latimes--2020-12-29--Oxygen supply shortages bedevil hospitals already overwhelmed by COVID-19 patients

One of the myriad challenges facing Southern California ’ s medical system , which is overwhelmed by COVID-19 patients , involves one of the most basic staples of any hospital .
Officials are having problems getting the amount of oxygen needed by critically ill COVID-19 patients who are struggling to breathe as their inflamed lungs are being damaged or destroyed .
Problems on Sunday caused at least five hospitals in L.A. County to declare an internal disaster , which closed the facilities to all ambulance traffic — not just certain types of ambulance patients , as is more typical .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ of oxygen itself , county and hospital officials say .
There ’ s a shortage of canisters , which patients need to return home , and aging hospital pipes are breaking down due to the huge amounts of oxygen needed to be distributed around the hospital .
There are two problems with the distribution of oxygen at aging hospitals .
First , there are so many patients needing a high rate of oxygen that the system can not maintain the sufficient pressure needed in the pipes .
The second is that there is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they freeze , “ and obviously , if it freezes , then you can ’ t have good flow of oxygen , ” said Dr. Christina Ghaly , L.A. County health services director .
Some hospitals are forced to move patients to lower floors , because it ’ s easier to deliver oxygen there without needing the pressure to push it up to higher floors , Ghaly said .
Memorial Hospital of Gardena is one of the centers facing oxygen issues .
Chief Executive Kevan Metcalfe said the hospital has run low on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the hospital would be in “ deep , deep trouble , ” he said .
Doctors and nurses have learned since the early days of the pandemic to , as much as possible , avoid placing patients on ventilators , which involves sticking a breathing tube down the throat .
Many patients instead receive a high-flow oxygen treatment , in which oxygen is sent through plastic tubes placed in the nose .
While a non-COVID patient may receive six liters of oxygen per minute , COVID-19 patients need 60 to 80 liters a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ far more oxygen than they did before .
One of the biggest concerns facing hospitals is that more patients are on the way .
The COVID-19 patients in the hospital now reflect coronavirus cases diagnosed two weeks earlier — a time at which L.A. County was averaging 11,000 new cases a day .
That number has swelled since then — up to nearly 14,800 new cases a day for the seven-day period that ended Dec. 22 — before declining slightly to 14,000 cases a day as of Monday night .
That means hospitals @ @ @ @ @ @ @ into the new year because of infections that took place before Christmas .
About 10 % of people who test positive for the coronavirus in L.A. County end up needing hospital treatment .
Barbara Ferrer , L.A. County ‘ s public health director , said “ all indicators tell us that our situation may only get worse as we begin 2021 .
The rate of community transmission remains extraordinarily high… .
As cases continue to remain at these alarmingly high levels , hundreds more people are likely to die.
” She added : @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hospitals a fighting chance to handle the flood of COVID-19 patients that are arriving every single day.
” The pace of the fall and winter surge has been staggering .
On Nov. 1 , L.A. County was averaging about 1,300 coronavirus cases a day on a weekly basis ; L.A. County is now averaging 14,000 cases a day .
The daily rate at which coronavirus test results are coming back positive is now 17 % in L.A. County , more than quadruple the comparable figure Nov. 1 , when the positivity rate was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is now averaging about 90 COVID-19 deaths a day over the last week , one of the highest such numbers during the pandemic .
The county death toll as of Monday night was 9,564 , according to an independent Times count of local health jurisdictions ; Ferrer said Monday that her agency is still sorting through a reporting backlog and it expects to add 432 deaths , pushing the death toll closer to 10,000 .
County Supervisor Hilda Solis urged people against thinking that nothing could be done about the pandemic , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ A coronavirus test that shows up negative can easily become meaningless as a person can be infected and contagious by the time the results come back .
“ I understand the futility that so many people are feeling right now — the idea that some people just want to throw their hands up .
But we can ’ t think like that , ” Solis said .
“ It ’ s squarely within our control to limit how many people are infected and how many people can die .
“ To be more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the power to cause or prevent death and illness among our family members , our co-workers and even strangers.
” It isn ’ t just older people who can suffer from COVID-19 , Solis said ; a child this month died of the coronavirus-linked multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children , known as MIS-C , in L.A. County .
There have been at least 51 cases of MIS-C in the county — all requiring hospitalization , with half treated in intensive care units .
Latino children accounted for nearly three-quarters of those cases .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ coronavirus samples for a genetic analysis , and none have been positive for the potentially more contagious variant of the coronavirus identified in Britain .
Although there ’ s a high probability the variant is here , she said , it doesn ’ t appear to be dominant .
“ Whether the variant is here or isn ’ t here , the steps we need to take are exactly the same , ” Ferrer said .
Times staff writers Sean Greene and Colleen Shalby contributed to this report .

Rong-Gong Lin II, Luke Money, Hayley Smith

Nurse Kat Yi holds an iPad up to Eduardo Rojas, 50, so that his wife can talk to him at Providence St. Jude Medical Center in Fullerton on Christmas Day.
One of the myriad challenges facing Southern California’s medical system, which is overwhelmed by COVID-19 patients, involves one of the most basic staples of any hospital.
Oxygen.
Officials are having problems getting the amount of oxygen needed by critically ill COVID-19 patients who are struggling to breathe as their inflamed lungs are being damaged or destroyed.
Problems on Sunday caused at least five hospitals in L.A. County to declare an internal disaster, which closed the facilities to all ambulance traffic — not just certain types of ambulance patients, as is more typical.
It’s not simply a shortage of oxygen itself, county and hospital officials say. There’s a shortage of canisters, which patients need to return home, and aging hospital pipes are breaking down due to the huge amounts of oxygen needed to be distributed around the hospital.
There are two problems with the distribution of oxygen at aging hospitals.
First, there are so many patients needing a high rate of oxygen that the system cannot maintain the sufficient pressure needed in the pipes.
The second is that there is such high flow through the pipes that they freeze, “and obviously, if it freezes, then you can’t have good flow of oxygen,” said Dr. Christina Ghaly, L.A. County health services director.
Some hospitals are forced to move patients to lower floors, because it’s easier to deliver oxygen there without needing the pressure to push it up to higher floors, Ghaly said.
Memorial Hospital of Gardena is one of the centers facing oxygen issues. Chief Executive Kevan Metcalfe said the hospital has run low on oxygen.
If it runs out, the hospital would be in “deep, deep trouble,” he said.
Doctors and nurses have learned since the early days of the pandemic to, as much as possible, avoid placing patients on ventilators, which involves sticking a breathing tube down the throat.
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Many patients instead receive a high-flow oxygen treatment, in which oxygen is sent through plastic tubes placed in the nose.
While a non-COVID patient may receive six liters of oxygen per minute, COVID-19 patients need 60 to 80 liters a minute. So now, hospitals need far more oxygen than they did before.
One of the biggest concerns facing hospitals is that more patients are on the way.
The COVID-19 patients in the hospital now reflect coronavirus cases diagnosed two weeks earlier — a time at which L.A. County was averaging 11,000 new cases a day. That number has swelled since then — up to nearly 14,800 new cases a day for the seven-day period that ended Dec. 22 — before declining slightly to 14,000 cases a day as of Monday night.
That means hospitals are still expecting to see increasing demand into the new year because of infections that took place before Christmas. About 10% of people who test positive for the coronavirus in L.A. County end up needing hospital treatment.
Barbara Ferrer, L.A. County‘s public health director, said “all indicators tell us that our situation may only get worse as we begin 2021. The rate of community transmission remains extraordinarily high…. As cases continue to remain at these alarmingly high levels, hundreds more people are likely to die.”
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She added: “We all need to give our hospitals a fighting chance to handle the flood of COVID-19 patients that are arriving every single day.”
The pace of the fall and winter surge has been staggering. On Nov. 1, L.A. County was averaging about 1,300 coronavirus cases a day on a weekly basis; L.A. County is now averaging 14,000 cases a day. The daily rate at which coronavirus test results are coming back positive is now 17% in L.A. County, more than quadruple the comparable figure Nov. 1, when the positivity rate was less than 4%.
L.A. County is now averaging about 90 COVID-19 deaths a day over the last week, one of the highest such numbers during the pandemic. The county death toll as of Monday night was 9,564, according to an independent Times count of local health jurisdictions; Ferrer said Monday that her agency is still sorting through a reporting backlog and it expects to add 432 deaths, pushing the death toll closer to 10,000.
County Supervisor Hilda Solis urged people against thinking that nothing could be done about the pandemic, and she asked people to stay home. A coronavirus test that shows up negative can easily become meaningless as a person can be infected and contagious by the time the results come back.
“I understand the futility that so many people are feeling right now — the idea that some people just want to throw their hands up. But we can’t think like that,” Solis said. “It’s squarely within our control to limit how many people are infected and how many people can die.
“To be more blunt, each one of us has the power to cause or prevent death and illness among our family members, our co-workers and even strangers.”
It isn’t just older people who can suffer from COVID-19, Solis said; a child this month died of the coronavirus-linked multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children, known as MIS-C, in L.A. County. There have been at least 51 cases of MIS-C in the county — all requiring hospitalization, with half treated in intensive care units. Latino children accounted for nearly three-quarters of those cases.
Ferrer said L.A. County has run 29 coronavirus samples for a genetic analysis, and none have been positive for the potentially more contagious variant of the coronavirus identified in Britain. Although there’s a high probability the variant is here, she said, it doesn’t appear to be dominant.
“Whether the variant is here or isn’t here, the steps we need to take are exactly the same,” Ferrer said.
Times staff writers Sean Greene and Colleen Shalby contributed to this report.


