Latest From California Healthline:
California Healthline Original Stories
California Aims to Address the ‘Urgent’ Needs of Older Residents. But Will Its Plan Work?
State officials recently unveiled a “master plan” to address the needs of California’s rapidly aging population, from housing to long-term care. Kim McCoy Wade, director of the state Department of Aging, vows it will not end up on a shelf gathering dust. (Samantha Young, )
More Covid Shots Coming: The White House on Tuesday announced a 23% leap in the nation’s allocations of vaccine doses, bringing the total to about 13.5 million a week. California will receive about 23% more first doses next week than this week, according to Tuesday allocation updates from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Read more from the Sacramento Bee.
Essential Workers Are Next In Line In LA: Certain essential workers in Los Angeles County will become eligible to receive covid-19 vaccinations starting March 1. The next pool of eligible residents includes teachers and child-care workers; food and agriculture workers (including grocery store employees); and law enforcement personnel and other emergency responders. Read more from the Los Angeles Times.
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 Diego Union-Tribune:
Family Caregivers Now Eligible For Vaccination, But Some Of Their Loved Ones Are Not
Informal family caregivers can now get the COVID-19 vaccine, but in some cases, their loved ones with certain medical conditions cannot, even though the state expanded the list of who is eligible last week. In a Feb. 2 health advisory update, county health officials clarified that both formal and informal caregivers to the elderly and those living with a disability are eligible to be vaccinated against COVID-19. (Mapp, 2/16)
San Francisco Chronicle:
S.F. May Miss Vaccination Target, Even As More Mass Sites Open
Even as more mass vaccination sites opened around California, serious concerns remained about supply — prompting questions over whether San Francisco can meet its end-of-June target date for when all eligible and willing residents can be vaccinated. With a continued shortage of vaccine doses — and the temporary closure of two mass vaccination sites in the city — hitting the June target seems unlikely, said Mary Ellen Carroll, executive director of the city’s Department of Emergency Management. “I would say more like the end of July,” Carroll told The Chronicle on Tuesday. “If we had the vaccines, we could 100% do it.” (Vaziri and Williams, 2/16)
Santa Rosa Press Democrat:
Common Questions About Sonoma County’s Coronavirus Vaccines Answered
Sonoma County’s newest vaccination option opened Tuesday: a walk-in clinic at the Veterans Memorial Hall in Sonoma, where up to 300 doses a day will be administered to a widening range of residents, starting with those 70 years old and up. (Barber, 2/16)
Modesto Bee:
California Getting More COVID Vaccine But Supplies Are Short In Stanislaus County
California is taking in a larger supply of coronavirus vaccine from the federal government, but local health officials wish it was boosting the immunity of a larger number of Stanislaus County residents. Counties like Stanislaus have set up clinics and hatched plans to vaccinate residents en masse. As of Tuesday, however, county officials didn’t know how much vaccine can be offered to eligible residents as the county clinics begin serving people in Phase 1B, Tier 1 of the state’s priority system next week. That tier includes school employees, daycare, food and agriculture workers and some emergency service employees. (Carlson, 2/17)
LA Daily News:
Cal State LA Hosts First Federally Supported Coronavirus Mass Vaccine Site – With Many More To Come
A massive COVID-19 vaccination site opened at Cal State Los Angeles on Tuesday, where Gov. Gavin Newsom and a slate of military, federal and local leaders ushered in the first of what is expected to be 100 such sites across the nation — all of them federally supported and state-managed. Newsom declared the sprawling campus maxi-center a significant step toward assuring equity in delivering the vaccines, determinedly placed amid a hot zone for COVID-19 surrounded by multiple densely populated communities of color. (Carter, 2/16)
Los Angeles Times:
L.A. County Gets Another Vaccine Site; Supply Remains Low
