latimes--2020-04-29--Coronavirus is retreating in Bay Area, advancing in Los Angeles

Reopening California has been complicated because the coronavirus outbreak is behaving differently in various parts of the state .
The San Francisco Bay Area has seen consecutive weekly declines in the number of new cases , while Southern California has seen the pace of new cases increase .
Los Angeles County has become the heart of the coronavirus crisis in California , recording more than 1,000 deaths .
Even adjusted for its larger population , its rate of 9.9 deaths per 100,000 people is 68 % higher than the next-hardest-hit urban county , Riverside , and 80 % higher than @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Bay Area , Santa Clara County , according to a Times analysis of coronavirus data .
Hospitalizations also remain stubbornly high , helping to explain the reluctance to ease the stay-at-home order in California .
Half of all hospitalized coronavirus patients in California are being treated in Los Angeles County , which is home to a quarter of the state ’ s population , the analysis found .
California has so far managed to avoid the death toll New York state has faced , with more than 22,000 dead .
The Golden State @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the numbers of new coronavirus cases and deaths reported every week statewide — although not increasing as fast as before — are still rising on a weekly basis .
The numbers have yet to begin a sustained downward trend .
Despite the recent increase , officials are expecting that L.A. County will start to see a decline in new cases around mid-May .
Here ’ s a look at cases , hospitalizations and deaths : The number of confirmed cases of coronavirus infection can be a tricky indicator .
The figure may be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ showing up in the public record .
And despite the stay-at-home order , more people continue to become infected , such as people in congregate care settings like nursing homes and people who continue to work as essential workers , as well as those who venture out for essential trips , such as picking up groceries .
Still , experts expect coronavirus case numbers to eventually decrease in areas including L.A. County , believing the stay-at-home order has been , and continues to be , effective .
Testing capacity continues to increase , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the testing sort of equilibrates out , I think you ’ ll start seeing declines , ” said Dr. George Rutherford , UC San Francisco epidemiologist and infectious diseases expert .
Los Angeles County has a higher vulnerability to health emergencies than the San Francisco area , the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has said , due to differences in poverty , crowded housing and lack of access to transportation .
Deaths are a helpful indicator to track the progress of an outbreak , but will still be rising even as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ officials are particularly focused on the trend in the number of people hospitalized for COVID-19 .
Dr. Grant Colfax , director of public health for San Francisco , said of hospitalization numbers , “ We need numbers to start dropping significantly and just stay down for several weeks .
”

Over the weekend, the beach near Veterans Park was closed in Redondo Beach.
Reopening California has been complicated because the coronavirus outbreak is behaving differently in various parts of the state.
The San Francisco Bay Area has seen consecutive weekly declines in the number of new cases, while Southern California has seen the pace of new cases increase.
Los Angeles County has become the heart of the coronavirus crisis in California, recording more than 1,000 deaths. Even adjusted for its larger population, its rate of 9.9 deaths per 100,000 people is 68% higher than the next-hardest-hit urban county, Riverside, and 80% higher than the hotbed of the crisis in the Bay Area, Santa Clara County, according to a Times analysis of coronavirus data.
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Hospitalizations also remain stubbornly high, helping to explain the reluctance to ease the stay-at-home order in California. Half of all hospitalized coronavirus patients in California are being treated in Los Angeles County, which is home to a quarter of the state’s population, the analysis found.
California has so far managed to avoid the death toll New York state has faced, with more than 22,000 dead. The Golden State has reported about 1,800 fatalities.
Yet the numbers of new coronavirus cases and deaths reported every week statewide — although not increasing as fast as before — are still rising on a weekly basis. The numbers have yet to begin a sustained downward trend.
Despite the recent increase, officials are expecting that L.A. County will start to see a decline in new cases around mid-May.
Here’s a look at cases, hospitalizations and deaths:
Coronavirus cases
Statewide
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The number of confirmed cases of coronavirus infection can be a tricky indicator. The figure may be affected by backlogs in reported cases suddenly showing up in the public record.
And despite the stay-at-home order, more people continue to become infected, such as people in congregate care settings like nursing homes and people who continue to work as essential workers, as well as those who venture out for essential trips, such as picking up groceries.
Still, experts expect coronavirus case numbers to eventually decrease in areas including L.A. County, believing the stay-at-home order has been, and continues to be, effective.
Testing capacity continues to increase, and in L.A. County, “once the testing sort of equilibrates out, I think you’ll start seeing declines,” said Dr. George Rutherford, UC San Francisco epidemiologist and infectious diseases expert.
Los Angeles County has a higher vulnerability to health emergencies than the San Francisco area, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has said, due to differences in poverty, crowded housing and lack of access to transportation.
Coronavirus deaths
Deaths are a helpful indicator to track the progress of an outbreak, but will still be rising even as hospitalizations and new cases decrease.
Statewide
Coronavirus hospitalizations
Health officials are particularly focused on the trend in the number of people hospitalized for COVID-19.
Dr. Grant Colfax, director of public health for San Francisco, said of hospitalization numbers, “We need numbers to start dropping significantly and just stay down for several weeks.”
Statewide


latimes--2020-04-29--Reopening California schools: 4 things you need to know

Could an early reopening of schools over the summer offer students a chance to catch up with work while offering parents a much needed respite from schooling at home ?
With about 6.1 million California students shut out of their campuses since about mid-March amid the coronavirus crisis , Gov .
Gavin Newsom said Tuesday that public school might be able to reopen their doors by late July or August .
The plan is high on ambition , but low on details .
On Wednesday State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond said is it not yet known “ exactly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not ask the schools to start until it is safe for everyone.
” Reopening decisions will be made at the school district level and the state will help provide the resources and supplies to support campus operations , he told a parents and others attending an education webinar .
He also said a working group of state leaders will study reopening and cautioned that some form of remote learning may still be needed .
School districts throughout the state are just now beginning to assess how to reopen what are almost certain to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the health of students and staff .
Here are four things to know : 1 ) ‘ As soon as possible ’ is a goal amid uncertainties Newsom said officials hope to reopen K-12 campuses as early as it is safe to do so and , given the stakes in lost learning , suggested that late July might be possible .
It is still unclear what a reformatted school day would look like , and how educators would enforce social distancing and ensure enough disinfecting supplies and protective equipment to conduct instruction without @ @ @ @ @ @ @ going to work , there are some major questions we will have to answer , ” state schools Thurmond said in a statement .
Among them : How will school systems keep everyone on their campuses safe and healthy ?
How will schools pay for teachers and resources to allow for the smaller class sizes that social distancing requires ?
Could a school day split between time on campus and distance learning be the answer ?
But then what would the ramifications be for working parents in need of child care ?
2 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Social distancing — keeping six feet apart — is going to be challenge .
But educators know they will have to retrofit both schools and procedures to make it work .
Palos Verdes Peninsula Unified School District Assistant Supt .
Brenna Terrones on Tuesday talked about needed supplies .
Alcohol and Lysol-type disinfectant products have been nearly impossible to find .
The district has 16 boxes of surgical masks for health staff .
An order of face masks is supposed to arrive in mid-May ; opinions differ on whether they should be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ six-month supply of gloves .
Thermometers are on back order .
Supt .
Alexander Cherniss asked whether the district should install portable hand-washing stations and require students to wash their hands several times a day .
“ Can we legally take their temperature before they enter campus ” with no-touch thermometers ?
he asked .
The answer was murky — yes for adults in a pandemic , said Diane K. Wagener , a health statistics and policy specialist in attendance .
But she was not immediately certain about the legal parameters regarding students @ @ @ @ @ @ @ showing symptoms , she pointed out .
While school board President Suzanne Seymour said having 30 to 35 students in one classroom would be a “ tough sell ” for parents , Cherniss said reducing class size for safety reasons or to offer more academic support “ was almost an impossible task.
” “ Principals , please start thinking about ways to reduce class size , ways to alter schedules , ” he said .
“ Start thinking about those kinds of concepts.
” 3 ) Students are suffering under the current situation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in school as soon as it is safe .
“ We recognize there ’ s been a learning loss because of this disruption .
We ’ re concerned about that learning loss even into the summer , ” Newsom said .
“ Our kids have lost a lot with this disruption .
... And you can either , you know , roll over and just accept that or you can do something about it.
” The magnitude of learning loss because of the closures is unclear , researchers said .
applied to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ In one scenario , the report found that students could experience a “ COVID-19 slowdown , ” in which they would not see gains or losses in reading and math from mid-March until the fall .
In another , more troubling projection , students would suffer a “ COVID-19 slide , ” in which they return in the fall with just 70 % of the learning gains in reading that they would typically see in a school year , and less than 50 % in math .
“ We ’ re kind of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ new materials are being offered but the new learning is not continuing at the rate that it should , ” said Megan Kuhfeld , a research scientist at the NWEA and coauthor of the brief .
“ You think about the long game ... this is potentially a COVID-19 generation that is going to be playing catch-up for many years , ” said coauthor Beth Tarasawa , NWEA ’ s executive vice president of research .
4 ) Money and equity are other issues An early start to the school year , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , financially and academically — especially because the state ’ s plummeting tax revenue could lead to budget cuts and because shutting down campuses has exacerbated existing challenges in educating low-income students and those with disabilities .
In recent years , summer school was sharply cut back to save money — becoming substantially a vehicle to help seniors fulfill graduation requirements and relatively small numbers of students with special needs .
Districts across the state are trying to develop a robust program this summer for all students , but still using distance learning @ @ @ @ @ @ @ funding to pay teachers and other staff .
In L.A. Unified , the school board approves the academic calendar , but an extended school year would require negotiations with employee unions .
“ Our 75,000-plus employees serve the needs of almost 700,000 students who live with another couple of million people , ” L.A. Unified Supt .
Austin Beutner said Monday .
“ Will [ coronavirus ] testing be available for all of these individuals and who will pay for it ?
That ’ s the sort of challenge which lies ahead .
@

