Counties Complain About Vaccine Vendor: California agreed to pay OptumServe up to $221 million to manage dozens of covid vaccination sites across the state. But officials from at least 12 counties registered complaints with the California Department of Public Health about delays and other problems that hampered efforts, according to state documents obtained by CalMatters through a Public Records Act request. OptumServe has fallen far short of the up to 100,000 daily vaccine doses it told the state in its contracts that it could deliver. It has helped administer about 370,000 doses since January — just 1.1% of California’s nearly 34 million during that span. Read more from CalMatters.
Big School Systems Detail Reopening Plans: Los Angeles schools Superintendent Austin Beutner on Monday committed to reopening campuses full time on a normal schedule in the fall, the Los Angeles Times writes. Online schooling will remain an option. “Looking down the path to recovery and the new school year, which starts this fall, all students will have the opportunity to participate in full-day, on-campus, in-person instruction,” Beutner said. San Diego officials confirmed similar plans, KPBS reports. “Parents who are ready to have their students come back to in-person learning should expect a typical pre-COVID schedule,” said San Diego Unified School Board President Richard Barrera. But masks may still be required. Meanwhile, some state legislators argue that funds should be withheld from San Francisco schools that did not bring back enough students to qualify. The San Francisco Chronicle has more details.
AP:
Moderna Says COVID-19 Vaccine Works In Kids As Young As 12
Moderna said Tuesday that its COVID-19 vaccine strongly protects children as young as 12, a step that could put the shot on track to become the second option for young adolescents in the U.S.With global vaccine supplies still tight, much of the world is struggling to vaccinate adults in the quest to end the pandemic. But earlier this month, the U.S. and Canada authorized a similar vaccine — made by Pfizer-BioNTech — to be used for youths 12 and up. Moderna aims to be next in line, saying it will submit its new data to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and other global regulators early next month. (Neergaard, 5/25)
Los Angeles Daily News:
Half Of LA County Residents 16 And Older Are Now Fully Vaccinated
Los Angeles County has reached the milestone of fully vaccinating half of its population aged 16 and over against COVID-19, the public health director announced on Monday, May 24, but lagging rates among those aged 30 to 49 have made them the most likely to wind up hospitalized with COVID-19 infections. According to figures released Monday, nearly 4.2 million county residents have now received two doses of vaccine and are considered fully vaccinated. (4/24)
Modesto Bee:
Heart Problem Seen In Few Young People After COVID Vaccine
A federal COVID-19 vaccine safety group has brought attention to “relatively few reports” of myocarditis — inflammation in the heart muscle — following vaccination with the Pfizer or Moderna shots, mostly among teens and young adults. Officials did not reveal how many cases have been reported so far, but most of them “appear to be mild” and occur more often in males, after the second dose and within four days of vaccination, according to a May 17 report by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention group. (Camero, 5/24)
Chico Enterprise-Record:
Young Adult In Northern California Dies From COVID-19 Complications, Health Department Announces
Nearly two months had passed without COVID-19 claiming another life in Butte County, but on Monday, Butte County Public Health announced a county resident between 20 and 29 years old recently died due to complications from the virus. The young adult resident is one of 187 people in Butte County to perish after contracting the virus, and the first since March 26, according to Butte County Public Health’s COVID-19 dashboard. Butte County Public Health spokesperson Lisa Almaguer wrote in an email the county has “several more deaths under investigation right now.” The county health department reviews death certificates to confirm COVID-19 as the official cause of death. That process can take days, weeks or months, depending on the case. (Denner, 5/25)
NPR:
Children’s Risk Of Serious Illness From COVID-19 Is As Low As It Is For The Flu
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention made a strong statement about the effectiveness of vaccines when it decided that fully vaccinated people don’t need to wear masks in most circumstances. But it left some parents concerned about how the change might affect children too young to be vaccinated. Dr. Paul Offit, who heads the vaccine education center at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, says that the new mask guidance is mostly good news.”But I think that has made this world a little less safe for young children,” he says. (Harris, 5/25)
Los Angeles Times:
Vaccination Rates Up Among Latino, Black Californians
