Union-Tribune:
3 Things We Know (And 3 We Don’t) About Pfizer’s Initial COVID-19 Vaccine Results
American drug maker Pfizer announced Monday that its COVID-19 vaccine is at least 90 percent effective, based on initial data from the company’s clinical trial. To better understand what we know (and what we don’t) about the company’s announcement, we spoke with San Diego scientists and doctors deeply involved in researching COVID-19 treatments. (Wosen, 11/9)
San Francisco Chronicle:
The Pfizer Vaccine Needs To Be Stored At Minus 70 Degrees Celsius. Is The Bay Area Prepared To Do That?
After a group of scientists met to discuss coronavirus vaccines in August, one Northern California pharmacy executive foresaw potential problems. The vaccine made by Pfizer and BioNTech, which is expected to be one of the first to get authorization from the Food and Drug Administration, must be stored at minus 70 degrees Celsius — much colder than what most medicines and vaccines require. That’s when Ryan Stice, who oversees pharmacy services at Sutter Health, jumped into action. (Ho, 11/9)
Los Angeles Times:
L.A. County COVID Cases Are Up, And So Are Large Gatherings
After weeks of rising coronavirus numbers, officials Monday said Los Angeles County was seeing a new surge in infections that could get worse as Thanksgiving approaches. Health authorities have been saying for weeks that social gatherings — including celebrations tied to the Lakers and Dodgers championship victories — were helping spread COVID-19 and dashing hopes of further reopening the economy before the holidays. But on Monday, officials said that conditions were deteriorating further. (Money and Lin Il, 11/9)
San Francisco Chronicle:
California’s Coronavirus Numbers Rising As U.S. Passes 10 Million Total Cases
The predicted fall surge in coronavirus infections is sweeping across the United States, topping 10 million total cases on Monday with almost a million Californians getting sick since the pandemic began. Infections also appear to be rising even in the comparatively composed Bay Area. More than 237,000 of the 10 million infected Americans have died from COVID-19 since the pandemic began. In California, the infection rate over the past two weeks went up 7.4% compared with the previous 14 days. (Fimrite, 11/9)
SF Gate:
Newsom Warns Some Calif. Counties Will Move Back To More Restrictive Tier This Week
California Gov. Newsom said at a Monday press briefing some counties will fall back into more restrictive tiers tomorrow because of rising coronavirus rates in the last three weeks. The state's 14-day coronavirus positivity rate was 3.7% as of Sunday. On Oct. 19, it was 2.5%. (Graff, 11/9)
KQED:
Governor Warns of Uptick in COVID-19 Cases as Weather Cools
Gov. Gavin Newsom said Monday that Californians should not get complacent, noting that COVID-19 in the state are increasing as the weather cools down and the holidays approach. Newsom reported an uptick in all key indicators, including positivity rates — which have increased nearly a full percentage point over the past week — and ICU bed admissions. (Lagos, 11/9)
Sacramento Bee:
Household Gatherings, Halloween Are Driving California Coronavirus Rates Higher, Gov. Gavin Newsom Says
As California’s COVID-19 numbers continue to climb, state officials say they’ve identified a common source of spread: Private household gatherings. “People are letting their guard down,” Gov. Gavin Newsom said during a press conference on Monday. (Sheeler, 11/9)
Fresno Bee:
Watch: Gavin Newsom Gives Update On COVID-19 In California
Gov. Gavin Newsom gave an update on COVID-19 in California at a press conference Monday at noon. You can watch a recording of the livestream here: (Bollag, 11/9)
Fresno Bee:
After A Weekend Surge In COVID-19 Cases In Fresno County, Where Does The Risk Level Stand?
A weekend surge of coronavirus infections at state prisons in Kings County, coupled with hundreds of new cases reported in Fresno County, sent the central San Joaquin Valley lurching to more than 75,000 total cases since the COVID-19 pandemic started. The California Department of Public Health reported Monday there were 122 new confirmed cases of the virus in Fresno County. That comes after a weekend in which 222 additional cases were reported Saturday by the state, followed by 219 more confirmed infections Sunday. (Sheehan, 11/9)
San Francisco Chronicle:
San Francisco Has Handled The Coronavirus Pandemic Well: But At What Cost?
