latimes--2020-04-13--What will 'back-to-normal' look like for California? Some businesses could restart before others

How will California get back to normal amid the coronavirus outbreak ?
There will be no getting back to normal anytime soon , with the new coronavirus unlikely to ever be completely eradicated , and a vaccine 12 months to 18 months away under the most optimistic scenario .
Certainly , society will be opened back up eventually .
But the process is likely going to be slow and methodical — guarding against new outbreaks in an effort to prevent a resurgence even worse than what California is experiencing now , but also focusing on starting to reopen the economy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ peak in cases in California could come anytime between mid-April and the end of May .
California has not been hit as hard as hot spots such as New York .
But officials remain cautious .
Los Angeles County health officials warned Friday that the region social distancing to slow the spread of the novel coronavirus and that stay-at-home restrictions could remain into the summer .
Even with the dramatic social distancing the county is now seeing , officials forecast that up to 30 % of residents could be infected by mid-summer without @ @ @ @ @ @ @ stay-at-home order now could mean that hospitals would be swamped with severely sick people by mid-May .
Rather , experts both in California and nationally talk about a gradual relaxation of elements of the stay-at-home order — an intermediate step that should not be skipped until an effective vaccine is available .
“ Is it wearing masks ?
Probably .
Is it continuing to restrict large gatherings ?
Yeah , probably , ” said Dr. George Rutherford , epidemiologist and infectious diseases expert at UC San Francisco .
“ Is it continuing to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they would otherwise ?
Yeah , probably.
” “ When we return to work , do we all go back on the same day , or do we stagger that ?
” Rutherford asked .
Perhaps factories use staggered shifts to avoid too many workers mixing with each other .
Maybe manufacturing and construction are opened up first , Rutherford said , and then , a bit later , nonessential retail stores , and then some time after that , restaurants .
“ If you ’ re going to open the bars , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ take out every other stool — I mean , I don ’ t know what the governor is going to decide , ” Rutherford speculated .
“ And then maybe everybody who can telecommute would just sit tight for a while.
” As restrictions are eased , officials will need to monitor cases to see if coronavirus cases start to flare up dramatically again .
Looking for a decline in cases in national hot spots Experts say national progress needs to be made in reducing coronavirus cases .
Dr. Anthony Fauci , director @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Infectious Diseases , has repeatedly said the public should be expecting a gradual peeling back of stay-at-home orders .
“ When you say get back to normal , you ’ re really talking about a really clear indication that those areas — like New York City , like New Orleans , like Detroit — that have big outbreaks with peaks , have not only stabilized in the number of new cases and hospitalizations , but have actually turned the corner and are starting to come down , ” Fauci said in an interview @ @ @ @ @ @ @ week .
“ And history with other countries tell us that once you turn that corner and come down , the decline is pretty steep , ” Fauci said .
“ I don ’ t think that you need to get down to zero before you can start contemplating gradually relieving some of the restrictions .
It isn ’ t like a light switch , on and off.
” One idea might be having a 50-seat restaurant only seating a maximum of 25 diners , he said .
“ Bottom line is , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
It ’ s not going to be all or none.
” And some changes might be permanent , he said , adding : “ I don ’ t think we ever should ever shake hands ever again , to be honest with you.
” On Sunday , Fauci said the New York City metro area last week suffered a terrible week of death , but also began to see a flattening of hospitalizations .
“ It ’ s starting to turn the corner.
” Once a sharp decline is seen , “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we can keep it that way and prevent it from resurging — when you ’ re starting to think about a gradual reentry of some sort of normality , some rolling reentry , ” Fauci told CNN .
“ So you ’ re trying to balance two things : You want to make sure you don ’ t do something prematurely and precipitously .
But at the same time , you pay attention to the need to try and get back to normal.
” No sports games until Thanksgiving , at the earliest @ @ @ @ @ @ @ suggested ongoing restrictions lasting toward the end of the year .
The top administrator for Santa Clara County — home to the San Francisco 49ers , San Jose Sharks and Stanford University — said at a meeting of the Board of Supervisors last Tuesday that he suspected sports games wouldn ’ t be held until Thanksgiving at the earliest .
On Thursday , he doubled down on his comments .
“ Even if we do well here in Santa Clara [ County ] , if you have a big event that attracts thousands @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , you run the risk of reinfecting everyone , ” Dr. Jeffrey Smith , the Santa Clara County executive officer told KPIX-TV .
“ In my opinion , it ’ s unlikely that the shelter-in-place [ order ] will be lifted at least until the late fall , because we don ’ t have a national shelter-in-place program , ” Smith said in an interview aired Thursday night .
A longer-term coronavirus strategy lasting at least through the end of the year is something other nations are realizing is unavoidable .
Singapore was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ control , but a wave of new cases , brought by travelers returning home , forced the dense city-state at the beginning of April to order schools and nonessential businesses to close for at least a month .
Officials in Singapore now say they need sustainable measures to slow down the virus that can last through the end of the year .
Infectious disease experts say easing out of stay-at-home orders will require four developments : a dramatic reduction in virus transmission ; lots of testing capacity ; plenty of hospital space ; @ @ @ @ @ @ @ new infections to isolate the infected and quarantine close contacts who might get sick , a practice called contact tracing .
“ Otherwise , what ’ s going to happen is we will end up in a situation which I would call a smoldering epidemic , in the sense that we will be having cases with us , kind of like seasonal influenza — it may wax and wane , ” said Dr. Robert Kim-Farley , medical epidemiologist and infectious diseases expert at the UCLA Fielding School of Public Health .
San Francisco @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Dr. Grant Colfax , has likened the current coronavirus outbreak as a wildfire sweeping across the city .
The goal is to reduce the number of new cases so much that new cases are seen more like smaller spot fires , which can be identified and contained before getting out of control .
Keeping disease levels low in the coming weeks and months will also give scientists and doctors more time to identify life-saving drugs that need time to be identified .
“ I think within the next few weeks , we ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ about what those look like based upon clinical , randomized controlled trials , ” Kim-Farley said .
Boosting the investigation of new cases Already , Rutherford is working on a project aimed at dramatically increasing San Francisco ’ s capability to do contact tracing , which involves investigators asking infected patients where they were when they got infected — typically five days before developing symptoms .
They ’ d also ask where the patients were while infectious , which probably starts one or two days before symptoms became apparent .
Rutherford ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ dozen people — who normally work on projects focused on Asia and Africa — will assist in the effort .
And the goal is to “ get a bunch of medical students and the city librarians to come in ” and help boost staffing , he said .
So instead of roughly 10 disease investigation specialists working on this contact tracing effort , soon , there could be 100 people working on it for San Francisco , work that is done mainly by telephone .
Adding on undergraduate students — for instance , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Francisco State — could dramatically help expand the manpower .
A big need will be investigators who can speak Spanish .
“ So you get 600 undergraduates as opposed to 100 medical students , we can work on it , ” he said .