A man runs up the steps while working out at football stadium on the Ventura High School campus. Gov. Newsom said that public school campuses might be able to reopen by late July or August.
Could an early reopening of schools over the summer offer students a chance to catch up with work while offering parents a much needed respite from schooling at home?
With about 6.1 million California students shut out of their campuses since about mid-March amid the coronavirus crisis, Gov. Gavin Newsom said Tuesday that public school might be able to reopen their doors by late July or August. The plan is high on ambition, but low on details.
On Wednesday State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond said is it not yet known “exactly when school can start and we will not ask the schools to start until it is safe for everyone.” Reopening decisions will be made at the school district level and the state will help provide the resources and supplies to support campus operations, he told a parents and others attending an education webinar.
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1 / 12 Max Rodriguez, a fifth-grader at the Environmental Academy of Research Technology and Earth Sciences, or Earths Magnet School, in Newbury Park, receives a Chromebook at a drive-through area in front of the school Wednesday. At right is his mother, Myrna Lebanon. (Mel Melcon / Los Angeles Times) 2 / 12 Computer technicians Rosemary Wineman, right, and Jeff Bass, prepare Chromebooks to be checked out to Earths Magnet School students. Around 75 Chromebooks were issued to students for free Wednesday. (Mel Melcon / Los Angeles Times) 3 / 12 Jeff Rickert,principal of Earths Magnet School, hands a Chromebook to second-grader Andrew Shah, 8, riding in the car with his mother, Joy Shah. (Mel Melcon / Los Angeles Times) 4 / 12 Principal Jeff Rickert prepares the Chromebook distribution area at Earths Magnet School. Starting Monday, instruction will resume via distance learning during the coronavirus outbreak. (Mel Melcon / Los Angeles Times) 5 / 12 Computer tech Jeff Bass helps distribute Chromebooks to students at the drive-through area in front of Earths Magnet School. (Mel Melcon / Los Angeles Times) 6 / 12 Jeff Bass hands a Chromebook to fifth-grader Jennifer Sandoval, 10. (Mel Melcon / Los Angeles Times) 7 / 12 Allison Glenn puts on gloves while waiting in her car to pick up a Chromebook for her 6-year-old daughter, Averie, a first-grader at Earths Magnet School in Newbury Park. (Mel Melcon / Los Angeles Times) 8 / 12 Denise Young looks on as her 9-year-old daughter, Allison, a fourth-grader at Earths Magnet School, receives a Chromebook. (Mel Melcon / Los Angeles Times) 9 / 12 Allison Glenn sits inside her car at a drive-through Chromebook distribution area in front of Earths Magnet School in Newbury Park. (Mel Melcon / Los Angeles Times) 10 / 12 Principal Jeff Rickert hands a Chromebook to Earths Magnet School student Miguel Botello, 8, with his mother, Antonia Botello. (Mel Melcon / Los Angeles Times) 11 / 12 Computer tech Jeff Bass hands a Chromebook to Carol Kammerer for her 8-year-old daughter, Juliet Woythal, in the back seat. (Mel Melcon / Los Angeles Times) 12 / 12 Fourth-grader Sarah Mahmood, 10, with her mother, Maram Mahmood, receives a Chromebook from Jeff Bass at Earths Magnet School. (Mel Melcon / Los Angeles Times)
He also said a working group of state leaders will study reopening and said that some form of remote learning may still be needed. Local district officials caution that health and safety measures are far from being in place and teachers union leaders expressed concerns about the possibility of early openings, saying workplace changes are subject to bargaining.
School districts throughout the state are just now beginning to assess how to reopen what are almost certain to be reconfigured campuses and schedules to protect the health of students and staff.
Here are four things to know:
1) ‘As soon as possible’ is a goal amid uncertainties
Newsom said officials hope to reopen K-12 campuses as early as it is safe to do so and, given the stakes in lost learning, suggested that late July might be possible.
It is still unclear what a reformatted school day would look like, and how educators would enforce social distancing and ensure enough disinfecting supplies and protective equipment to conduct instruction without excessive risk.
“If this is going to work, there are some major questions we will have to answer,” state schools Thurmond said in a statement. Among them: How will school systems keep everyone on their campuses safe and healthy? How will schools pay for teachers and resources to allow for the smaller class sizes that social distancing requires? Could a school day split between time on campus and distance learning be the answer? But then what would the ramifications be for working parents in need of child care?
2) Schools will have to operate differently.
Social distancing — keeping six feet apart — is going to be challenge.
Advertisement
But educators know they will have to retrofit both schools and procedures to make it work.
Palos Verdes Peninsula Unified School District Assistant Supt. Brenna Terrones on Tuesday talked about needed supplies. Alcohol and Lysol-type disinfectant products have been nearly impossible to find. The district has 16 boxes of surgical masks for health staff. An order of face masks is supposed to arrive in mid-May; opinions differ on whether they should be mandated. There’s probably a six-month supply of gloves. Thermometers are on back order.
Supt. Alexander Cherniss asked whether the district should install portable hand-washing stations and require students to wash their hands several times a day.
“Can we legally take their temperature before they enter campus” with no-touch thermometers? he asked. The answer was murky — yes for adults in a pandemic, said Diane K. Wagener, a health statistics and policy specialist in attendance. But she was not immediately certain about the legal parameters regarding students. Many children could be infectious without showing symptoms, she pointed out.
While school board President Suzanne Seymour said having 30 to 35 students in one classroom would be a “tough sell” for parents, Cherniss said reducing class size for safety reasons or to offer more academic support “was almost an impossible task.”
“Principals, please start thinking about ways to reduce class size, ways to alter schedules,” he said. “Start thinking about those kinds of concepts.”
3) Students are suffering under the current situation
Newsom was clear he wanted students back in school as soon as it is safe.
“We recognize there’s been a learning loss because of this disruption. We’re concerned about that learning loss even into the summer,” Newsom said. “Our kids have lost a lot with this disruption. ... And you can either, you know, roll over and just accept that or you can do something about it.”
The magnitude of learning loss because of the closures is unclear, researchers said. A brief this month applied summer learning loss research to the current pandemic to provide possible answers. In one scenario, the report found that students could experience a “COVID-19 slowdown,” in which they would not see gains or losses in reading and math from mid-March until the fall.
In another, more troubling projection, students would suffer a “COVID-19 slide,” in which they return in the fall with just 70% of the learning gains in reading that they would typically see in a school year, and less than 50% in math.
“We’re kind of assuming ... in the slowdown projection that new materials are being offered but the new learning is not continuing at the rate that it should,” said Megan Kuhfeld, a research scientist at the NWEA and coauthor of the brief.
“You think about the long game ... this is potentially a COVID-19 generation that is going to be playing catch-up for many years,” said coauthor Beth Tarasawa, NWEA’s executive vice president of research.
4) Money and equity are other issues
An early start to the school year, the brief said, could be complicated logistically, financially and academically — especially because the state’s plummeting tax revenue could lead to budget cuts and because shutting down campuses has exacerbated existing challenges in educating low-income students and those with disabilities.
In recent years, summer school was sharply cut back to save money — becoming substantially a vehicle to help seniors fulfill graduation requirements and relatively small numbers of students with special needs. Districts across the state are trying to develop a robust program this summer for all students, but still using distance learning. Such a program would require increased funding to pay teachers and other staff.
In L.A. Unified, the school board approves the academic calendar, but an extended school year would require negotiations with employee unions.
“Our 75,000-plus employees serve the needs of almost 700,000 students who live with another couple of million people,” L.A. Unified Supt. Austin Beutner said Monday. “Will [coronavirus] testing be available for all of these individuals and who will pay for it? That’s the sort of challenge which lies ahead.”


latimes--2020-04-29--L.A. councilman proposes ban on storage-unit evictions amid coronavirus outbreak