Thunderstorm slams Southland

Los Angeles ’ first significant storm of the season arrived Sunday night , bringing with it intense lightning , rolling @ @ @ @ @ increased potential for road hazards and debris flows .
The storm pummeled Southern California , @ @ @ @ @ inches of snow in high-elevation mountain areas and half an inch of rain in downtown @ @ @ @ @ to the National Weather Service .

Los Angeles’ first significant storm of the season arrived Sunday night, bringing with it intense lightning, rolling thunder, hail and the increased potential for road hazards and debris flows.
Southern California mountain resorts came alive this after the storms on Sunday and Monday dropped as much as 2 feet of snow on local slopes. The new powder enticed skiers and snowboarders but added risk and delays on mountain roads, with waits of two hours or more reported Tuesday on the route to Mt. Baldy in the San Gabriel Mountains.
San Bernardino Mountains
With the local ski area sold out and the parking lot full, Dorian Ashmore, 20, of Vista, snowboards Tuesday in the backcountry with friends in some fresh snow near Big Bear Lake. (Brian van der Brug/Los Angeles Times)
Store owner Adam Hurlbut shovels snow Tuesday in front of the Sugar Mountain gift store in Running Springs, Calif., after nearly a foot of snow fell in the San Bernardino Mountains. (Brian van der Brug/Los Angeles Times)
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Tina Lewis, of Fullerton, sleds Tuesday with friends in fresh snow in the San Bernardino Mountains near Big Bear Lake. (Brian van der Brug/Los Angeles Times)
A car parked along Highway 18 in Running Springs, Calif., is covered in snow Tuesday after nearly a foot of snow fell in the San Bernardino Mountains. (Brian van der Brug/Los Angeles Times)
Long Beach
Snow-covered mountains are seen Tuesday from the Peninsula in Long Beach. (Christina House/Los Angeles Times)
Traffic is light in downtown Long Beach on a rainy Monday night. (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times)
Motorists navigate a flooded section of Atlantic Avenue in Long Beach on a rainy Monday. (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times)
San Pedro
A rainbow glows above Ft. MacArthur between bands of rain on Monday in San Pedro. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times)
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Raindrops capture reflections of palm trees in San Pedro on Monday. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times)
Santa Monica
A pathway near the beach in Santa Monica. (Mel Melcon / Los Angeles Times)
Gerardo Molina of Los Angeles shields himself from the rain while walking at Palisades Park in Santa Monica.
(Mel Melcon / Los Angeles Times)
Redondo Beach
Antonio Sanchez continues fishing. (Christina House/Los Angeles Times)
Antonio Sanchez, 33, of Torrance fishes in the rain at Redondo Beach Pier on Monday. (Christina House / Los Angeles Times)
Parting shot
Clouds drift over the L.A. Basin as rain falls during the last storm of the year in a view from the Griffith Observatory. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times)


latimes--2020-12-28--A hospital gave a COVID-19 vaccine to a Disney employee.  It may be permitted under state guidance

Nearly as soon as the COVID-19 vaccine was made available in California , accounts started emerging of people skipping the priority line ahead of frontline workers and long-term care residents .
Most recently , a 33-year-old Disney employee revealed on Facebook that she received the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine through a relative with connections to Redlands Community Hospital .
Even though state officials have warned that jumping ahead could lead to sanctions , the state guidance allows for exceptions , and it appears that some people are aggressively taking advantage of it .
Officials at Redlands Hospital confirmed that it administered the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ only because extra doses were left over after frontline workers had received the vaccine , they said .
According to the California Department of Public Health , such a scenario could be allowed .
Under state guidelines released this month , health departments and facilities may offer vaccine doses to people in lower priority groups when demand eases and doses are about to expire .
“ Health Departments may temporarily adjust prioritization based on other resource constraints while continuing efforts to immunize higher priority groups as soon as feasible , ” the guidelines @ @ @ @ @ @ @ quickly evolving factors that influence how the vaccine is distributed .
The state rules have been ambiguous on what happens when a hospital ends up with additional vaccine doses in the event that every frontline worker willing and able to receive the vaccine has done so .
State officials have warned that people are not allowed to cut in front of priority-level recipients .
“ I just want to make this crystal clear : If you skip the line or you intend to skip the line , you will be sanctioned , you @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Gavin Newsom said Monday , putting the onus on medical workers .
“ We will be very aggressive here.
” The guideline was changed after it appeared that some hospitals would be receiving extra doses in the vials .
Each vial contains five to six vaccine doses .
Once a vial is opened , its shelf life is about six hours .
“ It ’ s truly a use-it-or-lose-it situation .
You can ’ t just keep it for tomorrow morning ’ s shift , ” said Andrew Noymer , UC Irvine @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Noymer said that in order for several doses to be left unused , several vials would have to be prematurely opened .
“ If you don ’ t have the doses , don ’ t reconstitute the vial , ” he said , noting that if five vials offered about 25 doses , it may be normal for roughly four to be left over , but that every effort should be taken to get people vaccinated within the hospital setting .
“ It really raises the question of whether everyone on duty @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” including the pharmacist , the person who greets people once they enter the building or custodial staff , he said .
The Disney employee shared her story on Facebook last week but has since removed it , the Orange County Register reported over the weekend .
The newspaper did not identify the woman , but the hospital confirmed that it did provide vaccine doses to several non-frontline workers .
“ Redlands Community Hospital administered its allotment of Pfizer vaccines to its frontline physicians , healthcare workers and support staff per CDPH Guidelines @ @ @ @ @ @ @ interest in the vaccine were administered , there were several doses left .
Because the reconstituted Pfizer vaccine must be used within hours or be disposed of , several doses were administered to non-frontline healthcare workers so that valuable vaccine would not be thrown away , ” marketing manager Nikyah Thomas-Pfeiffer said Monday .
Thomas-Pfeiffer said that all staff , including janitors and technicians , had been given access to the vaccine .
It was not immediately clear how many doses the hospital received and how many people are on staff .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ week .
Newsom and Dr. Mark Ghaly , California ’ s health and human services secretary , on Monday indicated that they would be focused on how prioritization will be enforced .
The prioritization list is expected to be updated as early as Wednesday .

