latimes--2020-06-09--Orange County public health officer resigns in coronavirus controversy

Orange County ’ s chief health officer resigned Monday after several intense weeks defending her countywide face mask order in response to the coronavirus pandemic .
The mask order , which requires that people wear face coverings while in public , faced immediate resistance after Dr. Nichole Quick mandated it in late May .
Some residents and elected officials have challenged the need for the widespread use of face coverings as businesses in the region reopen .
That ire at times was directly aimed at Quick .
The Orange County Sheriff ’ s Department provided a security detail for Quick @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be a death threat during a county Board of Supervisors meeting last month .
During the meeting , a woman who identified herself as an attorney disparaged Quick ’ s experience in the medical field and read her home address aloud , saying she planned to take a group to Quick ’ s home and “ do calisthenics in masks on her front doorstep ” in an attempt to prove that face coverings are unsafe .
The woman echoed what other critics had said about face coverings posing a danger to people ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for Disease Control and Prevention has previously said that children younger than 2 and anyone with a breathing issue should not wear a face covering .
“ When people start dropping like flies , and they will , ” the woman said at the meeting , “ I am going to ask every first responder in a 30-mile radius to roll lights and sirens to her front door , and you had best pray they can revive whoever went down because if they can ’ t … I will be asking the O.C @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it as murder.
” Later that week , Orange County Board of Supervisors Chair Michelle Steel condemned the threat , saying , “ It should never happen again.
” “ No one deserves to be threatened or intimidated the way she was , ” Steel said at the time .
During another Board of Supervisors meeting , some members of the public brought a poster with Quick ’ s photo on it with a Hitler mustache on her face and swastikas .
Quick , who was hired as the county ’ s health @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reached for comment Tuesday morning .
The Board of Supervisors appointed Dr. Clayton Chau , director of the Orange County Health Care Agency , as the county ’ s new health officer .
The county agreed to pay Quick $ 75,000 in severance in exchange for her decision to voluntarily resign , according to a settlement and release agreement signed Monday .
The agreement notes that County Executive Officer Frank Kim won ’ t disparage work done by Quick while she was employed with the county .
In exchange , Quick agreed not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Supervisors , according to the document .
Kim characterized the agreement Tuesday as “ fairly standard practice for the county ” when it comes to executive-level employees .
“ I had a very good working relationship and I thought she did very good work for the county as our health officer , ” he said during a phone call with reporters .
He added that he was surprised and disappointed by Quick ’ s resignation , but declined to elaborate on her reasons for doing so aside from saying , “ I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the job weighed in on her decision.
” “ It ’ s not an easy job , ” he said , adding : “ It ’ s not uncommon for the public staff to be working 80-hour weeks.
” Quick is the third high-ranking healthcare executive to leave the county in the midst of the pandemic .
David Souleles retired in April from his post as the deputy agency director of public health services .
Weeks earlier , Richard Sanchez left his role as director of the county ’ s healthcare agency @ @ @ @ @ @ @ county-organized health insurance system .
During a board meeting last week , Supervisor Don Wagner , who has been a fierce advocate for reopening businesses and public services in the county , questioned the need for face coverings , saying other parts of the state were backing away from those orders .
Several surrounding counties , including Los Angeles and San Diego , require residents to wear masks in public settings .
Quick responded that face coverings could help prevent the transmission of COVID-19 .
She also noted that the county was seeing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the virus and that hospitalization numbers had been trending upward .
“ There is evidence to support that , ” she said , “ and I feel strongly we need a face covering mandate in place as we continue to send more people back into social interactions.
” Wagner noted Tuesday that many of his constituents look at wearing a mask as a restriction , and said his frustration comes from a lack of transparency about the issue .
“ We put guidelines together for businesses reopening that the board had over @ @ @ @ @ @ @ involved in all those conversations and never said , ‘ Oh , but I think we ’ ll need masks , ’ ” he said .
“ And then , suddenly , we get masks without any warning and without any explanations .
That ’ s not the kind of transparency I would like to see from government.
” Both Wagner and Kim condemned the threats against Quick .
Kim said other county staff members have received threats , as well , and such issues are reviewed by law enforcement .
“ None @ @ @ @ @ @ @ treatment , ” he said .
“ We ’ re in these jobs to provide a public benefit and , while we respect the rights of individuals to disagree or speak their minds , I think going beyond that to issuing threats is really inappropriate and I hope that those things do not continue.
” On Tuesday , the county reported an additional 93 cases of coronavirus infection , bringing the number to 7,614 .
County officials also reported eight additional fatalities , for a total death toll of 185 .
Orange County @ @ @ @ @ @ @ number of reported cases on Friday and Saturday , according to data provided by the county .
Nearly 300 new cases were reported Friday , marking the highest daily total since the onset of the pandemic , while 271 new cases were reported Saturday .
This comes amid an increase in testing countywide .
The county ’ s hospitalization numbers also are trending upward .
As of Sunday — the most recent data available — the county had 304 people hospitalized with the virus , a new daily high .
Data showed that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ units , also a new daily record for the county .
The Board of Supervisors on Tuesday pushed Chau for a definitive answer about when he planned to lift the county ’ s mask order .
Members of the public could be heard screaming in the background as Chau responded to questions from the board .
“ We can not impose restrictions on people based on fear , just based on theoretical fear , ” Supervisor Andrew Do said .
“ If we open up and we have testing and we start to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in position .
We ’ re shooting at a moving target .
I ’ m not asking you to be reckless , but the decision-making process to me is flawed.
” The push comes as the county prepares to reopen additional sectors of the economy beginning Friday , including movie theaters , public pools , museums , zoos , schools , day camps , wineries and bars .
Chau said he planned to look at the county ’ s infection rate and hospitalization numbers over the next 21 days with more public spaces @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it was safe to amend the mask order .
“ We have to watch and see how we do when we enter that ecosystem before we make any decision to downgrade the mask order , ” Chau said .
Kim said the county plans to launch a recruitment effort to find Quick ’ s long-term replacement .
He acknowledged that the position presents challenges , but said it ’ s also an “ incredible opportunity for a qualified physician that wants to make a difference , to help their community and to be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ all of the strategies that will reduce the disease burden and save lives in Orange County.
” When asked how he would reassure prospective applicants that their advice would be taken to heart — given not only the heated dispute over the mask order but the fact that county Sheriff Don Barnes said publicly that his department wouldn ’ t enforce it — Kim said , “ You have to communicate and you have to justify .
And if you communicate and you justify , then I do believe we ’ ll get @ @ @ @ @ @ @ may occur.
” “ I don ’ t want to diminish the difficulty of the position and the uncomfortable situation that our new health officer will be faced with , ” he said .
“ That is all real .
Happens every day .
”

