latimes--2020-03-17--This coronavirus glossary will help you make sense of the pandemic

The new coronavirus has thrust a host of unfamiliar terms into our everyday discourse .
Some are brand new ; others aren ’ t but are being used in unexpected ways .
Here are some definitions to help you keep up with the latest on the global pandemic .
SARS-CoV-2 : The official scientific name of the coronavirus causing the pandemic .
It stands for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 .
It was previously known as 2019-nCoV .
This isn ’ t the only coronavirus in circulation — four other strains are responsible for 20 % to 30 % @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been getting for decades .
Two other coronaviruses were responsible for severe acute respiratory syndrome ( SARS ) and Middle East respiratory syndrome ( MERS ) .
The virus that caused SARS was named SARS-CoV , which stands for SARS-associated coronavirus ; the virus that caused MERS was named MERS-CoV .
COVID-19 : Short for Coronavirus Disease 2019 .
It ’ s the official name of the disease caused by SARS-CoV-2 .
Incubation period : The time between when someone is infected with a pathogen , such as a virus , and when @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Quarantine : When someone who has been exposed to a disease but is not visibly sick stays away from others for a period of time in case they are infected .
By keeping their distance , they can avoid spreading the disease to others .
A quarantine usually lasts a little longer than the incubation period for a disease , just to be safe .
A quarantine can be ordered by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention , or by state and local governments .
A CDC-issued quarantine order would look @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is definitely sick stays away from others so that they don ’ t infect anyone else .
In the case of this coronavirus , isolation should continue until the risk of infecting someone else is thought to be low .
The decision to end isolation should be made on a case-by-case basis , in consultation with healthcare providers and the local health department , according to the CDC .
Isolation can be ordered by the CDC or by state and local governments .
A CDC-issued isolation order would look something .
Public health @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that may place restrictions on the activities of individuals or groups in the name of protecting the public ’ s health .
Federal , state or local agencies may issue public health orders , such as restricting people ’ s movements or requiring that their movements be monitored by health authorities .
Containment : A public health strategy in which officials aim to prevent the spread of an infectious disease beyond a small group of people to the broader community .
Containment actions include restricting travel from affected regions , identifying infected people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or have spent time with ( contact tracing ) , and asking those who have been exposed to the virus to stay at home for a period of time .
Although it did not work for COVID-19 , containment has been used to keep a measles outbreak from spreading out of control within communities with low immunization , for instance .
Mitigation : The public health goal once a virus has spread so widely that it ’ s impossible to keep it away .
Instead of mainly relying on public health authorities to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ identify their contacts , health officials ask the public to help slow the spread of the virus .
Useful actions can include reminding people to stay home when they ’ re sick and disinfecting commonly touched surfaces in buildings daily .
One of the main strategies is to practice “ social distancing.
” Social distancing : Measures designed to keep people away from crowded places where a virus could more easily spread .
In the case of COVID-19 , health officials are encouraging members of the public to work from home , cancel @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of space between themselves and others .
A radical measure is to close most businesses and order the public to shelter at home except for essential activities , such as purchasing food and caring for relatives , while allowing people to go outside for a walk .
If successful , social distancing measures will help slow the pace of new infections and “ flatten the curve.
” Flattening the curve : This phrase describes the goal of spreading out infections in a population to minimize the number of people who are sick at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ graph that shows the number of new infections over time .
If a disease is spreading quickly , the number of new daily cases of infection will be very high , and the hump will rise steeply .
But if the disease spreads slowly , the number of new daily cases will be lower , and the hump will be shorter and wider .
Slowing the spread of the virus can help prevent the hospital system from being overwhelmed by too many patients .
If that were to happen , critical care units @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are needed to help people breathe if their lungs fail .
During the 1918 Spanish flu pandemic , officials in Philadelphia failed to cancel a citywide parade and acted far more slowly to ban public gatherings than their counterparts in St. Louis .
As a result , the peak death rate in Philadelphia was much worse than in St. Louis , according to a study in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences published in 2007 .
Community spread : When an infectious disease is spreading in an area and the people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ know where or how they caught it .
It ’ s an indication that a virus is no longer contained to a limited number of people .
Close contact : In the case of COVID-19 , it ’ s anyone who is within 6 feet of a person infected with SARS-CoV-2 for a prolonged period of time .
This includes people who live with , care for or visit an infected person .
It can also describe people who merely share a waiting room with an infected patient or who have direct contact @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ( such as by being coughed on ) .
Outbreak : An increase , often sudden , in the number of cases of a disease above what is normally expected among the population in a limited area .
Epidemic : An outbreak that has spread to a wider area .
Pandemic : An epidemic that has spread over multiple countries or continents , usually affecting a large number of people .
Presumptive positive : When a public health laboratory has determined a patient has tested positive for a viral infection , but officials @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
For the purposes of public health , a presumptive positive result is treated as confirmed positive .
There are , however , rare situations in which a presumptive positive may turn out to be negative .

An illustration of the SARS-CoV-2019 coronavirus created by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The new coronavirus has thrust a host of unfamiliar terms into our everyday discourse. Some are brand new; others aren’t but are being used in unexpected ways.
Here are some definitions to help you keep up with the latest on the global pandemic.
SARS-CoV-2: The official scientific name of the coronavirus causing the pandemic. It stands for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2. It was previously known as 2019-nCoV.
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This isn’t the only coronavirus in circulation — four other strains are responsible for 20% to 30% of the common colds we’ve been getting for decades. Two other coronaviruses were responsible for severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) and Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS). The virus that caused SARS was named SARS-CoV, which stands for SARS-associated coronavirus; the virus that caused MERS was named MERS-CoV.
COVID-19: Short for Coronavirus Disease 2019. It’s the official name of the disease caused by SARS-CoV-2.
Incubation period: The time between when someone is infected with a pathogen, such as a virus, and when the first symptoms of illness appear.
Tracking the coronavirus in California The latest maps and charts on the spread of COVID-19 in California.
Quarantine: When someone who has been exposed to a disease but is not visibly sick stays away from others for a period of time in case they are infected. By keeping their distance, they can avoid spreading the disease to others. A quarantine usually lasts a little longer than the incubation period for a disease, just to be safe.
A quarantine can be ordered by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, or by state and local governments. A CDC-issued quarantine order would look something like this .
Isolation: When someone who is definitely sick stays away from others so that they don’t infect anyone else. In the case of this coronavirus, isolation should continue until the risk of infecting someone else is thought to be low. The decision to end isolation should be made on a case-by-case basis, in consultation with healthcare providers and the local health department, according to the CDC.
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Isolation can be ordered by the CDC or by state and local governments. A CDC-issued isolation order would look something like this .
Public health orders: These are legally enforceable directives that may place restrictions on the activities of individuals or groups in the name of protecting the public’s health. Federal, state or local agencies may issue public health orders, such as restricting people’s movements or requiring that their movements be monitored by health authorities.
Containment: A public health strategy in which officials aim to prevent the spread of an infectious disease beyond a small group of people to the broader community.
Containment actions include restricting travel from affected regions, identifying infected people and tracking down everyone they live with or have spent time with (contact tracing), and asking those who have been exposed to the virus to stay at home for a period of time. Although it did not work for COVID-19, containment has been used to keep a measles outbreak from spreading out of control within communities with low immunization, for instance.
Mitigation: The public health goal once a virus has spread so widely that it’s impossible to keep it away. Instead of mainly relying on public health authorities to do things like locate sick people and identify their contacts, health officials ask the public to help slow the spread of the virus. Useful actions can include reminding people to stay home when they’re sick and disinfecting commonly touched surfaces in buildings daily.
One of the main strategies is to practice “social distancing.”
Social distancing: Measures designed to keep people away from crowded places where a virus could more easily spread. In the case of COVID-19, health officials are encouraging members of the public to work from home, cancel mass events and maintain about six feet of space between themselves and others. A radical measure is to close most businesses and order the public to shelter at home except for essential activities, such as purchasing food and caring for relatives, while allowing people to go outside for a walk.
If successful, social distancing measures will help slow the pace of new infections and “flatten the curve.”
Flattening the curve: This phrase describes the goal of spreading out infections in a population to minimize the number of people who are sick at any given time.
Picture a hump-shaped graph that shows the number of new infections over time. If a disease is spreading quickly, the number of new daily cases of infection will be very high, and the hump will rise steeply. But if the disease spreads slowly, the number of new daily cases will be lower, and the hump will be shorter and wider.
Telling the public to avoid crowds can reduce the number of daily illnesses in an outbreak or pandemic, reducing the burden on hospitals and clinics. (U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention )
Slowing the spread of the virus can help prevent the hospital system from being overwhelmed by too many patients. If that were to happen, critical care units could run out of the ventilators that are needed to help people breathe if their lungs fail.
