Latest From California Healthline:
California Healthline Original Stories
Citing COVID, Sutter Pushes To Revisit Landmark Antitrust Settlement
Six months after agreeing to a $575 million settlement in a landmark antitrust case, Sutter Health has yet to pay a single dollar and now says the terms may be untenable, given the strain caused by the pandemic. (Jenny Gold, )
The Costs Of Safely Reopening A High-End Restaurant
The shifting federal guidelines about how to reopen during the pandemic have perplexed many small-business owners, including the Prestifilippos, who dug deep into their wallets to provide a new kind of dining experience they hope is safe. (John M. Glionna, )
Hospitalization Rates, Not Confirmed Case Totals, Give Insight To State Of California’s Outbreak, Officials Say: California on Tuesday posted its highest daily coronavirus-related death total in nearly a week, even as the state continues to move forward with reopening. But health officials have said that the public needs to look beyond the rising number of coronavirus cases in California and focus on whether hospitalizations are increasing as a sign that reopening the economy is leading to new outbreaks. Statewide, coronavirus hospitalizations have been relatively flat for the last six weeks, even as officials have allowed myriad businesses to open their doors and people begin to resume old routines. But in some parts of California, hospitalizations are again on the rise — and if the trend continues, it could force officials to slow the pace of reopenings. Read more from Luke Money, Rong-Gong Lin II and Iris Lee of the Los Angeles Times, and Wes Goldberg of the Bay Area News Group.
LA City Council Members Want To Use Trained Specialists Instead Of Police To Respond To Calls Related To Homelessness, Mental Health: A motion submitted by City Council members Nury Martinez, Herb Wesson, Marqueece Harris-Dawson, Curren Price and Bob Blumenfield asks city departments to work with the Los Angeles Police Department and Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority to develop a model that diverts nonviolent calls for service away from the LAPD and to “appropriate non-law enforcement agencies.” It’s unclear how large the new response team would be, but in a statement, council members cast the program as part of an effort to reimagine public safety and reduce unnecessary police interactions. Representatives for the Los Angeles Police Protective League, the union representing rank-and-file officers, have previously pointed to the increased demands placed upon police officers, saying officers now perform the duties of therapists, drug treatment counselors, social workers and EMTs. Read more from Dakota Smith of the Los Angeles Times.
PG&E Pleads Guilty To 84 Deaths From 2018 Northern California Wildfire: Pacific Gas and Electric Co. formally pleaded guilty Tuesday to 84 counts of involuntary manslaughter over its responsibility for California’s deadliest and most destructive wildfire, a dramatic moment as the legal fallout from the historic blaze approaches its long-awaited conclusion. The fire nearly leveled the town of Paradise and surrounding areas more than 1½ years ago, and investigators found that it was started by an old power line that PG&E allowed to deteriorate. Read more from J.D. Morris and Lizzie Johnson of the San Francisco Chronicle and Dale Kasler of the Sacramento Bee.
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:
For The First Time, A Drug Is Found To Reduce Coronavirus Death Rate
A steroid long used in hospitals to control inflammation significantly reduced fatalities in seriously ill COVID-19 patients during a drug trial, marking the first time any coronavirus treatment has proven to prevent deaths, said a University of Oxford study released Tuesday. The drug dexamethasone reduced deaths among patients on ventilators by one-third and cut fatalities for people receiving oxygen by one-fifth in a drug trial involving 6,425 coronavirus patients in the United Kingdom, university scientists said. (Fimrite, 6/16)
San Francisco Chronicle:
The Cheap Steroid Being Hailed As Life-Saving COVID-19 Treatment: What We Know About Dexamethasone
In the race across the world to test existing drugs for their effectiveness in treating COVID-19, one affordable treatment has shown promise in a recent study. In a series of U.K. trials testing possible treatments of COVID-19 —the illness caused by the new coronavirus — the anti-inflammatory steroid dexamethasone reduced deaths in patients on ventilators by one-third, and patients on oxygen by one-fifth, according to a press release from the University of Oxford. (Hwang, 6/16)
Los Angeles Times:
Coronavirus Could Change How You Go To The Doctor
Even as hospitals and physicians’ offices nationwide struggle to stay afloat amid the downturn caused by coronavirus, a small group of clinics is thriving, sustained by a model of care that many experts hope could reshape medicine once the current crisis passes. These clinics have not only kept their doors open; in many cases they’ve expanded services, stepping up contact with patients and making home deliveries of food, medicine and other essentials. And while the coronavirus is taking a heavy toll on sick and elderly Americans, there are encouraging signs these clinics are managing to protect their patients, who include some of the nation’s most vulnerable. (Levey, 6/17)
San Francisco Chronicle:
These California Counties Have Seen A Surge In Coronavirus Cases Since Reopening
California started reopening its pandemic-battered economy a little over a month ago, and cases of the coronavirus have picked up statewide — but some counties have fared far worse than others. Residents were warned in early May that cases would undoubtedly jump as businesses were allowed to reopen and people began to leave their homes and interact again. Sure enough, new cases statewide have increased about 40% from the counts before reopening. (Allday and Massa, 6/16)
Bay Area News Group:
Santa Clara County Health Officer Dr. Sara Cody Receiving Threats
Dr. Sara Cody, Santa Clara County’s public health officer who has faced criticism for her cautious approach to lifting stay-at-home orders, has also been the target of personal threats. “We are aware of the threats made against Dr. Cody and it is under investigation,” Santa Clara County Sheriff’s Sgt. Michael Low said in a statement Tuesday. He provided no details about the nature of the threats. They were first reported by the Silicon Valley Business Journal. (Prodis Sulek, 6/16)
