Latest From California Healthline:
California Healthline Original Stories
Is The Bay Area’s ‘Unprecedented’ Lockdown The First Of Many?
About 7 million people across the San Francisco Bay Area began to “shelter in place” Tuesday to limit the spread of the new coronavirus. Although public health officials acknowledged the orders were drastic, they also agreed they were necessary. (Jenny Gold and Rachel Bluth, )
Amid Coronavirus Pandemic, Programs Struggle To Reach Vulnerable Seniors Living At Home
Older adults are at serious risk during this pandemic and have been advised to avoid contact with others. Yet many still need essential services, and programs are scrambling to adapt. (Judith Graham, )
'This Is Really About Saving Lives': California's Stringent Measures To Protect State Might Set Example For Other States: The most ambitious experiment in America to stop the spread of the coronavirus — shelter-in-place orders for almost every resident — was underway for seven million people living around the San Francisco Bay on Tuesday. Another two million people were being asked to stay home under similar directives in the Sacramento and Monterey areas on Wednesday. As other parts of the country contemplate similar measures, the shelter-in-place order in the Bay Area is testing the willingness of a go-it-alone society to curb personal behavior for the greater good of the community, especially older people and those vulnerable to severe disease because of medical conditions.
“I was here for September 11. ... I was here for the global economic meltdown. Nobody has been to a rodeo like this before,” said San Francisco Supervisor Aaron Peskin, who spent Tuesday morning on a weary drive through his district in the densely populated northeast quadrant of San Francisco. “This is impacting everyone’s bottom line, especially employees. But everyone is doing what they can to flatten the curve” and slow the spread of COVID-19.
Read more from The San Francisco Chronicle, The New York Times, the Los Angeles Times, and the Bay Area News Group.
In related news from the Los Angeles Times: In San Francisco Bay Area, Compliance With ‘Shelter In Place’ Order Is Uneven
Bay Area Hospitals Haven’t Seen Surge Of Coronavirus Patients Yet, But They’re Braced For Onslaught Soon: Even with a regional “shelter-in-place” order designed to slow spread of the disease, doctors, nurses and other frontline workers are fearful that they’ll soon be overwhelmed with people seriously ill and in need of critical care. “The attempts at flattening the curve are very laudable. It’s correct to try to do that, otherwise we get this massive peak and overwhelm the hospital system,” said Dr. Hallam Gugelmann. “But I don’t know how well it will work. I think it’s probably too late. I think there are probably a ton of cases out in the community. That’s what I’m worried about.” The fear is that if hospitals get too many patients with COVID-19 — the illness caused by coronavirus — all at once, then there won’t be enough ventilators and critical care beds for everyone who needs them. Read more from 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
San Francisco Chronicle:
Gov. Gavin Newsom Isn’t Ordering Coronavirus Changes — He’s Asking
While governors across the country issue mandatory orders cutting back on social activity to stop the spread of the coronavirus, Gov. Gavin Newsom is relying on policy guidelines and an expectation that Californians will voluntarily follow them. In the past two weeks, Newsom has published recommendations on when schools should close, called for the cancellation of gatherings larger than 250 people and urged all bars and nightclubs to shut down. On Monday night, he gave local governments authority to temporarily halt evictions for people or businesses that cannot pay their rent because of the virus outbreak — something several cities were already moving to do. But Newsom has made none of those actions mandatory, and has resisted as advocacy groups urged him to respond more forcefully. (Koseff, 3/17)
CalMatters:
California Schools Likely Closed Through Summer
If your jaw just hit the floor, don’t worry. When I heard Gov. Gavin Newsom say during a Tuesday evening press conference that he doubts California’s K-12 schools — nearly 99 percent of which have closed in response to the coronavirus pandemic — will reopen before summer vacation, mine did too. (Hoeven, 3/18)
CalMatters:
California Coronavirus: Are Colleges Ready To Go Online?