During the 1918 Spanish flu pandemic, officials in Philadelphia failed to cancel a citywide parade and acted far more slowly to ban public gatherings than their counterparts in St. Louis. As a result, the peak death rate in Philadelphia was much worse than in St. Louis, according to a study in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences published in 2007.
During the 1918 pandemic flu, Philadelphia acted far more slowly than St. Louis to ban public gatherings after the first cases of flu showed up. The result? Philadelphia saw a much worse peak daily death rate than St. Louis, according to a study published in 2007 in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences)
Community spread: When an infectious disease is spreading in an area and the people who are contracting it don’t know where or how they caught it. It’s an indication that a virus is no longer contained to a limited number of people.
Close contact: In the case of COVID-19, it’s anyone who is within 6 feet of a person infected with SARS-CoV-2 for a prolonged period of time.
This includes people who live with, care for or visit an infected person. It can also describe people who merely share a waiting room with an infected patient or who have direct contact with a patient’s infectious secretions (such as by being coughed on).
Outbreak: An increase, often sudden, in the number of cases of a disease above what is normally expected among the population in a limited area.
Epidemic: An outbreak that has spread to a wider area.
Pandemic: An epidemic that has spread over multiple countries or continents, usually affecting a large number of people.
Presumptive positive: When a public health laboratory has determined a patient has tested positive for a viral infection, but officials are still awaiting confirmation from the CDC. For the purposes of public health, a presumptive positive result is treated as confirmed positive. There are, however, rare situations in which a presumptive positive may turn out to be negative.


latimes--2020-03-17--L.A. County see spike in coronavirus cases; Orange County imposes sweeping restrictions

Orange County imposed sweeping restrictions on public meetings as communities across California reported spikes in coronavirus cases .
The Orange County order restricts all public gatherings an also closes bars and limits restaurants to take out service .
Several new communities including Palm Springs and Sacramento issued shelter-in-place rules .
L.A. County announced 50 new confirmed cases of the coronavirus , bringing the county ’ s total to more than 140 .
“ We continue to see a huge increase in the number of cases , ” public health director Dr. Barbara Ferrer said during a news conference Tuesday , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ largely due to the increased capacity for testing .
Ferrer stressed the need for people to stay home , including anyone who is sick .
“ If you ’ re sick and you ’ re an essential worker , please don ’ t come to work , ” she said .
“ We can not have people that are sick , even with mild illness , going about their business.
” Officials also announced a moratorium on all no-fault residential and commercial evictions , starting retroactively on March 4 and lasting until May @ @ @ @ @ @ @ after the end of the emergency proclamation to pay for lost rent , L.A. County Supervisor Hilda Solis said .
Additionally , as concern over the coroanvirus grows , officials said there ’ s been a decline in blood donations .
Nearly 160 blood drives have recently been canceled , resulting in 5,500 fewer blood donations .
Officials are asking those who are healthy to continue to make a donation , which has a shelf-life of roughly 42 days .
The coronavirus has claimed 12 lives in California as officials took extraordinary measures @ @ @ @ @ @ @ shuttering businesses , demanding that older individuals stay home and trying to increase testing for the virus .
More than 470 people from across the state have tested positive for the virus , but officials admit that is just a fraction of the real number .
A lack of tests had made it impossible for officials to get a clear handle on the numbers or the spread .
To date , roughly 58,878 people have been tested for COVID-19 in the U.S. , Health and Human Services Assistant Secretary Adm. Brett P. Giroir @ @ @ @ @ @ @ President Trump said that all states now have the ability to authorize and use tests .
Trump also said that he spoke with restaurant executives earlier , and stressed the importance of takeout and delivery options and workers who will continue to make those services available , while reiterating the call for people to work from home .
“ We ’ re asking everyone to work at home if possible , avoid unnecessary travel and stop gathering in groups of at least 10 , ” he said .
“ By making shared sacrifices @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the health of our people , and we can protect our economy.
” Los Angeles County officials announced the closure of all bars , fitness centers and movie theaters and directed restaurants to move to takeout only .
The directive applies to all 88 cities and unincorporated regions of the county , including Los Angeles , which issued a similar directive Sunday .
Gov .
Gavin Newsom Monday evening , asking all California restaurants to close their doors to dine-in customers and that gyms , health clubs and movie theaters should also shutter @ @ @ @ @ @ @ asking people to shelter in place , to isolate at home , ” Newsom said during an update broadcast on Facebook Live .
“ The point of gatherings is lost on all of us from a public safety and health perspective .
So directing ... no gatherings … we think it ’ s very rational under these circumstances .
Disruptive , I know , for some .
But rational , we believe , in this moment.
” Seven counties in the San Francisco Bay Area issued sweeping orders Monday that will force most @ @ @ @ @ @ @ shelter in place ” inside their homes — the nation ’ s most stringent public health measures yet as state and local governments strain to rein in the coronavirus .
San Francisco Mayor London Breed called Monday ’ s order a necessity , suggesting that the federal response to the COVID-19 virus had been too slow and that local governments needed to take bold action to slow the sometimes deadly virus .
While it is possible Southern California authorities will issue similar orders , for now the focus is on the Bay Area @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cases with counties reporting three deaths in just the last two days .
The order was issued by public health officials in San Francisco and six other counties — Santa Clara , San Mateo , Marin , Contra Costa , Alameda and Santa Cruz , and also from the city of Berkeley .
The actions affect nearly 7 million residents and thousands of businesses .
It was scheduled to take effect at midnight Monday and remain in force until April 7 .
San Francisco Police Chief Bill Scott said police are asking the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the health order could be enforceable as a misdemeanor , “ that is an absolute last resort , ” Scott said .
“ This is not about a criminal justice approach to a public health issue.
” The orders recognized that homeless people would not be able to shelter in place and instead urged them “ to find shelter ” adding that “ government agencies are urged to take steps needed to provide shelter for those individuals.
” San Benito County issued similar order Tuesday , directing residents to remain in their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ distance from others should they need to venture outside .
The order states that San Benito residents “ may leave their residences only for essential activities , essential governmental functions or to operate essential businesses.
” Examples of those exceptions include visiting a health care professional , obtaining medical supplies or items necessary to work from home , traveling to care for a pet or family member , or going “ to obtain necessary services or supplies for themselves and their family or household members , or to deliver those services or supplies @ @ @ @ @ @ @ where there have so far been no confirmed cases of the virus , public health officer Dr. Karen Relucio issued a health order limiting public and private gatherings .
The order is not a shelter-in-place directive , officials said .
Orange County issued an order Tuesday afternoon prohibiting “ all public and private gatherings of any number of people , including at places of work , occurring outside a single household ” that are considered nonessential .
Orange County Sheriff Don Barnes moved to decrease deputies ’ contact with the public Tuesday , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in-person police reports and suspending visits to the jails .
“ Our foremost responsibility is to keep the community safe , while implementing precautionary measures to safeguard the health of the public who rely on our service and the members of the department who respond to their call , ” Barnes said .
All volunteer programs have also been suspended , including senior programs in contract cities and those provided by jail volunteers .
Ventura County Sheriff ’ s Capt .
Eric Buschow said the department has moved deputies from investigative units and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ part of its response to novel coronavirus .
He said the department is also screening new inmates in an open area outside the jail for health issues but is continuing at this stage to allow jail visitors .
The county has 10 cases of the virus .
Sacramento County announced a partial closure of court operations in order to “ promote public safety and health while protecting liberty and due process , “ officials said .
Court calendars are being reduced to only “ most essential ” and “ mandated ” hearings , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ feasible .
The court building that handles traffic cases and small claims is closed , as are self-help centers .
Cases deemed essential to public safety or where delay could cause irreparable harm to victims are continuing as scheduled , but nonessential criminal matters will continue in 30 to 45 days .
And the county grand jury is deferred until mid-May .
As of Monday night , California had at least 472 confirmed cases .
Of those cases , 82 are travel-related , 75 are person-to-person and 98 are community transmission .
At @ @ @ @ @ @ @ More than 11,750 people who returned to the U.S. through San Francisco International Airport or Los Angeles International Airport are self-monitoring Riverside County confirmed a third death Tuesday .
The first two deaths were linked to the Coachella Valley .
“ Sadly , these outcomes are expected as we face a serious challenge and continue to make the necessary decisions to protect the health of the community , ” Public Health Officer Dr. Cameron Kaiser said in a statement .
Santa Clara County confirmed two additional deaths , bringing that county ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ confirmed one person had died , bringing its total to two deaths , both people who were older than 70 and had underlying health conditions .
Officials said that all hospitals were preparing for a surge in patients .
Kern County confirmed its first case of coronavirus Tuesday .
