mercurynews--2020-04-27--Coronavirus: 14,000 Stanford Health Care workers hit with furloughs, pay cuts

STANFORD — Slammed financially like other Bay Area hospitals by the devastating coronavirus pandemic , Stanford on Monday imposed 20 percent pay cuts and across-the-board furloughs for roughly 14,000 health care workers , including administrators and doctors .
In a statement , Stanford described the painful measures as a “ shared sacrifice ” crucial to weathering its health system ’ s fiscal viability .
Not surprisingly , the news was a blow to the medical system ’ s workers who have been laboring on the front lines against the deadly disease .
And union officials representing those on the lower @ @ @ @ @ @ @ would be much harder on them than the higher paid executives .
Chuck Fonseca , a nursing assistant who has been with the health system for 31 years , said he and his coworkers have been working their hardest under unprecedented conditions , so to hear from Stanford Health Care about the pay cuts was a slap in the face .
“ It ’ s unfortunate because my wife is retired and I ’ m also in that age group of being more affected by COVID-19 , so there ’ s a lot @ @ @ @ @ @ @ right now , ” Fonseca , 66 , said .
“ I guess we ’ re all trying to be flexible , but we don ’ t know when it ’ s going to end.
” Nurses , doctors , technicians , staff and even the CEO and administrators at Stanford Hospital , Stanford-ValleyCare and Lucile Packard Children ’ s Hospital had the option last week of accepting a pay cut or taking paid vacation time in the next 10 weeks — a move that health care administrators say could be shortened or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ workers , health system President and CEO David Entwistle said employees also have the choice of taking a furlough that qualifies them for federal and state unemployment benefits .
Workers also can do a combination of all the options , and the hospital system said it will offer help in filing for unemployment insurance .
The system made the decision to cut pay and hours after sustaining a sharp drop in revenue as a result of a 40 % decrease in emergency room visits and similar declines in elective surgeries and noncoronavirus-related medical @ @ @ @ @ @ @ affected many organizations globally , and we are no exception , ” Stanford Health Care spokeswoman Lisa Kim said in a statement .
“ This is a difficult but necessary decision to sustain the long-term health of the organization so we can continue to provide critical services to the community.
” Kim said the cuts were a “ temporary workforce adjustment ” for unionized workers and an effort to avoid layoffs .
More than 99 % of all the system ’ s employees have chosen to use the paid-time-off option , she added @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the 10-week time period , ” Kim said .
“ Current reduced volumes make it possible to implement this program at present .
We anticipate that when the current shelter-in-place order is lifted , our patient volumes will return.
” SEIU-United Healthcare Workers West spokesman Steve Trossman said in an interview that Stanford ’ s decision came “ out of the blue ” and shocked employees who had been “ working tirelessly throughout the pandemic to treat COVID-19 patients.
” An open letter sent to the health system administration signed by more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tier its approach to furloughs to reduce the burden on those earning less than $ 100,000 a year , accept voluntary furlough days from those who don ’ t want to work under current conditions and provide transparency for the reasons behind the reduction in pay and hours .
Trossman said the financial burden on all employees , including the 2,500 Stanford Health Care employees represented by his union , won ’ t be distributed fairly .
“ If you ’ re making $ 3 million a year like the CEO , that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ $ 2.4 million , ” Trossman said of Entwistle .
“ If you ’ re making $ 55,000 a year , a 20 percent pay cut could have a dramatic effect on paying for your rent , groceries and taking care of your family .
To most people these workers are heroes ; but to Stanford Health , they are just another line on a balance sheet.
” For a full-time lab assistant , who Fonseca said after six years would be making $ 61,027 , a loss of 12 days ’ pay @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hamper their ability to deal with emergencies like a broken down vehicle or a health emergency of their own .
Full-time housekeeping assistants — who have been essential in keeping hospitals sterile — would lose $ 2,613 from a $ 56,618 salary earned after six years , or about 4.6 % of their total pay .
Fonseca said he ’ s already overheard or been part of break-room conversations about the effect the pay cuts and furloughs are having on workers , including one woman who said she had run out of paid @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this month to care for her child who would have been alone at home with schools closed .
Fonseca hopes that Stanford will sit with the union and other workers to get more protections for workers , which he thinks the university ’ s large endowment should help pay for .
“ Stanford is not poor , ” Fonseca said .
“ My question is , why aren ’ t we meeting and discussing this ?
We should present our side , their side , both sides mutually listening .
Let ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @

STANFORD — Slammed financially like other Bay Area hospitals by the devastating coronavirus pandemic, Stanford on Monday imposed 20 percent pay cuts and across-the-board furloughs for roughly 14,000 health care workers, including administrators and doctors.
In a statement, Stanford described the painful measures as a “shared sacrifice” crucial to weathering its health system’s fiscal viability.
Not surprisingly, the news was a blow to the medical system’s workers who have been laboring on the front lines against the deadly disease. And union officials representing those on the lower pay scale rungs pointed out the toll would be much harder on them than the higher paid executives.
Chuck Fonseca, a nursing assistant who has been with the health system for 31 years, said he and his coworkers have been working their hardest under unprecedented conditions, so to hear from Stanford Health Care about the pay cuts was a slap in the face.
“It’s unfortunate because my wife is retired and I’m also in that age group of being more affected by COVID-19, so there’s a lot of stress we’re dealing with right now,” Fonseca, 66, said. “I guess we’re all trying to be flexible, but we don’t know when it’s going to end.”
Nurses, doctors, technicians, staff and even the CEO and administrators at Stanford Hospital, Stanford-ValleyCare and Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital had the option last week of accepting a pay cut or taking paid vacation time in the next 10 weeks — a move that health care administrators say could be shortened or extended.
In a letter sent to workers, health system President and CEO David Entwistle said employees also have the choice of taking a furlough that qualifies them for federal and state unemployment benefits. Workers also can do a combination of all the options, and the hospital system said it will offer help in filing for unemployment insurance.
The system made the decision to cut pay and hours after sustaining a sharp drop in revenue as a result of a 40% decrease in emergency room visits and similar declines in elective surgeries and noncoronavirus-related medical services.
“The current pandemic has affected many organizations globally, and we are no exception,” Stanford Health Care spokeswoman Lisa Kim said in a statement. “This is a difficult but necessary decision to sustain the long-term health of the organization so we can continue to provide critical services to the community.”
Kim said the cuts were a “temporary workforce adjustment” for unionized workers and an effort to avoid layoffs. More than 99% of all the system’s employees have chosen to use the paid-time-off option, she added.
“The workforce adjustment is limited to the 10-week time period,” Kim said. “Current reduced volumes make it possible to implement this program at present. We anticipate that when the current shelter-in-place order is lifted, our patient volumes will return.”
SEIU-United Healthcare Workers West spokesman Steve Trossman said in an interview that Stanford’s decision came “out of the blue” and shocked employees who had been “working tirelessly throughout the pandemic to treat COVID-19 patients.”
An open letter sent to the health system administration signed by more than 500 workers demands that the university tier its approach to furloughs to reduce the burden on those earning less than $100,000 a year, accept voluntary furlough days from those who don’t want to work under current conditions and provide transparency for the reasons behind the reduction in pay and hours.
Trossman said the financial burden on all employees, including the 2,500 Stanford Health Care employees represented by his union, won’t be distributed fairly.
“If you’re making $3 million a year like the CEO, that means you have to scrape by on $2.4 million,” Trossman said of Entwistle. “If you’re making $55,000 a year, a 20 percent pay cut could have a dramatic effect on paying for your rent, groceries and taking care of your family. To most people these workers are heroes; but to Stanford Health, they are just another line on a balance sheet.”
For a full-time lab assistant, who Fonseca said after six years would be making $61,027, a loss of 12 days’ pay would cost them $2,817 and could hamper their ability to deal with emergencies like a broken down vehicle or a health emergency of their own. Full-time housekeeping assistants — who have been essential in keeping hospitals sterile — would lose $2,613 from a $56,618 salary earned after six years, or about 4.6% of their total pay.
Fonseca said he’s already overheard or been part of break-room conversations about the effect the pay cuts and furloughs are having on workers, including one woman who said she had run out of paid time off after taking two weeks earlier this month to care for her child who would have been alone at home with schools closed.
Fonseca hopes that Stanford will sit with the union and other workers to get more protections for workers, which he thinks the university’s large endowment should help pay for.
“Stanford is not poor,” Fonseca said. “My question is, why aren’t we meeting and discussing this? We should present our side, their side, both sides mutually listening. Let’s try to resolve this.”


mercurynews--2020-04-27--Coronavirus: San Jose nursing home reaches nearly 100 cases of COVID-19