A lone car travels on the Pasadena Freeway in Los Angeles. Traffic on freeways and surface streets has been light as people heed official calls to stay at home to help curb the spread of the coronavirus.
How will California get back to normal amid the coronavirus outbreak?
There will be no getting back to normal anytime soon, with the new coronavirus unlikely to ever be completely eradicated, and a vaccine 12 months to 18 months away under the most optimistic scenario.
Certainly, society will be opened back up eventually. But the process is likely going to be slow and methodical — guarding against new outbreaks in an effort to prevent a resurgence even worse than what California is experiencing now, but also focusing on starting to reopen the economy.
Depending on various models, the peak in cases in California could come anytime between mid-April and the end of May.
California has not been hit as hard as hot spots such as New York. But officials remain cautious.
Los Angeles County health officials warned Friday that the region needs to significantly increase social distancing to slow the spread of the novel coronavirus and that stay-at-home restrictions could remain into the summer.
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Even with the dramatic social distancing the county is now seeing, officials forecast that up to 30% of residents could be infected by mid-summer without more behavioral changes. And abandoning the stay-at-home order now could mean that hospitals would be swamped with severely sick people by mid-May.
Los Angeles County Coronavirus Hospital Demand Modeling Projections - April 10, 2020 Los Angeles County health officials show what might happen if the stay-at-home order is lifted in mid-April, and what may happen if residents get even better at physical distancing in the coming weeks.
Gradual relaxation of stay-at-home orders
Rather, experts both in California and nationally talk about a gradual relaxation of elements of the stay-at-home order — an intermediate step that should not be skipped until an effective vaccine is available.
“Is it wearing masks? Probably. Is it continuing to restrict large gatherings? Yeah, probably,” said Dr. George Rutherford, epidemiologist and infectious diseases expert at UC San Francisco. “Is it continuing to have older people stay home more than they would otherwise? Yeah, probably.”
“When we return to work, do we all go back on the same day, or do we stagger that?” Rutherford asked.
Perhaps factories use staggered shifts to avoid too many workers mixing with each other. Maybe manufacturing and construction are opened up first, Rutherford said, and then, a bit later, nonessential retail stores, and then some time after that, restaurants.
“If you’re going to open the bars, you’re going to have to take out every other stool — I mean, I don’t know what the governor is going to decide,” Rutherford speculated. “And then maybe everybody who can telecommute would just sit tight for a while.”
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As restrictions are eased, officials will need to monitor cases to see if coronavirus cases start to flare up dramatically again.
Looking for a decline in cases in national hot spots
Experts say national progress needs to be made in reducing coronavirus cases.
Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, has repeatedly said the public should be expecting a gradual peeling back of stay-at-home orders.
“When you say get back to normal, you’re really talking about a really clear indication that those areas — like New York City, like New Orleans, like Detroit — that have big outbreaks with peaks, have not only stabilized in the number of new cases and hospitalizations, but have actually turned the corner and are starting to come down,” Fauci said in an interview with The Journal podcast that aired last week.
1 / 83 Socially distanced bikers and walkers, against a backdrop of the Queen Mary, make their way along pedestrian and beach bike path on the first day that Long Beach reopened the path on Monday May 11, 2020. The city of Long Beach eased a few of its public health restrictions, allowing under certain guidelines the reopening of pedestrian and beach bike paths, tennis centers and courts. Beach bathrooms are also reopening, but the parking lots and beaches still remain closed. (Genaro Molina/Los Angeles Times) 2 / 83 Traffic remains light on the southbound 110 Freeway headed toward downtown Los Angeles on April 28. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times) 3 / 83 Dominique Barrett, center, known as “King Vader” to his 2.4 million TikTok followers, prepares to shoot a video on April 30 in Glendora. (Dania Maxwell / Los Angeles Times) 4 / 83 Cody Purcell of Redondo Beach rides a wave, glowing from the bioluminescence, in Hermosa Beach, CA, after midnight Friday morning, May 8. (Jay L. Clendenin/Los Angeles Times) 5 / 83 Friends play spikeball, a game perfect for social distancing on an open but restricted San Buenaventura State Beach. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times) 6 / 83 The majority of golfers are wearing masks while hitting balls on the driving range at Van Buren Executive Golf Course in Riverside. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times) 7 / 83 Beaches including Harbor Cove Beach were open but beachgoers were not supposed to be sitting on the sand. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times) 8 / 83 Tango instructor Yelizaveta Nersesova leads a Zoom tango event from her Los Angeles home April 27 that brought together hundreds of dancers from around the world. (Jason Armond / Los Angeles Times) 9 / 83 Grocery store workers, joined by United Food and Commercial Workers International Union Local 770 representatives and community members, hold a rally in support of strict social distancing on May 1 at a Ralphs store in Hollywood where 19 employees have tested positive for COVID-19. (Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times) 10 / 83 Mostly masked commuters keep their distance from one another on a Metro bus in downtown Los Angeles on April 29. (Gabriella Angotti-Jones / Los Angeles Times) 11 / 83 Gregory Kuhl, 69, heads home after a shopping trip in Hollywood on April 28. Big cracks in the street, cars parked in driveways blocking sidewalks and uneven pavement levels make navigating his route difficult. (Dania Maxwell / Los Angeles Times) 12 / 83 Tenants and their supporters from across Los Angeles gather at city hall to call on L.A. Mayor Eric Garcetti, the L.A. City Council and California Gov. Gavin Newsom to cancel rent and mortgage payments during the COVID-19 crisis. (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times) 13 / 83 Aerial view of over 100 vehicles lined up at the West Valley COVID-19 testing center at Warner Center in Woodland Hills. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times) 14 / 83 Senior Mason Wise, left, helps his sister, Mackenzie, a sophomore, clean out her PE locker at El Camino Real Charter High School in Woodland Hills. School officials were allowing no more than five students at a time on campus to take home their belongings. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times) 15 / 83 Shuttered storefront businesses in the garment district of Los Angeles. California’s unemployment rate has skyrocketed since the statewide coronavirus shutdown took effect. (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times) 16 / 83 Healthcare workers celebrate as Claudia Martinez is discharged from the ICU after she recovered from COVID-19 at Scripps Mercy Hospital in Chula Vista. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) 17 / 83 Carson residents Kaeli Burks, 3, left, and her cousin Bailey Watson, 5, look out the window of their car after their mothers helped them with self-testing at a new drive-up testing site for COVID-19 in Carson. Free COVID-19 testing is available to all city residents thanks to a partnership between the city and US Health Fairs. (Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times) 18 / 83 Norm and Tracy Kahn enjoy eating dinner outside on a small cafe table sitting in blue chairs on their side yard during the coronavirus pandemic on April 27 in Riverside. “During this pandemic, eating outside offers us an opportunity to change surrounding and appreciate the calmness of being outdoors among trees, scents from nature and the sounds of birds,” she said. Also adding, “Mixing up where we eat puts variety into our days and takes away the sameness of feeling trapped at home.” (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times) 19 / 83 Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center nurses carry supplies outside the hospital. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times) 20 / 83 Tom Sean Foley pauses on a walk with his kids, Cathelen Claire, “C.C.,” 3, and Timothy Joseph, 4, to take a photo in front of the “Love Wall,” mural by artist Curtis Kulig, outside of Smashbox Studios in Culver City. (Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times) 21 / 83 Protesters stand along Mission Blvd. in Pacific Beach during A Day of Liberty rally on April 26. The protesters were against the government shutdown due to the coronavirus. (K.C. Alfred / San Diego Union-Tribune) 22 / 83 People make orders at a food truck along Shoreline Avenue in Long Beach. (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times) 23 / 83 Medical staff, wearing protective gear, work inside a COVID-19 isolation area inside the emergency department at Los Angeles County-USC Medical Center in Los Angeles, where patients with the virus are being treated. (Mel Melcon / Los Angeles Times) 24 / 83 Neighbors practice social distancing while enjoying the nice weather near The Strand in Hermosa Beach. (Gabriella Angotti-Jones / Los Angeles Times) 25 / 83 Counter-protesters attend a protest to call on state and local officials to reopen the economy in downtown Los Angeles. (Christina House / Los Angeles Times) 26 / 83 A group of protesters cheer on cars during a vehicle caravan protest to call on state and local officials to reopen the economy in downtown Los Angeles. (Christina House / Los Angeles Times) 27 / 83 Cedar Mountain Post Acute Rehabilitation staff member Navi Cavaltera waters a flower pot put up by the community to show their support for the nursing staff of the facility in Yucaipa. Eighteen of 20 coronavirus-related deaths in Yucaipa were residents of the skilled nursing facility. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times) 28 / 83 A pedestrian wearing a protective mask passes a mural on a store on Melrose Avenue in the Fairfax district of Los Angeles. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times) 29 / 83 Jonte Florence, a freestyle dancer, does a handstand on a mostly empty Hollywood Walk of Fame. Florence said he normally performs for hundreds of tourists along the busy street. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times) 30 / 83 The Tyrannosaurus rex overlooking the intersection of Hollywood Boulevard and Highland Avenue wears a protective mask while practicing social distancing. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times) 31 / 83 Businesses are shuttered and pedestrians are few and far between on Hollywood Boulevard. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times) 32 / 83 Daniel Rogerson wears a vintage military gas mask while riding a bike along the beach path in Santa Monica, which is closed to enforce social distancing because of the coronavirus pandemic. (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times) 33 / 83 A face mask seller in colorful dress appears to be part of a mural behind a bus stop on Soto Street in Los Angeles. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times) 34 / 83 Life around Cesar E. Chavez Boulevard and Soto Street has slowed down as California officials extended stay-at-home orders into May and residents entered Easter weekend with unprecedented limits on their movements. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times) 35 / 83 UC Irvine Medical Center health care workers return their gratitude as about 25 Orange County first responder vehicles participate in a drive-by parade of gratitude as they battle COVID-19 at the hospital. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times) 36 / 83 Billy Budd, 55, of Hollywood, walks along Hollywood Boulevard with a protective face covering. Budd is a scenic artist for movies and television who is currently out of work due to the coronavirus outbreak. (Mel Melcon / Los Angeles Times) 37 / 83 Stuart Reyes and his sister, Stephanie, sell masks for $5 each on the 3000 block of West Century Boulevard in Inglewood. Stuart Reyes said he is selling masks to support his mother. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times) 38 / 83 A jogger runs on a closed trail past dozens of pieces of caution tape, torn off by hikers and mountain bikers at El Escorpion Canyon Park in West Hills. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times) 39 / 83 Alex Herron and nurse Mercy Pineda at a blood drive sponsored by USC athletics and the American Red Cross at USC’s Galen Center. (Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times) 40 / 83 Los Angeles City Hall displays blue lights to show support for healthcare workers and first responders. (Gary Coronado / Los Angeles Times) 41 / 83 After being indoors for several days because of rainy weather and coronavirus stay-at-home orders, Olivia Jacobs, 4, and her mom, Cia Jacobs, enjoy a warm and sunny afternoon making chalk drawings on the sidewalk in front of their home in West Hills. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times) 42 / 83 An Oceanview Plaza security guard sports a whimsical mask while on patrol. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times) 43 / 83 Jacob De Wilde, left, and Lesli Lytle load a car with food during a food distribution organized to mark Good Friday. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times) 44 / 83 As a late season storm continues to make its way across the Southland, a young basketball player dribbles along an alley through an Elysian Park neighborhood in Los Angeles. (Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times) 45 / 83 People are silhouetted in a window of an apartment building in Hollywood, where a stay-at-home order remains in effect to help curb the spread of the coronavirus. (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times) 46 / 83 The Wilshire Grand Center display blue lights and a heart to show support for healthcare workers and first responders. (Gary Coronado / Los Angeles Times) 47 / 83 Women wear masks as they stroll along Highland Avenue in Hollywood. Wearing masks while outdoors is mandatory in the city of Los Angeles. (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times) 48 / 83 Patients are removed from Magnolia Rehabilitation and Nursing Center after 39 tested positive for the coronavirus and nursing staff was not showing up to work. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times) 49 / 83 A specimen is turned in at the new mobile testing site for people with symptoms of the coronavirus at Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Science in South Los Angeles. (Christina House / Los Angeles Times) 50 / 83 Hippie Kitchen in Los Angeles hands out food, water and toiletries to homeless people and residents of skid row. Additionally, masks were offered to help reduce the spread of the coronavirus. (Myung J. Chun / Los Angeles Times) 51 / 83 Nurses pose for a fun photo during a break in drive-through public testing for the coronavirus at Arrowhead Regional Medical Center in Colton. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times) 52 / 83 A woman shows a notice from her doctor that allows her to obtain a test for coronavirus at a new drive-up testing site in a parking lot at the South Bay Galleria in Redondo Beach. (Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times) 53 / 83 A person who wishes to remain anonymous strikes from her car to support McDonald’s employees who are demanding the company cover healthcare costs of any worker or immediate family member who gets sick from COVID-19 in Los Angeles. (Dania Maxwell / Los Angeles Times) 54 / 83 Cassidy Roosen, with Beach Cities Health District, holds up a sign that says, “We’re All in This Together,” while waiting to direct cars at a drive-through, appointment-only coronavirus testing location at the South Bay Galleria in Redondo Beach. (Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times) 55 / 83 Juliann Hartman, center, and her husband, Butch, wave signs they created to cheer up people on Calabasas Road in Calabasas during the pandemic. (Mel Melcon / Los Angeles Times) 56 / 83 Grace Carter, 15, of Riverside, practices a dance routine at home after dance classes and school were canceled. She has to use the Zoom app on her iPhone to practice with her dance group. “It’s hard,” she said. “My bedroom is a smaller space. I miss all my friends at the studio.” (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times) 57 / 83 A man works from his home in Long Beach. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) 58 / 83 A San Bernardino County healthcare worker takes a sample at a coronavirus drive-through testing site at the county fairgrounds in Victorville. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times) 59 / 83 A Metro general service employee disinfects a bench in Boyle Heights. (Gary Coronado / Los Angeles Times) 60 / 83 A runner jogs past the Pottery Barn in Pasadena. Some businesses in the area have boarded up their stores. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times) 61 / 83 Raquel Lezama and daughter Monica Ramos collect meals for their family at Manual Arts High School. Lezama was laid off from her $17.76-an-hour job at a Beverly Hills hotel. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times) 62 / 83 The Iron City Tavern in San Pedro tries an incentive to lure takeout customers. (Carolyn Cole / Los Angeles Times) 63 / 83 Healthcare workers gather outside UCLA Ronald Reagan Medical Center to call for further action from the federal government in response to the COVID-19 outbreak. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times) 64 / 83 Kristen Edgerle, of Victorville, collects information from a blood donor before drawing blood at The Richard Nixon Presidential Library blood drive during the coronavirus pandemic in Yorba Linda. (Jason Armond / Los Angeles Times) 65 / 83 Shauna Jin, of Los Angeles, with her dog, Bodhi, practices social distancing with John Kiss, of Los Angeles, at the entrance of Runyon Canyon Park in Los Angeles. (Gary Coronado / Los Angeles Times) 66 / 83 A lending library had some additional useful items, including a roll of toilet paper and cans of beans and corn, in a Hermosa Beach neighborhood. (Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times) 67 / 83 Protesters drive by the Getty House, the home of L.A. Mayor Eric Garcetti, in Hancock Park. Tenant advocates are demanding a total moratorium on evictions during the coronavirus crisis. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times) 68 / 83 Venice residents Emily Berry and Gavin Kelley take a break at Venice Beach. Berry, a cocktail waitress at Enterprise Fish Co., lost her job due to the coronavirus outbreak. Kelley, a manager at a performing arts school with a focus on music, said that he still has a job and that classes at the school will resume online this coming Monday. (Mel Melcon / Los Angeles Times) 69 / 83 The JW Marriott at L.A. Live is sharing a message of hope with red lights in 34 windows, creating a 19-story display on the hotel’s north side. (Gary Coronado / Los Angeles Times) 70 / 83 Juan Diaz Jr., a lifelong Dodgers fan, prays that the season will start by May in front of Dodger Stadium on what would have been opening day. (Mel Melcon / Los Angeles Times) 71 / 83 Hayley, CEO and founder of Love My Neighbor Foundation, right, dances with Crystal Armster, 51, while she and her colleagues continue to feed the homeless on skid row amid the pandemic. (Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times) 72 / 83 A masked passenger on a Metro bus in downtown Los Angeles. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times) 73 / 83 Dede Oneal waits for a coronavirus test at the Crenshaw Christian Center in South Los Angeles. (Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times) 74 / 83 A man in a mask passes a closed restaurant along Spring Street in downtown Los Angeles. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times) 75 / 83 Artist Corie Mattie paints a mural on the side of a pop-up store as a man takes a picture in West Hollywood. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times) 76 / 83 Medical assistant Zoila Villalta works with Rosie Boston, 32, of Glendale, who is donating blood for her first time at L.A. Care Health Plan downtown. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times) 77 / 83 A couple wait for a bus outside the Petersen Automotive Museum in Los Angeles. (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times) 78 / 83 With all Los Angeles schools closed until further notice, LAUSD buses sit idle in Gardena. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times) 79 / 83 A lone traveler makes his way to catch a flight in Tom Bradley International Terminal. (Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times) 80 / 83 Denise Young looks on as her daughter, Allison, 9, a fourth-grader at EARThS (Environmental Academy of Research Technology and Earth Sciences) Magnet School in Newbury Park, receives a Chromebook. (Mel Melcon / Los Angeles Times) 81 / 83 Hollywood Boulevard is devoid of the usual crowds. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times) 82 / 83 Michael Ray, 11, plays before a movie at the Paramount Drive-In. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times) 83 / 83 Isabella Leader, 15, counts how many flags have been left for World War II veteran Lt. Col. Sam Sachs who was celebrating his 105th birthday at the Mom & Dad’s House, an assisted living facility, in Lakewood. Lt. Col. Sachs appealed to the public for birthday cards after the coronavirus pandemic forced the cancellation of a big celebration and wound up receiving thousands, including a letter and photo from President Trump. (Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times)
“And history with other countries tell us that once you turn that corner and come down, the decline is pretty steep,” Fauci said. “I don’t think that you need to get down to zero before you can start contemplating gradually relieving some of the restrictions. It isn’t like a light switch, on and off.”
One idea might be having a 50-seat restaurant only seating a maximum of 25 diners, he said. “Bottom line is, it’s going to be gradual. It’s not going to be all or none.”
And some changes might be permanent, he said, adding: “I don’t think we ever should ever shake hands ever again, to be honest with you.”
On Sunday, Fauci said the New York City metro area last week suffered a terrible week of death, but also began to see a flattening of hospitalizations. “It’s starting to turn the corner.”
Once a sharp decline is seen, “then you can start thinking about how we can keep it that way and prevent it from resurging — when you’re starting to think about a gradual reentry of some sort of normality, some rolling reentry,” Fauci told CNN. “So you’re trying to balance two things: You want to make sure you don’t do something prematurely and precipitously. But at the same time, you pay attention to the need to try and get back to normal.”
No sports games until Thanksgiving, at the earliest?
Some local officials in California have suggested ongoing restrictions lasting toward the end of the year. The top administrator for Santa Clara County — home to the San Francisco 49ers, San Jose Sharks and Stanford University — said at a meeting of the Board of Supervisors last Tuesday that he suspected sports games wouldn’t be held until Thanksgiving at the earliest.
On Thursday, he doubled down on his comments. “Even if we do well here in Santa Clara [County], if you have a big event that attracts thousands of people from all over the nation, you run the risk of reinfecting everyone,” Dr. Jeffrey Smith, the Santa Clara County executive officer told KPIX-TV.
“In my opinion, it’s unlikely that the shelter-in-place [order] will be lifted at least until the late fall, because we don’t have a national shelter-in-place program,” Smith said in an interview aired Thursday night.
A longer-term coronavirus strategy lasting at least through the end of the year is something other nations are realizing is unavoidable.
Singapore was once lauded for keeping the coronavirus under control, but a wave of new cases, brought by travelers returning home, forced the dense city-state at the beginning of April to order schools and nonessential businesses to close for at least a month.
Officials in Singapore now say they need sustainable measures to slow down the virus that can last through the end of the year.
Returning to containment
Infectious disease experts say easing out of stay-at-home orders will require four developments: a dramatic reduction in virus transmission; lots of testing capacity; plenty of hospital space; and robust local resources to aggressively investigate new infections to isolate the infected and quarantine close contacts who might get sick, a practice called contact tracing.
“Otherwise, what’s going to happen is we will end up in a situation which I would call a smoldering epidemic, in the sense that we will be having cases with us, kind of like seasonal influenza — it may wax and wane,” said Dr. Robert Kim-Farley, medical epidemiologist and infectious diseases expert at the UCLA Fielding School of Public Health.
San Francisco’s director of public health, Dr. Grant Colfax, has likened the current coronavirus outbreak as a wildfire sweeping across the city. The goal is to reduce the number of new cases so much that new cases are seen more like smaller spot fires, which can be identified and contained before getting out of control.
Keeping disease levels low in the coming weeks and months will also give scientists and doctors more time to identify life-saving drugs that need time to be identified.
“I think within the next few weeks, we’re going to have some good knowledge about what those look like based upon clinical, randomized controlled trials,” Kim-Farley said.
Boosting the investigation of new cases
Already, Rutherford is working on a project aimed at dramatically increasing San Francisco’s capability to do contact tracing, which involves investigators asking infected patients where they were when they got infected — typically five days before developing symptoms. They’d also ask where the patients were while infectious, which probably starts one or two days before symptoms became apparent.
Rutherford’s UC San Francisco team of about three dozen people — who normally work on projects focused on Asia and Africa — will assist in the effort. And the goal is to “get a bunch of medical students and the city librarians to come in” and help boost staffing, he said.
So instead of roughly 10 disease investigation specialists working on this contact tracing effort, soon, there could be 100 people working on it for San Francisco, work that is done mainly by telephone.
Adding on undergraduate students — for instance, those interested in public health at San Francisco State — could dramatically help expand the manpower. A big need will be investigators who can speak Spanish. “So you get 600 undergraduates as opposed to 100 medical students, we can work on it,” he said.