Orange County’s chief health officer resigned Monday after several intense weeks defending her countywide face mask order in response to the coronavirus pandemic.
The mask order, which requires that people wear face coverings while in public, faced immediate resistance after Dr. Nichole Quick mandated it in late May. Some residents and elected officials have challenged the need for the widespread use of face coverings as businesses in the region reopen. That ire at times was directly aimed at Quick.
The Orange County Sheriff’s Department provided a security detail for Quick after she received what officials deemed to be a death threat during a county Board of Supervisors meeting last month.
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During the meeting, a woman who identified herself as an attorney disparaged Quick’s experience in the medical field and read her home address aloud, saying she planned to take a group to Quick’s home and “do calisthenics in masks on her front doorstep” in an attempt to prove that face coverings are unsafe.
The woman echoed what other critics had said about face coverings posing a danger to people’s oxygen levels. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has previously said that children younger than 2 and anyone with a breathing issue should not wear a face covering.
“When people start dropping like flies, and they will,” the woman said at the meeting, “I am going to ask every first responder in a 30-mile radius to roll lights and sirens to her front door, and you had best pray they can revive whoever went down because if they can’t … I will be asking the O.C. D.A.’s office to charge it as murder.”
Later that week, Orange County Board of Supervisors Chair Michelle Steel condemned the threat, saying, “It should never happen again.”
“No one deserves to be threatened or intimidated the way she was,” Steel said at the time.
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During another Board of Supervisors meeting, some members of the public brought a poster with Quick’s photo on it with a Hitler mustache on her face and swastikas.
Quick, who was hired as the county’s health officer last June, could not be reached for comment Tuesday morning. The Board of Supervisors appointed Dr. Clayton Chau, director of the Orange County Health Care Agency, as the county’s new health officer.
The county agreed to pay Quick $75,000 in severance in exchange for her decision to voluntarily resign, according to a settlement and release agreement signed Monday.
The agreement notes that County Executive Officer Frank Kim won’t disparage work done by Quick while she was employed with the county. In exchange, Quick agreed not to criticize the county or the Board of Supervisors, according to the document.
Kim characterized the agreement Tuesday as “fairly standard practice for the county” when it comes to executive-level employees.
“I had a very good working relationship and I thought she did very good work for the county as our health officer,” he said during a phone call with reporters.
He added that he was surprised and disappointed by Quick’s resignation, but declined to elaborate on her reasons for doing so aside from saying, “I do believe that all of the challenges of the job weighed in on her decision.”
“It’s not an easy job,” he said, adding: “It’s not uncommon for the public staff to be working 80-hour weeks.”
Quick is the third high-ranking healthcare executive to leave the county in the midst of the pandemic. David Souleles retired in April from his post as the deputy agency director of public health services. Weeks earlier, Richard Sanchez left his role as director of the county’s healthcare agency for a position with CalOptima, a county-organized health insurance system.
During a board meeting last week, Supervisor Don Wagner, who has been a fierce advocate for reopening businesses and public services in the county, questioned the need for face coverings, saying other parts of the state were backing away from those orders.
Several surrounding counties, including Los Angeles and San Diego, require residents to wear masks in public settings.
Quick responded that face coverings could help prevent the transmission of COVID-19. She also noted that the county was seeing an increase in instances of community transmission of the virus and that hospitalization numbers had been trending upward.
“There is evidence to support that,” she said, “and I feel strongly we need a face covering mandate in place as we continue to send more people back into social interactions.”
Wagner noted Tuesday that many of his constituents look at wearing a mask as a restriction, and said his frustration comes from a lack of transparency about the issue.
“We put guidelines together for businesses reopening that the board had over a month ago. Dr. Quick was involved in all those conversations and never said, ‘Oh, but I think we’ll need masks,’” he said. “And then, suddenly, we get masks without any warning and without any explanations. That’s not the kind of transparency I would like to see from government.”
Both Wagner and Kim condemned the threats against Quick. Kim said other county staff members have received threats, as well, and such issues are reviewed by law enforcement.
“None of the staff deserve that type of treatment,” he said. “We’re in these jobs to provide a public benefit and, while we respect the rights of individuals to disagree or speak their minds, I think going beyond that to issuing threats is really inappropriate and I hope that those things do not continue.”
On Tuesday, the county reported an additional 93 cases of coronavirus infection, bringing the number to 7,614. County officials also reported eight additional fatalities, for a total death toll of 185.
Orange County saw its largest two-day surge in the number of reported cases on Friday and Saturday, according to data provided by the county.
Nearly 300 new cases were reported Friday, marking the highest daily total since the onset of the pandemic, while 271 new cases were reported Saturday. This comes amid an increase in testing countywide.
The county’s hospitalization numbers also are trending upward. As of Sunday — the most recent data available — the county had 304 people hospitalized with the virus, a new daily high. Data showed that 146 of those were in intensive care units, also a new daily record for the county.
Tracking coronavirus in Orange County The latest maps and charts on the spread of COVID-19 in Orange County, including cases, deaths, closures and restrictions.
The Board of Supervisors on Tuesday pushed Chau for a definitive answer about when he planned to lift the county’s mask order. Members of the public could be heard screaming in the background as Chau responded to questions from the board.
“We cannot impose restrictions on people based on fear, just based on theoretical fear,” Supervisor Andrew Do said. “If we open up and we have testing and we start to see changes, I understand the change in position. We’re shooting at a moving target. I’m not asking you to be reckless, but the decision-making process to me is flawed.”
The push comes as the county prepares to reopen additional sectors of the economy beginning Friday, including movie theaters, public pools, museums, zoos, schools, day camps, wineries and bars.
Chau said he planned to look at the county’s infection rate and hospitalization numbers over the next 21 days with more public spaces open to determine whether those numbers showed it was safe to amend the mask order.
“We have to watch and see how we do when we enter that ecosystem before we make any decision to downgrade the mask order,” Chau said.
Kim said the county plans to launch a recruitment effort to find Quick’s long-term replacement. He acknowledged that the position presents challenges, but said it’s also an “incredible opportunity for a qualified physician that wants to make a difference, to help their community and to be the tip of the spear in developing all of the strategies that will reduce the disease burden and save lives in Orange County.”
When asked how he would reassure prospective applicants that their advice would be taken to heart — given not only the heated dispute over the mask order but the fact that county Sheriff Don Barnes said publicly that his department wouldn’t enforce it — Kim said, “You have to communicate and you have to justify. And if you communicate and you justify, then I do believe we’ll get through all the perhaps uncomfortable discussions that may occur.”
“I don’t want to diminish the difficulty of the position and the uncomfortable situation that our new health officer will be faced with,” he said. “That is all real. Happens every day.”
City News Service contributed to this report.


latimes--2020-06-09--Racism and inequity fuel coronavirus-related death toll among L.A. County minorities, officials say