Nearly as soon as the COVID-19 vaccine was made available in California, accounts started emerging of people skipping the priority line ahead of frontline workers and long-term care residents.
Most recently, a 33-year-old Disney employee revealed on Facebook that she received the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine through a relative with connections to Redlands Community Hospital.
Even though state officials have warned that jumping ahead could lead to sanctions, the state guidance allows for exceptions, and it appears that some people are aggressively taking advantage of it.
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Officials at Redlands Hospital confirmed that it administered the vaccine to several non-frontline workers, but only because extra doses were left over after frontline workers had received the vaccine, they said.
According to the California Department of Public Health, such a scenario could be allowed.
Under state guidelines released this month, health departments and facilities may offer vaccine doses to people in lower priority groups when demand eases and doses are about to expire.
“Health Departments may temporarily adjust prioritization based on other resource constraints while continuing efforts to immunize higher priority groups as soon as feasible,” the guidelines state.
The flexible guideline illustrates the quickly evolving factors that influence how the vaccine is distributed. The state rules have been ambiguous on what happens when a hospital ends up with additional vaccine doses in the event that every frontline worker willing and able to receive the vaccine has done so.
State officials have warned that people are not allowed to cut in front of priority-level recipients.
“I just want to make this crystal clear: If you skip the line or you intend to skip the line, you will be sanctioned, you will lose your license,” Gov. Gavin Newsom said Monday, putting the onus on medical workers. “We will be very aggressive here.”
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The guideline was changed after it appeared that some hospitals would be receiving extra doses in the vials.
Each vial contains five to six vaccine doses. Once a vial is opened, its shelf life is about six hours.
“It’s truly a use-it-or-lose-it situation. You can’t just keep it for tomorrow morning’s shift,” said Andrew Noymer, UC Irvine associate professor of public health.
Still, Noymer said that in order for several doses to be left unused, several vials would have to be prematurely opened.
“If you don’t have the doses, don’t reconstitute the vial,” he said, noting that if five vials offered about 25 doses, it may be normal for roughly four to be left over, but that every effort should be taken to get people vaccinated within the hospital setting.
“It really raises the question of whether everyone on duty at the time already got theirs,” including the pharmacist, the person who greets people once they enter the building or custodial staff, he said.
The Disney employee shared her story on Facebook last week but has since removed it, the Orange County Register reported over the weekend. The newspaper did not identify the woman, but the hospital confirmed that it did provide vaccine doses to several non-frontline workers.
“Redlands Community Hospital administered its allotment of Pfizer vaccines to its frontline physicians, healthcare workers and support staff per CDPH Guidelines. After physicians and staff who expressed interest in the vaccine were administered, there were several doses left. Because the reconstituted Pfizer vaccine must be used within hours or be disposed of, several doses were administered to non-frontline healthcare workers so that valuable vaccine would not be thrown away,” marketing manager Nikyah Thomas-Pfeiffer said Monday.
Thomas-Pfeiffer said that all staff, including janitors and technicians, had been given access to the vaccine. It was not immediately clear how many doses the hospital received and how many people are on staff.
The vaccination guidelines will be updated again this week. Newsom and Dr. Mark Ghaly, California’s health and human services secretary, on Monday indicated that they would be focused on how prioritization will be enforced. The prioritization list is expected to be updated as early as Wednesday.


latimes--2020-12-28--Travelers to L.A. County must quarantine for 10 days under new guidelines

As Los Angeles County continues to see an unprecedented wave of coronavirus cases , travelers returning to the region must quarantine .
Everyone who traveled out of the county is required to quarantine for 10 days upon return , the L.A. County Department of Public Health announced in a news release Monday .
If a person begins to experience symptoms of the virus or tests positive , they should isolate for 10 days and until they are fever-free for 24 hours .
Individuals in quarantine should not leave their home or receive visitors , and should instead find others who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for them , according to the department .
“ For those who traveled outside of L.A. County and recently returned , you may have had an exposure to COVID-19 , ” officials said .
“ The virus can take up to 14 days to incubate , and for many people the virus causes no illness or symptoms .
If you go back to work , go shopping or go to any gatherings at any point over the next 10 days , you could easily pass on the virus to others.
” The announcement @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the requirement will be penalized .
It was all-encompassing , and didn ’ t specify any particular type of travel or distance traveled that would trigger a quarantine .
Last month , L.A. Mayor Eric Garcetti announced that out-of-state travelers arriving in the city by air or train must sign a form acknowledging the state ’ s 14-day quarantine advisory .
The form , available at travel.lacity.org , acknowledges that anyone traveling to California from other states or countries should quarantine for 14 days and limit interactions to their immediate household .
All @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fill out the form before or upon their arrival by submitting their name and contact information .
San Francisco also issued its own travel order this month , requiring anyone visiting the city from outside the Bay Area to quarantine for 10 days .
Violating the order is a misdemeanor .
The number of COVID-19 patients in L.A. County ’ s hospitals has been growing ever since late October .
For the first time , the number of hospitalized COVID-19 patients on any single day exceeded 7,000 , a milestone that occurred Sunday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the number in early October , when fewer than 700 people were hospitalized .
As of Monday morning , there were only 54 available ICU beds across L.A. County , and half of them were for pediatric patients .
Dr. Christina Ghaly , the L.A. County health services director , said that two-thirds of staffed ICU beds in L.A. County are filled with COVID-19 patients .
“ All hospitals are experiencing this strain , but it ’ s especially more pronounced and more serious for some of the smaller hospitals , ” Ghaly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a crisis point and are having to make many tough decisions about patient care.
” Virtually all hospitals in the county are being forced to divert ambulances with certain types of patients for most of the day because they are too crowded .
On Sunday , 94 % of the county ’ s hospitals that take in 911 calls were diverting certain types of patients in ambulances away .
“ But soon , there won ’ t be any places for these ambulances to go , ” Ghaly said .
“ If every @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hospital is on diversion .
”

Everyone who travels back to Los Angeles County is required to quarantine for 10 days, the L.A. County Department of Public Health said Monday.
As Los Angeles County continues to see an unprecedented wave of coronavirus cases, travelers returning to the region must quarantine.
Everyone who traveled out of the county is required to quarantine for 10 days upon return, the L.A. County Department of Public Health announced in a news release Monday. If a person begins to experience symptoms of the virus or tests positive, they should isolate for 10 days and until they are fever-free for 24 hours.
Individuals in quarantine should not leave their home or receive visitors, and should instead find others who can buy groceries or other essential items for them, according to the department.
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“For those who traveled outside of L.A. County and recently returned, you may have had an exposure to COVID-19,” officials said. “The virus can take up to 14 days to incubate, and for many people the virus causes no illness or symptoms. If you go back to work, go shopping or go to any gatherings at any point over the next 10 days, you could easily pass on the virus to others.”
The announcement did not indicate whether people who violate the requirement will be penalized. It was all-encompassing, and didn’t specify any particular type of travel or distance traveled that would trigger a quarantine.
Last month, L.A. Mayor Eric Garcetti announced that out-of-state travelers arriving in the city by air or train must sign a form acknowledging the state’s 14-day quarantine advisory.
The form, available at travel.lacity.org, acknowledges that anyone traveling to California from other states or countries should quarantine for 14 days and limit interactions to their immediate household. All travelers over the age of 16 must fill out the form before or upon their arrival by submitting their name and contact information.
San Francisco also issued its own travel order this month, requiring anyone visiting the city from outside the Bay Area to quarantine for 10 days. Violating the order is a misdemeanor.
The number of COVID-19 patients in L.A. County’s hospitals has been growing ever since late October. For the first time, the number of hospitalized COVID-19 patients on any single day exceeded 7,000, a milestone that occurred Sunday — and was 10 times greater than the number in early October, when fewer than 700 people were hospitalized.
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As of Monday morning, there were only 54 available ICU beds across L.A. County, and half of them were for pediatric patients. Dr. Christina Ghaly, the L.A. County health services director, said that two-thirds of staffed ICU beds in L.A. County are filled with COVID-19 patients.
“All hospitals are experiencing this strain, but it’s especially more pronounced and more serious for some of the smaller hospitals,” Ghaly said. “Many hospitals have reached a crisis point and are having to make many tough decisions about patient care.”
Virtually all hospitals in the county are being forced to divert ambulances with certain types of patients for most of the day because they are too crowded. On Sunday, 94% of the county’s hospitals that take in 911 calls were diverting certain types of patients in ambulances away.
“But soon, there won’t be any places for these ambulances to go,” Ghaly said. “If every hospital is on diversion, then no hospital is on diversion.”


latimes--2020-12-28--Los Angeles firefighters and paramedics receive first COVID-19 vaccine doses