The individual is not a resident of the county , public health officials said .
Officials are working to identify potential contacts of the individual and will monitor the health of individuals who traveled with the person in an attempt to prevent any possible @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the number of cases rose by three , bringing the city ’ s total to eight .
The three new cases include two individuals who traveled to locations of known outbreak and one person whose exposure is currently under investigation .
At least 110 people in the city are currently being monitored for the virus .
Millions of families in Los Angeles and across the state were forced to adjust Monday to closed schools , child-care hassles , an uneven move to online learning and a strained social safety net — the education @ @ @ @ @ @ @ halt the spread of the coronavirus .
L.A. Unified announced more bad news : District officials late on Monday canceled their innovative effort to offer child-care , counseling and learning materials at 40 new family resource centers , citing health risks .
Instead , 60 “ grab-and-go ” food centers will be available for school families .
With about 85 % of California students out of school , many districts in the state were trying to move toward online education — an especially tall order in a state where 60 % of students @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they are members of low-income households .
In Los Angeles public schools the number is even higher , at 80 % ; in Compton it ’ s at 83 % ; Pomona , 89 % .
Besides the potential for hungry children , in Los Angeles , for instance , this poverty also means that one-quarter of families do not have broadband service and additional families lack adequate data plans or computers needed to support online learning , said LAUSD Supt .
Austin Beutner .
Times staff writers Hannah Fry , Chris Megerian @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Luke Money contributed to this report .

Colleen Shalby, Rong-Gong Lin II, Ruben Vives, Howard Blume

Disneyland guests take photos in front of the Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run at Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
Disneyland guests wearing ponchos pass the Marketplace inside Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge on Thursday. Disneyland and California Adventure will temporarily close in response to the coronavirus pandemic. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
Two children look at movie posters in the lobby of the Arclight theater Thursday in Manhattan Beach. (Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times)
A crew member stands on the stern of a cruise ship docked at the Port of Los Angeles. (Luis Sinco/Los Angeles Times)
Alexandria Casserly crosses the street while looking for toilet paper in downtown Los Angeles. (Gabriella Angotti-Jones / Los Angeles Times)
Students leave John C. Fremont High School in Los Angeles at the end of the school day on Friday, Mar. 13, 2020. LAUSD announced it will shut down beginning Monday. (Luis Sinco/Los Angeles Times )
Blake Anderson, left, a freshman, walks with his father Oree Anderson, as school is let out at Hamilton High School in Los Angeles. LAUSD announced that schools will be closed due to the Coronavirus. (Gary Coronado/Los Angeles Times)
Students hug as they are let out of school at Hamilton High School in Los Angeles, Calif., on March 13, 2020. The school has 2,623 students who live in 94 different zip codes, some of whom travel upwards of 30 miles to school on 24 different school bus routes. 221 school staff live in 88 zip codes. Los Angeles Unified School District Superintendent Austin Beutner announced that schools will be closed due to the coronavirus. (Gary Coronado / Los Angeles Times) (Gary Coronado/Los Angeles Times)
A guest wears a mask in front of the Sleeping Beauty Castle at Disneyland on Thursday. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
A line at the Martin B. Retting gun store in Culver City on Sunday extends out the door and around the corner. (Francine Orr / The Times)
Carlos Perez, a worker at Wolfgang Puck Bar & Grill at L.A. Live in downtown Los Angeles sits in the empty restaurant. (Mel Melcon/Los Angeles Times)
L.A. has banned restaurants from offering seating at places such as Grand Central Market. (Irfan Khan/Los Angeles Times)
Normally bustling Grand Central Market in downtown L.A. is open only for take out. (Irfan Khan/Los Angeles Times)
From left, Josh Akamine, of Oahu, Hawaii; Madison Shine of Oahu; Matthew Valencia of Los Altos and Dani Ikeda visit L.A. Live in downtown Los Angeles. (Mel Melcon/Los Angeles Times)
Medical personnel surround a car that is going through a coronavirus drive-thru test clinic at the San Mateo County Event Center. Drive-thru test clinics for COVID-19 are popping up across the country as more tests become available. (Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)
Emma Bradley, left, and her husband, Samuel Bradley, of Palmdale are walking up the ramp to catch the Metrolink in Union Sation in Los Angeles. (Francine Orr/Los Angeles Times)
Volunteer Rachel Figueroa, serves a free lunch to go to Destiny Mendez, with her mother, Estefany, at the Dream Center in Los Angeles. LAUSD students can get free breakfast, lunch and dinner at the Dream Center, Monday through Friday. (Mel Melcon/Los Angeles Times)
Muhammad Faruq, an Uber driver, picks his ride Sotero Reyes, left, and Cristian Eguia, visitors from Houston, all in protective masks, from downtown Los Angeles. (Irfan Khan/Los Angeles Times)
Shoppers queue up ahead of the Los Feliz Costco opening for business on Tuesday, March 17, 2020 in Los Angeles. (Kent Nishimura/Los Angeles Times)
A large tent is installed for public attendance at Tuesday’s Los Angeles City Council meeting. The public was not allowed in the council chamber. (Irfan Khan/Los Angeles Times)
Dr. Mark V. Morocco oversees the testing at UCLA Medical Center. Testing for Covid-19 is going on at UCLA Medical Center, where people can drive up and get tested if they have the symptoms. (Carolyn Cole/Los Angeles Times)
Orange County Undersheriff Bob Peterson listens during a board of supervisors discussion on combating the coronavirus in Santa Ana. (Allen J. Schaben/Los Angeles Times)
Kevin Ezeh, protected with face mask and gloves, addresses the Los Angeles City Council meeting standing under a tent erected outside City Hall. A television livestreamed video of the meeting and the public offered comments remotely. (Irfan Khan/Los Angeles Times)
An employee of the Trader Joe’s store in Monrovia tells customers waiting in line that it would open doors to everyone at 9 a.m., not just seniors, who arrived believing doors would open earlier to older residents, as some of the people were told by employees and it was reported. Some grocery outlets were offering special morning hours of shopping to accommodate older residents. (Al Seib/Los Angeles Times)
A nurse takes the vital signs of a woman in a medical tent outside the hospital on Catalina. (Francine Orr/Francine Orr/Los Angeles Times)
Medical personnel screen patients outside the emergency room at Loma Linda University Health during the coronavirus pandemic. (Gina Ferazzi/Los Angeles Times)
HOPICS outreach worker Ralph Gomez tosses a clipboard for a signature to homeless client Davis Soto, right, taking care to stay at least six feet away during outreach in Los Angeles. (Brian van der Brug/Los Angeles Times)
Dr. Mark V. Morocco oversees testing at UCLA Medical Center where people can drive up and get tested if they have the symptoms. Morocco listens to a female patient’s lungs through the car window. (Carolyn Cole/Los Angeles Times)
Seniors shop at Gelson’s Market in Manhattan Beach on Wednesday. The store is doing a “seniors shopping hour” where seniors can go grocery shopping before the store opens to the general public. (Christina House/Los Angeles Times)
Roberta Tabor, 66, of Hermosa Beach, has her ID checked by store director Dennis Sullivan at Gelson’s Market in Manhattan Beach on Wednesday. The store is doing a “seniors shopping hour” where seniors 65+ can go grocery shopping before anybody else. (Christina House/Los Angeles Times)
Seniors, including Eileen Oda Leaf, 67, left, and her husband Dave Leaf, 67, right, both wearing protective masks, line up outside Gelson’s Market in Manhattan Beach early on Wednesday, March 18, 2020. (Christina House/Los Angeles Times)
Dr. Dallas Weaver, 79, and his wife, Janet Weaver, 75, of Huntington Beach, walk on the Huntington pier. (Allen J. Schaben/Los Angeles Times)
David Barker, 56, is visiting with his friend living in a tent on skidrow in Los Angeles. Barker, who is not homeless, works in the area. (Francine Orr/Los Angeles Times)
People walk up the ramp, exiting the secure area at the Tom Bradley International Terminal at LAX. (Kent Nishimura/Los Angeles Times)
Volunteer Nagma Shakur, 16, left, hugs her “Grannie” as she helps senior shoppers with their carts at the Grocery Outlet Bargain Market in Altadena. (Al Seib/Los Angeles Times)
The City of Santa Monica closed the Santa Monica Pier in an attempt to prevent the further spread of the Coronavirus. Very few people were on the beach in Santa Monica as the epidemic continues. (Carolyn Cole/Los Angeles Times)
More than 8 million Californians are living under shelter-in-place orders — the nation’s most stringent public health measures yet — as state and local governments rush to address the coronavirus pandemic.
