latimes--2020-03-19--March rain eases drought conditions. How much more will we get?

The persistent drizzle that ’ s dampened Southern California this month is expected to continue into the first days of spring , with light , scattered showers expected Thursday and back-to-back storms on the horizon next week .
Spotty showers from a storm in western Nevada are expected to bring some moisture to Los Angeles County on Thursday .
Daily rain totals in most areas , however , will likely remain under one-tenth of an inch , said Kristen Stewart , a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Oxnard .
Wrightwood is expected to see an inch of snow @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Idyllwild could get up to 2 inches of fresh powder through Friday morning .
“ We don ’ t really know where [ the storm is ] going to set up , ” Stewart said .
“ There could be showery patches in several areas while other places are dry.
” Another system from the Gulf of Alaska is expected to make its way down the California coast by late Sunday , but the Southland likely won ’ t see any rain until Monday .
Forecasters predict that storm will bring one-tenth @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Once that system exits , another will move in right behind it on Wednesday , though it ’ s still too early to know how much rain Los Angeles will see from that front , Stewart said .
The series of March storms has brought more than 2 feet of snow to the Sierra Nevada and has helped keep swaths of Southern California from sinking deeper into drought conditions following a bone-dry start to 2020 .
As of Thursday morning , roughly 75 % of the state was considered to be abnormally @ @ @ @ @ @ @ week earlier .
The portion of the state considered to be in moderate drought conditions dropped slightly as well , down to about 47 % , according to the U.S. Drought Monitor .
In Southern California , the rainfall improved soil moisture and stream flow levels .
Much of California , however , is still lagging far behind typical water-year totals .
Precipitation in the Sierra Nevada and the north coastal and north central regions is more than 12 inches below normal .
The lack of rain has pushed a portion of Siskyou @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s border with Oregon , into severe drought conditions , according to Deborah Bathke , a climate scientist with the National Drought Mitigation Center .
Although a large swath of Los Angeles County is still considered to be in moderate drought condition , forecasters are hopeful next week ’ s storms could boost rainfall totals closer to the normal range in the region .
So far , downtown Los Angeles has received just over 10 inches of rain for the water year , 2.5 inches below normal , Stewart said .
“ After @ @ @ @ @ @ @ comes in and helps out , ” she said .
“ It looks like it ’ s going to keep helping in the next week .
”

People walk along the beach near Main Beach in Laguna Beach on March 18, 2020. Spotty showers from a storm in western Nevada are expected to bring some moisture to the Southland today.
The persistent drizzle that’s dampened Southern California this month is expected to continue into the first days of spring, with light, scattered showers expected Thursday and back-to-back storms on the horizon next week.
Spotty showers from a storm in western Nevada are expected to bring some moisture to Los Angeles County on Thursday. Daily rain totals in most areas, however, will likely remain under one-tenth of an inch, said Kristen Stewart, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Oxnard.
Wrightwood is expected to see an inch of snow from the system, while Big Bear and Idyllwild could get up to 2 inches of fresh powder through Friday morning.
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“We don’t really know where [the storm is] going to set up,” Stewart said. “There could be showery patches in several areas while other places are dry.”
Another system from the Gulf of Alaska is expected to make its way down the California coast by late Sunday, but the Southland likely won’t see any rain until Monday.
Forecasters predict that storm will bring one-tenth to one-half inch of rain through Tuesday. Once that system exits, another will move in right behind it on Wednesday, though it’s still too early to know how much rain Los Angeles will see from that front, Stewart said.
The series of March storms has brought more than 2 feet of snow to the Sierra Nevada and has helped keep swaths of Southern California from sinking deeper into drought conditions following a bone-dry start to 2020.
As of Thursday morning, roughly 75% of the state was considered to be abnormally dry, down from 78% a week earlier. The portion of the state considered to be in moderate drought conditions dropped slightly as well, down to about 47%, according to the U.S. Drought Monitor.
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In Southern California, the rainfall improved soil moisture and stream flow levels. Much of California, however, is still lagging far behind typical water-year totals. Precipitation in the Sierra Nevada and the north coastal and north central regions is more than 12 inches below normal.
The lack of rain has pushed a portion of Siskyou County, which straddles the state’s border with Oregon, into severe drought conditions, according to Deborah Bathke, a climate scientist with the National Drought Mitigation Center.
Although a large swath of Los Angeles County is still considered to be in moderate drought condition, forecasters are hopeful next week’s storms could boost rainfall totals closer to the normal range in the region. So far, downtown Los Angeles has received just over 10 inches of rain for the water year, 2.5 inches below normal, Stewart said.
“After those dry two months, finally March comes in and helps out,” she said. “It looks like it’s going to keep helping in the next week.”


latimes--2020-03-19--With less freeway traffic due to coronavirus, there's more speeding and that worries CHP

With the majority of Californians being urged to stay home as much as possible amid the coronavirus outbreak , life is changing rapidly across the state .
Many places are less crowded , including the notoriously clogged freeways .
Traffic conditions are so light , in fact , speeding during rush hour is now possible .
On the other hand , some locations are far more crowded .
Try getting into to your local Costco at opening time , for example .
Here are some scenes from Southern California over the last day : From his position monitoring traffic from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ California Highway Patrol Officer Jim Bettencourt said he ’ s noticed a change since Thursday afternoon , when the commute time saw almost no slowdowns .
Same thing Friday .
And this week as well , even with the rain .
He described peak commute times , with bumper-to-bumper traffic on San Diego County freeways , as typically from 6:30 to 9 each weekday morning and from 3 to 6 each evening .
But far fewer cars have been on the roads lately .
And there ’ s a downside to wide-open freeways @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Over the weekend , two drivers died in high-speed collisions on the 5 and 15 freeways .
“ With no traffic , people are pushing the envelope a little more .
The crashes are a little more dynamic , fewer fender-benders , ” he said .
“ Almost every one has an ambulance responding .
“ I go on Twitter , asking people to slow down .
Everyone ’ s anxiety is high ” because of the global pandemic and how it is affecting their lives .
“ With few vehicles on the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to speed , ” said CHP Officer Salvador Castro , who patrols the central San Diego area .
“ Our officers are out there proactively in view to slow down speeding drivers .
We are also looking for impaired drivers and reckless drivers.
” He urged people to slow down , keep a greater distance between cars on rainy roads , and to not stop along freeway shoulders where traffic passing at higher speeds poses a greater danger to a parked car or a pedestrian .
CHP Officer Mark Latulippe said traffic this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has looked more like a holiday or weekend .
He said officers are still writing tickets , but they are being more careful to direct motorists to wider freeway shoulders or offramps .
As people waited for the Costco in Hawthorne to open , the sun rose gradually , glinting off the train of carts that circled the cavernous warehouse , off the tired people clinging to them and trying to keep away from each other .
Soon , the line would start to creep into the store .
“ You know other @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Stefan Cabezas , who lined up at 5:30 a.m. Wednesday , 2 ½ hours before the store opened , “ so you ’ re doing it as a precaution.
” “ I see people grabbing five , 10 boxes of pasta off a shelf , ” said Monica De Cuir , who took her place in line around the same time , “ and I think , ‘ I need pasta.
’ And I have to stop myself and think , ‘ No , I don ’ t. ’ ” Cabezas and De @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at the store Wednesday morning , nor were they close to being the first .
Ben and Mariam Cole claimed their spot by the door at 2:55 a.m. , Ben Cole said .
He had come to the store three days earlier at 4 a.m. “ We thought we ’ d at least be No .
5 , ” Cole said .
“ We were No .
20.
” By the time they got in , the store was out of baby wipes they needed for their youngest son , who is 2 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ say , ‘ You don ’ t have to worry , ’ ” Cole said of the admonishing from public officials against standing in lines , and of their assurances that essentials are in good supply .
“ But when I get to the store and there ’ s no toilet paper , there ’ s no hand sanitizer and cleaning materials , what am I supposed to do ?
” In Huntington Beach , Sandy Lopez cut a lonely figure along the boardwalk , where Wednesday , before cooking dinner with family @ @ @ @ @ @ @ she sneaked out , escaping to the ocean for a long-awaited walk .
“ I need space to think , you know .
The world is racing by , and I ’ m confused with so many people saying do this , do that , don ’ t do this or that , ” said the office clerk , whose hours at a real estate business have been reduced .
“ Information is changing every day , and I want to be by myself to think through it .
First , we heard @ @ @ @ @ @ @ But I found out I misheard that , but there could be a curfew — maybe , next week .
Who can predict ?
I don ’ t know where it ’ s safe to go , so I thought , let ’ s just go to the beach.
” Lopez , 29 , stood yards away from the famed Surf City Pier , about to snap some selfies to share with East Coast friends .
“ They ’ re stuck , too , but at least I have access to the water @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with her parents and a younger sibling .
While her mother and diabetic father must remain indoors under medical advice , she and her sister plan to take turns standing in line weekly for groceries .
They are eating more soup , less fried food and trying to stay away from too many sweets — all for the sake of their health .
She isn ’ t a cook but has started to watch the Food Channel to find tips and inspiration for quick meals .
Her mom usually takes care of kitchen @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ I am so used to just driving a few blocks to the taqueria to grab some snacks — but again , I don ’ t know where it ’ s safe.
” Times staff writers Do and Ormseth reported from Los Angeles and San Diego Union-Tribune staff writer Repard from San Diego .