Rebecca Wu wishes she could just grab some photo albums from her storage unit before everything in it is at risk of going up for auction May 1 .
She is two months late on the rent for the unit near where she lives in Placer County , northeast of Sacramento , and her access code to the facility has been turned off .
California has roughly 3,500 storage facilities , according to Self Storage , and is home to the most expensive storage rents in the country , according to statistics compiled by Neighbor , a company that matches @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who need to store items .
With millions of people applying for unemployment during the coronavirus outbreak , storage represents another monthly bill many can ’ t pay right now .
“ At least I wouldn ’ t be losing a couple of boxes of the really sacred stuff .
To me , it wouldn ’ t be fair under the situation , but it would be decent , ” said Wu , who lost her job in mid-March as a home healthcare worker .
“ But , as a far as I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ possibility , ” Wu added .
The falling economy is likely to put many people in situations like Wu ’ s .
An L.A. city councilman has introduced a plan that could help people facing similar hard choices in his city , which has the second-highest storage rents in the country , after San Francisco , according to Neighbor .
Councilman David Ryu ’ s proposal , if adopted , would temporarily prevent storage companies within the city from putting units up for auction — a common practice that can happen within a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ throwing away the items inside .
“ It ’ s literally , do you risk your life to go out there to rummage through all the stuff to try to see what you could salvage ?
Or do you lose it all ?
” Ryu said of those faced with storage evictions during a time when the government is telling people to stay home except for essential needs .
“ What if there are some important documents ?
Family heirlooms ?
” Many have been struggling to keep a roof over their heads @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said .
While the city has put a halt to evictions of residential and commercial tenants during the pandemic , the protections don ’ t apply to storage facilities .
“ If you can ’ t pay your rent , what makes you say you can pay the storage bill ?
” Ryu said .
Storage facilities have been deemed essential businesses in California and have continued to operate .
And for some vulnerable Angelenos , storage facilities are more than just a place to stash extra stuff .
Brooke Carrillo , a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ area in Chatsworth , said she depends on her storage unit to protect her belongings from rain , theft and city cleanups .
“ I ’ m more at ease knowing my stuff is safe , ” she said .
“ I can go to the shopping market and not have to ask someone , ‘ Can you keep an eye on my stuff ?
’ ” Carrillo said that in recent weeks , she saw a woman pleading to be let into her storage unit so she could get things to pawn @ @ @ @ @ @ @ If you don ’ t pay , they hold your stuff hostage , ” she said .
At this point , any relief offered by storage companies is voluntary .
Public Storage , a large national storage company , halted evictions and rent increases in L.A. County through the end of May , according to spokesman Paul Rose .
It ’ s unclear when that policy went into effect or whether tenants were notified .
Extra Space Storage , another national company , has halted evictions and rent increases at all of its @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be as lenient as they want to be ” with rent , including offering repayment plans and cutting late fees , but has stopped short of a blanket policy , according to spokeswoman McKall Morris .
Morris said the company was watching L.A. ’ s proposed legislation closely .
“ We ’ ll follow whatever comes out of this , but we haven ’ t seen enough of the legislation to say we support or don ’ t support it , ” Morris said , adding that the company is complying with a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cities and counties across the country .
When asked about the proposal during a news conference last week , L.A. Mayor Eric Garcetti said , “ It ’ s something I ’ m absolutely open to.
” “ People should not have the stress of losing not just their housing , but everything that they own right now , ” Garcetti said , adding he would like to see more details .
Councilman Ryu said he hopes his proposal will be taken up soon .
If the council approves it , the ordinance @ @ @ @ @ @ @ made law in a few weeks , Ryu said .

Los Angeles City Councilman David Ryu has proposed that storage-unit evictions be halted in the city.
Rebecca Wu wishes she could just grab some photo albums from her storage unit before everything in it is at risk of going up for auction on Friday. She is two months late on the rent for the unit near where she lives in Placer County, northeast of Sacramento, and her access code to the facility has been turned off.
California has roughly 3,500 storage facilities, according to Self Storage, and is home to the most expensive storage rents in the country, according to statistics compiled by Neighbor, a company that matches people’s empty space with people who need to store items. With millions of people applying for unemployment during the coronavirus outbreak, storage represents another monthly bill many can’t pay right now.
“At least I wouldn’t be losing a couple of boxes of the really sacred stuff. To me, it wouldn’t be fair under the situation, but it would be decent,” said Wu, who lost her job in mid-March as a home healthcare worker.
Advertisement
“But, as far as I know, that’s not a possibility,” Wu added.
The falling economy is likely to put many people in situations like Wu’s. A Los Angeles city councilman has introduced a plan that could help people facing similar hard choices in his city, which has the second-highest storage rents in the country, after San Francisco, according to Neighbor.
Councilman David Ryu’s proposal, if adopted, would temporarily prevent storage companies within the city from putting units up for auction — a common practice that can happen within a few weeks of late payment — or throwing away the items inside.
“It’s literally, do you risk your life to go out there to rummage through all the stuff to try to see what you could salvage? Or do you lose it all?” Ryu said of those faced with storage evictions during a time when the government is telling people to stay home except for essential needs. “What if there are some important documents? Family heirlooms?”
Many have been struggling to keep a roof over their heads and food on the table, Ryu said. While the city has put a halt to evictions of residential and commercial tenants during the pandemic, the protections don’t apply to storage facilities.
“If you can’t pay your rent, what makes you say you can pay the storage bill?” Ryu said.
Storage facilities have been deemed essential businesses in California and have continued to operate.
And for some vulnerable Angelenos, storage facilities are more than just a place to stash extra stuff.
Brooke Carrillo, a homeless woman who sleeps in an industrial area in Chatsworth, said she depends on her storage unit to protect her belongings from rain, theft and city cleanups.
“I’m more at ease knowing my stuff is safe,” she said. “I can go to the shopping market and not have to ask someone, ‘Can you keep an eye on my stuff?’”
Advertisement
Carrillo said that in recent weeks, she saw a woman pleading to be let into her storage unit so she could get things to pawn and pay the outstanding bill.
“If you don’t pay, they hold your stuff hostage,” she said.
At this point, any relief offered by storage companies is voluntary.
Public Storage, a large national storage company, halted evictions and rent increases in L.A. County through the end of May, according to spokesman Paul Rose. It’s unclear when that policy went into effect or whether tenants were notified.
Extra Space Storage, another national company, has halted evictions and rent increases at all of its locations, and is “empowering managers be as lenient as they want to be” with rent, including offering repayment plans and cutting late fees, but has stopped short of a blanket policy, according to spokeswoman McKall Morris.
Morris said the company was watching L.A.’s proposed legislation closely.
“We’ll follow whatever comes out of this, but we haven’t seen enough of the legislation to say we support or don’t support it,” Morris said, adding that the company is complying with a number of ordinances being put forward by cities and counties across the country.
When asked about the proposal during a news conference last week, L.A. Mayor Eric Garcetti said, “It’s something I’m absolutely open to.”
“People should not have the stress of losing not just their housing, but everything that they own right now,” Garcetti said, adding he would like to see more details.
Councilman Ryu said he hopes his proposal will be taken up soon. If the council approves it, the ordinance could be drafted, voted on and made law in a few weeks, Ryu said.
Times staff writer Emily Alpert Reyes contributed to this report.


latimes--2020-04-29--Bay Area will allow some businesses to reopen, construction to resume

Six San Francisco Bay Area counties will allow all construction projects , real estate transactions and certain outdoor businesses to resume operations with certain conditions on Monday , while also largely retaining other stay-at-home restrictions through the month of May intended to curb the spread of the coronavirus .
The businesses that will be allowed to resume include outdoor wholesale and retail nurseries , garden centers , landscapers , gardeners and other businesses that primarily provide outdoor services .
Certain outdoor recreational facilities previously ordered closed , including skate parks , can reopen if they do not involve shared equipment @ @ @ @ @ @ @ also allow flea markets and carwashes to reopen , San Francisco Mayor London Breed said .
Officials said outdoor businesses , “ by virtue of their operation outdoors , carry a lower risk of transmission than most indoor businesses.
” These businesses allowed to resume operations generally involve only brief and limited person-to-person interactions , authorities said , and make up only a relatively small proportion of business activity in the region .
“ Outdoor businesses must conduct all business and transactions involving members of the public outdoors , ” the order said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ same social distancing protocols in effect for essential businesses like grocery stores , which include requirements like limiting the number of people within the facility to ensure people can easily maintain a six-foot distance from other people at all times , except as required to complete an essential business activity ; requiring face coverings to be worn by anyone entering the business ; and offering hand sanitizer .
Real estate transactions can resume , but open houses are still banned .
The order allows for a maximum of two visitors , residing in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ home , and only one individual to show the residence .
Residents of the home being sold can not be inside when it is being shown .
“ These orders are generally consistent with the state ’ s shelter-in-place order .
On any issue where the local and state orders may differ , the stricter order applies , ” said a statement sent on behalf of Alameda , Contra Costa , Marin , San Francisco , San Mateo and Santa Clara counties , where 6.6 million people live .
The same order was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , which has a health department separate from Alameda County .
“ A pandemic of this scale is unprecedented , ” Dr. Sara Cody , Santa Clara County health officer , said in a statement .
“ We are progressing steadily as a region , but we must reduce restrictions on activity gradually or we will put the lives of many community members at risk.
” At a news conference , Cody said in other regions of the world , many areas have suffered a sharp resurgence in coronavirus cases when shelter-in-place orders @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we move too fast to ease restrictions , the potential for exponential spread could have grave impacts to the health and wellness of our residents as well as to our economy , ” Cody said .
“ And of course , the vaccine is still a long way off , and virtually our entire population is still at risk.
” Restaurants will continue to only be allowed to offer food for sale for takeout , delivery or drive-through service .
The new order also mandates people to continue sheltering at their place of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to buy food , go to the doctor ’ s office and for other essential activities , business , government functions or to perform minimum basic operations for closed businesses .
All gatherings outside of a single household are still banned , with only limited exceptions .
Outdoor recreation facilities that are outside of residences with high-touch equipment or that encourage groups are still off limits .
Such places include playgrounds , outdoor gym equipment , climbing walls , picnic areas , dog parks , pools , spas and barbecue areas .
Skate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to reopen but must comply with social distancing and health and safety protocols to reduce the risk of overcrowding and disease transmission .
Some counties offered conflicting information on what kind of athletic facilities would be open .
Dr. Susan Philip , San Francisco ’ s deputy health officer , said tennis courts and basketball courts will not be reopening because players share balls .
“ We still can ’ t share equipment , ” Philip said .
But the health officer for Contra Costa County , Dr. Chris Farnitano , said on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to reopen .
The state of golf courses was also unclear .
The San Francisco mayor said golfing can resume .
But at a separate news conference , the county counsel for Santa Clara County , James Williams , said while the new Bay Area order would allow golf courses to reopen , the state has indicated golf courses are not allowed to operate .
However , Riverside County reopened its golf courses on April 20 , but limited play to foursomes , required players to be separated by six feet , banned @ @ @ @ @ @ @ coverings .
Napa County also allowed the use of golf courses in an order issued April 22 .
Some areas started reopening up parks and trails .
San Mateo County said it will reopen 13 of its 23 parks Monday .
“ Visitors will be required to hike single file on narrow trails , keep six feet apart from others , not congregate with people who aren ’ t from their household , and carry face coverings , ” the county said .
Some parking lots for parks will be opened ; others @ @ @ @ @ @ @ child-care facilities remain the same : The order allows child-care businesses and summer camps to supervise children to enable the functioning of essential businesses , government agencies , outdoor businesses and workers conducting minimum basic operations of closed businesses .
Funerals are still limited to a maximum of 10 people .
The six counties that issued the new order , effective Monday , were the same original six counties that implemented the nation ’ s first shelter-in-place order on March 16 , requiring residents stay at home as much as possible to slow @ @ @ @ @ @ @ other California counties , in the northern Bay Area , Sacramento area , North Coast and Central Coast , followed suit before Gov .
Gavin Newsom issued a statewide stay-at-home order on March 19 .
The statewide order never halted construction , but the Bay Area ’ s order for the six counties did .
The original order dated March 16 allowed housing construction to continue .
Then , on March 31 , a new order halted almost all construction , exempting only healthcare projects related to addressing the pandemic ; housing and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ affordable housing , projects that provide services to vulnerable populations , and projects required to maintain safety , sanitation , and habitability of residences and commercial buildings .
Meanwhile , Los Angeles has allowed all types of construction to proceed but added requirements for workers to practice social distancing , wear masks that cover their noses and mouths , and be checked for COVID-19 symptoms at job sites .
Officials said the following criteria will be used to measure progress in the region ’ s fight against COVID-19 : • Whether the total @ @ @ @ @ @ @ flat or decreasing ; • Whether the number of hospitalized patients with COVID-19 is flat or decreasing ; • Whether there is an adequate supply of personal protective equipment — such as masks , gowns and gloves — for all healthcare workers ; • Whether the need for testing is being met , especially for people in vulnerable populations or those in high-risk settings or occupations ; and • Whether there is a capacity to investigate all COVID-19 cases and trace all of their contacts , isolating those who test positive and quarantining @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Newsom that he said could have some businesses running in weeks and some schools reopened by the summer .
But the outline , officials acknowledge , still has many uncertainties .
It is contingent on improvement in the fight against the coronavirus outbreak and on increased testing to assess how the illness is spreading .
Under Newsom ’ s plan , some retail businesses , manufacturing , schools and open spaces could reopen first , with strict social-distancing rules .
Down the line , some entertainment venues and religious institutions could reopen @ @ @ @ @ @ @ crowded events would be the last to resume .
During a news conference with other city officials , San Francisco ’ s mayor also reported that homeless people from other counties have moved to San Francisco to ask to be placed in city-leased hotels .
She stressed that the hotel rooms were for homeless individuals who lived in the city before the health crisis .
“ Only people who are currently in our homeless system of care may qualify ” for hotel rooms and other accommodations , Breed said .
She said 120 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Pier 94 for homeless residents of the Bayview-Hunters Point community .
Priority will be given to homeless people 60 or older and to those with underlying health conditions .
The trailers and RV ’ s will open for what city officials call “ guests ” next week , and support staff and meals will be provided , city officials said .
Abigail Stewart-Kahn , director of San Francisco ’ s homeless services , asked homeless residents from other counties to return to there .
“ We need you to return to your home @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” she said .