latimes--2020-04-13--Remember the hot-pink 'emoji house'? It sold for $1.55 million in Manhattan Beach

The hot-pink house adorned with two giant emojis that roiled a Manhattan Beach neighborhood last year has changed hands .
The two-bedroom , two-bathroom beach-adjacent property on 39th Street , which was listed at the height of a neighborhood brouhaha in August , sold on March 31 for $ 1.55 million , according to property records .
The house was put up for sale with an asking price of $ 1.749 million two weeks after homeowners and renters in the El Porto neighborhood raised objections to the home ’ s colorful paint job at a City Council meeting .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ her neighbors began in May 2019 , when residents reported Kidd to the city for illegally using her property for short-term rentals .
After Kidd was fined $ 4,000 for violating the city ’ s rental laws , the once-beige property was painted an eye-catching shade of pink enhanced with two yellow emoji faces .
The saga was first reported by Easy Reader News and quickly became a phenomenon that snagged headlines across Southern California .
Neighbors perturbed by the spectacle said the emojis were intended to mock them .
One emoji on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a smiling face with a stuck-out tongue ; the eyes , looking in different directions , were crowned by long , bold eyelashes .
Another on the lower level had the same eyes and lashes but a zipper across its mouth , representing the “ shut up ” emoji .
Susan Wieland , a neighbor who reported Kidd to the city , told Easy Reader News that she was wearing eyelash extensions when she met her neighbor .
Kidd told the outlet at the time that the emojis were not intended to mock @ @ @ @ @ @ @ entitled to their opinions , she was not in violation of any laws .
“ I ’ m trying not to offend anybody , ” Kidd said .
“ I did it for the purpose of being happy , being positive , and I think it ’ s cute and quirky and kind of funny , and certainly was a time for the emoji.
” Kidd purchased the duplex , built in 1931 , in March 2018 for $ 1.35 million .
The property was listed in December 2018 for $ 1.99 million @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a few months later .
It was listed again in August 2019 for $ 1.749 million .
The asking price of the property dropped five times over the course of several months before it was sold , according to Zillow .
Times staff writers Alexa Diaz , Colleen Shalby and Jack Flemming contributed to this report .

The hot-pink house adorned with two giant emojis that roiled a Manhattan Beach neighborhood last year has changed hands.
The two-bedroom, two-bathroom beach-adjacent property on 39th Street, which was listed at the height of a neighborhood brouhaha in August, sold on March 31 for $1.55 million, according to property records. The house was put up for sale with an asking price of $1.749 million two weeks after homeowners and renters in the El Porto neighborhood raised objections to the home’s colorful paint job at a City Council meeting.
The battle between prior homeowner Kathryn Kidd and her neighbors began in May 2019, when residents reported Kidd to the city for illegally using her property for short-term rentals. After Kidd was fined $4,000 for violating the city’s rental laws, the once-beige property was painted an eye-catching shade of pink enhanced with two yellow emoji faces. The saga was first reported by Easy Reader News and quickly became a phenomenon that snagged headlines across Southern California.
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Neighbors perturbed by the spectacle said the emojis were intended to mock them. One emoji on the duplex’s top floor showed a smiling face with a stuck-out tongue; the eyes, looking in different directions, were crowned by long, bold eyelashes. Another on the lower level had the same eyes and lashes but a zipper across its mouth, representing the “shut up” emoji.
Susan Wieland, a neighbor who reported Kidd to the city, told Easy Reader News that she was wearing eyelash extensions when she met her neighbor. Kidd told the outlet at the time that the emojis were not intended to mock Wieland and that, although people were entitled to their opinions, she was not in violation of any laws.
“I’m trying not to offend anybody,” Kidd said. “I did it for the purpose of being happy, being positive, and I think it’s cute and quirky and kind of funny, and certainly was a time for the emoji.”
Kidd purchased the duplex, built in 1931, in March 2018 for $1.35 million. The property was listed in December 2018 for $1.99 million before it was pulled from the market a few months later. It was listed again in August 2019 for $1.749 million. The asking price of the property dropped five times over the course of several months before it was sold, according to Zillow.
Times staff writers Alexa Diaz, Colleen Shalby and Jack Flemming contributed to this report.


latimes--2020-04-13--Insurance companies ordered to give refunds to Californians due to coronavirus

Drivers and business owners in California should get at least partial refunds on no less than two months ’ worth of insurance premiums because of the coronavirus-induced restrictions that have slashed commutes and shut companies ’ doors , the state insurance commissioner ’ s office ordered Monday .
Commissioner Ricardo Lara ordered insurance companies to adjust insurance premiums covering March and April , since less activity means lower risk in several categories .
Californians could also see refunds for their May premium payments if stay-at-home restrictions extend into next month .
“ With Californians driving fewer miles and many businesses @ @ @ @ @ @ @ consumers need relief from premiums that no longer reflect their present-day risk of accident or loss , ” Lara said in a statement .
“ Today ’ s mandatory action will put money back in people ’ s pockets when they need it most.
” The order to retroactively adjust insurance premiums applies to at least the following coverage areas : private passenger and commercial auto insurance ; workers ’ compensation ; commercial multi-peril , which covers a variety of losses ; commercial liability ; and medical malpractice .
Refunds are also required @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the risk of loss has fallen substantially as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic , ” Lara ’ s office said in the statement .
Customers should receive the refunds no later than August .
They should come in the form of a premium credit , reduction , return or some other form of adjustment , the state Insurance Department said .
The department isn ’ t currently saying how big the refunds should be because factors can vary by policy and insurer , according to the department spokesman .
The American Property @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Lara ’ s order .
In a statement , the trade group said that “ private competitive markets will work to the benefit of consumers ” if insurers are given more flexibility .
It noted that some insurers had already committed to issuing refunds .
“ Now is not the time for arbitrary calls for rate decisions , ” David A. Sampson , the group ’ s chief executive , said in the statement .
Under the terms of the order , each insurance company will create a plan for refunds — either @ @ @ @ @ @ @ policyholders or assessing the policies on a case-by-case basis .
Those plans will then be scrutinized by the state Insurance Department ’ s actuaries to make sure the refund amounts are adequate when compared with projections of how much , say , driving or payroll has decreased , the department spokesman said .
Policyholders are to get an explanation of the adjustment from their insurer , as well as any changes to what ’ s known as classification or exposure basis .
For example , a car used by someone who now doesn @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reclassified from commuter use to pleasure use , which can have a cheaper premium .
Policyholders don ’ t need to do anything to get the refund , the department spokesman said .
Insurance companies should respond to the commissioner ’ s order and then contact policyholders .

The largely empty intersection of the 101 and 110 freeways in downtown Los Angeles on March 20.
Drivers and business owners in California should get at least partial refunds on no less than two months’ worth of insurance premiums because of the coronavirus-induced restrictions that have slashed commutes and shut companies’ doors, the state insurance commissioner’s office ordered Monday.
Commissioner Ricardo Lara ordered insurance companies to adjust insurance premiums covering March and April, since less activity means lower risk in several categories. Californians could also see refunds for their May premium payments if stay-at-home restrictions extend into next month.
“With Californians driving fewer miles and many businesses closed due to the COVID-19 emergency, consumers need relief from premiums that no longer reflect their present-day risk of accident or loss,” Lara said in a statement. “Today’s mandatory action will put money back in people’s pockets when they need it most.”
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The order to retroactively adjust insurance premiums applies to at least the following coverage areas: private passenger and commercial auto insurance; workers’ compensation; commercial multi-peril, which covers a variety of losses; commercial liability; and medical malpractice.
Refunds are also required in “any other insurance line where the risk of loss has fallen substantially as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic,” Lara’s office said in the statement.
Customers should receive the refunds no later than August. They should come in the form of a premium credit, reduction, return or some other form of adjustment, the state Insurance Department said.
The department isn’t currently saying how big the refunds should be because factors can vary by policy and insurer, according to the department spokesman.
The American Property Casualty Insurance Assn. expressed dissatisfaction about Lara’s order. In a statement, the trade group said that “private competitive markets will work to the benefit of consumers” if insurers are given more flexibility. It noted that some insurers had already committed to issuing refunds.
“Now is not the time for arbitrary calls for rate decisions,” David A. Sampson, the group’s chief executive, said in the statement.
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Under the terms of the order, each insurance company will create a plan for refunds — either giving the same adjustment to all its policyholders or assessing the policies on a case-by-case basis. Those plans will then be scrutinized by the state Insurance Department’s actuaries to make sure the refund amounts are adequate when compared with projections of how much, say, driving or payroll has decreased, the department spokesman said.
Policyholders are to get an explanation of the adjustment from their insurer, as well as any changes to what’s known as classification or exposure basis. For example, a car used by someone who now doesn’t drive to work may be reclassified from commuter use to pleasure use, which can have a cheaper premium.
Policyholders don’t need to do anything to get the refund, the department spokesman said. Insurance companies should respond to the commissioner’s order and then contact policyholders.


latimes--2020-04-13--No L.A. Unified student will get an 'F' on spring report card