With the majority of Californians being urged to stay home as much as possible amid the coronavirus outbreak, life is changing rapidly across the state.
Many places are less crowded, including the notoriously clogged freeways. Traffic conditions are so light, in fact, speeding during rush hour is now possible.
On the other hand, some locations are far more crowded. Try getting into to your local Costco at opening time, for example.
Advertisement
Here are some scenes from Southern California over the last day:
Fewer cars, more speeders
From his position monitoring traffic from a San Diego County dispatch center, California Highway Patrol Officer Jim Bettencourt said he’s noticed a change since Thursday afternoon, when the commute time saw almost no slowdowns. Same thing Friday. And this week as well, even with the rain.
He described peak commute times, with bumper-to-bumper traffic on San Diego County freeways, as typically from 6:30 to 9 each weekday morning and from 3 to 6 each evening. But far fewer cars have been on the roads lately.
And there’s a downside to wide-open freeways and higher speeds, Bettencourt said. Over the weekend, two drivers died in high-speed collisions on the 5 and 15 freeways.
“With no traffic, people are pushing the envelope a little more. The crashes are a little more dynamic, fewer fender-benders,” he said. “Almost every one has an ambulance responding.
Advertisement
“I go on Twitter, asking people to slow down. Everyone’s anxiety is high” because of the global pandemic and how it is affecting their lives.
“With few vehicles on the roadways, a lot of drivers begin to speed,” said CHP Officer Salvador Castro, who patrols the central San Diego area. “Our officers are out there proactively in view to slow down speeding drivers. We are also looking for impaired drivers and reckless drivers.”
He urged people to slow down, keep a greater distance between cars on rainy roads, and to not stop along freeway shoulders where traffic passing at higher speeds poses a greater danger to a parked car or a pedestrian.
CHP Officer Mark Latulippe said traffic this week in his north county patrol area has looked more like a holiday or weekend. He said officers are still writing tickets, but they are being more careful to direct motorists to wider freeway shoulders or offramps.
Dustin Chupurdy brought a chair to be comfortable while waiting in line early Wednesday morning at Costco in Hawthorne. (Irfan Khan/Los Angeles Times)
Long Costco lines
As people waited for the Costco in Hawthorne to open, the sun rose gradually, glinting off the train of carts that circled the cavernous warehouse, off the tired people clinging to them and trying to keep away from each other. Soon, the line would start to creep into the store.
“You know other people are doing it,” said Stefan Cabezas, who lined up at 5:30 a.m. Wednesday, 2 ½ hours before the store opened, “so you’re doing it as a precaution.”
“I see people grabbing five, 10 boxes of pasta off a shelf,” said Monica De Cuir, who took her place in line around the same time, “and I think, ‘I need pasta.’ And I have to stop myself and think, ‘No, I don’t.’ ”
Cabezas and De Cuir were not the first to arrive at the store Wednesday morning, nor were they close to being the first. Ben and Mariam Cole claimed their spot by the door at 2:55 a.m., Ben Cole said. He had come to the store three days earlier at 4 a.m.
“We thought we’d at least be No. 5,” Cole said. “We were No. 20.” By the time they got in, the store was out of baby wipes they needed for their youngest son, who is 2, he said.
“You can say, ‘You don’t have to worry,’ ” Cole said of the admonishing from public officials against standing in lines, and of their assurances that essentials are in good supply. “But when I get to the store and there’s no toilet paper, there’s no hand sanitizer and cleaning materials, what am I supposed to do?”
People walk along the beach near Main Beach in Laguna Beach on Wednesday. (Allen J. Schaben/Los Angeles Times)
A lonely beach walk
In Huntington Beach, Sandy Lopez cut a lonely figure along the boardwalk, where Wednesday, before cooking dinner with family members at home in Santa Ana, she sneaked out, escaping to the ocean for a long-awaited walk.
“I need space to think, you know. The world is racing by, and I’m confused with so many people saying do this, do that, don’t do this or that,” said the office clerk, whose hours at a real estate business have been reduced.
“Information is changing every day, and I want to be by myself to think through it. First, we heard that Orange County has a curfew. But I found out I misheard that, but there could be a curfew — maybe, next week. Who can predict? I don’t know where it’s safe to go, so I thought, let’s just go to the beach.”
Lopez, 29, stood yards away from the famed Surf City Pier, about to snap some selfies to share with East Coast friends. “They’re stuck, too, but at least I have access to the water,” she said.
Lopez lives with her parents and a younger sibling. While her mother and diabetic father must remain indoors under medical advice, she and her sister plan to take turns standing in line weekly for groceries. They are eating more soup, less fried food and trying to stay away from too many sweets — all for the sake of their health.
She isn’t a cook but has started to watch the Food Channel to find tips and inspiration for quick meals. Her mom usually takes care of kitchen stuff, she said, adding: “I am so used to just driving a few blocks to the taqueria to grab some snacks — but again, I don’t know where it’s safe.”
Times staff writers Do and Ormseth reported from Los Angeles and San Diego Union-Tribune staff writer Repard from San Diego.


latimes--2020-03-19--Can strain strengthen neighborhood bonds during the coronavirus crisis?

It was billed as ‘ “ Solid practical advice from Stanford ’ for handling the coronavirus ” when it showed up in my inbox last week : Take a deep breath every morning and hold it for 10 seconds .
If you don ’ t cough or feel discomfort that “ proves there is no Fibrosis in the lungs , ” which means you ’ re “ basically ” infection-free .
That was followed by , “ Serious excellent advice by Japanese doctors treating COVID-19 ” : Take a few sips of water every 15 minutes .
Because even if @ @ @ @ @ @ @ drinking water will wash it down through your throat and into the stomach , where your stomach acid will kill all the virus .
For days I did the morning deep-breath test and set my phone for water-sipping alerts .
Convinced that I was armed against contagion , I finally joined the masses scouring stores for toilet paper .
Once experts began to debunk the advice , it dawned on me how foolish I ’ d been : Deep breathing wasn ’ t going to let me know if I have COVID-19 , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ able to kill it if I did .
I ’ ve always been a natural skeptic .
So why was I so gullible about this ?
Because like so many folks who passed that post around , I ’ m desperate for an explanation , a cure , a path away from panic and back toward normalcy .
Instead , the entire city is on lockdown ; people my age have been advised not to leave their home for weeks .
This is untrodden territory for us all ; a journey that may @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ourselves , our country and our communities .
For some , the epiphany arrived on Sunday , when a citywide shutdown prompted bars , gyms , restaurants and movie theaters to close .
For me the moment was one afternoon last week , when I sauntered into my neighborhood Ralphs and found aisle after aisle of near empty shelves .
It seems normal now , but it felt surreal and shocking then .
I should have expected it , of course .
I ’ d just written about binge-buying sprees at big box @ @ @ @ @ @ @ my particular Ralphs to be exempt ?
There ’ s a sense of entitlement embedded in that assumption , and that ’ s not something that ’ s easy for me to admit .
But I ’ ve come to realize there ’ s a cosseting force to life in suburban communities like mine in the northwest San Fernando Valley , where I ’ ve lived for more than 30 years .
You learn to expect order , safety , convenience , routine ; that ’ s your entitlement , your reward for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to think that you ’ re in the city , but not of it — insulated from its problems but willing to latch onto its promise .
But that illusion has been flattening for years .
Our suburban streets are now perpetually clogged with traffic , because of the pricey gated communities going up on hills once roamed by mountain lions and deer .
On main streets and in parking lots , we can ’ t pretend that we don ’ t see the spreading tent encampments and clusters of dilapidated RVs , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ This coronavirus crisis may be an especially meaningful reality check .
In a matter of months the virus has traveled the world from person to person , killing more than 8,700 people , panicking millions , crashing economies and stigmatizing human interaction .
We don ’ t know how long it will go on .
We do know that our fates are linked , like it or not , to the lives of millions of others across the planet .
The coronavirus has no regard for race , class , geography or ideological @ @ @ @ @ @ @ if you live in the city or the suburbs .
Every nation and every person has a responsibility — beyond hoarding , blaming and sharing weird conspiracy theories .
Last week wasn ’ t a good look for our democracy .
The president fumbled so often he should have been benched .
Confusion reigned around preparedness .
Panic and greed sparked retail chaos .
But this first week of isolation seems to be gentling us , at least in my neighborhood .
Our Nextdoor feed is still a cringe-worthy forum for arguments — @ @ @ @ @ @ @ up , and whose fault all the coronavirus problems are ( the media , of course ) .
But it ’ s also a place where neighbors are volunteering to help people they ’ ve argued with before .
One neighbor offers to share surplus toilet paper rolls with anyone in need .
Another is running errands for mothers whose kids are at home , so entire families don ’ t have to leave the house .
And several have signed up to do grocery shopping for homebound senior citizens .
No one @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ re helping strangers because , in my community and yours , that ’ s what neighbors are supposed to do .