A San Jose nursing home with one of the first reported outbreaks of the coronavirus in an elder care facility is now on the verge of reaching 100 combined infections among patients and staff .
Canyon Springs Post Acute Care first notified patients ’ families the last week of March that two patients and an employee had become infected with the virus .
The disease has since spread through the facility , and now 99 people have tested positive for COVID-19 and five patients have died , a spokesman confirmed in an email .
The 198-bed facility had 17 positive @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
As of Monday there were 364 infections spread across 20 skilled nursing homes in Santa Clara County .
A total of 36 people have died in nursing homes in the county , according to the county ’ s health department .
The department has so far refused to name the facilities where the deaths occurred , or the number of deaths at each .
The county also reported 11 cases of COVID-19 across seven assisted living facilities , but it does not specify the number of infected people for each facility .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Other Bay Area counties have refused to update their cases for nursing homes and assisted living facilities since the state began releasing limited information earlier this month , which leaves the public with an incomplete picture of serious outbreaks , cobbled together by county and state information and reporting by news agencies .
In Alameda County , for example , the last cumulative numbers the county health department provided for Gateway Rehabilitation and Care Center in Hayward showed 13 deaths there as of April 16 , and the state listed 102 cases there @ @ @ @ @ @ @ County has refused to provide numbers for Orinda Care Center since April 17 , when the nursing home had 53 cases and five deaths .
The state Department of Public Health , which regulates skilled nursing homes , last released updated information on infections on April 22 , and refused to provide updated numbers on those facilities on Monday .
It provides a total cumulative death toll for the state , but does not break it down by facility .
“ We will always adhere closely to the state and federal laws that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an unnamed state health department spokesperson wrote from a department email address Monday .
Transparency and nursing home care advocates have called that policy overreach , saying the release of cumulative numbers in no way impacts patient privacy .
A spokesman for an Oakland nursing home , Excell Care Center , that reported last week 36 cases and three deaths , said those numbers had not changed as of Monday .
The state Department of Social Services , which regulates care homes that don ’ t provide skilled nursing , is updating information @ @ @ @ @ @ @ although it continues to withhold details on deaths by facility .
An assisted living facility in Redwood City , Gordon Manor , where at least 10 people have died of Covid-19 , including a former president of Stanford University , has more cases than reported last week , according to data released by the state on Monday .
There are 23 residents who have tested positive for the virus .
There were 20 patient cases there Friday , along with seven staff , the facilities manager said .
Also at other assisted living @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Services reported that Atria of Daly City had 14 residents and 13 staff members test positive .
Abigail Complete Care has at least 12 cases among residents and at least one case among staff , and Sunrise of Burlingame has at least one case among residents and at least one case among staff members .
Another Atria facility , Atria Burlingame , had five patient cases and two deaths last month but is not included on the state list .
In Contra Costa County , Pleasant Hill ’ s Carlton Senior Living Facility @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has 61 confirmed cases of COVID-19 , according to the updated state list .
The positive cases include 36 residents and 25 staff members .
The last know number of deaths there was five .
The Department of Social Services has refused to breakdown deaths per facility .
It revealed only that across the state as of April 25 , 144 residents of assisted living facilities have died of COVID-19 — an increase of 25 , and there were at least 1,146 positive cases of COVID-19 among residents or staff .
Please help @ @ @ @ @ @ @ providing details by scrolling down and filling out the form below or email us at seniorcareinquiries @ bayareanewsgroup.com .
Your information will reach reporters who are covering the impact coronavirus is having on nursing homes and assisted living facilities .
You can also leave a phone message at 510-208-6458 .
Thank you for your help .

A San Jose nursing home with one of the first reported outbreaks of the coronavirus in an elder care facility is now on the verge of reaching 100 combined infections among patients and staff.
Canyon Springs Post Acute Care first notified patients’ families the last week of March that two patients and an employee had become infected with the virus. The disease has since spread through the facility, and now 99 people have tested positive for COVID-19 and five patients have died, a spokesman confirmed in an email. The 198-bed facility had 17 positive cases and no deaths three weeks ago.
As of Monday there were 364 infections spread across 20 skilled nursing homes in Santa Clara County. A total of 36 people have died in nursing homes in the county, according to the county’s health department. The department has so far refused to name the facilities where the deaths occurred, or the number of deaths at each. The county also reported 11 cases of COVID-19 across seven assisted living facilities, but it does not specify the number of infected people for each facility. There have been no known deaths.
Other Bay Area counties have refused to update their cases for nursing homes and assisted living facilities since the state began releasing limited information earlier this month, which leaves the public with an incomplete picture of serious outbreaks, cobbled together by county and state information and reporting by news agencies.
In Alameda County, for example, the last cumulative numbers the county health department provided for Gateway Rehabilitation and Care Center in Hayward showed 13 deaths there as of April 16, and the state listed 102 cases there as of April 17.
Contra Costa County has refused to provide numbers for Orinda Care Center since April 17, when the nursing home had 53 cases and five deaths.
The state Department of Public Health, which regulates skilled nursing homes, released updated information on infections through Monday, April 27, showing 3,515 infected residents and 2,323 infected workers. So far 378 patients have died. The report does not provide the exact number of workers who have died, only showing that it was fewer than 11. The agency does not break it down deaths by individual facility.
“We will always adhere closely to the state and federal laws that protect the privacy of patients,” an unnamed state health department spokesperson wrote from a department email address Monday. Transparency and nursing home care advocates have called that policy overreach, saying the release of cumulative numbers in no way impacts patient privacy.
A spokesman for an Oakland nursing home, Excell Care Center, that reported last week 36 cases and three deaths, said those numbers had not changed as of Monday.
The state Department of Social Services, which regulates care homes that don’t provide skilled nursing, is updating information on assisted living facilities more frequently, although it continues to withhold details on deaths by facility.
An assisted living facility in Redwood City, Gordon Manor, where at least 10 people have died of Covid-19, including a former president of Stanford University, has more cases than reported last week, according to data released by the state on Monday.
There are 23 residents who have tested positive for the virus. There were 20 patient cases there Friday, along with seven staff, the facilities manager said.
Also at other assisted living facilities in San Mateo County, Social Services reported that Atria of Daly City had 14 residents and 13 staff members test positive. Abigail Complete Care has at least 12 cases among residents and at least one case among staff, and Sunrise of Burlingame has at least one case among residents and at least one case among staff members.
Another Atria facility, Atria Burlingame, had five patient cases and two deaths last month but is not included on the state list.
In Contra Costa County, Pleasant Hill’s Carlton Senior Living Facility — formerly known as Chateau III — has 61 confirmed cases of COVID-19, according to the updated state list. The positive cases include 36 residents and 25 staff members. The last know number of deaths there was five.
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Long Covid cases in US adults are on the decline, but many continue to struggle with symptoms Health | COVID Q&A: Can I use an expired test? Time to get boosted? How to cope with California’s sneaky summer surge The Department of Social Services has refused to breakdown deaths per facility. It revealed only that across the state as of April 25, 144 residents of assisted living facilities have died of COVID-19 — an increase of 25, and there were at least 1,146 positive cases of COVID-19 among residents or staff. The combined deaths of nursing home and assisted living residents represent 40 percent of the state’s overall total.
Please help us shed light on senior care by providing details by scrolling down and filling out the form below or email us at seniorcareinquiries@bayareanewsgroup.com. Your information will reach reporters who are covering the impact coronavirus is having on nursing homes and assisted living facilities. You can also leave a phone message at 510-208-6458. Thank you for your help.


mercurynews--2020-04-27--Coronavirus: Alameda County launches food information website

Oakland — People who are in need can get information on where they can get food and other essential services at a website that Alameda County has launched .
“ It ’ s no secret that the COVID-19 crisis has created both an unprecedented need for services and confusion about locations and access , ” said Lori A. Cox , director of the Alameda County Social Services Agency .
“ As thousands of job cuts hit the county , calls to the Alameda County Community Food Bank have increased by 1,000 percent .
New CalFresh applications submitted to the Alameda @ @ @ @ @ @ @ percent from this time last year .
The numbers are startling.
” The agency , along with the Alameda County Emergency Operations Center , Alameda County Community Food Bank and other community organizations , have worked together to assemble and organize countywide data on food distribution and emergency resource information to help connect residents with services that they require to meet their basic needs .
The website is located at www.acgov.org/maps/food-services.htm .
The information includes dates and time of operation , a description of services provided and location .
Residents are encouraged to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of resources and services will be updated regularly as more information becomes available , according to the county .
Residents should call before they visit to confirm location , hours and the current availability of supplies .
“ The additional online resources are part of the county ’ s work with its community partners to keep residents connected with benefits and services during the emergency , ” Supervisor Wilma Chan said in a statement .
While social distancing is crucial , we want to close any distance between county residents and the services @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ”

Oakland — People who are in need can get information on where they can get food and other essential services at a website that Alameda County has launched.
“It’s no secret that the COVID-19 crisis has created both an unprecedented need for services and confusion about locations and access,” said Lori A. Cox, director of the Alameda County Social Services Agency. “As thousands of job cuts hit the county, calls to the Alameda County Community Food Bank have increased by 1,000 percent. New CalFresh applications submitted to the Alameda County Social Services Agency are up 119 percent from this time last year. The numbers are startling.”
The agency, along with the Alameda County Emergency Operations Center, Alameda County Community Food Bank and other community organizations, have worked together to assemble and organize countywide data on food distribution and emergency resource information to help connect residents with services that they require to meet their basic needs.
The website is located at www.acgov.org/maps/food-services.htm.
The information includes dates and time of operation, a description of services provided and location.
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Residents should call before they visit to confirm location, hours and the current availability of supplies.
“The additional online resources are part of the county’s work with its community partners to keep residents connected with benefits and services during the emergency,” Supervisor Wilma Chan said in a statement. While social distancing is crucial, we want to close any distance between county residents and the services they need for nutrition and health.”