At least 10 counties in the Bay Area and Central California and the city of Palm Springs have directed all residents to stay at home as much as possible, with Sonoma, San Benito and Monterey counties deciding Tuesday to join the order implemented a day earlier by San Francisco, Santa Clara, San Mateo, Alameda, Contra Costa, Marin and Santa Cruz counties. In Ventura County, health officials Tuesday announced a shelter-in-place order that applied only to older residents.
In total, about 20% of the state’s population is under shelter-in-place orders.
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Southern California authorities stopped short of shelter-in-place orders, but still imposed sweeping restrictions. Orange and San Bernardino counties issued new orders Tuesday that ban all gatherings, a day after Riverside County banned gatherings of 10 or more people and L.A. County prohibited gatherings of 50 or more people. San Diego County issued a ban Tuesday prohibiting gatherings of 50 or more people.
Restaurants in many of California’s most populous areas are now being ordered to offer food only via pick-up and delivery. Besides the 10 counties imposing a shelter-in-place order, enforceable as a misdemeanor, Los Angeles, Orange, San Bernardino, Ventura and San Diego counties ordered restaurants to end dine-in eating and required them to offer only pick-up and delivery service.
Los Angeles, Orange, San Bernardino, Ventura and San Diego counties ordered bars that do not serve food to close; Ventura, San Bernardino and Los Angeles counties also ordered gyms and movie theaters to close.
The heightened restrictions come after California has seen the number of confirmed coronavirus cases continue to rise: 472 cases and 13 deaths as of Tuesday, compared to 157 confirmed cases and three deaths a week prior.
L.A. County, which hasn’t issued a shelter-in-place order but has required the closure of restaurants and several other businesses, announced it had 147 confirmed cases of the coronavirus, up 53 from Monday.
“We continue to see a huge increase in the number of cases,” public health director Dr. Barbara Ferrer said during a news conference Tuesday, adding that the rise in numbers is largely due to the increased capacity for testing.
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Ferrer stressed the need for people to stay home, including anyone who is sick.
“If you’re sick and you’re an essential worker, please don’t come to work,” she said. “We cannot have people that are sick, even with mild illness, going about their business.”
More distressing news came Tuesday when Gov. Gavin Newsom confirmed that California public schools are likely to be closed for the remainder of the school year in response to the coronavirus.
“Don’t anticipate schools are going to open up in a week. Please don’t anticipate in a few weeks,” Newsom said during a Sacramento news conference on the state’s coronavirus efforts. “I would plan, and assume, that it’s unlikely that many of these schools — few, if any — will open before the summer break.”
Nearly all school districts in the state, 98.8%, are closed in response to the pandemic, Newsom said. The state education department is assembling detailed guidelines on how schools can attempt to continue teaching 6.1 million students out of their classrooms in the weeks and months ahead.
Newsom said his daughter was upset Monday night about missing her school friends. He said he sat with her for about an hour to help calm her down.
“And if I could tell my daughter that, and not tell your daughter that, or the people, then I’m not being honest or true to the people of the state of California,” Newsom said.
He then added: “Boy, I hope I’m wrong.”
Officials in Los Angeles County also announced a moratorium on all no-fault residential and commercial evictions, starting retroactively on March 4 and lasting until May 31. Tenants will have six months after the end of the emergency proclamation to pay for lost rent, L.A. County Supervisor Hilda Solis said.
Also, as concern over the coroanvirus grows, officials said there’s been a decline in blood donations. Nearly 160 blood drives have recently been canceled, resulting in 5,500 fewer donations. Officials are asking those who are healthy to continue to make a donation, which has a shelf-life of roughly 42 days.
The coronavirus pandemic has prompted officials to take extraordinary measures to try to slow the spread by closing businesses, demanding that older individuals stay home and trying to increase testing for the virus.
Two new deaths were reported Tuesday in California, one in the Coachella Valley in Riverside County and a man in his 50s in Santa Clara County who was hospitalized March 9 and died Tuesday.
More than 470 people from across the state have tested positive for the virus, but officials admit that is just a fraction of the real number.
A lack of tests had made it impossible for officials to get a clear handle on the numbers or the spread. To date, roughly 58,878 people have been tested for COVID-19 in the U.S., Health and Human Services Assistant Secretary Adm. Brett P. Giroir said during a news briefing Tuesday.
President Trump said that all states now have the ability to authorize and use tests, and officials insist change is coming.
By the end of the week, more than 2,000 commercial labs across the nation will be performing coronavirus tests using high-speed machines that can process many samples at once, federal officials said Sunday. About 1.9 million tests would be available by the end of the week, officials said.
California will be running 8,000 tests a day in about a week, when the commercial lab company Quest opens up two more labs, according to the governor’s office.
Trump also said he spoke with restaurant executives earlier, and stressed the importance of takeout and delivery options and workers who will continue to make those services available, while reiterating the call for people to work from home.
“We’re asking everyone to work at home if possible, avoid unnecessary travel and stop gathering in groups of at least 10,” he said. “By making shared sacrifices and temporary changes, we can protect the health of our people, and we can protect our economy.”
Nevada Gov. Steve Sisolak announced Tuesday statewide closures of all non-essential businesses starting noon Wednesday and midnight for all gaming — including Las Vegas casinos — for 30 days.
Los Angeles County officials announced the closure of all bars, fitness centers and movie theaters and directed restaurants to move to takeout only. The directive applies to all 88 cities and unincorporated regions of the county, including Los Angeles, which issued a similar directive Sunday.
Gov. Gavin Newsom made a similar announcement Monday evening, asking all California restaurants to close their doors to dine-in customers and that gyms, health clubs and movie theaters should also shutter their operations.
“We’re asking people to shelter in place, to isolate at home,” Newsom said during an update broadcast on Facebook Live. “The point of gatherings is lost on all of us from a public safety and health perspective. So directing ... no gatherings … we think it’s very rational under these circumstances. Disruptive, I know, for some. But rational, we believe, in this moment.”
Shelter in place, severe restrictions
On Tuesday, Orange County, Ventura County, Monterey County and the central California county of San Benito, just south of Santa Clara County, also announced severe restrictions in an effort to stem the spread of the new coronavirus. To date, 10 counties have issued such orders, with Ventura County’s being somewhat less restrictive than the others.
Ventura County health officials issued a shelter-in-place order — a misdemeanor punishable by fine or imprisonment if violated — requiring anyone 75 or older, and anyone 70 or older with an underlying medical condition, to shelter in place at their home starting Wednesday through April 1. Older residents covered by the order are allowed to go outside to seek medical care and food, and to perform essential work in healthcare and government.
The order also requires all restaurants to provide only takeout and delivery. The county also ordered the closure of all bars and nightclubs that do not serve food, movie theaters, live performance venues, bowling alleys, arcades, gyms, community pools, wineries, breweries and tap rooms that provide tastings.
At an emergency City Council meeting Monday morning, Palm Springs city leaders issued an order advising all residents to shelter in place and limit their activities.
“Forty percent of our residents are aged 60 and above. We also have many with underlying chronic health issues and compromised immune systems. The Coachella Valley has 17 individuals who have tested positive and three deaths in the past 24 hours. We also had three firefighters quarantined due to exposure to someone who tested positive. These all resulted in my calling the emergency meeting and council taking the action we did,” Palm Springs Mayor George Kors said.
Tracking the coronavirus in California The latest maps and charts on the spread of COVID-19 in California.
San Benito County made its decision after identifying a fourth case of coronavirus — a 42-year-old resident of Hollister who appears to have been exposed while working in Santa Clara County. The patient is isolated in his home.
The order was similar to the one issued by six Bay Area counties and Santa Cruz County on Monday. It allows people go out and shop for food, go to the doctor’s office, check on relatives and go outside for exercise, but to otherwise stay home, with exceptions for essential services.
“Even though we haven’t had as many cases in San Benito County up until now, there have been numerous cases and evidence of extensive community widespread in Santa Clara County and other counties,” said Dr. Martin Fenstersheib, the county health officer. “There’s increased risk for people to be exposed in other counties and then to come back into this county.”
Monterey County issued a similar order, enforceable by a fine or jail.
“Now is the time to do everything we can to prevent the situation from getting much worse in a matter of days or weeks. Every hour counts,” the Monterey County health department said.
Over the past two days, public health officials in San Francisco and several other counties — including Santa Clara, San Mateo, Marin, Contra Costa, Alameda, Monterey, San Benito and Santa Cruz — issued sweeping orders that force most businesses to close and residents to “shelter in place” inside their homes.
San Francisco Police Chief Bill Scott said police are asking the public to voluntarily comply. While violation of the health order could be enforceable as a misdemeanor, “that is an absolute last resort,” Scott said. “This is not about a criminal justice approach to a public health issue.”
In Napa County, where there have so far been no confirmed cases of the virus, public health officer Dr. Karen Relucio issued a health order limiting public and private gatherings. The order is not a shelter-in-place directive, officials said.
