latimes--2020-04-20--California unemployment call center still struggling to process claims

California has expanded phone assistance to those filing unemployment insurance claims during the COVID-19 pandemic , but the state Employment Development Department continues to receive criticism from people who have not been able to get through on jammed lines despite making dozens of calls to the agency .
California Labor Secretary Julie Su acknowledged Monday afternoon that jobless Californians were still having a difficult time reaching live representatives for help with their unemployment claims and said her office is working to resolve the issue .
“ I know that people have continued to have trouble today reaching someone on the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are still not getting through , ” Su said during a Facebook Live chat in which residents peppered her with 1,500 questions and messages , many of them showing frustration .
The EDD has shifted 1,340 state workers to answer phones and process requests for assistance in response to more than 2.7 million new jobless claims filed in the last month .
Su said Monday that she has heard from some people who have gotten through on the phone line but added , “ I know that is not the experience for the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ now , and I want you to hear from me directly that that is not acceptable and we are going to fix it.
” Gov .
Gavin Newsom announced last week that EDD phone services previously available from 8 a.m. to noon on weekdays would begin operating from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. seven days a week starting Monday .
While many people are able to file jobless claims online without issue , others have specific problems they are trying to resolve , including addressing denied claims , which require talking to a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an Orange County resident who lost his job as a salesperson in the steel industry , said he was unable to get through the EDD phone lines Monday to obtain answers about how to arrange a 13-week extension of benefits recently granted by Congress .
“ I have tried to reach the unemployment office for the last three hours .
You can not get through to them , ” said Jaffe , 80 , who says the loss of income is making it hard to pay bills .
Calls by The Times to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a recording that says : “ We are currently receiving more calls than we can answer and are unable to assist you at this time .
Please try again later.
” Alameda resident Eva Cazares , 50 , faced similar frustrations .
She was furloughed by Macy ’ s at the end of March and is trying to get information from EDD about how to update her claim , which was initially denied .
Cazares said she called the line 100 times on Monday and couldn ’ t get through .
“ I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hour straight and still haven ’ t been able to contact anyone , ” she said .
Su said she hears the concerns .
“ I acknowledge that problem .
I own it , ” Sue said Monday .
“ We need to be accessible and we are definitely going to fix that problem.
” In directing the expanded hours for EDD phone services , Newsom said Wednesday that he understands the frustrations of unemployed Californians .
“ Many Californians are one paycheck away from losing their homes or from being able to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ COVID-19 has only made these challenges worse , ” Newsom said .
“ California is focused on getting relief dollars and unemployment assistance in the hands of those who need it as quickly as possible .
”