mercurynews--2020-04-28--Contact tracing 101: How it works, who could get hired, and why it’s so critical in fighting coronav

Contact tracing 101: How it works, who could get hired, and why it’s so critical in fighting coronavirus

Thousands of Americans could soon join the ranks of disease detectives in one of the most important battles against coronavirus .
Contact tracing has helped slow or stop previous epidemics , such as the SARS and Ebola outbreaks .
But it ’ s never been more critical — or more challenging — than in this fight against coronavirus .
Here ’ s how contact tracing works and why it ’ s so important : What exactly is contact tracing ?
Contact tracing tracks down anyone who might have been infected by a person who was recently diagnosed so those contacts @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ In contact tracing , public health staff work with a patient to help them recall everyone with whom they have had close contact during the timeframe while they may have been infectious , ” the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said .
“ Contacts are provided with education , information , and support to understand their risk , what they should do to separate themselves from others who are not exposed , monitor themselves for illness , and the possibility that they could spread the infection to others even if @ @ @ @ @ @ @ It ’ s an arduous task , but contact tracing has been credited with helping stop the SARS epidemic in 2004 .
But immediate action is needed , the CDC said .
“ Communities must scale up and train a large contact tracer workforce and work collaboratively across public and private agencies to stop the transmission of COVID-19 , ” the disease caused by novel coronavirus .
Why is contact tracing so critical right now ?
Researchers say the US — or really any country — can ’ t safely reopen without significant @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Without them , “ We ’ re going to be at risk of resurgence of this disease — not just in the fall , but going into next year , ” said Josh Michaud , associate director of global health policy at the Kaiser Family Foundation .
How does the process work ?
Coronavirus survivor Amy Driscoll got a call from her county health department two hours after she got home from the hospital .
A long list of questions followed : “ Who have I seen in the last two weeks ?
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ weeks ?
Who was I in contact with ?
Where do I work ?
” Driscoll recalled .
After that , her coworkers in Ohio had to be contacted .
So did a restaurant where she had gone for lunch .
And a hair salon that she had visited .
And also those who sat near her at a Cleveland Cavaliers game .
But when contacts are notified , they aren ’ t told who was diagnosed with coronavirus .
“ To protect patient privacy , contacts are only informed that they may @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the infection , ” the CDC says .
“ They are not told the identity of the patient who may have exposed them.
” How do people get notified ?
Contact tracers use a variety of methods , including phone calls , emails and social media messaging .
Some places are getting creative .
In North Dakota , health officials partnered with the creator of an app used to track bison to launch a new app called Care19 .
Those who download Care19 will get a random ID number , “ and the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s locations throughout the day , ” the North Dakota coronavirus response website says .
“ If an individual tests positive for COVID-19 , they will be given the opportunity to consent to provide their information to the NDDoH to help in contact tracing and forecasting the pandemic ’ s progression with accurate , real-time data.
” Apple and Google are developing new contact tracing technology using smartphones and Bluetooth technology to alert those who may have been close to someone infected .
But there are limitations to that new technology .
Users @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s not clear whether enough people will do so to make the effort worthwhile .
And people without smartphones would not get notified .
How many contact tracers are there ?
“ The total number of existing disease detectives in the United States ( was ) only 2,200 ” before the coronavirus outbreak , said David Harvey , executive director of the National Coalition of STD Directors .
About 1,600 of those disease detectives are members of the coalition , which is funded by the CDC and typically combats the spread of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ them have been redeployed to do contact tracing for coronavirus , Harvey said .
“ Any time there ’ s an infectious disease outbreak , they get redeployed to Zika , Ebola , food-borne illness outbreaks , ” Harvey said .
“ This is an essential public health workforce.
” Do we have enough contact tracers ?
No .
A recent study released by Johns Hopkins University estimates the US needs at least 100,000 additional public health workers to help with contact tracing .
And that might be a low estimate , said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security and a co-author of the study .
She said the US will likely need more than 100,000 , but that ’ s a good start to help the more heavily impacted areas .
Former CDC Director Dr. Tom Frieden said the US could need “ several hundred thousand ” contact tracers .
The problem : “ Both state public health and county local public health do not have the resources or the people that are needed to be able to do contact tracing for all identified cases @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from the CARES Act is expected to pay for thousands more contact tracers , Harvey said .
That could help some of the many Americans laid off during the coronavirus pandemic .
How do I apply to become a contact tracer ?
“ There ’ s no centralized approach to the hiring process .
So people have to go to their states and local health departments and the CDC Foundation , ” Harvey said .
“ Most states and county health departments are advertising open positions right now , ” he said .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ health department website and look for job postings .
You can also go to the CDC Foundation ’ s website.
” What education do you need to be a contact tracer ?
“ It is helpful to have a public health or health care background , ” Harvey said .
Fluency in multiple languages is also helpful .
But “ no matter what your background , you can be trained to do this work , ” Harvey said .
Different state or local health departments might have different requirements .
The CDC Foundation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s degree for contact tracing candidates .
How much do contact tracers get paid ?
“ Contact tracers are not paid enough , ” Harvey said .
“ The average salary in the United States is $ 35,000 a year.
” But it is not yet clear how much newly hired contact tracers will make in different parts of the country .
What do contact tracers say to those who might have been exposed ?
Sensitivity is important , since it ’ s not easy for people to hear they might have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ A person will typically be told , ‘ You may have been exposed .
We recommend that you isolate for the next 14 days .
Here ’ s where you can get a test .
What questions can I answer for you ?
Tell me folks that you ’ ve had sustained closed proximity with , and together we ’ ll work to notify these people , ' ” he said .
Who ’ s leading contact tracing across the US ?
There ’ s no central agency overseeing all the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s a mix of state and local health departments , nonprofits , private entities and universities .
One of the biggest programs involves New York state , New Jersey , Connecticut , Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health , the Resolve to Save Lives Initiative and Bloomberg Philanthropies , which has committed $ 10.5 million to a new contact tracing program .
In Massachusetts , the Boston-based nonprofit Partners in Health is partnering with the state health department to boost contact tracing .
And in San Francisco , the public health department @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , San Francisco and DIMAGI , a company working with the CDC to digitize workflow and monitoring .
Why is contact tracing for coronavirus so difficult ?
This novel coronavirus is highly contagious — about twice as contagious as the flu .
The Johns Hopkins study estimates each person with coronavirus infects another two or three other people , making it very difficult to find everyone who could be infected .
This coronavirus can also be spread by asymptomatic people who don ’ t look or feel sick , meaning there are carriers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ re infected .
And unlike contact tracing for other types of diseases , Covid-19 is a respiratory illness .
So contact tracers can ’ t knock on people ’ s doors the same way they might have done with other outbreaks , Harvey said .
Does contact tracing actually help ?
Some of the most successful countries in the fight against coronavirus have used widespread contact tracing .
By quickly identifying contacts , those who might be infected were able to quarantine themselves and avoid spreading the virus to others .
• Health @ @ @ @ @ @ @ homeless camp resident tests positive for COVID-19 • Virtual teaching , on-the-job learning : South Bay teachers cram two worlds into one • Trump says he takes no responsibility for cleaner misuse But many Americans are already quarantined under stay-at-home orders , and some may wonder what ’ s the point of contact tracing now .
“ This is a strategy that goes hand-in-hand with economic recovery and reducing the isolation recommendations that are currently in place , ” Harvey said .
“ Once people start coming out of their homes and returning @ @ @ @ @ @ @ normal life , that ’ s where this function is essential to measure outbreaks and warn people so we can intervene .
”