There’s a promising sign in California’s efforts to get more Latino and Black residents vaccinated: They’re now getting shots at a relatively faster rate than other racial and ethnic groups. The overall disparity in the percentage of Latino and Black Californians who are at least partially vaccinated is still troubling: Only about 35% of Latino and 36% of Black residents are at least partially vaccinated, while 52% of white, 49% of Native American/Alaska Native and 63% of Asian American/Pacific Islander residents are at least partially vaccinated, according to a Times analysis of state data. (Greene and Lin II, 5/24)
The Sacramento Bee:
California Latinos Are Behind In COVID-19 Vaccinations. Here’s What Is Holding Them Back
Latino adults who have not received a COVID-19 vaccine are twice as likely as white and Black adults to say they want one as soon as possible, according to a new national survey from the Kaiser Family Foundation COVID-19 Vaccine Monitor. About 33% of unvaccinated Latinos told researchers that they want a shot as soon as they can get one, compared to 16% of unvaccinated white adults and 17% of unvaccinated Black adults. (Bojórquez, 5/25)
CapRadio:
City, Health Leaders Want To Break Barriers To Get South Sacramento Vaccinated
South Sacramento has struggled during the pandemic. Early on, the area’s 95823 zip code was a hotspot for COVID-19, as the neighborhood’s many low-income residents continued to work as others sheltered in place. Fast-forward one year, and issues still persist. The area has the highest number of cases in the county, with nearly 7,100 people testing positive for the virus. The county zip code with the second highest number of cases is neighboring 95828, which has had more than 4,900 people test positive. As vaccinations continue to ramp up across the county, the newly created Sacramento Alliance for Vaccine Equity (SAVE) is hoping to turn the tide in South Sacramento. (5/24)
Los Angeles Times:
Half Of L.A. County Adults Fully Vaccinated Against COVID-19
Half of Los Angeles County residents 16 and older are now fully vaccinated against COVID-19, an encouraging milestone as the region — along with the rest of California — prepares to fully reopen in a few weeks. “It is truly thrilling to see us reach this landmark, and I want to thank everyone who’s done their part to get us to this point,” county Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer said Monday. (Money, 5/24)
Bay Area News Group:
COVID Vaccine Card: What To Do If You Lose Your Vaccination Card
With California quickly reopening, and businesses increasingly requiring proof of vaccines from employees and customers, it’s time to remember where you stashed your precious COVID-19 vaccination card. It could soon become like a second ticket required for sporting events, international travel and a return to some semblance of normalcy. So what happens if you lost it — or the dog ate it — or maybe you never got a card in the first place? Now what? Here’s what you need to know about how to get a new vaccine card, where to store it and more. (DeRuy and Selig, 5/24)
Sacramento Bee:
Sacramento Republic FC Plans Free Pop-Up Clinics At Games
Sacramento Republic FC will offer fans eager to watch a game a free ticket, if they get a vaccine shot at a popup clinic at Heart Health Park. The soccer team collaborated with the Sacramento County Public Health Department to set up clinics at the next three Republic FC games, starting this Saturday. The team will start accepting vaccine appointments Tuesday from season ticket holders. The general public can take their shots, pun intended, starting Wednesday. If you don’t already have a ticket, fans 12 and up will get a free ticket to that day’s game. (Patrick, 5/24)
KTLA:
California Reopening: COVID Vaccine, Testing Requirements Laid Out For Large Events
With California reopening its economy June 15 after months of coronavirus-related restrictions, officials last week released more details about admission into large events like concerts and games. Next month, the state will drop its physical distancing requirements and business capacity caps. It will also align with the Center for Disease Control and Prevention’s masking plan, which lets fully vaccinated people ditch face coverings in most settings. While the state was previously letting venues open at a greater capacity if they ask for proof of vaccination or a negative coronavirus test, California officials are now requiring that certain large indoor event operators verify the safeguards. Here’s what state officials say large events in California will look like, starting June 15. (Salahieh and Gould, 5/24)
The Sacramento Bee:
California Hits Foster Farms With Big Fine For Failing To Protect Workers From COVID Outbreak
The California Division of Occupational Health and Safety has cited Foster Farms for failing to protect workers from COVID-19 at its Livingston poultry plant and distribution center. The agency has issued the multi-billion-dollar poultry company a proposed penalty of $181,500 — one of the steepest citations it has leveraged during the COVID-19 pandemic.Foster Farms has stated that it will be appealing the violation, according to California Department of Industrial Relations spokesperson Erika Monterroza. A representative for Foster Farms said the company “does not have a comment” on the citations. (Plevin, 5/24)
Los Angeles Times:
L.A. Turbo-Charged Subway, Rail Construction During Pandemic. Will The Riders Return?
