Capital Public Radio/KXJZ: California ‘Sounding The Alarm’ As COVID-19 Cases Surge At Fastest Rate Since Start Of Pandemic
As COVID-19 cases surge throughout California, Gov. Gavin Newsom announced Monday several changes to the state’s tiered reopening system, including moving 40 counties back to more restrictive tiers and tightening rules on mask-wearing in public. The change comes after the state saw its “fastest increase in cases” since the pandemic began in March, Newsom said, causing the state’s health officials to begin “sounding the alarm.” (Nixon and Hooks, 11/16)

Modesto Bee: Gavin Newsom Weighs A Statewide Curfew As Most Of California Returns To Toughest COVID-19 Tier
Citing a dramatic rise in COVID-19 cases, California Gov. Gavin Newsom on Monday announced that most of the state will revert back to the most restrictive tier, even as he considers more stringent measures like curfews. “We are sounding the alarm,” Newsom said in a statement released Monday. “California is experiencing the fastest increase in cases we have seen yet – faster than what we experienced at the outset of the pandemic or even this summer. The spread of COVID-19, if left unchecked, could quickly overwhelm our health care system and lead to catastrophic outcomes.” (Sheeler and Kasler, 11/16)

Los Angeles Times: California Breaks Single-Day Record For New COVID-19 Cases Amid Sweeping New Restrictions
California officials on Monday pulled what they characterized as an emergency brake, announcing a dramatic rollback of reopening in much of the state as it broke its single-day record for new coronavirus cases. Once the changes go into effect Tuesday, 94% of Californians — roughly 37 million people — will live in counties that are in the strictest tier of the state’s reopening roadmap. Many businesses in those counties will have to suspend or severely limit their indoor operations. (Money and Lin II, 11/16)

Sacramento Bee: Californians Must Wear Face Masks When Outside Of Home, New State Order Says
Californians have to wear masks when outside of their homes, according to new guidance issued by the state on Monday. The California Department of Public Health issued revised mask rules this week as much of the state tipped back into the most restrictive purple tier of California’s coronavirus reopening criteria. According to the CDPH, “A face covering is required at all times when outside of the home, with some exceptions.” (Leslie, 11/16)

Bay Area News Group: Coronavirus: California Health Department Tightens Public Mask Order 
In a statement Monday evening, the state’s health and human services department issued new guidance on face coverings for all Californians in response to increasing rates of novel coronavirus spread. According to that guidance, which supersedes a previous order during a COVID-19 case spike last June, state residents should wear coverings everywhere outside their homes, with limited exceptions, and not substitute them for current hygiene and social-distancing policies. Citing a U.S. Centers for Disease Control brief updated last week, health officials said masks not only serve as signal reminders to physically distance, but appear to offer a measure of protection to wearers and others they encounter. (Kelly, 11/16)

Bay Area News Group: Coronavirus: What You Can And Can’t Do Under California’s New Restrictions 
More than nine in 10 Californians will wake up Tuesday to a new round of pandemic restrictions affecting their day-to-day life, thanks to a sweeping move backward by Gov. Gavin Newsom as he attempts to quell the state’s fastest-growing COVID-19 surge yet. The state had been progressing along Newsom’s color-coded reopening plan, and Bay Area counties were gradually allowing customers back to restaurants’ indoor dining rooms, indoor gyms, offices and more. But over the past week, several counties announced plans to scale back. And on Monday, 24 hours ahead of schedule, Newsom forced even more closures and restrictions by moving most of the Bay Area back into his most restrictive purple tier. (Kendall and Webeck, 11/16)

San Diego Union-Tribune: San Diego County Sounds Alarm On COVID-19 Violations, As State Hits 'Emergency Brake' 
The San Diego County health department took its biggest swing to date at willful health-order violators Monday, serving cease-and-desist orders at 17 different establishments across the region as coronavirus case rates continued to climb. Officials said there will be more actions to come, based on public health investigations conducted over the weekend that discovered “willful and blatant violation of public health orders.” (Sisson, 11/16)