Thousands of Americans could soon join the ranks of disease detectives in one of the most important battles against coronavirus.
Contact tracing has helped slow or stop previous epidemics, such as the SARS and Ebola outbreaks. But it’s never been more critical — or more challenging — than in this fight against coronavirus.
Here’s how contact tracing works and why it’s so important:
What exactly is contact tracing?
Contact tracing tracks down anyone who might have been infected by a person who was recently diagnosed so those contacts can quarantine themselves and prevent further spread.
“In contact tracing, public health staff work with a patient to help them recall everyone with whom they have had close contact during the timeframe while they may have been infectious,” the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said.
“Contacts are provided with education, information, and support to understand their risk, what they should do to separate themselves from others who are not exposed, monitor themselves for illness, and the possibility that they could spread the infection to others even if they themselves do not feel ill.”
It’s an arduous task, but contact tracing has been credited with helping stop the SARS epidemic in 2004.
But immediate action is needed, the CDC said. “Communities must scale up and train a large contact tracer workforce and work collaboratively across public and private agencies to stop the transmission of COVID-19,” the disease caused by novel coronavirus.
[vemba-video id=”health/2020/04/27/contact-tracing-coronavirus-covid-19-pandemic-explainer-sanjay-gupta-orig-llr-ns.cnn”]
Why is contact tracing so critical right now?
Researchers say the US — or really any country — can’t safely reopen without significant amounts of contact tracing and testing.
Without them, “We’re going to be at risk of resurgence of this disease — not just in the fall, but going into next year,” said Josh Michaud, associate director of global health policy at the Kaiser Family Foundation.
How does the process work?
Coronavirus survivor Amy Driscoll got a call from her county health department two hours after she got home from the hospital.
A long list of questions followed: “Who have I seen in the last two weeks? Where was I in the last two weeks? Who was I in contact with? Where do I work?” Driscoll recalled.
After that, her coworkers in Ohio had to be contacted. So did a restaurant where she had gone for lunch. And a hair salon that she had visited. And also those who sat near her at a Cleveland Cavaliers game.
But when contacts are notified, they aren’t told who was diagnosed with coronavirus.
“To protect patient privacy, contacts are only informed that they may have been exposed to a patient with the infection,” the CDC says. “They are not told the identity of the patient who may have exposed them.”
How do people get notified?
Contact tracers use a variety of methods, including phone calls, emails and social media messaging.
Some places are getting creative. In North Dakota, health officials partnered with the creator of an app used to track bison to launch a new app called Care19.
Those who download Care19 will get a random ID number, “and the app will anonymously cache the individual’s locations throughout the day,” the North Dakota coronavirus response website says.
“If an individual tests positive for COVID-19, they will be given the opportunity to consent to provide their information to the NDDoH to help in contact tracing and forecasting the pandemic’s progression with accurate, real-time data.”
Apple and Google are developing new contact tracing technology using smartphones and Bluetooth technology to alert those who may have been close to someone infected.
But there are limitations to that new technology. Users would have to opt-in, and it’s not clear whether enough people will do so to make the effort worthwhile. And people without smartphones would not get notified.
How many contact tracers are there?
“The total number of existing disease detectives in the United States (was) only 2,200” before the coronavirus outbreak, said David Harvey, executive director of the National Coalition of STD Directors.
About 1,600 of those disease detectives are members of the coalition, which is funded by the CDC and typically combats the spread of sexually transmitted diseases.
But most of them have been redeployed to do contact tracing for coronavirus, Harvey said.
“Any time there’s an infectious disease outbreak, they get redeployed to Zika, Ebola, food-borne illness outbreaks,” Harvey said. “This is an essential public health workforce.”
Do we have enough contact tracers?
No. A recent study released by Johns Hopkins University estimates the US needs at least 100,000 additional public health workers to help with contact tracing.
And that might be a low estimate, said Anita Cicero, deputy director at the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security and a co-author of the study. She said the US will likely need more than 100,000, but that’s a good start to help the more heavily impacted areas.
Former CDC Director Dr. Tom Frieden said the US could need “several hundred thousand” contact tracers.
The problem: “Both state public health and county local public health do not have the resources or the people that are needed to be able to do contact tracing for all identified cases,” Cicero said.
But funding from the CARES Act is expected to pay for thousands more contact tracers, Harvey said. That could help some of the many Americans laid off during the coronavirus pandemic.
How do I apply to become a contact tracer?
“There’s no centralized approach to the hiring process. So people have to go to their states and local health departments and the CDC Foundation,” Harvey said.
“Most states and county health departments are advertising open positions right now,” he said.
“You can go to your state health department website and look for job postings. You can also go to the CDC Foundation’s website.”
What education do you need to be a contact tracer?
“It is helpful to have a public health or health care background,” Harvey said. Fluency in multiple languages is also helpful.
But “no matter what your background, you can be trained to do this work,” Harvey said.
Different state or local health departments might have different requirements. The CDC Foundation’s job posting requires a bachelor’s degree for contact tracing candidates.
How much do contact tracers get paid?
“Contact tracers are not paid enough,” Harvey said. “The average salary in the United States is $35,000 a year.”
But it is not yet clear how much newly hired contact tracers will make in different parts of the country.
What do contact tracers say to those who might have been exposed?
Sensitivity is important, since it’s not easy for people to hear they might have been infected with coronavirus, Harvey said.
“A person will typically be told, ‘You may have been exposed. We recommend that you isolate for the next 14 days. Here’s where you can get a test. What questions can I answer for you? Tell me folks that you’ve had sustained closed proximity with, and together we’ll work to notify these people,'” he said.
Who’s leading contact tracing across the US?
There’s no central agency overseeing all the contact tracing — rather, it’s a mix of state and local health departments, nonprofits, private entities and universities.
One of the biggest programs involves New York state, New Jersey, Connecticut, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, the Resolve to Save Lives Initiative and Bloomberg Philanthropies, which has committed $10.5 million to a new contact tracing program.
In Massachusetts, the Boston-based nonprofit Partners in Health is partnering with the state health department to boost contact tracing.
And in San Francisco, the public health department has partnered with the University of California, San Francisco and DIMAGI, a company working with the CDC to digitize workflow and monitoring.
Why is contact tracing for coronavirus so difficult?
This novel coronavirus is highly contagious — about twice as contagious as the flu. The Johns Hopkins study estimates each person with coronavirus infects another two or three other people, making it very difficult to find everyone who could be infected.
This coronavirus can also be spread by asymptomatic people who don’t look or feel sick, meaning there are carriers who might not even know they’re infected.
And unlike contact tracing for other types of diseases, Covid-19 is a respiratory illness. So contact tracers can’t knock on people’s doors the same way they might have done with other outbreaks, Harvey said.
Does contact tracing actually help?
“Without a doubt, contact tracing works,” Harvey said.
Some of the most successful countries in the fight against coronavirus have used widespread contact tracing. By quickly identifying contacts, those who might be infected were able to quarantine themselves and avoid spreading the virus to others.
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“This is a strategy that goes hand-in-hand with economic recovery and reducing the isolation recommendations that are currently in place,” Harvey said.
“Once people start coming out of their homes and returning to work and resuming aspects of a normal life, that’s where this function is essential to measure outbreaks and warn people so we can intervene.”
The-CNN-Wire
™ & © 2020 Cable News Network, Inc., a WarnerMedia Company. All rights reserved.


mercurynews--2020-04-28--Marin County Safeway worker tests positive for coronavirus

A worker at the Safeway store in San Anselmo ’ s Red Hill Shopping Center has tested positive for the coronavirus , a company spokeswoman confirmed Monday .
The employee last worked at the store on Tuesday , spokeswoman Wendy Gutshall said in an email .
She said the market will stay open , and it has undergone “ multiple cycles of our enhanced cleaning , sanitizing and/or disinfecting process since that day.
” The worker ’ s diagnosis comes after a worker at the Safeway store in the Strawberry Village Shopping Center near Mill Valley tested positive for the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Workers at a Whole Foods store in Mill Valley have also been diagnosed with COVID-19 .
A company spokeswoman wouldn ’ t disclose the number of infected employees , but confirmed last week that more than one worker at the store at 731 E. Blithedale Ave. has contracted the virus , and the market will stay open .
• Health workers rush to prevent outbreak after Oakland homeless camp resident tests positive for COVID-19 • Virtual teaching , on-the-job learning : South Bay teachers cram two worlds into one • Trump says @ @ @ @ @ @ @ When a Safeway worker is diagnosed with the coronavirus , Gutshall said , the company “ may also recommend that additional members of the store team self-quarantine.
” She said those employees are eligible for up to 14 days of “ quarantine pay.
” Gutshall did not respond to requests for additional information , including the infected employee ’ s role at the store , or whether other workers were tested for the coronavirus .

A worker at the Safeway store in San Anselmo’s Red Hill Shopping Center has tested positive for the coronavirus, a company spokeswoman confirmed Monday.
The employee last worked at the store on Tuesday, spokeswoman Wendy Gutshall said in an email. She said the market will stay open, and it has undergone “multiple cycles of our enhanced cleaning, sanitizing and/or disinfecting process since that day.”
The worker’s diagnosis comes after a worker at the Safeway store in the Strawberry Village Shopping Center near Mill Valley tested positive for the virus in March, according to Gutshall.
Workers at a Whole Foods store in Mill Valley have also been diagnosed with COVID-19. A company spokeswoman wouldn’t disclose the number of infected employees, but confirmed last week that more than one worker at the store at 731 E. Blithedale Ave. has contracted the virus, and the market will stay open.
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Long Covid cases in US adults are on the decline, but many continue to struggle with symptoms Health | COVID Q&A: Can I use an expired test? Time to get boosted? How to cope with California’s sneaky summer surge When a Safeway worker is diagnosed with the coronavirus, Gutshall said, the company “may also recommend that additional members of the store team self-quarantine.” She said those employees are eligible for up to 14 days of “quarantine pay.”
Gutshall did not respond to requests for additional information, including the infected employee’s role at the store, or whether other workers were tested for the coronavirus.


mercurynews--2020-04-28--Unidentified body found in rural Santa Cruz County in ‘suspicious circumstances’

SANTA CRUZ — Authorities are investigating after an unidentified body was found in suspicious circumstances Saturday in rural Santa Cruz @ @ @ @ @ a report of a body found in the area of Redwood Drive , off Glen @ @ @ @ @ p.m. Saturday , according to Santa Cruz County Sheriff ’ s Office spokeswoman Ashley Keehn @ @ @ @ @ found the body of a person who had not been identified as of Monday morning @ @ @ @ @ underway , according to Keehn .
But the cause of death had yet to be @ @ @ @ @ it would be preemptive to call the case a homicide pending the results of an @ @ @ @ @ “ That will be determined by the autopsy , but there are suspicious circumstances surrounding @ @ @ @ @ said .
Keehn was unable to provide additional information about the circumstances in which the @ @ @ @ @ said she was unaware of any persons of interest in the case as of Monday @ @