Two more COVID-19 vaccination super sites are opening in California, further expanding the state’s capacity to dole out doses even as supplies remain frustratingly limited. However, officials say the new inoculation centers at Cal State Los Angeles and the Oakland Coliseum will give California a much-needed shot in the arm because the vaccines needed to support them will come directly from the federal government and won’t eat into state allocations. Even though there aren’t currently enough doses to fully supply the mass vaccination sites that have sprung up across California, Gov. Gavin Newsom said it’s important to establish the capability to handle shipments that are expected to swell over the coming weeks and months as additional doses become available and more vaccines are hopefully approved for use. (Money, Ryan, Blume and Shalby, 2/16)
San Diego Union-Tribune:
Petco Park Vaccine Superstation To Reopen Wednesday, But Supply Issues Remain
After halting due to a vaccine shortage, the mass immunization site near Petco Park is set to resume operations Wednesday. The supercenter, run by UC San Diego, shut down from Sunday to Tuesday after the county announced Friday that a shipment of Moderna vaccine had not yet arrived. (Wosen, 2/16)
Bay Area News Group:
Why Californians Are Still Struggling To Get A Vaccine
New mass-vaccination sites at the Oakland Coliseum and Cal State Los Angeles began delivering shots to thousands of people on Tuesday in a step that state and local officials said would help protect residents in neighborhoods hard hit by the coronavirus. The sites opened a day after the state released the details of a vaccine distribution contract with the health care firm Blue Shield that calls for building out a better, faster and more equitable statewide network — a plan that Gov. Gavin Newsom and others say will help chart a path out of the year-long pandemic. But all of that optimism is running up against a more frustrating reality. (Savidge, 2/16)
Fresno Bee:
CA Lawmakers Push Newsom On Immigrant Detainees’ Vaccination
A group of lawmakers and advocates want Gov. Gavin Newsom to clear up what they say is conflicting information about the vaccination of hundreds of immigrants detained in the state’s immigration facilities. The group, led by Sen. Maria Elena Durazo, D-Los Angeles, sent a letter to Newsom about the issue on Tuesday. The letter, which more than a dozen other lawmakers signed, lists questions for the governor to answer. (Amaro, 2/17)
Santa Rosa Press Democrat:
More California Reopenings On The Way As COVID-19 Numbers Improve
Rapid declines in new coronavirus cases and hospitalizations in California have the nation’s most populous state on a path to loosening business restrictions imposed when the deadliest surge of the pandemic was gaining momentum. (Blood and Ronayne, 2/16)
San Francisco Chronicle:
As L.A. And S.F. Ponder Public School Reopenings, How Do Their COVID Numbers Compare?
The intense debate continues over how to safely reopen schools in California and across the country during the pandemic. Los Angeles County health officials have just cleared elementary schools for possible reopening after a significant drop in coronavirus cases. Los Angeles now allows schools to reopen with a waiver, which San Francisco already allowed. Both counties must follow state health guidelines about reopening. But data shows that with momentum building in Los Angeles for returning students to campuses, coronavirus case rates there are still considerably higher than in San Francisco. (Hwang, 2/16)
San Diego Union-Tribune:
Some San Diego Area Schools Are Testing Wastewater, Floors For Coronavirus
UC San Diego has created a wastewater and surface coronavirus testing program designed specifically for schools in disadvantaged communities hard-hit by COVID. The testing not only allows for faster results than traditional COVID testing, but UC San Diego researchers say it could be less costly and easier to implement in communities with families who may not want their children tested in schools, out of fear or a lack of trust. (Taketa, 2/17)
San Diego Union-Tribune:
Medical Community Warming To Novel Treatment For COVID-19 Patients
Shortly after receiving positive coronavirus test results, Russell and Marilyn Moll received a call. It was a UC San Diego doctor offering them a medication thought to reduce the chances that their mild cases might turn into the kind of severe disease that has put millions in hospital beds worldwide. After getting over the shock of a positive test — they said they had been so careful — the La Jolla couple decided to move forward with receiving doses of monoclonal antibodies made by Regeneron Pharmaceuticals. (Sisson, 2/16)
The New York Times:
Technology Executive Apologizes After Dozens of Event Attendees Contract Covid-19
