Latest From California Healthline:
KFF Health News Original Stories
Coronavirus Crisis Opens Access To Online Opioid Addiction Treatment
Under the national emergency, the government has waived a law that required patients to have an in-person visit with a physician before they could be prescribed drugs that help quell withdrawal symptoms, such as Suboxone. Now they can get those prescriptions via a phone call or videoconference with a doctor. That may give video addiction therapy a kick-start. (Phil Galewitz, 4/22)
First Coronavirus Deaths Happened Earlier Than Previously Thought, Suggesting COVID-19 Was Circulating In California Since December: A person who died at home in Santa Clara County on Feb. 6 was infected with the coronavirus at the time of death, a stunning discovery that makes that individual the first recorded COVID-19 fatality in the United States, according to autopsy results released by public health officials late Tuesday. That death — three weeks before the first fatality was reported in the U.S., in Washington state on Feb. 28 — adds to increasing evidence that the virus was in the country far earlier than once thought. “This wasn’t recognized because we were having a severe flu season,” said Dr. Jeff Smith, a physician who is the chief executive of Santa Clara County government. “Symptoms are very much like the flu. If you got a mild case of COVID, you didn’t really notice. You didn’t even go to the doctor. The doctor maybe didn’t even do it because they presumed it was the flu.” Read more from Erin Allday and Matt Kawahara of the San Francisco Chronicle; Matt Hamilton, Paige St. John and Rong-Gong Lin II of the Los Angeles Times; and David Debolt and Kerry Crowley of the Bay Area News Group.
In related news from The New York Times: Coronavirus Infections May Not Be Uncommon, Tests Suggest
California Officials Partially Lift Restrictions On Who Can Be Tested For COVID-19: California public health officials have partially lifted restrictions on who should receive tests for the coronavirus, recommending for the first time that asymptomatic people living or working in high-risk settings such as nursing homes, prisons and even some households should now be considered a priority. The move makes California the first state to broaden restrictive federal guidelines and reflects increasing availability of testing, as major labs report sufficient supplies and excess capacity to run more procedures, according to the public health department. Read more from Emily Baumgaertner of the Los Angeles Times.
Unlike Other Hot Spots, Bay Area Seems To Be ‘Crushing’ The Curve: The San Francisco Chronicle examined weekly coronavirus case rates, or how many new cases were reported per 100,000 people, for major U.S. metropolitan areas to see how the Bay Area’s curve compares to the rest of the country. The resulting charts suggest that early, aggressive physical distancing restrictions led to a “flattened curve” — what one researcher called our “crushed” curve. Compared to hard-hit areas, like New Orleans, New York and Detroit, what the Bay Area is seeing looks less like a curve, and more like a flat line. Read more from Kellie Hwang and Michael Mass of the San Francisco Chronicle.
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
Sacramento Bee:
California Cities Ask Gavin Newsom To Relax Coronavirus Order
More California cities and counties are calling on Gov. Gavin Newsom to loosen the stay-at-home order he handed down last month so they can begin the process of reopening their communities for business. But Newsom has warned that the state is not yet safe from the virus. A number of indicators he’s following increased on Tuesday, including positive tests (7.4 percent), hospitalizations (3.3 percent), intensive care unit visits (3.8 percent) and deaths (5 percent). (Sheeler, 4/22)
Bay Area News Group:
Gov. Newsom Suggests Far More Coronavirus Testing Needed
More testing has become a maxim in the fight against the coronavirus pandemic, the gateway to lifting economically devastating lockdowns imposed to limit the deadly virus’ spread. But how much testing do we need, and when will we reach that level so we can reopen and resume our lives? (Woolfolk and Savidge, 4/21)
Los Angeles Times:
Coronavirus: Will California Reopen In Sections?