On Tuesday afternoon, Orange County issued severe restrictions that prohibits “all public and private gatherings of any number of people, including at places of work, occurring outside a single household” that are considered nonessential.
“We are taking these mitigation steps in line with a directive issued by Gov. Newsom to help slow the spread of COVID-19,” Orange County Health Officer Dr. Nichole Quick said in a statement. “We recognize community members may experience anxiety related to the social disruption caused by COVID-19, and want to encourage residents to reach out to loved ones using appropriate methods like telephone, video messaging, email and text.”
Also on Tuesday, Orange County Sheriff Don Barnes moved to decrease deputies’ contact with the public, closing front lobbies of stations, reducing in-person police reports and suspending visits to the jails.
“Our foremost responsibility is to keep the community safe, while implementing precautionary measures to safeguard the health of the public who rely on our service and the members of the department who respond to their call,” Barnes said.
All volunteer programs have also been suspended, including senior programs in contract cities and those provided by jail volunteers.
In San Bernardino County, health officials ordered Tuesday afternoon “the cancellation of gatherings of any number of people within the county starting tomorrow through at least April 6.”
Like most other orders, it also requires, starting Wednesday, the closing of all movie theaters, gyms, health clubs, bars, adult entertainment establishments and other businesses that serve alcohol but do not serve food.
“I understand this creates hardships for many families and businesses. But at the end of the day I believe we all understand that we are in this together, and that together, we will get through this,” said Board of Supervisors Chairman Curt Hagman, who announced the order online via a video. “The county is taking every step we can to stay in front of this threat.”
Ventura County Sheriff’s Capt. Eric Buschow said the department has moved deputies from investigative units and increased visibility at food shopping areas as part of its response to novel coronavirus.
He said the department is also screening new inmates in an open area outside the jail for health issues but is continuing at this stage to allow jail visitors. The county has 10 cases of the virus.
Sacramento County announced a partial closure of court operations in order to “promote public safety and health while protecting liberty and due process, “officials said.
Court calendars are being reduced to only “most essential” and “mandated” hearings, and telephone appearances will be used where feasible. The court building that handles traffic cases and small claims is closed, as are self-help centers. Cases deemed essential to public safety or where delay could cause irreparable harm to victims are continuing as scheduled, but nonessential criminal matters will continue in 30 to 45 days. And the county grand jury is deferred until mid-May.
California Supreme Court and L.A County courts previously made similar decisions.
More cases
As of Monday night, California had at least 472 confirmed cases. Of those cases, 82 are travel-related, 75 are person-to-person and 98 are community transmission. At least 193 cases are under investigation.
More than 11,750 people who returned to the U.S. through San Francisco International Airport or Los Angeles International Airport are self-monitoring
Riverside County confirmed a third death Tuesday. The first two deaths were linked to the Coachella Valley.
“Sadly, these outcomes are expected as we face a serious challenge and continue to make the necessary decisions to protect the health of the community,” Public Health Officer Dr. Cameron Kaiser said in a statement.
Santa Clara County confirmed two additional deaths, bringing that county’s total to four. And Sacramento County confirmed one person had died, bringing its total to two deaths, both people who were older than 70 and had underlying health conditions.
Officials said that all hospitals were preparing for a surge in patients.
Kern County confirmed its first case of coronavirus Tuesday. The individual is not a resident of the county, public health officials said.
Officials are working to identify potential contacts of the individual and will monitor the health of individuals who traveled with the person in an attempt to prevent any possible community transmission.
The number of positive tests in San Luis Obispo County doubled to to six. Dr. Penny Bornstein, the county’s public health officer, said of the three, two were in the northern part of the county and one in the south.
In Long Beach, the number of cases rose by three, bringing the city’s total to eight.
The three new cases include two individuals who traveled to locations of known outbreak and one person whose exposure is currently under investigation.
At least 110 people in the city are currently being monitored for the virus.
Schools struggle
What a truly astonishing few days in this state, country, world.
Nine days ago, the leaders of a large NorCal school district were chastised by opinion writers for closing their doors.
Now, Gov. Newsom says almost 99% of CA kids are out of school and prob won't go back. — John Myers (@johnmyers) March 18, 2020
Millions of families in Los Angeles and across the state were forced to adjust Monday to closed schools, child-care hassles, an uneven move to online learning and a strained social safety net — the education system fallout from an unprecedented effort to halt the spread of the coronavirus.
L.A. Unified announced more bad news: District officials late on Monday canceled their innovative effort to offer child-care, counseling and learning materials at 40 new family resource centers, citing health risks.
Instead, 60 “grab-and-go” food centers will be available for school families.
With almost all of California students out of school, many districts in the state were trying to move toward online education — an especially tall order in a state where 60% of students qualify for free or reduced-price meals because they are members of low-income households. In Los Angeles public schools the number is even higher, at 80%; in Compton it’s at 83%; Pomona, 89%.
Besides the potential for hungry children, in Los Angeles, for instance, this also means that one-quarter of families do not have broadband service and additional families lack adequate data plans or computers needed to support online learning, said LAUSD Supt. Austin Beutner.
Times staff writers Cindy Carcamo, Hannah Fry, Chris Megerian, Luke Money, Paige St. John and Richard Winton contributed to this report.


latimes--2020-03-17--Coronavirus testing lags in U.S., with only a fraction of suspected cases tested so far

Federal and state officials on Monday said they had finally turned a corner on the coronavirus pandemic and promised a massive expansion of testing , but hopes remained dim in hospitals and clinics as patients still awaited results and overworked doctors sharply questioned the government ’ s latest pledge .
Some physicians in Los Angeles County said it is still nearly impossible to order a coronavirus test because the process is slowed by bureaucratic hurdles and shortages of key materials .
“ The testing spigot has definitely not opened up , ” said one L.A. County emergency room doctor .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ patients qualify for testing and then has to wait for results for five days , she said .
Leigha Hodnet , 42 , said she was still waiting for test results nearly one week after she and her partner were tested at a lab in Burbank .
“ We ’ re trying to self-quarantine , but it ’ s just really crazy , ” said Hodnet , who lives in Echo Park and said her symptoms included a fever , cough and extreme fatigue .
“ One way to stop it is to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ self-quarantine .
But if they can ’ t , that ’ s how this becomes a pandemic.
” The ongoing problems come as the nation approaches a critical moment in its battle against the pandemic , with infections mounting , schools and businesses closing , and the economy at risk of tipping into a recession .
If widespread testing doesn ’ t accelerate , health experts fear more extreme safety measures , such as mandatory home isolation and city lockdowns , may be necessary .
“ I ’ ve said many times , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The worst is , yes , ahead for us .
It is how we respond to that challenge that ’ s going to determine what the ultimate endpoint is going to be , ” said Dr. Anthony Fauci , director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases , part of the National Institutes of Health .
The lack of widespread testing early on in the U.S. made it nearly impossible to track the virus and ultimately forced the closure of schools and businesses in many cities nationwide in a desperate attempt @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Officials insist change is coming .
By the end of the week , more than 2,000 commercial labs across the nation will be performing coronavirus tests using high-speed machines that can process many samples at once , federal officials said Sunday .
About 1.9 million tests would be available by the end of the week , officials said .
California will be running 8,000 tests a day in about a week , when the commercial lab company Quest opens up two more labs , said Gov .
Gavin Newsom in a news @ @ @ @ @ @ @ our capacity on an hourly basis , not just a daily basis , ” Newsom said .
The acceleration comes as officials attempt to compensate for a cascade of federal missteps and delays that experts say left the United States far behind other countries in its tracking of the novel coronavirus .
As of Monday , the U.S. had tested roughly 40,000 people for the virus , while South Korea , a country six times smaller , had tested more than 260,000 .
“ You can not fight a fire blindfolded , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we do not know who is infected , ” said World Health Organization director Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus on Monday .
“ We have a simple message for all countries : test , test , test.
” As of Sunday , 8,316 coronavirus tests had been conducted in California .
And less than one-third of those were processed in the state ’ s 19 public health laboratories , which are suffering shortages of testing components and lack of machinery and staffing .
The rest have been analyzed in commercial facilities and labs at universities @ @ @ @ @ @ @ several University of California facilities .
The U.S. testing problems began early in the outbreak , when the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention distributed a faulty test to public health labs around the country .
Once the issue was remedied , it took weeks to supply states with adequate test kits , as the number of suspected patients who required testing continued to climb .
A shortage in basic testing chemicals , called reagents , slowed the process down further .
That issue persists for local officials who are struggling to contain @ @ @ @ @ @ @ County public health chief Barbara Ferrer said that though the county ’ s testing capacity had “ increased dramatically ” in recent days , to a rate of about 300 samples per day , the county is still waiting for the federal government to supply more reagent .