People fill up food boxes at the Unite Here Local 11 food bank to distribute to those in need during the coronavirus outbreak.
It was billed as ‘“Solid practical advice from Stanford’ for handling the coronavirus” when it showed up in my inbox last week:
Take a deep breath every morning and hold it for 10 seconds. If you don’t cough or feel discomfort that “proves there is no Fibrosis in the lungs,” which means you’re “basically” infection-free.
That was followed by, “Serious excellent advice by Japanese doctors treating COVID-19”:
Advertisement
Take a few sips of water every 15 minutes. Because even if the virus gets into your mouth, drinking water will wash it down through your throat and into the stomach, where your stomach acid will kill all the virus.
For days I did the morning deep-breath test and set my phone for water-sipping alerts. Convinced that I was armed against contagion, I finally joined the masses scouring stores for toilet paper.
1 / 44 The City of Santa Monica closed the Santa Monica Pier in an attempt to prevent the further spread of the Coronavirus. Very few people were on the beach in Santa Monica as the epidemic continues. (Carolyn Cole/Los Angeles Times) 2 / 44 Volunteer Nagma Shakur, 16, left, hugs her “Grannie” as she helps senior shoppers with their carts at the Grocery Outlet Bargain Market in Altadena. (Al Seib/Los Angeles Times) 3 / 44 People walk up the ramp, exiting the secure area at the Tom Bradley International Terminal at LAX. (Kent Nishimura/Los Angeles Times) 4 / 44 David Barker, 56, is visiting with his friend living in a tent on skidrow in Los Angeles. Barker, who is not homeless, works in the area. (Francine Orr/Los Angeles Times) 5 / 44 Dr. Dallas Weaver, 79, and his wife, Janet Weaver, 75, of Huntington Beach, walk on the Huntington pier. (Allen J. Schaben/Los Angeles Times) 6 / 44 Seniors, including Eileen Oda Leaf, 67, left, and her husband Dave Leaf, 67, right, both wearing protective masks, line up outside Gelson’s Market in Manhattan Beach early on Wednesday, March 18, 2020. (Christina House/Los Angeles Times) 7 / 44 Roberta Tabor, 66, of Hermosa Beach, has her ID checked by store director Dennis Sullivan at Gelson’s Market in Manhattan Beach on Wednesday. The store is doing a “seniors shopping hour” where seniors 65+ can go grocery shopping before anybody else. (Christina House/Los Angeles Times) 8 / 44 Seniors shop at Gelson’s Market in Manhattan Beach on Wednesday. The store is doing a “seniors shopping hour” where seniors can go grocery shopping before the store opens to the general public. (Christina House/Los Angeles Times) 9 / 44 Dr. Mark V. Morocco oversees testing at UCLA Medical Center where people can drive up and get tested if they have the symptoms. Morocco listens to a female patient’s lungs through the car window. (Carolyn Cole/Los Angeles Times) 10 / 44 HOPICS outreach worker Ralph Gomez tosses a clipboard for a signature to homeless client Davis Soto, right, taking care to stay at least six feet away during outreach in Los Angeles. (Brian van der Brug/Los Angeles Times) 11 / 44 Medical personnel screen patients outside the emergency room at Loma Linda University Health during the coronavirus pandemic. (Gina Ferazzi/Los Angeles Times) 12 / 44 A nurse takes the vital signs of a woman in a medical tent outside the hospital on Catalina. (Francine Orr/Francine Orr/Los Angeles Times) 13 / 44 An employee of the Trader Joe’s store in Monrovia tells customers waiting in line that it would open doors to everyone at 9 a.m., not just seniors, who arrived believing doors would open earlier to older residents, as some of the people were told by employees and it was reported. Some grocery outlets were offering special morning hours of shopping to accommodate older residents. (Al Seib/Los Angeles Times) 14 / 44 Kevin Ezeh, protected with face mask and gloves, addresses the Los Angeles City Council meeting standing under a tent erected outside City Hall. A television livestreamed video of the meeting and the public offered comments remotely. (Irfan Khan/Los Angeles Times) 15 / 44 Orange County Undersheriff Bob Peterson listens during a board of supervisors discussion on combating the coronavirus in Santa Ana. (Allen J. Schaben/Los Angeles Times) 16 / 44 Dr. Mark V. Morocco oversees the testing at UCLA Medical Center. Testing for Covid-19 is going on at UCLA Medical Center, where people can drive up and get tested if they have the symptoms. (Carolyn Cole/Los Angeles Times) 17 / 44 A large tent is installed for public attendance at Tuesday’s Los Angeles City Council meeting. The public was not allowed in the council chamber. (Irfan Khan/Los Angeles Times) 18 / 44 Shoppers queue up ahead of the Los Feliz Costco opening for business on Tuesday, March 17, 2020 in Los Angeles. (Kent Nishimura/Los Angeles Times) 19 / 44 Muhammad Faruq, an Uber driver, picks his ride Sotero Reyes, left, and Cristian Eguia, visitors from Houston, all in protective masks, from downtown Los Angeles. (Irfan Khan/Los Angeles Times) 20 / 44 Volunteer Rachel Figueroa, serves a free lunch to go to Destiny Mendez, with her mother, Estefany, at the Dream Center in Los Angeles. LAUSD students can get free breakfast, lunch and dinner at the Dream Center, Monday through Friday. (Mel Melcon/Los Angeles Times) 21 / 44 Emma Bradley, left, and her husband, Samuel Bradley, of Palmdale are walking up the ramp to catch the Metrolink in Union Sation in Los Angeles. (Francine Orr/Los Angeles Times) 22 / 44 Medical personnel surround a car that is going through a coronavirus drive-thru test clinic at the San Mateo County Event Center. Drive-thru test clinics for COVID-19 are popping up across the country as more tests become available. (Justin Sullivan/Getty Images) 23 / 44 From left, Josh Akamine, of Oahu, Hawaii; Madison Shine of Oahu; Matthew Valencia of Los Altos and Dani Ikeda visit L.A. Live in downtown Los Angeles. (Mel Melcon/Los Angeles Times) 24 / 44 Normally bustling Grand Central Market in downtown L.A. is open only for take out. (Irfan Khan/Los Angeles Times) 25 / 44 L.A. has banned restaurants from offering seating at places such as Grand Central Market. (Irfan Khan/Los Angeles Times) 26 / 44 Carlos Perez, a worker at Wolfgang Puck Bar & Grill at L.A. Live in downtown Los Angeles sits in the empty restaurant. (Mel Melcon/Los Angeles Times) 27 / 44 A line at the Martin B. Retting gun store in Culver City on Sunday extends out the door and around the corner. (Francine Orr / The Times) 28 / 44 A guest wears a mask in front of the Sleeping Beauty Castle at Disneyland on Thursday. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times) 29 / 44 Students hug as they are let out of school at Hamilton High School in Los Angeles, Calif., on March 13, 2020. The school has 2,623 students who live in 94 different zip codes, some of whom travel upwards of 30 miles to school on 24 different school bus routes. 221 school staff live in 88 zip codes. Los Angeles Unified School District Superintendent Austin Beutner announced that schools will be closed due to the coronavirus. (Gary Coronado / Los Angeles Times) (Gary Coronado/Los Angeles Times) 30 / 44 Blake Anderson, left, a freshman, walks with his father Oree Anderson, as school is let out at Hamilton High School in Los Angeles. LAUSD announced that schools will be closed due to the Coronavirus. (Gary Coronado/Los Angeles Times) 31 / 44 Students leave John C. Fremont High School in Los Angeles at the end of the school day on Friday, Mar. 13, 2020. LAUSD announced it will shut down beginning Monday. (Luis Sinco/Los Angeles Times ) 32 / 44 Alexandria Casserly crosses the street while looking for toilet paper in downtown Los Angeles. (Gabriella Angotti-Jones / Los Angeles Times) 33 / 44 A crew member stands on the stern of a cruise ship docked at the Port of Los Angeles. (Luis Sinco/Los Angeles Times) 34 / 44 Two children look at movie posters in the lobby of the Arclight theater Thursday in Manhattan Beach. (Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times) 35 / 44 Disneyland guests wearing ponchos pass the Marketplace inside Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge on Thursday. Disneyland and California Adventure will temporarily close in response to the coronavirus pandemic. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times) 36 / 44 People shop at the Del Amo Fashion Center in Torrance. (Luis Sinco/Los Angeles Times) 37 / 44 Disneyland guests take photos in front of the Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run at Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times) 38 / 44 Airline workers take precautions at Tom Bradley International Terminal in Los Angeles on Thursday. (Christina House / Los Angeles Times) 39 / 44 An airport worker cleans a railing at Tom Bradley International Terminal. (Christina House / Los Angeles Times) 40 / 44 Two people arrive at Knott’s Berry Farm on Thursday in Buena Park. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times) 41 / 44 Cab drivers wait for riders at the Long Beach Airport. (Luis Sinco/Los Angeles Times) 42 / 44 The Del Amo Fashion Center in Torrance. (Luis Sinco/Los Angeles Times) 43 / 44 A woman claims her luggage at he Long Beach Airport. (Luis Sinco/Los Angeles Times) 44 / 44 The Del Amo Fashion Center in Torrance. (Luis Sinco/Los Angeles Times)
Once experts began to debunk the advice, it dawned on me how foolish I’d been: Deep breathing wasn’t going to let me know if I have COVID-19, and stomach acid wouldn’t be able to kill it if I did.
I’ve always been a natural skeptic. So why was I so gullible about this?
Because like so many folks who passed that post around, I’m desperate for an explanation, a cure, a path away from panic and back toward normalcy.
Instead, the entire city is on lockdown; people my age have been advised not to leave their home for weeks. This is untrodden territory for us all; a journey that may push us to rethink our beliefs about ourselves, our country and our communities.
Advertisement
For some, the epiphany arrived on Sunday, when a citywide shutdown prompted bars, gyms, restaurants and movie theaters to close. For me the moment was one afternoon last week, when I sauntered into my neighborhood Ralphs and found aisle after aisle of near empty shelves.
It seems normal now, but it felt surreal and shocking then. I should have expected it, of course. I’d just written about binge-buying sprees at big box stores. So why would I expect my particular Ralphs to be exempt?
There’s a sense of entitlement embedded in that assumption, and that’s not something that’s easy for me to admit. But I’ve come to realize there’s a cosseting force to life in suburban communities like mine in the northwest San Fernando Valley, where I’ve lived for more than 30 years.
You learn to expect order, safety, convenience, routine; that’s your entitlement, your reward for choosing the un-hip life. You like to think that you’re in the city, but not of it — insulated from its problems but willing to latch onto its promise.
But that illusion has been flattening for years. Our suburban streets are now perpetually clogged with traffic, because of the pricey gated communities going up on hills once roamed by mountain lions and deer. On main streets and in parking lots, we can’t pretend that we don’t see the spreading tent encampments and clusters of dilapidated RVs, where our new homeless neighbors live.
This coronavirus crisis may be an especially meaningful reality check. In a matter of months the virus has traveled the world from person to person, killing more than 8,700 people, panicking millions, crashing economies and stigmatizing human interaction.
We don’t know how long it will go on. We do know that our fates are linked, like it or not, to the lives of millions of others across the planet.
The coronavirus has no regard for race, class, geography or ideological divisions. It doesn’t care if you live in the city or the suburbs. Every nation and every person has a responsibility — beyond hoarding, blaming and sharing weird conspiracy theories.
Last week wasn’t a good look for our democracy. The president fumbled so often he should have been benched. Confusion reigned around preparedness. Panic and greed sparked retail chaos.
But this first week of isolation seems to be gentling us, at least in my neighborhood. Our Nextdoor feed is still a cringe-worthy forum for arguments — about the difference between hoarding and stocking up, and whose fault all the coronavirus problems are (the media, of course).
But it’s also a place where neighbors are volunteering to help people they’ve argued with before. One neighbor offers to share surplus toilet paper rolls with anyone in need. Another is running errands for mothers whose kids are at home, so entire families don’t have to leave the house. And several have signed up to do grocery shopping for homebound senior citizens. No one is asking to be paid.
They’re helping strangers because, in my community and yours, that’s what neighbors are supposed to do.