Black , Latino and Pacific Islander residents of Los Angeles County are twice as likely to have died of COVID-19 than white residents , according to new data , a troubling sign of the role racism and inequity have played in the uneven spread of the novel coronavirus .
For the first time in L.A. County ’ s weekly tracking , the death rate per 100,000 people among Latinos is now double that of white people , according to data released Friday by county officials .
White residents of L.A. County were the least likely racial and ethnic group to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reported per 100,000 Caucasian residents .
Officials estimated that if minorities were dying at the same rate as whites , there would have been at least 700 fewer deaths in L.A. County .
As of Tuesday , there had been 2,710 coronavirus-related deaths in the county .
“ The very real impact of the injustices plays out every day ... and amplifies why racism is a public health issue , ” Dr. Barbara Ferrer , Los Angeles County ’ s public health director , said .
“ And the disproportionately higher number of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people is an indication of the impact of racism and discrimination on health and well-being .
“ These numbers are absolutely devastating and represent real people whose lives have been lost , ” Ferrer said .
“ They also starkly show how inequities have a life-and-death consequence .
“ We shouldn ’ t see these big differences , ” she added .
How minorities are dying at substantially greater rates than white people Death rates due to the coronavirus are worse for every other racial and ethnic group in Los Angeles County compared @ @ @ @ @ @ @ white residents in L.A. County , there have been 15 COVID-19 deaths .
Here are the COVID-19 death rates for other racial and ethnic groups : For every 100,000 Black residents , there have been 31 deaths .
For every 100,000 Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander residents , there have been 30 deaths .
For every 100,000 Latino residents , there have been 29 deaths .
And for every 100,000 Asian American residents , there have been 21 deaths .
The disparity in the death toll is also striking when factoring in community poverty levels @ @ @ @ @ @ @ four times the rate of death Those living in areas with high rates of poverty have almost four times the rate of death from COVID-19 , Ferrer said .
For every 100,000 residents who live in areas with very low poverty rates , 13 have died .
But for every 100,000 residents who live in areas with high rates of poverty , 51 have died .
It is helpful to analyze death rates per 100,000 people in each race and ethnic group as well as with economic factors , Ferrer said , because @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to make comparisons with other groups .
L.A. County officials also calculated the numbers in a different way : How many more minorities died because they didn ’ t have the health advantages white people have ?
When there are big differences in health outcome by race , ethnicity or where you live , public health scientists know that “ what they ’ re reflecting is the result of not having access to resources and opportunities that really contribute to optimal health , ” Ferrer said .
So health experts can calculate a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people that “ didn ’ t have the advantage of being in that reference group — whichever group does the best , ” Ferrer said .
When county scientists looked at excess deaths linked to the coronavirus by race , ethnicity and income , “ it paints a disturbing picture , ” Ferrer said .
“ If the coronavirus death rate for all groups were the same as it is for white residents — who have the lowest death rate — we would have 754 fewer deaths , ” Ferrer said , of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ L.A. County whose race and ethnicity information was available .
This means that , because of the disproportionate effect the coronavirus is having on these racial and ethnic groups compared with white people , there were : And when experts look at communities by income , and assume that death rates for all groups could be the same as for people living in wealthier areas , they found : • Among people living in areas with higher levels of poverty , 981 excess deaths Health disparities for minorities start ‘ at the beginning @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of death and disability for almost every community of color , Ferrer said .
“ It starts at the beginning of life , when Black babies are three to four times more likely to die before they reach their first birthday , and at the very end of life , when Black residents die , on average , six to 10 years younger than all others , ” Ferrer said .
“ We must look at the structure , systems and practices in our society to understand the root cause of these inequities @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with a long history of institutional racism .
And that ’ s resulted in — and continues to result in — fewer resources and opportunities that are needed for optimal health and well-being , ” Ferrer said .
She thanked “ everyone who ’ s been on the front lines for this last week , standing to end racism and oppression.
” Health disparities that have led Black people to be sicker and caused them to die younger than white people have persisted since the founding of the United States , Dr. Mary @ @ @ @ @ @ @ New York City and professor of Harvard ’ s T.H .
Chan School of Public Health , said recently .
Dr. Christina Ghaly , director of health services of L.A. County , agreed that the disproportionate impact of the coronavirus on minorities “ is due to the long-standing structural and systemic racism that is apparent in multiple aspects of our society.
” She said the county is focused on trying to ramp up testing sites in areas that especially need them and connecting people who are found to be positive with clinical care @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Science in Willowbrook , south of Watts , is staffed by workers from the Martin Luther King Jr. Outpatient Center and connects people with the outpatient center or other clinics .
Ghaly said staff at Charles Drew University are trying to reach out to the community to encourage testing , canvassing local grocery stores and community-based organizations , a practice she credits with increasing daily testing from about 150 people to more than 700 .
“ This is a model that we ’ re very proud @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a successful community-based approach to testing and outreach , ” Ghaly said .
She said the county plans to apply for a $ 4-million grant from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to help fund communications campaigns in hard-hit communities and among non-English speakers .
One sign of promise , Ghaly said , is that communities of color are accessing drive-through testing sites at a rate proportionate to the overall population .
“ But given how the death and case rate is disproportionately falling on these at-risk communities , we need @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Experts have been worried about the brief closure of many government-run testing sites throughout L.A. County .
Half of the approximately 40 facilities were shut down at some point in the last week amid protests against the death of George Floyd while in police custody in Minneapolis .
Ghaly said each testing site made its own choice whether to close or reduce hours .
Volume of testing declined slightly last week , Ghaly said , in some cases related to closures ; in others due to patients not showing up or canceling @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Here are the percentages of L.A. County residents who had died as of Friday from COVID-19 , categorized by race and ethnicity , for the 2,373 people for whom officials have such data : For comparison , here are the percentages of L.A. County residents by race and ethnicity : A Los Angeles Times analysis published last month found that while the early weeks of the pandemic in L.A. County suggested infection rates were greater in wealthier communities , in mid-April infection rates in poor communities began to overtake wealthier ones .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Central Los Angeles and the Eastside have increased sharply and now lead all regions in the county , exceeding 600 infections per 100,000 people , the analysis shows .
Poorer areas , such as Pico-Union and Westlake in Central L.A. and Vermont Square in South L.A. , all reported low infection rates in early April but now rank among the top 10 communities out of more than 300 countywide .
The analysis found that areas hit hardest by the coronavirus are largely concentrated in the poorest , most crowded neighborhoods — areas @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , more crowded housing and higher rates of underlying health conditions such as asthma , diabetes and heart disease .
Times staff writers Tony Barboza , Soumya Karlamangla , Ryan Menezes , Deborah Netburn and Ben Poston contributed to this report .

