Public Health Officials Are Our COVID Commanders. Treat Them With Respect.
By Angela Hart
This pandemic is like war, and California’s local health officers are leading the state’s response. Yet unlike war heroes, who are lionized, they are facing unprecedented attacks and death threats.
Vaccines Go Mobile to Keep Seniors From Slipping Through the Cracks
By Rachel Bluth
A strike team of nurses and others is vaccinating Contra Costa County’s hardest-hit populations right where they live.
As the Vulnerable Wait, Some Political Leaders’ Spouses Get Covid Vaccines
By Laura Ungar
Spouses of governors and federal leaders are getting early access to scarce doses of covid-19 vaccines. Some officials have argued their inoculation sets an example for the public and shows the vaccines to be safe and effective. But critics say those doses should go to more vulnerable people first.
California’s Top Hospital Lobbyist Cements Influence in Covid Crisis
By Samantha Young
Carmela Coyle, who represents California’s hospitals in the state Capitol, is a power player whose clout has grown during the pandemic. Though she hasn’t won every battle, she has helped shape the state’s response to the crisis.
With Becerra as HHS Pick, California Plots More Progressive Health Care Agenda
By Angela Hart and Samantha Young
Gov. Gavin Newsom said he has already begun discussing California health care priorities with Xavier Becerra, tapped this week by President-elect Joe Biden to serve as his Health and Human Services secretary.
Mientras los vulnerables esperan, cónyuges de políticos reciben la vacuna contra covid
By Laura Ungar
Los políticos que recibieron la vacuna junto con sus cónyuges dijeron que querían dar el ejemplo y generar confianza. Pero algunos cuestionan esta razón.
California Expands Privacy Protection to Public Health Workers Amid Threats
By Anna Maria Barry-Jester
Democratic California Gov. Gavin Newsom expanded a confidential address program to public health officials in the wake of ongoing threats made against them tied to pandemic safety precautions such as masks and stay-at-home orders.
A Biden Win and Republican Senate Might Lead to Gridlock on Health Issues
By Julie Rovner
If Democrat Joe Biden is successful in his bid for the presidency but the Senate remains in GOP control, Democrats’ plans for major changes in health care may be curbed. The federal role in those policies is at stake — as is California’s ambitious health care agenda.
At A Time Of Great Need, Public Health Lacks ‘Lobbying Muscle’
By Angela Hart
Public health officials are asking for more money in California’s state budget. But unlike some rich and powerful health care interests, they don’t have an army of lobbyists to curry favor with lawmakers.
Newsom Likes To ‘Go Big’ But Doesn’t Always Deliver
By Angela Hart
The COVID-19 pandemic is showcasing California Gov. Gavin Newsom’s leadership style to a national audience. The first-term Democrat doesn’t shy away from making splashy announcements and lofty promises, but his plans often lack detail and, in some cases, follow-through.