Firetrucks and paramedic paraphernalia were cleared out and vials and needles rolled in Monday as a downtown Los Angeles fire station transformed into a vaccination site for the city ’ s firefighters to receive their first doses of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine .
The Los Angeles Fire Department employees — the city ’ s first to receive the vaccine — joined first responders across Southern California in getting the vaccine .
“ These are the folks who are always there for us , ” Mayor Eric Garcetti said .
“ Not just during COVID , but when any disaster strikes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , whether it ’ s a medical emergency — we know that these men and women are the folks that are literally angels in our city of angels.
” Shipments of the Moderna vaccine arrived for the L.A. Fire Department last week , agency spokesman Peter Sanders said .
About 150 paramedics were trained Monday morning on how to administer the vaccines , earning shots in the arm in the process .
In the afternoon , they began giving the vaccine to their colleagues as Garcetti , Fire Chief Ralph Terrazas and other @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the vaccine as a light at the end of a very long tunnel , ” Terrazas said .
He noted that the Fire Department has seen 650 positive cases among its ranks since the beginning of the pandemic .
Roughly a dozen have been hospitalized and one firefighter-paramedic , , died of COVID-19 complications in July .
Even now , 157 remain in quarantine or isolation , Sanders said .
The Moderna vaccine has been shown to be 94.5 % effective at preventing cases of COVID-19 .
News of its arrival for first @ @ @ @ @ @ @ increasingly dire picture of the pandemic : 7,181 coronavirus-positive patients hospitalized , with 1,449 in intensive care , according to the .
Many hospitals are already overrun with patients , and the numbers are expected to worsen when infections from Christmas gatherings begin to show .
“ It may not feel like it on a rainy day like this , but this is a ray of sunshine , ” Garcetti said , as rain poured outside the fire station garage .
Behind the mayor , the vaccination process hummed along .
One person @ @ @ @ @ @ @ drew the vaccine from a vial and another stuck it into the firefighter ’ s arm .
In the coming weeks , firefighters will receive email and text updates to remind them to get the second dose .
The garage has already been functioning as a once-a-week COVID-19 testing site for city employees , Sanders said .
Now it will double as a vaccine site for the Fire Department ’ s approximately 3,400 first responders , along with two other stations in Watts and North Hollywood .
The department expects to vaccinate every @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the next two weeks .
In a recent informal survey , nearly 90 % of respondents said they wanted the vaccine , Sanders said .
Firefighter-paramedic Mark Flynn said he was “ 50-50 ” a few weeks ago about whether he would get the vaccine , but after researching it and speaking to medical doctor relatives who had received the vaccination , he decided to line up .
“ The benefits outweigh the risks for me , ” Flynn said .
“ I think the biggest thing is educate yourself .
Do some @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the vaccination , he said he was “ happy about it.
” Now he plans to share his experience with family and friends .
“ I ’ m kind of the guinea pig , so to speak , for them , ” he said .
“ Maybe I can encourage them to get it as well.
” Terrazas said he plans to receive his first shot Wednesday , alongside the presidents of the firefighter and chief unions .
They will videotape their experience and send it to all employees to encourage them to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said .
“ I didn ’ t want to cut in front of anybody .
It ’ s a long-standing tradition in our Fire Department — like for meals , the officers go last , ” Terrazas said .
“ But I also want to encourage people , and the best way to encourage them is for me to get the shot.
” Similar scenes have unfolded at fire stations across Southern California in recent days .
The Los Angeles County Fire Department began rolling out vaccines on Christmas Eve , said Capt @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , 1,793 of the department ’ s approximately 4,000 members had been given the Moderna vaccine , he said .
The department expects to offer it to everyone who wants it within the next few days , Haralson said .
Orange County Fire Authority employees began receiving the Moderna vaccine over the weekend , as did emergency medical technicians , firefighters and paramedics in Corona .

Firetrucks and paramedic paraphernalia were cleared out and vials and needles rolled in Monday as a downtown Los Angeles fire station transformed into a vaccination site for the city’s firefighters to receive their first doses of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine.
The Los Angeles Fire Department employees — the city’s first to receive the vaccine — joined first responders across Southern California in getting the vaccine.
“These are the folks who are always there for us,” Mayor Eric Garcetti said. “Not just during COVID, but when any disaster strikes — whether it’s a fire, whether it’s a medical emergency — we know that these men and women are the folks that are literally angels in our city of angels.”
Shipments of the Moderna vaccine arrived for the L.A. Fire Department last week, agency spokesman Peter Sanders said. About 150 paramedics were trained Monday morning on how to administer the vaccines, earning shots in the arm in the process. In the afternoon, they began giving the vaccine to their colleagues as Garcetti, Fire Chief Ralph Terrazas and other officials watched.
“We do see the vaccine as a light at the end of a very long tunnel,” Terrazas said. He noted that the Fire Department has seen 650 positive cases among its ranks since the beginning of the pandemic. Roughly a dozen have been hospitalized and one firefighter-paramedic, Jose Perez , died of COVID-19 complications in July. Even now, 157 remain in quarantine or isolation, Sanders said.
L.A. Mayor Eric Garcetti holds a vial of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccination at LAFD Station 4 on Monday. (Gary Coronado / Los Angeles Times)
The Moderna vaccine has been shown to be 94.5% effective at preventing cases of COVID-19. News of its arrival for first responders came as L.A. County showed an increasingly dire picture of the pandemic: 7,181 coronavirus-positive patients hospitalized, with 1,449 in intensive care, according to the latest state data . Many hospitals are already overrun with patients, and the numbers are expected to worsen when infections from Christmas gatherings begin to show.
“It may not feel like it on a rainy day like this, but this is a ray of sunshine,” Garcetti said, as rain poured outside the fire station garage.
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Behind the mayor, the vaccination process hummed along. One person registered the firefighters’ names while another drew the vaccine from a vial and another stuck it into the firefighter’s arm. In the coming weeks, firefighters will receive email and text updates to remind them to get the second dose.
The garage has already been functioning as a once-a-week COVID-19 testing site for city employees, Sanders said. Now it will double as a vaccine site for the Fire Department’s approximately 3,400 first responders, along with two other stations in Watts and North Hollywood.
The department expects to vaccinate every employee who wants to receive it in the next two weeks. In a recent informal survey, nearly 90% of respondents said they wanted the vaccine, Sanders said.
Firefighter-paramedic Mark Flynn said he was “50-50” a few weeks ago about whether he would get the vaccine, but after researching it and speaking to medical doctor relatives who had received the vaccination, he decided to line up.
“The benefits outweigh the risks for me,” Flynn said. “I think the biggest thing is educate yourself. Do some personal research on it.”
After receiving the vaccination, he said he was “happy about it.” Now he plans to share his experience with family and friends.
“I’m kind of the guinea pig, so to speak, for them,” he said. “Maybe I can encourage them to get it as well.”
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Anthony Kong, a Los Angeles Fire Department firefighter paramedic, prepares a Moderna COVID-19 vaccination to be given to LAFD personnel at Station 4 on Monday. (Gary Coronado / Los Angeles Times)
Terrazas said he plans to receive his first shot Wednesday, alongside the presidents of the firefighter and chief unions. They will videotape their experience and send it to all employees to encourage them to get the vaccination as well, he said.
“I didn’t want to cut in front of anybody. It’s a long-standing tradition in our Fire Department — like for meals, the officers go last,” Terrazas said. “But I also want to encourage people, and the best way to encourage them is for me to get the shot.”
Similar scenes have unfolded at fire stations across Southern California in recent days. The Los Angeles County Fire Department began rolling out vaccines on Christmas Eve, said Capt. Ron Haralson. As of Sunday, 1,793 of the department’s approximately 4,000 members had been given the Moderna vaccine, he said. The department expects to offer it to everyone who wants it within the next few days, Haralson said.
Orange County Fire Authority employees began receiving the Moderna vaccine over the weekend, as did emergency medical technicians, firefighters and paramedics in Corona.


latimes--2020-12-28--Rain, hail, snow battered Southern California as powerful storm hit

Los Angeles ’ first significant storm of the season arrived Sunday night bringing with it intense lightning , rolling thunder , hail and road hazards , but no significant mudslides or debris flows in recent burn areas .
The storm pummeled Southern California , dropping as much as 12 inches of snow in high-elevation mountain areas and half an inch of rain in downtown L.A. before dawn , according to the National Weather Service .
The drenching continued throughout the day Monday , with showers and rumbles of thunder .
Rainfall totals peaked at more than 3 inches in Santa @ @ @ @ @ @ @ weather forecasters said .
Whittier , Norwalk and parts of the eastern San Gabriel Valley saw hail .
Total snowfall in L.A. County ’ s mountains was expected to range from 6 to 12 inches at elevations of about 5,000 feet by the evening .
By noon , parts of La Mirada looked as if they were covered in a light dusting of snow after the storm dumped pea-size hail .
The storm carried in a cold front from the Northwest , said David Sweet , a meteorologist with the National Weather Service @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , or they were awakened in the middle of the night , when the cold front went through with the thunderstorms , a little bit of hail , gusty winds and some locally heavy rain , ” Sweet said .
“ This is a rather vigorous system.
” The storm resulted in slow commutes across freeways and dangerous driving conditions in mountain ranges with snowfall .
Angelenos took to social media to document the storm — the first significant rainfall the area has had since April .
“ LA Rain ” trended on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ County Fire Department had said residents in recent burn areas could get sandbags at their county fire station and advised people to avoid flooded areas , flood channels , catch basins , canyons and waterways vulnerable to floods .
But the storm did not produce significant debris flows in burn zones , said Lisa Phillips , a meteorologist with the National Weather Service .
Water rescues did occur , however , with the Los Angeles Fire Department deploying 75 air and ground responders — including a swift-water rescue team — to assist a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ River near Atwater Village about 3:30 a.m .
The man and woman , estimated to be in their 40s , were surrounded by 4-foot-deep storm water flowing at up to 8 mph , said LAFD spokesman Brian Humphrey .
“ Moving water more than ankle-deep can knock you off your feet , ” Humphrey said , noting that the river bottom can also get mossy and slippery .
“ It ’ s dangerous , and it could have been deadly.
” The man and the woman , who live near the area , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Humphrey said .
They declined to be taken to a hospital after they were pulled to safety .
Humphrey emphasized the danger posed by storm water and said people often forgot that debris flows were common with significant rains .
Even animal carcasses and large appliances can move through flood control channels , arroyos and creeks , he said , and he urged parents to keep children from playing in or near those areas .
“ It ’ s been a long time since we had rain , ” he said .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ mile or two down the stream and potentially lose your life.
” In Santa Ana , officials with the Orange County Fire Authority rescued two individuals Monday evening who were trapped inside a flood control channel .
Thanh Nguyen , a fire captain with the agency , said a rescue team used a boat to reach the man and woman , who were found hanging on to the tunnel to avoid being swept by away rainwater .
He didn ’ t know how the pair had ended up there .
“ In moments @ @ @ @ @ @ @ body of water , ” Nguyen said .
Some additional showers were expected Monday evening throughout Southern California , but “ everything is winding down , ” said Phillips , the meteorologist .
“ It looks like we have just a few showers left in the area — and I would expect those to decrease in the night , ” she said .
The next week should see dry weather in the L.A .
area.
, but gusty winds are expected over the next couple days in canyons and mountain passes .