A funeral service for Charles Jackson, who died from COVID-19, was held April 15 at Angelus Funeral Home in Los Angeles.
Black, Latino and Pacific Islander residents of Los Angeles County are twice as likely to have died of COVID-19 than white residents, according to new data, a troubling sign of the role racism and inequity have played in the uneven spread of the novel coronavirus.
For the first time in L.A. County’s weekly tracking, the age-adjusted death rate per 100,000 people among Latinos is now double that of white people, according to data released Friday by county officials.
White residents of L.A. County were the least likely racial and ethnic group to die of COVID-19, with 15 fatalities reported per 100,000 Caucasian residents.
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Officials estimated that if minorities were dying at the same rate as whites, there would have been at least 700 fewer deaths in L.A. County. As of Tuesday, there had been 2,710 coronavirus-related deaths in the county.
“The very real impact of the injustices plays out every day ... and amplifies why racism is a public health issue,” Dr. Barbara Ferrer, Los Angeles County’s public health director, said. “And the disproportionately higher number of deaths from COVID-19 among Black and brown people is an indication of the impact of racism and discrimination on health and well-being.
“These numbers are absolutely devastating and represent real people whose lives have been lost,” Ferrer said. “They also starkly show how inequities have a life-and-death consequence.
“We shouldn’t see these big differences,” she added.
Those living in areas with high rates of poverty have almost four times the rate of death from COVID-19,
For every 100,000 residents who live in areas with very low poverty rates, 13 have died. But for every 100,000 residents who live in areas with high rates of poverty, 51 have died.
“It starts at the beginning of life, when Black babies are three to four times more likely to die before they reach their first birthday, and at the very end of life, when Black residents die, on average, six to 10 years younger than all others,” Ferrer said.
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“We must look at the structure, systems and practices in our society to understand the root cause of these inequities, which really have much to do with a long history of institutional racism. And that’s resulted in — and continues to result in — fewer resources and opportunities that are needed for optimal health and well-being,” Ferrer said. She thanked “everyone who’s been on the front lines for this last week, standing to end racism and oppression.”
Health disparities that have led Black people to be sicker and caused them to die younger than white people have persisted since the founding of the United States, Dr. Mary Bassett, a former health commissioner for New York City and professor of Harvard’s T.H. Chan School of Public Health, said recently.
Dr. Christina Ghaly, director of health services of L.A. County, agreed that the disproportionate impact of the coronavirus on minorities “is due to the long-standing structural and systemic racism that is apparent in multiple aspects of our society.”
How minorities are dying at substantially greater rates than white people
Death rates due to the coronavirus are worse for every other racial and ethnic group in Los Angeles County compared to white residents.
For every 100,000 white residents in L.A. County, there have been 15 COVID-19 deaths. Here are the COVID-19 death rates for other racial and ethnic groups:
For every 100,000 Black residents, there have been 31 deaths.
For every 100,000 Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander residents, there have been 30 deaths.
For every 100,000 Latino residents, there have been 29 deaths.
And for every 100,000 Asian American residents, there have been 21 deaths.
The rates were adjusted for differences in age distribution among each racial and ethnic group.
The disparity in the death toll is also striking when factoring in community poverty levels.
California Most California voters say coronavirus is increasing inequality, especially among blacks, poll finds Some 70% of California voters believe that the COVID-19 pandemic is increasing inequality in the United States, according to a UC Berkeley IGS poll. Most also agreed that there were racial disparities in the virus’ effect.
‘A disturbing picture’ of excess deaths among minorities
L.A. County officials also calculated the numbers in a different way: How many more minorities died because they didn’t have the health advantages white people have?
When there are big differences in health outcome by race, ethnicity or where you live, public health scientists know that “what they’re reflecting is the result of not having access to resources and opportunities that really contribute to optimal health,” Ferrer said.
So health experts can calculate a number of excess deaths among groups of people that “didn’t have the advantage of being in that reference group — whichever group does the best,” Ferrer said.
When county scientists looked at excess deaths linked to the coronavirus by race, ethnicity and income, “it paints a disturbing picture,” Ferrer said.
“If the coronavirus death rate for all groups were the same as it is for white residents — who have the lowest death rate — we would have 754 fewer deaths,” Ferrer said, of the 2,373 people who have died in L.A. County whose race and ethnicity information was available.
Tracking the coronavirus in L.A. County The latest maps and charts on the spread of COVID-19 in Los Angeles County, including cases, deaths, closures and restrictions.
This means that, because of the disproportionate effect the coronavirus is having on these racial and ethnic groups compared with white people, there were:
Among Latinos, 485 excess deaths
485 excess deaths Among Blacks, 143 excess deaths
143 excess deaths Among Asian Americans, 125 excess deaths
And when experts look at communities by income, and assume that death rates for all groups could be the same as for people living in wealthier areas, they found:
Among people living in areas with higher levels of poverty, 981 excess deaths
California Despite coronavirus, these experts support the protests for health reasons Large gatherings bring a risk of coronavirus. But health experts are supporting protests being held in response to the death of George Floyd.
Increasing testing in minority neighborhoods
Ghaly said the county is focused on trying to ramp up testing sites in areas that especially need them and connecting people who are found to be positive with clinical care. One county testing site at the Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Science in Willowbrook, south of Watts, is staffed by workers from the Martin Luther King Jr. Outpatient Center and connects people with the outpatient center or other clinics.
Ghaly said staff at Charles Drew University are trying to reach out to the community to encourage testing, canvassing local grocery stores and community-based organizations, a practice she credits with increasing daily testing from about 150 people to more than 700.
“This is a model that we’re very proud of and that we can follow — a successful community-based approach to testing and outreach,” Ghaly said.
She said the county plans to apply for a $4-million grant from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to help fund communications campaigns in hard-hit communities and among non-English speakers.
One sign of promise, Ghaly said, is that communities of color are accessing drive-through testing sites at a rate proportionate to the overall population.
“But given how the death and case rate is disproportionately falling on these at-risk communities, we need to do more,” she said.
Experts have been worried about the brief closure of many government-run testing sites throughout L.A. County. Half of the approximately 40 facilities were shut down at some point in the last week amid protests against the death of George Floyd while in police custody in Minneapolis.
Ghaly said each testing site made its own choice whether to close or reduce hours. Volume of testing declined slightly last week, Ghaly said, in some cases related to closures; in others due to patients not showing up or canceling amid concerns about demonstrations or curfews.
Here are the percentages of L.A. County residents who had died as of Friday from COVID-19, categorized by race and ethnicity, for the 2,373 people for whom officials have such data:
Latino: 41%
White: 28%
Asian: 18%
Black: 12%
Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander: Less than 1%
Other: 1%
For comparison, here are the percentages of L.A. County residents by race and ethnicity:
Latino: 49.3%
White: 27.6%
Asian American: 14.5%
Black: 8.2%
Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander: 0.2%
While these statistics, on first glance, may suggest that Latino residents are not dying at a disproportionate rate in L.A. County, they do not take into account how Latino residents make up a relatively younger demographic in L.A. County compared with, for example, white residents.
A Los Angeles Times analysis published last month found that while the early weeks of the pandemic in L.A. County suggested infection rates were greater in wealthier communities, in mid-April infection rates in poor communities began to overtake wealthier ones.
The analysis found that infection rates across South and Central Los Angeles and the Eastside have increased sharply and now lead all regions in the county, exceeding 600 infections per 100,000 people, the analysis shows.
Poorer areas, such as Pico-Union and Westlake in Central L.A. and Vermont Square in South L.A., all reported low infection rates in early April but now rank among the top 10 communities out of more than 300 countywide.
The analysis found that areas hit hardest by the coronavirus are largely concentrated in the poorest, most crowded neighborhoods — areas with a high concentration of essential workers, more crowded housing and higher rates of underlying health conditions such as asthma, diabetes and heart disease.
Times staff writers Tony Barboza, Soumya Karlamangla, Ryan Menezes, Deborah Netburn and Ben Poston contributed to this report.


latimes--2020-06-09--Santa Barbara restaurant drops name many considered racist

As America reckons with racism , the lone remaining restaurant of a chain that once stretched across the country is giving up its controversial name .
The Santa Barbara restaurant is Sambo ’ s , and “ sambo ” has been used as a racial slur for centuries .
Chad Stevens , whose grandfather founded the breakfast and lunch diner in 1957 and whose uncle oversaw the chain ’ s expansion to more than 1,100 franchises , owns the restaurant , which sits at the original location on West Cabrillo Boulevard .
“ Our family has looked into our hearts @ @ @ @ @ @ @ when others whom we respect make a strong appeal .
So today we stand in solidarity with those seeking change and doing our part as best we can , ” Stevens said in a June 4 post announcing the name change on the brunch spot ’ s Facebook page .
By the time the restaurant changed its name , a petition calling for the switch had received nearly 3,000 signatures .
Organizer Rashelle Monet wrote in the petition that “ Sambo ” was commonly used as “ an archetypal degrading character in literature @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the typical plantation slave , was docile but irresponsible , loyal but lazy , humble but chronically given to lying and stealing , ” read a quote from historian Stanley Elkins shared on the petition .
“ No one thought it was harmful … but there are some connotations where the name was used in a negative light .
That was never our intention , ” Stevens said , explaining that the name was a combination of the names of its two founders , his grandfather Sam Battistone and Battistone ’ s business @ @ @ @ @ @ @ had only rarely heard complaints about the name but acknowledged that it received criticism as his uncle and grandfather managed the chain , particularly as they expanded nationwide .
The owner thinks it ’ s finally time to make the switch .
“ I didn ’ t want to be part of the problem .
I want to be part of the solution , ” Stevens said , adding that there had recently been threats made of property damage to his restaurant .
Images from “ Little Black Sambo , ” an 1899 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in which an Indian boy outsmarts a pair of tigers and turns them into butter for pancakes , covered the inside of the eatery .
Author Langston Hughes was among those who criticized the storybook , saying its illustrations displayed the dark-skinned main character in harmful stereotype .
Stevens said he decided to change the restaurant ’ s name after he and petition organizer Monet spoke last week .
“ No one ever came to me before what ’ s going on in our country , and sat down and had a dialogue @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , let ’ s look at this , what should we do ?
’ ” Stevens said .
After Stevens ’ Facebook post announcing the change , Monet organized a fundraiser on GoFundMe to help the restaurant rebrand , which raised $ 2,370 before Stevens , who said he appreciated the gesture , shared that he wouldn ’ t take the money .
“ I think the money should go to the other people that are really hurt , ” Stevens said , referring to businesses struggling during the pandemic and unrest in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ death .
His restaurant employed 40 people before it closed for two months because of the coronavirus .
The comments on the restaurant ’ s post show a mix of reactions : praise for inclusive reflection , frustration with perceived political correctness , memories drenched in nostalgia like pancakes covered with syrup .
Most customers have showed support , though , Stevens said .
The owner said one of the most reaffirming reactions came from the chain ’ s former president , his uncle Sam Battistone Jr. , who supported the move “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ really good , ” Stevens said .
“ I ’ m here to come together , and if that means I have to change my business model , I hope something positive comes out of it.
” After making his decision on the name change , Stevens decided to swap in a temporary sign while a permanent name was being chosen .
The temporary sign started with a peace symbol and ended with `` & Love.
” Although a photo was snapped and posted to Facebook , the lettering wouldn ’ t stay @ @ @ @ @ @ @ covered it with trashbags .
He hoped to get the sign in place this week .
“ It ’ s what we are about : peace and love , ” Stevens said .