A surge in jobless claims in California has jammed phone lines to the state’s claims center despite a shift of hundreds of additional workers to answer phones.
California has expanded phone assistance to those filing unemployment insurance claims during the COVID-19 pandemic, but the state Employment Development Department continues to receive criticism from people who have not been able to get through on jammed lines despite making dozens of calls to the agency.
California Labor Secretary Julie Su acknowledged Monday afternoon that jobless Californians were still having a difficult time reaching live representatives for help with their unemployment claims and said her office is working to resolve the issue.
“I know that people have continued to have trouble today reaching someone on the phone center. I know that people are still not getting through,” Su said during a Facebook Live chat in which residents peppered her with 1,500 questions and messages, many of them showing frustration.
The EDD has shifted 1,340 state workers to answer phones and process requests for assistance in response to more than 2.7 million new jobless claims filed in the last month.
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Su said Monday that she has heard from some people who have gotten through on the phone line but added, “I know that is not the experience for the majority of people who are listening in now, and I want you to hear from me directly that that is not acceptable and we are going to fix it.”
1 / 83 Socially distanced bikers and walkers, against a backdrop of the Queen Mary, make their way along pedestrian and beach bike path on the first day that Long Beach reopened the path on Monday May 11, 2020. The city of Long Beach eased a few of its public health restrictions, allowing under certain guidelines the reopening of pedestrian and beach bike paths, tennis centers and courts. Beach bathrooms are also reopening, but the parking lots and beaches still remain closed. (Genaro Molina/Los Angeles Times) 2 / 83 Traffic remains light on the southbound 110 Freeway headed toward downtown Los Angeles on April 28. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times) 3 / 83 Dominique Barrett, center, known as “King Vader” to his 2.4 million TikTok followers, prepares to shoot a video on April 30 in Glendora. (Dania Maxwell / Los Angeles Times) 4 / 83 Cody Purcell of Redondo Beach rides a wave, glowing from the bioluminescence, in Hermosa Beach, CA, after midnight Friday morning, May 8. (Jay L. Clendenin/Los Angeles Times) 5 / 83 Friends play spikeball, a game perfect for social distancing on an open but restricted San Buenaventura State Beach. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times) 6 / 83 The majority of golfers are wearing masks while hitting balls on the driving range at Van Buren Executive Golf Course in Riverside. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times) 7 / 83 Beaches including Harbor Cove Beach were open but beachgoers were not supposed to be sitting on the sand. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times) 8 / 83 Tango instructor Yelizaveta Nersesova leads a Zoom tango event from her Los Angeles home April 27 that brought together hundreds of dancers from around the world. (Jason Armond / Los Angeles Times) 9 / 83 Grocery store workers, joined by United Food and Commercial Workers International Union Local 770 representatives and community members, hold a rally in support of strict social distancing on May 1 at a Ralphs store in Hollywood where 19 employees have tested positive for COVID-19. (Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times) 10 / 83 Mostly masked commuters keep their distance from one another on a Metro bus in downtown Los Angeles on April 29. (Gabriella Angotti-Jones / Los Angeles Times) 11 / 83 Gregory Kuhl, 69, heads home after a shopping trip in Hollywood on April 28. Big cracks in the street, cars parked in driveways blocking sidewalks and uneven pavement levels make navigating his route difficult. (Dania Maxwell / Los Angeles Times) 12 / 83 Tenants and their supporters from across Los Angeles gather at city hall to call on L.A. Mayor Eric Garcetti, the L.A. City Council and California Gov. Gavin Newsom to cancel rent and mortgage payments during the COVID-19 crisis. (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times) 13 / 83 Aerial view of over 100 vehicles lined up at the West Valley COVID-19 testing center at Warner Center in Woodland Hills. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times) 14 / 83 Senior Mason Wise, left, helps his sister, Mackenzie, a sophomore, clean out her PE locker at El Camino Real Charter High School in Woodland Hills. School officials were allowing no more than five students at a time on campus to take home their belongings. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times) 15 / 83 Shuttered storefront businesses in the garment district of Los Angeles. California’s unemployment rate has skyrocketed since the statewide coronavirus shutdown took effect. (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times) 16 / 83 Healthcare workers celebrate as Claudia Martinez is discharged from the ICU after she recovered from COVID-19 at Scripps Mercy Hospital in Chula Vista. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) 17 / 83 Carson residents Kaeli Burks, 3, left, and her cousin Bailey Watson, 5, look out the window of their car after their mothers helped them with self-testing at a new drive-up testing site for COVID-19 in Carson. Free COVID-19 testing is available to all city residents thanks to a partnership between the city and US Health Fairs. (Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times) 18 / 83 Norm and Tracy Kahn enjoy eating dinner outside on a small cafe table sitting in blue chairs on their side yard during the coronavirus pandemic on April 27 in Riverside. “During this pandemic, eating outside offers us an opportunity to change surrounding and appreciate the calmness of being outdoors among trees, scents from nature and the sounds of birds,” she said. Also adding, “Mixing up where we eat puts variety into our days and takes away the sameness of feeling trapped at home.” (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times) 19 / 83 Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center nurses carry supplies outside the hospital. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times) 20 / 83 Tom Sean Foley pauses on a walk with his kids, Cathelen Claire, “C.C.,” 3, and Timothy Joseph, 4, to take a photo in front of the “Love Wall,” mural by artist Curtis Kulig, outside of Smashbox Studios in Culver City. (Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times) 21 / 83 Protesters stand along Mission Blvd. in Pacific Beach during A Day of Liberty rally on April 26. The protesters were against the government shutdown due to the coronavirus. (K.C. Alfred / San Diego Union-Tribune) 22 / 83 People make orders at a food truck along Shoreline Avenue in Long Beach. (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times) 23 / 83 Medical staff, wearing protective gear, work inside a COVID-19 isolation area inside the emergency department at Los Angeles County-USC Medical Center in Los Angeles, where patients with the virus are being treated. (Mel Melcon / Los Angeles Times) 24 / 83 Neighbors practice social distancing while enjoying the nice weather near The Strand in Hermosa Beach. (Gabriella Angotti-Jones / Los Angeles Times) 25 / 83 Counter-protesters attend a protest to call on state and local officials to reopen the economy in downtown Los Angeles. (Christina House / Los Angeles Times) 26 / 83 A group of protesters cheer on cars during a vehicle caravan protest to call on state and local officials to reopen the economy in downtown Los Angeles. (Christina House / Los Angeles Times) 27 / 83 Cedar Mountain Post Acute Rehabilitation staff member Navi Cavaltera waters a flower pot put up by the community to show their support for the nursing staff of the facility in Yucaipa. Eighteen of 20 coronavirus-related deaths in Yucaipa were residents of the skilled nursing facility. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times) 28 / 83 A pedestrian wearing a protective mask passes a mural on a store on Melrose Avenue in the Fairfax district of Los Angeles. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times) 29 / 83 Jonte Florence, a freestyle dancer, does a handstand on a mostly empty Hollywood Walk of Fame. Florence said he normally performs for hundreds of tourists along the busy street. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times) 30 / 83 The Tyrannosaurus rex overlooking the intersection of Hollywood Boulevard and Highland Avenue wears a protective mask while practicing social distancing. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times) 31 / 83 Businesses are shuttered and pedestrians are few and far between on Hollywood Boulevard. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times) 32 / 83 Daniel Rogerson wears a vintage military gas mask while riding a bike along the beach path in Santa Monica, which is closed to enforce social distancing because of the coronavirus pandemic. (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times) 33 / 83 A face mask seller in colorful dress appears to be part of a mural behind a bus stop on Soto Street in Los Angeles. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times) 34 / 83 Life around Cesar E. Chavez Boulevard and Soto Street has slowed down as California officials extended stay-at-home orders into May and residents entered Easter weekend with unprecedented limits on their movements. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times) 35 / 83 UC Irvine Medical Center health care workers return their gratitude as about 25 Orange County first responder vehicles participate in a drive-by parade of gratitude as they battle COVID-19 at the hospital. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times) 36 / 83 Billy Budd, 55, of Hollywood, walks along Hollywood Boulevard with a protective face covering. Budd is a scenic artist for movies and television who is currently out of work due to the coronavirus outbreak. (Mel Melcon / Los Angeles Times) 37 / 83 Stuart Reyes and his sister, Stephanie, sell masks for $5 each on the 3000 block of West Century Boulevard in Inglewood. Stuart Reyes said he is selling masks to support his mother. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times) 38 / 83 A jogger runs on a closed trail past dozens of pieces of caution tape, torn off by hikers and mountain bikers at El Escorpion Canyon Park in West Hills. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times) 39 / 83 Alex Herron and nurse Mercy Pineda at a blood drive sponsored by USC athletics and the American Red Cross at USC’s Galen Center. (Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times) 40 / 83 Los Angeles City Hall displays blue lights to show support for healthcare workers and first responders. (Gary Coronado / Los Angeles Times) 41 / 83 After being indoors for several days because of rainy weather and coronavirus stay-at-home orders, Olivia Jacobs, 4, and her mom, Cia Jacobs, enjoy a warm and sunny afternoon making chalk drawings on the sidewalk in front of their home in West Hills. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times) 42 / 83 An Oceanview Plaza security guard sports a whimsical mask while on patrol. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times) 43 / 83 Jacob De Wilde, left, and Lesli Lytle load a car with food during a food distribution organized to mark Good Friday. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times) 44 / 83 As a late season storm continues to make its way across the Southland, a young basketball player dribbles along an alley through an Elysian Park neighborhood in Los Angeles. (Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times) 45 / 83 People are silhouetted in a window of an apartment building in Hollywood, where a stay-at-home order remains in effect to help curb the spread of the coronavirus. (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times) 46 / 83 The Wilshire Grand Center display blue lights and a heart to show support for healthcare workers and first responders. (Gary Coronado / Los Angeles Times) 47 / 83 Women wear masks as they stroll along Highland Avenue in Hollywood. Wearing masks while outdoors is mandatory in the city of Los Angeles. (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times) 48 / 83 Patients are removed from Magnolia Rehabilitation and Nursing Center after 39 tested positive for the coronavirus and nursing staff was not showing up to work. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times) 49 / 83 A specimen is turned in at the new mobile testing site for people with symptoms of the coronavirus at Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Science in South Los Angeles. (Christina House / Los Angeles Times) 50 / 83 Hippie Kitchen in Los Angeles hands out food, water and toiletries to homeless people and residents of skid row. Additionally, masks were offered to help reduce the spread of the coronavirus. (Myung J. Chun / Los Angeles Times) 51 / 83 Nurses pose for a fun photo during a break in drive-through public testing for the coronavirus at Arrowhead Regional Medical Center in Colton. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times) 52 / 83 A woman shows a notice from her doctor that allows her to obtain a test for coronavirus at a new drive-up testing site in a parking lot at the South Bay Galleria in Redondo Beach. (Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times) 53 / 83 A person who wishes to remain anonymous strikes from her car to support McDonald’s employees who are demanding the company cover healthcare costs of any worker or immediate family member who gets sick from COVID-19 in Los Angeles. (Dania Maxwell / Los Angeles Times) 54 / 83 Cassidy Roosen, with Beach Cities Health District, holds up a sign that says, “We’re All in This Together,” while waiting to direct cars at a drive-through, appointment-only coronavirus testing location at the South Bay Galleria in Redondo Beach. (Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times) 55 / 83 Juliann Hartman, center, and her husband, Butch, wave signs they created to cheer up people on Calabasas Road in Calabasas during the pandemic. (Mel Melcon / Los Angeles Times) 56 / 83 Grace Carter, 15, of Riverside, practices a dance routine at home after dance classes and school were canceled. She has to use the Zoom app on her iPhone to practice with her dance group. “It’s hard,” she said. “My bedroom is a smaller space. I miss all my friends at the studio.” (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times) 57 / 83 A man works from his home in Long Beach. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) 58 / 83 A San Bernardino County healthcare worker takes a sample at a coronavirus drive-through testing site at the county fairgrounds in Victorville. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times) 59 / 83 A Metro general service employee disinfects a bench in Boyle Heights. (Gary Coronado / Los Angeles Times) 60 / 83 A runner jogs past the Pottery Barn in Pasadena. Some businesses in the area have boarded up their stores. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times) 61 / 83 Raquel Lezama and daughter Monica Ramos collect meals for their family at Manual Arts High School. Lezama was laid off from her $17.76-an-hour job at a Beverly Hills hotel. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times) 62 / 83 The Iron City Tavern in San Pedro tries an incentive to lure takeout customers. (Carolyn Cole / Los Angeles Times) 63 / 83 Healthcare workers gather outside UCLA Ronald Reagan Medical Center to call for further action from the federal government in response to the COVID-19 outbreak. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times) 64 / 83 Kristen Edgerle, of Victorville, collects information from a blood donor before drawing blood at The Richard Nixon Presidential Library blood drive during the coronavirus pandemic in Yorba Linda. (Jason Armond / Los Angeles Times) 65 / 83 Shauna Jin, of Los Angeles, with her dog, Bodhi, practices social distancing with John Kiss, of Los Angeles, at the entrance of Runyon Canyon Park in Los Angeles. (Gary Coronado / Los Angeles Times) 66 / 83 A lending library had some additional useful items, including a roll of toilet paper and cans of beans and corn, in a Hermosa Beach neighborhood. (Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times) 67 / 83 Protesters drive by the Getty House, the home of L.A. Mayor Eric Garcetti, in Hancock Park. Tenant advocates are demanding a total moratorium on evictions during the coronavirus crisis. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times) 68 / 83 Venice residents Emily Berry and Gavin Kelley take a break at Venice Beach. Berry, a cocktail waitress at Enterprise Fish Co., lost her job due to the coronavirus outbreak. Kelley, a manager at a performing arts school with a focus on music, said that he still has a job and that classes at the school will resume online this coming Monday. (Mel Melcon / Los Angeles Times) 69 / 83 The JW Marriott at L.A. Live is sharing a message of hope with red lights in 34 windows, creating a 19-story display on the hotel’s north side. (Gary Coronado / Los Angeles Times) 70 / 83 Juan Diaz Jr., a lifelong Dodgers fan, prays that the season will start by May in front of Dodger Stadium on what would have been opening day. (Mel Melcon / Los Angeles Times) 71 / 83 Hayley, CEO and founder of Love My Neighbor Foundation, right, dances with Crystal Armster, 51, while she and her colleagues continue to feed the homeless on skid row amid the pandemic. (Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times) 72 / 83 A masked passenger on a Metro bus in downtown Los Angeles. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times) 73 / 83 Dede Oneal waits for a coronavirus test at the Crenshaw Christian Center in South Los Angeles. (Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times) 74 / 83 A man in a mask passes a closed restaurant along Spring Street in downtown Los Angeles. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times) 75 / 83 Artist Corie Mattie paints a mural on the side of a pop-up store as a man takes a picture in West Hollywood. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times) 76 / 83 Medical assistant Zoila Villalta works with Rosie Boston, 32, of Glendale, who is donating blood for her first time at L.A. Care Health Plan downtown. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times) 77 / 83 A couple wait for a bus outside the Petersen Automotive Museum in Los Angeles. (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times) 78 / 83 With all Los Angeles schools closed until further notice, LAUSD buses sit idle in Gardena. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times) 79 / 83 A lone traveler makes his way to catch a flight in Tom Bradley International Terminal. (Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times) 80 / 83 Denise Young looks on as her daughter, Allison, 9, a fourth-grader at EARThS (Environmental Academy of Research Technology and Earth Sciences) Magnet School in Newbury Park, receives a Chromebook. (Mel Melcon / Los Angeles Times) 81 / 83 Hollywood Boulevard is devoid of the usual crowds. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times) 82 / 83 Michael Ray, 11, plays before a movie at the Paramount Drive-In. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times) 83 / 83 Isabella Leader, 15, counts how many flags have been left for World War II veteran Lt. Col. Sam Sachs who was celebrating his 105th birthday at the Mom & Dad’s House, an assisted living facility, in Lakewood. Lt. Col. Sachs appealed to the public for birthday cards after the coronavirus pandemic forced the cancellation of a big celebration and wound up receiving thousands, including a letter and photo from President Trump. (Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times)
Gov. Gavin Newsom announced last week that EDD phone services previously available from 8 a.m. to noon on weekdays would begin operating from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. seven days a week starting Monday.
While many people are able to file jobless claims online without issue, others have specific problems they are trying to resolve, including addressing denied claims, which require talking to a live EDD representative.
Shelly Jaffe, an Orange County resident who lost his job as a salesperson in the steel industry, said he was unable to get through the EDD phone lines Monday to obtain answers about how to arrange a 13-week extension of benefits recently granted by Congress.
“I have tried to reach the unemployment office for the last three hours. You cannot get through to them,” said Jaffe, 80, who says the loss of income is making it hard to pay bills.
Calls by The Times to the EDD call center were answered with a recording that says: “We are currently receiving more calls than we can answer and are unable to assist you at this time. Please try again later.”
Alameda resident Eva Cazares, 50, faced similar frustrations. She was furloughed by Macy’s at the end of March and is trying to get information from EDD about how to update her claim, which was initially denied.
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Cazares said she called the line 100 times on Monday and couldn’t get through.
“I’ve been on it for an hour straight and still haven’t been able to contact anyone,” she said.
Su said she hears the concerns.
“I acknowledge that problem. I own it,” Sue said Monday. “We need to be accessible and we are definitely going to fix that problem.”
In directing the expanded hours for EDD phone services, Newsom said Wednesday that he understands the frustrations of unemployed Californians.
“Many Californians are one paycheck away from losing their homes or from being able to put food on their tables, and COVID-19 has only made these challenges worse,” Newsom said. “California is focused on getting relief dollars and unemployment assistance in the hands of those who need it as quickly as possible.”
Times staff writer Sarah D. Wire contributed to this report.


