In Becerra, an HHS Nominee With Political Skill But No Front-Line Health Experience
By Rachana Pradhan and Angela Hart and Julie Rovner and Jenny Gold
Despite his lack of front-line experience, Democrats see the California attorney general as an important ally to shepherd a progressive agenda on the Affordable Care Act, Medicaid, reproductive health services and immigration.
In Legislative Shuffle, California Prioritizes Safety Gear and Sick Leave During Crisis
By Rachel Bluth and Angela Hart and Samantha Young
Lawmakers are calling on Gov. Gavin Newsom to sign bills that would address the challenges of the current COVID-19 crisis and help the state prepare for future pandemics.
California’s Data Failures Stymie Efforts to Curb the Virus
By Anna Maria Barry-Jester and Angela Hart
Counties say the ripple effects of the state’s COVID-19 data failures are impeding their ability to slow the spread of the coronavirus, even as they must make life-or-death decisions about business and school reopenings.
Public Health Officials Face Wave Of Threats, Pressure Amid Coronavirus Response
By Lauren Weber and Anna Maria Barry-Jester and Michelle R. Smith, The Associated Press
Public health officials are confronting growing pressure — and threats — across the country as the backlash to the coronavirus response continues. Senior health officials from seven California counties have resigned or retired since March 15.
As COVID Cases Spike, California Shifts Its Strategy
By Angela Hart and Anna Maria Barry-Jester
Public health officials have been alarmed by the increase in COVID-19 cases linked to family gatherings and socializing. While Gov. Gavin Newsom is defending the state’s reopening, local health officials worry the situation could get worse this summer.
Another Coronavirus Casualty: California’s Budget
By Angela Hart and Samantha Young and Rachel Bluth
Before the coronavirus hit, California was looking at a budget surplus of more than $5 billion and lawmakers were debating how to increase the size of government health programs. Now, the state faces a deficit, program cuts, high unemployment — and no significant investment in public health funding at a time when the state needs it the most.
The Inside Story Of How The Bay Area Got Ahead Of The COVID-19 Crisis
By Angela Hart and Anna Maria Barry-Jester
An early morning text. A lawyer-filled meeting on a Sunday afternoon. Emotional journal entries. And, ultimately, action. In the 24 hours before San Francisco Bay Area public health officials issued the country’s first stay-at-home order, they debated how to tackle the alarming rise in COVID-19 infections. Their decision set the course for the nation.
California Hospitals Face Surge With Proven Fixes And Some Hail Marys
By Angela Hart and Anna Maria Barry-Jester
California is entering the most critical period in its battle against COVID-19, and may need thousands of hospital beds and ventilators to accommodate a surge of critically ill patients. Hospitals are taking extreme measures, such as using 3D printers to make ventilator parts and turning cafeterias into wards.
California y COVID-19: hospitales se alistan para la crisis con acciones probadas y desesperadas
By Angela Hart and Anna Maria Barry-Jester
Los hospitales de California pensaron que estaban listos para el próximo gran desastre. Han modernizado sus edificios para resistir un gran terremoto y poner a los pacientes fuera de peligro durante los mortales incendios forestales. Han mantenido vivos a los pacientes con generadores de respaldo en medio de apagones y han entrenado a su personal […]
Testing In California Still A Frustrating Patchwork Of Haves And Have-Nots
By Anna Maria Barry-Jester and Angela Hart and Rachel Bluth
It’s hard to overstate how uneven access to critical coronavirus test kits remains in the nation’s largest state. Even as some Southern California counties are opening drive-thru sites to make testing available to any resident who wants it, a rural northern county is testing raw sewage to determine whether the coronavirus has infiltrated its communities.