The final leg of the Metro subway that eventually will take riders from downtown L.A. into the Westside broke ground on Monday. … The big question now is whether riders will return as the economy reopens — and how fast that would happen. (Smith and Seidman, 5/25)
Fresno Bee:
California Essential Workers: What Do You Think About The End To The Mask Mandate?
California will lift most of its restrictions on June 15.That means getting rid of the COVID-19 capacity limits in most cases and mask requirements for those who are fully vaccinated. Some Californians are cheering the reopening after more than a year of restrictions that led some businesses to close. But others are warning that the lifting of the mask and social distancing requirements is coming too soon, when there are hundreds of new COVID-19 cases a day in the state. (Park, 5/24)
Bay Area News Group:
COVID: VTA Loosens Social Distancing Rules On Buses
The Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority is easing up on social distancing requirements that have limited the capacity of buses to just a handful of riders throughout the pandemic, the agency announced Monday. The capacity limits that have been in place since March of 2020 were meant to ensure riders could keep six feet apart. That meant the 40-foot coaches VTA runs on most of its routes could only carry eight passengers at a time — once that many people were on board drivers were barred from picking up new passengers until others got off, so they had to pass up would-be riders waiting at bus stops. (Savidge, 5/24)
Orange County Register:
L.A. County Reported 139 New Cases And Four New Deaths, May 24
Los Angeles County public health officials reported 139 new cases of the coronavirus, bringing the total number of cases to 1,238,919 as of Monday, May 24.Officials reported 19 new deaths linked to the coronavirus, for a total 24,175 deaths since tracking began. There were 20 fewer hospitalizations reported since Sunday, decreasing the official count of hospitalizations to 319, with 23% in ICU. (Goertzen, 5/24)
Orange County Register:
Orange County Reported 26 New Cases And Three New Deaths As Of May 24
The OC Health Care Agency reported 26 new cases of the coronavirus as of Monday, May 24, increasing the total number of cases there have been in the county to 255,048. There have been 633 new cases of the coronavirus reported in the past 14 days. The agency reported three new deaths as of Monday. In Orange County 5,052 people have died of COVID-19. (Goertzen, 5/24)
The Bakersfield Californian:
Kern Public Health Reports 22 New Coronavirus Cases Monday
Kern County Public Health Services reported 22 new confirmed coronavirus cases Monday, and no new deaths. That brings the county’s case count since the pandemic began to 109,676. There have been 1,383 deaths. (5/24)
San Diego Union-Tribune:
Scripps Enters Fourth Week Of Ransomware Attack
Scripps Health hopes to restore full electronic medical record capabilities, including resumption of its MyScripps patient portal, in “the latter part of this week,” according to an update sent to patients by its chief executive officer Monday afternoon. For the first time, Chris Van Gorder, Scripps’ CEO, acknowledged in writing that the cyberattack his organization suffered on May 1 was ransomware, a fact confirmed May 2 in The San Diego Union-Tribune. (Sisson, 5/24)
Modern Healthcare:
AHA Wants Feds To Take Action Against Healthcare Cyberattacks
The American Hospital Association on Friday called on the U.S. government to play a bigger role in responding to ransomware attacks against the healthcare industry. The AHA’s advisory comes on the heels of an alert from the Federal Bureau of Investigation last week warning about “Conti,” a new ransomware variant. At least 16 U.S. healthcare and first responder networks have been hit by Conti, including hospitals, law enforcement agencies, emergency medical services and 911 dispatch centers in the last year, according to the FBI. (Cohen, 5/24)