latimes--2020-03-19--On Catalina Island, concern yet calm as coronavirus threatens tourism economy

On a typical Monday afternoon , Don Whitaker sees all 30 of his golf carts rented out to tourists who putter around on them across the city of Avalon in Catalina .
“ Right now , it would be like Disneyland without rides , ” said Whitaker as the 70-year-old leaned back in one of his comfy carts and took in the beauty of Avalon Bay .
The cruise ships that drop off thousands every Monday and Tuesday throughout the year on the Island of Romance were staying away until at least the end of April because of the threat @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the basketball or beach volleyball courts in front of Whitaker ’ s business , Island Rentals .
Only one family romped around in the playpen .
Lonely boats bobbed in the bay .
From a distance , Whitaker could see that downtown Avalon was almost empty .
The busy season was supposed to begin this week in Catalina , where the economy is wholly dependent on visitors .
Instead , the island is already feeling the effects of a nationwide call by local , state and federal leaders to stay home for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ spread of COVID-19 .
The Catalina Express and Catalina Flyer ferries that serve as the lifeline between Avalon and the rest of Southern California were nowhere near as packed as they usually were .
“ I ’ ve never seen it this bad , ” said Gloria Jimenez , 46 , who worked the counter at Ellie ’ s Island Deli , the first gift shop passengers see when they step off the boats .
“ And we ’ re just beginning.
” Husband and wife Randy Brannock and Mary Stein , who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ enjoy their regular morning coffee with friends outside Catalina Island Brew House but couldn ’ t : They had just laid off their crew .
“ Everybody ’ s in bad shape , ” Brannock said .
Stein added , “ I would hope that healthy people would still come here , ” while acknowledging they probably wouldn ’ t right now .
Islanders were resigned to one of the biggest economic hits of their lifetime .
But they also offered perspective .
Relative isolation from the rest of Southern California has long @ @ @ @ @ @ @ — long droughts , the loss of its status as Hollywood ’ s playground , and epic fires that destroyed most of Avalon in 1915 and prompted a mass evacuation in 2007 .
“ There ’ s this worry about what ’ s next , ” Whitaker said as a half-full tourist truck rumbled off to Catalina ’ s backcountry .
“ But we ’ ll get through it.
” “ When we ’ re this small , we take care of each other , ” said Bear Opah , a guide for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ booth .
His 11 a.m. nature tour , usually filled , had only five reservations .
“ We ’ re all going to lose , ” said co-worker Pamela Ibarra as she sold miniature-golf tickets to a couple from San Diego , “ but we ’ re all going to eventually win.
” Discussions among Catalina officials , L.A. County and the Center for Diseases Control and Prevention about how to take on the specter of coronavirus have gone on for weeks .
There have been no reported cases here , but the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ — tourists — is also the likeliest way for the disease to arrive .
“ We ’ re an island with limited capabilities to address something like it , ” Assistant City Manager Michael Parmer said .
He said talks with Carnival Cruise Line , the main line that visits Catalina , were going on well before President Trump asked the industry for a 30-day moratorium on all cruises to the United States .
Avalon requested they not return until at least April 30 , Parmer said , “ for an overabundance of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to balance the economic viability of the island with the well-being of everyone , ” said Councilwoman Cinde MacGugan-Cassidy outside her family ’ s hardware store .
Cruise ships passengers alone spend an estimated $ 23 million a year , according to the Catalina Chamber of Commerce .
“ If that means taking a break [ from cruises ] , then that has to be it.
” On Catalina ’ s first day under its self-imposed economic quarantine , island life seemed as bucolic as usual , even as year-rounders kept one another @ @ @ @ @ @ @ local Vons — one of the highest grossing in Southern California — was out of toilet paper , hand sanitizer and bleach just like on the mainland , but store clerks assured customers a new shipment had arrived .
Outside Catalina Island Medical Center , volunteers under a tent asked anyone who had an appointment to fill out a survey asking whether they had recently experienced coughing or a fever .
A nurse wearing a gauze mask and stethoscope took the temperature of elderly patients .
“ We know our patients personally here @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as he went off to another conference call .
Late last week , he canceled the hospital ’ s annual health fair .
Mayor Ann Marshall tried to find a silver lining .
“ As people aren ’ t coming , it ’ s creating a natural social distancing , ” she said outside City Hall as residents greeted her only to find out it was now open by appointment only .
“ But my concern is that tourism is our only economy , and it ’ s going to be impacted.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hurrahs before all bars had to close and restaurants could offer only to-go orders , per guidelines Los Angeles County issued just that morning that were to take effect at midnight .
Drinkers enjoyed lunchtime suds at Marlin Club and watched Trump urge Americans to confront coronavirus together while Lynyrd Skynyrd ’ s “ Gim me Three Steps ” blared on the digital jukebox .
Few customers wanted to talk to reporters , although a San Diego resident named Steve was overheard boasting that he had received only one flu shot his entire @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” Across the way , the staff at Coyote Joe ’ s took phone calls from regulars wondering whether they were open .
General manager Ricardo Leyva placed a sign outside with a sad face saying to-go orders only .
“ Better to be careful and start early , ” he said .
The few tourists wandering around looked lost , but others took advantage of the light crowds .
Samuel Flores of Pico Rivera took the 6 a.m. Catalina Express ride with two friends to celebrate his birthday .
His goal for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that he could turn into sashimi .
Coronavirus was the last thing on their mind .
“ We ’ re young , we ’ re healthy , ” said the 25-year-old , while 23-year-old Norwalk resident Hailey Sniderman dismissed concerns as a media-driven “ giant sensation.
” At Avalon ’ s small public beach , Marco Marroquin enjoyed a mint tea as he watched the waves roll in .
He had arrived Sunday from Bakersfield and noted “ there was a lot less people on the boat over.
” “ I haven ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ think how a drop in visitors is going to affect everyone here , ” the 50-year-old said .
“ It ’ s just sad .
This is just such a special place.
” Later in the day , Matt and Gladys Malouf watched as their toddlers frolicked in the sand .
The two had booked their Catalina vacation in December and didn ’ t want to cancel it .
But before leaving their Redlands home , Gladys said she “ stocked up a bit because we didn ’ t know what we ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ were one of the few lodgers at their hotel .
“ I feel bad for people here , ” said Mike as he got off his blanket to help his children dig a makeshift river to the sea .
“ They can ’ t just drive off and go find something else to do .
”