No students will receive failing grades on their spring report cards , Los Angeles school officials announced Monday , taking an assertive step on student assessment decisions confronting school systems across California .
The bold move is the latest decision to reshape education in response to the coronavirus pandemic that has shuttered California schools and forced distance learning for about 6.2 million students .
Actions have included canceling “ mandatory ” standardized tests , relaxing college admission requirements and turning Advanced Placement tests into take-home exams .
Concern over the ability of all students to access and benefit from online @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Unified School District ’ s no-fail decision .
In a concurrent move , officials said that a student ’ s grade will be no worse than what it was on March 13 , the final day of campus-based instruction .
But it could improve : Teachers are expected to devise reasonable opportunities for students to improve their grades .
“ Many of the examples we see of successful video learning have a significant selection bias , ” said L.A. schools Supt .
Austin Beutner .
“ Affluent families with resources at home , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ budgets and students with demonstrated aptitude to learn independently .
Public schools have in their DNA the commitment to serve all students , irrespective of circumstance , and it will not be so simple.
” With its Monday announcement , L.A. Unified moved out in front of many school systems still grappling with grading .
Long Beach Unified on Monday said the district was not yet ready to announce what it would do .
Parents and principals in Santa Monica have provided mixed feedback to officials there .
Palos Verdes Peninsula Unified will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ now , but the matter remains under review , said Supt .
Alex Cherniss .
Other districts are moving forward in different ways .
In South Pasadena , high school students must choose either a letter grade or Credit/No Credit format by May 29 .
At Fresno Unified , where about 87 % of students are members of low-income families , officials have adopted a plan that shares common features with L.A. Unified ’ s .
Fresno uses the quarter system , and the third-quarter grade will be extended into the fourth quarter @ @ @ @ @ @ @ opportunities to raise their grade — based on content that was taught in class prior to campus closures .
However , it still will be possible for students to fail a class if they already had a failing grade .
The lowest grade will be a “ D ” in L.A. Unified , and avoiding a “ D ” should be motivation enough for students to apply themselves , said Chief of Schools David Baca , who provides support to the district ’ s regional clusters of schools .
In L.A. , officials @ @ @ @ @ @ @ side of compassion and equity — balancing academic rigor and the need to motivate students against the sobering knowledge that family hardships would inevitably compromise the ability of thousands of students to learn , especially in a school system where 80 % of students are members of low-income households .
The no-fail policy was widely , but not universally , applauded .
“ Students shouldn ’ t be expected to give their 100 % during this time , ” said Frances Suavillo , a Carson High senior who represents students as a non-voting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ This situation is beyond our control and it ’ s relieving to know that we won ’ t get penalized for it.
” But a high school principal said he ’ s worried about what will happen with students who are not intrinsically motivated to push forward academically , especially under challenging circumstances .
“ This policy makes it feel like school ended on March 13 , ” said the principal , who asked not to be named because he was not authorized to speak .
He worried that students would abandon @ @ @ @ @ @ @ them reason to remain safe at home .
“ I don ’ t see how a student who was failing and now doesn ’ t respond to any online learning assignments would ever deserve class credits , ” said Stephen Cordova , an English teacher at Dorsey High in the Crenshaw/Baldwin Hills area .
“ Students who weren ’ t doing well March 13 , when this unprecedented crisis began , still had three months of school where they could have accessed in-person intervention to improve their grade , ” said union President-Elect @ @ @ @ @ @ @ longer available .
Students improve , often dramatically.
” L.A. Unified ’ s decision on grading quickly reverberated beyond the district ’ s borders .
Gary Grayson , a teacher in the Conejo Valley Unified School District , said that in his 11th grade U.S. History class , individual student patterns simply replicated themselves in the new setting .
Previously diligent students remain so , while students who “ rarely ” turn in work are not doing so now .
But even when everyone is doing their part , the situation for students @ @ @ @ @ @ @ month after campuses closed , Elizabeth Chavez said their family still does not have a broadband connection at home for her daughter Alondra , a second-grader at Stoner Avenue Elementary in Del Rey .
She called a local provider offering free service , but installers might not be available for weeks .
Beutner used his emergency powers to authorize $ 100 million in spending on technology — both computers and broadband hot spots — but the hot spots had yet to reach all schools before spring break .
The challenges to keeping up @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Julissa Alvarado , a 9th-grader at Venice High School , said last week that she is trying to maintain a focus on her studies , but she finds the distance learning “ boring.
” Her parents don ’ t speak English , making it harder for them to help her navigate schoolwork , and the crisis has increased the family ’ s economic stress , resulting in reduced work hours for her father , a gardener , and her mother , a housekeeper .
Last week at the Mar Vista Family Center , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of six standing in line for free meals provided by L.A. Unified .
She carried her 1-year-old sister , Allison , and supervised her cousins , some still in pajamas , who ranged in age up to 11 .
In his video address from his home Monday , Beutner acknowledged that worries about failing a class should not add to the pressure that so many students are dealing with .
“ It was made very real for me late one evening last week , ” he added , “ when I received a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ because of the pressure she was feeling about school and all the chaos around her , ” he said .
“ The fast actions of a team from Los Angeles Unified got her to a hospital where she ’ s receiving care.
” But her hardship indicated how many students and families are in need of help , he said .
Even before the recent economic meltdown , the district had estimated that 17,000 students are part of homeless families .
In all , the district serves about 482,000 students from kindergarten through @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Beutner also confirmed what many had anticipated : L.A. campuses would remain closed for the remainder of the school year .
He added that closures would continue through the summer , but summer school offerings would be expanded even as students continued learning from home .

No students will receive failing grades on their spring report cards, Los Angeles school officials announced Monday, taking an assertive step on student assessment decisions confronting school systems across California.
The bold move is the latest decision to reshape education in response to the coronavirus pandemic that has shuttered California schools and forced distance learning for about 6.2 million students. Actions have included canceling “mandatory” standardized tests, relaxing college admission requirements and turning Advanced Placement tests into take-home exams.
Concern over the ability of all students to access and benefit from online coursework tipped the scales for the L.A. Unified School District’s no-fail decision. In a concurrent move, officials said that a student’s grade will be no worse than what it was on March 13, the final day of campus-based instruction. But it could improve: Teachers are expected to devise reasonable opportunities for students to improve their grades.
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“Many of the examples we see of successful video learning have a significant selection bias,” said L.A. schools Supt. Austin Beutner. “Affluent families with resources at home, schools with years of training and limitless budgets and students with demonstrated aptitude to learn independently. Public schools have in their DNA the commitment to serve all students, irrespective of circumstance, and it will not be so simple.”
With its Monday announcement, L.A. Unified moved out in front of many school systems still grappling with grading.
Long Beach Unified on Monday said the district was not yet ready to announce what it would do. Parents and principals in Santa Monica have provided mixed feedback to officials there. Palos Verdes Peninsula Unified will stick with a traditional grading system for now, but the matter remains under review, said Supt. Alex Cherniss.
Other districts are moving forward in different ways. In South Pasadena, high school students must choose either a letter grade or Credit/No Credit format by May 29.
At Fresno Unified, where about 87% of students are members of low-income families, officials have adopted a plan that shares common features with L.A. Unified’s. Fresno uses the quarter system, and the third-quarter grade will be extended into the fourth quarter. But students must be provided with opportunities to raise their grade — based on content that was taught in class prior to campus closures. However, it still will be possible for students to fail a class if they already had a failing grade.
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The lowest grade will be a “D” in L.A. Unified, and avoiding a “D” should be motivation enough for students to apply themselves, said Chief of Schools David Baca, who provides support to the district’s regional clusters of schools.
In L.A., officials said they decided to err on the side of compassion and equity — balancing academic rigor and the need to motivate students against the sobering knowledge that family hardships would inevitably compromise the ability of thousands of students to learn, especially in a school system where 80% of students are members of low-income households.
The no-fail policy was widely, but not universally, applauded.
“Students shouldn’t be expected to give their 100% during this time,” said Frances Suavillo, a Carson High senior who represents students as a non-voting member of the Board of Education. “This situation is beyond our control and it’s relieving to know that we won’t get penalized for it.”
But a high school principal said he’s worried about what will happen with students who are not intrinsically motivated to push forward academically, especially under challenging circumstances.
“This policy makes it feel like school ended on March 13,” said the principal, who asked not to be named because he was not authorized to speak. He worried that students would abandon valuable academic work that also was giving them reason to remain safe at home.
Some teachers also expressed reservations.
“I don’t see how a student who was failing and now doesn’t respond to any online learning assignments would ever deserve class credits,” said Stephen Cordova, an English teacher at Dorsey High in the Crenshaw/Baldwin Hills area.
The teachers’ union, United Teachers Los Angeles, supports the district’s position.
“Students who weren’t doing well March 13, when this unprecedented crisis began, still had three months of school where they could have accessed in-person intervention to improve their grade,” said union President-Elect Cecily Myart-Cruz. “That is no longer available. Students improve, often dramatically.”
L.A. Unified’s decision on grading quickly reverberated beyond the district’s borders.
Gary Grayson, a teacher in the Conejo Valley Unified School District, said that in his 11th grade U.S. History class, individual student patterns simply replicated themselves in the new setting. Previously diligent students remain so, while students who “rarely” turn in work are not doing so now.
But even when everyone is doing their part, the situation for students and families can be difficult.
A month after campuses closed, Elizabeth Chavez said their family still does not have a broadband connection at home for her daughter Alondra, a second-grader at Stoner Avenue Elementary in Del Rey. She called a local provider offering free service, but installers might not be available for weeks.
Beutner used his emergency powers to authorize $100 million in spending on technology — both computers and broadband hot spots — but the hot spots had yet to reach all schools before spring break.
The challenges to keeping up academically vary from student to student.
Julissa Alvarado, a 9th-grader at Venice High School, said last week that she is trying to maintain a focus on her studies, but she finds the distance learning “boring.” Her parents don’t speak English, making it harder for them to help her navigate schoolwork, and the crisis has increased the family’s economic stress, resulting in reduced work hours for her father, a gardener, and her mother, a housekeeper.
Last week at the Mar Vista Family Center, she was the oldest among a group of six standing in line for free meals provided by L.A. Unified. She carried her 1-year-old sister, Allison, and supervised her cousins, some still in pajamas, who ranged in age up to 11.
In his video address from his home Monday, Beutner acknowledged that worries about failing a class should not add to the pressure that so many students are dealing with.
“It was made very real for me late one evening last week,” he added, “when I received a message from a student having suicidal thoughts because of the pressure she was feeling about school and all the chaos around her,” he said. “The fast actions of a team from Los Angeles Unified got her to a hospital where she’s receiving care.”
But her hardship indicated how many students and families are in need of help, he said.
Even before the recent economic meltdown, the district had estimated that 17,000 students are part of homeless families. In all, the district serves about 482,000 students from kindergarten through 12th grade.
In his remarks, Beutner also confirmed what many had anticipated: L.A. campuses would remain closed for the remainder of the school year. He added that closures would continue through the summer, but summer school offerings would be expanded even as students continued learning from home.
Sonali Kohli contributed to this report.


