Latest From California Healthline:
California Healthline Original Stories
‘Better Than the Hospital’: Pandemic Boosts Care for Serious Illnesses at Home
Covid-19 and dozens of other illnesses now qualify for home treatment under a new federal effort aimed at freeing up hospital beds during public health emergencies. (Stephanie O'Neill Patison, )
More Counties Move To Less Restrictive Tiers: The California Department of Public Health this week moved Amador, Orange, Santa Clara and Santa Cruz counties from the orange to yellow tier -- the loosest in the framework -- and Tehama County from red to orange. Positive state-wide covid trends also meant that no county regressed to a more restrictive tier. Read more reporting from AP and The Sacramento Bee. Scroll down for more county-by-county updates.
No Faster Track For Lifting Mask Mandate: Despite the recent change in CDC guidance on masks, California will stay the course and relax state requirements on June 15 -- as previously announced. State leaders say that the extra time will help businesses and and residents to prepare for the big policy shift that allows fully vaccinated people to skip masks in most indoor settings. And even after June 15, some counties or cities may have different rules. Read stories from KQED, CalMatters and AP. And scroll down for more details.
Safety-Net Hospital 'On The Precipice': Los Angeles County + USC Medical Center features prominently in NPR and Frontline's latest special report on the financial struggles safety-net hospitals have been facing during the pandemic -- as opposed to many private hospitals which flourished. "Our costs went way up, and revenue went down," says Brad Spellberg, chief medical officer at LAC + USC. "Unlike a private hospital, we don't make money from our [operating rooms]. Medicaid and Medicare do not reimburse at a level where if you say, if we do more things, I'm going to make more money." Read the full story, as well as related reporting on systemic disparities and hospitals' challenges. And watch Frontline's "The Healthcare Divide."
More News From Across The State
CalMatters:
Herd Immunity? Only Two Counties Are Even Close
Five months after COVID-19 vaccinations began, only two California counties are close to reaching “herd immunity” while most trail far behind with less than half of their eligible population vaccinated. A CalMatters analysis of state vaccination data found that in nine counties, less than a third of residents ages 16 and over were fully vaccinated as of last week. In 45 of the state’s 58 counties, less than half were vaccinated. (Ibarra, 5/18)
San Francisco Chronicle:
California's Vaccines Vs. Variants Race: The Vaccines Are Winning
For the first few months of the year, the situation was urgent and the potential consequences devastating: Just as California was ramping up its vaccination campaign, new variants of the coronavirus were emerging that threatened to trigger a fresh surge of cases. The end of the pandemic was in sight, but variants that were more infectious and potentially able to evade vaccines could still knock California off course. A fourth surge, and the countless associated deaths, would be unconscionable after the life-saving vaccines had arrived. (Allday, 5/19)
Los Angeles Times:
Black, Latino Residents In L.A. Still Lag In COVID Vaccines
Los Angeles County must ensure COVID-19 vaccinations are far more accessible to Black and Latino residents if the region wants to reach herd immunity and an end to the pandemic, officials said Tuesday. Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer told the Board of Supervisors that there is a “very disturbing” trend in the disparities of who is getting vaccinated. (Cosgrove, 5/18)
The Santa Rosa Press Democrat:
LA’s Racial Gap Among COVID-19 Vaccine Recipients Still ’Very Disturbing'
Los Angeles County must ensure COVID-19 vaccinations are far more accessible to Black and Latino residents if the region wants to reach herd immunity and an end to the pandemic, officials said Tuesday. Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer told the Board of Supervisors that there is a "very disturbing" trend in the disparities of who is getting vaccinated. (Cosgrove, 5/18)
Los Angeles Times:
Why Many Latino Men Haven't Gotten Vaccinated Yet
Vaccination rates are especially low among Latino men. In L.A. County, 39% had gotten at least one shot, compared to 59% of white men, as of May 9. Across demographics, women are more likely to get vaccinated than men, with about 46% of Latina women having gotten a shot. Healthcare advocates are zeroing in on the issues that prevent Latino men from getting vaccinated, which range from misinformation to busy schedules, lack of familiarity with the healthcare system and fear of side effects. (Reyes-Velarde, 5/19)
The Fresno Bee:
Knock, Knock. Have You Had Your Vaccine Yet? California Sends Out Thousands To Check