Sacramento Bee: Entire Sacramento Region Moved To Most Restrictive COVID-19 Tier Amid Growing State Emergency
The entire Sacramento region has regressed to California’s strictest shutdown status, the purple tier, after state health officials invoked what is effectively a hard stop on economic reopening Monday due to surging coronavirus numbers. Thirty-nine of the state’s 58 counties were demoted in total, with 28 moving to purple, including the entire six-county Sacramento region — El Dorado, Placer, Yolo, Sacramento and the Yuba-Sutter bicounty area. (McGough, 11/16)

Modesto Bee: State Returns Stanislaus To Coronavirus Purple Status
Stanislaus County reverted to the most restrictive coronavirus status Monday as the state placed tighter restrictions on numerous counties to contain a resurgence of COVID-19 illness. The sweeping move assigned 41 counties to the most restrictive purple tier of California’s strategy for battling coronavirus as more people stay indoors and prepare for traditional holiday activities. Only three weeks ago, nine counties remained in purple after economic sectors had been reopened because of much lower case data. (Carlson, 11/16)

Orange County Register: Orange County Moves To Purple Tier As Newsom Pulls ’Emergency Brake’ Amid Coronavirus Surge 
In a dramatic move to halt the rampant spread of coronavirus, Gov. Gavin Newsom on Monday pulled a public health “emergency brake,” bumping most of California, including Orange County, back into the purple tier of the state’s pandemic tracking system, which figures to restrict many businesses just ahead of the holiday season. The move back to purple tier marked a sudden shift in Orange County’s pandemic performance as the most recent testing data reflects a post-Halloween wave of infections. (Wheeler, Christian Goulding and Ritchie, 11/16)

San Francisco Chronicle: Stanford Study Shows Why California Is Reversing Reopening — And The Dire Risks If It Didn’t
As the Bay Area and California reverse course on reopening to control a surge of new coronavirus infections, a new study by Stanford University scientists has shown the effectiveness of such measures. The team of Stanford researchers used cell phone mobility data from 10 major U.S cities — including San Francisco — to create a predictive model that analyzed how people from different neighborhoods moved around in cities in the early months of the pandemic. (Vainshtein, 11/17)

NPR: Over 1 Million Children Tested Positive For Coronavirus In The United States
Children now make up at least 1 in 11 of all reported U.S. coronavirus cases. That's according to data from the American Academy of Pediatrics and the Children's Hospital Association. On Monday, the AAP said more than 1 million children have tested positive for the coronavirus in the United States. (Oxner, 11/16)

San Diego Union-Tribune: New COVID-19 Outbreak Forces Transfer Of Dozens Of County Jail Inmates 
An explosion of new coronavirus infections among San Diego County jail inmates has forced officials to relocate dozens of detainees. At least two men testing positive for COVID-19 were released in recent days, according to sheriff’s department records reviewed by The San Diego Union-Tribune. Another inmate was rushed to a nearby hospital for emergency treatment, the records show. (McDonald, 11/16)

San Diego Union-Tribune: Cal/Osha Fines Farmer John For Hundreds Of COVID-19 Cases 
Southern California’s huge Farmer John meatpacking plant on the edge of Los Angeles has been assessed more than $58,000 for safety violations state officials say exposed more than 300 workers to COVID-19 infections, including three who were hospitalized. The state Department of Industrial Relations, known as Cal/Osha, says the violations were uncovered during an investigation that took place at the Vernon, California, plant between May and November, adding that some serious COVID-19 infections were traced as early as February. (Rogers, 11/16)

Modesto Bee: Ceres Firefighters Test Positive For COVID-19, Quarantine
Six Ceres firefighters have tested positive for COVID-19 as of Monday and are isolating at their homes, Ceres Fire Battalion Chief Bret Presson said. Three of the firefighters worked in the same station, Presson said, and the cases arose about a week after the Turlock Fire Department reported 11 of its staff contracted the disease. “If you work the same station with somebody, it’s basically no different than living with someone at your own house,” Presson said. “They live together for 48 hours at a time, so it’s no different than a family’s contact in a residence.” (Lam, 11/16)