latimes--2020-04-20--Orange County reports 1 new coronavirus death; officials commend social distancing

Orange County officials Monday reported one additional coronavirus-linked death , raising the toll to 33 .
The county also announced an additional 41 COVID-19 cases , with the total now at 1,676 .
There were 142 cases reported over Saturday and Sunday , according to the Orange County Health Care Agency .
While the county saw a slowing in the number of infections early last week , with only seven new cases Monday and 21 cases Tuesday , the number shot back up over the days that followed .
David Souleles , director of public health services for the county @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Monday news briefing that hospitalizations have remained “ relatively flat for a while ” and that the total number of cases has been doubling at a slower frequency .
“ Those are all indicators to us that the efforts at social distancing and other efforts we have asked our community to undertake are helping to begin to flatten our curve a little bit , ” he said .
Officials said the county is looking for ways to mitigate the impact of revenue losses due to the pandemic .
Orange County Board of Supervisors @ @ @ @ @ @ @ committee bringing together business leaders to forge a plan to address the economic fallout will have its first meeting Tuesday .
County Executive Officer Frank Kim said officials have been looking into expanding hotel capacity for first responders and people living in crowded housing units who may need a safer place to self-isolate .
Of those who have died , 19 were at least 65 years old and 11 were 45 to 64 .
Two victims were age 25 to 34 and one was age 35 to 44 .
Twenty of the victims @ @ @ @ @ @ @ women .
County officials also released a breakdown of the victims by race and ethnicity , which showed that 11 of those who died were Asian , nine were Latino , eight were white and two were black .
Information was unavailable for remaining victims .
According to the Orange County Health Care Agency , 18,766 people have been tested by the county and commercial labs to date .
Over the past few days , the county has seen various protests calling for the lifting of stay-at-home orders in California .
In San @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on Sunday held up signs that read “ Open Our Beaches , ” “ Let Me Be Free , ” “ Freedom Is Essential ” and “ The Media Is the Virus.
” On Friday , a group of more than 100 protesters gathered in Huntington Beach .
County Supervisor Donald Wagner said that protesters have been lawfully exercising their 1st Amendment rights .
“ What you ’ re seeing is a number of people around the county rightly asking the question … ‘ How do we get this county back open for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ Folks are rightfully asking those questions and they want answers from their government .
”

Medical personnel from St. Jude Medical Center in Fullerton stand on the sidewalk as Fullerton and Brea firefighters, EMS and police join together in a show of support for healthcare workers.
Orange County officials Monday reported one additional coronavirus-linked death, raising the toll to 33.
The county also announced an additional 41 COVID-19 cases, with the total now at 1,676. There were 142 cases reported over Saturday and Sunday, according to the Orange County Health Care Agency.
While the county saw a slowing in the number of infections early last week, with only seven new cases Monday and 21 cases Tuesday, the number shot back up over the days that followed.
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David Souleles, director of public health services for the county Health Care Agency, said during a Monday news briefing that hospitalizations have remained “relatively flat for a while” and that the total number of cases has been doubling at a slower frequency.
“Those are all indicators to us that the efforts at social distancing and other efforts we have asked our community to undertake are helping to begin to flatten our curve a little bit,” he said.
Officials said the county is looking for ways to mitigate the impact of revenue losses due to the pandemic.
Orange County Board of Supervisors Chairwoman Michelle Steel said that an ad-hoc committee bringing together business leaders to forge a plan to address the economic fallout will have its first meeting Tuesday.
County Executive Officer Frank Kim said officials have been looking into expanding hotel capacity for first responders and people living in crowded housing units who may need a safer place to self-isolate.
Of those who have died, 19 were at least 65 years old and 11 were 45 to 64. Two victims were age 25 to 34 and one was age 35 to 44. Twenty of the victims have been men and 13 have been women.
County officials also released a breakdown of the victims by race and ethnicity, which showed that 11 of those who died were Asian, nine were Latino, eight were white and two were black. Information was unavailable for remaining victims.
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According to the Orange County Health Care Agency, 18,766 people have been tested by the county and commercial labs to date.
Over the past few days, the county has seen various protests calling for the lifting of stay-at-home orders in California. In San Clemente’s business district, protesters on Sunday held up signs that read “Open Our Beaches,” “Let Me Be Free,” “Freedom Is Essential” and “The Media Is the Virus.” On Friday, a group of more than 100 protesters gathered in Huntington Beach.
County Supervisor Donald Wagner said that protesters have been lawfully exercising their 1st Amendment rights.
“What you’re seeing is a number of people around the county rightly asking the question … ‘How do we get this county back open for business?’” he said. “Folks are rightfully asking those questions and they want answers from their government.”


latimes--2020-04-20--More protest California's stay-at-home rules

Protesters wanting California to ease or lift coronavirus stay-at-home rules held rallies Monday in Sacramento and Newport Beach .
They were the latest in a series of protests around the country pushing for an ease to social distancing .
Health experts have said early social distancing in California helped the state avoid the the high death counts of New York and that lifting them too early could cause coronavirus to spread .
Gov .
Gavin Newsom said Monday that he understood the frustrations and anxieties being expressed by the protesters .
But he cautioned that parts of the world that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Singapore , have been quickly hit with a second wave of the virus .
“ If we ’ re ultimately going to come back economically , the worst mistake we can make is making a precipitous decision based on politics and frustration that puts people ’ s lives at risk and ultimately sets back the cause of economic growth and economic recovery , ” Newsom said .
The Newsom administration last week announced the six key indicators for altering the governor ’ s stay-home mandate , including the ability to closely monitor and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ high-risk people , increase surge capacity at hospitals , develop therapeutics and ensure physical distance at schools , businesses and child care facilities .
Newsom said he will provide an update on Wednesday as to where the state stands in each of those key areas , including the progress California is making in widespread testing .
A bipartisan group of elected officials from San Luis Obispo County on Monday asked Newsom to grant them the “ authority to implement a phased reopening of our local economy , ” a request that comes just @ @ @ @ @ @ @ stay-at-home order to permit some businesses to reopen and some gatherings to take place .
Over the last few days , there have been protests in San Diego , Huntington Beach and San Clemente .
On Monday in Newport Beach , a small band of demonstrators gathered outside City Hall to protest coronavirus-driven stay-at-home orders .
About 30 people took to the sidewalk for the protest , which lasted less than two hours .
Police reported no issues .
Newport ’ s significant hospitality industry is largely closed , and several coastal amenities @ @ @ @ @ @ @ including boardwalks , piers , beach parking and the famed Wedge surfing area .
As of Monday , Orange County had 1,676 known cases of the coronavirus and 33 related deaths .
Statewide , there have been more than 33,000 confirmed cases and at least 1,200 deaths .