Right now, thousands of people are out knocking on doors in order to get as many Californians vaccinated as possible. The state of California has kicked in $10 million to fund the effort, which is being led by Healthy Future California and UCLA, in partnership with 70 community-based organizations.There are an estimated 2,000 people who are employed “to make peer-to-peer appeals and provide support to help overcome barriers to vaccinations,” according to Gov. Gavin Newsom’s office. (Sheeler, 5/19)
Bay Area News Group:
Santa Clara County Mandating Workplaces To Track Employees' Vaccination Status
Santa Clara County will require employers to determine the vaccination status of their employees starting Wednesday as the state moves away from remote office work, aiming to get ahead of a wider June 15th reopening and potential revisions to workplace rules. The mandate appears to advance beyond what the state has so far required of employers, though California already allows businesses to use vaccination status to determine whether people may attend certain larger gatherings like sports games, weddings, conferences, concerts or theater shows. (Kelliher, 5/18)
Los Angeles Times:
Californians Support Venues Requiring COVID Vaccine Proof
As California’s businesses reopen, a majority of state residents are in support of allowing entertainment venues require proof that their patrons are vaccinated or have tested negative for COVID-19, and for some employers to require vaccinations of workers, according to a statewide poll conducted by UC Berkeley’s Institute of Governmental Studies that was funded in part by The Times. The survey of registered voters provides a snapshot of residents’ attitudes on COVID vaccination verification issues about a month after officials announced reopening rules for indoor live events that allowed some businesses to demand vaccine “passports.” (Vega, 5/18)
Sacramento Bee:
Poll: Californians Support COVID Vaccine Checks At Businesses
A majority of California voters supports allowing some businesses to verify that their customers are vaccinated or have tested negative for coronavirus before allowing them to enter, according to a new poll. Of the more than 10,000 registered voters polled between April 29 and May 5, two out of three said businesses like concert venues, sports stadiums, cruise ships and casinos should be allowed to check vaccination records of those who want to enter. About one-third disapproves of such a system. (Korte, 5/18)
San Francisco Chronicle:
The Risk That You'll Become A 'Breakthrough' COVID Case Is Lower In The Bay Area Than Elsewhere. Here's Why
In offering the guidance last week, the CDC cited real-world evidence that shows the vaccines are working and they are 95% effective at preventing illness and nearly 100% effective at preventing hospitalization or death. Several Bay Area experts on Monday amplified that message, saying that the evidence is quite clear that vaccines provide strong protection not just against severe illness and death, but against getting infected at all. (Hwang, 5/18)
Los Angeles Times:
COVID-19 Declines In California As Normal Life Returns
With California set to fully reopen its economy in a matter of weeks, the state hit a key milestone as coronavirus-related deaths and new cases plummeted to dramatic lows. On Monday night, the average number of daily COVID-19 deaths reported over the past seven-day period was 37 — the same number it has been for several days. It has been the lowest average number of daily deaths in more than 13 months, and a 93% drop from the peak of 553 deaths a day for the seven-day period that ended Jan. 27, according to a Times analysis. (Lin II, 5/18)
The Orange County Register:
Orange County Will Move To Yellow Tier On Wednesday
After weeks of waiting and watching COVID-19 case statistics tick slowly down, Orange County has qualified for the state’s yellow tier, with restrictions on businesses set to further loosen Wednesday, May 19. State data released Tuesday show the number of cases per 100,000 residents had reached 1.5 and had remained below the threshold of 2 cases per 100,000 for the required two weeks. While not much will change for some businesses – most stores and restaurants have already returned to full capacity – others will be cleared to reopen indoor service or expand capacity. (Robinson, 5/18)
The Bakersfield Californian:
Coronavirus Levels Stabilize After Increase
Kern County’s coronavirus metrics stabilized in the latest weekly update after an increase the previous week. On Tuesday, the California Department of Public Health released coronavirus statistics for all counties in the state for the time period between May 2 and May 8. Previously, Kern had been experiencing a steady decline in COVID-19 spread before the increase. (5/18)
The Modesto Bee:
Stanislaus Reports Low Numbers For Total Cases And Hospitals
Stanislaus County reported its first death to COVID-19 in five days Tuesday and low numbers for hospitals and total cases.A total of 1,042 residents have died from the virus since April 2020, the county Health Services Agency said. (Holland, 5/18)
Southern California News Group:
What Does The Yellow Tier Mean For Disneyland?
