Latest From California Healthline:
California Healthline Original Stories
California Businesses Go From Simmer to Boil Over Newsom’s Fine Dining
Small-business owners struggling to remain afloat are increasingly defying new shutdown orders, in some cases pointing to Gov. Gavin Newsom’s French Laundry dinner as a reason not to comply. (Bernard J. Wolfson and Anna Almendrala, )
S.F. Stays Out Of The Purple, For Now: San Francisco did not move into the most restrictive purple tier of California’s economic reopening plan as expected Tuesday. San Francisco also will keep restaurants open for outdoor dining when the city does move into the purple tier, possibly later this week, a city official said Tuesday. Read more from the San Francisco Chronicle, SF Gate and Los Angeles Times. Continued coverage, below.
Petition Seeks To Halt Ban On Sale Of Flavored Tobacco: A coalition representing the tobacco industry said Tuesday it has turned in more than 1 million signatures as it seeks to qualify a referendum for the November 2022 ballot aimed at overturning a law banning the retail sale of flavored tobacco products in California. The new law is scheduled to take effect Jan. 1. Read more from the Los Angeles Times.
Note to readers: California Healthline is off for the rest of the week. Check for it next in your inbox on Nov. 30. Have a safe, happy Thanksgiving.
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
Bay Area News Group:
Coronavirus: California Shatters Daily Case Record With More Than 20,000
Counties in every corner of California set records on their way to the state’s highest daily case count of the COVID-19 pandemic, according to this news organization’s analysis of health department data. Altogether, there were 20,554 new coronavirus cases reported around California on Monday alone, shattering the previous single-day record of 16,521, which came following the July 4 weekend and included a significant backlog; Monday’s total includes up to three days worth of data for some counties that do not issue updates over the weekend. (Webeck, 11/24)
Sacramento Bee:
Sacramento County Slammed With Nearly 1,000 Coronavirus Cases In One Day, Sounding Alarm
The 957 cases reported Tuesday are far higher than the previous record of 559 set last week, and exponentially higher than the daily totals of 200 and 300 the county was experiencing a month ago. The 957 figure could include some cases that occurred in previous days, but that weren’t registered by the county until Tuesday. (Bizjak and McGough, 11/24)
San Diego Union-Tribune:
San Diego County Sets A COVID Hospitalization Record As New Surge Hits Home
San Diego County set a new hospitalization record on Tuesday with 518 confirmed and suspected COVID-19 patients in local hospital beds, topping the previous high of 509 set on July 17. The numbers in the count released by the county lag by one day. A more recent count kept by the Hospital Association of San Diego and Imperial Counties showed the number of hospitalized COVID patients had already grown to 576. It is a toll that health officials saw coming. (Sisson, 11/24)
Los Angeles Times:
L.A. Stay-At-Home Rules Take Shape As COVID-19 Spike Worsens
With coronavirus cases and COVID-19 deaths surging at an alarming rate, Los Angeles County officials Tuesday began to outline a new limited Safer at Home order aimed at slowing the virus spread while sticking with an outdoor dining ban amid a growing outcry. The new restrictions are looking increasingly likely as daily coronavirus infections spike to unprecedented levels, increasing stress on hospitals amid concern more people will be infected during the Thanksgiving holiday. But it also appears that a new stay-at-home order that had been suggested as a possibility last week would fall far short of the one imposed during the first months of the pandemic in the spring. (Lin II, Money, Cosgrove and Seidman, 11/25)
Los Angeles Times:
L.A. Outdoor Dining Ban Survives Challenges As COVID-19 Outlook Worsens
With coronavirus cases continuing to soar across the state, a divided Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors rejected calls Tuesday to walk back restrictions on outdoor dining meant to slow the virus’ rapid spread. The political friction over the decision by health officials to clamp down on restaurants and bars played out as the state once again shattered its record for new coronavirus cases and the number of Californians dying from COVID-19 continued to climb on a trajectory that is expected to continue in the coming weeks, the state’s health secretary said Tuesday. (Money, Lin II, Cosgrove and Greene, 11/24)