Alex Wigglesworth, Phil Willon, Hillary Davis

Protesters wanting California to ease or lift coronavirus stay-at-home rules held rallies Monday in Sacramento and Newport Beach.
They were the latest in a series of protests around the country pushing for an ease to social distancing. Health experts have said early social distancing in California helped the state avoid the the high death counts of New York and that lifting them too early could cause coronavirus to spread.
Gov. Gavin Newsom said Monday that he understood the frustrations and anxieties being expressed by the protesters. But he cautioned that parts of the world that have relaxed coronavirus restrictions prematurely, including Singapore, have been quickly hit with a second wave of the virus.
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“If we’re ultimately going to come back economically, the worst mistake we can make is making a precipitous decision based on politics and frustration that puts people’s lives at risk and ultimately sets back the cause of economic growth and economic recovery,” Newsom said.
The Newsom administration last week announced the six key indicators for altering the governor’s stay-home mandate, including the ability to closely monitor and track potential cases, prevent infection of high-risk people, increase surge capacity at hospitals, develop therapeutics and ensure physical distance at schools, businesses and child care facilities.
Newsom said he will provide an update on Wednesday as to where the state stands in each of those key areas, including the progress California is making in widespread testing.
A bipartisan group of elected officials from San Luis Obispo County on Monday asked Newsom to grant them the “authority to implement a phased reopening of our local economy,” a request that comes just days after Ventura County officials modified a stay-at-home order to permit some businesses to reopen and some gatherings to take place.
Over the last few days, there have been protests in San Diego, Huntington Beach and San Clemente.
On Monday in Newport Beach, a small band of demonstrators gathered outside City Hall to protest coronavirus-driven stay-at-home orders. About 30 people took to the sidewalk for the protest, which lasted less than two hours. Police reported no issues.
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Newport’s significant hospitality industry is largely closed, and several coastal amenities are also off-limits or heavily restricted, including boardwalks, piers, beach parking and the famed Wedge surfing area.
As of Monday, Orange County had 1,676 known cases of the coronavirus and 33 related deaths. Statewide, there have been more than 33,000 confirmed cases and at least 1,200 deaths.


latimes--2020-04-20--Man accused of threatening Fox journalist covering O.C. stay-at-home protest

An Orange County man has been arrested on suspicion of threatening a KTTV Channel 11 cameraman with a knife hours after a quarantine protest Friday in Huntington Beach .
Christien Petersen , 36 , of Costa Mesa was taken into custody at 7:49 p.m. Friday for exhibiting a “ deadly weapon other than [ a ] firearm ” and for kidnapping , the Huntington Beach Police Department ’ s log stated .
Petersen , who is believed to be a lawyer , is being held on $ 100,000 bond and is expected to be in court Tuesday .
Police said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he was filmed by a Fox cameraman for a report in the aftermath of that day ’ s “ Live Free or Die ” protest , which focused on ending COVID-19 stay-at-home orders .
According to Angela Bennett , a Huntington Beach Police public information officer , Petersen asked the camera operator not to film him .
Petersen then pulled out a small pocketknife and threatened the cameraman when he refused , police said .
A Fox reporter on assignment with the cameraman called police , who arrested Petersen .
Police did not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the cameraman wasn ’ t physically removed from the premises .
“ I don ’ t know about the kidnapping charges , ” Bennett said , adding that the investigation was continuing .
Fox spokeswoman Erica Keane said the reporter and cameraman were “ pretty shaken up , but they are thankfully OK. ” They are also expected to take “ a couple of days off , ” Keane said .
Fox did not air a television report that evening because all raw footage was immediately turned over to Huntington Beach police .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ or cameraman , but is expected air further details during a regular broadcast .
Friday evening ’ s incident took place on Main Street and Walnut Avenue , where more than 100 people congregated around 1 p.m. for a roughly two-hour protest against California ’ s stay-at-home order , which is aimed at slowing the spread of the novel coronavirus .
Bennett said no arrests were made during the protest .

An Orange County man has been arrested on suspicion of threatening a KTTV Channel 11 cameraman with a knife hours after a quarantine protest Friday in Huntington Beach.
Christien Petersen, 36, of Costa Mesa was taken into custody at 7:49 p.m. Friday for exhibiting a “deadly weapon other than [a] firearm” and for kidnapping, the Huntington Beach Police Department’s log stated.
Petersen, who is believed to be a lawyer, is being held on $100,000 bond and is expected to be in court Tuesday.
Police said Petersen was allegedly intoxicated and upset when he was filmed by a Fox cameraman for a report in the aftermath of that day’s “Live Free or Die” protest, which focused on ending COVID-19 stay-at-home orders.
According to Angela Bennett, a Huntington Beach Police public information officer, Petersen asked the camera operator not to film him. Petersen then pulled out a small pocketknife and threatened the cameraman when he refused, police said.
A Fox reporter on assignment with the cameraman called police, who arrested Petersen.
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Police did not explain the kidnapping charge, even though the cameraman wasn’t physically removed from the premises.
“I don’t know about the kidnapping charges,” Bennett said, adding that the investigation was continuing.
Fox spokeswoman Erica Keane said the reporter and cameraman were “pretty shaken up, but they are thankfully OK.”
They are also expected to take “a couple of days off,” Keane said.
Fox did not air a television report that evening because all raw footage was immediately turned over to Huntington Beach police. The station has not identified the reporter or cameraman, but is expected air further details during a regular broadcast.
Friday evening’s incident took place on Main Street and Walnut Avenue, where more than 100 people congregated around 1 p.m. for a roughly two-hour protest against California’s stay-at-home order, which is aimed at slowing the spread of the novel coronavirus.
Bennett said no arrests were made during the protest.


latimes--2020-04-20--Newsom resists pressure to ease California's coronavirus stay-at-home order

Gov .
Gavin Newsom on Monday acknowledged that pressure from Californians and local governments is building to modify the statewide stay-at-home order carried out to stem to spread of the coronavirus , but he said restrictions will remain in place until the threat to public health subsides and adequate testing and other safeguards are implemented .
A bipartisan group of elected officials from San Luis Obispo County on Monday asked Newsom to grant them the “ authority to implement a phased reopening of our local economy , ” a request that comes just days after Ventura County officials modified a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reopen and some gatherings to take place .
Officials in San Luis Obispo County argued that their COVID-19 infection rate has been declining because residents have been diligent in adhering to stay-at-home orders and maintaining social distancing practices , but with businesses shut down and so many people out of work , the county faces a perilous financial outlook .
As a result , officials requested approval to a “ begin a science-based , thoughtfully phased reopening of our economy.
” “ We have asked our residents to take these desperate measures because @ @ @ @ @ @ @ broader community by this virus so that we can flatten the curve and allow our healthcare capacity to catch up , ” they said in a letter to the governor .
“ Now we need to move to the next phase , which is economic recovery.
” Newsom said that while areas across the state have been affected differently by the pandemic , the “ virus knows no jurisdiction , knows no boundaries ” and could easily spread into neighboring counties if restrictions are eased prematurely .
It ’ s critical to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a statewide , health-based strategy to return to some sense of normalcy , he said .
“ None of these local health directives can go further or , rather , go farther backward than the state guidance , ” Newsom said during his daily COVID-19 briefing on Monday .
Newsom said he expects many more requests similar to the one from San Luis Obispo County .
He promised that his administration will discuss each with local officials “ to make sure it ’ s a health-based decision .
Not any other type of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ data .
Everything else follows from that.
” Meanwhile , dozens of protesters gathered Monday outside the Capitol demanding that the state lift restrictions and allow people to return to work , one of a number to demonstrations that have cropped up throughout the state in recent days .
Demonstrators also have descended on Huntington Beach , San Clemente and San Diego County .
Newsom said he understood the frustrations and anxieties being expressed by the protesters .
But he cautioned that parts of the world that have relaxed coronavirus restrictions prematurely , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with a second wave of the virus .
“ If we ’ re ultimately going to come back economically , the worst mistake we can make is making a precipitous decision based on politics and frustration that puts people ’ s lives at risk and ultimately sets back the cause of economic growth and economic recovery , ” Newsom said .
The Newsom administration last week announced the six key indicators for altering the governor ’ s stay-home mandate , including the ability to closely monitor and track potential cases , prevent infection @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at hospitals , develop therapeutics and ensure physical distance at schools , businesses and child care facilities .
Newsom said he will provide an update on Wednesday as to where the state stands in each of those key areas , including the progress California is making in widespread testing .