SANTA CRUZ — Authorities are investigating after an unidentified body was found in suspicious circumstances Saturday in rural Santa Cruz County.
Deputies responded to a report of a body found in the area of Redwood Drive, off Glen Canyon Road, about 1:30 p.m. Saturday, according to Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s Office spokeswoman Ashley Keehn.
Upon arrival, they found the body of a person who had not been identified as of Monday morning.
A criminal investigation is underway, according to Keehn.
But the cause of death had yet to be confirmed, and Keehn said it would be preemptive to call the case a homicide pending the results of an autopsy planned later Monday.
“That will be determined by the autopsy, but there are suspicious circumstances surrounding the death,” Keehn said.
Keehn was unable to provide additional information about the circumstances in which the body was found.
She said she was unaware of any persons of interest in the case as of Monday morning.


mercurynews--2020-04-28--Santa Cruz County rethinking beach access after flood of activity

SANTA CRUZ — Law enforcement leaders were set to confer with the Santa Cruz County health authorities Monday afternoon after beachgoers turned out in holiday-level force over the weekend and pushed the local COVID-19 shelter-in-place order to its limits .
Officials are considering implementing stricter beach-attendance regulations , though the specifics have not yet been worked out and would likely coincide with the pending renewal of the county shelter-in-place order , due to expire May 3 , said county spokesman Jason Hoppin .
Tougher restrictions that are likely to be enacted by the weekend might include ideas such as limited @ @ @ @ @ @ @ closure , limits on what a person can bring with them or set up at the beach or other provisions , Hoppin said .
As of Monday morning , 124 COVID-19 cases had been confirmed among Santa Cruz County residents , including 75 listed as recovered and 3,397 negative test results .
Of those reported infected to date , 18 have been hospitalized and two have died .
“ There was very good weather .
Any beach that was open was hit by a large crowd .
There were crowds at beaches that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” Hoppin said .
“ The bigger issue actually was the North Coast .
Most of the lots were closed , but it didn ’ t appear to have any impacts on keeping people away.
” The county order does not allow for stationary recreation , specifying that allowed “ essential ” activities include actively walking , jogging or biking .
The weekend ’ s overwhelming turnout at local beaches — including both tourists and “ homegrown ” visitors , Hoppin said , however , meant law enforcement could not effectively prevent sitting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ just been nothing but kicking people off the beaches , ” Hoppin said .
In the time period stretching from Friday morning to Sunday night , the Sheriff ’ s Office issued 210 citations related to increased beach attendance , according to Santa Cruz County Sheriff ’ s Office spokeswoman Ashley Keehn .
Of those citations , 23 were alleged violations of the shelter-in-place order , 60 were alcohol-related — such as open containers at the beach — and 127 were parking citations typically related to illegal parking spilling over from closed parking @ @ @ @ @ @ @ We increased patrols on the beaches from North to South County but did notice an increase in visitors .
Sunny Cove , 26th Avenue and the North Coast are the areas we saw the most issues , ” Keehn said .
“ We also noticed an increase in occupancy for vacation rentals .
The Sheriff ’ s Office has a tip line in place where residents can report the misuse of vacation rentals during this time.
” Shelter-in-place violation tips can be left with the Sheriff ’ s Office at 831-454-7747 .
Under @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , vacation rentals , including those rented through Airbnb , VRBO or other platforms , are not allowed to operate for reasons other than providing housing for essential workers or for families attending to the critical medical needs of local relatives .
On the North Coast , cars were packed in ditches and breakdown lanes along Highway 1 for miles during the weekend , as visitors flocked to the area .
Davenport/North Coast Association Chairwoman Noel Garin Bock raised an alarm with local law enforcement and policymakers about the influx of visitors , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ parks closure was lifted April 16 .
She compared Santa Cruz ’ s health order to San Mateo County ’ s March 31 order , which limits its shelter-in-place exemption for “ essential ” recreational activities to those taking place within 5 miles of the person ’ s residence .
The goal , said Bock , is not to prevent county residents from visiting the beaches , but rather keep the area from being dangerously overwhelmed .
“ People who live on the North Coast and need to go to town for groceries @ @ @ @ @ @ @ there is so much out-of-area-traffic and people tend to drive after drinking on the beaches .
As an example , an inebriated fellow broke his collar bone after falling off his bike in Davenport upon leaving the beach , ” Bock said .
“ It is scary for locals to see people from all over Northern California , potentially infected with COVID in our neighborhoods and at our local beaches .
So , it ’ s a health issue , as the people from other counties should be recreating close to their own @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s four-person COVID-19 enforcement team was kept particularly busy in the village Esplanade area , Chief Terry McManus said .
In those same three days , officers made approximately 1,000 coronavirus-related contacts with the public and handed out about 20 misdemeanor citations , plus about 200 parking violation tickets , McManus said .
Based on casual conversations between officers and department volunteers and the public , McManus said he believes there has been a high percentage of out-of-city visitors to Capitola ’ s beaches .
Santa Cruz Police Department officials were not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ enforcement .
During a now regularly occurring coronavirus news conference , Santa Cruz County Health Officer Dr. Gail Newel was quizzed Thursday on how the county ’ s looser recreational limits compared to neighboring counties might affect enforcement of shelter-in-place and best health practices .
• Health workers rush to prevent outbreak after Oakland homeless camp resident tests positive for COVID-19 • Virtual teaching , on-the-job learning : South Bay teachers cram two worlds into one • Trump says he takes no responsibility for cleaner misuse “ That is certainly an area of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ because at this point we are the only Central California coastal area that has beaches open , ” Newel said .
“ So that ’ s something that we ’ re watching closely .
The same is happening with Orange County .
Orange County is the only Southern California county that has beaches open and so we ’ ll watch them and see what we can learn from their experience and measures that might be helpful.
” Newel said she hoped that when the Bay Area counties renewed their jointly issued shelter-in-place order @ @ @ @ @ @ @ beach areas to lighten the load on Santa Cruz County .
Meanwhile , in Orange County , the Newport City Council was set to meet Tuesday for a special meeting to consider closing its beaches for three upcoming consecutive weekends or closing roadways leading to popular beach spots , according to a city press release .
• Health workers rush to prevent outbreak after Oakland homeless camp resident tests positive for COVID-19 • Virtual teaching , on-the-job learning : South Bay teachers cram two worlds into one • Trump says he takes no @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a local teacher who has struggled with being separated from her students during the shelter-in-place order , said she saw group gatherings at her nearby Seabright Beach beginning Thursday , after days of law enforcement outreach urging people that were not actively recreating to head home .
She said she believed the enforcement message has not been delivered consistently .
“ The beach patrol and the state rangers did nothing to break up the groups , ” Herred wrote in a letter to the Sentinel .
“ I ’ d like everything to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ find it so contradictory to not enforce it everywhere .
”

Santa Cruz County officials will announce this week whether they will follow the lead of other counties and close their beaches, or more tightly restrict their use after COVID-19-weary crowds thronged to the county’s coastal spots over the warm weekend and pushed the limits of social distancing.
It’s likely the announcement will coincide with the county extending its shelter-in-place order, which is due to expire May 3, said county spokesman Jason Hoppin.
The regulations under consideration could include closing the beaches, or limiting access during certain days or hours. The county also could consider allowing people to continue using the beaches for exercise but saying they cannot not bring items, such as beach chairs or umbrellas, that would encourage them to congregate in groups, especially with anyone outside their household.
Starting last month, many Bay Area state, county and city park managers closed beaches to prevent the spread of coronavirus and to comply with shelter-in-place orders. Some managers, though, only closed parking lots and vehicle access, but left beaches open to visitors who can get there on foot or bicycle.
Santa Cruz County let people continue to use beaches, but only for “essential” healthy activities, such as walking, jogging or bicycling, Hoppin said. People also were expected to abide by social-distancing rules and not use the areas for “stationary” recreation, such as sunbathing, reading or hanging out in groups.
As of Monday, Santa Cruz County had 124 COVID-19 cases, with nine new cases reported over the weekend, according to data compiled by this news organization. Two people have died in the county.
The county temporarily closed the beaches earlier this month because of a surge in visitors, but allowed them to reopen April 16, as long as people honored the required physical distancing of 6 feet or more.
But maintaining this distance became difficult this weekend, as temperatures in the upper 70s drew holiday-weekend-level crowds to enjoy the sun, sand and surf. Hoppin said the crowds included locals and visitors from outside the area.
Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s officials reported that deputies issued 210 citations from Friday morning to Sunday night, related to the beach crowds. More than half of the citations were related to illegal parking, mostly due to cars spilling out from closed parking lots. Sixty alcohol-related citations were issued to people with open containers, and 23 were given out to people violating shelter-in-place orders.
People visiting the beaches on the county’s North Coast created hazardous conditions along Highway 1, Hoppin said. Cars, barred from closed parking lots, took up spots in along the narrow highway.
“It really became dangerous, with people parking along the highway, and dashing across traffic,” Hoppin said. “It was not good.”
Hoppin said that many of the non-locals probably were people who drove south from San Mateo County, where beaches and parks have been closed since March 27. They, therefore, were not crossing the county line for essential travel.
Like Santa Cruz County, San Mateo County tried to keep parks and beaches open, but finally chose to close them following a surge of visitors over one weekend last month.
“The action was taken due to the influx of people driving to parks and congregating on trails thus preventing social distancing and safe use of park trails at this time,” San Mateo County officials said last month.