A quiet early morning in Avalon. There is a 45-day moratorium on cruise ships visiting the island due to COVID-19.
On a typical Monday afternoon, Don Whitaker sees all 30 of his golf carts rented out to tourists who putter around on them across the city of Avalon in Catalina.
“Right now, it would be like Disneyland without rides,” said Whitaker as the 70-year-old leaned back in one of his comfy carts and took in the beauty of Avalon Bay.
This Monday , his entire fleet stayed put.
The cruise ships that drop off thousands every Monday and Tuesday throughout the year on the Island of Romance were staying away until at least the end of April because of the threat of coronavirus.
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No one was playing in the basketball or beach volleyball courts in front of Whitaker’s business, Island Rentals. Only one family romped around in the playpen. Lonely boats bobbed in the bay.
Don Whitaker had no customers at his Island Renters business. He said on a typical Monday all of his carts would be rented. (Francine Orr / Los Angeles Times)
From a distance, Whitaker could see that downtown Avalon was almost empty.
The busy season was supposed to begin this week in Catalina, where the economy is wholly dependent on visitors. Instead, the island is already feeling the effects of a nationwide call by local, state and federal leaders to stay home for at least two weeks to lessen the spread of COVID-19.
The Catalina Express and Catalina Flyer ferries that serve as the lifeline between Avalon and the rest of Southern California were nowhere near as packed as they usually were.
“I’ve never seen it this bad,” said Gloria Jimenez, 46, who worked the counter at Ellie’s Island Deli, the first gift shop passengers see when they step off the boats. “And we’re just beginning.”
Husband and wife Randy Brannock and Mary Stein, who run Catalina Island Expeditions, tried to enjoy their regular morning coffee with friends outside Catalina Island Brew House but couldn’t: They had just laid off their crew.
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“Everybody’s in bad shape,” Brannock said. Stein added, “I would hope that healthy people would still come here,” while acknowledging they probably wouldn’t right now.
Islanders were resigned to one of the biggest economic hits of their lifetime. But they also offered perspective.
Relative isolation from the rest of Southern California has long toughened Avalonians to the whims of disasters — long droughts, the loss of its status as Hollywood’s playground, and epic fires that destroyed most of Avalon in 1915 and prompted a mass evacuation in 2007.
“There’s this worry about what’s next,” Whitaker said as a half-full tourist truck rumbled off to Catalina’s backcountry. “But we’ll get through it.”
Tour guide Bear Opah waits for tourists at Catalina Island Co. in Avalon. (Francine Orr / Los Angeles Times)
“When we’re this small, we take care of each other,” said Bear Opah, a guide for Catalina Island Co., from a ticket booth. His 11 a.m. nature tour, usually filled, had only five reservations.
“We’re all going to lose,” said co-worker Pamela Ibarra as she sold miniature-golf tickets to a couple from San Diego, “but we’re all going to eventually win.”
Discussions among Catalina officials, L.A. County and the Center for Diseases Control and Prevention about how to take on the specter of coronavirus have gone on for weeks. There have been no reported cases here, but the very lifeblood that powers the Catalina economy — tourists — is also the likeliest way for the disease to arrive.
“We’re an island with limited capabilities to address something like it,” Assistant City Manager Michael Parmer said.
He said talks with Carnival Cruise Line, the main line that visits Catalina, were going on well before President Trump asked the industry for a 30-day moratorium on all cruises to the United States. Avalon requested they not return until at least April 30, Parmer said, “for an overabundance of caution.”
“Our heaviest burden is to balance the economic viability of the island with the well-being of everyone,” said Councilwoman Cinde MacGugan-Cassidy outside her family’s hardware store. Cruise ships passengers alone spend an estimated $23 million a year, according to the Catalina Chamber of Commerce . “If that means taking a break [from cruises], then that has to be it.”
On Catalina’s first day under its self-imposed economic quarantine, island life seemed as bucolic as usual, even as year-rounders kept one another abreast of the ever-changing news. The local Vons — one of the highest grossing in Southern California — was out of toilet paper, hand sanitizer and bleach just like on the mainland, but store clerks assured customers a new shipment had arrived.
A nurse takes the vital signs of a woman in a medical tent outside the hospital on Catalina. (Francine Orr / Los Angeles Times)
Outside Catalina Island Medical Center, volunteers under a tent asked anyone who had an appointment to fill out a survey asking whether they had recently experienced coughing or a fever. A nurse wearing a gauze mask and stethoscope took the temperature of elderly patients.
“We know our patients personally here,” said Chief Executive Jason Paret as he went off to another conference call. Late last week, he canceled the hospital’s annual health fair.
Mayor Ann Marshall tried to find a silver lining. “As people aren’t coming, it’s creating a natural social distancing,” she said outside City Hall as residents greeted her only to find out it was now open by appointment only. “But my concern is that tourism is our only economy, and it’s going to be impacted.”
Locals tried to pack in some final hurrahs before all bars had to close and restaurants could offer only to-go orders, per guidelines Los Angeles County issued just that morning that were to take effect at midnight.
Drinkers enjoyed lunchtime suds at Marlin Club and watched Trump urge Americans to confront coronavirus together while Lynyrd Skynyrd’s “Gimme Three Steps” blared on the digital jukebox. Few customers wanted to talk to reporters, although a San Diego resident named Steve was overheard boasting that he had received only one flu shot his entire life and “wasn’t afraid.”
Bartender Ardis Saldana works at Marlin Club on Catalina as President Trump on TV asks restaurants to shut their dining rooms and bars to close. (Francine Orr / Los Angeles Times)
Across the way, the staff at Coyote Joe’s took phone calls from regulars wondering whether it was open. General manager Ricardo Leyva placed a sign outside with a sad face saying to-go orders only. “Better to be careful and start early,” he said.
The few tourists wandering around looked lost, but others took advantage of the light crowds. Samuel Flores of Pico Rivera took the 6 a.m. Catalina Express ride with two friends to celebrate his birthday. His goal for the day: Catch some yellowtail tuna that he could turn into sashimi. Coronavirus was the last thing on their mind.
“We’re young, we’re healthy,” said the 25-year-old, while 23-year-old Norwalk resident Hailey Sniderman dismissed concerns as a media-driven “giant sensation.”
At Avalon’s small public beach, Marco Marroquin enjoyed a mint tea as he watched the waves roll in. He had arrived Sunday from Bakersfield and noted “there was a lot less people on the boat over.”
“I haven’t even gone as far as to think how a drop in visitors is going to affect everyone here,” the 50-year-old said. “It’s just sad. This is just such a special place.”
Later in the day, Matt and Gladys Malouf watched as their toddlers frolicked in the sand. The two had booked their Catalina vacation in December and didn’t want to cancel it. But before leaving their Redlands home, Gladys said she “stocked up a bit because we didn’t know what we’d go back to.”
The couple were one of the few lodgers at their hotel.
“I feel bad for people here,” said Mike as he got off his blanket to help his children dig a makeshift river to the sea. “They can’t just drive off and go find something else to do.”


latimes--2020-03-19--L.A. County reports second coronavirus death as cases jump to 230

A man with an underlying medical condition became the second person to die from the coronavirus in Los Angeles County , officials announced Thursday , and the total number of confirmed cases rose by 40 overnight to 230 .
The man who died was between 30 and 50 years old , county health officials said at a news conference .
Two of the new cases are in Long Beach , which now has 12 confirmed cases , the Long Beach Public Health Department said .
Three people there have recovered from the virus and 130 people are currently being monitored @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and deaths rising in California , Sacramento County on Thursday joined other counties and cities in the state that have ordered residents to stay home to help stem the spread of the virus .
The Sacramento County health officer ’ s order , which goes into effect at 11:59 p.m. , allows residents to leave their homes only to get medication , visit a doctor or purchase food and other necessary supplies .
Individuals are also permitted to attend private gatherings of no more than six nonrelatives in a home .
Social distancing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ including at gatherings , the order states .
“ Each successive day for the past two weeks , local jurisdictions across Northern California have issued additional guidance and direction to limit the spread of COVID-19 .
Sacramento County has been no different , ” Phil Serna , chairman of the Sacramento County Board of Supervisors , said in a prepared statement .
“ With today ’ s announcement , we have in place a well-planned enforceable order , and this latest step represents the conclusion of several sequential actions that have deliberately slowed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will continue doing so well into the future.
” The order will remain in effect until at least April 7 .
Many Californians isolated in their homes have watched as the number of confirmed cases continues to rise daily .
As of Wednesday morning , the state has at least 892 cases and 17 deaths , compared with 157 cases and three deaths the week before .
Nearly 12,000 people in the state are self-monitoring for symptoms .
Sacramento County currently has 45 confirmed cases of COVID-19 and has had three people die @ @ @ @ @ @ @ County announced its first two cases of the coronavirus in county residents Thursday morning .
Public health officials were investigating how the people were exposed to the virus and tracking any contact with others they may have had , the county Public Health Services Department said in a news release .
Fresno County reported its third case of the virus Wednesday evening : a person who was recovering in isolation at home .
Officials said they think the case is travel-related .
And Tulare County announced two more cases Thursday , bringing its @ @ @ @ @ @ @ new cases is a person between 18 and 24 , and officials aren ’ t sure how that patient contracted the virus .
The other , a person between 25 and 40 , is believed to have caught it during travel , officials said .
Both were tested at Kaweah Delta Medical Center .
Tulare County had reported two other new cases Wednesday night .
One is a person between 18 and 25 who had traveled to Europe and self-quarantined after returning home , officials said .
That patient was continuing to recover @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been told to self-quarantine .
The other case was a person over 65 believed to have contracted the virus through direct contact with another infected person , health officials said in a news release .
Gov .
Gavin Newsom on Wednesday evening said the state has asked the Department of Defense to deploy the Navy ’ s Mercy hospital ship and two mobile hospitals to California to help care in hospitalizations of residents stricken by the coronavirus .
The governor said the state is working to expand available hospital beds by roughly 20,000 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ half of Californians come down with the coronavirus .
Newsom ’ s order falls short of activating California ’ s National Guard force of roughly 22,000 , and he emphasized that the state often relies on the Guard ’ s assistance in times of disaster and crisis , especially in response to wildfires and earthquakes .
“ That ’ s just one scenario plan .
There ’ s others that are more modest .
Some may , some cases may be more extreme , ” Newsom said Wednesday evening during a Facebook Live @ @ @ @ @ @ @ looking at getting an additional [ 19,000 ] to 20,000 beds in your system , you have to look at your existing surge capacity within the healthcare delivery system , and you have to look at procuring additional assets.
” The state estimates that surge capacity in California ’ s existing hospital system could accommodate 10,000 patients .
If requests for the military medical assistance are granted , California should be close to reaching the 20,000-bed threshold , Newsom said .
In the meantime , more and more counties have ordered residents to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the spread of the virus .
Those who do venture out often find long lines and supermarket shelves stripped of cleaning supplies , toilet paper and other essential goods as shoppers continue panic-buying across the state .
Newsom said the troops would , in part , “ make sure food delivery is happening appropriately ” and ensure that customers do not overreact at stores .
“ We want to make sure people know that their security is top of mind , ” he said during a Tuesday briefing on the state ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , president of the California Grocers Assn.
, said markets are struggling to restock shelves because so many customers are buying an overabundance of food and supplies .
He urged customers to return to their normal grocery shopping routine , saying there is no shortage of food or necessities such as toilet paper — just an overwhelmed supply chain to the stores .
“ The grocery stores are what the governor has deemed an essential service , ” Fong said .
“ Grocery stores are going to stay open .
But we can @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that customers have adopted by overbuying.
” Newsom said National Guard troops would also assist local governments , but he did not offer specifics about their potential roles .
“ The reality is cities can only do so much , and when you are not capable of doing a little bit more , and it becomes regionalized , that ’ s the appropriate role of the state of California , ” Newsom said .
“ We just want folks to know we ’ re leaning in a little bit more aggressively in that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Wilson deployed the Guard after the 1992 Los Angeles riots , when troops patrolled streets and enforced a nighttime curfew .
Earlier this month , a California National Guard helicopter delivered supplies to the Grand Princess cruise ship when it was held off the San Francisco coast until some of the passengers and crew could be tested for the coronavirus .
The ship eventually docked in Oakland .
More than 20 states have already called in their National Guard troops in response to the coronavirus pandemic .
Defense Secretary Mark Esper has said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ units , the reserves and the Navy ’ s hospital ships to assist with stemming the outbreak .
Campuses are closed in response to the coronavirus pandemic , but school — and learning — is still in session .
“ While we are in very unique circumstances at this time , we are still providing education to our students , ” State Supt .
of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond said .
“ School is not out , but we are finding a different way to deliver it.
” Nearly all schools across the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ districts have announced weeks-long closures .
But Newsom on Tuesday evening said schools are likely to remain closed even longer — perhaps for the remainder of the academic year , a disruption to the education of 6.1 million students .
Newsom stuck to that position in a Wednesday update , although state and local school officials stressed that no official directive has been issued .
But the quick-moving developments have sent volunteers and educators scrambling to establish online coursework , meals and other support services for their many students in need .
At @ @ @ @ @ @ @ well as have ordered all residents to stay at home as much as possible .
On Wednesday , Lake , Mendocino , Napa , San Luis Obispo , Solano and Yolo counties joined Sonoma , San Benito , Monterey , San Francisco , Santa Clara , San Mateo , Alameda , Contra Costa , Marin and Santa Cruz counties , which previously had given shelter-in-place orders .
“ This is already a painful situation for many families and businesses .
And make no mistake about it , it ’ s going to get @ @ @ @ @ @ @ state Sen. Bill Dodd ( D-Napa ) said at a news conference .
“ But this is an opportunity to move in the right direction , to flatten the curve.
” In Ventura County , health officials announced a shelter-in-place order Tuesday that applies only to older residents .
In total , about 20 % of the state ’ s population is under shelter-in-place orders .