Leaders in the central California county of San Luis Obispo are confident they have flattened the coronavirus curve. The coastal county of 283,000 people recorded 134 cases and one death, and this week, there were only two confirmed infected people in hospital beds. Yet a large share of its economy — the once-bustling shopping district of downtown San Luis Obispo, the famed wine tasting rooms around Paso Robles, the coastal tourist meccas of Morro Bay and Pismo Beach — remained closed tight. (Lin, Myers, Money and Fry, 4/22)
San Francisco Chronicle:
Gov. Newsom Sets Up Program For Volunteers Willing To Help People Endangered By Coronavirus
A new state initiative aims to connect Californians with local governments and nonprofits that have faced a shortage of volunteers during the coronavirus pandemic. On Tuesday, Gov. Gavin Newsom announced the launch of a website, Californians For All, where people can apply to serve on a “volunteer corps” that could be called on to do things like deliver meals to seniors, provide hygiene kits to the homeless and donate blood. (Koseff, 4/21)
Bay Area News Group:
Santa Clara County To Expand Healthcare Access For Uninsured People
Thousands of people lacking health insurance in Santa Clara County could soon access discounted or free care thanks to a newly-expanded county program. In an unanimous vote Tuesday, the Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors broadened the income requirements for the county’s stopgap insurance plan. The goal is to get health coverage for people in the “missing middle” during the pandemic and beyond, while also lessening the burden on local emergency rooms. (Kelliher, 4/21)
Los Angeles Times:
L.A. County Coronavirus Cases Top 15,000; 46 More Deaths
Los Angeles County officials on Tuesday confirmed 1,400 more coronavirus cases, 880 of which were included in a backlog from laboratories that had not previously reported results through the county’s electronic system. The county also reported 46 new coronavirus-linked deaths, bringing the toll to at least 663. More than 89,000 residents have been tested for COVID-19, and at least 15,140 have tested positive, Public Health Department director Barbara Ferrer said. (Shalby and Tchekmedyian, 4/21)
Bay Area News Group:
Coronavirus Pandemic Leaves Bay Area Emergency Rooms Eerily Empty
Usually packed parking lots are empty. Hallways are silent. Vacant cafeterias are eerie. In the absence of an anticipated coronavirus surge, Bay Area emergency room doctors and nurses say the ongoing pandemic has transformed hospitals into deserts. (Deruy, 4/22)
Los Angeles Times:
People Are Avoiding Emergency Rooms Amid Coronavirus Fears
California’s hospital emergency departments are strangely quiet places these days. Before the coronavirus hit, tens of thousands of people across the state sought emergency help each day. But in the weeks since the virus began its spread throughout the U.S., those numbers have plummeted by a third to a half, according to physicians overseeing emergency departments in hospitals across Los Angeles County and elsewhere in California. (Rubin, 4/22)
San Francisco Chronicle:
What Will Trump’s Immigration Ban Mean For The Bay Area?
President Trump on Tuesday suspended immigration into the U.S. for 60 days, calling it an essential move to “protect American workers” impacted by the coronavirus pandemic. The announcement left Bay Area immigrants, advocates and employers angry and confused as they digested the potential impact on their own communities. The executive order was being drafted on Tuesday, according to Trump, who said he expects to sign it Wednesday. It will apply only to individuals seeking permanent residency and will not apply to those who enter the U.S. temporarily, he said. (Sanchez and Said, 4/21)
San Francisco Chronicle:
SF Nursing Home Hit With One Of The Largest Bay Area Coronavirus Outbreaks, With At Least 67 Cases
At least 67 people at Central Gardens Convalescent, a Western Addition senior living facility, have tested positive for the coronavirus, marking the largest outbreak in a San Francisco nursing home. Most of the 39 residents and 28 staff members infected showed mild, moderate or no symptoms, according to Daniel Kramer, a facility spokesman. (Thadani and Dizikes, 4/21)
Sacramento Bee:
Coronavirus: 6 Dead In Woodland Nursing Facility Outbreak
At least six residents have died from a coronavirus outbreak at a Woodland nursing facility, among 64 combined residents and staff members at the site who have tested positive for COVID-19 so far, Yolo County officials said Tuesday. Stollwood Convalescent Hospital, located within St. John’s Retirement Village on Woodland Avenue, is the site of Yolo County’s first confirmed COVID-19 outbreak, reported to the public last Monday in a statement by the county that did not reveal the facility’s name. (McGough, 4/21)
Sacramento Bee:
COVID-19 Hotspots At Two Sacramento Assisted Living Homes
At least 65 residents and employees from two Sacramento County assisted-living facilities owned by the same company have tested positive for COVID-19, according to new state data released late Monday. Sunrise Assisted Living-Sacramento reported at least 25 residents and 23 employees infected with the new coronavirus. Similarly, Sunrise Assisted Living-Fair Oaks reported 16 infected residents and at least one employee with the disease. (Pohl, 4/21)
San Francisco Chronicle:
Bay Area Coronavirus Testing To Soar With New Kaiser Lab Under Construction
Kaiser Permanente, one of Northern California’s largest health care providers, is building a $14 million lab in Berkeley that will boost the system’s coronavirus testing capacity from about 1,200 tests a day to 5,000 by the time the lab opens in early June, Kaiser officials said. Kaiser is conducting one of the highest volumes of COVID-19 diagnostic testing in the region — it has 4.5 million members in Northern California — so its ability to increase testing will play a critical role in the state’s efforts to lift shelter-in-place restrictions. (Ho, 4/21)
San Francisco Chronicle:
Will SF Embrace ‘Safe’ Tent Encampment Sites During Coronavirus Pandemic?