NPR:
How Medical Jargon Can Make COVID Health Disparities Even Worse
Another project based in Southern California — Translatecovid.org, launched in May 2020 out of UCLA — also helps people find COVID-19 resources in different languages. A frequently updated FAQ on the site’s homepage was crafted by professionals at UCLA’s Fielding School of Public Health and translated into more than a dozen languages, including American Sign Language. Anne Pebley, a professor in the school’s department of community health sciences, notes that nuances in phrasing in each language can have major ramifications in public health. (Kritz, 5/24)
California Healthline:
Pandemic Leads Doctors To Rethink Unnecessary Treatment
Covid-caused delays in medical treatments and surgeries are producing data for health care providers to take another look at what’s needed and what isn’t. (Alpert, 5/25)
The Bakersfield Californian:
CBCC Hosting Calling All Survivors Event On June 5
The Comprehensive Blood & Cancer Center is holding a Calling All Survivors event on Saturday, June 5. The event will run from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at 6501 Truxtun Avenue. It will feature a smoothie truck, photo booth with free pictures, some giveaway items and the chance to meet some of the staff and doctors outside of clinical hours and in a relaxed environment, according to an event flier. (5/24)
Capital & Main:
Engineers Warn Pressure At Los Angeles Oil Well Site Is Building
A two-acre lot in South Los Angeles where 21 oil wells sit idle is a danger to the surrounding neighborhood, according to state documents and several petroleum engineers. But although California officials have known of the risk for over a year, they have not made sure the wells are permanently sealed. The wells are located in University Park, a dense neighborhood of intergenerational Latino families and students at the University of Southern California.The chief of the California Geologic Energy Management Division (CalGEM), Uduak Joe-Ntuk, called the site unsafe more than a year ago. “The hazards and risks at the facility pose not only a danger to the facility itself, but also the local community,” according to an order from CalGEM in March 2020 that gave the site operator, AllenCo, 30 days to take action. State officials saw the situation as sufficiently urgent that If the company failed to seal the wells, they were prepared to hire their own contractor to do the job. Yet due to a legal standoff between the city and AllenCo, as well as bureaucratic delays, little has been done yet. (Lobet, 5/24)
San Francisco Chronicle:
Newsom Calls For Record Spending To Confront California’s Looming Wildfire Season
Gov. Gavin Newsom is calling for unprecedented levels of spending on fire prevention this year, money likely to be supplemented with additional federal dollars, with the hope of averting what many say is a terrible wildfire season in the making. The proposed state budget, for which the governor on Monday provided more details, doubles the $1 billion increase initially planned for dealing with wildfires in the coming fiscal year — to $2 billion. (Alexander and Kopan, 5/24)
AP:
As Drought Intensifies, California Seeing More Wildfires
As California sinks deeper into drought it already has had more than 900 additional wildfires than at this point in 2020, which was a record-breaking year that saw more than 4% of the state’s land scorched by flames. The danger prompted Gov. Gavin Newsom to propose spending a record $2 billion on wildfire mitigation. That’s double what he had proposed in January.“Clearly we recognize we need to step up our efforts here in the state of California and that’s what we began to do early this year,” he said Monday. (Thompson, 5/24)
AP:
Water Crisis ‘Couldn’t Be Worse’ On Oregon-California Border