Phil Willon, Hannah Fry, Rong-Gong Lin II, Alex Wigglesworth

In a dramatic bid to slow the spread of the coronavirus, Los Angeles County and city officials announced new orders Thursday that severely restrict public movements.
The Los Angeles County order requires all indoor malls, shopping centers, playgrounds and nonessential retail businesses to close and prohibits gatherings of more than 10 people in enclosed spaces.
The city of Los Angeles order is much more restrictive. It requires all nonessential businesses to close, with companies able to operate only through work-at-home arrangements. The order also bans all public gatherings of any size outside homes.
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“All businesses, including museums, malls, retail stores, for-profit companies and nonprofit organizations, must stop operations that require workers to be present in person,” Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti said. “No public and private gatherings of any size that would occur outside of a single home will be allowed, with clear exceptions.”
Garcetti said residents should leave home only for essential activities and needs, including getting food; caring for a relative, friend or child; getting necessary healthcare; or going for a walk in the neighborhood.
“Nobody is locked down, and we encourage you not to be locked,” Garcetti said. “This is not ‘shelter in place’ like a school shooting, this is stay at home because you’re safer at home. And the only people who should be leaving home and going out are those whose jobs are critical to the safety, the health and security of the city, as well as the economy of recovery for us and the nation during this crisis.”
Essential businesses include grocery stores, food banks and outdoor farmers markets; schools and child care; businesses that provide food, shelter, social services and other necessities of life for economically disadvantaged people; gas stations; banks and financial institutions; hardware stores; plumbers and electricians; healthcare operators and facilities; transportation services; and residential facilities.
But these businesses must comply with the order’s social distancing and hygiene requirements, including providing access to hand-washing facilities with soap and water or with hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol.
Barbara Ferrer, director of the L.A. County Department of Public Health, said at Thursday evening’s news conference that there is the potential for “many, many people” to become infected in a county of more than 10 million people.
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“We must slow the number of new cases we have — we must,” Ferrer said. “Without slowing the number of new cases, we will for sure overwhelm not only our healthcare system” but also other essential services.
Under the city’s order, officials said, residents are permitted to:
Go to the grocery store;
Go to the pharmacy to pick up medications and other healthcare necessities;
Go to medical appointments (check with your doctor or provider first);
Take a walk, ride your bike and be in nature for exercise — just keep at least six feet between you and others in the community;
Walk your pets and take them to the veterinarian if necessary;
Help someone to get necessary supplies.
Residents are not allowed to:
Go to work unless providing essential services as defined by the order;
Visit friends and family if there is no urgent need;
Maintain less than six feet of distance from others when you go out;
Travel to or from a job outside the city, unless to perform essential activities;
Travel to or from a vacation home outside the city;
Visit loved ones in a hospital, nursing home, skilled nursing facility or other residential care facility.
These are considered essential services:
City/county government services
Healthcare providers
Food and grocery service
Hardware stores and nurseries
Plumbers, electricians, exterminators, custodial/janitorial workers, handyman services, funeral home workers and morticians, moving services, HVAC installers, carpenters, landscapers, gardeners, property managers, private security personnel and others who provide services to maintain the safety, sanitation and essential operation of properties and other essential activities
Banks
Organizations and businesses that provide food, shelter, social services and other necessities of life for economically disadvantaged or otherwise needy individuals (including gang prevention and intervention and domestic violence agencies)
Laundromats/laundry service
Newspapers, magazines, television, radio, podcasts and other media services
Educational institutions, including public and private K-12 schools, colleges, and universities — for purposes of facilitating distance learning or performing essential functions provided that social distancing of six feet per person is maintained to the greatest extent possible
The county order prohibits all indoor public and private gatherings and all outdoor public and private events within a confined space, where at least 10 people are expected to be in attendance at the same time.
Additionally, anyone who organizes a gathering of up to nine people must ensure guests practice social distancing, staying at least six feet apart. Organizers also must post signs near the gathering’s entryway that tell people not to attend if they’re sick. It’s also required that guests have access to either soap and water to wash their hands or hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol.
“This latest order enforces a simple fact: With this disease spreading, you are safer at home,” L.A. County Supervisor Janice Hahn said in a statement. “Everyone can still get the food and supplies they need — but by staying at home right now, you are not only keeping yourself as safe as possible, you are helping make it safer for the grocery store workers, healthcare workers, first responders and transit workers we are depending on to be in public.”
At the news conference, the cities of Long Beach and Pasadena released similar orders.
Long Beach Mayor Robert Garcia urged residents to follow the public health orders, which are effective at 11:59 p.m. Thursday and remain in effect until April 19.
“This is a serious step, and I think all of us realize we are in a serious health crisis,” Garcia said.
Shortly after the announcement, Gov. Gavin Newsom ordered all Californians to stay at home, marking the first mandatory restrictions placed on the lives of all 40 million residents in the state’s fight against the novel coronavirus.
L.A. County sees increase in cases
A man with an underlying medical condition became the second person to die of the coronavirus in Los Angeles County, officials announced Thursday, and the total number of confirmed cases rose by 40 overnight to 230.
The man who died was between 30 and 50 years old, county health officials said at a news conference.
Two of the new cases are in Long Beach, which now has 12 confirmed cases, the Long Beach Public Health Department said. Three people there have recovered from the virus and 130 people are being monitored, officials said.
Laboratory testing for the coronavirus is increasing but remains limited, Ferrer said. Seven labs are serving the county, and they have multiple sites where they are testing specimens, she said.
Almost 1,700 people had been tested in L.A. County as of Wednesday, Ferrer said. Of those people tested through the county Public Health Laboratory, about 21% have tested positive. Of those tested through commercial labs, about 10% have tested positive, she said.
As she announced the new cases, Ferrer urged residents to get serious about limiting contact with others.
“Because COVID-19 is widespread, as a general rule of thumb, you should assume that you may be infected and that others around you may be infected and therefore act accordingly,” she said. “Take every precaution possible to avoid infecting others and avoid becoming infected. That’s the goal of social distancing.”
Many Californians isolated in their homes have watched as the number of confirmed cases continues to rise daily. As of Thursday evening, the state has at least 1,001 cases and 19 deaths, compared with 157 cases and three deaths the week before. About 12,000 people in the state are self-monitoring for symptoms.
Sacramento County has 45 confirmed cases of COVID-19 and has had three people die of complications from the virus that causes the disease.
San Francisco officials said Thursday that the city is adding 2,500 new shelter spaces for the homeless and 3,500 hotel rooms for people who need to quarantine but have no place to do so. Many of the hotel rooms will go to people who live in single-occupancy hotels with shared bathrooms and kitchens. The amount of new spaces and rooms is based on estimates from public health officials about what will be needed. Those numbers could increase.
San Francisco has about 8,000 homeless people. The city will open “pop up” shelters to ensure social distancing, and isolate homeless individuals who have tested positive but do not require hospitalization, officials said Thursday.
Trent Rhorer, executive director of San Francisco’s Department of Human Services, said the city expects to have leases for 500 rooms by the end of the week, and hotels with more than 2,000 rooms have expressed interest in leasing. He said the city was in the process of securing food and staffing for those in isolation.
In addition to the 3,500 rooms for isolation, the city will lease rooms for first responders.
“We don’t want healthcare workers on the front line to go home and potentially infect others,” he said.
Dr. Grant Colfax, San Francisco’s director of public health, said the city is trying to free up space in the hospitals for when the disease surges.
He said residents may go out for fresh air with members of their households but should remain six feet away from others.
People who are 60 or older, have chronic health conditions or are sick should “stay home altogether,” he said.
He said the city has already hired an additional 70 new nurses and expects to hire “scores more” this weekend at a job fair.
“Today we have 70 confirmed cases,” he said, and that number will continue to rise.
In Riverside County, a vendor who performed work at a Rancho Mirage skilled nursing facility tested positive for the coronavirus, county health officials said Thursday. The woman in her 30s, who contracted with the Rancho Mirage Health and Rehabilitation Center, was in isolation at home and expected to recover.
A former resident of the facility had previously been diagnosed with the virus and died earlier in the week. The county Public Health Department tested 140 employees and vendors and 94 residents, and results are continuing to come in, officials said.
In addition to the woman, county reported five other new cases of the coronavirus for a total of 22. Thirteen are in the Coachella Valley, four are in western Riverside County and three are in the southwestern portion of the county, officials said.
Kern County announced its first three cases of the coronavirus in county residents Thursday. Public health officials were investigating how the people were exposed to the virus and tracking any contact with others they may have had, the county Public Health Services Department said in a news release.
Fresno County reported its third case of the virus Wednesday evening: a person who was recovering in isolation at home. Officials said they think the case is travel-related.
And Tulare County announced two more cases Thursday, bringing its total to seven.
One of the new cases is a person between 18 and 24, and officials aren’t sure how that patient contracted the virus. The other, a person between 25 and 40, is believed to have caught it during travel, officials said. Both were tested at Kaweah Delta Medical Center.
Tulare County had reported two other new cases Wednesday night. One is a person between 18 and 25 who had traveled to Europe and self-quarantined after returning home, officials said. That patient was continuing to recover at home, and two contacts had been told to self-quarantine. The other case was a person over 65 believed to have contracted the virus through direct contact with another infected person, health officials said in a news release.
Newsom on Wednesday evening said the state has asked the Department of Defense to deploy the Navy’s Mercy hospital ship and two mobile hospitals to California to help care for the expected surge in hospitalizations of residents stricken by the coronavirus. He put the California National Guard on alert Tuesday.
The governor said the state is working to expand available hospital beds by roughly 20,000, the number needed if more than half of Californians come down with the coronavirus. Newsom’s order falls short of activating California’s National Guard force of roughly 22,000, and he emphasized that the state often relies on the Guard’s assistance in times of disaster and crisis, especially in response to wildfires and earthquakes.
“That’s just one scenario plan. There’s others that are more modest. Some may, some cases may be more extreme,” Newsom said Wednesday evening during a Facebook Live broadcast. “When you’re looking at getting an additional [19,000] to 20,000 beds in your system, you have to look at your existing surge capacity within the healthcare delivery system, and you have to look at procuring additional assets.”
The state estimates that surge capacity in California’s existing hospital system could accommodate 10,000 patients. If requests for the military medical assistance are granted, California should be close to reaching the 20,000-bed threshold, Newsom said.
In the meantime, Newsom has ordered residents to stay in their homes to help stem the spread of the virus. Those who do venture out often find long lines and supermarket shelves stripped of cleaning supplies, toilet paper and other essential goods as shoppers continue panic buying across the state.
Newsom said the National Guard troops would, in part, “make sure food delivery is happening appropriately” and ensure that customers do not overreact at stores.
“We want to make sure people know that their security is top of mind,” he said during a Tuesday briefing on the state’s response to the outbreak.
Ronald Fong, president of the California Grocers Assn., said markets are struggling to restock shelves because so many customers are buying an overabundance of food and supplies.
He urged customers to return to their normal grocery shopping routine, saying there is no shortage of food or necessities such as toilet paper — just an overwhelmed supply chain to the stores.
“The grocery stores are what the governor has deemed an essential service,” Fong said. “Grocery stores are going to stay open. But we cannot keep up with a shopping pattern that customers have adopted by overbuying.”
Newsom said National Guard troops would also assist local governments, but he did not offer specifics about their potential roles.
“The reality is cities can only do so much, and when you are not capable of doing a little bit more, and it becomes regionalized, that’s the appropriate role of the state of California,” Newsom said. “We just want folks to know we’re leaning in a little bit more aggressively in that space as well.”
Gov. Pete Wilson deployed the Guard after the 1992 Los Angeles riots, when troops patrolled streets and enforced a nighttime curfew.
Earlier this month, a California National Guard helicopter delivered supplies to the Grand Princess cruise ship when it was held off the San Francisco coast until some of the passengers and crew could be tested for the coronavirus. The ship eventually docked in Oakland.
More than 20 states have already called in their National Guard troops in response to the coronavirus pandemic.
Defense Secretary Mark Esper has said the department is considering activating National Guard units, the reserves and the Navy’s hospital ships to assist with stemming the outbreak.
Schools
Campuses are closed in response to the coronavirus pandemic, but school — and learning — is still in session.
“While we are in very unique circumstances at this time, we are still providing education to our students,” State Supt. of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond said. “School is not out, but we are finding a different way to deliver it.”
Nearly all schools across the state have shut down, and many districts have announced weeks-long closures. But Newsom on Tuesday evening said schools are likely to remain closed even longer — perhaps for the remainder of the academic year, a disruption to the education of 6.1 million students.
Newsom stuck to that position in a Wednesday update, although state and local school officials stressed that no official directive has been issued.
But the quick-moving developments have sent volunteers and educators scrambling to establish online coursework, meals and other support services for their many students in need.
Social distancing
At least 16 counties, most in the Bay Area , as well as the city of Palm Springs have ordered all residents to stay at home as much as possible.
On Wednesday, Lake, Mendocino, Napa, San Luis Obispo, Solano and Yolo counties joined Sonoma, San Benito, Monterey, San Francisco, Santa Clara, San Mateo, Alameda, Contra Costa, Marin and Santa Cruz counties, which previously had given shelter-in-place orders.
“This is already a painful situation for many families and businesses. And make no mistake about it, it’s going to get worse before it gets better,” state Sen. Bill Dodd (D-Napa) said at a news conference. “But this is an opportunity to move in the right direction, to flatten the curve.”
In Ventura County, health officials announced a shelter-in-place order Tuesday that applies only to older residents.
In total, about 20% of the state’s population is under shelter-in-place orders.