San Francisco officials and activists are frantically searching for spaces to safely house the city’s homeless who are in tents crowding sidewalks. Supervisor Rafael Mandelman introduced a resolution Tuesday urging the city to turn empty parking lots into sanctioned encampments where the homeless could set up tents — 6 feet apart — and also access bathrooms, handwashing stations, meals, drinking water and garbage disposal during the coronavirus pandemic. (Thadani and Fagan, 4/21)
San Francisco Chronicle:
To Slow Spread Of Coronavirus, Counties To Start Enforcing Face Mask Requirements
Counties across the Bay Area will begin enforcing mandates to wear face coverings in some public settings Wednesday, following health orders handed down last week intended to curb the spread of the coronavirus. Health officials across the region introduced face-covering orders on Friday, but opted to delay enforcing them until Wednesday to allow people time to procure a mask or materials to make one. (Fracassa, 4/21)
San Francisco Chronicle:
SF To Begin Closing City Streets To Cars To Encourage Social Distancing During Coronavirus Outbreak
San Francisco transportation officials are planning to temporarily close off a number of streets to car traffic in the coming weeks in an effort to open up more space for pedestrians to practice social distancing during the coronavirus pandemic. The San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency said Tuesday that starting this week, up to three streets could be closed off to through traffic for multiple blocks so people may walk or bike safely in the streets while maintaining at least 6 feet of distance from others. (Fracassa, 4/21)
San Francisco Chronicle:
Coronavirus: From Beachgoers To A Trumpet Player, Shelter-In-Place Violators Get Citations
Friends and family out for a day at the beach, protesters, a pottery shop and a trumpet player — all have received warnings or citations for breaking Bay Area shelter-in-place orders. Law enforcement agencies across the region have fielded thousands of complaints since the orders took effect March 17 in six counties, just days before the rest of the state joined in the restrictions because of the coronavirus outbreak. (Cabanatuan, 4/21)
CalMatters:
California Could Protect Stimulus Checks From Debt Collectors. Will Newsom Act?
Californians with consumer debt could see their stimulus checks garnished by collectors. Advocates want the state to act but they're still waiting for a response. (Botts, 4/21)
Bay Area News Group:
Santa Clara County Will Manage COVID-19 For 'A Very Long Time'
The number of new coronavirus cases recorded on a daily basis has begun to decline in Santa Clara County, but efforts to manage the public health crisis will continue for a long time. After roughly 50 to 70 new cases were reported in Santa Clara County each day during the first half of April, numbers have decreased over the last week as the Public Health Department added just 27 on Tuesday, bringing the countywide total to 1,946 since the pandemic began. (Crowley, 4/21)
Sacramento Bee:
Sacramento: Decline In Coronavirus Hospitalizations, ICU Rates
The number of people with coronavirus in hospitals or in intensive care beds in Sacramento County has been on a slight but steady decline over the last two weeks, according to new data released by the county for the first time Monday evening. A downward trend in hospitalizations and ICU cases associated with COVID-19 is a hopeful sign, local and state officials say. One of the key ways of tracking the pandemic’s reach and impact, fewer people in hospitals or receiving intensive care will ultimately be a major factor to determine how — and when — to lift stay at home orders. (Yoon-Hendricks and Bizjak, 4/21)
Bay Area News Group:
Coronavirus: 6 Deaths, Modest Rise In New Cases In Bay Area
Hospitalizations remained relatively flat and counties across the Bay Area saw fewer new coronavirus cases Tuesday, even as COVID-19 claimed six more victims. Five of the six deaths recorded around the Bay Area on Tuesday were documented in Santa Clara County, where 88 people have now died after testing positive for the novel coronavirus. (Webeck, Hurd and Crowley, 4/21)
Sacramento Bee:
Rancho Cordova CA Biotech Firm Close On Coronavirus Therapy
Scientists in the Sacramento area believe they have developed a way to keep the new coronavirus from finding the doorknob that it typically turns to enter human lung cells. Chris Xu, the CEO of Rancho Cordova-based ThermoGenesis, said the biopharmaceutical treatment could go to market within two months. (Anderson, 4/22)
Los Angeles Times:
Coronavirus: Rural California Children Face Challenges After School Closures
With schools closed because of the coronavirus, educators in vast stretches of rural California are struggling not only to teach their students but to reach them. From the mountain hamlets of Northern California to the farming communities of the Central Valley to the desert towns near the U.S.-Mexico border, small schools are grappling with how to serve far-flung, impoverished students with less access to at-home internet, spotty cellphone service and who rely on schools to feed them. (Branson-Potts, 4/22)
Los Angeles Times:
Will Coronavirus Change The Architecture And Design Of Cities?
Although pandemics have long been a tragic scourge on our cities, they’ve also forced architecture and city planning to evolve. The bubonic plague, which wiped out at least a third of Europe’s population in the 14th century, helped to inspire the radical urban improvements of the Renaissance. Cities cleared squalid and cramped living quarters, expanded their borders, developed early quarantine facilities, opened larger and less cluttered public spaces and deployed professionals with specialized expertise, from surveyors to architects. (Lubell, 4/22)