mercurynews--2020-04-28--Can you pay the rent on May 1? Here’s what to do if you can’t

Trent Gardner worked as a bartender at Treasure Island Resort and Casino in Las Vegas for ten years until he was furloughed in March .
He used savings to pay April ’ s rent .
But even though he ’ s now on unemployment and received some stimulus money , he won ’ t be able to pay his $ 1,500 May rent , and still provide necessities for his 16-year-old daughter and himself .
“ I ’ ve never been late on a rent payment , ” he said .
“ This is a new situation for a lot @ @ @ @ @ @ @ landlord about rent relief last month , the company said tenants could defer payments for 90 days , but stipulated the full back rent would be due at the end of the lease .
With his lease up in June , Gardner decided he couldn ’ t risk having to come up with several months of payments all at once , especially with his financial future so uncertain .
“ Everything will change , but I don ’ t know how , ” he said .
“ I can ’ t even answer @ @ @ @ @ @ @ back .
How can you say where you are going to be if you don ’ t know what you have coming in ?
” Across the country , tenant advocates and housing lawyers are sounding alarms that an increasing number of renters will not be able to pay rent on May 1st .
What ’ s more , they are concerned many renters will lose their homes as suspensions on evictions phase out and rent relief is not widely available .
If you can ’ t pay your rent , this is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tenant protections where you live The best protection for renters right now are the eviction moratoriums .
But coverage is patchy , varying by state , county and city .
Knowing the status of evictions where you live helps you know your rights and protections .
The Coronavirus Aid , Relief , and Economic Security ( CARES ) Act includes a 120-day moratorium on evictions and late fees for properties that are secured by a government-backed mortgage .
Many states also have temporary eviction moratoriums in place .
The Department of Housing and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ relief from each state , and Nolo , a legal services website , keeps track of coronavirus-related tenant protections .
“ You can only make decisions if you have this information : Can evictions happen now where you are ?
If not , when will they open up again ?
” said Rachel Garland , managing attorney for the Housing Unit at Community Legal Services in Philadelphia .
This can help you in asserting your rights .
“ We ’ re seeing illegal lockouts , ” said Michael Trujillo , housing staff attorney @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in San Jose , California .
“ There are landlords threatening to evict the tenants without going through the judicial processes , even after those tenants have explained their Covid-related financial struggles and an eviction moratorium.
” If this happens to you , he said , seek legal aid .
Talk with your landlord and document your requests For the majority of people who are not being hassled by a landlord , start a conversation about your inability to pay .
“ Talk to your landlord and explain what you can and can @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
‘ What is your goal ?
If you want to stay , tell your landlord , ‘ I am committed to making this work , I don ’ t know how , but I am going to try.
’ You may want to leave .
Decide on a mutually agreed upon departure plan.
” Your landlord may accept partial payment or allow for you to defer your rent for a time .
But just keep in mind : A deferral or reduction in rent is not rent forgiveness and you will need @ @ @ @ @ @ @ when the back rent will be due .
Landlords don ’ t have to let you defer payments , said Ariel Levinson-Waldman , director and counsel of Tzedek DC , an independent public interest center at the University of the District of Columbia .
“ But many understand that something is better than nothing and will accept an offer to defer , delay or reduce a payment.
” Document your requests , advocates say , and be wary of a landlord pressuring you to sign a payment agreement .
“ It is smart @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said Trujillo .
“ But I hope that tenants don ’ t feel pressured to sign anything they don ’ t think they can uphold.
” If you are covered by an eviction moratorium , make sure you do what is required to be protected by it .
This may vary but may involve collecting documentation of your coronavirus-related hardship , like a notice of a furlough or layoff , and a copy of the notification of your inability to pay that you provided your landlord .
“ If a family has lost @ @ @ @ @ @ @ loss as a result of Covid-19 , that family shouldn ’ t be making a choice between paying rent or paying for food , ” said Trujillo .
“ They should let their landlord know they aren ’ t paying rent and provide documentation to be protected from eviction .
They can use their money on other basic necessities.
” Connect with relief resources and other tenants There may be rent relief resources available locally .
For example , the Dallas City Council approved a total of $ 13.7 million in relief to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for residents who are unemployed or furloughed because of the coronavirus .
Eligible households could get up to $ 1,500 for a maximum of three months .
If you are a tenant in subsidized housing who is experiencing hardship because of coronavirus , Hazel Remesch , a supervising attorney at Legal Aid Society of Cleveland , Ohio , recommends going back to the agency administering your program and notifying them that your income has changed .
“ If you report it , the agency can adjust your rent.
” she said .
• @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Oakland homeless camp resident tests positive for COVID-19 • Virtual teaching , on-the-job learning : South Bay teachers cram two worlds into one • Trump says he takes no responsibility for cleaner misuse Connecting with other tenants through associations in your building or larger networks can be empowering , said Trujillo .
“ That can be really helpful for information sharing and to find out about available resources , ” he said .
“ In a larger building , tenants have much more power when they are bargaining as an organized body.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the tenant and is not likely to become available unless you ask .
“ Know that you ’ re not alone , ” said Levinson-Waldman .
“ Sometimes people experience real shame .
But there is nothing to be ashamed about here .
Don ’ t be afraid to ask for help .
”

Trent Gardner worked as a bartender at Treasure Island Resort and Casino in Las Vegas for ten years until he was furloughed in March. He used savings to pay April’s rent. But even though he’s now on unemployment and received some stimulus money, he won’t be able to pay his $1,500 May rent, and still provide necessities for his 16-year-old daughter and himself.
“I’ve never been late on a rent payment,” he said. “This is a new situation for a lot of us.”
When he asked his landlord about rent relief last month, the company said tenants could defer payments for 90 days, but stipulated the full back rent would be due at the end of the lease. With his lease up in June, Gardner decided he couldn’t risk having to come up with several months of payments all at once, especially with his financial future so uncertain.
“Everything will change, but I don’t know how,” he said. “I can’t even answer for myself whether my job will come back. How can you say where you are going to be if you don’t know what you have coming in?”
Across the country, tenant advocates and housing lawyers are sounding alarms that an increasing number of renters will not be able to pay rent on May 1st. What’s more, they are concerned many renters will lose their homes as suspensions on evictions phase out and rent relief is not widely available.
If you can’t pay your rent, this is what you should do.
Know the tenant protections where you live
The best protection for renters right now are the eviction moratoriums. But coverage is patchy, varying by state, county and city.
Knowing the status of evictions where you live helps you know your rights and protections.
[vemba-video id=”van/batchfeed/2020/04/28/kabctv_0620f9b0-891e-11ea-9eb7-7f59b5fade04″]
The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act includes a 120-day moratorium on evictions and late fees for properties that are secured by a government-backed mortgage. Many states also have temporary eviction moratoriums in place. The Department of Housing and Urban Development provides coronavirus-related updates on housing relief from each state, and Nolo, a legal services website, keeps track of coronavirus-related tenant protections.
“You can only make decisions if you have this information: Can evictions happen now where you are? If not, when will they open up again?” said Rachel Garland, managing attorney for the Housing Unit at Community Legal Services in Philadelphia.
This can help you in asserting your rights.
“We’re seeing illegal lockouts,” said Michael Trujillo, housing staff attorney at the Law Foundation of Silicon Valley in San Jose, California. “There are landlords threatening to evict the tenants without going through the judicial processes, even after those tenants have explained their Covid-related financial struggles and an eviction moratorium.”
If this happens to you, he said, seek legal aid.
Talk with your landlord and document your requests
For the majority of people who are not being hassled by a landlord, start a conversation about your inability to pay.
“Talk to your landlord and explain what you can and can’t do,” said Garland. ‘What is your goal? If you want to stay, tell your landlord, ‘I am committed to making this work, I don’t know how, but I am going to try.’ You may want to leave. Decide on a mutually agreed upon departure plan.”
Your landlord may accept partial payment or allow for you to defer your rent for a time. But just keep in mind: A deferral or reduction in rent is not rent forgiveness and you will need to be clear with your landlord about when the back rent will be due.
Landlords don’t have to let you defer payments, said Ariel Levinson-Waldman, director and counsel of Tzedek DC, an independent public interest center at the University of the District of Columbia. “But many understand that something is better than nothing and will accept an offer to defer, delay or reduce a payment.”
Document your requests, advocates say, and be wary of a landlord pressuring you to sign a payment agreement.
“It is smart to reach out to landlords,” said Trujillo. “But I hope that tenants don’t feel pressured to sign anything they don’t think they can uphold.”
If you are covered by an eviction moratorium, make sure you do what is required to be protected by it. This may vary but may involve collecting documentation of your coronavirus-related hardship, like a notice of a furlough or layoff, and a copy of the notification of your inability to pay that you provided your landlord.
“If a family has lost all their income because of a job loss as a result of Covid-19, that family shouldn’t be making a choice between paying rent or paying for food,” said Trujillo. “They should let their landlord know they aren’t paying rent and provide documentation to be protected from eviction. They can use their money on other basic necessities.”
Connect with relief resources and other tenants
There may be rent relief resources available locally.
For example, the Dallas City Council approved a total of $13.7 million in relief to help pay rent, mortgages and utilities for residents who are unemployed or furloughed because of the coronavirus. Eligible households could get up to $1,500 for a maximum of three months.
If you are a tenant in subsidized housing who is experiencing hardship because of coronavirus, Hazel Remesch, a supervising attorney at Legal Aid Society of Cleveland, Ohio, recommends going back to the agency administering your program and notifying them that your income has changed.
“If you report it, the agency can adjust your rent.” she said.
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Long Covid cases in US adults are on the decline, but many continue to struggle with symptoms Real Estate | COVID Q&A: Can I use an expired test? Time to get boosted? How to cope with California’s sneaky summer surge Connecting with other tenants through associations in your building or larger networks can be empowering, said Trujillo.
“That can be really helpful for information sharing and to find out about available resources,” he said. “In a larger building, tenants have much more power when they are bargaining as an organized body.”
Generally, securing payment relief is on the tenant and is not likely to become available unless you ask.
“Know that you’re not alone,” said Levinson-Waldman. “Sometimes people experience real shame. But there is nothing to be ashamed about here. Don’t be afraid to ask for help.”
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mercurynews--2020-04-28--Coronavirus: How the U.S. has massively increased its testing capacity