A few evening commuters make their way across the Bay Bridge as a storm passes behind the San Francisco skyline, as seen from Yerba Buena Island.
Six San Francisco Bay Area counties will allow all construction projects, real estate transactions and certain outdoor businesses to resume operations with certain conditions on Monday, while also largely retaining other stay-at-home restrictions through the month of May intended to curb the spread of the coronavirus.
The businesses that will be allowed to resume include outdoor wholesale and retail nurseries, garden centers, landscapers, gardeners and other businesses that primarily provide outdoor services. Certain outdoor recreational facilities previously ordered closed, including skate parks, can reopen if they do not involve shared equipment or physical contact.
The order will also allow flea markets and carwashes to reopen, San Francisco Mayor London Breed said.
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Officials said outdoor businesses, “by virtue of their operation outdoors, carry a lower risk of transmission than most indoor businesses.” These businesses allowed to resume operations generally involve only brief and limited person-to-person interactions, authorities said, and make up only a relatively small proportion of business activity in the region.
“Outdoor businesses must conduct all business and transactions involving members of the public outdoors,” the order said.
Outdoor businesses must comply with the same social distancing protocols in effect for essential businesses like grocery stores, which include requirements like limiting the number of people within the facility to ensure people can easily maintain a six-foot distance from other people at all times, except as required to complete an essential business activity; requiring face coverings to be worn by anyone entering the business; and offering hand sanitizer.
Real estate transactions can resume, but open houses are still banned. The order allows for a maximum of two visitors, residing in the same household, to view a home, and only one individual to show the residence. Residents of the home being sold cannot be inside when it is being shown.
“These orders are generally consistent with the state’s shelter-in-place order. On any issue where the local and state orders may differ, the stricter order applies,” said a statement sent on behalf of Alameda, Contra Costa, Marin, San Francisco, San Mateo and Santa Clara counties, where 6.6 million people live. The same order was also issued in the city of Berkeley, which has a health department separate from Alameda County.
“A pandemic of this scale is unprecedented,” Dr. Sara Cody, Santa Clara County health officer, said in a statement. “We are progressing steadily as a region, but we must reduce restrictions on activity gradually or we will put the lives of many community members at risk.”
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Extension of Bay Area stay-at-home order through May 31, 2020 Six San Francisco Bay Area counties issued an extension of a stay-at-home order through May 31, 2020.
At a news conference, Cody said in other regions of the world, many areas have suffered a sharp resurgence in coronavirus cases when shelter-in-place orders were lifted too soon.
“If we move too fast to ease restrictions, the potential for exponential spread could have grave impacts to the health and wellness of our residents as well as to our economy,” Cody said. “And of course, the vaccine is still a long way off, and virtually our entire population is still at risk.”
Restaurants will continue to only be allowed to offer food for sale for takeout, delivery or drive-through service.
The new order also mandates people to continue sheltering at their place of residence with certain exceptions, such as to buy food, go to the doctor’s office and for other essential activities, business, government functions or to perform minimum basic operations for closed businesses.
California Coronavirus is retreating in Bay Area, advancing in Los Angeles The San Francisco Bay Area has seen consecutive weekly declines in the number of new coronavirus cases. Southern California has seen the pace increase.
All gatherings outside of a single household are still banned, with only limited exceptions. Outdoor recreation facilities that are outside of residences with high-touch equipment or that encourage groups are still off limits. Such places include playgrounds, outdoor gym equipment, climbing walls, picnic areas, dog parks, pools, spas and barbecue areas.
Skate parks and athletic fields can be allowed to reopen but must comply with social distancing and health and safety protocols to reduce the risk of overcrowding and disease transmission.
Some counties offered conflicting information on what kind of athletic facilities would be open. Dr. Susan Philip, San Francisco’s deputy health officer, said tennis courts and basketball courts will not be reopening because players share balls. “We still can’t share equipment,” Philip said.
But the health officer for Contra Costa County, Dr. Chris Farnitano, said on KGO-TV that tennis courts would be allowed to reopen.
The state of golf courses was also unclear. The San Francisco mayor said golfing can resume. But at a separate news conference, the county counsel for Santa Clara County, James Williams, said while the new Bay Area order would allow golf courses to reopen, the state has indicated golf courses are not allowed to operate.
However, Riverside County reopened its golf courses on April 20, but limited play to foursomes, required players to be separated by six feet, banned caddies and required players to wear face coverings. Napa County also allowed the use of golf courses in an order issued April 22.
Some areas started reopening up parks and trails. San Mateo County said it will reopen 13 of its 23 parks Monday. “Visitors will be required to hike single file on narrow trails, keep six feet apart from others, not congregate with people who aren’t from their household, and carry face coverings,” the county said. Some parking lots for parks will be opened; others will remain shut.
The rules involving child-care facilities remain the same: The order allows child-care businesses and summer camps to supervise children to enable the functioning of essential businesses, government agencies, outdoor businesses and workers conducting minimum basic operations of closed businesses.
Funerals are still limited to a maximum of 10 people.
The six counties that issued the new order, effective Monday, were the same original six counties that implemented the nation’s first shelter-in-place order on March 16, requiring residents stay at home as much as possible to slow the spread of the coronavirus.
Eleven other California counties, in the northern Bay Area, Sacramento area, North Coast and Central Coast, followed suit before Gov. Gavin Newsom issued a statewide stay-at-home order on March 19.
The statewide order never halted construction, but the Bay Area’s order for the six counties did. The original order dated March 16 allowed housing construction to continue. Then, on March 31, a new order halted almost all construction, exempting only healthcare projects related to addressing the pandemic; housing and mixed-use projects with at least 10% affordable housing, projects that provide services to vulnerable populations, and projects required to maintain safety, sanitation, and habitability of residences and commercial buildings.
Meanwhile, Los Angeles has allowed all types of construction to proceed but added requirements for workers to practice social distancing, wear masks that cover their noses and mouths, and be checked for COVID-19 symptoms at job sites.
Officials said the following criteria will be used to measure progress in the region’s fight against COVID-19:
Whether the total number of cases in the community is flat or decreasing;
Whether the number of hospitalized patients with COVID-19 is flat or decreasing;
Whether there is an adequate supply of personal protective equipment — such as masks, gowns and gloves — for all healthcare workers;
Whether the need for testing is being met, especially for people in vulnerable populations or those in high-risk settings or occupations; and
Whether there is a capacity to investigate all COVID-19 cases and trace all of their contacts, isolating those who test positive and quarantining the people who may have been exposed.
Newsom released a four-part plan that he said could have some businesses running in weeks and some schools reopened by the summer.
But the outline, officials acknowledge, still has many uncertainties. It is contingent on improvement in the fight against the coronavirus outbreak and on increased testing to assess how the illness is spreading.
Under Newsom’s plan, some retail businesses, manufacturing, schools and open spaces could reopen first, with strict social-distancing rules. Down the line, some entertainment venues and religious institutions could reopen. Live sports, concerts and other crowded events would be the last to resume.
During a news conference with other city officials, San Francisco’s mayor also reported that homeless people from other counties have moved to San Francisco to ask to be placed in city-leased hotels. She stressed that the hotel rooms were for homeless individuals who lived in the city before the health crisis.
“Only people who are currently in our homeless system of care may qualify” for hotel rooms and other accommodations, Breed said.
She said 120 RVs and trailers have been placed at Pier 94 for homeless residents of the Bayview-Hunters Point community. Priority will be given to homeless people 60 or older and to those with underlying health conditions. The trailers and RV’s will open for what city officials call “guests” next week, and support staff and meals will be provided, city officials said.
Abigail Stewart-Kahn, director of San Francisco’s homeless services, asked homeless residents from other counties to return to there. “We need you to return to your home communities and get the resources there,” she said.