Gov. Gavin Newsom gives his coronavirus update at the Governor’s Office of Emergency Services in Rancho Cordova earlier this month.
Gov. Gavin Newsom on Monday acknowledged that pressure from Californians and local governments is building to modify the statewide stay-at-home order carried out to stem to spread of the coronavirus, but he said restrictions will remain in place until the threat to public health subsides and adequate testing and other safeguards are implemented.
A bipartisan group of elected officials from San Luis Obispo County on Monday asked Newsom to grant them the “authority to implement a phased reopening of our local economy,” a request that comes just days after Ventura County officials modified a stay-at-home order to permit some businesses to reopen and some gatherings to take place.
Officials in San Luis Obispo County argued that their COVID-19 infection rate has been declining because residents have been diligent in adhering to stay-at-home orders and maintaining social distancing practices, but with businesses shut down and so many people out of work, the county faces a perilous financial outlook.
As a result, officials requested approval to “begin a science-based, thoughtfully phased reopening of our economy.”
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“We have asked our residents to take these desperate measures because of the unique risks posed to the broader community by this virus so that we can flatten the curve and allow our healthcare capacity to catch up,” they said in a letter to the governor. “Now we need to move to the next phase, which is economic recovery.”
Newsom said that while areas across the state have been affected differently by the pandemic, the “virus knows no jurisdiction, knows no boundaries” and could easily spread into neighboring counties if restrictions are eased prematurely. It’s critical to the collective well-being of all Californians to have a statewide, health-based strategy to return to some sense of normalcy, he said.
“None of these local health directives can go further or, rather, go farther backward than the state guidance,” Newsom said during his daily COVID-19 briefing on Monday.
Newsom said he expects many more requests similar to the one from San Luis Obispo County. He promised that his administration will discuss each with local officials “to make sure it’s a health-based decision. Not any other type of decision-making. Health first, science and data. Everything else follows from that.”
Meanwhile, dozens of protesters gathered Monday outside the Capitol demanding that the state lift restrictions and allow people to return to work, one of a number of demonstrations that have cropped up throughout the state in recent days. Demonstrators also have descended on Huntington Beach, San Clemente and San Diego County.
Newsom said he understood the frustrations and anxieties being expressed by the protesters. But he cautioned that parts of the world that have relaxed coronavirus restrictions prematurely, including Singapore, have been quickly hit with a second wave of the virus.
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“If we’re ultimately going to come back economically, the worst mistake we can make is making a precipitous decision based on politics and frustration that puts people’s lives at risk and ultimately sets back the cause of economic growth and economic recovery,” Newsom said.
The Newsom administration last week announced the six key indicators for altering the governor’s stay-home mandate, including the ability to closely monitor and track potential cases, prevent infection of high-risk people, increase surge capacity at hospitals, develop therapeutics and ensure physical distance at schools, businesses and child care facilities.
Newsom said he will provide an update on Wednesday as to where the state stands in each of those key areas, including the progress California is making in widespread testing.


latimes--2020-04-20--One in 5 California students lack computers and Wi-Fi. Can the digital divide be closed?

California Gov .
Gavin Newsom on Monday announced that efforts are underway to get more students online amid coronavirus school closures , while acknowledging that the digital divide has hurt the distance learning of an estimated 1 in 5 low-income students .
About 70,000 computers — and internet hot spots — will go to schools and students starting this week , Newsom said as private donors , foundations , and communications and tech companies have come forward with donations .
“ We continue to need to do much , much more , ” Newsom said .
“ We ’ re @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of a process.
” For the briefing on schools , Newsom brought forward First Partner Jennifer Siebel Newsom , who talked about research suggesting that 1 in 5 students lacked connectivity when campuses across the state began to shut down .
She also noted recent surveys indicating that 50 % of low-income families and 42 % of families of color are worried about distance learning for their children because they don ’ t have a device at home .
“ The fear these parents have that their children will fall behind without internet @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” said Siebel Newsom .
She added , “ We have your back and will continue to fight for you.
” Also speaking at the governor ’ s daily coronavirus briefing was state Supt .
of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond , who has convened a task force to address the digital divide .
“ Our digital divide has gone on longer than this pandemic , ” Thurmond said .
“ It is something that has gone on for decades.
” The current situation presents an imperative to close that gap “ once and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ One issue with the state ’ s response has been the time lag in getting resources to isolated students as the end to the traditional academic year approaches .
Even school systems that didn ’ t wait for state help have confronted challenges .
L.A. Unified immediately began distance learning , providing hot spots and computers .
After two weeks , 15,000 high school students , about 12.5 % , had not logged on , percentages that have improved .
On Monday , the number had dropped to 3,000 .
But L.A. schools @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an additional challenge to provide a strong distance-learning program and to assess student engagement , which is about more than simply logging on .
Even when it comes to logging on , there are concerns .
About 7 % of high school students are still not connecting electronically with their teachers every week .
L.A. Unified authorized spending $ 100 million for computers and hot spots , but had to purchase higher priced devices because adequate less-expensive devices were not available .
Hot spots were not immediately available to families either , despite @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for them .
Sacramento Unified is experimenting with turning school buses into mobile Wi-Fi hot spots , hoping literally to roll out the initiative by May 1 , about seven weeks after campuses began to close .
To bolster the state effort , a number of donors have come forward with computers and broadband service , including Google , Microsoft , Lenovo , HP , Sprint , T-Mobile , Zoom , Apple , along with individuals including internet entrepreneur Jack Dorsey and foundations including the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative .

California Gov. Gavin Newsom on Monday announced that efforts are underway to get more students online amid coronavirus school closures, while acknowledging that the digital divide has hurt the distance learning of an estimated 1 in 5 low-income students.
About 70,000 computers — and internet hot spots — will go to schools and students starting this week, Newsom said as private donors, foundations, and communications and tech companies have come forward with donations.
“We continue to need to do much, much more,” Newsom said. “We’re not done. This is the beginning of a process.”
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For the briefing on schools, Newsom brought forward First Partner Jennifer Siebel Newsom, who talked about research suggesting that 1 in 5 students lacked connectivity when campuses across the state began to shut down.
She also noted recent surveys indicating that 50% of low-income families and 42% of families of color are worried about distance learning for their children because they don’t have a device at home.
“The fear these parents have that their children will fall behind without internet access and devices is very real,” said Siebel Newsom. She added, “We have your back and will continue to fight for you.”
Also speaking at the governor’s daily coronavirus briefing was state Supt. of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond, who has convened a task force to address the digital divide.
“Our digital divide has gone on longer than this pandemic,” Thurmond said. “It is something that has gone on for decades.”
The current situation presents an imperative to close that gap “once and for all,” he said.
One issue with the state’s response has been the time lag in getting resources to isolated students as the end to the traditional academic year approaches.
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Even school systems that didn’t wait for state help have confronted challenges. L.A. Unified immediately began distance learning, providing hot spots and computers. After two weeks, 15,000 high school students, about 12.5%, had not logged on, percentages that have improved.
On Monday, the number had dropped to 3,000. But L.A. schools Supt. Austin Beutner said it is an additional challenge to provide a strong distance-learning program and to assess student engagement, which is about more than simply logging on.
Even when it comes to logging on, there are concerns. About 7% of high school students are still not connecting electronically with their teachers every week.
L.A. Unified authorized spending $100 million for computers and hot spots, but had to purchase higher priced devices because adequate less-expensive devices were not available. Hot spots were not immediately available to families either, despite the district’s commitment to pay for them.
Sacramento Unified is experimenting with turning school buses into mobile Wi-Fi hot spots, hoping literally to roll out the initiative by May 1, about seven weeks after campuses began to close.
To bolster the state effort, a number of donors have come forward with computers and broadband service, including Google, Microsoft, Lenovo, HP, Sprint, T-Mobile, Zoom, Apple, along with individuals including internet entrepreneur Jack Dorsey and foundations including the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative.


latimes--2020-04-20--O.C. can use Laguna Hills hotel as homeless shelter amid coronavirus outbreak, judge rules

Officials in Orange County can move forward with a plan to convert a 76-room hotel in Laguna Hills into temporary housing for homeless people in an effort to prevent a surge of deadly coronavirus cases from spreading in the community , a judge ruled Monday .
The county brokered an agreement this month with Elite Hospitality Inc. to lease the Laguna Hills Inn for at least 90 days to shelter homeless individuals who are over 65 , have underlying health conditions , are showing symptoms of COVID-19 or who have tested positive for the coronavirus .
The county had hoped @ @ @ @ @ @ @ last week .
However , their plans were delayed when Laguna Hills — a city of roughly 31,000 people in the southern section of the county — filed a lawsuit against the hotel ’ s owner , the county and a nonprofit specializing in homeless outreach in an attempt to block the effort .
City officials , and the owners of four buildings adjacent to the hotel , alleged the project would put the surrounding community at risk and would violate restrictions outlined in the property ’ s covenants , conditions and restrictions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a hearing last week in the case , Orange County Superior Court Judge Thomas Delaney said he wasn ’ t swayed by the city ’ s argument that the county ’ s efforts would turn the building into a public nuisance .
However , he said he needed more information from attorneys about whether the state ’ s emergency order would permit the county to forgo restrictions outlined in the property ’ s CC & Rs .
After roughly 30 minutes of arguments during a hearing held by phone Monday , Delaney ruled @ @ @ @ @ @ @ — acting on behalf of the state — can use the property to address the public health crisis .
“ The county is acting consistent with the governor ’ s orders in the context of this state of emergency , ” Delaney wrote in his ruling .
“ The CC & Rs must temporarily yield to the government ’ s limited use of its police powers during this state of emergency.
” Under its contract with the hotel , the county will pay $ 8,436 per day for use of the property .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ by the state under Gov .
Gavin Newsom ’ s Project Roomkey program , which provided $ 50 million to purchase or lease hotel and motel rooms across the state to shelter homeless people , along with an additional $ 100 million in emergency grants to provide support services .
The hotel — like several others being used for temporary shelter throughout the county — will be managed by the homeless nonprofit Illumination Foundation , which will provide medical oversight , security , on-site meals and support services , according to Jessica Good @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Care Agency .
City leaders have maintained that Laguna Hills — with a population including about 14 % who are senior citizens and which borders the predominantly senior community of Laguna Woods — is not an appropriate place for such a facility .
Kelly Richardson , an attorney representing Laguna Hills , said the city and the owners of properties adjacent to the hotel are disappointed , but are assessing their options after Monday ’ s ruling .
“ I don ’ t feel the residents ’ safety is being protected , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rights of the building owners adjacent to the COVID-19 shelter have been sufficiently protected , ” Richardson said .
“ I think we have to be very cautious in times of emergency before we take away personal liberties and property rights.
” As of Monday , Laguna Hills had 15 of the county ’ s 1,676 confirmed coronavirus cases .
During last year ’ s point-in-time count , the city had .
The county had placed 37 homeless people in hotel or motel rooms as of last week , including 18 who are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have identified eight individuals they plan to shelter at the Laguna Hills hotel .
County CEO Frank Kim said in a declaration filed in court that identifying hotels willing to house homeless people from a list of limited options that was provided by state officials has been a challenge for employees , especially in the southern section of the county .
Residents in Laguna Woods protested when it came to light earlier this month that the county had entered into an agreement with Ayres Hotel to use a property nearby for homeless housing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the face of .
Kim warned that if the city was successful in obtaining a temporary restraining order blocking the project , the county would “ get similar challenges from every other host city seeking to stop COVID-19 homeless from being placed in each city.
” “ This will clearly impact the public ’ s health and the county ’ s ability to comply with the state ’ s order , ” he said .
Homeless people , who are more likely to have underlying health conditions and weakened immune systems , often @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at a higher risk for developing severe forms of COVID-19 than the general population , health experts say .
With that in mind , officials across the state have been working on ways to amid fears that an outbreak in this vulnerable population could strain an already fragile health system .
Newsom acknowledged during a news conference Saturday that the effort is facing some obstacles at the local level .
“ Cities are blocking these efforts at a time of crisis , ” Newsom said .
“ Cities that are blocking those efforts @ @ @ @ @ @ @ decisions .
”