Modesto Bee:
Stanislaus County Is Short On Answers For COVID Surge. Vaccine Expected Next Month
As COVID-19 cases shoot higher, Stanislaus County leaders don’t have many answers for bringing the surge under control. But local health officials are scrambling to prepare for a mid-December arrival of coronavirus vaccine for front line health workers. Vaccinations for the general public are roughly estimated to start in March or April if two drug makers can get necessary approvals. County authorities are also working to contain outbreaks such as coronavirus cases among inmates and staff at the county jail. (Carlson, 11/24)
Capital Public Radio/KXJZ:
Sacramento Sheriff’s Office Breaks COVID-19 Enforcement Commitment After Collecting Millions In Federal Relief Funding
Sacramento Sheriff Scott Jones has backed down from his department’s commitment to break up social gatherings and enforce social distancing to stop the spread of coronavirus — a commitment that helped garner his department millions of dollars in federal COVID-19 relief funds at the start of the pandemic. In a press release this past Thursday, Jones stated “the Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office will not be determining … compliance with, or enforcing compliance of, any health or emergency orders related to curfews, staying at home, Thanksgiving or other social gatherings inside or outside the home.” (Rodd, 11/24)
Fresno Bee:
Fresno County Rural Towns Struggle With COVID-19 Testing
On Sept. 9, a mobile testing site rolled up to Huron Middle School in the 7,000-person rural city 50 miles south of Fresno. In four hours, only four people showed up for free COVID-19 testing. At five other coronavirus testing events organized by the Fresno County Health Department that month in Huron and the slightly larger city of Mendota, attendance remained in the single digits. (Tobias, 11/25)
The Bakersfield Californian:
UFW Foundation Calls For Prioritizing Farmworkers In COVID-19 Vaccinations
The head of the United Farm Workers Foundation, while announcing Tuesday the organization had been named to a state committee helping guide the rollout of an eventual COVID-19 vaccine, asserted ag workers should be "among the first" to receive vaccinations. "Farm workers must be prioritized and also have access to factual, scientific information about vaccines in the languages and indigenous dialects they speak," UFW Foundation Executive Director Diana Tellefson Torres said in a news release. (Cox, 11/24)
Fox News:
California Church Asks Supreme Court To Block Coronavirus Restrictions On Gatherings
The Harvest Rock Church in California is turning to the Supreme Court for an emergency injunction blocking an order from Gov. Gavin Newsom restricting the number of people who are legally permitted to gather at houses of worship during the coronavirus pandemic. California has a tiered system that places different levels of restrictions on different counties, but as of Nov. 21, 41 counties in the state — representing 94% of the state’s population — were under the most restrictive regulations that include the prohibition of all indoor religious services. Services in other counties have strict caps on the number of people permitted. The state issued specific guidance to places of worship earlier this year. (Blitzer, 11/24)
AP:
California Official: Just Say 'No' To Family Thanksgiving
With Thanksgiving two days away, California's health secretary on Tuesday urged people to say “no” to family and friends who want to gather, joining other officials in issuing dire warnings about the spread of the coronavirus. Dr. Mark Ghaly said it's not too late to cancel or change plans to limit celebrations of the holiday. (Melley and Weber, 11/25)
Los Angeles Times:
How Should You Celebrate Thanksgiving In California During The COVID-19 Pandemic?
How should people try to manage a safer Thanksgiving amid the world’s worst pandemic in more than a century? Federal, state and local officials are urging people to stay home for Thanksgiving and not travel — whether it be a flight across the country or a walk down the street to a neighbor’s home — to avoid transmitting the coronavirus. (Lin II, 11/24)
SF Gate:
What Happens If People In California Don't Behave On Thanksgiving?