Thanks to the coronavirus, California is about to embark on an enormous unplanned experiment in remote learning — and no one knows how long it will last. The first challenge is simple: making sure everyone can log on. (Arredondo, Mello and Salanga, 3/17)
CalMatters:
Newsom Did Not Issue A Statewide Eviction Ban. Tenant Groups Say Renters' Health Could Be Threatened
As millions of anxious California renters worry about their health and paychecks in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, Gov. Gavin Newsom has issued an executive order that allows cities and counties to stop landlords from kicking out tenants who miss their next rent payment — if local governments want to do so. Tenant-rights groups, which have been pushing for a statewide moratorium on nearly all evictions except those necessitated by domestic violence or similar circumstances, expressed deep disappointment over the governor’s move. (Levin, 3/17)
San Francisco Chronicle:
Coronavirus Help: SF To Halt Commercial Evictions For Small Businesses
San Francisco Mayor London Breed plans to ban commercial evictions for small- and medium-sized businesses impacted by the new coronavirus. The move, announced Tuesday, comes as businesses and workers across the Bay Area stare down the existential economic threat posed by the pandemic and the shelter-in-place order it’s prompted. (Fracassa, 3/17)
Fresno Bee:
Fresno CA Opens Hundreds Of Beds For Homeless Amid COVID-19
Fresno County is making available over 300 new shelter beds for homeless residents as early as Tuesday evening in response to the coronavirus pandemic. “We had our first call on Sunday. And here we are on Tuesday with people going into housing that have been identified as high-risk,” said Laura Moreno, program manager at the Department of Social Services. (Tobias, 3/17)
Sacramento Bee:
CA Capitol Closes To Public Amid Coronavirus Outbreak
The California Capitol building in Sacramento has closed its doors to the public in an effort to slow the spread of a coronavirus that’s sickened hundreds of Californians, killed nearly a dozen and all but halted ordinary life in the Golden State. The Senate and Assembly Joint Rules Committee issued a memo on Tuesday that said Sacramento County’s order for residents to stay at home necessitated the building’s closure to the public. (Wiley, 3/17)
Sacramento Bee:
Newsom Warns Coronavirus Will Strain California Hospitals
Californians’ behavior in the next eight weeks will determine how burdened hospitals will be as they treat a projected surge in patients infected with the coronavirus, Gov. Gavin Newsom said Tuesday. Newsom declined to reveal exactly when California’s models show the surge will come and how many may die, saying he did not want to cause alarm. The state’s current hospital surge capacity of about 90,000 falls thousands of beds short of what may be needed, but officials are working to secure more facilities and equipment to meet the demand, he said. (Bollag, 3/17)
Sacramento Bee:
Coronavirus: CA Hospitals To Postpone Elective Surgery
Dignity Health, Kaiser Permanente and Sutter Health said Tuesday that they are postponing elective surgeries and procedures as they preserve capacity for patients with critical needs, as the nation braces for a surge in severe infections caused by the coronavirus. UC Davis Health spokesman Charles Casey said the academic teaching hospital was not putting off elective procedures, but the postponements could affect Dignity hospitals in Carmichael, Folsom, Grass Valley, Sacramento and Woodland; Sutter facilities in Davis, Roseville and Sacramento; and Kaiser medical centers in Sacramento and Roseville. (Anderson, 3/18)
Fresno Bee:
Fresno CA Hospitals Gear Up For Added Testing, Virus Prevention
Hospitals in the central San Joaquin Valley are rolling out emergency tents and limiting patient visits as the response to the novel coronavirus widens across the country. Hospital officials say the hospital tent extensions are meant to keep patients with possible COVID-19 at a safe distance from others. Testing for the coronavirus is becoming increasingly common at hospitals, although wait times are expected in places where there is high demand. (Rodriguez-Delgado, 3/16)
San Francisco Chronicle:
Coronavirus: ‘Essential’ Bay Area Businesses, Workers Grapple With Staying Open In Pandemic
The “shelter in place” order, which began Tuesday across much of the Bay Area, brought confusion as to which businesses were “essential” and could remain open. Owners, managers and workers faced a complex set of challenges, from protecting themselves from the widening pandemic the orders were meant to stem, to dealing with swiftly changing rules handed down by authorities. Grocery, hardware and convenience stores are among those considered essential, but retailers selling consumer goods are not. (Narayan, Moench and Li, 3/17)
Sacramento Bee:
Sacramento County Tells Residents To Stay Home Due To COVID-19