Rashelle Monet, second from left, led the movement to change the name after a petition spurred the restaurant to change its name. Sambo’s will be rebranded, ‘Peace & Love’ is just a statement, not the new name.
As America reckons with racism, the lone remaining restaurant of a chain that once stretched across the country is giving up its controversial name.
The Santa Barbara restaurant is Sambo’s, and “sambo” has been used as a racial slur for centuries.
Chad Stevens, whose grandfather founded the breakfast and lunch diner in 1957 and whose uncle oversaw the chain’s expansion to more than 1,100 franchises, owns the restaurant, which sits at the original location on West Cabrillo Boulevard.
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“Our family has looked into our hearts and realized that we must be sensitive when others whom we respect make a strong appeal. So today we stand in solidarity with those seeking change and doing our part as best we can,” Stevens said in a June 4 post announcing the name change on the brunch spot’s Facebook page.
By the time the restaurant changed its name, a petition calling for the switch had received nearly 3,000 signatures. Organizer Rashelle Monet wrote in the petition that “Sambo” was commonly used as “an archetypal degrading character in literature and minstrel shows.”
“Sambo, the typical plantation slave, was docile but irresponsible, loyal but lazy, humble but chronically given to lying and stealing,” read a quote from historian Stanley Elkins shared on the petition.
“No one thought it was harmful … but there are some connotations where the name was used in a negative light. That was never our intention,” Stevens said, explaining that the name was a combination of the names of its two founders, his grandfather Sam Battistone and Battistone’s business partner Newell Bohnett.
Stevens said he had only rarely heard complaints about the name but acknowledged that it received criticism as his uncle and grandfather managed the chain, particularly as they expanded nationwide. The owner thinks it’s finally time to make the switch.
“I didn’t want to be part of the problem. I want to be part of the solution,” Stevens said, adding that there had recently been threats made of property damage to his restaurant.
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Images from “The Story of Little Black Sambo,” an 1899 children’s book by Helen Bannerman in which an Indian boy outsmarts a pair of tigers and turns them into butter for pancakes, covered the inside of the eatery. Author Langston Hughes was among those who criticized the storybook, saying its illustrations displayed the dark-skinned main character in harmful stereotype.
Stevens said he decided to change the restaurant’s name after he and petition organizer Monet spoke last week.
“No one ever came to me before what’s going on in our country, and sat down and had a dialogue with me and said, ‘Hey, let’s look at this, what should we do?’” Stevens said.
After Stevens’ Facebook post announced the change, Monet organized a fundraiser on GoFundMe to help the restaurant rebrand, which raised $2,370 before Stevens, who said he appreciated the gesture, shared that he wouldn’t take the money.
“I think the money should go to the other people that are really hurt,” Stevens said, referring to businesses struggling during the pandemic and unrest in the wake of George Floyd’s death. His restaurant employed 40 people before it closed for two months because of the coronavirus.
The comments on the restaurant’s post show a mix of reactions: praise for inclusive reflection, frustration with perceived political correctness, memories drenched in nostalgia like pancakes covered with syrup. Most customers have showed support, though, Stevens said.
The owner said one of the most reaffirming reactions came from the chain’s former president, his uncle Sam Battistone Jr., who supported the move “100%.”
“That felt really good,” Stevens said. “I’m here to come together, and if that means I have to change my business model, I hope something positive comes out of it.”
After making his decision on the name change, Stevens decided to swap in a temporary sign while a permanent name was being chosen. The temporary sign started with a peace symbol and ended with “& Love.” Although a photo was snapped and posted to Facebook, the lettering wouldn’t stay put, and he’s since covered it with trashbags. He hoped to get the sign in place this week.
“It’s what we are about: peace and love,” Stevens said.


latimes--2020-06-09--Our Lady of Angels Cathedral tolls bells for 8 minutes, 46 seconds to mark George Floyd's funeral

The solemn chime of bells filled the streets surrounding Our Lady of the Angels Cathedral in downtown Los Angeles on Tuesday , coinciding with the start of George Floyd ’ s funeral in Houston and marking another day of protests over racism and police brutality .
The bells began ringing at 9 a.m. and continued for eight minutes and 46 seconds , the time Floyd was pinned to the ground by a Minneapolis police officer .
José Gomez , the archbishop of Los Angeles , told NBC-TV Channel 4 that all Southern California parishes were invited to hold Mass and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ service .
“ The anger and unrest that has swept Los Angeles and the rest of the country since [ Floyd ’ s ] death is a sad reminder that racism remains real .
Millions of our brothers and sisters still today experience humiliation , indignity and unequal opportunity only because of their race or the color of their skin , ” Gomez wrote in a message .
“ It should not be this way in America .
Racism is a blasphemy against God , who creates all men and women with equal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a civilized society and no place in a Christian heart.
” Gomez said racism and brutality are grave issues that should have no place in society .
Instead , Gomez urged the archdiocese to stand for love , human dignity and racial equality .
Last week , a San Francisco Episcopal church projected art on its facade and tolled its bells to commemorate the lives of Floyd , Ahmaud Arbery and Breonna Taylor .
“ When God looks at us , he sees beyond the color of our skin , or the countries @ @ @ @ @ @ @ language that we speak .
God sees only his children — beloved sons , beloved daughters , ” Gomez wrote .
The bells ’ tolling comes amid another day of protests across Los Angeles County .
Demonstrations are planned in downtown Los Angeles , South Pasadena , Sherman Oaks , Norwalk , Culver City , Burbank , Venice and West Hollywood throughout the afternoon .
On Monday , four car processions were organized around Southern California to commemorate Floyd ’ s public viewing service in Houston .
The cars departed from Leimert Park @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Ana , and converged on downtown L.A. for a noontime rally .
Once the caravans reached downtown and people exited their vehicles , mourners could be seen carrying floral arrangements .
At the intersection of Broadway and 1st Street , four hearses were parked in the middle of the street , surrounded by hundreds of protesters .
Those gathered clapped as a woman gave a speech about defunding the police , and she led them in a repeated chant of Floyd ’ s and Breonna Taylor ’ s names .
Taylor was fatally @ @ @ @ @ @ @ home by a police officer in March .
No charges have been filed in connection with her death .
The four officers involved in Floyd ’ s arrest are facing charges in his death .
“ Do not let this system of white supremacy define who you are and take you away from your community , ” the speaker said .
“ You have to fight for all black people , and that means all black people.
” Floyd ’ s death has become a rallying point for many who say that police @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for too long , prompting sweeping protests across the U.S. and elsewhere .
“ This is a movement , ” said activist AJ Lovelace .
“ They thought we were going to get tired and give up .
And we ’ re still here.
” Times staff writers Luke Money and Alex Wigglesworth contributed to this report .

Kristi Sturgill, Melissa Gomez, Hannah Fry

The solemn chime of bells filled the streets surrounding Our Lady of the Angels Cathedral in downtown Los Angeles on Tuesday, coinciding with the start of George Floyd’s funeral in Houston and marking another day of protests over racism and police brutality.
The bells began ringing at 9 a.m. and continued for eight minutes and 46 seconds, the time Floyd was pinned to the ground by a Minneapolis police officer.
José Gomez, the archbishop of Los Angeles, told NBC-TV Channel 4 that all Southern California parishes were invited to hold Mass and say prayers in conjunction with the Houston service.
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“The anger and unrest that has swept Los Angeles and the rest of the country since [Floyd’s] death is a sad reminder that racism remains real. Millions of our brothers and sisters still today experience humiliation, indignity and unequal opportunity only because of their race or the color of their skin,” Gomez wrote in a message.
“It should not be this way in America. Racism is a blasphemy against God, who creates all men and women with equal dignity. It has no place in a civilized society and no place in a Christian heart.”
Gomez said racism and brutality are grave issues that should have no place in society. Instead, Gomez urged the archdiocese to stand for love, human dignity and racial equality.
Last week, a San Francisco Episcopal church projected art on its facade and tolled its bells to commemorate the lives of Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery and Breonna Taylor.
“When God looks at us, he sees beyond the color of our skin, or the countries where we come from, or the language that we speak. God sees only his children — beloved sons, beloved daughters,” Gomez wrote.
Clergy of the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels, from left, Father David Gallardo, Father Brian Nunez, Deacon Michael Mesa, and Father Paul Velazquez, stand quietly in the courtyard for eight minutes and 46 seconds to coincide with the beginning of George Floyd’s funeral in Houston. (Christina House/Los Angeles Times)
The bells’ tolling comes amid another day of protests across Los Angeles County. Demonstrations are planned in downtown Los Angeles, South Pasadena, Sherman Oaks, Norwalk, Culver City, Burbank, Venice and West Hollywood throughout the afternoon.
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On Monday, four car processions were organized around Southern California to commemorate Floyd’s public viewing service in Houston. The cars departed from Leimert Park, Long Beach, Reseda and Santa Ana, and converged on downtown L.A. for a noontime rally.
Once the caravans reached downtown and people exited their vehicles, mourners could be seen carrying floral arrangements. At the intersection of Broadway and 1st Street, four hearses were parked in the middle of the street, surrounded by hundreds of protesters.
Those gathered clapped as a woman gave a speech about defunding the police, and she led them in a repeated chant of Floyd’s and Breonna Taylor’s names. Taylor was fatally shot in her Louisville, Ky., home by a police officer in March. No charges have been filed in connection with her death. The four officers involved in Floyd’s arrest are facing charges in his death.
“Do not let this system of white supremacy define who you are and take you away from your community,” the speaker said. “You have to fight for all black people, and that means all black people.”
Floyd’s death has become a rallying point for many who say that police abuses against black people have persisted unchecked for too long, prompting sweeping protests across the U.S. and elsewhere around the world .
“This is a movement,” said activist AJ Lovelace. “They thought we were going to get tired and give up. And we’re still here.”
Times staff writers Luke Money and Alex Wigglesworth contributed to this report.