Clouds drift over the L.A. Basin as rain falls during the first major storm of the season.
Los Angeles’ first significant storm of the season arrived Sunday night bringing with it intense lightning, rolling thunder, hail and road hazards, but no significant mudslides or debris flows in recent burn areas.
The storm pummeled Southern California, dropping as much as 12 inches of snow in high-elevation mountain areas and half an inch of rain in downtown L.A. before dawn, according to the National Weather Service.
The drenching continued throughout the day Monday, with showers and rumbles of thunder. Rainfall totals peaked at more than 3 inches in Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo counties, weather forecasters said. Whittier, Norwalk and parts of the eastern San Gabriel Valley saw hail. Total snowfall in L.A. County’s mountains was expected to range from 6 to 12 inches at elevations of about 5,000 feet by the evening.
By noon, parts of La Mirada looked as if they were covered in a light dusting of snow after the storm dumped pea-size hail.
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Hail storm in La Mirada. pic.twitter.com/ZI9CcyRKdk — eric sondheimer (@latsondheimer) December 28, 2020
The storm carried in a cold front from the Northwest, said David Sweet, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Oxnard.
“Everybody saw that, or they were awakened in the middle of the night, when the cold front went through with the thunderstorms, a little bit of hail, gusty winds and some locally heavy rain,” Sweet said. “This is a rather vigorous system.”
The storm resulted in slow commutes across freeways and dangerous driving conditions in mountain ranges with snowfall.
Angelenos took to social media to document the storm — the first significant rainfall the area has had since April.
“LA Rain” trended on Twitter for several hours.
First major rain in L.A. since April brought quite an amazing thunderstorm with it. #LARain pic.twitter.com/TubXnqqOgs — JGad (@batltite) December 28, 2020
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So when did So Cal have Thunder and Lighting??!! Feel like I’m back home! Ok ok, I like it! Gone be knocked tonight! Hope it’s goes for a few hrs. 🤞🏾 — LeBron James (@KingJames) December 28, 2020
Showers continue across #SoCal this morning. Another area of showers is expanding along the #CentralCoast, while one area exits the #SanGabrielValley. Small hail is possible. #CAwx #LARain #SGV pic.twitter.com/lufaxAKbEa — NWS Los Angeles (@NWSLosAngeles) December 28, 2020
The L.A. County Fire Department had said residents in recent burn areas could get sandbags at their county fire station and advised people to avoid flooded areas, flood channels, catch basins, canyons and waterways vulnerable to floods.
But the storm did not produce significant debris flows in burn zones, said Lisa Phillips, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service.
Water rescues did occur, however, with the Los Angeles Fire Department deploying 75 air and ground responders — including a swift-water rescue team — to assist a man and woman stranded in the L.A. River near Atwater Village about 3:30 a.m.
Cervando Lopez Garcia makes his way to a nearby dumpster after collecting trash near the Malibu Pier. (Mel Melcon/Los Angeles Times)
The man and woman, estimated to be in their 40s, were surrounded by 4-foot-deep storm water flowing at up to 8 mph, said LAFD spokesman Brian Humphrey.
“Moving water more than ankle-deep can knock you off your feet,” Humphrey said, noting that the river bottom can also get mossy and slippery. “It’s dangerous, and it could have been deadly.”
The man and the woman, who live near the area, were rescued by a tethered inflatable boat, Humphrey said. They declined to be taken to a hospital after they were pulled to safety.
Humphrey emphasized the danger posed by storm water and said people often forgot that debris flows were common with significant rains. Even animal carcasses and large appliances can move through flood control channels, arroyos and creeks, he said, and he urged parents to keep children from playing in or near those areas.
“It’s been a long time since we had rain,” he said. “You can easily be pushed a mile or two down the stream and potentially lose your life.”
In Santa Ana, officials with the Orange County Fire Authority rescued two individuals Monday evening who were trapped inside a flood control channel.
Thanh Nguyen, a fire captain with the agency, said a rescue team used a boat to reach the man and woman, who were found hanging on to the tunnel to avoid being swept by away rainwater. He didn’t know how the pair had ended up there.
“In moments, you can have a really fast-moving body of water,” Nguyen said.
Antonio Sanchez, 33, of Torrance fishes in the rain at Redondo Beach Pier on Monday. (Christina House / Los Angeles Times)
Some additional showers were expected Monday evening throughout Southern California, but “everything is winding down,” said Phillips, the meteorologist.
“It looks like we have just a few showers left in the area — and I would expect those to decrease in the night,” she said.
The next week should see dry weather in the L.A. area., but gusty winds are expected over the next couple days in canyons and mountain passes.


latimes--2020-12-29--Appeals court allows L.A. County dining ban to remain in place until at least February

Los Angeles County can keep its outdoor dining ban in place until at least early February if it chooses , regardless of state rules , under an order issued by the California 2nd District Court of Appeal .
A three-judge panel for the appeals court paused a Los Angeles County Superior Court judge ’ s ruling that would have required county public health officials to conduct a risk-benefit analysis of the temporary ban enacted in late November in order for it to remain in effect .
A hearing on the matter will be held Feb. 10 .
Brett Morrow , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Public Health , said the most recent legal action , filed Dec. 18 , allows the county to continue protecting residents from the spread of the coronavirus as hospitals struggle to accommodate COVID-19 patients amid an unprecedented surge in the illness .
“ The law is on the side of protecting public health and safety , and we are grateful for the court ’ s decision , ” Morrow said in an email , adding that state law permits the public health officer to act “ urgently and swiftly ” during a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ dining on Nov. 25 — the day before Thanksgiving — as coronavirus cases began to tick up .
The California Restaurant Assn .
sued to stop the county ’ s ban , with a downtown L.A. restaurant , Engine Co. No .
28 , filing a similar suit against the initial suspension , which was meant to last for three weeks , expiring Dec. 16 .
But a state-mandated stay-at-home order for the Southern California region , enacted Dec. 6 , superseded the county ’ s decision to close outdoor dining , forcing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 11 counties .
Still , the two groups sought to overturn L.A. County ’ s dining ban , and Superior Court Judge James Chalfant said the county would be limited to its initial time period of three weeks unless it provided additional analysis .
“ The county should be prevented from continuing the restaurant closure order indefinitely , ” Chalfant said in the Dec. 8 decision .
County officials appealed Chalfant ’ s decision on Dec. 17 , the day after the county ’ s outdoor dining ban expired .
But with the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ immediate practical effect .
The appeal ’ s court order , however , now permits the county to keep the dining ban in place for the immediate future , even if the state order is lifted — which is unlikely in the near future .
On Tuesday , the stay-at-home order was extended .
It was not immediately clear whether the county would renew its ban .
Jot Condie , president and chief executive of the California Restaurant Assn.
, said the restrictions have devastated restaurant owners and their employees , who were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ dining had offered a lifeline for some , and restaurants invested thousands of dollars to be able to offer it , he said .
“ We always believed that the county ’ s aim is to have unfettered power in this matter — to continue to unjustly and arbitrarily extend their ban on outdoor dining far beyond the timeline of any stay-at-home order , ” Condie said in a statement .
“ Their decision to appeal confirms our suspicions.
” Dennis Ellis , an attorney for group , said he thinks the case @ @ @ @ @ @ @ needs to provide scientific evidence to back up the ban .
“ This is about the rule of law , ” Ellis said , “ and whether or not the county has to show justification for its orders.
” Mark Geragos , an attorney for Engine Co. No .
28 , the downtown L.A. restaurant he owns , is also fighting the ban at the state level .
The lawsuit was filed last week on behalf of the Pineapple Hill Saloon and Grill in Sherman Oaks .
The owner , Angela Marsden , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ back tears over the ban , which had forced the closure of her restaurant even as an outdoor dining area was set up by a Hollywood movie crew a short distance away .
“ The state health director admitted they had no data to support the outdoor closures , and the governor has obviously lost any moral authority due to his rank hypocrisy , ” Geragos said , referring to Newsom ’ s dinner last month at the French Laundry .