The water crisis along the California-Oregon border went from dire to catastrophic this week as federal regulators shut off irrigation water to farmers from a critical reservoir and said they would not send extra water to dying salmon downstream or to a half-dozen wildlife refuges that harbor millions of migrating birds each year. In what is shaping up to be the worst water crisis in generations, the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation said it will not release water this season into the main canal that feeds the bulk of the massive Klamath Reclamation Project, marking a first for the 114-year-old irrigation system. The agency announced last month that hundreds of irrigators would get dramatically less water than usual, but a worsening drought picture means water will be completely shut off instead. (Flaccus, 5/24)
ABC10:
A Bill To Decriminalize Psychedelic Drugs In California Is Moving Through The Legislature
A California lawmaker has introduced a bill to the Legislature that would decriminalize the possession of psychedelic substances. And after successfully navigating through three committees, Sen. Scott Wiener, (D-San Francisco), is optimistic about the bill’s chances. Senate Bill 519 is a rebuke of America’s decades-long “war on drugs,” according to Wiener. And while it doesn’t go as far as Oregon – which in November voted to decriminalize all drugs – it does seek to decriminalize many psychedelic and hallucinogenic substances that may have applications to treat a range of mental health ailments. (Nuttle, 5/24)
CalMatters:
California’s April Unemployment Rate Reveals Paradox
Despite California’s high unemployment rate, many positions at restaurants, bars and retail stores are going unfilled — causing some business owners to fear they won’t be able to fully reopen even when the state gives the green light on June 15. The Golden State’s unemployment rate remained unchanged between March and April, holding steady at 8.3% even as employers added nearly 102,000 jobs, according to figures released Friday by the Employment Development Department. That accounts for 38% of all U.S. jobs gained last month — a bright spot that dims when one takes into account that California still has the nation’s second-highest unemployment rate and has regained only 48% of jobs lost amid the pandemic. In some areas, the share of jobless residents is actually increasing: Los Angeles’ unemployment rate shot from 11.4% in March to 11.7% in April. (Hoeven, 5/24)
Bay Area News Group:
Bay Area COVID-19 Rent Relief Programs Off To Slow Start
Two months after the state launched COVID-19 rental assistance programs for low-income tenants, Bay Area cities and counties are opening individual programs aimed at keeping the poorest residents in their homes. San Jose and Santa Clara County last week launched their $60 million program to reach renters teetering toward homelessness. The efforts will focus on delivering aid to adults making less than 30% of the county’s median income, with a website that can be accessed in English, Spanish and Vietnamese. Local outreach groups will also be ready to assist renters in about 20 languages. (Hansen, 5/24)
San Francisco Chronicle:
S.F. Proposal Would Cancel Rent For Businesses Shut In Pandemic. Landlords Won’t Be Happy
For business owners, there’s potentially help on the way. Supervisor Dean Preston plans to introduce legislation Tuesday that would excuse them from paying rent when required to shut down under pandemic health orders. The legal underpinning of the legislation is a state law that excuses a party from a contract because fulfilling it has become impossible. Preston’s legislation would presume that law applies to rent during COVID-19, unless the lease specifically states otherwise. Businesses across the country have used a similar legal defense in the pandemic, to varying success, and landlords are likely to push back hard. (Moench, 5/25)
Inewsource:
Pandemic Blew Open Digital Equity Chasm For San Diego’s Refugees. What’s Next?