The decision to launch San Francisco’s attack on the coronavirus — perhaps the most aggressive pandemic response in the United States — can be traced back to February, before the city had reported a single case of the new disease. Dr. Grant Colfax and his team at the Department of Public Health had been watching the numbers blow up exponentially, first in Wuhan, China, then Italy, and then much closer at a nursing home in the state of Washington. Mayor London Breed declared a state of emergency on Feb. 26. San Francisco reported its first cases on March 5. The city, along with five Bay Area counties, shut down March 17. (Allday, 11/10)
San Diego Union-Tribune:
A Cancer Survivor, He Joined A Coronavirus Vaccine Trial. He Was Part Of Pfizer Breakthrough
Three months ago, Dan Stepenosky, a colon cancer survivor, volunteered to help test a vaccine being developed to stop the coronavirus’ spread. Last month, his teenage daughter Kearston joined him in the trial. For the 52-year-old lifelong educator, a few weeks of aches and pains was a small price to pay to be part of the vanguard leading the way to combat COVID-19. Today, the Calabasas father and daughter are savoring the news that the vaccine they received — developed by Pfizer and tested locally through Kaiser —has been 90% effective in protecting people from transmission of the virus in global trials. It may be in production by year’s end. (Banks, 11/10)
Los Angeles Times:
First L.A. County Public Schools Reopen Amid Coronavirus
Learning to share is typically among the first lessons for kindergartners. But not when hundreds arrived on campus Monday, the first public school children in Los Angeles County to return to something like a regular classroom amid surging coronavirus infections. No shared pencils or crayons. No sitting together at tables. No bouncing a ball from one person to another. Use outstretched “airplane arms” to keep distant from classmates. (Newberry, Barajas and Blume, 11/9)
LA Daily News:
Ford Rolls Out 2 Million Masks For LAUSD’s Relief Effort
The Ford Motor Company Fund on Monday, Nov. 9, approved a donation of 2 million protective masks to be distributed at schools throughout Los Angeles Unified as part of the district’s coronavirus relief effort. “We are committed to the highest standard of safety in our schools, including making sure everyone has a mask to help reduce the spread of the virus,” Superintendent Austin Beutner said. “We are grateful Ford has joined with us in this unprecedented effort to provide a safety net to the students and families we serve.” (11/9)
San Diego Union-Tribune:
San Diego Unified School Board To Consider COVID-19 Testing Contract, Reopening Plan On Tuesday
San Diego Unified is looking to partner with UC San Diego to provide COVID-19 testing for all students and staff on all school campuses every 14 days. On Tuesday the school board will consider an up to $5 million contract with UC San Diego for the university to help San Diego Unified create a districtwide, school-based, asymptomatic COVID-19 testing program. The contract would last until June 30 of next year. The school board meeting starts at 5 p.m. and will be held virtually. (Taketa, 11/9)
CalMatters:
Transfer Students Miss Out On ‘Real’ College Experience
Kaylin Tran imagined her first year at UCLA after transferring from Pasadena City College as kind of like a coming of age movie: She’d join clubs, make lifelong friends and pore over books in the university’s iconic library. Instead, thanks to the pandemic, she’s sitting in front of a computer screen in her family’s San Gabriel home, paying $14,000 a year for tuition instead of $1,600. (Rashad, 11/9)
LA Daily News:
CIF-SS Commissioner Rob Wigod: Recent News, Data For COVID-19 Raises Concern About Return Of HS Sports
It’s not the news CIF Southern Section commissioner Rob Wigod wants to hear right now. The rate of positive coronavirus tests has increased in California in recent weeks. Cal and Utah had to cancel college football games last week because COVID-19 hit their programs, and Stanford played its season opener without its starting quarterback because of coronavirus-related protocols. (Fryer, 11/9)
KQED:
Visiting Family Over The Holidays? Here's How To Lower Your Risk For COVID-19
It’s been months of quarantine and the urge to see friends and family is real, especially as the holidays approach. But as people are considering traveling to spend Thanksgiving or Hanukkah with loved ones, COVID-19 cases are again surging across the U.S. While doctors say there’s no way to completely eliminate the risk of catching or spreading the novel coronavirus when venturing out, there are things you can do to reduce the risk, and all nine Bay Area counties plus the city of Berkeley released recommendations Monday for doing just that. (Arcuni, 11/9)
Bay Area News Group:
49ers’ Kendrick Bourne Back On COVID-19 Reserve List Just 3 Days After Being Cleared
Wide receiver Kendrick Bourne returned to the NFL’s COVID-19 reserve list Monday, three days after he and three others came off it. It is not known if Bourne again tested positive. His agent did not immediately return comment Monday, and the 49ers are not permitted to reveal whether players test positive or came into contact with someone who has contracted the coronavirus. (Inman, 11/9)
LA Daily News:
Experts Recommend Stay Out Of Ocean After “First Flush” Or Risk Getting Sick
The waves looked enticing Monday morning: a lingering swell offering fun-size surf, a light offshore breeze helping the waves perfectly peel toward shore and the sun shining bright for the first time in days. But looks can be deceiving. Mixing in the saltwater near shorelines across Southern California was bacteria-laced urban runoff that had rushed down to the ocean with the season’s first storm that hit over the weekend. Known as the “first flush” it left gross – and unhealthy – conditions along the coast. (Connelly, 11/9)
Sacramento Bee:
Oregon Voters Legalized Psychedelic Mushrooms In 2020. Should California Follow Suit?
Oregon voters last week approved a ballot initiative legalizing use of psilocybin — the psychedelic component of “magic” mushrooms — in a therapeutic setting. Although some western US cities, including Denver, Oakland and Santa Cruz, had effectively removed threat of arrest or prosecution for possession of mushrooms last year, Oregon’s statewide vote could signal things to come in California. (Kilmer and Pardo, 11/10)
LA Daily News:
Cedars-Sinai Will Launch New Cardiac Clinic For Coronavirus Survivors
The Smidt Heart Institute at Cedars-Sinai announced Monday, Nov. 9 that it will launch a specialized cardiac clinic to treat heart damage in COVID-19 survivors. The move comes after multiple studies showing that even asymptomatic cases of the virus in young people can cause conditions associated with heart failure. “This first-of-its-kind program created uniquely for COVID-19 survivors will benefit patients and aid ongoing research,” said Dr. Eduardo Marban, executive director of the Smidt Heart Institute. “As an institute, we are committed to understanding how COVID-19 is impacting all survivors.” (11/9)