A state appeals court has sided with L.A. County after restaurants challenged the outdoor dining ban in court. Above, a restaurant in Woodland Hills on Dec. 2.
Los Angeles County can keep its outdoor dining ban in place until at least early February if it chooses, regardless of state rules, under an order issued by the California 2nd District Court of Appeal.
A three-judge panel for the appeals court paused a Los Angeles County Superior Court judge’s ruling that would have required county public health officials to conduct a risk-benefit analysis of the temporary ban enacted in late November in order for it to remain in effect. A hearing on the matter will be held Feb. 10.
Brett Morrow, director of communications for the county Department of Public Health, said the most recent legal action, filed Dec. 18, allows the county to continue protecting residents from the spread of the coronavirus as hospitals struggle to accommodate COVID-19 patients amid an unprecedented surge in the illness.
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“The law is on the side of protecting public health and safety, and we are grateful for the court’s decision,” Morrow said in an email, adding that state law permits the public health officer to act “urgently and swiftly” during a health crisis.
County officials suspended outdoor dining on Nov. 25 — the day before Thanksgiving — as coronavirus cases began to tick up. The California Restaurant Assn. sued to stop the county’s ban, with a downtown L.A. restaurant, Engine Co. No. 28, filing a similar suit against the initial suspension, which was meant to last for three weeks, expiring Dec. 16.
But a state-mandated stay-at-home order for the Southern California region, enacted Dec. 6, superseded the county’s decision to close outdoor dining, forcing the shutdown of all in-person dining across 11 counties. Still, the two groups sought to overturn L.A. County’s dining ban, and Superior Court Judge James Chalfant said the county would be limited to its initial time period of three weeks unless it provided additional analysis.
“The county should be prevented from continuing the restaurant closure order indefinitely,” Chalfant said in the Dec. 8 decision.
County officials appealed Chalfant’s decision on Dec. 17, the day after the county’s outdoor dining ban expired. But with the overriding state mandate, there was no immediate practical effect.
The appeal’s court order, however, now permits the county to keep the dining ban in place for the immediate future, even if the state order is lifted — which is unlikely in the near future. On Tuesday, the stay-at-home order was extended. It was not immediately clear whether the county would renew its ban.
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Jot Condie, president and chief executive of the California Restaurant Assn., said the restrictions have devastated restaurant owners and their employees, who were already struggling amid the pandemic. Outdoor dining had offered a lifeline for some, and restaurants invested thousands of dollars to be able to offer it, he said.
“We always believed that the county’s aim is to have unfettered power in this matter — to continue to unjustly and arbitrarily extend their ban on outdoor dining far beyond the timeline of any stay-at-home order,” Condie said in a statement. “Their decision to appeal confirms our suspicions.”
Dennis Ellis, an attorney for group, said he thinks the case will ultimately hinge on whether the county needs to provide scientific evidence to back up the ban.
“This is about the rule of law,” Ellis said, “and whether or not the county has to show justification for its orders.”
Mark Geragos, an attorney for Engine Co. No. 28, the downtown L.A. restaurant he owns, is also fighting the ban at the state level.
The lawsuit was filed last week on behalf of the Pineapple Hill Saloon and Grill in Sherman Oaks. The owner, Angela Marsden, was seen in a viral video fighting back tears over the ban, which had forced the closure of her restaurant even as an outdoor dining area was set up by a Hollywood movie crew a short distance away.
“The state health director admitted they had no data to support the outdoor closures, and the governor has obviously lost any moral authority due to his rank hypocrisy,” Geragos said, referring to Newsom’s dinner last month at the French Laundry.


latimes--2020-12-29--Police respond to protest outside Fairfax market

Los Angeles police responded Tuesday afternoon to what appeared to be a protest against coronavirus restrictions outside a market in Fairfax .
Video footage showed at least six police vehicles near Erewhon market on Beverly Boulevard .
A crowd of protesters chanted in front of the market , some shouting , “ Open up L.A. !
” One person yelled , “ They want you to wear a mask , they want you to lock down !
” Ira Brian Miller , a resident of West Hollywood , said he was walking toward the market to buy cheese and vegetables @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the entrance of the building .
None of them , he said , had on masks and some wore red hats in support of President Trump .
“ They were pushing their way in , ” said Miller , 39 .
“ They were trying to push the workers out of the way for them to enter the store.
” Once inside , he said he heard a female protester urge customers to take off their masks .
Los Angeles Police Department spokeswoman Rosario Cervantes said officers responded to a call received about @ @ @ @ @ @ @ information on whether a crime had occurred or whether police were at the scene as a precaution .
An office administrator at Erewhon ’ s corporate headquarters said that the market was not commenting on the incident .

Los Angeles police responded Tuesday afternoon to what appeared to be a protest against coronavirus restrictions outside a market in the Fairfax district.
Video showed at least six police vehicles near Erewhon market on Beverly Boulevard. A crowd of protesters chanted in front of the market, some shouting, “Open up L.A.!” One person yelled, “They want you to wear a mask, they want you to lock down!”
Ira Brian Miller, a resident of West Hollywood, said he was walking toward the market to buy cheese and vegetables when he saw several dozen people storm the entrance of the building. None of them had on masks, he said, and some wore red hats in support of President Trump.
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“They were pushing their way in,” said Miller, 39. “They were trying to push the workers out of the way for them to enter the store.”
Once inside, he said, he heard a female protester urge customers to take off their masks.
Officers responded to a call received about 3:30 p.m. No arrests were made.
“The situation became under control and contained,” said Los Angeles Police Department spokesman Mike Lopez.
An office administrator at Erewhon’s corporate headquarters said the market was not commenting on the incident.


latimes--2020-12-29--Smashed Breonna Taylor sculpture stolen days after it was vandalized in Oakland

A ceramic bust in Oakland honoring Breonna Taylor that was smashed the day after Christmas has now been stolen , the artist said Tuesday .
Leo Carson , the artist who created the sculpture , discovered the bust missing Tuesday morning — a day after he had raised more than enough money through a GoFundMe account to rebuild the broken statue in sturdier bronze .
“ The vandals are continuing their campaign of intimidation against the Black Lives Matter movement and we must resist their attempt to erase Breonna ’ s image , ” Carson said Tuesday in an Instagram @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the bust is “ likely completely destroyed.
” Carson will be filling the base in Latham Square with concrete Tuesday afternoon as part of a rally and news conference addressing the theft .
Emblazoned with the phrase “ Say Her Name , ” the ceramic bust was found vandalized the day after Christmas , two weeks after it was installed in the city ’ s downtown area .
The artwork commemorated Taylor , a 26-year-old Black woman shot to death by police inside her Louisville , Ky. , apartment during a botched drug @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Taylor and other Black people killed by police , such as , have spurred the country ’ s reckoning with generations of racial injustice and sparked massive protests across the country .
Oakland police Monday said they were aware of the initial incident and were investigating but provided few details .
They did not immediately respond to an inquiry about the recent theft .
News of the vandalism garnered attention for what was initially a quiet , independently conceived project .
That translated into support , including donations , to bring the bust @ @ @ @ @ @ @ GoFundMe page launched Sunday to raise $ 5,000 to reconstruct the work in bronze far exceeded its goal in less than 24 hours .
It has now topped $ 20,000 .
It ’ s not immediately clear how the money will be spent now that the original sculpture is missing .
When the GoFundMe account launched , Carson said any money not spent on rebuilding the sculpture would be given to Taylor ’ s family .
When the COVID-19 pandemic hit , Carson lost his job as a server at a burger restaurant @ @ @ @ @ @ @ extra time to design the sculpture over several months .
Once it was installed , he said , he was enthused to see members of the community taking photos of the work and enjoying it .
Carson , who lives in Oakland , was notified of the vandalism in an Instagram message Saturday evening and went to see his artwork .
When he saw the damage , he said , he felt “ really shook and overwhelmed .
”