San Francisco Chronicle: Surge In Coronavirus Testing Has S.F. Officials Concerned About Thanksgiving Travel
Increased demand for San Francisco’s free coronavirus testing services, presumably in preparation for planned Thanksgiving gatherings, has stressed the city’s infrastructure and prompted the mayor and health director to warn against what they characterized as a dangerous strategy. Complaints have been coming in recently that the Embarcadero testing site, which is part of the CityTestSF program, has been overrun by people seeking tests before traveling ahead of next week’s holiday. (Fimrite, 11/16)

LA Daily News: Garcetti Announces Expanded Testing Efforts In Response To COVID Surge 
Responding to a surge in coronavirus cases locally and statewide, Mayor Eric Garcetti on Monday night announced an expansion of the city’s mobile testing program to provide COVID tests in under-served areas, as well as the establishment of testing at Los Angeles International Airport. Garcetti also said the city will be opening a “super walkup” testing site in the northeastern San Fernando Valley. (11/16)

Los Angeles Times: Some In L.A. Are Getting COVID-19 Tests So They Can Party, Socialize. Officials Call This A Disaster
Desperately seeking to find a seemingly responsible way to hold dinner parties, some people have started to get tests for the coronavirus as a way to clear themselves to attend dinner parties without needing to wear masks or keep their distance. That’s absolutely the wrong thing to do, according to Barbara Ferrer, Los Angeles County’s director of public health. (Lin II and Money, 11/16)

San Francisco Chronicle: Moderna And Pfizer Vaccines Show ‘Thrilling’ Results. But When Will They Come To The Bay Area?
A second coronavirus vaccine has shown strong preliminary success rates, raising anticipation and expectations they may help end a pandemic that has upended daily life and continues to surge. But the Bay Area faces a long road ahead in obtaining and distributing vaccines to local residents, and most people probably won’t be able to get vaccinated until summer 2021. (Ho, 11/16)

Los Angeles Times: Moderna And Pfizer Vaccines: Here's What You Need To Know
With the pandemic cutting an ever-broadening swath through the country, Moderna’s announcement that preliminary data indicate its COVID-19 vaccine was 95% effective offered Americans a much-needed shot of hope. It was the second time in as many weeks that independent safety monitors had examined clinical trial data and determined that an experimental vaccine was performing above expectations. Last week Pfizer, in collaboration with its German partner BioNTech, said its vaccine was 90% effective in preventing symptoms of the disease. (Curwen, 11/17)

San Diego Union-Tribune: Most San Diegans Would Take COVID Vaccine; 22% Say Probably Not 
As a second US drug company reported a vaccine breakthrough Monday morning, a poll of San Diegans shows 70 percent of survey respondents would definitely or probably take a COVID-19 vaccine if it were available and free or low-cost. At least 22 percent said they definitely or probably would not get vaccinated for COVID-19. Eight percent said they were not sure. (Lopez-Villafana, 11/16)

The New York Times: ‘More People May Die’ Because of Trump’s Transition Delay, Biden Says
President-elect Joseph R. Biden Jr. on Monday sharpened his criticism of President Trump’s refusal to cooperate in an orderly transition, warning that “more people may die” from the coronavirus if the president does not agree to coordinate planning for the mass distribution of a vaccine when it becomes available. It was a marked shift in tone for the president-elect, intended to pressure Mr. Trump after Mr. Biden and his team had played down the difficulty of setting up a new government without the departing administration’s help. (Crowley and Shear, 11/16)

The Washington Post: Biden Urges A New Economic Relief Package And Warns Again Of A ‘Dark Winter’ Ahead 
President-elect Joe Biden urged Congress to immediately pass an economic relief package Monday as he warned that the coronavirus pandemic will worsen in the coming months. The incoming Democratic president also criticized President Trump for his refusal to concede his election loss and begin handing over power. Biden called Trump’s unprecedented actions “embarrassing for the country” and irresponsible. (Gearan and Stein, 11/6)