If people gather in large groups inside without masks, the situation could become catastrophic, health officials say. "The curve is literally straight up," said UC Berkeley infectious disease expert Dr. John Swartzberg of the current rise in cases and the potential for an escalation. "It looks like 90 degrees. Astounding. It’s just going to go up faster. It can’t go up any straighter. It’s just going to accelerate faster." (Graff, 11/24)
Fresno Bee:
Planning Outdoor Thanksgiving Activities? Better Check The Air Quality
If you plan to host any outdoor Thanksgiving activities this week in the San Joaquin Valley, you might want to check the air quality in your neighborhood — especially if children or older adults are part of the family. Elevated levels of particulate matter that have impacted the Valley this week might clear up on Thanksgiving Day, if weather permits. Either way, it’s going to be cold with a high of 58 degrees. Ground-level air pollution is common this time of year across the Valley, creating a health risk during outdoor activity for children, seniors and people with existing lung and heart problems, according to the San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District. (Vaughn, 11/25)
San Diego Union-Tribune:
UC San Diego Detects Coronavirus In Waste Water Samples From Five Areas Of Campus
UC San Diego says it detected traces of the novel coronavirus in five areas of campus over the weekend after it greatly expanded its search for the pathogen in waste water samples drawn from dozens of buildings. The positive tests could involve as many as 14 residential halls and two laundries. But school officials also said Tuesday the findings also could represent only a small number of sites and very few infections. The virus is present in a person’s feces during the early phase of their infection, making the waste water from rest rooms an ideal place to look traces of the pathogen. Contact tracing can then be used to try to find infected people. (Robbins, 11/24)
Capital Public Radio/KXJZ:
Supermarket Employees Demand Hero Pay, Protections As COVID-19 Spikes
In front of pictures of essential workers who died of COVID-19, Food 4 Less employees and protestors gathered outside the supermarket in LA’s Boyle Heights neighborhood last week to demand the company reinstitute hero pay and adopt better protections as cases spike across the state. The request came as Gov. Gavin Newsom announced most of the state return to more restrictive measures amid an alarming rise in coronavirus cases. Last week, Los Angeles County reported 5,031 positive cases of COVID-19, the highest in a day since the summer. (Garcia, 11/24)
Bay Area News Group:
Alameda Health System CEO Resigns
Trustees for Alameda County’s public health system accepted a resignation letter from its CEO at a board meeting Tuesday night. The board did not immediately name a replacement for Delvecchio Finley, hospital spokesman Terry Lightfoot said. “Without hesitation, we thank Delvecchio for leading AHS during the most tumultuous period in health care,” board President Noha Aboelata said in a statement. (Kelly, 11/24)
Sacramento Bee:
Sutter Health Nets Profit In Third Quarter, As Investment Income Covers Operating Loss
Sutter Health reported a profit in its most recent quarterly statement, but that was largely as a result of growth in its investments rather than in its operations as leaders of the hospital giant said they continue to grapple with costs associated with the new coronavirus pandemic. In filings last week to bond issuers, Sutter reported it had a financial income of $240 million for the third quarter that ended Sept. 30, compared with a loss of $671 million in the same period last year. (Anderson, 11/24)
Fresno Bee:
Doctor Concerned Over COVID-19 Surge At Fresno Hospitals
Dr. Lori Weichenthal of the UCSF Fresno Medical Education Program discusses concerns over the strain a winter surge of coronavirus could put on the Valley's health care capacity. (Sheehan, 11/24)
San Francisco Chronicle:
Genentech Wins Approval For Massive Headquarters Expansion In South San Francisco
South San Francisco has given biotech the green light to keep booming. On Tuesday night, the city council approved Genentech’s massive expansion plan to nearly double its headquarters campus by adding up to 4.3 million square feet over 15 years. The long-term plan, one of the Bay Area’s largest real estate projects, is a sign that the biotech industry remains a growth area for a regional economy battered by the coronavirus. (Li, 11/24)
San Diego Union-Tribune:
Maravai LifeSciences Raises $1.62 Billion In Upsized Stock Offering
San Diego’s Maravai LifeSciences, which provides products used to develop drug therapies and novel vaccines, raised $1.62 billion last week in an upsized initial public stock offering. The company sold 60 million shares at $27 per share, which was at the high end of its projected IPO price range. (Freeman, 11/23)