latimes--2020-04-29--L.A. City Council working on turning developer fees for cultural events into arts relief fund

For every private development project of $ 500,000 or more in the city of Los Angeles , the developer must pay an arts fee to the city based on the square footage of the building or a percentage of the value of the permit .
Those funds are then allocated to cultural events such as festivals and other public arts happenings .
But with dense public gatherings not possible for the foreseeable future , L.A. City Councilman David Ryu hopes to use those funds as relief grants for arts organizations .
Earlier this month , the councilman made a motion @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for his own District 4 — the fees are distributed by council district — made available as a small-dollar grants program geared at small arts organizations .
“ Hundreds — if not thousands — of small arts organizations are at risk of closing their doors for good because of this coronavirus pandemic , ” Ryu said in an emailed statement to The Times .
“ I don ’ t want to see Los Angeles lose its creative heart.
” The motion went up for debate at Wednesday ’ s City Council meeting .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ requested that the Department of Cultural Affairs ( DCA ) propose a framework for distributing grants .
The agency is expected to respond with a proposal next week .
As part of Ryu ’ s proposal , the grants would be distributed by Cultural Affairs and would be intended to support public art projects — albeit of the socially distant kind : “ So if it ’ s a group that organizes a film festival , they can use the money to put on an online festival , ” explains Mark Pampanin , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ director .
Early this month , more than 150 arts organizations around the city — including the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra , East West Players , Lula Washington Dance Theatre , 826LA , NewFilmmakers LA , Self Help Graphics & Art and the Corita Art Center — signed an open letter to Mayor Eric Garcetti in support of the motion .
“ All too often , survival can depend on a single paycheck or donation and COVID-19 has compounded this dire reality by bringing the industry to a complete standstill , ” reads @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s motion will allow artists and performers an opportunity to provide a tangible community benefit that the COVID-19 pandemic effectively decimated.
” In a response issued last week , Cultural Affairs showed support for the measure but suggested expanding the program to all City Council districts — making $ 2 million in arts development fees available citywide for grants purposes .
“ The nonprofit arts sector is essential to the cultural and economic vitality of our city , ” stated DCA general manager Danielle Brazell via email .
“ Distributing these resources as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the Department.
” At the Wednesday session , the City Council approved converting a portion of District 4 ’ s art development fees into small-dollar grants and requested that Cultural Affairs develop an application and distribution framework — one that could apply to all council districts .
Cultural Affairs had recommended that organizations be selected from a list of more than 300 arts organizations already pre-approved .
“ All grantees are awarded funds based on a peer-review panel process that closely follows the National Endowment for the Arts model , ” says @ @ @ @ @ @ @ list will allow us to quickly disperse funds as efficiently as possible for the greatest impact on Los Angeles.
” Ryu ’ s office , however , would like to see the program geared specifically at small arts nonprofits , whether they are pre-approved or not .
( Cultural Affair ’ s list includes some mid-sized and large organizations too . )
“ Artists need a lifeline right now , ” he said in his statement , ” and that ’ s what this fund could do.
” For now , Cultural Affairs @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to organizations that are not preapproved .
A final vote on the measure will take place in the coming weeks .

For every private development project of $500,000 or more in the city of Los Angeles, the developer must pay an arts fee to the city based on the square footage of the building or a percentage of the value of the permit. Those funds are then allocated to cultural events such as festivals and other public arts happenings.
But with dense public gatherings not possible for the foreseeable future, L.A. City Councilman David Ryu hopes to use those funds as relief grants for arts organizations. Earlier this month, the councilman made a motion to have the percent for arts funds for his own District 4 — the fees are distributed by council district — made available as a small-dollar grants program geared at small arts organizations.
“Hundreds — if not thousands — of small arts organizations are at risk of closing their doors for good because of this coronavirus pandemic,” Ryu said in an emailed statement to The Times. “I don’t want to see Los Angeles lose its creative heart.”
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The motion went up for debate at Wednesday’s City Council meeting. In that session, the council formally requested that the Department of Cultural Affairs (DCA) propose a framework for distributing grants. The agency is expected to respond with a proposal next week.
As part of Ryu’s proposal, the grants would be distributed by Cultural Affairs and would be intended to support public art projects — albeit of the socially distant kind: “So if it’s a group that organizes a film festival, they can use the money to put on an online festival,” explains Mark Pampanin, who serves as Ryu’s communications director.
Early this month, more than 150 arts organizations around the city — including the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra, East West Players, Lula Washington Dance Theatre, 826LA, NewFilmmakers LA, Self Help Graphics & Art and the Corita Art Center — signed an open letter to Mayor Eric Garcetti in support of the motion.
“All too often, survival can depend on a single paycheck or donation and COVID-19 has compounded this dire reality by bringing the industry to a complete standstill,” reads the letter. “Councilmember Ryu’s motion will allow artists and performers an opportunity to provide a tangible community benefit that the COVID-19 pandemic effectively decimated.”
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In a response issued last week, Cultural Affairs showed support for the measure but suggested expanding the program to all City Council districts — making $2 million in arts development fees available citywide for grants purposes.
“The nonprofit arts sector is essential to the cultural and economic vitality of our city,” stated DCA general manager Danielle Brazell via email. “Distributing these resources as soon as possible is a top priority of the Department.”
At the Wednesday session, the City Council approved converting a portion of District 4’s art development fees into small-dollar grants and requested that Cultural Affairs develop an application and distribution framework — one that could apply to all council districts.
Cultural Affairs had recommended that organizations be selected from a list of more than 300 arts organizations already pre-approved.
“All grantees are awarded funds based on a peer-review panel process that closely follows the National Endowment for the Arts model,” says Brazell. “Working with this pre-approved list will allow us to quickly disperse funds as efficiently as possible for the greatest impact on Los Angeles.”
Ryu’s office, however, would like to see the program geared specifically at small arts nonprofits, whether they are pre-approved or not. (Cultural Affair’s list includes some mid-sized and large organizations too.) “Artists need a lifeline right now,” he said in his statement,” and that’s what this fund could do.”
For now, Cultural Affairs will examine the process of disbursing funds to organizations that are not preapproved.
A final vote on the measure will take place in the coming weeks.


latimes--2020-04-29--San Mateo County to reopen trails in 13 parks following coronavirus closures

San Mateo has joined the growing cohort of California counties moving to reopen outdoor areas shuttered by the coronavirus pandemic .
Trails will reopen in 13 parks Monday , according to the San Mateo County Parks Department .
Certain restrictions , however , will still be in effect .
Visitors will have to carry face coverings , maintain a buffer of six feet , avoid mingling with people they don ’ t live with , and hike single file on narrow paths .
Parks director Nicholas Calderon said the county — which closed 23 of its parks on March 27 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of COVID-19 — is “ eager to welcome visitors back ” so they can “ experience the physical and mental health benefits of being outdoors and on the trails.
” “ During this time , it ’ s critical that park users follow the new rules developed to prevent overcrowding , discourage gatherings and that support social distancing , ” he said in a statement Tuesday .
“ Let ’ s work together to ensure that parks are safe environments for everyone.
” The announcement applies to the following trails and parks : @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reopen to foot traffic , and the Bay Trail will be accessible through the Coyote Point Recreation Area , though the surrounding park will remain off-limits .
All those areas will be open from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily .
Visitors , however , shouldn ’ t expect business as usual .
Common areas such as campgrounds , playgrounds and picnic areas will remain closed — as will some parking lots and restrooms .
More detailed information on what is open at each particular park is available at the Parks Department website @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in California to roll back some restrictions on outdoor areas that were imposed in response to the COVID-19 pandemic .
As of Tuesday , the county had confirmed 1,136 coronavirus infections and 48 deaths .
San Bernardino County reopened its parks , lakes , rivers and recreation areas Saturday after more than a monthlong closure .
Ventura County also reopened its parks earlier this month .
Beaches there are partially opened , too .
San Diego County officials announced last week they would lift restrictions on ocean access — allowing some cities to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The question of whether to reopen — or , in some cases , further cordon off — California ’ s famous sandy stretches has recently been a topic as hot as the weather , which spurred thousands to head to the coast in search of relief last weekend .
Busy beaches in Orange and Ventura counties drew a rebuke from Gov .
Gavin Newsom on Monday , who cited them as an example of “ what not to do ” as the state considered when and how to ease its stay-at-home order @ @ @ @ @ @ @ though , saying beachgoers largely followed social-distancing guidelines and that photos and dispatches over the weekend mischaracterized what conditions on the ground were really like .
“ Despite what ’ s being reported , the majority of our beachgoers are complying to social distancing , ” Huntington Beach officials wrote in a statement Sunday .
“ Please enjoy the rest of your weekend , stay safe and continue to social distance as everyone has been doing.
” Conditions are a little different in San Mateo County , where coronavirus restrictions state residents are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ miles from their homes for outdoor recreation .
Earlier this month , police in the city of Pacifica ordered 275 people off Linda Mar Beach after learning they had strayed outside the permitted buffer zone .
From Friday through Sunday , officers booted 535 more people off the beach for the same reason , according to the Pacifica Police Department .