As vaccination rates rise and in-person schools and businesses reopen, many experiences that shifted online may stay that way. That puts some of the region’s refugees at risk of being shut out of the economic recovery, because they lack the digital skills and adequate internet access that are as essential to life in San Diego as understanding traffic rules and being proficient in English. That digital inequity has also contributed to deep job losses in San Diego’s refugee communities. According to one nonprofit, the unemployment rate in the fall of 2020 among refugees was more than three times higher than the county average at that time: 22% versus 6.6%. (Popescu, 5/24)
AP:
Grand Jury Indicts Ex-UCLA Doctor On 21 Sexual Abuse Counts
A grand jury indicted a former gynecologist at the University of California, Los Angeles on 21 counts of sexual abuse offenses Monday in a case where he is accused of sexually assaulting seven women, court documents say. Dr. James Heaps faces multiple counts each of sexual battery by fraud, sexual exploitation of a patient and sexual penetration of an unconscious person by fraudulent representation, according to a copy of the indictment, which was unsealed Monday. (5/24)
City News Service:
City And County Of San Diego Award $5 Million For Behavioral Health Services
San Diego County Supervisor Nathan Fletcher and Mayor Todd Gloria announced Monday 21 transitional housing units, four vehicles for crisis care teams and new technology for mental health and addiction services will be funded using $5 million of the $25 million County-City Behavioral Health Impact Fund. “Trauma causes an individual to struggle with mental illness, become addicted and end up on our streets; with the Behavioral Health Impact Fund we are making more resources available to deliver the trauma-informed, person-centered care people need,” Fletcher said. “These projects show the success of the Behavioral Health Impact Fund, and I would like this fund to continue as a vehicle to expand the capacity of mental health and addiction services long after the first $25 million is spent.” (5/24)
Sacramento Bee:
Roseville Children’s Down Syndrome Center Vandalized
A Roseville center for children with Down syndrome had posters on its windows vandalized with hate speech over the weekend, just days after its grand opening, officials with the nonprofit said. GiGi’s Playhouse, a national nonprofit, opened its Sacramento-area achievement center May 16 at a shopping center along Douglas Boulevard just east of Interstate 80. Less than a week later on Friday evening, one or more vandals defaced large posters on the center’s storefront and side windows — which contain photos of local children with Down syndrome — with offensive and hateful language written in black marker, the nonprofit said. (McGough, 5/24)
KQED:
San Jose Reopens Some Libraries After 14-Month Hiatus
Seven branches of the San Jose Public Library system reopened on Monday for limited indoor services after a 14-month hiatus. Residents will be able to reenter those locations to browse library shelves, check out books and tech devices, access public computers and printers and chat with staff to answer reference questions. The branches that welcomed back patrons today include Alum Rock, Biblioteca Latinoamericana, Joyce Ellington, Tully Community, Alviso, Evergreen, and West Valley branch libraries. (Cabrera-Lomelí, 5/24)
Sacramento Bee:
How To Help People In Domestic Violence Relationships
Joyce Bilyeu, director of client services at The Family Justice Center in Sacramento said her organization saw a 112% increase in new and returning clients in 2020. According to The National Domestic Violence Hotline, their contacts decreased when stay-at-home orders were first put into place and once the orders slowly began to lift, their contacts increased by 9% compared to the same period in 2019. (Hajigurban, 5/24)
San Francisco Chronicle:
S.F.’s Largest Hotel Checked In Its First Guests In 14 Months. They Were Greeted Like Celebrities
Applause echoed around the lobby of the Hilton Union Square in San Francisco on Monday morning as staff, from cooks to janitors to managers, lined up to welcome the first batch of guests the hotel has seen since the pandemic forced it to close 14 months ago. A group of four from Arizona entered from the back of the lobby under television screens emblazoned with the San Francisco skyline that flashed “Welcome Back.” The group posed for photos with staff who formed their hands into hearts before being rushed by no less than three television news crews for interviews. (DiFeliciantonio, 5/24)
Bay Area News Group:
Bay Area Art Festival Canceled Over Homeless Camp Controversy
After enduring a year without art events — and the revenue they bring — local painter Kay Carlson was eagerly awaiting the return of the storied Sausalito Art Festival this Labor Day weekend. But even though COVID cases are dropping, vaccination rates are climbing and pandemic rules are easing, the art festival won’t be back this year. It’s fallen victim to a months-long controversy concerning a new homeless encampment that recently formed along Sausalito’s scenic waterfront. (Kendall, 5/24)
The New York Times:
Vets Go Upscale To Care For Pets (And Their Owners)
The pet boom spurred by the pandemic has brought more attention to care for our four-legged friends. Veterinary companies are opening clinics, drawing more investors to vet real estate. (Margolies, 5/25)