latimes--2020-06-09--Despite coronavirus, these experts support the protests for health reasons

Any type of large gathering brings a risk of spreading the coronavirus .
Yet a number of health experts are supporting protests being held nationwide in response to the death of George Floyd .
Why is that ?
Many health experts note that racism is the root cause of longstanding public health disparities that date back to the founding of the United States .
“ Racism is a public health crisis , ” said Dr. Peter Chin-Hong , professor of medicine and an infectious diseases specialist at UC San Francisco .
“ We wanted to support people ’ s voices @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tragedy.
” Chin-Hong is one of hundreds of people — among them public health experts and infectious disease experts — who have signed a petition , originating at the University of Washington , supporting demonstrators who are trying to “ call attention to the pervasive lethal force of white supremacy.
” Chin-Hong edited the letter and was helping to promote it .
The petition notes that black people face dramatically worse health disparities in life expectancy , maternal and infant mortality , chronic medical conditions , and outcomes from acute illnesses such as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ health outcomes , the petition says , stem from longstanding “ systems of oppression and bias which have subjected people of color to discrimination in the healthcare setting , decreased access to medical care and healthy food , unsafe working conditions , mass incarceration , exposure to pollution and noise , and the toxic effects of stress.
” In Los Angeles County , black people are twice as likely to have died from COVID-19 , the disease caused by the coronavirus , than white people .
For every 100,000 white residents , there @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
But for every 100,000 black residents , there were 31 COVID-19 deaths among L.A. County residents .
For every 100,000 Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander residents , there were 30 coronavirus-related deaths .
And for every 100,000 Latino residents , there were 29 such deaths .
For every 100,000 Asian American residents , there were 21 deaths .
The petition and Chin-Hong offered the following suggestions for protesters and those supporting protesters , as well as for law enforcement agencies and public health officials : • Wear masks , which help keep potentially infectious @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from spreading to other people .
• Have backup masks in case you are sprayed with tear gas or pepper spray and rip your mask off .
• A backup station — similar to those used at marathons to give runners cups of water — may be helpful .
At a protest backup station , volunteers might staff tables with hand sanitizer and extra masks .
• Demonstrate with a group of people who stay together , rather than mixing with many others .
• Avoid the use of tear gas , pepper @ @ @ @ @ @ @ respiratory system .
That will cause people to cough , shout and scream , and that ’ s “ more efficient at transmitting [ the ] virus , ” Chin-Hong said .
Such chemicals also will cause people to take off their masks and rub their eyes and nose .
They also inflame the lining of the respiratory system , making the body more susceptible to infection .
• When people are detained or questioned , that should occur outdoors , rather than inside at a police station or jail , which will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ • Detained people should be allowed to keep a mask on .
If officials want to see a person ’ s face , they should have the individual wear a face shield .
The director of public health in Los Angeles County , Dr. Barbara Ferrer , is not among those who have signed the letter .
But she , too , has said that “ racism is a public health issue.
” “ The disproportionately higher number of deaths from COVID-19 among black and brown people is an indication of the impact @ @ @ @ @ @ @ well-being , ” Ferrer said Friday .
She echoed those statements Monday .
“ I want to acknowledge that we ’ re at a place in history where we ’ re facing critically important issues , ” Ferrer said , “ and we ’ re engaging in crucial work , and many are committed in this moment in the continuing fight to end racism .
And I applaud all of those who have stood for justice.
” But she urged those who had attended protests where they were not able to keep six @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they were around people not wearing face coverings for longer than 15 minutes , to self-quarantine for the 14-day incubation period of the virus .
That applies , she said , to those who have been part of any large gathering , including at the beach or a shopping mall .
She said in those instances people should contact health providers to determine whether they should be tested .
People who learn they have been in contact with someone who has tested positive for the virus should also get tested , Ferrer said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who have been in contact with crowds or unmasked people and are living with older adults or those with underlying medical conditions .
She suggested wearing a face covering while around vulnerable housemates and to avoid preparing food for them or sharing utensils , bedding and towels , and to clean and disinfect common surfaces more frequently .
Experts warn that , despite a negative test result , a person may go on to develop COVID-19 ; tests may be conducted too soon after exposure to the virus , before enough viral particles @ @ @ @ @ @ @ detected .
That ’ s why , even with a negative test result , it ’ s best to continue to self-quarantine for the full 14-day incubation period after being part of a large crowd or spending time with unmasked people , Ferrer said .
“ Being part of a protest is really no different than having an exposure in an indoor mall or even at a restaurant or at the beach , ” Ferrer said .
“ That ’ s why we say if you think you had an exposure , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is to self-quarantine for those 14 days to see whether you develop signs or symptoms .
”