A technology executive in California has apologized for hosting a conference in Culver City after which two dozen attendees and staff members at the event tested positive for the coronavirus. The executive, Peter H. Diamandis, was among those who contracted the coronavirus. He hosted the conference — an annual summit for a paid-membership group called Abundance 360 — indoors in late January, with a total of about 80 attendees, panelists and members of the support staff. (Fortin, 2/16)
San Diego Union-Tribune:
Chief County Medical Officer Yphantides On Unexpected Leave
San Diego County Chief Medical Officer Nick Yphantides, who had been a frequent presence in the early days of the local response to the coronavirus pandemic, is on an extended and unexplained leave of absence. The circumstances behind his leave, which is not health-related, are unclear. When reached by phone, Yphantides would not say whether his leave was voluntary or involuntary. (Warth, 2/16)
KQED:
California Fines Kaiser $499K For COVID-19 Worker Safety Violations
Cal/OSHA began citing Kaiser facilities in October, months after receiving complaints. The short-staffed agency has been inundated with COVID-related complaints. Between February and September of last year, it conducted on-site inspections for only 5% of almost 7,000 pandemic complaints. Almost half of Cal/OSHA’s citations to hospitals are directed at Kaiser. But it’s difficult to know for sure why Kaiser has been disciplined the most, said Laura Stock, director of the Labor Occupational Health Program at UC Berkeley. It could be its practices, but also its size, and its employees may be more willing to speak up about hazards, Stock said. (Ibarra, 2/16)
Sacramento Bee:
CA Bill Would Give Food Assistance To Undocumented Immigrants
As immigrant communities continue to be left out of federal COVID-19 relief and are unequally impacted by the pandemic’s economic downturn, a Democratic lawmaker is introducing a bill that seeks to expand a state food assistance program to Californians regardless of their immigration status. Senate Bill 464, introduced by state Sen. Melissa Hurtado, D-Sanger, on Wednesday would allow low-income undocumented immigrants to receive food-assistance benefits under the California Food Assistance Program. If passed, the expansion would commence in January 2023. To qualify, immigrants must meet all other CalFresh criteria. “Historically, there has been a need for this type of bill, here in the state of California,” Hurtado said. “This pandemic has made matters significantly worse for many more and we need to take action immediately.” (Bojórquez, 2/17)
San Diego Union-Tribune:
Caregiving Podcasts Offer At-Home Alternatives To In-Person Classes, Support Groups
Caregivers adjusting to the constant changes involved with tending to a loved one with a terminal health condition often find a great sense of relief from attending support group meetings. Before the COVID-19 pandemic changed daily life, San Diego County was home to a wide array of in-person classes, support groups, conferences and workshops aimed at educating family caregivers and helping them feel less isolated. (Mapp, 2/16)
San Diego Union-Tribune:
Adaptive Clothing Helps Resolve Challenges In Getting Dressed
Dressing a loved one with a cognitive, mental or physical health condition can be a source of frustration and aggravation for some family caregivers. Conventional clothing may be uncomfortable or impractical for those with mobility issues, and certain materials can be painful for people who have sensory issues or are otherwise neurodiverse, such as those living with autism. Although U.S. Census data show that more than 40 million Americans — or 13 percent of the country’s population — are living with a disability, these demographics have were historically been underserved by the fashion industry. (Mapp, 2/16)
The Bakersfield Californian:
New Public Health Director Carrigan Wanted To Go Beyond Numbers To Help Community
Taking over the reins of a public health agency in the middle of a pandemic might sound intimidating but not for Brynn Carrigan. The 37-year-old Bakersfield native, a graduate of South High and Cal State Bakersfield, officially became the county’s new Public Health Services director on Feb. 1, succeeding outgoing director Matt Constantine, who retires at the end of March. For Carrigan, the new position is the realization of a desire she developed in the early years of her career when she was crunching numbers as an accountant and budget analyst for the county. She admired the work of the departments whose spreadsheets and dollar signs she tinkered with on a daily basis and secretly harbored a desire to be out there with them. (Shepard, 2/16)