latimes--2020-03-19--Coronavirus shutdowns are lowering greenhouse gas emissions; history shows they'll roar back

The global struggle to slow the spread of the coronavirus has brought with it canceled flights , closed businesses and a quickly escalating economic slowdown that could be devastating to millions .
It is also certain to shrink greenhouse gas emissions this year , according to climate scientists .
But does that mean we are turning a corner in cutting planet-warming pollution ?
If history is any indication , no .
The slide in emissions will be temporary , experts say .
What ’ s more , scientists and environmentalists worry the pandemic will at the same time undermine government @ @ @ @ @ @ @ emissions in the long term .
Experts are predicting the health crisis will cause global emissions to drop for the first time since 2009 , during the Great Recession .
But a look back over the decades shows a steady rise in greenhouse gases punctuated by temporary dips caused by economic downturns , including the 2008 global financial crisis and the oil shocks of the 1970s .
Pollution bounces back predictably once the economy starts improving again , with the resurgence in industrial activity , travel and consumption more than offsetting any short-lived @ @ @ @ @ @ @ won ’ t be celebrating if emissions go down a percent or two because of the coronavirus , ” said Rob Jackson , an environmental scientist at Stanford University who chairs the Global Carbon Project .
“ We need sustained declines .
Not an anomalous year below average.
” Global greenhouse gas emissions rose only slightly in 2019 , Jackson said , so it wouldn ’ t take a big economic shock to push them downward .
NASA and European Space Agency satellites have detected big drops in air pollution concentrations in China @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or quarantine to slow the virus .
At the same time , there are already some indications industry and regulators want to put the brakes on climate action .
Airlines that only months ago were touting efforts to go carbon-neutral to address their rapidly rising emissions are now hit so hard by the slowdown they are warning they will run out of cash without billions in government aid .
In Europe , now the epicenter of the pandemic , some airline companies have pushed regulators to delay emissions-cutting policies on account of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ prime minister urged the European Union to abandon a landmark law seeking net zero carbon emissions to focus instead on battling the outbreak .
“ I ’ m concerned about a sustained downturn in the economy and the narrative that we no longer have the luxury of addressing emissions , ” Jackson said .
“ That would be devastating.
” Los Angeles and Long Beach officials , meanwhile , cited the virus-related hit to cargo volumes at the nation ’ s largest seaport as one reason for voting to approve only a modest @ @ @ @ @ @ @ month .
Air quality officials said the $ 20-per-container fee is too low to make adequate progress cutting greenhouse gas emissions from thousands of diesel trucks that move goods through a complex that comprises Southern California ’ s largest single source of air pollution .
Alex Comisar , a spokesman for L.A. Mayor Eric Garcetti , said the city-owned port is “ not backing down on our environmental goals.
” “ Tariffs have a very real impact on our port , and COVID-19 does add another level of uncertainty that we are already @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , adding that officials will revisit the fee annually “ to closely monitor its economic and environmental impacts , and ensure no ground is lost in the fight against climate change.
” Some environmentalists are optimistic that social distancing measures being adopted to slow the coronavirus , including a sudden shift to working from home and drastic reductions in air travel , could permanently change people ’ s attitudes about the transformations needed to slow climate change .
Well before the virus emerged , there was a growing “ fight-shaming ” movement and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reduce their carbon footprint by forgoing travel in favor of virtual meetings and videoconferencing .
Martha Dina Argüello , executive director of the environmental health and justice group Physicians for Social Responsibility - Los Angeles , said the coronavirus accelerated discussions she and her staff were already having about cutting back on travel to reduce greenhouse gas emissions .
On Thursday , the group ’ s 11 staff members began working remotely , quickly shifting to Zoom and other online meeting and communications platforms .
“ I ’ m a boomer and I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” she said .
“ We will learn that some habits we can change .
But I worry that while my individual footprint is one thing , the practices of the oil industry are another .
Will they get out of the way of us doing better climate policies ?
” “ If our national response is to worry more about the economic impacts and buttress the stock market and industry , then it doesn ’ t bode well , ” she added .
There is precedent for environmental concerns being pushed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to be followed by a resurgence in pollution as the economy recovers , as was the case after the 2008 global financial crisis .
“ After a decrease , you saw carbon dioxide emissions from fossil fuel and cement bounce back in a major , major way in 2010 , ” said Kelly Levin , a senior associate in the climate program at the World Resources Institute , who worries about the world following a similar trajectory as leaders take urgent , short-term measures to stimulate the economy .
“ I think there @ @ @ @ @ @ @ could boost activity in traditionally heavy industries , ” Levin said , though it doesn ’ t have to be that way .
“ We know that economic interventions , even short-term ones , that are low-carbon can create more jobs and higher productivity .
And that ’ s certainly what we ’ re going to need.
” Economic downturns sometimes push in both directions simultaneously , with businesses and governments responding with some economy-boosting measures that hurt the environment and others that promote conservation .
That ’ s what happened with the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ It drove everything from fuel efficiency gains to Alaskan oil production .
It transformed our economy , ” Jackson said .
“ But the savings and loan crisis of the 1980s and ‘ 90s and the housing crisis of 2008 pushed us the other way .
Housing and banks were in trouble .
So companies spent less on the environment.
” The world ’ s inability to coordinate a response to the coronavirus pandemic also draws clear parallels with international efforts that have repeatedly failed to respond to climate science showing irreversible impacts @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2 degrees Celsius .
The setbacks have grown considerably in recent years as President Trump and other world leaders abandon emissions reduction pledges in favor of fossil fuel-friendly policies .
“ It may provide an object lesson in what happens when you don ’ t cooperate with other countries , ” climate activist and 350.org founder Bill McKibben said of the coronavirus , in an email .
“ A wall can ’ t keep out the COVID microbe , any more than it can knock down a CO2 molecule.
” Climate change , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to humanity long after COVID-19 fades .
A 2018 climate assessment by federal agencies found that if greenhouse gas emissions continue to climb , economic losses will be in the hundreds of billions annually in some sectors by the end of the century .
The report also projects 9,000 Americans will die early each year by century ’ s end due to extreme heat from climate change if emissions continue to rise .
It will be much worse in poor countries .
Researchers predict that India could see more than 1 million heat-related @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rise 4 degrees Celsius .
“ It would be unfortunate if we retreated from climate action for something that may be as short term as the coronavirus , ” Jackson said .
“ There will be another coronavirus , there will be another recession , but climate change motors on .
We have to deal with it through the ups and downs of the global economy .
We have no choice .
”