Any type of large gathering brings a risk of spreading the coronavirus. Yet a number of health experts are supporting protests being held nationwide in response to the death of George Floyd.
Why is that?
Many health experts note that racism is the root cause of longstanding public health disparities that date back to the founding of the United States.
“Racism is a public health crisis,” said Dr. Peter Chin-Hong, professor of medicine and an infectious diseases specialist at UC San Francisco. “We wanted to support people’s voices in this national time of sadness and tragedy.”
Chin-Hong is one of hundreds of people — among them public health experts and infectious disease experts — who have signed a petition, originating at the University of Washington, supporting demonstrators who are trying to “call attention to the pervasive lethal force of white supremacy.” Chin-Hong edited the letter and was helping to promote it.
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The petition notes that black people face dramatically worse health disparities in life expectancy, maternal and infant mortality, chronic medical conditions, and outcomes from acute illnesses such as heart attacks and sepsis.
Those worsened health outcomes, the petition says, stem from longstanding “systems of oppression and bias which have subjected people of color to discrimination in the healthcare setting, decreased access to medical care and healthy food, unsafe working conditions, mass incarceration, exposure to pollution and noise, and the toxic effects of stress.”
In Los Angeles County, black people are twice as likely to have died from COVID-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus, than white people. For every 100,000 white residents, there were 15 fatalities related to the coronavirus. But for every 100,000 black residents, there were 31 COVID-19 deaths among L.A. County residents.
For every 100,000 Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander residents, there were 30 coronavirus-related deaths. And for every 100,000 Latino residents, there were 29 such deaths. For every 100,000 Asian American residents, there were 21 deaths.
The petition and Chin-Hong offered the following suggestions for protesters and those supporting protesters, as well as for law enforcement agencies and public health officials:
Advertisement
Advice for protesters
Wear masks, which help keep potentially infectious oral fluids from pre-symptomatic or asymptomatic individuals from spreading to other people.
Have backup masks in case you are sprayed with tear gas or pepper spray and rip your mask off.
A backup station — similar to those used at marathons to give runners cups of water — may be helpful. At a protest backup station, volunteers might staff tables with hand sanitizer and extra masks.
Face shields are a good alternative to masks.
Demonstrate with a group of people who stay together, rather than mixing with many others.
Advice for government officials
Avoid the use of tear gas, pepper spray or other chemicals that irritate the respiratory system. That will cause people to cough, shout and scream, and that’s “more efficient at transmitting [the] virus,” Chin-Hong said. Such chemicals also will cause people to take off their masks and rub their eyes and nose. They also inflame the lining of the respiratory system, making the body more susceptible to infection.
When people are detained or questioned, that should occur outdoors, rather than inside at a police station or jail, which will facilitate disease transmission, Chin-Hong said.
Detained people should be allowed to keep a mask on. If officials want to see a person’s face, they should have the individual wear a face shield.
The director of public health in Los Angeles County, Dr. Barbara Ferrer, is not among those who have signed the letter. But she, too, has said that “racism is a public health issue.”
“The disproportionately higher number of deaths from COVID-19 among black and brown people is an indication of the impact of racism and discrimination on health and well-being,” Ferrer said Friday.
She echoed those statements Monday. “I want to acknowledge that we’re at a place in history where we’re facing critically important issues,” Ferrer said, “and we’re engaging in crucial work, and many are committed in this moment in the continuing fight to end racism. And I applaud all of those who have stood for justice.”
But she urged those who had attended protests where they were not able to keep six feet away from others, and where they were around people not wearing face coverings for longer than 15 minutes, to self-quarantine for the 14-day incubation period of the virus. That applies, she said, to those who have been part of any large gathering, including at the beach or a shopping mall.
She said in those instances people should contact health providers to determine whether they should be tested. People who learn they have been in contact with someone who has tested positive for the virus should also get tested, Ferrer said.
She had advice also for those who have been in contact with crowds or unmasked people and are living with older adults or those with underlying medical conditions. She suggested wearing a face covering while around vulnerable housemates and to avoid preparing food for them or sharing utensils, bedding and towels, and to clean and disinfect common surfaces more frequently.
Experts warn that, despite a negative test result, a person may go on to develop COVID-19; tests may be conducted too soon after exposure to the virus, before enough viral particles have replicated in the body to be detected.
That’s why, even with a negative test result, it’s best to continue to self-quarantine for the full 14-day incubation period after being part of a large crowd or spending time with unmasked people, Ferrer said.
“Being part of a protest is really no different than having an exposure in an indoor mall or even at a restaurant or at the beach,” Ferrer said. “That’s why we say if you think you had an exposure, the safest thing to do at this point is to self-quarantine for those 14 days to see whether you develop signs or symptoms.”
Times staff writer Deborah Netburn contributed to this report.


latimes--2020-06-09--Brush fire breaks out near Hollywood Bowl as heat wave continues

Firefighters battled a brush fire that broke out early Tuesday near the Hollywood Bowl as the region braced for another day of sizzling temperatures and Santa Ana winds .
The blaze , which broke out about 6:20 a.m. in the 2300 block of Highland Avenue in the Hollywood Hills , had charred three acres by 8 a.m. , according to the Los Angeles Fire Department .
After more than an hour of work , roughly 129 firefighters and three water-dropping helicopters had stopped forward progress of the fire .
Ground crews will remain at the scene to handle any flare-ups @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fire officials .
No structures were damaged , and no evacuations were ordered .
It was not immediately clear what sparked the fire .
The blaze near the Hollywood Bowl , which canceled its season of concerts and films because of the coronavirus pandemic , was the second that L.A. firefighters responded to early Tuesday .
The first fire broke out shortly before 5 a.m. atop Radio Hill in the Lincoln Heights area .
Fire crews extinguished the two-acre blaze roughly two hours later , fire officials said .
The fires marked a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ heads into another day of scorching temperatures .
The combination of heat wind and low humidity can cause a blaze to spread rapidly , creating hazardous conditions for fire crews .
“ We ’ re always concerned about fires , ” said Kathy Hoxsie , a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Oxnard .
“ The No .
1 issue with that is wind , so the fact that the wind is not going to be as strong helps , but , really , when you have tinder-dry grass and low relative @ @ @ @ @ @ @ problems.
” The mercury is expected to rise into the 80s and 90s along the coast , and peak close to 100 degrees in more inland regions by the afternoon .
Temperatures broke records in at least three spots in Southern California on Monday .
Camarillo Airport reported a high of 89 degrees , surpassing the previous record of 81 set in 1925 .
At Los Angeles International Airport , the high of 84 shattered the record of 77 set in 1979 , and at Long Beach Airport , the high of 90 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in 2015 .
The weather service issued a heat advisory from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesday , warning of possibly of more record-breaking temperatures along the L.A. County coast that could cause heat-related illnesses .
“ It ’ s a little early to see temperatures like this , ” Hoxsie said .
“ But when you ’ re in the transition season , you can get spikes and dips.
” Santa Ana winds that buffeted the region Monday are expected to moderate as the week progresses .
On Tuesday , winds of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to 30 mph in some regions , including along the Interstate 5 corridor , Hoxsie said .
On Monday , L.A. County mountains were seeing gusts of 50-60 mph .
The wind and dry heat stoked small brush fires in Castaic , Lake View Terrace , Elysian Park , Eagle Rock , Lake Balboa , Corona and El Sereno on Monday .
Fire crews were able to extinguish all the blazes quickly , and no homes were damaged .

Firefighters get a handle on a small vegetation fire that broke out Tuesday near the Hollywood Bowl.
Firefighters battled a brush fire that broke out early Tuesday near the Hollywood Bowl as the region braced for another day of sizzling temperatures and Santa Ana winds.
The blaze, which broke out about 6:20 a.m. in the 2300 block of Highland Avenue in the Hollywood Hills, had charred three acres by 8 a.m., according to the Los Angeles Fire Department.
After more than an hour of work, roughly 129 firefighters and three water-dropping helicopters had stopped forward progress of the fire. Ground crews will remain at the scene to handle any flare-ups and extinguish smoldering vegetation, according to fire officials.
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No structures were damaged, and no evacuations were ordered. It was not immediately clear what sparked the fire.
The blaze near the Hollywood Bowl, which canceled its season of concerts and films because of the coronavirus pandemic, was the second that L.A. firefighters responded to early Tuesday. The first fire broke out shortly before 5 a.m. atop Radio Hill in the Lincoln Heights area. Fire crews extinguished the two-acre blaze roughly two hours later, fire officials said.
The fires marked a busy start for officials as the region heads into another day of scorching temperatures. The combination of heat wind and low humidity can cause a blaze to spread rapidly, creating hazardous conditions for fire crews.
“We’re always concerned about fires,” said Kathy Hoxsie, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Oxnard. “The No. 1 issue with that is wind, so the fact that the wind is not going to be as strong helps, but, really, when you have tinder-dry grass and low relative humidity, even breezy conditions can cause problems.”
The mercury is expected to rise into the 80s and 90s along the coast, and peak close to 100 degrees in more inland regions by the afternoon.
Temperatures broke records in at least three spots in Southern California on Monday. Camarillo Airport reported a high of 89 degrees, surpassing the previous record of 81 set in 1925. At Los Angeles International Airport, the high of 84 shattered the record of 77 set in 1979, and at Long Beach Airport, the high of 90 topped the prior record of 88 set in 2015.
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The weather service issued a heat advisory from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesday, warning of possibly of more record-breaking temperatures along the L.A. County coast that could cause heat-related illnesses.
“It’s a little early to see temperatures like this,” Hoxsie said. “But when you’re in the transition season, you can get spikes and dips.”
Santa Ana winds that buffeted the region Monday are expected to moderate as the week progresses. On Tuesday, winds of 10-20 mph are expected with gusts up to 30 mph in some regions, including along the Interstate 5 corridor, Hoxsie said.
On Monday, L.A. County mountains were seeing gusts of 50-60 mph.
The wind and dry heat stoked small brush fires in Castaic, Lake View Terrace, Elysian Park, Eagle Rock, Lake Balboa, Corona and El Sereno on Monday. Fire crews were able to extinguish all the blazes quickly, and no homes were damaged.