The bust of Breonna Taylor is seen before it was vandalized over the weekend.
A ceramic bust in Oakland honoring Breonna Taylor that was smashed the day after Christmas has now been stolen, the artist said Tuesday.
Leo Carson, the artist who created the sculpture, discovered the bust missing Tuesday morning — a day after he had raised more than enough money through a GoFundMe account to rebuild the broken statue in sturdier bronze.
“The vandals are continuing their campaign of intimidation against the Black Lives Matter movement and we must resist their attempt to erase Breonna’s image,” Carson said Tuesday in an Instagram message. He added that he believes the bust is “likely completely destroyed.”
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Carson will be filling the base in Latham Square with concrete Tuesday afternoon as part of a rally and news conference addressing the theft.
Emblazoned with the phrase “Say Her Name,” the ceramic bust was found vandalized the day after Christmas, two weeks after it was installed in the city’s downtown area.
The artwork commemorated Taylor, a 26-year-old Black woman shot to death by police inside her Louisville, Ky., apartment during a botched drug raid in March. The deaths of Taylor and other Black people killed by police, such as George Floyd , have spurred the country’s reckoning with generations of racial injustice and sparked massive protests across the country.
Oakland police Monday said they were aware of the initial incident and were investigating but provided few details. They did not immediately respond to an inquiry about the recent theft.
News of the vandalism garnered attention for what was initially a quiet, independently conceived project. That translated into support, including donations, to bring the bust back in a sturdier form.
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Leo Carson, the artist who created the bust, called the vandalism an “attack on the Black Lives Matter movement, an attack on Breonna Taylor, and an attempt of intimidation.” https://t.co/YcLVRNkLLd pic.twitter.com/BbfHwWOvx0 — Los Angeles Times (@latimes) December 29, 2020
A GoFundMe page launched Sunday to raise $5,000 to reconstruct the work in bronze far exceeded its goal in less than 24 hours. It has now topped $20,000.
It’s not immediately clear how the money will be spent now that the original sculpture is missing. When the GoFundMe account launched, Carson said any money not spent on rebuilding the sculpture would be given to Taylor’s family.
When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, Carson lost his job as a server at a burger restaurant in nearby Berkeley. He used the extra time to design the sculpture over several months. Once it was installed, he said, he was enthused to see members of the community taking photos of the work and enjoying it.
Carson, who lives in Oakland, was notified of the vandalism in an Instagram message Saturday evening and went to see his artwork. When he saw the damage, he said, he felt “really shook and overwhelmed.”


latimes--2020-12-29--Beverly Hills restaurant apologizes for New Year's Eve dinner invite amid backlash

A venerated Beverly Hills eatery has apologized for planning a “ Prohibition ” New Year ’ s Eve dinner amid the latest coronavirus surge — and an in-person dining ban — calling the incident a big misunderstanding .
La Scala , a celebrity hangout offering upscale Italian food a stone ’ s throw from Rodeo Drive , was responding to backlash to an invitation it had slipped into diners ’ takeout bags .
Written in florid cursive lettering , the invite said the restaurant was considering taking reservations for a speakeasy-themed dinner party “ inside , ” if there was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ discreet but tell all your friends , ” the note said .
The invitation , which was widely shared on Twitter , sparking scores of negative comments , prompted reaction from both the Beverly Hills Police Department and city officials .
With a state order banning outdoor dining initially set to expire Monday , the restaurant said in an online statement that the invite was floated in case it was allowed to offer some kind of table service .
Gov .
Gavin Newsom has signaled that the dining ban — part of a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ — will continue , as hospitals struggle to accommodate COVID-19 patients amid an unprecedented surge in coronavirus cases in the state .
The restaurant also said it never intended to hold the soiree indoors , calling that part of the invite a joke that fell flat .
“ It didn ’ t come out as intended , how we wanted to be represented , nor how we wanted to represent ourselves , ” a message posted on the restaurant ’ s website said .
“ That was the intention .
If you can @ @ @ @ @ @ @ nothing more we can say.
” Indoor dining has not been allowed in Los Angeles County since the first stay-at-home order went into effect in March .
County health officials have intermittently allowed outdoor dining but reinstituted a ban in late November .
Beverly Hills City Council members unanimously approved a resolution opposing the ban in early December , a toothless move taken by several other cities , including Los Angeles .
Despite the “ strong opposition ” expressed by city leadership , spokesman Keith Sterling said in an email Tuesday that Mayor @ @ @ @ @ @ @ while the order is in place , it must be adhered to.
” Amid its apology , La Scala suggested that ire over the dinner party was misplaced .
“ We do want to offer our sincerest apologies and our hearts go out to everyone that has lost a loved one to Covid-19 , whether it is from the actual disease , suicide , alcohol , domestic violence , drug overdoses or cancer deaths due to lack of treatment , ” the statement on its website said .
“ We can not forget @ @ @ @ @ @ @ businesses .
If everyone would turn their hate to love and direct it to the people that need it instead of attacking small businesses trying to survive , that would be a much better use of their time.
” Representatives for La Scala declined to comment beyond the statements posted online .
City officials contacted La Scala on Christmas Eve about the event to remind its management about restrictions in the county ’ s order , Sterling said .
“ We understand this is an incredibly difficult time for all of our businesses @ @ @ @ @ @ @ restaurant read , “ however the County Order does currently prohibit indoor and outdoor dining , including in the City of Beverly Hills.
” The city ’ s police department said in a tweet on Christmas that its code enforcement team was “ aware and will be handling this matter .
”

A venerated Beverly Hills eatery has apologized for planning a “Prohibition” New Year’s Eve dinner amid the latest coronavirus surge — and an in-person dining ban — calling the incident a big misunderstanding.
La Scala, a celebrity hangout offering upscale Italian food a stone’s throw from Rodeo Drive, was responding to backlash to an invitation it had slipped into diners’ takeout bags. Written in florid cursive lettering, the invite said the restaurant was considering taking reservations for a speakeasy-themed dinner party “inside,” if there was enough interest. “Please keep this discreet but tell all your friends,” the note said.
The invitation, which was widely shared on Twitter, sparking scores of negative comments, prompted reaction from both the Beverly Hills Police Department and city officials.
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Merry Christmas everyone! La Scala’s Beverly Hills location is tucking these invitations to an indoor New Year’s Eve dinner in their takeout bags: “Please keep this discreet, but tell all your friends.” 💀💀💀 pic.twitter.com/hu4cJGYxce — Alissa Walker (@awalkerinLA) December 25, 2020
With a state order banning outdoor dining initially set to expire Monday, the restaurant said in an online statement that the invite was floated in case it was allowed to offer some kind of table service. Gov. Gavin Newsom has signaled that the dining ban — part of a new stay-at-home order enacted in early December — will continue, as hospitals struggle to accommodate COVID-19 patients amid an unprecedented surge in coronavirus cases in the state.
The restaurant also said it never intended to hold the soiree indoors, calling that part of the invite a joke that fell flat.
“It didn’t come out as intended, how we wanted to be represented, nor how we wanted to represent ourselves,” a message posted on the restaurant’s website said. “That was the intention. If you can find fault in that, there is nothing more we can say.”
Indoor dining has not been allowed in Los Angeles County since the first stay-at-home order went into effect in March, except for a brief stretch with limited capacity right after Memorial Day. County health officials have intermittently allowed outdoor dining but reinstituted a ban in late November.
Beverly Hills City Council members unanimously approved a resolution opposing the ban in early December, a toothless move taken by several other cities, including Los Angeles. Despite the “strong opposition” expressed by city leadership, spokesman Keith Sterling said in an email Tuesday that Mayor Lester Friedman “has been clear that while the order is in place, it must be adhered to.”
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Amid its apology, La Scala suggested that ire over the dinner party was misplaced.
“We do want to offer our sincerest apologies and our hearts go out to everyone that has lost a loved one to Covid-19, whether it is from the actual disease, suicide, alcohol, domestic violence, drug overdoses or cancer deaths due to lack of treatment,” the statement on its website said. “We cannot forget all the people that are losing their businesses. If everyone would turn their hate to love and direct it to the people that need it instead of attacking small businesses trying to survive, that would be a much better use of their time.”
Representatives for La Scala declined to comment beyond the statements posted online.
Thank you for tagging the BHPD. Beverly Hills Code Enforcement is aware and will be handling this matter. To report other COVID-19 related violations, please call 310-285-1119. — Beverly Hills Police (@BeverlyHillsPD) December 26, 2020
City officials contacted La Scala on Christmas Eve about the event to remind its management about restrictions in the county’s order, Sterling said.
“We understand this is an incredibly difficult time for all of our businesses,” the statement sent to the restaurant read, “however the County Order does currently prohibit indoor and outdoor dining, including in the City of Beverly Hills.”
The city’s police department said in a tweet on Christmas that its code enforcement team was “aware and will be handling this matter.”