Bay Area News Group:
Synthetic COVID-19 Viruses, Built In Bay Area, Fuel Vaccine Research
Even as most of us are hiding from the lethal COVID-19 virus, scientists need it to do research. But that can be dangerous and difficult. So Bay Area labs are crafting the virus and its genes – synthetically and safely, tweaked so they’re not infectious. Designed, built and shipped to labs around the world, these synthetic creations are accelerating the development of vaccines and drugs in ways that were impossible a decade ago. (Krieger, 6/17)
San Jose Mercury News:
Some Inmates At California State Prisons Eligible For Early Release To Stem Coronavirus Spread
State prison inmates in California who have less than 180 days left to serve and meet certain other criteria will be released ahead of schedule beginning Wednesday, July 1, in hopes of stemming outbreaks of COVID-19, officials said Tuesday. The move aims to increase space inside state prisons, thereby allowing for better physical distancing and the isolation of patients, and could impact prisoners at facilities throughout California. Those who are allowed to leave prison ahead of schedule will be offered COVID-19 tests, California Depatment of Corrections and Rehabilitation officials said in a news release. (Licas, 6/17)
San Francisco Chronicle:
McDonald’s Workers In Oakland Take Further Legal Action Against Restaurant Amid Wave Of COVID-19 Cases
A group of workers at an Oakland McDonald’s on Telegraph Avenue, who said they were once told by managers to use dog diapers and coffee filters as makeshift face masks during the pandemic, have filed a complaint against the restaurant in Alameda County Superior Court. According to the filing, which lists four employees and a minor as plaintiffs, the group is seeking a temporary restraining order against the restaurant at 4514 Telegraph Ave. If granted, the location will remain closed until it complies with minimum COVID-19 health and safety standards. The restaurant originally shut down on May 26. (Phillips, 6/16)
San Francisco Chronicle:
Watch Out For Public Toilets: Coronavirus Could Splash Out, Scientists Say
Using a public restroom wasn’t great before the coronavirus pandemic. And it may be a lot worse now. The latest research on COVID-19 — and bathrooms — published Tuesday by the American Institute of Physics, shows that flushing a toilet can disperse the novel coronavirus 3 feet above the commode and suspend it in the air for more than a minute. That’s bad news for anyone rushing to the john after someone infected with the virus, and it could mean a higher rate of transmission as cities and counties lift shelter-in-place orders, and more and more people have to go on the go. (Alexander, 6/16)
San Francisco Chronicle:
A Coronavirus Survivor’s Diary: ‘I Was Ready To Die’
Surely, Rafael Arias thought, it must have been the spicy fish and rice he’d eaten the day before. The 42-year-old Oakland restaurant worker could think of no other reason for suddenly feeling ill... As his fever, aches and confusion worsened, Arias sensed he might have the virus. He decided to begin chronicling his days in a handwritten journal, to memorialize what he believed might be a descent to death. (Gafni, 6/17)
CalMatters:
Coronavirus Disrupts Addiction Treatment In California
Breanna Dixon doesn’t remember struggling to breathe when she overdosed, but her younger brother Joshua hasn’t forgotten the sound. At first, it sounded like heavy snoring coming from the TV room in the Dixon family home in Fontana, where the siblings were sheltering in place with their parents. It had been a month since the novel coronavirus forced California to a standstill, and Dixon, 28, was struggling. She had already overdosed twice before in the two years she had used opioids. Stuck at home with her family and a soon-to-be-ex-boyfriend, she found herself using more than ever. (Becker, 6/16)
Fresno Bee:
Valley Children’s Hospital Near Fresno CA Rated Among US Best
Valley Children’s Hospital was named among the top pediatric hospitals in the country by U.S. News & World Report magazine, earning top-50 rankings from the publication for seven separate specialties... “Our performance in U.S. News & World Report’s rankings, recognized in more service lines year over year, is most significant for what they mean to the patients we are privileged to serve,” said Todd Suntrapak, Valley Children’s president and CEO. “This is a recognition of our ability to provide the highest quality and safest patient care in the country.” (Sheehan, 6/16)
Fresno Bee:
Fresno Region Tops 3,000 New Coronavirus Cases In June
The central San Joaquin Valley has added more than 3,000 new confirmed COVID-19 infections among residents in June, and the number of deaths blamed on the novel coronavirus continues to inch higher. Three people across the six-county region lost their lives since Monday – two in Fresno County and one in Madera County, according to reports issued Tuesday afternoon by the counties’ health departments. Fresno County also reported 82 new cases of the virus on Tuesday, while Madera County saw its single-biggest daily increase in cases – 24 on Tuesday – since the county’s first case was reported in early March. (Sheehan, 6/16)
Fresno Bee:
COVID-19 Update: Fresno County Tops Region For Infections
Gov. Gavin Newsom on Monday said the state’s key measures of coronavirus impact show the state has stabilized, with the percentage of positive cases in sharp decline and now holding steady at around 4.5% – even as the overall number of cases is on the rise. Hospitalizations and ICU admissions also have held roughly flat over the past two-week period, Newsom said. (Tehee, 6/16)
Bay Area News Group:
San Mateo County To Resume Indoor Dining, Other Business Even Amid COVID Spike
Despite a recent spike in COVID-19 cases, San Mateo County has received the state’s approval to resume business for indoor dining, gyms, movie theaters and hair salons. With the approval, San Mateo joins Napa, Sonoma, Solano, and Santa Cruz and as the only counties in the Bay Area to be open for indoor dining. Restaurants in Contra Costa County can start indoor dining on July 1. Santa Clara County, San Francisco County and Alameda County have yet to announce dates for indoor dining. Alameda is only just now ready to allow outdoor dining; that starts this Friday. (Goldberg, 6/16)