“ If we don ’ t fix that reagent shortage very soon , then our capacity for testing at the public health labs will be dramatically reduced again , ” Ferrer said at a news conference Monday .
About 1,100 people in total have been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ health department said .
The Bay Area is experiencing similar problems .
One physician experienced the COVID-19 testing mess firsthand last week .
Officials told him that his high fever , chills and cough did not qualify him for a COVID-19 test but that he could get tested for the flu , since he hadn ’ t had contact with anyone who had traveled to a country with an outbreak .
“ The tests are so preciously few in availability that the only people who can get tested are the only people who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ my opinion that criteria are kind of ridiculous , ” he said .
“ It ’ s a circular thing because how do you know if you ’ ve been having any contact with COVID-19 patients if hardly anyone is getting tested.
” In L.A. County , doctors said it seemed like the testing restrictions were intended to avoid overwhelming the commercial labs , Quest and LabCorp .
“ It ’ s very cautious and restrictive , ” said one emergency room doctor in the county , who was not authorized to speak @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ t know if it ’ s an issue of machines , manpower , reagents , or what .
But it seems like Quest and LabCorp do not actually have the capacity for all these samples pouring in , and we don ’ t want to overwhelm them.
” Dr. Anthony Cardillo , chief executive of Mend , the urgent care clinic that treated Hodnet , the Echo Park woman , said the delay in receiving her test results stems from a backlog at Quest .
The company , he said , was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be run when the lab came online last week .
Quest decided to freeze the samples and run them this week and next week , prioritizing people with more severe symptoms , Cardillo said .
He said that Quest reduced the backlog over the weekend , but Mend staff still tell patients it could take up to two weeks for their results to come back .
“ There ’ s no way to predict that — there ’ s no hard answer , ” he said .
“ It ’ s like trying @ @ @ @ @ @ @ circling in the fog , when they ’ re going to land — whenever the fog clears.
” Thus far , Quest has been running 1,200 tests daily at a single lab in San Juan Capistrano .
Two additional labs will come online within the next week , together running up to 5,500 samples a day , Newsom said Sunday .
Quest cited even more ambitious estimates Monday .
Officials said daily testing capacity could be as high as 10,000 by the end of the week , and planned to double that rate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ re now in a new phase of testing , ” said Adm. Brett P. Giroir , assistant secretary for health at the Department of Health and Human Services , at the Sunday White House briefing .
But the weeks-long testing debacle continues to affect Californians , including Renee Schwartz , who was sick for weeks with a fever and dry cough , the hallmarks of COVID-19 .
After weeks of being unable to get tested , she visited UCLA last week to meet with an infectious disease doctor to be evaluated for testing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ her fever had broken , though she still had a nasty cough .
“ Everything else got ruled out , it ’ s the only thing it can be , ” said Schwartz , who lives in North Hills .
“ If somebody could tell me where to go , I ’ d go .
I think it ’ s a total cluster you-know-what.
” Her symptoms are improving , but she says she still has only about 70 % of her normal energy level .
She had been holing up in her @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hoping she is no longer contagious .
“ I don ’ t know what else to do .
It ’ s been 20 days , ” Schwartz said .
Times staff writers Phil Willon and Colleen Shalby contributed to this report .

Federal and state officials on Monday said they had finally turned a corner on the coronavirus pandemic and promised a massive expansion of testing, but hopes remained dim in hospitals and clinics as patients still awaited results and overworked doctors sharply questioned the government’s latest pledge.
Some physicians in Los Angeles County said it is still nearly impossible to order a coronavirus test because the process is slowed by bureaucratic hurdles and shortages of key materials. “The testing spigot has definitely not opened up,” said one L.A. County emergency room doctor. She still faces tight restrictions on which patients qualify for testing and then has to wait for results for five days, she said.
Leigha Hodnet, 42, said she was still waiting for test results nearly one week after she and her partner were tested at a lab in Burbank. “We’re trying to self-quarantine, but it’s just really crazy,” said Hodnet, who lives in Echo Park and said her symptoms included a fever, cough and extreme fatigue. “One way to stop it is to make sure everyone can get tested and self-quarantine. But if they can’t, that’s how this becomes a pandemic.”
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The ongoing problems come as the nation approaches a critical moment in its battle against the pandemic, with infections mounting, schools and businesses closing, and the economy at risk of tipping into a recession. If widespread testing doesn’t accelerate, health experts fear more extreme safety measures, such as mandatory home isolation and city lockdowns, may be necessary.
“I’ve said many times, and I’ll repeat it: The worst is, yes, ahead for us. It is how we respond to that challenge that’s going to determine what the ultimate endpoint is going to be,” said Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, part of the National Institutes of Health.
The lack of widespread testing early on in the U.S. made it nearly impossible to track the virus and ultimately forced the closure of schools and businesses in many cities nationwide in a desperate attempt to stop the spread of the contagion. Officials insist change is coming.
By the end of the week, more than 2,000 commercial labs across the nation will be performing coronavirus tests using high-speed machines that can process many samples at once, federal officials said Sunday. About 1.9 million tests would be available by the end of the week, officials said.
California will be running 8,000 tests a day in about a week, when the commercial lab company Quest opens up two more labs, said Gov. Gavin Newsom in a news conference Sunday. “We are increasing our capacity on an hourly basis, not just a daily basis,” Newsom said.
The acceleration comes as officials attempt to compensate for a cascade of federal missteps and delays that experts say left the United States far behind other countries in its tracking of the novel coronavirus. As of Monday, the U.S. had tested roughly 40,000 people for the virus, while South Korea, a country six times smaller, had tested more than 260,000.
“You cannot fight a fire blindfolded, and we cannot stop this pandemic if we do not know who is infected,” said World Health Organization director Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus on Monday. “We have a simple message for all countries: test, test, test.”
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As of Sunday, 8,316 coronavirus tests had been conducted in California. And less than one-third of those were processed in the state’s 19 public health laboratories, which are suffering shortages of testing components and lack of machinery and staffing. The rest have been analyzed in commercial facilities and labs at universities and private hospitals, including Stanford and several University of California facilities.
The U.S. testing problems began early in the outbreak, when the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention distributed a faulty test to public health labs around the country. Once the issue was remedied, it took weeks to supply states with adequate test kits, as the number of suspected patients who required testing continued to climb. A shortage in basic testing chemicals, called reagents, slowed the process down further.
That issue persists for local officials who are struggling to contain the spread of the virus.
L.A. County public health chief Barbara Ferrer said that though the county’s testing capacity had “increased dramatically” in recent days, to a rate of about 300 samples per day, the county is still waiting for the federal government to supply more reagent. “If we don’t fix that reagent shortage very soon, then our capacity for testing at the public health labs will be dramatically reduced again,” Ferrer said at a news conference Monday.
About 1,100 people in total have been tested in the county, the public health department said.
The Bay Area is experiencing similar problems. One physician experienced the COVID-19 testing mess firsthand last week. Officials told him that his high fever, chills and cough did not qualify him for a COVID-19 test but that he could get tested for the flu, since he hadn’t had contact with anyone who had traveled to a country with an outbreak.
“The tests are so preciously few in availability that the only people who can get tested are the only people who meet very stringent criteria, and in my opinion that criteria are kind of ridiculous,” he said. “It’s a circular thing because how do you know if you’ve been having any contact with COVID-19 patients if hardly anyone is getting tested.”
In L.A. County, doctors said it seemed like the testing restrictions were intended to avoid overwhelming the commercial labs, Quest and LabCorp. “It’s very cautious and restrictive,” said one emergency room doctor in the county, who was not authorized to speak to the media. “We don’t know if it’s an issue of machines, manpower, reagents, or what. But it seems like Quest and LabCorp do not actually have the capacity for all these samples pouring in, and we don’t want to overwhelm them.”
Dr. Anthony Cardillo, chief executive of Mend, the urgent care clinic that treated Hodnet, the Echo Park woman, said the delay in receiving her test results stems from a backlog at Quest. The company, he said, was overloaded with people sending in tests to be run when the lab came online last week. Quest decided to freeze the samples and run them this week and next week, prioritizing people with more severe symptoms, Cardillo said.
He said that Quest reduced the backlog over the weekend, but Mend staff still tell patients it could take up to two weeks for their results to come back.
“There’s no way to predict that — there’s no hard answer,” he said. “It’s like trying to ask a pilot who’s circling in the fog, when they’re going to land — whenever the fog clears.”
Thus far, Quest has been running 1,200 tests daily at a single lab in San Juan Capistrano. Two additional labs will come online within the next week, together running up to 5,500 samples a day, Newsom said Sunday.