“ Testing is the lynchpin to all public health measures put in place , ” Johns Hopkins Assistant Professor of Emergency Medicine Lauren Sauer said on “ Bloomberg Surveillance ” this week .
On February 27 there were 2 people tested in the U.S. for COVID-19 .
On March 27 , total tests were 665,689 tested and on April 27 there were 5,593,495 tested with a capacity to test more than 200,000 per day in place .
Of those more than 5.59 million tests , 981,134 were positive with 4,077 pending .
As of April 27 , 50,327 deaths have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ U.S. and its territories .
You can see daily totals for testing each state and across the U.S. at covidtracking.com .
Here are some key dates in the federal government ’ s plan to ramp up testing : March 13 : FDA issues an EUA for Roche ’ s cobas COVID-19 test within 24 hours of receiving the application .
March 18 : FDA issues the first emergency use authorization for a point-of-care COVID19 diagnostic test ( Abbott ) .
April 21 : FDA authorizes the first COVID-19 diagnostic test with a home @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of April 27 : FDA has issued 70 Emergency Use Authorizations ( 62 for molecular tests and 8 for serological tests ) .
The charts below show some of the progress made in the U.S .
Cumulative COVID-19-associated hospitalization rates since March 1 are updated weekly .
The overall cumulative hospitalization rate is 20.0 per 100,000 , with the highest rates in people 65 and older ( 63.8 per 100,000 ) and 50-64 ( 32.8 per 100,000 ) .
When standardizing for population differences per 1 million people , California ranked 48th with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of April .
Rhode Island ranked first with the most tests processed at 29,037 , and Virginia ranked 51st with just 5,740 tests processed.California has been lagging in processed COVID-19 tests for the last three weeks , ranking 50th on April 3 , up to 45th the second week and back down to 48th the third week.Gov .
Gavin Newsom says California is improving .
“ We are seeing substantially larger numbers tested on a daily basis .
A little over 18,800 ( April 12 ) yesterday .
A little over 12,500 today @ @ @ @ @ @ @ compared to even a week ago .
We want to get to 25,000 tests per day in the next few weeks , ” Newsom said .
As of April 19 , testing for COVID-19 is becoming more readily available at hospital , academic , commercial and public health laboratories across California.There are four priorities for testing for now : Priority 1 : Hospitalized patients.Symptomatic health care workers.People identified for testing by public health contact investigations and disease control activities in high-risk settings , including both residents and staff ( congregate living facilities , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of asymptomatic residents of congregate living facilities prior to admission or re-admission ( a hospitalized patient will be screened for COVID-19 prior to discharge to a congregate living facility ) .Screening of asymptomatic health care workers ( skilled nursing facility workers , hospital workers ) .Symptomatic people in essential health and public safety occupations .
( first responders , law enforcement , congregate living facility workers ) .Symptomatic people > 65 years of age or with chronic medical conditions .
Priority 3 : Symptomatic people in essential infrastructure occupations ( utility workers , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ) .Priority 4 : Community-based testing of all low-risk symptomatic people.Surveillance testing of asymptomatic people.People should stay home and away from others until they have had no fever without the use of fever-reducing medications ; they have seen improvement in respiratory symptoms for at least 3 days ; and it been at least 7 days since their symptoms first appeared , i.e.
, the minimum length of time will be 7 days .
These priorities are subject to change as testing availability increases .
Tests can be done in a hospital , a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ through a home kit authorized by the FDA this week .
There is no test that can be done completely at home to date .
However , on Monday , the FDA authorized the first COVID-19 test for home collection of specimens to be sent to a laboratory for processing and test reporting .
This authorization is only to the home collection test that has been issued the Emergency Use Authorization for LabCorp ’ s COVID-19 RT-PCR Test .
If you think you have symptoms , you must contact your health care provider @ @ @ @ @ @ @ patients and health care workers .
It is important to keep hospitals and emergency departments as free as possible to treat critically ill people.Clinics focus on people with other medical problems , and it is important to avoid infecting people with other conditions.l Community testing sites can provide professionally managed testing for mildly symptomatic or asymptomatic people .
There are several drive-up sites in California , but these are by appointment only.Home testing is being developed but not widely used to date.Type of test : Nasopharyngeal swabs , which are placed in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cavity , have been the most widely recommended because they test a location that is known to have large quantities of the SARS-CoV-2 virus .
If the swab doesn ’ t reach the back of the nasal cavity , the virus may not be detected , even if the person is symptomatic and infected .
• Health workers rush to prevent outbreak after Oakland homeless camp resident tests positive for COVID-19 • Virtual teaching , on-the-job learning : South Bay teachers cram two worlds into one • Trump says he takes no responsibility @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s guidelines to open the country again , testing has an important role .
Health officials have created a three-phased approach .
These steps will help state and local officials when reopening their economies , getting people back to work and continuing to protect American lives .
The following criteria must be met to reach phase 1 : SYMPTOMSDownward trajectory of influenza-like illnesses reported within a 14-day period and downward trajectory of COVID-like cases reported within a 14-day period .
CASESDownward trajectory of documented cases within a 14-day period or downward trajectory @ @ @ @ @ @ @ total tests within a 14-day period ( flat or increasing volume of tests ) .HOSPITALSTreat all patients without crisis care and robust testing program in place for at-risk health care workers , including emerging antibody testing .

“Testing is the lynchpin to all public health measures put in place,” Johns Hopkins Assistant Professor of Emergency Medicine Lauren Sauer said on “Bloomberg Surveillance” this week. On February 27 there were 2 people tested in the U.S. for COVID-19. On March 27, total tests were 665,689 tested and on April 27 there were 5,593,495 tested with a capacity to test more than 200,000 per day in place. Of those more than 5.59 million tests, 981,134 were positive with 4,077 pending. As of April 27, 50,327 deaths have been reported from the virus across the U.S. and its territories.
You can see daily totals for testing each state and across the U.S. at covidtracking.com.
Here are some key dates in the federal government’s plan to ramp up testing:
March 13: FDA issues an EUA for Roche’s cobas COVID-19 test within 24 hours of receiving the application.
March 18: FDA issues the first emergency use authorization for a point-of-care COVID19 diagnostic test (Abbott).
April 21: FDA authorizes the first COVID-19 diagnostic test with a home collection option (LabCorp).
As of April 27: FDA has issued 70 Emergency Use Authorizations (62 for molecular tests and 8 for serological tests).
The charts below show some of the progress made in the U.S.
Cumulative COVID-19-associated hospitalization rates since March 1 are updated weekly. The overall cumulative hospitalization rate is 20.0 per 100,000, with the highest rates in people 65 and older (63.8 per 100,000) and 50-64 (32.8 per 100,000).
California testing priorities
When standardizing for population differences per 1 million people, California ranked 48th with 6,550 tests processed in the first week of April. Rhode Island ranked first with the most tests processed at 29,037, and Virginia ranked 51st with just 5,740 tests processed.California has been lagging in processed COVID-19 tests for the last three weeks, ranking 50th on April 3, up to 45th the second week and back down to 48th the third week.Gov. Gavin Newsom says California is improving.
“We are seeing substantially larger numbers tested on a daily basis. A little over 18,800 (April 12) yesterday. A little over 12,500 today. We are seeing those numbers increase compared to even a week ago. We want to get to 25,000 tests per day in the next few weeks,” Newsom said. As of April 19, testing for COVID-19 is becoming more readily available at hospital, academic, commercial and public health laboratories across California.There are four priorities for testing for now:Priority 1:Hospitalized patients.Symptomatic health care workers.People identified for testing by public health contact investigations and disease control activities in high-risk settings, including both residents and staff (congregate living facilities, correctional facilities).Priority 2:Screening of asymptomatic residents of congregate living facilities prior to admission or re-admission (a hospitalized patient will be screened for COVID-19 prior to discharge to a congregate living facility).Screening of asymptomatic health care workers (skilled nursing facility workers, hospital workers).Symptomatic people in essential health and public safety occupations.(first responders, law enforcement, congregate living facility workers).Symptomatic people >65 years of age or with chronic medical conditions.
Priority 3:Symptomatic people in essential infrastructure occupations (utility workers, food supply workers, other public employees).Priority 4:Community-based testing of all low-risk symptomatic people.Surveillance testing of asymptomatic people.People should stay home and away from others until they have had no fever without the use of fever-reducing medications; they have seen improvement in respiratory symptoms for at least 3 days; and it been at least 7 days since their symptoms first appeared, i.e., the minimum length of time will be 7 days.
These priorities are subject to change as testing availability increases.
Where testing occurs
Tests can be done in a hospital, a clinic, a community testing site or through a home kit authorized by the FDA this week. There is no test that can be done completely at home to date. However, on Monday, the FDA authorized the first COVID-19 test for home collection of specimens to be sent to a laboratory for processing and test reporting. This authorization is only to the home collection test that has been issued the Emergency Use Authorization for LabCorp’s COVID-19 RT-PCR Test. If you think you have symptoms, you must contact your health care provider or physician first.Hospitals focus on significantly ill patients and health care workers. It is important to keep hospitals and emergency departments as free as possible to treat critically ill people.Clinics focus on people with other medical problems, and it is important to avoid infecting people with other conditions.l Community testing sites can provide professionally managed testing for mildly symptomatic or asymptomatic people. There are several drive-up sites in California, but these are by appointment only.Home testing is being developed but not widely used to date.Type of test: Nasopharyngeal swabs, which are placed in the back of the person’s nasal cavity, have been the most widely recommended because they test a location that is known to have large quantities of the SARS-CoV-2 virus. If the swab doesn’t reach the back of the nasal cavity, the virus may not be detected, even if the person is symptomatic and infected.
To open the country
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Long Covid cases in US adults are on the decline, but many continue to struggle with symptoms Health | COVID Q&A: Can I use an expired test? Time to get boosted? How to cope with California’s sneaky summer surge In the White House’s guidelines to open the country again, testing has an important role. Health officials have created a three-phased approach. These steps will help state and local officials when reopening their economies, getting people back to work and continuing to protect American lives. The following criteria must be met to reach phase 1:SYMPTOMSDownward trajectory of influenza-like illnesses reported within a 14-day period and downward trajectory of COVID-like cases reported within a 14-day period.
CASESDownward trajectory of documented cases within a 14-day period or downward trajectory of positive tests as a percentage of total tests within a 14-day period (flat or increasing volume of tests).HOSPITALSTreat all patients without crisis care and robust testing program in place for at-risk health care workers, including emerging antibody testing.