Disneyland and Disney California Adventure can raise attendance capacity to 35% now that Orange County has moved into the least restrictive yellow tier of the state’s COVID-19 health and safety guidelines. Orange County — home to Disneyland, DCA and Knott’s Berry Farm — will move from the orange/moderate tier 3 to the yellow/minimal tier 4 of Gov. Gavin Newsom’s Blueprint for a Safer Economy on Wednesday, May 19. The move means Orange County theme parks can raise state-mandated attendance caps from 25% to 35%. (MacDonald, 5/19)
Stat:
How The Covid Pandemic Ends: Scientists Look To The Past To See The Future
We’re approaching the year-and-a-half mark of the globe’s collective experience with the SARS-CoV-2 virus and the Covid-19 pandemic it has triggered. At this point, it’s fair to assume people the world over are asking themselves the same two questions: How will this end? And when? There may have been a fleeting chance humans could have halted spread of SARS-2 and driven it back into nature, as happened with its cousin, SARS-1. But that door was firmly shut long ago. It also seems that another option — vaccinating our way out of the pandemic — is an expensive toll highway that few countries will be able to access in the near term. That probably sounds bleak, but don’t despair. (Branswell, 5/19)
NBC News:
Back To Normal? Psychologists Warn The Pandemic Could Have Lasting Effects
As life slowly returns to some version of normalcy in the U.S., psychologists are confronting a difficult reality: Many people won't be back to normal anytime soon. That means the work of many mental health professionals is only starting. Psychologists are ramping up efforts to understand how the pandemic has affected Americans’ minds — with an eye on inequality and long-term reverberations. (Benson, 5/18)
San Francisco Chronicle:
New CDC Guidelines Raise Thorny Questions About The Future Of Masking At Bay Area Restaurants
When colorful steakhouse Palmetto debuted last week in Oakland, co-owner Christ Aivaliotis assumed diners would wear masks just like they’ve grown accustomed to at his tiki bar several blocks away. But this was a new restaurant with a new clientele — and not everyone complied. Some questioned Palmetto’s mask policy when the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced Thursday that vaccinated people no longer needed to wear them in most settings. Aivaliotis gave masks to two people who arrived without any coverings, yet they wouldn’t wear them. (Bitker, 5/18)
ABC7 San Francisco:
Immunocompromised Activist Worries Lifting California's Mask Mandate Will Put Their Community At Risk
On June 15 California's mask mandate expires and we will begin to implement the CDC's guidelines. The immunocompromised community is concerned there won't be a way to know who is fully vaccinated and who isn't, putting them at risk. "I see it as, OK, I would've had a month and a half since my vaccination to buy my own groceries and then it's back home being terrified," said disabled activist Charis Hill. (Pena, 5/18)
inewsource:
COVID-19 Testing Waiver At Donovan Prison Called Deceptive, Inappropriate
Medical staff at Donovan state prison in San Diego have been asking inmates who decline COVID-19 testing to waive the prison of any liability for their illness or death — a move a medical expert viewed as unethical and a law professor said may be unconstitutional. A copy of the waiver form, obtained by inewsource, describes the risks of refusing COVID-19 testing and says the corrections department is “free of any responsibility” for complications resulting from the virus. Inmates who decline testing can sign their name alongside the name of a witness. (Plummer and Castellano, 5/18)
San Francisco Chronicle:
S.F. Hunger Still At Pandemic-Crisis Levels As Officials Push For More Community Food Hubs
Before the pandemic, one in four people in San Francisco lacked reliable access to healthy food. With rising unemployment during lockdown, especially among low-income workers without safety nets, the problem only grew and the need hasn’t let up over the past year. The city has delivered at least 13.3 million meals or bags of groceries through food banks, the school district and disability and aging services, with roughly 2.3 million for COVID-specific programs. In all programs except for schools, more food is being provided than before the pandemic. (Moench 5/18)
The Bakersfield Californian:
As Local COVID-19 Memorial Is Unveiled, Hundreds Gather To Remember, Honor Those Who Died