Protester Karen Litfin of Laguna Hills stands outside the Laguna Hills Inn, which the county is planning to use to house homeless people with the coronavirus.
Officials in Orange County can move forward with a plan to convert a 76-room hotel in Laguna Hills into temporary housing for homeless people in an effort to prevent a surge of deadly coronavirus cases from spreading in the community, a judge ruled Monday.
The county brokered an agreement this month with Elite Hospitality Inc. to lease the Laguna Hills Inn for at least 90 days to shelter homeless individuals who are over 65, have underlying health conditions, are showing symptoms of COVID-19 or who have tested positive for the coronavirus.
The county had hoped to begin moving people into the hotel last week. However, their plans were delayed when Laguna Hills — a city of roughly 31,000 people in the southern section of the county — filed a lawsuit against the hotel’s owner, the county and a nonprofit specializing in homeless outreach in an attempt to block the effort.
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City officials, and the owners of four buildings adjacent to the hotel, alleged the project would put the surrounding community at risk and would violate restrictions outlined in the property’s covenants, conditions and restrictions, or CC&Rs.
During a hearing last week in the case, Orange County Superior Court Judge Thomas Delaney said he wasn’t swayed by the city’s argument that the county’s efforts would turn the building into a public nuisance. However, he said he needed more information from attorneys about whether the state’s emergency order would permit the county to forgo restrictions outlined in the property’s CC&Rs.
After roughly 30 minutes of arguments during a hearing held by phone Monday, Delaney ruled that under state law, the county — acting on behalf of the state — can use the property to address the public health crisis.
“The county is acting consistent with the governor’s orders in the context of this state of emergency,” Delaney wrote in his ruling. “The CC&Rs must temporarily yield to the government’s limited use of its police powers during this state of emergency.”
Under its contract with the hotel, the county will pay $8,436 per day for use of the property. Those funds are expected to be reimbursed by the state under Gov. Gavin Newsom’s Project Roomkey program, which provided $50 million to purchase or lease hotel and motel rooms across the state to shelter homeless people, along with an additional $100 million in emergency grants to provide support services.
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The hotel — like several others being used for temporary shelter throughout the county — will be managed by the homeless nonprofit Illumination Foundation, which will provide medical oversight, security, on-site meals and support services, according to Jessica Good, a spokeswoman for the county Health Care Agency.
City leaders have maintained that Laguna Hills — with a population including about 14% who are senior citizens and which borders the predominantly senior community of Laguna Woods — is not an appropriate place for such a facility.
Kelly Richardson, an attorney representing Laguna Hills, said the city and the owners of properties adjacent to the hotel are disappointed, but are assessing their options after Monday’s ruling.
“I don’t feel the residents’ safety is being protected, and I don’t think the property rights of the building owners adjacent to the COVID-19 shelter have been sufficiently protected,” Richardson said. “I think we have to be very cautious in times of emergency before we take away personal liberties and property rights.”
As of Monday, Laguna Hills had 15 of the county’s 1,676 confirmed coronavirus cases. During last year’s point-in-time count, the city had 24 unsheltered people living on its streets .
The county had placed 37 homeless people in hotel or motel rooms as of last week, including 18 who are sick or have COVID-19 symptoms. Officials have identified eight individuals they plan to shelter at the Laguna Hills hotel.
County CEO Frank Kim said in a declaration filed in court that identifying hotels willing to house homeless people from a list of limited options that was provided by state officials has been a challenge for employees, especially in the southern section of the county.
Residents in Laguna Woods protested when it came to light earlier this month that the county had entered into an agreement with Ayres Hotel to use a property nearby for homeless housing and medical care. That deal quickly withered in the face of strident community opposition .
Kim warned that if the city was successful in obtaining a temporary restraining order blocking the project, the county would “get similar challenges from every other host city seeking to stop COVID-19 homeless from being placed in each city.”
“This will clearly impact the public’s health and the county’s ability to comply with the state’s order,” he said.
Homeless people, who are more likely to have underlying health conditions and weakened immune systems, often from living on the streets, are at a higher risk for developing severe forms of COVID-19 than the general population, health experts say. With that in mind, officials across the state have been working on ways to quickly move people indoors amid fears that an outbreak in this vulnerable population could strain an already fragile health system.
Newsom acknowledged during a news conference Saturday that the effort is facing some obstacles at the local level.
“Cities are blocking these efforts at a time of crisis,” Newsom said. “Cities that are blocking those efforts — please consider the morality of those decisions.”
Times staff writer Patrick McGreevy contributed to this report.


latimes--2020-04-20--Here is the latest list of Orange County communities with coronavirus cases

UC Irvine Medical Center healthcare workers bang on the windows as they watch about 25 Orange County first-responder vehicles participate @ @ @ @ @ gratitude as they battle COVID-19 at the hospital , which currently has eight patients with @ @ @

13 / 37
John and Jamie Garcia, of La Habra, celebrate Jamie’s birthday by relaxing in loungers at the Beachcomber Inn with a view of an empty, closed beach and pier due to the coronavirus restrictions amid a heat wave in San Clemente. The council voted to reopen the beach for recreational activity such as walking, running, swimming and surfing, but have also said residents should not bring a blanket and hang out. (Allen J. Schaben/Los Angeles Times)


latimes--2020-04-20--Some California communities are pushing to ease stay-at-home orders. Is it too soon?

California ’ s social distancing rules are credited in part with the state seeing far fewer deaths from the coronavirus outbreak than other hot spots like New York and New Jersey .
But as the state begins to bend the curve , there is growing pressure to loosen the rules .
A few corners of California have eased some of the most restrictive rules , and some local politicians are beginning to push for a clearer timetable .
Some conservative activists held protests this weekend calling for easing the rules .
Gov .
Gavin Newsom said Saturday he would not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ when to reopen the state , noting that his decision would be based on science and the public health .
Many top leaders agree .
San Francisco Mayor London Breed last week told the media she was well aware of the premature celebrations before the end of the 1918 contagion .
She described how the illness “ came back with a vengeance.
” With her eye on the present day , she added : “ The fact is , it ’ s not over .
… We will get through this .
But @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and it ’ s going to require patience , like never before.
” San Francisco city officials last week said they were ramping up a contact tracing project they hope eventually will be deployed throughout the Bay Area .
City officials said that so far , 50 librarians , city workers and medical students have been trained to do the tracing .
The project will deploy an app developed by Dimagi Inc. , a for-profit software company that has been working with the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention .
Breed said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ relaxing some shelter-in-place restrictions , contact tracing will be crucial to protecting public health .
“ We need this contact tracing program in place so that we ’ re equipped to respond to new cases and keep the virus from spreading out of control , ” she said .
The Newsom administration for altering his stay-at-home mandate and said the state must develop guidelines for when to ask Californians to stay home again if the governor modified the order and the virus were to surge .
Experts have said that lifting social distancing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ process , with some businesses coming back before others .
For example , restaurants might be able to reopen with strict social distancing , but big events would be harder to restart anytime soon .
Here are examples of what ’ s going on at the local level : The Northern California city has not lifted any stay-at-home measures .
But the City Council last week voted to send a letter to Newsom asking when the council could reopen .
City leaders argued their town should able to reopen before bigger cities that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ The city needs to advocate [ for opening stores sooner ] because we have a very low infection rate — even though I got it , ” Vice Mayor Dennis Thomas told the Mountain Democrat .
Thomas recently recovered from COVID-19 .
Members of the Board of Supervisors have also reached out to Newsom , urging him to allow rural areas like theirs the ability to reopen sooner than big cities .
“ We ’ d like the governor to know that we expect to be treated somewhat differently than Los @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in a little different situation than we are , ” Board of Supervisors Chairman Ron Sullenger told CBS-13 .
Over the weekend , the county modified some of its orders : The updated order , which is in place through May 15 , allows some businesses that don ’ t serve the public to operate using no more than 10 employees .
Gatherings of up to five people are now permitted , as are gatherings in vehicles .
Golf courses and bike shops can reopen , and in-person sales of vehicles are now @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and beaches at 5 p.m. Friday .
Residents are still required to stay home as much as possible and practice social distancing when visiting essential businesses .
Leaving home to exercise is permitted , but gyms will remain closed .
The county reopened beaches and some parks last Wednesday but is still urging social distancing .
Amid these changes , Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus , director-general of the World Health Organization , made an emotional appeal Monday to government leaders and citizens across the globe , saying national unity and global solidarity are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in check .
“ Without the two , without national unity and global solidarity , the worst is yet ahead of us , ” he said .
Tedros warned that the virus exploits the cracks in society that can emerge along party lines .
“ I have spoken to many leaders from many countries , from incumbents to the opposition , and my message to them is please work together , don ’ t use this virus as an opportunity to fight against each other , ” he said .
“ It is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fire .
”