latimes--2020-04-13--More inmates, jailers testing positive as coronavirus spreads in Southland

The coronavirus continues to move through the ranks of law enforcement in Southern California as officers and jail inmates struggle to maintain social distancing .
Nowhere is that more profoundly apparent than in Riverside County , where at least 80 inmates and 55 employees — most of whom are deputies — have tested positive for COVID-19 .
Two veteran deputies in the department have died from the disease caused by the coronavirus .
In 10 days , the number of deputies infected has more than doubled , while the number of inmates who have tested positive has multiplied by more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Bianco said .
Bianco thinks the large numbers are the result of “ silent spreaders , ” those who are infected with the virus who show no symptoms and unwittingly spread the illness .
“ Any of us can get it , ” he said .
“ I wish there was a medical study , if you will , of what happened to our agency and how fast it spread , ” he said over the weekend in a radio broadcast .
“ It showed us this is not what we prepared for.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and Terrell Young , 52 , died April 2 of complications from COVID-19 , it quickly emerged that Young was among two dozen deputies infected while working in the close confines of the jails .
Bianco , who opposed a zero bail move statewide , has opposed releasing jail inmates early ; but like every jailer in the state , his department is taking care of inmates ’ medical needs , he said .
Bluntly speaking after Young ’ s death and a large number of jail inmates had tested positive for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ If you don ’ t want to contract [ the coronavirus ] , don ’ t break the law .
You can ’ t get any more plain than that.
” Of the 80 inmates who have contracted COVID-19 , 16 have recovered .
Three of the 55 Sheriff ’ s Department employees exposed to the virus have returned to work .
In Los Angeles , the LAPD has reported 54 workers who have tested positive for the coronavirus , including five members of the command staff .
Two employees remain hospitalized , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ making a recovery .
Temperatures of staff members are now checked as shifts begin , and thousands of officers are working 12-hour shifts while wearing protective masks .
Assistan Chief Horace Frank said that while social distancing is helping helping stop the spread of the illness , the mandate isn ’ t always an option for officers when dealing with those needing help or in the pursuit of a suspect .
The number of L.A. County Probation Department employees who have tested positive for the coronavirus has jumped to 16 , including six @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , officials said Monday .
Interim Probation Chief Ray Leyva confirmed that while no youths have fallen ill , the number of employees who have contracted the virus has jumped significantly , up from just three on Friday .
At least eight juveniles have been tested for the virus after displaying symptoms , according to a spokeswoman for the county department of health services .
But none has tested positive for COVID-19 .
Among the Los Angeles County Sheriff ’ s Department , 29 employees have tested positive and more than 376 staff @ @ @ @ @ @ @ already returned to work , according to numbers last updated Friday .
Six inmates in county jails have contracted coronavirus , and 19 others are in isolation with COVID-19 symptoms .
More than 400 inmates are under quarantine because of contact with someone who is infected , the Sheriff ’ s Department said .
Orange County , by contrast , has seen far fewer cases .
So far , only 13 inmates and three sheriff ’ s employees — all of whom work in the jail system — have tested positive for the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at least nine sheriff ’ s employees — seven of them deputies — and one inmate have contracted coronavirus .
The latest deputy , who tested positive Saturday , worked in the jails , officials said .
At the California Institute for Men in Chino , at the southern edge of San Bernardino County , 21 employees and 38 inmates have become infected .
It is the worst coronavirus outbreak in the state ’ s correctional system .
In a court hearing on the treatment of state corrections inmates , medical staff said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ community .
Inmates isolated at the Rancho Cucamonga West Valley Detention Center are displaying COVID-19 symptoms .
The numbers among Southern California law enforcement are a sliver compared with those in New York , where 23 NYPD employees have died of COVID-19 .
Some 2,713 uniformed employees and 471 civilians have tested positive , and 18 % of the workforce called in sick on Saturday .

David Werksman is one of two Riverside County sheriff’s deputies who have died of COVID-19.
The coronavirus continues to move through the ranks of law enforcement in Southern California as officers and jail inmates struggle to maintain social distancing.
Nowhere is that more profoundly apparent than in Riverside County, where at least 80 inmates and 55 employees — most of whom are deputies — have tested positive for COVID-19. Two veteran deputies in the department have died from the disease caused by the coronavirus.
In 10 days, the number of deputies infected has more than doubled, while the number of inmates who have tested positive has multiplied by more than six, Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco said.
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Bianco thinks the large numbers are the result of “silent spreaders,” those who are infected with the virus who show no symptoms and unwittingly spread the illness.
“Any of us can get it,” he said. “I wish there was a medical study, if you will, of what happened to our agency and how fast it spread,” he said over the weekend in a radio broadcast. “It showed us this is not what we prepared for.”
When deputies David Werksman, 51, and Terrell Young, 52, died April 2 of complications from COVID-19, it quickly emerged that Young was among two dozen deputies infected while working in the close confines of the jails.
Bianco, who opposed a zero bail move statewide, has opposed releasing jail inmates early; but like every jailer in the state, his department is taking care of inmates’ medical needs, he said.
Bluntly speaking after Young’s death and a large number of jail inmates had tested positive for the virus, Bianco warned: “If you don’t want to contract [the coronavirus], don’t break the law. You can’t get any more plain than that.”
Of the 80 inmates who have contracted COVID-19, 16 have recovered. Three of the 55 Sheriff’s Department employees exposed to the virus have returned to work.
In Los Angeles, the LAPD has reported 54 workers who have tested positive for the coronavirus, including five members of the command staff. Two employees remain hospitalized, while 13 have returned to work after making a recovery.
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Temperatures of staff members are now checked as shifts begin, and thousands of officers are working 12-hour shifts while wearing protective masks.
Assistan Chief Horace Frank said that while social distancing is helping helping stop the spread of the illness, the mandate isn’t always an option for officers when dealing with those needing help or in the pursuit of a suspect.
The number of L.A. County Probation Department employees who have tested positive for the coronavirus has jumped to 16, including six employees who are assigned to juvenile facilities, officials said Monday.
Interim Probation Chief Ray Leyva confirmed that while no youths have fallen ill, the number of employees who have contracted the virus has jumped significantly, up from just three on Friday.
At least eight juveniles have been tested for the virus after displaying symptoms, according to a spokeswoman for the county department of health services. But none has tested positive for COVID-19.
Among the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, 29 employees have tested positive and more than 376 staff members have been quarantined. Many have already returned to work, according to numbers last updated Friday.
Six inmates in county jails have contracted coronavirus, and 19 others are in isolation with COVID-19 symptoms. More than 400 inmates are under quarantine because of contact with someone who is infected, the Sheriff’s Department said.
Orange County, by contrast, has seen far fewer cases. So far, only 13 inmates and three sheriff’s employees — all of whom work in the jail system — have tested positive for the virus.
In San Bernardino County, at least nine sheriff’s employees — seven of them deputies — and one inmate have contracted coronavirus. The latest deputy, who tested positive Saturday, worked in the jails, officials said.
At the California Institute for Men in Chino, at the southern edge of San Bernardino County, 21 employees and 38 inmates have become infected. It is the worst coronavirus outbreak in the state’s correctional system. In a court hearing on the treatment of state corrections inmates, medical staff said the outbreak is connected to the broader community.
Inmates isolated at the Rancho Cucamonga West Valley Detention Center are displaying COVID-19 symptoms.
The numbers among Southern California law enforcement are a sliver compared with those in New York, where 23 NYPD employees have died of COVID-19. Some 2,713 uniformed employees and 471 civilians have tested positive, and 18% of the workforce called in sick on Saturday.
Times staff writer James Queally contributed to this report.


latimes--2020-04-13--The latest Orange County communities with coronavirus cases

After weeks of daily double-digit increases , Orange County reported only nine new coronavirus infections Monday , bringing the region @ @ @ @ @ since the outbreak began .
The most recent update represented the smallest day-over-day increase in @ @ @ @ @ caseload since March 17 .
The county ’ s total includes 19 deaths , the @ @ @ @ @ confirmed Sunday .
Countywide , 103 COVID-19 patients were hospitalized as of Monday , according @ @ @ @ @ Care Agency , and 51 of them were in intensive care .
To date , @ @ @ @ @ for the coronavirus infection countywide .
Three county cities — Anaheim , Irvine and Santa @ @ @ @ @ at least 100 confirmed cases .
Note : The “ other ” category includes unincorporated @ @ @ @ @ fewer than 25,000 residents and fewer than five cases .
Daily updates are preliminary and @ @ @ @ @ county receives new information .