Peple walk along a trail at the beach in Ventura. San Mateo County will reopen some parks beginning Monday.
San Mateo has joined the growing cohort of California counties moving to reopen outdoor areas shuttered by the coronavirus pandemic.
Trails will reopen in 13 parks Monday, according to the San Mateo County Parks Department.
Certain restrictions, however, will still be in effect. Visitors will have to carry face coverings, maintain a buffer of six feet, avoid mingling with people they don’t live with, and hike single file on narrow paths.
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Parks director Nicholas Calderon said the county — which closed 23 of its parks on March 27 in a bid to slow the spread of COVID-19 — is “eager to welcome visitors back” so they can “experience the physical and mental health benefits of being outdoors and on the trails.”
“During this time, it’s critical that park users follow the new rules developed to prevent overcrowding, discourage gatherings and that support social distancing,” he said in a statement Tuesday. “Let’s work together to ensure that parks are safe environments for everyone.”
The announcement applies to the following trails and parks:
Edgewood Park
Huddart Park
Junipero Serra Park
Memorial Park
Mirada Surf West
Pescadero Creek Park
Pillar Point Bluff
Quarry Park
Ralston Bike Trail
Sam McDonald Park
San Bruno Mountain Park
San Pedro Valley Park
Wunderlich Park
The Crystal Springs Regional Trail also will reopen to foot traffic, and the Bay Trail will be accessible through the Coyote Point Recreation Area, though the surrounding park will remain off-limits.
All those areas will be open from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily.
Tracking the coronavirus in California The latest maps and charts on the spread of COVID-19 in California.
Visitors, however, shouldn’t expect business as usual. Common areas such as campgrounds, playgrounds and picnic areas will remain closed — as will some parking lots and restrooms. More detailed information on what is open at each particular park is available at the Parks Department website.
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San Mateo County is the latest in California to roll back some restrictions on outdoor areas that were imposed in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. As of Tuesday, the county had confirmed 1,136 coronavirus infections and 48 deaths.
San Bernardino County reopened its parks, lakes, rivers and recreation areas Saturday after more than a monthlong closure.
Ventura County also reopened its parks earlier this month. Beaches there are partially opened, too.
San Diego County officials announced last week they would lift restrictions on ocean access — allowing some cities to remove the proverbial padlock from their beaches.
The question of whether to reopen — or, in some cases, further cordon off — California’s famous sandy stretches has recently been a topic as hot as the weather, which spurred thousands to head to the coast in search of relief last weekend.
Busy beaches in Orange and Ventura counties drew a rebuke from Gov. Gavin Newsom on Monday, who cited them as an example of “what not to do” as the state considered when and how to ease its stay-at-home order.
California Photos show county lines separate packed beaches from empty ones Southern California had its first big heat wave over the weekend, but L.A. County beaches are closed due to the coronavirus pandemic. Beaches in nearby counties were open, however. Here are a few scenes from the weekend.
Some coastal officials pushed back, though, saying beachgoers largely followed social-distancing guidelines and that photos and dispatches over the weekend mischaracterized what conditions on the ground were really like.
“Despite what’s being reported, the majority of our beachgoers are complying to social distancing,” Huntington Beach officials wrote in a statement Sunday. “Please enjoy the rest of your weekend, stay safe and continue to social distance as everyone has been doing.”
Conditions are a little different in San Mateo County, where coronavirus restrictions state residents are not allowed to travel more than five miles from their homes for outdoor recreation.
Earlier this month, police in the city of Pacifica ordered 275 people off Linda Mar Beach after learning they had strayed outside the permitted buffer zone.
From Friday through Sunday, officers booted 535 more people off the beach for the same reason, according to the Pacifica Police Department.


latimes--2020-04-29--Poop may tell us when the coronavirus lockdown will end

Every day , millions of Americans could be flushing critical coronavirus data down the toilet .
With the nation growing ever more weary of sweeping stay-at-home orders and a worsening economy , some scientists say our poop could be the key to determining when a community might consider easing health restrictions .
From Stanford to the University of Arizona , from Australia to Paris , teams of researchers have been ramping up wastewater analyses to track the spread of SARS-CoV-2 , the virus that causes COVID-19 .
Initial studies show that sewage monitoring , or “ wastewater-based-epidemiology , ” could @ @ @ @ @ @ @ virus might actually be spreading in a community — but also when the virus has finally gone away .
Understanding the true scale of COVID-19 has been a major stumbling block across the country , as officials struggle with testing shortages , false negatives , and people who are infected but have no symptoms .
Sewage data could potentially help fill these gaps by capturing critical information in the aggregate .
“ With wastewater , you can very quickly get a snapshot of an entire population , ” said Mariana Matus , who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ start-up inspired by her PhD at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology .
“ The closest approach to replicating the data from wastewater would be to literally test every single person in a community and then take the average of that .
It is very powerful.
” The amount of virus detected in the sewage can , in essence , mirror the timing and scale of an outbreak in ways that more delayed ( and more expensive ) in-person testing can not , experts say .
All this information , when pieced together , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ health decisions — such as where to allocate medical supplies and when to reopen schools , restaurants and other public gathering spaces .
And as cities start loosening stay-at-home orders in the coming weeks and months , some say monitoring sewage could also provide early warnings if the virus suddenly makes a comeback .
Americans might find the idea gross , but wastewater early warning systems have helped catch norovirus , Hepatitis A and other diseases around the world for decades .
In Israel in 2013 , a polio epidemic was detected in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cases .
This heads-up gave the government enough time to launch a vaccination campaign and contain the virus .
Not a single case of paralysis was ultimately reported .
The monitoring program , set up in 1989 by the Israeli health department , had previously detected at least four other “ silent ” episodes of poliovirus before clinical cases were reported .
Similarly , in Mumbai , India , researchers were able to detect poliovirus in sewage three months before any cases were observed .
In Australia , sewage monitoring is already in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ drug use — cocaine , methamphetamine and other substances that would otherwise be difficult to test and track .
Researchers are now looking into this approach to monitor for SARS-CoV-2 .
Similar work is happening in France , where public utility officials sampled sewage across greater Paris and confirmed a rise and fall in SARS-CoV-2 concentrations that corresponded to the shape of the outbreak .
In the Netherlands , a research team was able to detect the virus in one city ’ s sewage before local officials had even reported any cases of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , using wastewater data to inform public health remains relatively uncharted .
A research team at Stanford University just recently received a rapid grant from the National Science Foundation to analyze wastewater samples in the Bay Area and study whether monitoring for coronavirus in treatment facilities can be used to spot early outbreaks in a community .
Back at Biobot Analytics , which spun out of MIT with the goal of scaling this approach to every city in the country , researchers started out by tracking and tracing the opioid crisis — but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a one-week period in March , Matus and her team carefully identified and quantified virus particles in sewage samples from a wastewater treatment plant in Massachusetts .
( Evidence so far suggests that the virus is fairly inactive by the time it ’ s in fecal matter , but as an extra precaution , the scientists boiled each sewage sample at 140 degrees Fahrenheit for 60 minutes . )
In a study released this month and awaiting peer review , Matus — along with researchers from MIT , Harvard University ’ s T. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Brigham and Women ’ s Hospital in Boston — reported their wastewater analysis showed a much higher number of infected people in the region than what individual clinical confirmations had shown .
Compared to the 446 reported cases in the area , the sewage samples revealed that even by conservative estimates , at least 2,300 — and as many as 115,000 — people could have actually been infected and shedding the virus during that period in March .
There are still some kinks to work out — how much virus does each person @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , for example , and how do you account for rain and snow and other factors that might impact sample dilution ?
But so far , Matus said , the study shows that a more routine wastewater monitoring system across the country could help cities and states be more proactive in preventing future outbreaks .
Since this pilot study in Massachusetts , hundreds of wastewater treatment facilities across the country — including more than a dozen in California — have asked Biobot to analyze their sewage .
The researchers , doing the weekly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , hope to work with as many as 10,000 facilities to create a more comprehensive picture of how the virus is spreading or “ flattening ” in different parts of the United States .
To preserve the natural anonymity of sewage data , Matus said that her team has only been sampling areas that represent at least several thousand people .
They ’ ve started sharing their findings with local public health officials and other scientists to fine-tune these methods .
Combined with clinical tests and the random antibody tests that cities have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ could help piece together a puzzle that everyone is still trying to figure out , Matus said .
Charles Gerba , a professor of microbiology at the University of Arizona who has been doing similar research in his lab , said the COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the potential for this largely untapped — but critical — form of epidemiology in the United States .
“ Everything ends up in the sewer , ” he said .
“ Even herpes virus you can detect by molecular methods.
” Gerba , who has been studying @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , said that molecular technology today has made sewage testing much faster and relatively inexpensive — compared to traditional cell cultures from decades past that could take weeks to process .
Now with SARS-CoV-2 , Gerba noticed that viral concentrations started dropping in sewage samples taken from a community that embraced stay-at-home orders .
Analyzing the sewage right now is helping officials and scientists better understand the true level of outbreak and how successfully the virus is being contained , he said .
In the coming weeks , perhaps it could help inform @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Ultimately , any fine-tuning now could help alert cities in the future if the virus returns for round two .
Working groups , he said , are starting to form with wastewater researchers and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention .
“ We ’ re having discussions on how to best do this in the future , how to organize it , how do we look at our preserved samples , ” Gerba said .
“ Everything we learn from this will probably benefit us in the future — maybe in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the virus coming back in the fall .
”