Alex Wigglesworth, Rong-Gong Lin II, Maura Dolan, Deborah Netburn

People enjoy a day at the beach after Ventura County modified its coronavirus stay-at-home order to permit some businesses to reopen and some activities and gatherings at Port Hueneme Beach Park.
California’s social distancing rules are credited in part with the state seeing far fewer deaths from the coronavirus outbreak than other hot spots like New York and New Jersey.
But as the state begins to bend the curve, there is growing pressure to loosen the rules. A few corners of California have eased some of the most restrictive rules, and some local politicians are beginning to push for a clearer timetable. Some conservative activists held protests this weekend calling for easing the rules.
Gov. Gavin Newsom said Saturday he would not be swayed by public protests in deciding when to reopen the state, noting that his decision would be based on science and the public health. Many top leaders agree.
San Francisco Mayor London Breed last week told the media she was well aware of the premature celebrations before the end of the 1918 contagion. She described how the illness “came back with a vengeance.”
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With her eye on the present day, she added: “The fact is, it’s not over. … We will get through this. But it is going to require time, and it’s going to require patience, like never before.”
San Francisco city officials last week said they were ramping up a contact tracing project they hope eventually will be deployed throughout the Bay Area. City officials said that so far, 50 librarians, city workers and medical students have been trained to do the tracing. The project will deploy an app developed by Dimagi Inc., a for-profit software company that has been working with the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Breed said that when the time comes to consider relaxing some shelter-in-place restrictions, contact tracing will be crucial to protecting public health.
“We need this contact tracing program in place so that we’re equipped to respond to new cases and keep the virus from spreading out of control,” she said.
The Newsom administration highlighted six key indicators for altering his stay-at-home mandate and said the state must develop guidelines for when to ask Californians to stay home again if the governor modified the order and the virus were to surge.
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Experts have said that lifting social distancing rules will be a long and deliberate process, with some businesses coming back before others. For example, restaurants might be able to reopen with strict social distancing, but big events would be harder to restart anytime soon.
Here are examples of what’s going on at the local level:
Placerville
The Northern California city has not lifted any stay-at-home measures. But the City Council last week voted to send a letter to Newsom asking when the council could reopen. City leaders argued their town should able to reopen before bigger cities that have been hit harder by the outbreak.
“The city needs to advocate [for opening stores sooner] because we have a very low infection rate — even though I got it,” Vice Mayor Dennis Thomas told the Mountain Democrat. Thomas recently recovered from COVID-19.
Sutter County
Members of the Board of Supervisors have also reached out to Newsom, urging him to allow rural areas like theirs the ability to reopen sooner than big cities.
“We’d like the governor to know that we expect to be treated somewhat differently than Los Angeles and San Francisco since they are in a little different situation than we are,” Board of Supervisors Chairman Ron Sullenger told CBS-13.
Ventura County
Over the weekend, the county modified some of its orders:
The updated order, which is in place through May 15, allows some businesses that don’t serve the public to operate using no more than 10 employees. Gatherings of up to five people are now permitted, as are gatherings in vehicles.
Golf courses and bike shops can reopen, and in-person sales of vehicles are now permitted. Officials also reopened county-run parks at 5 p.m. Friday.
Residents are still required to stay home as much as possible and practice social distancing when visiting essential businesses. Leaving home to exercise is permitted, but gyms will remain closed.
Santa Cruz County
The county reopened beaches and some parks last Wednesday but is still urging social distancing.
Amid these changes, Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, director-general of the World Health Organization, made an emotional appeal Monday to government leaders and citizens across the globe, saying national unity and global solidarity are essential to keeping the deadly coronavirus pandemic in check.
“Without the two, without national unity and global solidarity, the worst is yet ahead of us,” he said.
Tedros warned that the virus exploits the cracks in society that can emerge along party lines.
“I have spoken to many leaders from many countries, from incumbents to the opposition, and my message to them is please work together, don’t use this virus as an opportunity to fight against each other,” he said. “It is dangerous. It is like playing with fire.”


latimes--2020-04-20--Hundreds of thousands in L.A. County may have been infected with coronavirus, study finds

Hundreds of thousands of Los Angeles County residents may have been infected with the coronavirus by early April , far outpacing the number of officially confirmed cases , according to a report released Monday .
The initial results from the first large-scale study tracking the spread of the coronavirus in the county found that 2.8 % to 5.6 % of adults have antibodies to the virus in their blood , an indication of past exposure .
That translates to roughly 221,000 to 442,000 adults who have recovered from an infection , according to the researchers conducting the study , even @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 8,000 cases at that time .
“ We haven ’ t known the true extent of COVID-19 infections in our community because we have only tested people with symptoms , and the availability of tests has been limited , ” study leader Neeraj Sood , a professor at USC ’ s Price School for Public Policy , said in a statement .
“ The estimates also suggest that we might have to recalibrate disease prediction models and rethink public health strategies.
” The findings suggest the coronavirus is far more widespread than originally @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is much lower .
But Sood cautioned against solely focusing on how lethal the disease is .
“ We are very early in the epidemic , and many more people in L.A. County could potentially be impacted , ” Sood said in a news briefing .
“ And as those number of infections arise , so will the number of deaths , the number of hospitalizations , and the number of ICU admissions.
” The early results from L.A. County come three days after Stanford researchers reported that the coronavirus appears to have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ County than previously thought .
The Stanford team estimated that 2.5 % to 4.2 % of Santa Clara County residents had antibodies to the coronavirus in their blood by early April .
Though the county had reported roughly 1,000 cases in early April , the Stanford researchers estimate the actual number was 48,000 to 81,000 , or 50 to 85 times greater .
The Santa Clara study recruited around 3,300 participants from social media , which has raised some concerns that the results may not be representative of the county as a whole @ @ @ @ @ @ @ data to account for that problem .
The study was composed differently in Los Angeles ; 863 adults were selected through a market research firm to represent the makeup of the county .
The county and USC researchers intend to repeat the study every two to three weeks for several months , in order to track the trajectory of the virus ’ spread .
Both counties used rapid antibody tests supplied from Premier Biotech , a Minneapolis-based company .
The test has not yet been approved by the FDA , although the federal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be used for public health surveillance .
As antibody testing , also known as serological tests , has risen in prominence , so too have concerns about accuracy over the results .
The L.A. County Public Health Department cautioned healthcare providers last week against interpreting results from such tests “ until there is additional data on their best use because of concerns of both false negative and false positive results.
” Nevertheless , antibody tests have increasingly become a focal point in the response to coronavirus because they can potentially show the true @ @ @ @ @ @ @ therefore can shed light on how close the population is to achieving herd immunity , in which enough people have some degree of immunity to the virus that it becomes difficult for infections to spread .
Such tests can also provide a more accurate picture of how lethal the virus is .
Right now , the mortality rate is based on the number of confirmed infections , but the higher the number of infections , the lower the fatality rate .
“ Though the results indicate a lower risk of death among those @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the number of COVID-related deaths each day continues to mount , highlighting the need for continued vigorous prevention and control efforts , ” said Dr. Paul Simon , chief science officer at the L.A. County Department of Public Health and co-lead on the study .
Preliminary data from Los Angeles found that men were more likely to be infected than women , and blacks were more likely than other racial and ethnic groups to test positive for the virus .
But Sood warned against reading too much into the findings , noting it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is a real statistical difference between the various groups .
It is unlikely the initial findings will cause county officials to immediately change their response to the virus .
Barbara Ferrer , the county ’ s top health official , said that the high rate of infection only underscored the need to continue with physical distancing .
“ We need to assume that at any point in time , we could be infected and that all of the other people we come in contact with could also be infected , ” Ferrer said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ our distance , using our cloth face coverings when we ’ re in close contact with people and staying home if you ’ re sick , so that you don ’ t expose anybody else to any of your germs.
” Ferrer also took pains to note that much is still unknown about whether the presence of antibodies to this virus means a person is immune .
“ I do want to issue a reminder that being positive for COVID-19 antibodies does not mean that a person is immune , or that a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” Ferrer said .
“ More research is really needed to understand what protections people have who may have already been infected with COVID-19 .
”