MaryAnn Lawson collects prayer requests from people gathering in their cars in a Santa Ana parking lot to worship at an Easter service by the Rev. Robert A. Schuller on Sunday.
After weeks of daily double-digit increases, Orange County reported only nine new coronavirus infections Monday, bringing the region’s total to 1,283 since the outbreak began.
The most recent update represented the smallest day-over-day increase in the county’s COVID-19 caseload since March 17.
The county’s total includes 19 deaths, the most recent of which was confirmed Sunday.
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Countywide, 103 COVID-19 patients were hospitalized as of Monday, according to the Orange County Health Care Agency, and 51 of them were in intensive care.
To date, 14,175 people have been tested for the coronavirus infection countywide.
Three county cities — Anaheim, Irvine and Santa Ana — all now have at least 100 confirmed cases.
Age breakdown of cases:
0-17 — 20
18-24 — 105
25-34 — 220
35-44 — 191
45-64 — 501
65+ — 246
Age breakdown of deaths:
25-34 — 2
35-44 — 1
45-64 — 5
65+ — 11
California Do you know someone who has lost the battle with COVID-19? In our effort to cover this pandemic as thoroughly as possible, we’d like to hear from the loved ones of people who have died from the coronavirus.
Cases by community:
Aliso Viejo — 13
Anaheim — 148
Brea — 12
Buena Park — 43
Costa Mesa — 26
Coto de Caza — 5
Cypress — 31
Dana Point — 12
Fountain Valley — 20
Fullerton — 37
Garden Grove — 37
Huntington Beach — 87
Irvine — 100
La Habra — 29
La Palma — 12
Ladera Ranch — 9
Laguna Beach — 37
Laguna Hills — 13
Laguna Niguel — 28
Laguna Woods — 7
Lake Forest — 23
Mission Viejo — 34
Newport Beach — 85
Orange — 46
Placentia — 27
Rancho Santa Margarita — 11
San Clemente — 44
San Juan Capistrano — 21
Santa Ana — 114
Seal Beach — 5
Stanton — 5
Trabuco Canyon — 8
Tustin — 30
Villa Park — 5
Westminster — 21
Yorba Linda — 38
Other — 12
Unknown — 48
Note: The “other” category includes unincorporated areas and cities that have fewer than 25,000 residents and fewer than five cases. Daily updates are preliminary and subject to change as the county receives new information.


latimes--2020-04-13--'Cautiously optimistic,' Orange County reports fewest new coronavirus infections in a month

Orange County reported nine new coronavirus infections Monday — the lowest day-over-day figure in almost a month .
Officials were quick to stress , though , that a single day of data is not necessarily indicative of how things will go in the days to come .
Prior to Monday , the county had a five-day streak in which at least 55 new COVID-19 cases were confirmed each day .
“ Overall , our trend has been headed in the right direction , ” said County Health Officer Dr. Nichole Quick .
“ I am cautiously optimistic in Orange County.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ have any specific explanation as to why our cases for today were significantly lower.
” The last time the county reported so few new cases in a single day was March 17 , before the virus ’ spread began to ramp up and widespread social distancing orders were put in place across the state , according to the Orange County Health Care Agency .
The scant number of new infections , which bring the county ’ s total to 1,283 , didn ’ t seem to result from a lack of testing .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ county were tested for coronavirus infection , health officials said .
“ I think the important thing to focus on here is not a single day ’ s reporting , but rather what the trend is , ” said David Souleles , director of public health services for the county Health Care Agency .
“ And we won ’ t know the meaning of today ’ s reporting until we see it in the context of additional reporting in the days to come.
” The county ’ s death toll remained at 19 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ died as a result of COVID-19 , 11 were 65 or older and five were 45 to 64 , according to the Orange County Health Care Agency .
Two other victims were in the 25 to 34 age bracket , and the other was between 35 and 44 .
Countywide , 103 people battling COVID-19 are hospitalized , and 51 of them are in intensive care .
The bulk of confirmed coronavirus infections , about 58 % , have been among adults who are at least 45 years old , health officials said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ county officials are urging residents to take precautions to protect themselves .
Those measures include following health orders to stay home as much as possible and regular , thorough hand washing .
The county Health Care Agency also cast itself in the role of myth buster Friday , posting on its Facebook page that the World Health Organization assured “ 5G mobile networks DO NOT spread COVID-19.
” The misinformation connecting the wireless technology to the spread of the coronavirus has taken root in some corners of the internet , and recently was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ individuals such as actors Woody Harrelson and John Cusack .
“ Viruses can not travel on radio waves/mobile networks , ” the Health Care Agency wrote .
“ COVID-19 is spreading in many countries that do not have 5G mobile networks.
” Rather , COVID-19 is “ spread through respiratory droplets when an infected person coughs , sneezes or speaks ” or when someone touches “ a contaminated surface and then their eyes , mouth or nose , ” health officials said .
Fears over the proliferation of 5G predate the coronavirus ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and the state have expressed concerns with the technology , which activists allege could endanger public health because of the use of higher-frequency radio waves .

Orange County reported nine new coronavirus infections Monday — the lowest day-over-day figure in almost a month.
Officials were quick to stress, though, that a single day of data is not necessarily indicative of how things will go in the days to come. Prior to Monday, the county had a five-day streak in which at least 55 new COVID-19 cases were confirmed each day.
“Overall, our trend has been headed in the right direction,” said County Health Officer Dr. Nichole Quick. “I am cautiously optimistic in Orange County.”
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Quick added “we do not have any specific explanation as to why our cases for today were significantly lower.”
The last time the county reported so few new cases in a single day was March 17, before the virus’ spread began to ramp up and widespread social distancing orders were put in place across the state, according to the Orange County Health Care Agency.
The scant number of new infections, which bring the county’s total to 1,283, didn’t seem to result from a lack of testing. Since Sunday, 647 people in the county were tested for coronavirus infection, health officials said.
“I think the important thing to focus on here is not a single day’s reporting, but rather what the trend is,” said David Souleles, director of public health services for the county Health Care Agency. “And we won’t know the meaning of today’s reporting until we see it in the context of additional reporting in the days to come.”
California Do you know someone who has lost the battle with COVID-19? In our effort to cover this pandemic as thoroughly as possible, we’d like to hear from the loved ones of people who have died from the coronavirus.
The county’s death toll remained at 19 on Monday.
Of those who have died as a result of COVID-19, 11 were 65 or older and five were 45 to 64, according to the Orange County Health Care Agency.
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Two other victims were in the 25 to 34 age bracket, and the other was between 35 and 44.
Countywide, 103 people battling COVID-19 are hospitalized, and 51 of them are in intensive care.
The bulk of confirmed coronavirus infections, about 58%, have been among adults who are at least 45 years old, health officials said.
As the case count increases, county officials are urging residents to take precautions to protect themselves.
Those measures include following health orders to stay home as much as possible and regular, thorough hand washing.
The county Health Care Agency also cast itself in the role of myth buster Friday, posting on its Facebook page that the World Health Organization assured “5G mobile networks DO NOT spread COVID-19.”
The misinformation connecting the wireless technology to the spread of the coronavirus has taken root in some corners of the internet, and recently was amplified by social media posts from prominent individuals such as actors Woody Harrelson and John Cusack.
“Viruses cannot travel on radio waves/mobile networks,” the Health Care Agency wrote. “COVID-19 is spreading in many countries that do not have 5G mobile networks.”
Rather, COVID-19 is “spread through respiratory droplets when an infected person coughs, sneezes or speaks” or when someone touches “a contaminated surface and then their eyes, mouth or nose,” health officials said.
Fears over the proliferation of 5G predate the coronavirus’ arrival. Some residents throughout Orange County and the state have expressed concerns with the technology, which activists allege could endanger public health because of the use of higher-frequency radio waves.


latimes--2020-04-13--Out-of-towners who went to 7-Eleven for 'essential drinks' are fined $1,000 each

A run to 7-Eleven came at a hefty price for seven people Friday night , as Santa Cruz police cited them each $ 1,000 for violating local shelter-in-place rules .
The gathering — which authorities called an expensive hangout — took place at a branch of the convenience store on Ocean Street , according to the Santa Cruz Police Department .
Police said the visitors were from Fremont , which is more than 40 miles away .
“ Not smart , ” the department wrote on Facebook .
“ Everyone should know by now that this is not the time @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said the tickets should “ help these guys remember their time in Santa Cruz.
” All of Santa Cruz County has lived under a “ shelter-in-place ” order since March 16 .
The same goes for Alameda County , where Fremont is located .
Those guidelines — which are meant to help stem the spread of COVID-19 — bar public gatherings and stipulate that residents should leave their homes only for purposes deemed to be essential .
In the eyes of Santa Cruz Police Chief Andrew Mills , an out-of-town beer run didn @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ visitors came from Fremont to get some ‘ essential ’ drinks .
Essentially , they were all given $ 1,000 tickets for SIP violations , ” he wrote on Twitter .
“ If you are not from Santa Cruz and you put our community at risk , you will get a ticket.
” As of Monday morning , there had been 88 confirmed coronavirus infections among Santa Cruz County residents , according to health officials .
One person has died as a result of COVID-19 and 36 others have recovered .

Santa Cruz police ticketed seven out-of-towners who gathered at a 7-Eleven on Friday night.
A run to 7-Eleven came at a hefty price for seven people Friday night, as Santa Cruz police cited them each $1,000 for violating local shelter-in-place rules.
The gathering — which authorities called an expensive hangout — took place at a branch of the convenience store on Ocean Street, according to the Santa Cruz Police Department.
Police said the visitors were from Fremont, which is more than 40 miles away.
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“Not smart,” the department wrote on Facebook. “Everyone should know by now that this is not the time to meet up and party.”
Police said the tickets should “help these guys remember their time in Santa Cruz.”
All of Santa Cruz County has lived under a “shelter-in-place” order since March 16. The same goes for Alameda County, where Fremont is located.
Those guidelines — which are meant to help stem the spread of COVID-19 — bar public gatherings and stipulate that residents should leave their homes only for purposes deemed to be essential.
In the eyes of Santa Cruz Police Chief Andrew Mills, an out-of-town beer run didn’t meet that standard.
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The “visitors came from Fremont to get some ‘essential’ drinks. Essentially, they were all given $1,000 tickets for SIP violations,” he wrote on Twitter. “If you are not from Santa Cruz and you put our community at risk, you will get a ticket.”
As of Monday morning, there had been 88 confirmed coronavirus infections among Santa Cruz County residents, according to health officials. One person has died as a result of COVID-19 and 36 others have recovered.


latimes--2020-04-13--95% of L.A. supports stay-at-home orders, poll finds. But for how long?