latimes--2020-06-09--The coronavirus entered Northern California many times, from many places

The novel coronavirus settled in Northern California in much the same way as the rest of the world : It arrived from places near and far , flourished in fertile pockets and incubated until it either died out or moved on to newer pastures .
An international team of scientists combined old-fashioned epidemiology with newfangled genetic sleuthing to determine that the Bay Area ’ s outbreak was spawned by a mix of foreign and domestic arrivals .
The findings were published Monday in the journal Science .
In nine Bay Area counties where the coronavirus set down roots early , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ one of several sources of spread within the community .
Strains of the virus that had come by way of Europe were also widely evident .
And a cluster of cases that put down roots in Santa Clara County sent out tendrils to neighboring San Mateo County and the more distant Solano County .
But no single source of infection appears to have played a larger role in seeding the region ’ s coronavirus outbreak than the Grand Princess cruise ship , which sailed from San Francisco to Mexico and Hawaii twice in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ suggests that at least one passenger on the first of those two sailings — a person whose infection originated in Washington state — left behind enough virus to seed the infections of most of the dozens of people who became sick during the second sailing .
Those passengers , in turn , carried the virus into San Francisco , Marin , Sonoma , Solano and San Joaquin counties , among other places elsewhere in the state and country , including Minnesota .
The analysis combines genetic sequencing of viral samples from 36 infected @ @ @ @ @ @ @ collected by public-health officials about how , when , where and by whom each person may have been infected and/or gone on to infect others .
This technique , known as phylodynamic analysis , can be used to explore how a virus establishes beachheads in a new place and how widely and quickly it spreads out from there .
The coronavirus , known as SARS-CoV-2 , mutates in barely perceptible ways as it expands its range .
On average , it gains about two mutations a month .
Thanks to fast , inexpensive @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a seemingly random assortment of viral samples and arrange them into family trees to map their movements .
When the travel patterns gleaned by that process are compared to the exposure histories collected by public-health investigators , the result is a new way to recreate the outbreak ’ s spread .
In this case , researchers chose to concentrate on nine counties surrounding San Francisco , which is both a magnet for domestic travelers and a prominent gateway from abroad .
They focused on viral samples collected during a brief window of time @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s sustained spread inside the United States .
The results offer some insights into how quickly the virus had spread in the Bay Area before it penetrated inland and moved across the state .
The answer , according to the researchers : very quickly .
By mid-March , as testing became more widespread , both cases and deaths across the state began to rise sharply .
In hard-hit San Mateo County , for instance , new cases spiked in early April .
Moreover , by February and early March , the virus had @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on Northern California soil to have taken on the genetic timestamp of a domestic product .
Even as the virus spread , some local variants withered and died without seeding themselves further .
In San Benito and Solano counties , public-health interventions like contact tracing — possibly aided by lower population densities — stamped out local outbreaks before they could send embers to neighboring counties .
“ The fact is , you can treat the virus as if it were a wildfire throwing off sparks , ” said Dr. Charles Y. Chiu , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Francisco and the paper ’ s senior author .
“ If you ’ re prepared for them , you can basically put that wildfire out.
” They ’ re still helpful to see , Chiu said .
At a cost of $ 10 to $ 20 per sample , the combination of genetic analysis and public health gumshoe work “ has given us actionable data that could have kept the virus from spreading ” beyond the boundaries of other counties , he added .
The study benefited from a larger , international effort @ @ @ @ @ @ @ decode , compare and track the genetic sequences of viral samples taken from patients across the world .
By March 20 , they had already gathered and organized 753 such genomes into family trees , allowing geneticists and public health specialists to see how the coronavirus outbreak became the COVID-19 pandemic .
Among the surprises they uncovered was the date that at least one traveler from New York had become infected .
The traveler turned up sick in San Francisco on March 13 with a strain of virus that had clearly originated in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ coronavirus that passed through Europe was well-established in New York by the time the first community-acquired case was identified there on March 3 .
An insight like that could not have been revealed with traditional forms of epidemiology .

The novel coronavirus settled in Northern California in much the same way as the rest of the world: It arrived from places near and far, flourished in fertile pockets and incubated until it either died out or moved on to newer pastures.
An international team of scientists combined old-fashioned epidemiology with newfangled genetic sleuthing to determine that the Bay Area’s outbreak was spawned by a mix of foreign and domestic arrivals. The findings were published Monday in the journal Science.
In nine Bay Area counties where the coronavirus set down roots early, visitors arriving directly from China were only one of several sources of spread within the community. Strains of the virus that had come by way of Europe were also widely evident. And a cluster of cases that put down roots in Santa Clara County sent out tendrils to neighboring San Mateo County and the more distant Solano County.
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But no single source of infection appears to have played a larger role in seeding the region’s coronavirus outbreak than the Grand Princess cruise ship, which sailed from San Francisco to Mexico and Hawaii twice in February and March.
The new study suggests that at least one passenger on the first of those two sailings — a person whose infection originated in Washington state — left behind enough virus to seed the infections of most of the dozens of people who became sick during the second sailing. Those passengers, in turn, carried the virus into San Francisco, Marin, Sonoma, Solano and San Joaquin counties, among other places elsewhere in the state and country, including Minnesota.
The analysis combines genetic sequencing of viral samples from 36 infected patients from throughout Northern California with data collected by public-health officials about how, when, where and by whom each person may have been infected and/or gone on to infect others. This technique, known as phylodynamic analysis, can be used to explore how a virus establishes beachheads in a new place and how widely and quickly it spreads out from there.
The coronavirus, known as SARS-CoV-2, mutates in barely perceptible ways as it expands its range. On average, it gains about two mutations a month.
Thanks to fast, inexpensive genetic sequencing technology, scientists can timestamp a seemingly random assortment of viral samples and arrange them into family trees to map their movements.
When the travel patterns gleaned by that process are compared to the exposure histories collected by public-health investigators, the result is a new way to recreate the outbreak’s spread.
In this case, researchers chose to concentrate on nine counties surrounding San Francisco, which is both a magnet for domestic travelers and a prominent gateway from abroad. They focused on viral samples collected during a brief window of time near the start of the virus’s sustained spread inside the United States.
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The results offer some insights into how quickly the virus had spread in the Bay Area before it penetrated inland and moved across the state.
The answer, according to the researchers: very quickly.
By mid-March, as testing became more widespread, both cases and deaths across the state began to rise sharply. In hard-hit San Mateo County, for instance, new cases spiked in early April.
Moreover, by February and early March, the virus had already spread enough from person to person on Northern California soil to have taken on the genetic timestamp of a domestic product.
Even as the virus spread, some local variants withered and died without seeding themselves further.
In San Benito and Solano counties, public-health interventions like contact tracing — possibly aided by lower population densities — stamped out local outbreaks before they could send embers to neighboring counties.
“The fact is, you can treat the virus as if it were a wildfire throwing off sparks,” said Dr. Charles Y. Chiu, an infectious disease specialist at UC San Francisco and the paper’s senior author. “If you’re prepared for them, you can basically put that wildfire out.”
They’re still helpful to see, Chiu said. At a cost of $10 to $20 per sample, the combination of genetic analysis and public health gumshoe work “has given us actionable data that could have kept the virus from spreading” beyond the boundaries of other counties, he added.
The study benefited from a larger, international effort by many of the same researchers to decode, compare and track the genetic sequences of viral samples taken from patients across the world. By March 20, they had already gathered and organized 753 such genomes into family trees, allowing geneticists and public health specialists to see how the coronavirus outbreak became the COVID-19 pandemic.
Among the surprises they uncovered was the date that at least one traveler from New York had become infected. The traveler turned up sick in San Francisco on March 13 with a strain of virus that had clearly originated in Europe.
That timing suggests that a coronavirus that passed through Europe was well-established in New York by the time the first community-acquired case was identified there on March 3. An insight like that could not have been revealed with traditional forms of epidemiology.