AP: Head Of Govt Agency Under Pressure To Let Transition Proceed
It’s been 10 days since President-elect Joe Biden crossed the 270 electoral vote mark to defeat President Donald Trump and win the presidency. Unlike the 2000 election, when the winner of the election was truly unknown for weeks, this time it is clear that Biden won, although Trump is refusing to concede. But Emily Murphy, the head of the General Services Administration, has yet to certify Biden as the winner, stalling the launch of the official transition process. When she does ascertain that Biden won, it will free up money for the transition and clear the way for Biden’s team to begin placing transition personnel at federal agencies. (Madhani, 11/17)

San Francisco Chronicle: Coronavirus Could Alter Plans For Unbeaten San Jose State Football 
Not much has derailed San Jose State since the Spartans opened their season Oct. 24. They’re 4-0 for the first time since 1955 and they’re tied with Nevada atop the Mountain West Conference standings. However, their plans — at least in terms of preparations — again could be altered because of the coronavirus. With Santa Clara County set to return Tuesday to California’s most restrictive tier, purple, the Spartans realize their practice schedule might need to change. (Kroner, 11/16)

The Wall Street Journal: NCAA Will Stage All Of 2021 March Madness In Indianapolis ‘Bubble’ 
The coronavirus pandemic scrapped March Madness from the calendar in 2020. With Covid-19 infections surging to all-time highs, the National Collegiate Athletic Association announced Monday that the 2021 edition of its lucrative men’s basketball tournament will be played in a sequestered bubble at a handful of sites around Indianapolis. March Madness is usually a sprawling national affair, with 68 teams bouncing among 14 host cities en route to playing 67 games over a three-week span. But this kind of rapid-fire competition and constant travel isn’t compatible with stay-at-home orders or 14-day quarantine periods recommended by public health officials to mitigate viral spread of the coronavirus. (Higgins, 11/16)

Fresno Bee: How To Apply For College In Fresno During COVID-19? 
Chie Moua has been working into the evening as a counselor at Fresno High School, reaching out to seniors via Zoom to make sure they are on track for college. Applying to college this year is even more challenging due to the coronavirus pandemic, which has kept school counselors from holding in-person workshops and meetings, where they can help fill out applications. And although some studies have suggested that undergraduate college enrollment has decreased across the U.S. due to the pandemic, some public universities such as Fresno State are seeing record enrollment. (Panoo, 11/17)

Fresno Bee: Health Caution: Blowing Dust In San Joaquin Valley, Fresno
Strong wind gusts up to 45 mph are expected to blow across the San Joaquin Valley all day and into the night Tuesday, creating elevated levels of particulate matter that can cause serious health problems, according to San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District. The air district issued a notice for the counties of Madera, Fresno, Kings, Tulare and the valley portion of Kings. (Vaughn, 11/17)

Orange County Register: Costa Mesa To Allow Retail Sales As OC Voters Show Softening Stance On Cannabis
Starting sometime in 2021, Santa Ana will no longer be the only city in Orange County to permit storefront sales of cannabis, and more widespread approval of related businesses could be on the way. Costa Mesa – which has permitted cannabis manufacturing, distribution, research and testing since 2017 – will create a regulatory scheme and begin taking applications to open retail stores early next year, after city voters agreed Nov. 3 to allow them. (Robinson, 11/16)

San Francisco Chronicle: Philadelphia Case Could Clear The Way For Safe Injection Sites
All eyes were on Philadelphia this month, as the outcome of the election rested in poll workers’ hands. It’s not surprising that the citizens of Philly were ready for change — they’ve faced a disproportionately heavy toll as a result of the current administration’s ineffective coronavirus policies. And that toll has tragically included an increased rate of deadly opioid overdoses. But Philly isn’t alone — overdoses tragically have increased in communities across the nation, from San Francisco to Burlington, Vt. (Boudin, George and Aroni Krinsky, 11/16)