In yet another dramatic move to fight the spread of coronavirus, Sacramento County health officials on Tuesday afternoon called on all residents, not just the elderly, to stay at home effective immediately unless they have essential chores to do, such as grocery shopping, banking, restaurant food pickups, or health appointments. The directive stops short of being a formal order, but represents a stricter stance than Gov. Gavin Newsom called for Monday night when he asked all restaurants and gyms to close, and for anyone 65 and older to hunker down at home for their safety. (Bizjak and Yoon-Hendricks, 3/17)
Los Angeles Times:
Orange County Coronavirus Cases Hit 22, Businesses Struggle
The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Orange County has risen to 22 as ongoing fears over the disease’s spread shuttered one of the nation’s busiest malls and continued to hammer local businesses. The county’s total as of Monday— up five from the day before — includes four cases believed to have been spread through the community, according to the Orange County Health Care Agency. (Money, Pinho, Davis, Nguyen, Turner and Szabo, 3/17)
San Francisco Chronicle:
Coronavirus Chases 85% Of Riders Off BART — But The Agency Won’t Cut Service As Losses Mount
BART virtually emptied out on Tuesday, with 85% fewer riders than it had on an average weekday in February. Combined losses from fares and parking revenue will cost BART some $37 million a month, agency managers predicted. (Swan, 3/17)
San Francisco Chronicle:
San Francisco Cannabis Dispensaries Win Reprieve From Coronavirus Shutdown Order
San Francisco officials are allowing cannabis businesses to remain open while many other stores are shut down over the next three weeks as the city goes to extreme lengths to fight the coronavirus pandemic. City officials originally told cannabis stores they had to close on Tuesday because of the city’s order one day earlier to close nonessential businesses and have residents stay at home as much as possible. But then the San Francisco Department of Health sent a tweet Tuesday afternoon saying that dispensaries could stay open after all. (Morris, 3/17)
Sacramento Bee:
After Coronavirus Death, More Shutdowns Of Religious Services
Congregation B’nai Israel, the region’s largest synagogue, is canceling its community Passover seder and postponing b’nai mitzvah, the coming-of-age ceremonies for 13-year-olds. The decision didn’t come easy. Young people spend months preparing for their b’nai mitzvah and relatives typically come from around the country; the ceremonies can draw as many as 200 people. (Sabalow, Kasler and Morrar, 3/17)
Fresno Bee:
Fresno, CA, Shelters Expect Increased Need Amid Coronavirus
Fresno homeless shelters and organizations serving vulnerable populations — such as victims of domestic violence — brace for an increased need, along with “extra challenges,” amid fears over the spread of coronavirus. Some local shelters are taking a financial hit as fundraising events have been canceled. And at least two local shelters grapple with a need for cleaning supplies and toilet paper. None report any people staying in their facilities experiencing coronavirus symptoms. (Amaro, 3/17)
Fresno Bee:
Coronavirus: Central San Joaquin Valley Courts Cut Back Operations
Central San Joaquin Valley courts are altering their schedules, suspending programs, and reducing the number of people inside its buildings in an effort to reduce the spread of the highly contagious coronavirus (COVID-19). Federal, state and local health officials have urged the public to avoid large gatherings of 50 people as a way to limit the potential exposure to the virus. And often crowded Valley courtrooms are no exception, lawyers said. (Rodriguez, 3/17)
Fresno Bee:
Fresno County CA Declares Emergency. One Supervisor Says Many Are 'Overreacting'
The Fresno County Board of Supervisors declared the novel coronavirus an official emergency Tuesday, following recommendations from federal and state officials, but at least one supervisor said it’s an overreaction. In two separate votes, the supervisors gave the county’s emergency director and its health officer the power to pursue state and federal emergency funds as they become available. (Miller, 3/17)
Fresno Bee:
Some Fresno CA Area Stores Close As Coronavirus Worry Mounts
First, bars were closing and restaurants were closing their dining rooms. Now, some stores are closing as they try to protect their workers and shoppers from the possible spread of coronavirus. Both chain stores and to a lesser extent locally owned stores are announcing temporary closures. Macy’s announced Tuesday it would close all its stores by the end of the day, including its department stores and the discount Macy’s Backstage store at Fashion Fair. (Clough, 3/17)
Fresno Bee:
Kings County Declares State Of Emergency Over Coronavirus
Kings County declared a state of emergency Tuesday, hoping to have a prepared response to the novel coronavirus. Kings became the latest central San Joaquin Valley county to declare an emergency over COVID-19 as it has spread in the United States. The emergency declaration gives counties the ability to respond to issues quicker and seek state and federal assistance. (Rodriguez-Delgado, 3/17)