It was a day of sadness, it was a day of joy, it was a chance to look back, it was a moment to gaze forward, it was a time for despair, it was a reason for hope. More than 400 people gathered under trees and shade structures Tuesday morning as Kevin Russell and his employees at American Fabrication in Bakersfield unveiled a remembrance wall that will bear the names of hundreds of local residents who have succumbed to COVID-19. (Mayer, 5/18)
California Healthline:
To The Bat Cave: In Search Of Covid’s Origins, Scientists Reignite Polarizing Debate On Wuhan ‘Lab Leak’
Once dismissed as a conspiracy theory, the idea that the covid virus escaped from a Chinese lab is gaining high-profile attention. As it does, reputations of renowned scientists are at risk — and so is their personal safety. At the center of the storm is Peter Daszak, whose EcoHealth Alliance has worked directly with Chinese coronavirus scientists for years. The scientist has been pilloried by Republicans and lost National Institutes of Health funding for his work. He gets floods of threats, including hate mail with suspicious powders. In a rare interview, he conceded that he can’t disprove that the deadly covid-19 virus resulted from a lab leak at the Wuhan Institute of Virology — though he doesn’t believe it. (Allen, 5/19)
KPBS:
State Resumes Annual Inspections Of California Nursing Homes
Annual inspections of California’s 1,100 nursing homes have resumed after a pandemic-induced, year-long hiatus. And anecdotal evidence suggests the inspectors have much work to do as they re-enter facilities. “Conditions in many facilities across the state have grown incredibly dire over the course of the pandemic and if anything, are as bad as they’ve ever been right now,” said Mike Dark, staff lawyer with California Advocates for Nursing Home Reform. (Sharma, 5/18)
California Healthline:
Racism Derails Black Men’s Health, Even As Education Levels Rise
More education typically leads to better health, yet Black men in the U.S. are not getting the same benefit as other groups, research suggests. The reasons for the gap are vexing, experts said, but may provide an important window into unique challenges faced by Black men as they try to gain not only good health but also an equal footing in the U.S. (Anderson, 5/19)
KQED:
Congress Passes Bill To Combat 'Second Pandemic' Of Anti-Asian Hate
The U.S. House of Representatives passed a bill Tuesday to address the increase in hate crimes and violence against Asian Americans during the coronavirus pandemic, clearing the legislation for President Biden to sign. The COVID–19 Hate Crimes Act passed by a 364-62 vote. All 62 votes against the bill were from Republicans. The Senate approved the legislation last month. (Sprunt, 5/18)
NPR:
U.S. To Grant Citizenship To Children Born Via IVF, Surrogacy
The State Department will now approve U.S. citizenship for children born abroad to same-sex or heterosexual American parents via in-vitro fertilization, surrogacy and by other assisted reproductive means. Under the policy announced Tuesday, the child must be born abroad to married parents and at least one of the parents has to be a U.S. citizen. The child must have biological ties to at least one parent. (Diaz, 5/19)
The San Diego Union-Tribune:
Well Spouse Holds Second Annual Conference For Caregivers Saturday
In the 21 years since Poway resident Edna Culp’s husband was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease, she has had to raise their children largely on her own while simultaneously acting as his caregiver. That’s more than two decades she has had to live without her partner, friend and lover being as fully present in their lives as she hoped he’d be the day she married him. Today, Mark Culp rarely recognizes her anymore, and he sometimes calls her “Donna” — the name of an ex-girlfriend he had in his 20s. Her dream of growing old with him has been shattered. (Mapp, 5/18)
Orange County Register:
Coronavirus: How Travel Is Expected To Improve This Summer
The travel industry was one of the business sectors impacted the most by the global pandemic. Today, we look at how business and pleasure travel is shaping up for the summer months. (Snibbe, 5/18)
Orange County Register:
No Jail For 62 Guilty Pleas In Body Brokering Case, Sparking Anger And Questions
Dylan Walker faced up to 62 years behind bars, but won’t serve a single day in jail after pleading guilty to 62 counts of patient brokering. Walker also won’t pick up one bit of trash along the freeway, or spoon one ladle of soup in community service after signing a May 6 plea deal that reduced the felony charges against him to misdemeanors. His sentence: One year of informal probation and $267,483 in restitution, which he already paid. (Sforza and Saavedra, 5/18)