Every day, millions of Americans could be flushing critical coronavirus data down the toilet.
With the nation growing ever more weary of sweeping stay-at-home orders and a worsening economy, some scientists say our poop could be the key to determining when a community might consider easing health restrictions.
From Stanford to the University of Arizona, from Australia to Paris, teams of researchers have been ramping up wastewater analyses to track the spread of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19. Initial studies show that sewage monitoring, or “wastewater-based-epidemiology,” could not only tell us how much the virus might actually be spreading in a community — but also when the virus has finally gone away.
Understanding the true scale of COVID-19 has been a major stumbling block across the country, as officials struggle with testing shortages, false negatives, and people who are infected but have no symptoms. Sewage data could potentially help fill these gaps by capturing critical information in the aggregate.
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“With wastewater, you can very quickly get a snapshot of an entire population,” said Mariana Matus, who co-founded Biobot Analytics, a wastewater epidemiology start-up inspired by her PhD at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. “The closest approach to replicating the data from wastewater would be to literally test every single person in a community and then take the average of that. It is very powerful.”
The amount of virus detected in the sewage can, in essence, mirror the timing and scale of an outbreak in ways that more delayed (and more expensive) in-person testing cannot, experts say. All this information, when pieced together, is critical to informing and validating public health decisions — such as where to allocate medical supplies and when to reopen schools, restaurants and other public gathering spaces.
And as cities start loosening stay-at-home orders in the coming weeks and months, some say monitoring sewage could also provide early warnings if the virus suddenly makes a comeback.
Tracking the coronavirus in California The latest maps and charts on the spread of COVID-19 in California.
Americans might find the idea gross, but wastewater early warning systems have helped catch norovirus, Hepatitis A and other diseases around the world for decades.
In Israel in 2013, a polio epidemic was detected in the sewage before any clinics had reported cases. This heads-up gave the government enough time to launch a vaccination campaign and contain the virus. Not a single case of paralysis was ultimately reported.
The monitoring program, set up in 1989 by the Israeli health department, had previously detected at least four other “silent” episodes of poliovirus before clinical cases were reported. Similarly, in Mumbai, India, researchers were able to detect poliovirus in sewage three months before any cases were observed.
In Australia, sewage monitoring is already in place to better understand patterns of illicit drug use — cocaine, methamphetamine and other substances that would otherwise be difficult to test and track. Researchers are now looking into this approach to monitor for SARS-CoV-2.
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Similar work is happening in France, where public utility officials sampled sewage across greater Paris and confirmed a rise and fall in SARS-CoV-2 concentrations that corresponded to the shape of the outbreak. In the Netherlands, a research team was able to detect the virus in one city’s sewage before local officials had even reported any cases of COVID-19.
As for the United States, using wastewater data to inform public health remains relatively uncharted. A research team at Stanford University just recently received a rapid grant from the National Science Foundation to analyze wastewater samples in the Bay Area and study whether monitoring for coronavirus in treatment facilities can be used to spot early outbreaks in a community.
Back at Biobot Analytics, which spun out of MIT with the goal of scaling this approach to every city in the country, researchers started out by tracking and tracing the opioid crisis — but recently pivoted to the coronavirus.
During a one-week period in March, Matus and her team carefully identified and quantified virus particles in sewage samples from a wastewater treatment plant in Massachusetts. (Evidence so far suggests that the virus is fairly inactive by the time it’s in fecal matter, but as an extra precaution, the scientists boiled each sewage sample at 140 degrees Fahrenheit for 60 minutes.)
In a study released this month and awaiting peer review, Matus — along with researchers from MIT, Harvard University’s T. H. Chan School of Public Health and Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston — reported their wastewater analysis showed a much higher number of infected people in the region than what individual clinical confirmations had shown.
Compared to the 446 reported cases in the area, the sewage samples revealed that even by conservative estimates, at least 2,300 — and as many as 115,000 — people could have actually been infected and shedding the virus during that period in March.
There are still some kinks to work out — how much virus does each person actually shed per trip to the toilet, for example, and how do you account for rain and snow and other factors that might impact sample dilution? But so far, Matus said, the study shows that a more routine wastewater monitoring system across the country could help cities and states be more proactive in preventing future outbreaks.
Since this pilot study in Massachusetts, hundreds of wastewater treatment facilities across the country — including more than a dozen in California — have asked Biobot to analyze their sewage. The researchers, doing the weekly (sometimes biweekly) analysis pro bono, hope to work with as many as 10,000 facilities to create a more comprehensive picture of how the virus is spreading or “flattening” in different parts of the United States.
To preserve the natural anonymity of sewage data, Matus said that her team has only been sampling areas that represent at least several thousand people.
They’ve started sharing their findings with local public health officials and other scientists to fine-tune these methods. Combined with clinical tests and the random antibody tests that cities have increasingly been conducting, routine wastewater analysis could help piece together a puzzle that everyone is still trying to figure out, Matus said.
Charles Gerba, a professor of microbiology at the University of Arizona who has been doing similar research in his lab, said the COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the potential for this largely untapped — but critical — form of epidemiology in the United States.
“Everything ends up in the sewer,” he said. “Even herpes virus you can detect by molecular methods.”
Gerba, who has been studying coronaviruses in wastewater since the SARS outbreak, said that molecular technology today has made sewage testing much faster and relatively inexpensive — compared to traditional cell cultures from decades past that could take weeks to process.
Now with SARS-CoV-2, Gerba noticed that viral concentrations started dropping in sewage samples taken from a community that embraced stay-at-home orders. Analyzing the sewage right now is helping officials and scientists better understand the true level of outbreak and how successfully the virus is being contained, he said. In the coming weeks, perhaps it could help inform when social distancing measures can be relaxed.
Ultimately, any fine-tuning now could help alert cities in the future if the virus returns for round two. Working groups, he said, are starting to form with wastewater researchers and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
“We’re having discussions on how to best do this in the future, how to organize it, how do we look at our preserved samples,” Gerba said. “Everything we learn from this will probably benefit us in the future — maybe in the fall … everyone is worried about the virus coming back in the fall.”


latimes--2020-04-29--After 6-week closure, Laguna Beach to reopen beaches on weekday mornings

Laguna Beach will reopen city beaches for several hours on weekday mornings beginning Monday , allowing water activities and walking or jogging along the shore .
The Laguna Beach City Council voted unanimously at its meeting Tuesday evening to approve reopening the city ’ s beaches from 6 to 10 a.m. Monday through Friday .
Visitors will not be permitted to sunbathe or lounge on the sand .
Officials also reopened city trails , with the exception of the trail at the end of Alta Laguna Boulevard , which in the past has drawn significant crowds .
“ I think @ @ @ @ @ @ @ moving in the right direction , ” Mayor Pro Tem Steve Dicterow said .
“ People keep talking about the safety valve .
Let ’ s open it slowly and progressively , and I think if we do that , we have the best chance of avoiding a real problem.
” The decision comes after thousands of cooped-up Californians converged on Orange County beaches over the weekend amid the region ’ s first heat wave of the year and after more than a month of stay-at-home orders meant to stem the spread of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ beaches were closed last weekend , several South Laguna residents who spoke during Tuesday ’ s meeting raised issue with the swarm of visitors that descended on county-operated beaches in the city .
This was also an issue in other cities , like Newport Beach and Huntington Beach , where the sand remains open for public access .
Since adjacent counties have completely closed their beaches , Orange County has been inundated with people from Los Angeles and San Diego counties and the Inland Empire , County Supervisor Lisa Bartlett said last week @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at the folks that are coming down , they ’ re not only not adhering to safer-at-home policies in their own communities , they ’ re not even staying in their own counties , ” she said .
Laguna Beach Mayor Bob Whalen had sought to avoid the swarm of visitors in his town when he asked the Orange County Board of Supervisors last week to close the county beaches in advance of the hot weather .
However , the board opted to leave the beaches open with parking restrictions .
Despite the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ beaches over the weekend , prompting outrage from some coastal residents .
Carl Chicka , who lives in West Newport Beach , said there was a “ conga line ” of cars in his neighborhood , and fistfights nearly broke out as cars snapped up spaces .
“ You sense the pent-up ire in the people who were looking for parking and circling literally for hours , ” he said .
“ It was a very aggressive sense of energy.
” City leaders in Newport Beach debated closing their beaches during a meeting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ discussion , the council decided against it .
But visitors will find even less parking and more police and lifeguard presence in Newport Beach .
Mayor Will O ’ Neill said the city needs to seize more educational and enforcement opportunities , but “ we truly can trust the vast majority of people to do the right thing.
” “ We clearly have to remind some people to do the right thing and for the people who don ’ t want to do the right thing , then they ought to be acquainted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” he said .
Gov .
Gavin Newsom on Monday criticized Californians who defied the statewide stay-at-home order and flocked to beaches over the weekend .
He vowed to increase statewide enforcement of the order , if necessary .
“ This virus doesn ’ t take the weekends off , ” Newsom said .
“ The only thing that will set us back is people stopping to practice physical distancing and appropriate social distancing .
That ’ s the only thing that ’ s going to slow down our ability to reopen this @ @ @