Los Angeles County officials have said the stay-at-home order aimed at slowing the spread of coronavirus will stay in place until at least May 15 — perhaps longer .
The unprecedented social-distancing requirements , which have closed nonessential businesses , prohibited gatherings and shuttered beaches and trails , have been working .
But more is needed , health officials say .
Polls suggest the public supports these measures — at least for now — even as the restrictions have devastated the economy .
What does the polling show ?
Ninety-five percent of respondents say they supported L.A. elected officials ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ essential personnel , a new Loyola Marymount University poll found .
Those who identified as politically conservative tended to be more skeptical both of the stay-at-home orders and of the level of threat posed by the virus .
Only 76 % of them viewed the virus as a real threat , compared with 91 % among liberals .
Conservatives also saw themselves as less vulnerable , with 74 % saying they worried they would catch the virus , compared with 85 % of liberals .
“ They have the level of fear ; @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are worried about protecting their families , especially the elderly .
There is a good understanding of how it spreads , ” said Fernando Guerra , director of the Thomas and Dorothy Leavey Center for the Study of Los Angeles at Loyola Marymount University , which conducted the poll .
The poll surveyed 2,000 households in Los Angeles County .
It had a margin of error of 2.2 % .
Both the LMU poll and an earlier UCLA poll show concern among residents about the coronavirus pandemic .
Overall , 78 % of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they were “ very ” or “ somewhat ” concerned that they or a family member might catch the virus .
“ People view this as an existential crisis , ” said Zev Yaroslavsky , a retired L.A. County supervisor and onetime L.A. City Council member who oversaw the UCLA poll .
“ They wouldn ’ t be adhering to this protocol of staying cooped up in their homes if they didn ’ t think there was a good reason for it.
” When will the stay-at-home orders end ?
No one is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more time is needed .
Los Angeles County health officials warned Friday that residents of the region must adopt even more stringent social distancing practices to slow the and that stay-at-home restrictions could remain for several more months .
Even with the dramatic social distancing that county residents are already practicing , local officials forecast that up to 30 % of the population could be infected by midsummer without more behavioral changes , such as reducing shopping trips .
While the strict physical distancing measures in L.A. County , which have been in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ had an effect in saving many lives , models presented by the county Friday show troubling forecasts if officials lift the stay-at-home order now .
There are still too many people becoming infected with the coronavirus in Los Angeles County , officials said .
And there is more than a 50 % chance that the current capacity of intensive care unit beds in Los Angeles County , roughly 750 beds now , could be exhausted by late April .
Officials outlined the stark paths ahead for L.A. County .
If the stay-at-home order @ @ @ @ @ @ @ normal habits , an astonishing 95.6 % of L.A. County residents would be infected with the coronavirus by Aug. 1 , according to projections released by the county .
Staying at the current levels of physical distancing would still result in 29.8 % of residents being infected by Aug. 1 .
But increasing our efforts to stay apart from one another could reduce that to just 5.5 % of Los Angeles County residents being infected in that time .
The death toll , meanwhile , continues to rise .
Los Angeles County officials @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Sunday , the largest single-day total since the outbreak began .
Twenty-five of those fatalities were people over the age of 65 , and the other six were between the ages of 41 and 65 , health officials said .
What about the economic toll ?
The impact on the economy is the wild card , of course .
It ’ s hard to know how public opinion will change as economic damage mounts .
The UCLA poll found that nearly half of the households in Los Angeles County have lost a job @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and an additional 10 % have lost other sources of income because of the coronavirus pandemic .
In the LMU poll , 83 % say they fear the economic impact from the coronavirus closures .

Doug Smith, Alex Wigglesworth, Rong-Gong Lin II

Life around Cesar E. Chavez Boulevard and Soto Street has slowed as California officials extended stay-at-home orders into May. Most Angelenos are are adhering to orders to wear masks while out running errands.
Los Angeles County officials have said the stay-at-home order aimed at slowing the spread of coronavirus will stay in place until at least May 15 — perhaps longer.
The unprecedented social-distancing requirements, which have closed nonessential businesses, prohibited gatherings and shuttered beaches and trails, have been working. But more is needed, health officials say.
Polls suggest the public supports these measures — at least for now — even as the restrictions have devastated the economy.
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What does the polling show?
Ninety-five percent of respondents say they supported L.A. elected officials’ decision to implement a stay-at-home order for all but essential personnel, a new Loyola Marymount University poll found.
Those who identified as politically conservative tended to be more skeptical both of the stay-at-home orders and of the level of threat posed by the virus.
Only 76% of them viewed the virus as a real threat, compared with 91% among liberals. Conservatives also saw themselves as less vulnerable, with 74% saying they worried they would catch the virus, compared with 85% of liberals.
“They have the level of fear; it is a real threat. They are worried about protecting their families, especially the elderly. There is a good understanding of how it spreads,” said Fernando Guerra, director of the Thomas and Dorothy Leavey Center for the Study of Los Angeles at Loyola Marymount University, which conducted the poll.
The poll surveyed 2,000 households in Los Angeles County. It had a margin of error of 2.2%.
Both the LMU poll and an earlier UCLA poll show concern among residents about the coronavirus pandemic. Overall, 78% of L.A. County residents surveyed told UCLA researchers they were “very” or “somewhat” concerned that they or a family member might catch the virus.
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“People view this as an existential crisis,” said Zev Yaroslavsky, a retired L.A. County supervisor and onetime L.A. City Council member who oversaw the UCLA poll. “They wouldn’t be adhering to this protocol of staying cooped up in their homes if they didn’t think there was a good reason for it.”
When will the stay-at-home orders end?
No one is sure. But health officials have said more time is needed.
Los Angeles County health officials warned Friday that residents of the region must adopt even more stringent social distancing practices to slow the spread of the coronavirus and that stay-at-home restrictions could remain for several more months.
Even with the dramatic social distancing that county residents are already practicing, local officials forecast that up to 30% of the population could be infected by midsummer without more behavioral changes, such as reducing shopping trips.
While the strict physical distancing measures in L.A. County, which have been in effect for three weeks, have clearly had an effect in saving many lives, models presented by the county Friday show troubling forecasts if officials lift the stay-at-home order now.
There are still too many people becoming infected with the coronavirus in Los Angeles County, officials said. And there is more than a 50% chance that the current capacity of intensive care unit beds in Los Angeles County, roughly 750 beds now, could be exhausted by late April.
Officials outlined the stark paths ahead for L.A. County. If the stay-at-home order was quickly rescinded and people resumed their normal habits, an astonishing 95.6% of L.A. County residents would be infected with the coronavirus by Aug. 1, according to projections released by the county.
Staying at the current levels of physical distancing would still result in 29.8% of residents being infected by Aug. 1. But increasing our efforts to stay apart from one another could reduce that to just 5.5% of Los Angeles County residents being infected in that time.
The death toll, meanwhile, continues to rise. Los Angeles County officials reported 31 new coronavirus deaths on Easter Sunday, the largest single-day total since the outbreak began.
Twenty-five of those fatalities were people over the age of 65, and the other six were between the ages of 41 and 65, health officials said.
California From the Black Death to AIDS, pandemics have shaped human history. Coronavirus will too From the Plague of Justinian and the Black Death to polio and AIDS, pandemics have violently reshaped civilization since humans first settled into towns thousands of years ago. No one can know exactly how the COVID-19 pandemic will ultimately change the world. But stress cracks are already showing.
What about the economic toll?
The impact on the economy is the wild card, of course. It’s hard to know how public opinion will change as economic damage mounts.
The UCLA poll found that nearly half of the households in Los Angeles County have lost a job or had their work hours cut, and an additional 10% have lost other sources of income because of the coronavirus pandemic.
In the LMU poll, 83% say they fear the economic impact from the coronavirus closures.


latimes--2020-04-13--Davis man arrested after coronavirus test sample stolen from hospital, found in CVS shopping cart

A 40-year-old man was arrested after police say he stole a coronavirus test sample from a hospital in Davis over the weekend .
Shaun Lamar Moore of Davis was taken into custody on suspicion of burglary Sunday morning after an officer saw him riding his bicycle across an overpass .
Authorities say that a day earlier , Moore stole a specimen that was being tested for COVID-19 at Sutter Davis Hospital and fled the scene on a bike .
Davis police officers responded to the hospital about 1:35 p.m. Saturday after an employee called to report the theft .
Several @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from someone reporting that the sealed specimen had been found in a shopping cart at a CVS Pharmacy less than a mile from the hospital .
The lab confirmed that several layers of protective packing were secure and the specimen had not been tampered with , police said .
Authorities released a photograph to social media showing the suspect in the theft taken from hospital surveillance video and asked for the public ’ s help in identifying him .
Officers took Moore into custody the next day .
Authorities say it is not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ There have been 93 confirmed cases of coronavirus and three COVID-19 deaths in Yolo County as of late Sunday .
“ Davis police are familiar with Moore and are determining whether any mental health conditions played a factor in this incident .
Although the incident is very serious , detectives do not believe he intended to harm himself or others , ” the department said .

A 40-year-old man was arrested after police say he stole a coronavirus test sample from a hospital in Davis over the weekend.
Shaun Lamar Moore of Davis was taken into custody on suspicion of burglary Sunday morning after an officer saw him riding his bicycle across an overpass. Authorities say that a day earlier, Moore stole a specimen that was being tested for COVID-19 at Sutter Davis Hospital and fled the scene on a bike.
Davis police officers responded to the hospital about 1:35 p.m. Saturday after an employee called to report the theft. Several hours later, police received a call from someone reporting that the sealed specimen had been found in a shopping cart at a CVS Pharmacy less than a mile from the hospital.
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The lab confirmed that several layers of protective packing were secure and the specimen had not been tampered with, police said.
Authorities released a photograph to social media showing the suspect in the theft taken from hospital surveillance video and asked for the public’s help in identifying him. Officers took Moore into custody the next day.
Authorities say it is not clear why the specimen was stolen. There have been 93 confirmed cases of coronavirus and three COVID-19 deaths in Yolo County as of late Sunday.
“Davis police are familiar with Moore and are determining whether any mental health conditions played a factor in this incident. Although the incident is very serious, detectives do not believe he intended to harm himself or others,” the department said.