Quest cited even more ambitious estimates Monday. Officials said daily testing capacity could be as high as 10,000 by the end of the week, and planned to double that rate by April 1.
“We’re now in a new phase of testing,” said Adm. Brett P. Giroir, assistant secretary for health at the Department of Health and Human Services, at the Sunday White House briefing.
But the weeks-long testing debacle continues to affect Californians, including Renee Schwartz, who was sick for weeks with a fever and dry cough, the hallmarks of COVID-19.
After weeks of being unable to get tested, she visited UCLA last week to meet with an infectious disease doctor to be evaluated for testing. But she was denied again because her fever had broken, though she still had a nasty cough.
“Everything else got ruled out, it’s the only thing it can be,” said Schwartz, who lives in North Hills. “If somebody could tell me where to go, I’d go. I think it’s a total cluster you-know-what.”
Her symptoms are improving, but she says she still has only about 70% of her normal energy level. She had been holing up in her home, but has now stopped, hoping she is no longer contagious.
“I don’t know what else to do. It’s been 20 days,” Schwartz said.
Times staff writers Phil Willon and Colleen Shalby contributed to this report.


latimes--2020-03-18--How Southern California's coronavirus limits on bars, gyms, restaurants and gatherings work

Southern California has taken sweeping measures this week to stop dine-in restaurant eating , close gyms and movie theaters , and ban or limit all gatherings to fight the spread of the new coronavirus .
The measures , as of Wednesday morning , in most parts of Southern California were not as stringent as those imposed in 10 counties in the Bay Area and Central California , which asked residents to shelter in place and stay home as much as possible in the coming weeks , and forcing all but essential businesses to close .
The coronavirus outbreak has killed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people in the Coachella Valley in Riverside County — all over the age of 70 , with two of them having underlying health conditions — and one person in Los Angeles County , a non-California resident in her 60s with underlying health issues .
The virus strikes hardest among older people and those with underlying medical conditions ; a viral infection of the lungs can begin a cascade of problems that results in respiratory failure , septic shock and multiple organ failure .
Unlike most of the counties in the Bay Area , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ populous counties have taken different approaches to slowing the spread of the virus .
As of Wednesday morning , none of the counties have the same rules over whether restaurants must only serve food to-go , whether bars , gyms and movie theaters should be required to close , and how big gatherings must be to be prohibited .
Violations of health orders can be enforceable as a misdemeanor as a fine or imprisonment..
Here ’ s a summary of the new restrictions , first by the kind of restriction , and then @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Orange , San Bernardino , Ventura and San Diego counties required restaurants to offer food by takeout or delivery only .
The city of Palm Springs in Riverside County ’ s Coachella Valley is planning a similar order .
• Los Angeles , Orange , San Bernardino , Ventura and San Diego counties ordered bars that do not serve food to close .
Palm Springs is planning a similar order .
• Ventura , San Bernardino and Los Angeles counties ordered gyms and movie theaters to close .
Palm Springs is planning a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Bernardino counties are banning all gatherings , and Palm Springs is planning the same ; • Riverside County banned gatherings of 10 or more people ; and , • L.A. and San Diego counties have prohibited gatherings of 50 or more people .
Here ’ s a summary of the new restrictions by geography .
Exceptions to the gathering ban can be found in the text of the health orders .
Gatherings : Gatherings of 50 or more people are banned anywhere within the jurisdiction of the Los Angeles County Department of Public @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Beach , Pasadena or Vernon .
Gatherings of 10 to 49 people in a confined or enclosed space are not banned , but organizers must do the following : • Require attendees present for more than 10 minutes to be separated by at least six feet from other by attendees ; • Provide access to hand-washing facilities with soap and water or with hand sanitizer with at least 60 % alcohol ; • Post a sign that tells people to leave if they are sick , such as have a fever or cough @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not serve food ; • May offer food only by delivery , pickup or drive-through .
Gatherings : Gatherings of 50 or more people are banned .
Ordered shut : Bars , adult entertainment establishments and other businesses that serve alcohol but not food .
Restaurants : May offer food only by delivery , pickup or drive-through .
Gatherings : Gatherings of any size outside of a single living unit are prohibited .
Ordered shut : All bars and other establishments that serve alcohol and not food .
Restaurants : May offer food @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Gatherings : Gatherings of 10 or more people are prohibited .
Exceptions : The city of Palm Springs plans to issue a more stringent shelter-in-place order .
The city of Palm Springs in a press release said it intends to issue an emergency order modeled on the “ shelter-in-place ” order in effect in San Francisco .
The order in San Francisco is similar the one in effect in six other Bay Area counties — San Mateo , Santa Clara , Alameda , Contra Costa , Sonoma and Marin , as well @ @ @ @ @ @ @ San Benito counties .
Here ’ s what that would look like : Ordered to shelter-in-place : The public should stay at home as much as possible , with certain exceptions — such as to go to the supermarket , pick up prescriptions or go to the doctor ; exercise , such as walking , running or hiking ; and to check on relatives .
There are exceptions for certain essential government and business functions .
Exceptions to order to stay at home : • To do things essential to health and safety @ @ @ @ @ @ @ like getting medical supplies , visiting a clinic or hospital , or obtaining supplies to work from home .
• To obtain needed services or supplies , like buying groceries .
• To engage in outdoor activities like walking , hiking , running , and taking the dog for a walk , while keeping six feet away from others .
• To do work for essential businesses that are exempted from the order to shut down , as defined below .
• To care for a family member or pet in another household @ @ @ @ @ @ @ healthcare operation , like a hospital , clinic , dentist ’ s office , pharmacy , pharmaceutical and biotech company , a healthcare facility , healthcare supplier , home healthcare service , mental health provider , veterinary office or other related services .
• To continue working for construction projects needed for essential infrastructure , such as building housing , airport operations , and work on water , sewer , gas , electrical , oil refining , roads and highways , public transportation , solid waste collection , internet , and telecom systems @ @ @ @ @ @ @ responders , emergency management personnel , emergency dispatchers , court personnel , and law enforcement .
Anyone needed to ensure the continuing operation of government agencies and provide for the health , safety and welfare of the public is exempt .
Ordered shut : All businesses , including bars , gyms and movie theaters , must cease operations .
Exceptions to the order to shut down : Essential businesses or firms that perform an essential government function , can continue operating .
They include : • Essential infrastructure , including construction of housing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ; • Businesses that provide necessities of life for economically disadvantaged individuals and shelter facilities ; • Hardware stores , plumbers , electricians , and other service providers necessary to maintain the safety , sanitation , and essential operation of residences and other essential businesses ; • Educational institutions , for the purposes of facilitating distance learning ; • Businesses that ship or deliver groceries , food , and goods directly to residences ; • Childcare facilities providing services that enable essential employees to go to work ; • Roles required for any @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” which include security , payroll , and similar activities .
Restaurants : May offer food only by delivery , pickup or drive-through .
• Bars , adult entertainment establishments and other businesses that serve alcohol and not food ; • Must offer food only by delivery , pickup or drive-through .
Ordered to shelter-in-place : Those 75 or older and those 70 or older with underlying medical conditions , except for needed trips outside of home , such as getting medical care or food .
If they need to take a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ times as reasonably possible keep at least six feet away from anyone else .
• Bars and nightclubs that do not serve food ; • May offer food only by delivery , pickup or drive-through .
Long Beach is one of three cities in Los Angeles County with its own public health department .
Gatherings : Gatherings of 50 or more people are banned .
Gatherings of 10 to 49 people in a confined or enclosed space are not banned , but organizers must do the following : • Require attendees present for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by at least six feet from other attendees ; • Provide access to handwashing facilities with soap and water or with hand sanitizer with at least 60 % alcohol ; • Post a sign that tells people to leave if they are sick , such as have a fever or cough ; • Bars , pubs , cocktail lounges and nightclubs that do not serve food ; • Wineries , distilleries , breweries and taprooms that do not serve food or are not licensed to sell bottled or packaged alcohol off the licensed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by delivery , pickup or drive-through .

Surinder Singh, owner of Urban India restaurant in San Diego, with no customers in sight on March 17, a day before San Diego County banned dine-in eating at restaurants.
Southern California has taken sweeping measures this week to stop dine-in restaurant service, close gyms and movie theaters, and ban or limit all gatherings to fight the spread of the coronavirus.
The measures, as of Thursday, in most parts of Southern California were not as stringent as those imposed in 17 counties in the Bay Area, North Coast, Sacramento Valley and Central Coast, which asked residents to shelter in place and stay home as much as possible in the coming weeks, and forcing all but essential businesses to close.
The coronavirus outbreak has killed 19 people across California, including three people in the Coachella Valley in Riverside County — all over the age of 70, with two of them having underlying health conditions — and two people in Los Angeles County, a 68-year-old retiree on her way home to Florida from a trip to Asia, and a man between the ages of 30 and 50 with an underlying medical condition.