San Diego Union-Tribune: Parkinson's Patients, Caregivers Find Strength Through Grassroots Support Group
North Park resident David Higgins didn’t know what was wrong when he started feeling increasingly tired and weak, almost a decade ago. His feet resisted the urge to move, and walking across the room felt like moving through mud. Then his friends noticed his changing walk and movements. After experiencing slow but increasing symptoms, and ruling out other health conditions, Higgins was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease in December 2011. Soon after, he formed a monthly support group with six other people who were diagnosed around the same time. (Mapp, 11/17)

San Diego Union-Tribune: Is Panic Buying Returning In San Diego Amid Rising COVID Rates? 
Hoping to head off a repeat of consumer hoarding amid the widening coronavirus pandemic, grocers have reinstated limits on purchases like toilet paper and hand soap, a move that so far seems to be working. Over the weekend, reports of empty shelves in San Diego County stores surfaced, reminiscent of the much more widespread shortages seen earlier this year, as consumers, frightened by the sharp increase in coronavirus cases, started buying up staples like toilet paper and cleaning products in large quantities. (Weisberg and Molnar, 11/16)

Sacramento Bee: Sacramento County May Declare Racism A Public Health Crisis
The Sacramento County Board of Supervisors will consider a resolution Tuesday that would declare racism a public health crisis, following in the footsteps of several local governments throughout the country after a wave of civil unrest over police shootings and violence. Black people have higher rates of chronic health conditions — such as high blood pressure, diabetes and strokes — that have intensified during the coronavirus pandemic. The same racial divide can be found in the criminal justice system, housing, infrastructure, and banking. (Finch II and Yoon-Hendricks, 11/16)

Modern Healthcare: AMA Calls Racism A 'Public Health Threat'
The American Medical Association Monday voted to recognize systemic racism and interpersonal bias by healthcare workers as a "serious" threat to public health that hinders efforts to achieve health equity and reduce disparities among minority populations. The resolution, approved during a special meeting of the AMA House of Delegates, calls for the organization to acknowledge the role both historic and current "racist medical practices" have played in harming marginalized communities and for the group to develop a set of best practices to help stakeholders to address the effects of racism on patients and providers. (Ross Johnson, 11/16)

Bay Area News Group: Project Roomkey: Gov. Newsom Pledges Another $62 Million To Prop Up COVID Hotel Program
Gov. Gavin Newsom poured another $62 million into his waning Project Roomkey program Monday, part of an ongoing effort to prevent any of the more than 22,000 homeless Californians sheltering in pandemic hotels from ending up back on the street. The money, which comes from the state’s Disaster Response Emergency Operations Account, will go to counties that have put up homeless Californians in hotels during the pandemic. The emergency cash injection comes as the pandemic hotels are starting to close in the Bay Area and beyond. (Kendall, 11/16)

The Bakersfield Californian: Expanding Insurance Coverage Among Homeless Population Becomes New Priority In Kern 
The coronavirus pandemic may have outpaced homelessness to become the primary concern on the minds of many Kern County residents, but that doesn’t mean the need for connecting people with shelter has gone away. Over the last year, two new homeless navigation centers have opened in Bakersfield, one run by the county and the other by the city, giving some relief to the strained safety net. However, the evidence that homelessness remains a big problem in Kern County remains plainly evident. Could it be that a solution is lying in plain sight, potentially an easy fix that just hasn’t been pursued? Is that answer to homelessness insurance coverage? (Morgen, 11/16)

The Bakersfield Californian: CSUB Kicks Off Week Dedicated To Hunger And Homelessness 
Twice a month Cal State Bakersfield hands out food not just to those who are working or attending the university but anyone who needs it. This Monday, drivers snaked around the parking lot in front of the Icardo Center waiting for volunteers to load weeks of food in their back seat or trunk or flatbed. These distributions are a way of giving back to the residents of the place the university calls home, said Jason Watkins, the assistant director of basic needs for CSUB. If the community isn't thriving, the university won't do well either, and Watkins knows many in the community don't have enough to eat. (Gallegos, 11/16)