A terminal at John F. Kennedy International Airport was sparse on March 7, 2020, amid growing concerns over the coronavirus. Plummeting air travel is one reason the outbreak is expected to reduce global greenhouse gas emissions.
The global struggle to slow the spread of the coronavirus has brought with it canceled flights, closed businesses and a quickly escalating economic slowdown that could be devastating to millions. It is also certain to shrink greenhouse gas emissions this year, according to climate scientists.
But does that mean we are turning a corner in cutting planet-warming pollution?
If history is any indication, no. The slide in emissions will be temporary, experts say. What’s more, scientists and environmentalists worry the pandemic will at the same time undermine government and industry’s resolve to cut emissions in the long term.
Advertisement
Experts are predicting the health crisis will cause global emissions to drop for the first time since 2009, during the Great Recession. But a look back over the decades shows a steady rise in greenhouse gases punctuated by temporary dips caused by economic downturns, including the 2008 global financial crisis and the oil shocks of the 1970s. Pollution bounces back predictably once the economy starts improving again, with the resurgence in industrial activity, travel and consumption more than offsetting any short-lived benefits to the climate.
“I won’t be celebrating if emissions go down a percent or two because of the coronavirus,” said Rob Jackson, an environmental scientist at Stanford University who chairs the Global Carbon Project. “We need sustained declines. Not an anomalous year below average.”
Global greenhouse gas emissions rose only slightly in 2019, Jackson said, so it wouldn’t take a big economic shock to push them downward.
NASA and European Space Agency satellites have detected big drops in air pollution concentrations in China and Italy as millions went under lockdown or quarantine to slow the virus.
At the same time, there are already some indications industry and regulators want to put the brakes on climate action. Airlines that only months ago were touting efforts to go carbon-neutral to address their rapidly rising emissions are now hit so hard by the slowdown they are warning they will run out of cash without billions in government aid. In Europe, now the epicenter of the pandemic, some airline companies have pushed regulators to delay emissions-cutting policies on account of the coronavirus. The Czech Republic’s prime minister urged the European Union to abandon a landmark law seeking net zero carbon emissions to focus instead on battling the outbreak.
“I’m concerned about a sustained downturn in the economy and the narrative that we no longer have the luxury of addressing emissions,” Jackson said. “That would be devastating.”
Los Angeles and Long Beach officials, meanwhile, cited the virus-related hit to cargo volumes at the nation’s largest seaport as one reason for voting to approve only a modest clean-air fee on shipping containers earlier this month. Air quality officials said the $20-per-container fee is too low to make adequate progress cutting greenhouse gas emissions from thousands of diesel trucks that move goods through a complex that comprises Southern California’s largest single source of air pollution.
Alex Comisar, a spokesman for L.A. Mayor Eric Garcetti, said the city-owned port is “not backing down on our environmental goals.”
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“Tariffs have a very real impact on our port, and COVID-19 does add another level of uncertainty that we are already beginning to feel,” Comisar said, adding that officials will revisit the fee annually “to closely monitor its economic and environmental impacts, and ensure no ground is lost in the fight against climate change.”
Some environmentalists are optimistic that social distancing measures being adopted to slow the coronavirus, including a sudden shift to working from home and drastic reductions in air travel, could permanently change people’s attitudes about the transformations needed to slow climate change.
Well before the virus emerged, there was a growing “fight-shaming” movement and a trend among environmentalists and scientists to reduce their carbon footprint by forgoing travel in favor of virtual meetings and videoconferencing.
Martha Dina Argüello, executive director of the environmental health and justice group Physicians for Social Responsibility - Los Angeles, said the coronavirus accelerated discussions she and her staff were already having about cutting back on travel to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. On Thursday, the group’s 11 staff members began working remotely, quickly shifting to Zoom and other online meeting and communications platforms.
“I’m a boomer and I’m learning how to use Slack,” she said. “We will learn that some habits we can change. But I worry that while my individual footprint is one thing, the practices of the oil industry are another. Will they get out of the way of us doing better climate policies?”
“If our national response is to worry more about the economic impacts and buttress the stock market and industry, then it doesn’t bode well,” she added.
There is precedent for environmental concerns being pushed aside during times of crisis, only to be followed by a resurgence in pollution as the economy recovers, as was the case after the 2008 global financial crisis.
“After a decrease, you saw carbon dioxide emissions from fossil fuel and cement bounce back in a major, major way in 2010,” said Kelly Levin, a senior associate in the climate program at the World Resources Institute, who worries about the world following a similar trajectory as leaders take urgent, short-term measures to stimulate the economy.
“I think there’s a huge risk that we could boost activity in traditionally heavy industries,” Levin said, though it doesn’t have to be that way. “We know that economic interventions, even short-term ones, that are low-carbon can create more jobs and higher productivity. And that’s certainly what we’re going to need.”
Economic downturns sometimes push in both directions simultaneously, with businesses and governments responding with some economy-boosting measures that hurt the environment and others that promote conservation.
That’s what happened with the oil crises of the 1970s.
“It drove everything from fuel efficiency gains to Alaskan oil production. It transformed our economy,” Jackson said. “But the savings and loan crisis of the 1980s and ‘90s and the housing crisis of 2008 pushed us the other way. Housing and banks were in trouble. So companies spent less on the environment.”
The world’s inability to coordinate a response to the coronavirus pandemic also draws clear parallels with international efforts that have repeatedly failed to respond to climate science showing irreversible impacts if global average temperatures rise more than 2 degrees Celsius. The setbacks have grown considerably in recent years as President Trump and other world leaders abandon emissions reduction pledges in favor of fossil fuel-friendly policies.
“It may provide an object lesson in what happens when you don’t cooperate with other countries,” climate activist and 350.org founder Bill McKibben said of the coronavirus, in an email. “A wall can’t keep out the COVID microbe, any more than it can knock down a CO2 molecule.”
Climate change, after all, will continue to threaten to humanity long after COVID-19 fades.
A 2018 climate assessment by federal agencies found that if greenhouse gas emissions continue to climb, economic losses will be in the hundreds of billions annually in some sectors by the end of the century. The report also projects 9,000 Americans will die early each year by century’s end due to extreme heat from climate change if emissions continue to rise.
It will be much worse in poor countries. Researchers predict that India could see more than 1 million heat-related deaths a year by 2100 if temperatures rise 4 degrees Celsius.
“It would be unfortunate if we retreated from climate action for something that may be as short term as the coronavirus,” Jackson said. “There will be another coronavirus, there will be another recession, but climate change motors on. We have to deal with it through the ups and downs of the global economy. We have no choice.”