The virus strikes hardest among older people and those with underlying medical conditions; a viral infection of the lungs can begin a cascade of problems that results in respiratory failure, septic shock and multiple organ failure.
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Unlike most of the counties in the Bay Area, each of Southern California’s most populous counties has taken different approaches to slowing the spread of the virus. As of Thursday, none of the counties has the same rules over whether restaurants must serve food only to go; whether bars, gyms and movie theaters should be required to close; and how big gatherings must be to be prohibited.
California How the San Francisco Bay Area coronavirus ‘shelter in place’ order works Stay at home as much as possible, officials say, but there are exceptions, like to go out and get food, pick up medicine, buy gas, go to the bank and check up on relatives.
Violations of health orders can be enforceable as a misdemeanor, punishable by a fine, imprisonment or both.
Here’s a summary of the new restrictions, first by the kind of restriction, and then by geography:
Ban on dine-in eating
Los Angeles, Orange, San Bernardino, Ventura and San Diego counties required restaurants to offer food by takeout or delivery only. Also issuing the same order was the city of Palm Springs in Riverside County’s Coachella Valley, which imposed a shelter-in-place order modeled on the one issued in the San Francisco Bay Area.
Order to close bars
Los Angeles, Orange, San Bernardino, Ventura and San Diego counties and Palm Springs ordered bars that do not serve food to close.
Order to close gyms and movie theaters
Ventura, Orange, San Bernardino and Los Angeles counties and Palm Springs ordered gyms and movie theaters to close.
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Ban on gatherings
Orange and San Bernardino counties and Palm Springs banned gatherings.
Riverside County banned gatherings of 10 or more people.
L.A. and San Diego counties have prohibited gatherings of 50 or more people.
Here’s a summary of the new restrictions by geography. Exceptions to the gathering ban can be found in the text of the health orders.
Los Angeles County
Gatherings: Gatherings of 50 or more people are banned anywhere within the jurisdiction of the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health, which does not include Long Beach, Pasadena or Vernon.
Gatherings of 10 to 49 people in a confined or enclosed space are not banned, but organizers must do the following:
Require attendees present for more than 10 minutes to be separated by at least 6 feet from other attendees.
Provide access to hand-washing facilities with soap and water or with hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol.
Post a sign that tells people to leave if they are sick, such as having a fever or cough.
Clean and disinfect the site.
Ordered shut:
Bars and nightclubs that do not serve food.
Movie theaters, live performance venues, bowling alleys and arcades.
Gyms and fitness centers.
Wineries, breweries and taprooms that provide tastings.
Restaurants:
May offer food only by delivery, pickup or drive-through.
Effective: Now through March 31.
San Diego County
Gatherings: Gatherings of 50 or more people are banned.
Ordered shut: Bars, adult entertainment establishments and other businesses that serve alcohol but not food.
Restaurants: May offer food only by delivery, pickup or drive-through.
Effective: Now through March 31.
Orange County
Gatherings: Gatherings are prohibited.
Ordered shut:
All bars and other establishments that serve alcohol and not food.
Movie theaters, gyms and health clubs.
Restaurants: May offer food only by delivery, pickup or drive-through.
Effective: Now through March 31.
Riverside County
Gatherings: Gatherings of 10 or more people are prohibited.
Effective: Now through April 30.
Exceptions: The city of Palm Springs plans to issue a more stringent shelter-in-place order.
City of Palm Springs
The city of Palm Springs issued an emergency order modeled on the “shelter-in-place” order in effect in San Francisco. The order in San Francisco is similar to the one in effect in the eight other Bay Area counties — San Mateo, Santa Clara, Alameda, Contra Costa, Sonoma, Marin, Napa and Solano, as well as Santa Cruz, Monterey, San Benito, Sacramento, Yolo, Mendocino, Lake and San Luis Obispo counties. Here’s what that looks like:
Ordered to shelter in place: The public should stay at home as much as possible, with certain exceptions — such as to go to the supermarket, pick up prescriptions or go to the doctor; exercise, such as walking, running or hiking; and to check on relatives. There are exceptions for certain essential government and business functions.
Exceptions to the stay-at-home order:
To do things essential to health and safety of the household, including pets, like getting medical supplies, visiting a clinic or hospital, or obtaining supplies to work from home.
To obtain needed services or supplies, like buying groceries.
To engage in outdoor activities like walking, hiking, running, and taking the dog for a walk, while keeping 6 feet away from others.
To do work for essential businesses that are exempted from the order to shut down, as defined below.
To care for a family member or pet in another household.
To continue working for a healthcare operation, like a hospital, clinic, dentist’s office, pharmacy, pharmaceutical and biotech company, a healthcare facility, healthcare supplier, home healthcare service, mental health provider, veterinary office or other related services.
To continue working for construction projects needed for essential infrastructure, such as building housing, airport operations, and work on water, sewer, gas, electrical, oil refining, roads and highways, public transportation, solid waste collection, internet and telecom systems.
To continue working as first responders, emergency management personnel, emergency dispatchers, court personnel and law enforcement. Anyone needed to ensure the continuing operation of government agencies and provide for the health, safety and welfare of the public is exempt.
Gatherings: Gatherings are prohibited.
Ordered shut: All businesses, including bars, gyms and movie theaters, must cease operations.
Exceptions to the order to shut down: Essential businesses or firms that perform an essential government function can continue operating. They include:
Healthcare operations, including home health workers;
Essential infrastructure, including construction of housing and operation of public transportation and utilities;
Grocery stores, farmers markets, food banks, convenience stores;
Businesses that provide necessities of life for economically disadvantaged individuals and shelter facilities;
Pharmacies, healthcare supply stores and healthcare facilities;
Gas stations and auto repair facilities;
Banks;
Garbage collection;
Hardware stores, plumbers, electricians, pool service, landscape maintenance, exterminators and other service providers necessary to maintain the safety, sanitation and essential operation of residences and other essential businesses;
Educational institutions, for the purposes of facilitating distance learning;
Laundromats, dry cleaners and laundry service providers;
Businesses that ship or deliver groceries, food and goods directly to residences;
Businesses that supply products needed for people to work from home, including electronic stores, mobile phone stores and office supply stores;
Airlines, taxis and other transportation providers offering services needed for essential activities;
Home-based care for seniors, adults or children;
Childcare facilities providing services that enable essential employees to go to work, but must be carried out in groups of 12 or fewer, and that children do not mix between groups;
Roles required for any essential business to “maintain basic operations,” which include security, payroll and similar activities.
Hotels, motels and lawfully permitted vacation rentals and homesharing, provided that they comply with social distancing requirements;
Licensed cannabis dispensaries and lounges, provided that cannabis products are picked up, or if licensed to do so, taken for delivery; the lounge areas shall not be used.
Restaurants: May offer food only by delivery, pickup or drive-through.
Effective: March 18 to April 2.
San Bernardino County
Gatherings: Gatherings are prohibited.
Ordered shut:
Bars, adult entertainment establishments and other businesses that serve alcohol and not food;
Movie theaters, gyms and health clubs.
Restaurants:
Must offer food only by delivery, pickup or drive-through.
Effective: Now through April 6.
Ventura County
Ordered to shelter in place: Those 75 or older and those 70 or older with underlying medical conditions, except for needed trips outside home, such as for getting medical care or food. If they need to take a trip outside, they must at all times as reasonably possible keep at least 6 feet away from anyone else.
Ordered shut:
Bars and nightclubs that do not serve food;
Movie theaters, live performance venues, bowling alleys and arcades;
Gyms, fitness centers and aquatic centers;
Wineries, breweries and tap rooms that provide tastings.
Restaurants:
May offer food only by delivery, pickup or drive-through.
Effective: Now through April 1.
City of Long Beach
Long Beach is one of three cities in Los Angeles County with its own public health department.
Gatherings: Gatherings of 50 or more people are banned. Gatherings of 10 to 49 people in a confined or enclosed space are not banned, but organizers must do the following:
Require attendees present for more than 10 minutes to be separated by at least 6 feet from other attendees;
Provide access to handwashing facilities with soap and water or with hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol;
Post a sign that tells people to leave if they are sick, such as with a fever or cough;
Clean and disinfect the site.
Ordered shut:
Bars, pubs, cocktail lounges and nightclubs that do not serve food;
Movie theaters, live performance venues, bowling alleys and arcades;
Gyms and fitness centers;
Wineries, distilleries, breweries and taprooms that do not serve food or are not licensed to sell bottled or packaged alcohol off the licensed premises.
Restaurants:
May offer food only by delivery, pickup or drive-through.
Effective: Now through March 31.