Hundreds of thousands of Los Angeles County residents may have been infected with the coronavirus by early April, far outpacing the number of officially confirmed cases, according to a report released Monday.
The initial results from the first large-scale study tracking the spread of the coronavirus in the county found that 4.1% of adults have antibodies to the virus in their blood, an indication of past exposure.
That translates to roughly 221,000 to 442,000 adults who have recovered from an infection, once margin of error is taken into account, according to the researchers conducting the study. The county had reported fewer than 8,000 cases at that time.
The findings suggest the fatality rate may be much lower than previously thought. But although the virus may be more widespread, the infection rate still falls far short of herd immunity that, absent a vaccine, would be key to return to normal life.
“We are very early in the epidemic, and many more people in L.A. County could potentially be impacted,” said Neeraj Sood, the study’s leader and a professor at USC’s Sol Price School of Public Policy. “And as those number of infections arise, so will the number of deaths, the number of hospitalizations, and the number of ICU admissions.”
1 / 13 Nurse anesthetist Nilu Patel quietly stands with fellow nurses at UC Irvine Medical Center for a candlelight vigil at their shift change to describe conditions and the need for more N95 respirators and protective gear required to safely treat coronavirus patients. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times) 2 / 13 Registered nurses at UC Irvine Medical Center pose for campy selfies following a candlelight vigil at their shift change. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times) 3 / 13 Nurse Maria Louviaux quietly stands with fellow nurses at UC Irvine Medical Center for an hourlong candlelight vigil to highlight conditions and the need for more N95 respirators and protective gear required to safely treat coronavirus patients. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times) 4 / 13 Registered nurse Patty Pinedo takes the temperature of resident Sally Kimani as she enters a West L.A. hotel that has been turned into housing for the homeless during the coronavirus pandemic. (Myung J. Chun / Los Angeles Times) 5 / 13 A nurse gets help putting on her personal protective equipment before heading into a negative pressure room to administer care for a COVID-19 patient at Sharp Chula Vista Medical Center in Chula Vista, Calif. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) 6 / 13 Orange County Fire Authority firefighters and other first responders from Laguna Beach, Santa Ana and Irvine thank healthcare workers for their efforts to combat COVID-19 at Mission Hospital (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times) 7 / 13 Red Cross nurse Edith Fernandez, right, tends to blood donor, Cheri Adams as USC Athletics and the Red Cross host a blood drive to help maintain a stable blood supply during the coronavirus pandemic at USC’s Galen Center. (Genaro Molina/Los Angeles Times) 8 / 13 Marsha Santini, a nurse at UCLA Medical Center, and fellow nurses and supporters gather to protest the lack of personal protective equipment. (Jason Armond / Los Angeles Times) 9 / 13 Nurse practitioner Christine Alberto puts on protective gear before she and other health professionals prepare to go outside of the COVID Cabana, the name for the COVID-19 testing tent, to test a patient while they sit in their car parked next to the tent at Scripps Clinic Torrey Pines in San Diego. (Hayne Palmour IV / San Diego Union-Tribune) 10 / 13 Medical personnel from St. Jude Medical Center stand clustered on the sidewalk as Fullerton and Brea Firefighters, EMS and Police join together in a show of support for healthcare workers outside of the St. Jude Medical Center in Fullerton. (Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times) 11 / 13 Healthcare workers fighting the coronavirus pandemic at Glendale Adventist Hospital in Glendale gather outside the facility for a tribute to their work by Glendale police and fire personnel. (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times) 12 / 13 UC Irvine Medical Center health care workers bang on the windows in a return of gratitude as they watch about 25 Orange County first responders vehicles participate in a drive-by parade of gratitude as they battle COVID-19 at the hospital. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times) 13 / 13 Jennifer Adams, a registered nurse, joins fellow healthcare workers outside UCLA Ronald Reagan Medical Center to call for further action from the federal government’s in reaction to the Covid 19 outbreak. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
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The early results from L.A. County come three days after Stanford researchers reported that the coronavirus appears to have circulated much more widely in Santa Clara County than previously thought.
Though the county had reported roughly 1,000 cases in early April, the Stanford researchers estimate the actual number was 48,000 to 81,000.
The findings bolster the sense that a significant portion of those carrying the virus could show no symptoms at all, and therefore be unknowingly infecting others. Dr. Deborah Birx, the coordinator of President Trump’s coronavirus task force, said during the White House briefing that the USC results underscore “concern about asymptomatic spread” because it is harder to trace.
“This has been the fundamental question to begin with,” she said, emphasizing the importance of treating the disease as “highly contagious.”
California Coronavirus infections could be much more widespread than believed, California study suggests A new study by Stanford University, using antibody blood tests, estimates that the number of cases in Santa Clara County may be 50 to 85 times greater than what was previously known.
Antibody tests, also known as serology testing, have increasingly become a focal point in the response to coronavirus because they can potentially show the true extent of the virus’ reach and therefore can shed light on how close the population is to achieving herd immunity. That occurs when enough people have some degree of immunity to the virus that it becomes difficult for infections to spread.
“Any way you slice the data ... it’s clear that herd immunity in this situation does not apply. It’s still way below that level,” said Natalie Dean, a professor of biostatistics at the University of Florida.
Such tests can also provide a more accurate picture of how lethal the virus is.
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The mortality rate is based on the number of confirmed infections; the higher the number of infections, the lower the fatality rate. Both studies estimated a mortality rate of 0.1% to 0.2%, which is closer to the death rate associated with the seasonal flu.
Researchers emphasized that these initial findings should not make people dismiss the risks of COVID-19.
Paul Simon, chief science officer for Los Angeles County’s public health department, noted that the county was averaging 50 deaths from coronavirus a day, eclipsing cardiac disease as the top killer.
“If this mortality were to continue for the whole year — we hope it doesn’t, but if it did — COVID would be the leading cause of death in Los Angeles County,” Simon said.
Preliminary data from Los Angeles found that men were more likely to be infected than women. Seven percent of blacks in the study tested positive, compared with 6% of white participants, 4% of Asian Americans and 2.5% of Latinos.
“There seem to be some differences by gender, and by race/ethnicity, but we really need to dig deeper into that to figure out,” Sood said. “Is it something about where you live? Is it something about you taking public transportation? Is it something about your biology or some genetic predisposition?”
The Santa Clara study recruited around 3,300 participants from social media, which has raised some concerns that the results may not be representative of the county as a whole. The researchers made adjustments to their data to account for that problem.
The study was composed differently in Los Angeles; 863 adults were selected through a market research firm to represent the makeup of the county. The county and USC researchers intend to repeat the study every two to three weeks for several months, in order to track the trajectory of the virus’ spread.
Both counties used rapid antibody tests supplied from Premier Biotech, a Minneapolis-based company. The test has not yet been approved by the FDA, although the federal government does allow for such tests to be used for public health surveillance.
Neither the Stanford nor USC studies have been vetted by the typical peer review process, and their initial conclusions have been fiercely debated. USC researchers did not release an underlying technical report Monday that detailed their methodology.
Dr. Warner Greene, a virologist with Gladstone Institutes in San Francisco, said that research out of Wuhan, China — where the virus is believed to have originated — found that the number of infections was likely 2.5 times higher than originally known. The studies in Los Angeles and Santa Clara, by contrast, said the true case counts were between 28 and 85 times greater than official reports.
“I don’t know where the truth lies yet,” Greene said. “I do know that we knew all along that we were missing a lot of infections. The degree of the miss is what’s in question.”
Eric Topol, a physician and executive vice president of Scripps Research in La Jolla, contrasted the Los Angeles study findings with those from a Wuhan hospital that found an infection rate hovering between 2% to 3%.
“You have to check your serology versus what’s known in the rest of the world, and the 4.1% that they came up with is ... considerably higher than Wuhan,” Topol said. “We are not Wuhan anywhere in California, by any stretch of anyone’s imagination.”
The two studies in California are among the surge of new research underway across the globe attempting to detect the presence of coronavirus antibodies to find cases that may have been missed initially.
“Early data from some of these studies suggest that a relatively small percentage of the population may have been infected, even in heavily affected areas — not more than 2% to 3%,” said Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General of the World Health Organization.
As antibody testing has risen in prominence and are increasingly available on the commercial market, so too have concerns about accuracy over the results, particularly the occurrence of false positives, which could inflate estimate of infection rates.
It is unlikely the initial findings will cause county officials to immediately change their response to the virus. Barbara Ferrer, the county’s top health official, said that the high rate of infection only underscored the need to continue with physical distancing, wearing cloth face coverings and staying home if sick.
“We need to assume that at any point in time, we could be infected and that all of the other people we come in contact with could also be infected,” Ferrer said Monday.
Ferrer also took pains to note that much is still unknown about whether the presence of antibodies to this virus means a person is immune.
“Being positive for COVID-19 antibodies does not mean that a person is immune, or that a person is not able to be reinfected,” Ferrer said. “More research is really needed to understand what protections people have who may have already been infected with COVID-19.”
Times staff writers Deborah Netburn, Emily Baumgaertner and Noah Bierman contributed to this report.