Voice of San Diego:
Flush With Aid, Most Districts Aren’t Spending On Mental Health Resources
In April, a San Marcos High School student died by suicide and now mental health professionals are urging San Marcos and other districts to invest in counseling and other services with the influx of cash they’re getting from the state and federal government. For now, there’s no indication they are. Voice of San Diego found that schools leaders are relying on mental health and social-emotional training from the County Office of Education and are working with local community groups, but not spending more money on crisis counseling despite receiving millions of dollars in coronavirus relief funding. (Jimenez, 5/17)
The California Health Report:
Taking A Stand: How Teens Are Working To End Relationship Violence
An estimated 15.5 million children in the U.S. are exposed to domestic violence each year. According to the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than a quarter of girls and 15 percent of boys experience some form of intimate partner violence — such as sexual assault, physical abuse or stalking — before the age of 18. Children and teens who experience dating violence or who are exposed to domestic violence at home are at higher risk for mental health problems. And, due to their past trauma, they are more likely than other young people to experience abusive relationships as adults. Across California, public health advocates are working to prevent violence before it begins. Among them are hundreds of young people who are sparking conversations in their schools and communities about what healthy relationships should look like and how to recognize abusive behaviors. The California Health Report spoke with six of these youths about their activism and the experiences that motivate them. All saw an urgent need to help more young people recognize abusive behaviors in themselves and others. Doing so, they said, can play a critical role in breaking the cycle of violence. (Boyd Barrett, 5/18)
Los Angeles Daily News:
Aiming To Reduce Overdose Deaths, LA County Expands Naloxone Distribution Among Homeless
Citing overdoses as the number one cause of death among homeless individuals, the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday, May 18, approved a plan to expand the distribution of naloxone — which reverses opioid overdoses — and target this population. At the recommendation of Supervisor Sheila Kuehl, the board also agreed to expand other “harm reduction programs,” such as medication-assisted treatment and syringe programs for people experiencing homelessness. (5/18)
San Francisco Chronicle:
S.F. Treatment Center For Homeless And Mentally Ill Finally Opens In The Mission After Year Of Delays
A 30-bed facility for those struggling with extreme mental illnesses and drug use finally opened in the Mission District on Tuesday, following more than a year of delays that underscore San Francisco’s challenges in expanding services for its most vulnerable. The hope is that the new site — called Hummingbird Valencia — will ease the burden in the emergency room, where the city’s homeless often cycle through. The program, located in a Salvation Army building at 1156 Valencia St., will be San Francisco’s second psychiatric respite center. (Thadani, 5/18)
NPR:
Researchers Worry Facebook Is Muddying Platform's Link To Depression
Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers' biggest fear as a parent isn't gun violence, or drunk driving, or anything related to the pandemic. It's social media. And specifically, the new sense of "brokenness" she hears about in children in her district, and nationwide. Teen depression and suicide rates have been rising for over a decade, and she sees social apps as a major reason. (Parks, 5/18)
San Francisco Chronicle:
$55 Billion Is Flooding Into California School Districts. But Will It Be Spent Wisely?
Education advocates are sounding the alarm as California school districts rush to spend roughly $55 billion dollars in state and federal funds aimed to help districts recover from the pandemic and students who struggled academically to catch up. In a report released Tuesday, multiple advocacy organizations called for increased transparency and accountability as districts move to spend the money and plan for next fall, urging districts to focus on vulnerable students. The report’s 20 recommendations focus on increasing services for students with special needs, staffing concerns and more. (Talley, 5/18)