mercurynews--2020-04-28--ACLU sues to reduce California jail population, freeze ICE transfers amid coronavirus

The American Civil Liberties Union has filed lawsuits against Gov .
Gavin Newsom and state Attorney General Xavier Becerra demanding they reduce jail populations and freeze all ICE transfers amid the coronavirus threat .
The lawsuits , filed Friday in the state Supreme Court , allege violation of the Eighth Amendment that prohibits “ cruel and unusual punishment ” against prisoners and the 14th Amendment that guarantees due process rights .
“ It is not just those confined to jails , detention centers , and youth facilities who are in danger , ” said Peter J. Eliasberg , chief counsel @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in a statement .
“ Once the virus gets inside , the regular movement of staff and visitors in and out means that walls and razor wire can neither slow nor stop the viral spread to communities at large.
” As of Monday , 176 prisoners within jurisdiction of the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation and 120 employees had tested positive for COVID-19 .
There have been 317 confirmed cases of COVID-19 among those in ICE custody , according to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement .
“ Up and down the state @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are continuing to voluntarily transfer individuals to ICE custody in the midst of the pandemic , even though they are not legally required to do so , ” according to one lawsuit , which described the state ’ s continued transfers of immigrants to ICE during the pandemic as “ cruel and inhumane , ” defying “ every effort this state has already made to ebb the spread of the lethal COVID-19 virus.
” “ By transferring individuals to ICE custody , California agencies are delivering the individuals in their care to dangerous @ @ @ @ @ @ @ five detention centers in California , ” the lawsuit said .
The other lawsuit regarding conditions at jails and juvenile facilities argues , “ Outbreaks at local jails and juvenile facilities threaten to tax the broader community ’ s health care system beyond capacity .
This impending viral explosion — imminently likely to occur in most , if not all , of California ’ s 58 counties — will directly impact all California residents , including correctional staff , their families , and theirrespective communities.
” The ACLU is seeking an emergency court @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , to release a “ sufficient ” amount of inmates and wards at county jails and juvenile detention facilities so they are in compliance with CDC and public health guidelines to prevent the spread of COVID-19 , including appropriate social distancing .
The ACLU also is seeking a moratorium on all transfers from jails and prisons to ICE detention facilities .
“ A uniform , statewide moratorium on transfers to ICE is necessary to immediately protect the rights and lives of California residents , ” according to one lawsuit .
On March 24 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ taken to halt the intake and/or transfer of inmates and youth into the state ’ s 35 prisons and four youth corrections facilities for 30 days , with an option to extend the ceasing of transfers , if needed .
Additionally , Newsom last month authorized the early release of 3,500 inmates to help alleviate jail and youth detention facility overcrowding during the pandemic .
The ACLU , however , maintains prisoners are still confined in close quarters and more needs to be done .
“ While the California Judicial Council has made @ @ @ @ @ @ @ these steps simply have not been large enough or fast enough to reduce the looming threat of exponential spread of COVID-19 in the state ’ s jails , juvenile facilities , and surrounding communities , ” according to one of the lawsuits .
Lacking infrastructure for physical distancing and without “ vigilant hygiene , ” the state ’ s jails and prisons will become “ petri dishes for rampant spread of the virus ” and the “ epicenter of the pandemic.
” The Attorney General ’ s Office on Monday deferred comment to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is the attorney general ’ s client in the litigation .
“ This Administration has been clear on our stance against abuses in immigration detention centers .
We call on the Department of Homeland Security to use the administrative discretion it has under federal law to work with public health authorities to implement appropriate actions to protect individuals in its custody , staff and local communities , ” said an email from Vicky Waters , press secretary for Newsom .

The American Civil Liberties Union has filed lawsuits against Gov. Gavin Newsom and state Attorney General Xavier Becerra demanding they reduce jail populations and freeze all ICE transfers amid the coronavirus threat.
The lawsuits, filed Friday in the state Supreme Court, allege violation of the Eighth Amendment that prohibits “cruel and unusual punishment” against prisoners and the 14th Amendment that guarantees due process rights.
“It is not just those confined to jails, detention centers, and youth facilities who are in danger,” said Peter J. Eliasberg, chief counsel of the ACLU of Southern California, in a statement. “Once the virus gets inside, the regular movement of staff and visitors in and out means that walls and razor wire can neither slow nor stop the viral spread to communities at large.”
As of Monday, 176 prisoners within jurisdiction of the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation and 120 employees had tested positive for COVID-19. There have been 317 confirmed cases of COVID-19 among those in ICE custody, according to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
ICE transfers ‘inhumane’
“Up and down the state, California’s jails and prisons are continuing to voluntarily transfer individuals to ICE custody in the midst of the pandemic, even though they are not legally required to do so,” according to one lawsuit, which described the state’s continued transfers of immigrants to ICE during the pandemic as “cruel and inhumane,” defying “every effort this state has already made to ebb the spread of the lethal COVID-19 virus.”
“By transferring individuals to ICE custody, California agencies are delivering the individuals in their care to dangerous conditions of confinement in ICE’s five detention centers in California,” the lawsuit said.
The other lawsuit regarding conditions at jails and juvenile facilities argues, “Outbreaks at local jails and juvenile facilities threaten to tax the broader community’s health care system beyond capacity. This impending viral explosion — imminently likely to occur in most, if not all, of California’s 58 counties — will directly impact all California residents, including correctional staff, their families, and theirrespective communities.”
The ACLU is seeking an emergency court order, no later than May 4, to release a “sufficient” amount of inmates and wards at county jails and juvenile detention facilities so they are in compliance with CDC and public health guidelines to prevent the spread of COVID-19, including appropriate social distancing.
The ACLU also is seeking a moratorium on all transfers from jails and prisons to ICE detention facilities.
“A uniform, statewide moratorium on transfers to ICE is necessary to immediately protect the rights and lives of California residents,” according to one lawsuit.
Early release started in March
On March 24, Newsom announced steps were already being taken to halt the intake and/or transfer of inmates and youth into the state’s 35 prisons and four youth corrections facilities for 30 days, with an option to extend the ceasing of transfers, if needed. Additionally, Newsom last month authorized the early release of 3,500 inmates to help alleviate jail and youth detention facility overcrowding during the pandemic.
The ACLU, however, maintains prisoners are still confined in close quarters and more needs to be done.
“While the California Judicial Council has made some progress to reduce jail populations, these steps simply have not been large enough or fast enough to reduce the looming threat of exponential spread of COVID-19 in the state’s jails, juvenile facilities, and surrounding communities,” according to one of the lawsuits.
Lacking infrastructure for physical distancing and without “vigilant hygiene,” the state’s jails and prisons will become “petri dishes for rampant spread of the virus” and the “epicenter of the pandemic.”
The Attorney General’s Office on Monday deferred comment to the Governor’s Office, which is the attorney general’s client in the litigation.
“This Administration has been clear on our stance against abuses in immigration detention centers. We call on the Department of Homeland Security to use the administrative discretion it has under federal law to work with public health authorities to implement appropriate actions to protect individuals in its custody, staff and local communities,” said an email from Vicky Waters, press secretary for Newsom.