Laguna Beach closed all city beaches and adjacent parks on March 24. The city now plans to reopen the shoreline on weekday mornings.
Laguna Beach will reopen city beaches for several hours on weekday mornings beginning Monday, allowing water activities and walking or jogging along the shore.
The Laguna Beach City Council voted unanimously at its meeting Tuesday evening to approve reopening the city’s beaches from 6 to 10 a.m. Monday through Friday. Visitors will not be permitted to sunbathe or lounge on the sand. Officials also reopened city trails, with the exception of the trail at the end of Alta Laguna Boulevard, which in the past has drawn significant crowds.
“I think the opening we’re discussing is moving in the right direction,” Mayor Pro Tem Steve Dicterow said. “People keep talking about the safety valve. Let’s open it slowly and progressively, and I think if we do that, we have the best chance of avoiding a real problem.”
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The decision comes after thousands of cooped-up Californians converged on Orange County beaches over the weekend amid the region’s first heat wave of the year and after more than a month of stay-at-home orders meant to stem the spread of the coronavirus.
Though Laguna’s beaches were closed last weekend, several South Laguna residents who spoke during Tuesday’s meeting raised issue with the swarm of visitors that descended on county-operated beaches in the city. This was also an issue in other cities, like Newport Beach and Huntington Beach, where the sand remains open for public access.
Since adjacent counties have completely closed their beaches, Orange County has been inundated with people from Los Angeles and San Diego counties and the Inland Empire, County Supervisor Lisa Bartlett said last week.
“When you take a look at the folks that are coming down, they’re not only not adhering to safer-at-home policies in their own communities, they’re not even staying in their own counties,” she said.
Laguna Beach Mayor Bob Whalen had sought to avoid the swarm of visitors in his town when he asked the Orange County Board of Supervisors last week to close the county beaches in advance of the hot weather. However, the board opted to leave the beaches open with parking restrictions.
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Despite the reduced parking, thousands gathered along county beaches over the weekend, prompting outrage from some coastal residents.
Carl Chicka, who lives in West Newport Beach, said there was a “conga line” of cars in his neighborhood, and fistfights nearly broke out as cars snapped up spaces.
“You sense the pent-up ire in the people who were looking for parking and circling literally for hours,” he said. “It was a very aggressive sense of energy.”
City leaders in Newport Beach debated closing their beaches during a meeting Tuesday night. But after hours of discussion, the council decided against it.
But visitors will find even less parking and more police and lifeguard presence in Newport Beach. Mayor Will O’Neill said the city needs to seize more educational and enforcement opportunities, but “we truly can trust the vast majority of people to do the right thing.”
“We clearly have to remind some people to do the right thing and for the people who don’t want to do the right thing, then they ought to be acquainted with our Newport Beach Police Department,” he said.
Gov. Gavin Newsom on Monday criticized Californians who defied the statewide stay-at-home order and flocked to beaches over the weekend. He vowed to increase statewide enforcement of the order, if necessary.
“This virus doesn’t take the weekends off,” Newsom said. “The only thing that will set us back is people stopping to practice physical distancing and appropriate social distancing. That’s the only thing that’s going to slow down our ability to reopen this economy.”


latimes--2020-04-29--Terminal Island prison inmates have worst coronavirus outbreak in federal system

Nearly half of the inmates at the federal prison at Terminal Island in San Pedro have tested positive for the coronavirus in what has become the nation ’ s worst outbreak in a federal penitentiary .
As of Tuesday , 443 of the prison ’ s 1,055 inmates have the virus , along with 10 staff members .
Two inmates have already died of complications related to COVID-19 , according to the Bureau of Prisons .
In a week , the outbreak at FCI Terminal Island has quickly escalated as prison officials ramped up testing .
Dozens of inmates have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to create social distancing , according to sources .
Family members of inmates say the facility has locked down inmates in an effort to stop the spread of the virus in the low-security prison in the San Pedro area of Los Angeles .
Inmates told their families that a military-style medical facility was being erected in the prison yards to cope with the burgeoning number of sick .
One inmate serving time for a white-collar offense told a family member in a letter that he contracted the coronavirus .
“ If I don @ @ @ @ @ @ @ see you upstairs , take care of mom , my girl and the kids.
” Inmate Michael Fleming , 59 , died of COVID-19 symptoms at a nearby hospital Sunday , according to the Bureau of Prisons .
Fleming was serving a 20-year sentence for conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine .
He tested positive for the coronavirus April 8 .
His death follows that of 73-year-old Bradley James Ghilarducci , who died last week .
Both had pre-existing medical conditions , officials said .
Ghilarducci was serving an eight-year sentence @ @ @ @ @ @ @ imagery .
Congresswoman Nanette Diaz Barragan , who represents the area , wrote on Twitter , “ This is not acceptable .
It is clear they are not making sure these inmates are protected .
The government has a responsibility to protect people in its care , including inmates .
Being incarcerated at # TerminalIsland should not be a death sentence .
We need answers.
” Sen. Kamala Harris said in a statement , “ We are in a moment of crisis that requires leaders to respond quickly and humanely in the interest @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Prisons and the Department of Justice must act immediately to reduce the incarcerated population and to protect those in BOP custody — as well as correctional officers and staff — from this deadly virus .
It is imperative that BOP and DOJ provide immediate care and treatment at Terminal Island Prison.
” Los Angeles County Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer said the large increase in those testing positive at the Terminal Island prison is a reflection of widespread testing of inmates even without symptoms there .
“ The vast majority of them are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at a news conference Wednesday .
Ferrer said that the cases are reported to county public health but the facility has its own team handling treatment .
Nationwide 1,313 inmates and 335 staff have tested positive throughout the Bureau of Prisons system that holds about 153,000 inmates .
Of those , 30 inmates have died of COVID-19 symptoms .
The wife of an inmate , who asked not to be identified for fear of retaliation , said the inmate told her “ it was really bad and worse than they are saying.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ food in sack lunches .
On one night , he told her , a dozen inmates were taken to the hospital .
The Bureau of Prisons last week adopted a testing regiment that includes suspected carriers of the coronavirus who do not display common symptoms of infection .
The bureau in a statement said testing “ asymptomatic inmates will assist the slowing of transmission with isolating those individuals who test positive and quarantining contacts .
”

Exterior of the Federal Correctional Institute on Terminal Island in the Port of Los Angeles.
Nearly half of the inmates at the federal prison at Terminal Island in San Pedro have tested positive for the coronavirus in what has become the nation’s worst outbreak in a federal penitentiary.
As of Tuesday, 443 of the prison’s 1,055 inmates have the virus, along with 10 staff members. Two inmates have already died of complications related to COVID-19, according to the Bureau of Prisons.
In a week, the outbreak at FCI Terminal Island has quickly escalated as prison officials ramped up testing. Dozens of inmates have been moved into tents in an effort to create social distancing, according to sources. Family members of inmates say the facility has locked down inmates in an effort to stop the spread of the virus in the low-security prison in the San Pedro area of Los Angeles.
Inmates told their families that a military-style medical facility was being erected in the prison yards to cope with the burgeoning number of sick.
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One inmate serving time for a white-collar offense told a family member in a letter that he contracted the coronavirus. “If I don’t make it I’ll see you upstairs, take care of mom, my girl and the kids.”
Inmate Michael Fleming, 59, died of COVID-19 symptoms at a nearby hospital Sunday, according to the Bureau of Prisons. Fleming was serving a 20-year sentence for conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine. He tested positive for the coronavirus April 8.
His death follows that of 73-year-old Bradley James Ghilarducci, who died last week. Both had pre-existing medical conditions, officials said. Ghilarducci was serving an eight-year sentence for receiving and distributing child sexual abuse imagery.
Congresswoman Nanette Diaz Barragan, who represents the area, wrote on Twitter, “This is not acceptable. It is clear they are not making sure these inmates are protected. The government has a responsibility to protect people in its care, including inmates. Being incarcerated at #TerminalIsland should not be a death sentence. We need answers.”
Sen. Kamala Harris said in a statement, “We are in a moment of crisis that requires leaders to respond quickly and humanely in the interest of public health. The Bureau of Prisons and the Department of Justice must act immediately to reduce the incarcerated population and to protect those in BOP custody — as well as correctional officers and staff — from this deadly virus. It is imperative that BOP and DOJ provide immediate care and treatment at Terminal Island Prison.”
Los Angeles County Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer said the large increase in those testing positive at the Terminal Island prison is a reflection of widespread testing of inmates even without symptoms there.
“The vast majority of them are asymptomatic,” she said, speaking at a news conference Wednesday. Ferrer said that the cases are reported to county public health but the facility has its own team handling treatment.
Nationwide 1,313 inmates and 335 staff have tested positive throughout the Bureau of Prisons system that holds about 153,000 inmates. Of those, 30 inmates have died of COVID-19 symptoms.
The wife of an inmate, who asked not to be identified for fear of retaliation, said the inmate told her “it was really bad and worse than they are saying.” Inmates are locked down and are getting food in sack lunches. On one night, he told her, a dozen inmates were taken to the hospital.
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The Bureau of Prisons last week adopted a testing regiment that includes suspected carriers of the coronavirus who do not display common symptoms of infection. The bureau in a statement said testing “asymptomatic inmates will assist the slowing of transmission with isolating those individuals who test positive and quarantining contacts.”