latimes--2020-12-29--L.A. County battles COVID defeatism, fatigue as deaths near 10,000

Los Angeles County officials are bracing for another coronavirus surge in early January as people who become infected during the holidays return to work and other aspects of normal life .
But they recognize they are fighting growing fatigue over stay-at-home restrictions and a feeling from some that the fight is already lost .
It ’ s all but assured that the stay-at-home order that was imposed a month ago will remain in Southern California because hospitals are at the breaking point amid a crush of COVID-19 patients .
Officials say more measures are needed .
They have urged every @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the region to quarantine for 10 days to determine whether they have any symptoms of the coronavirus .
“ Mingling with people outside of your immediate household is one of the leading causes for the current surge .
All it takes is one unfortunate encounter with an individual with COVID-19 for you to become infected , and sadly , for you to go on and infect many others , ” said Barbara Ferrer , the county ’ s public health director .
County leaders also urged people to avoid the impulse to simply @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ I understand the futility that so many people are feeling right now — the idea that some people just want to throw their hands up .
But we can ’ t think like that , ” Los Angeles County Supervisor Hilda Solis said .
“ To be more blunt , each one of us has the power to cause or prevent death and illness among our family members , our coworkers and even strangers.
” The current crisis has been fueled by several factors , including Thanksgiving travel and gatherings .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ travel and gatherings , but it will take several weeks for infections associated with late December events to become apparent .
Ferrer said that “ all indicators tell us that our situation may only get worse as we begin 2021 .
The rate of community transmission remains extraordinarily high .
… As cases continue to remain at these alarmingly high levels , hundreds more people are likely to die.
” For many people , the virus causes no illness or symptoms .
“ If you go back to work , you go shopping @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at any point over the next 10 days , you could easily pass on this virus to others , ” Ferrer said .
She urged people under quarantine to not leave home , not to accept any visitors and to find others to help buy essential supplies , such as groceries .
“ We all need to give our hospitals a fighting chance to handle the flood of COVID-19 patients that are arriving every single day , ” Ferrer said .
The pace of the fall and winter surge has been breathtaking .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ averaging about 1,300 coronavirus cases a day on a weekly basis ; it is now averaging nearly 14,000 cases a day .
The daily rate at which coronavirus test results are coming back positive is now 17 % in L.A. County , more than quadruple the comparable figure on Nov. 1 , when the positivity rate was 4 % .
The illness is affecting — and killing — all ages , Solis said .
A child died earlier this month of the coronavirus-linked multisystem inflammatory syndrome , known as MIS-C , in Los @ @ @ @ @ @ @ least 51 cases of MIS-C in L.A. County , and half of those have been treated in intensive care units .
Latino children made up nearly three-quarters of those cases .
Ferrer said that L.A. County has run 29 samples of coronavirus cases and that none has been positive for the potentially more contagious variant of the coronavirus identified in Britain .
She said there ’ s a high probability the variant is here , but it doesn ’ t appear to be dominant .
“ Whether the variant is here or isn @ @ @ @ @ @ @ need to take are exactly the same , ” she said .
The county could top 10,000 COVID-19 deaths in a matter of days .
Overall , 9,564 L.A. County residents are reported to have died from COVID-19 .
Health officials said Monday they are sorting through a reporting backlog they expect will add 432 deaths to the toll .
“ As bad as it is , the worst is almost certainly yet to come , ” said Dr. Christina Ghaly , the county ’ s health services director .
There is a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on top of a surge ” could be too much for overworked hospital staff .
“ It is a very , very different and infinitely more dangerous situation to have hospitals experiencing a surge when the staff are exhausted , they ’ re stretched thin and they ’ re already caring for more patients than they can safely handle , ” Ghaly said .
The state imposed strict limitations on businesses and activities earlier this month in hopes of slowing the spread of the virus .
Though the wave of new coronavirus cases @ @ @ @ @ @ @ officials noted that the rate of that rise , along with the number of new coronavirus-related hospitalizations , appears to be leveling off in many areas .
“ We ’ re seeing now a majority of the state experiencing a plateauing of new hospital admissions ... actually seeing that rate of growth beginning to subside , with one major exception — and that ’ s Southern California , ” Gov .
Gavin Newsom said Monday , as Los Angeles , Riverside and San Bernardino counties continue to report heavy infection numbers .

A small crowd takes in the sunset from the top of Signal Hill. Los Angeles County officials are bracing for another COVID-19 surge in early January.
Los Angeles County officials are bracing for another coronavirus surge in early January as people who become infected during the holidays return to work and other aspects of normal life. But they recognize they are fighting growing fatigue over stay-at-home restrictions and a feeling from some that the fight is already lost.
It’s all but assured that the stay-at-home order that was imposed a month ago will remain in Southern California because hospitals are at the breaking point amid a crush of COVID-19 patients.
Officials say more measures are needed. They have urged every person coming into L.A. County from outside the region to quarantine for 10 days to determine whether they have any symptoms of the coronavirus.
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“Mingling with people outside of your immediate household is one of the leading causes for the current surge. All it takes is one unfortunate encounter with an individual with COVID-19 for you to become infected, and sadly, for you to go on and infect many others,” said Barbara Ferrer, the county’s public health director.
County leaders also urged people to avoid the impulse to simply give up and stop following the rules.
“I understand the futility that so many people are feeling right now — the idea that some people just want to throw their hands up. But we can’t think like that,” Los Angeles County Supervisor Hilda Solis said. “To be more blunt, each one of us has the power to cause or prevent death and illness among our family members, our coworkers and even strangers.”
The current crisis has been fueled by several factors, including Thanksgiving travel and gatherings. Officials know there have also been Christmas travel and gatherings, but it will take several weeks for infections associated with late December events to become apparent.
Ferrer said that “all indicators tell us that our situation may only get worse as we begin 2021. The rate of community transmission remains extraordinarily high. … As cases continue to remain at these alarmingly high levels, hundreds more people are likely to die.”
For many people, the virus causes no illness or symptoms. “If you go back to work, you go shopping or you go to any gatherings, at any point over the next 10 days, you could easily pass on this virus to others,” Ferrer said. She urged people under quarantine to not leave home, not to accept any visitors and to find others to help buy essential supplies, such as groceries.
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“We all need to give our hospitals a fighting chance to handle the flood of COVID-19 patients that are arriving every single day,” Ferrer said.
The pace of the fall and winter surge has been breathtaking. On Nov. 1, L.A. County was averaging about 1,300 coronavirus cases a day on a weekly basis; it is now averaging nearly 14,000 cases a day. The daily rate at which coronavirus test results are coming back positive is now 17% in L.A. County, more than quadruple the comparable figure on Nov. 1, when the positivity rate was 4%.
The illness is affecting — and killing — all ages, Solis said. A child died earlier this month of the coronavirus-linked multisystem inflammatory syndrome, known as MIS-C, in Los Angeles County. There have been at least 51 cases of MIS-C in L.A. County, and half of those have been treated in intensive care units. Latino children made up nearly three-quarters of those cases.
Ferrer said that L.A. County has run 29 samples of coronavirus cases and that none has been positive for the potentially more contagious variant of the coronavirus identified in Britain. She said there’s a high probability the variant is here, but it doesn’t appear to be dominant.
“Whether the variant is here or isn’t here, the steps we need to take are exactly the same,” she said.
The county could top 10,000 COVID-19 deaths in a matter of days.
Overall, 9,564 L.A. County residents are reported to have died from COVID-19. Health officials said Monday they are sorting through a reporting backlog they expect will add 432 deaths to the toll.
“As bad as it is, the worst is almost certainly yet to come,” said Dr. Christina Ghaly, the county’s health services director.
There is a real fear that such a “surge on top of a surge” could be too much for overworked hospital staff.
“It is a very, very different and infinitely more dangerous situation to have hospitals experiencing a surge when the staff are exhausted, they’re stretched thin and they’re already caring for more patients than they can safely handle,” Ghaly said.
California Stay-at-home order for much of California extended amid COVID-19 overload at hospitals The extension illustrates how the worst wave of the pandemic is hammering hospitals in Southern California and the San Joaquin Valley and threatening to exhaust available intensive care beds.
The state imposed strict limitations on businesses and activities earlier this month in hopes of slowing the spread of the virus.
Though the wave of new coronavirus cases has continued to swell since then, officials noted that the rate of that rise, along with the number of new coronavirus-related hospitalizations, appears to be leveling off in many areas.
“We’re seeing now a majority of the state experiencing a plateauing of new hospital admissions ... actually seeing that rate of growth beginning to subside, with one major exception — and that’s Southern California,” Gov. Gavin Newsom said Monday, as Los Angeles, Riverside and San Bernardino counties continue to report heavy infection numbers.