latimes--2020-11-17--What does California's alarming COVID-19 surge mean for schools?

An alarming rise in new coronavirus cases has prompted major reopening rollbacks that also will stall efforts to reopen campuses throughout Southern California and most of the state — and affect the education of millions of students .
What happens at individual school districts and even schools will vary from county to county as officials grapple with complicated rules , evolving and expensive safety procedures , and infection rates in the communities they serve .
On Monday the number of counties in the strictest tier , purple , more than tripled to 41 , including all counties in Southern California @ @ @ @ @ @ @ various scenarios that will affect the vast majority of California ’ s more than 6 million students .
How does the surge affect whether campuses can reopen ?
Campuses can not reopen for in-person classes while a county is in the purple tier — the worst rating , signifying widespread transmission .
A campus can only reopen for full services , with safety measures in place , 14 days after health conditions in a county have improved enough to enter the next tier , red .
On Monday , as counties rolled back @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reopenings were halted .
Magnolia School District , for instance , which serves K-6 students in West Anaheim and Stanton , had planned to reopen campuses to all students this week .
But last week the school board pushed the opening date until after winter break — and now even that timing is a question mark .
“ On one hand it ’ s disappointing because we know a lot of our students do need to be in school , ” Supt .
Frank Donovan said .
“ But on the other hand @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , or this could become rampant.
” About 25 % of Magnolia students are homeless , and many families are living in motels or other cramped spaces — putting students and their families at a higher risk than in many areas of Orange County .
How does the reopening situation vary in Southern California counties ?
Los Angeles , San Bernardino and Imperial counties never left the purple tier , so they have not been able to reopen fully at any time since campuses closed statewide in March .
Orange , San Diego @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the red tier or better , and many schools districts had begun to reopen in phases and with hybrid classes — which combine in-person and distance learning .
Riverside was the first to backslide , weeks ago .
Then last week , San Diego fell to purple and on Monday it was Orange and Ventura .
What happens to campuses that reopened before a county dropped back to the purple tier ?
Schools that opened while a county was in the red tier or better , can remain open .
However , campuses @ @ @ @ @ @ @ county became purple must remain closed until their county is once again out of the worst tier .
Before San Diego County dropped back into the purple tier , 35 of 42 school districts had reopened to some or all students for in-person learning , said Music Watson , a spokesperson for the county ’ s office of education .
“ For those schools that were planning to reopen ... we understand how disappointing it is for many families and employees , who have been working diligently to create and implement plans to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said .
Are schools entirely shut down for in-person services ?
Your school may be shut down for various reasons , but it isn ’ t via state mandate .
Even when a county is in purple , elementary schools can still apply for waivers .
In L.A. County , the waivers — if granted — can apply to students in transitional kindergarten through second grade .
Other counties grant waivers through sixth grade .
Schools and school districts can still bring back students with special needs in small groups that are kept @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rules , the number of these students receiving instruction or other services on campus can add up to 25 % of a school ’ s enrollment at any given time .
Will the rules for special-needs students with in-person classes in L.A. County change as a result of rising infection rates ?
No , according to county public health Director Barbara Ferrer .
“ That program is working really well , ” Ferrer said Monday .
What if a school had started to reopen before its county fell back to the purple tier @ @ @ @ @ @ @ might have brought ninth- and 10th-graders to campus but not yet 11th- and 12th-graders before the county fell into purple .
Such schools might be able to continue with their staggered reopenings — providing they receive approval from the county health officer , according to officials in Orange and San Diego counties .
Presumably such a practice also would apply to other counties , although each county can adopt stricter policies than the state .
My school is hardly serving any students .
Why is that ?
When a particular school is serving @ @ @ @ @ @ @ officials think that there is too much COVID-19 in the community or that safety measures are not yet in place or not affordable .
Or districts could still be working through workplace-safety rules and other processes with their employee unions .
My school seems to be operating almost normally — and my county is in the purple tier .
Why is that ?
It could be that your school is following all safety protocols .
If classes are staggered , the 25 % rule can cover a lot of students — especially when @ @ @ @ @ @ @ child-care services and athletic conditioning .
The L.A. County Health Department has committed to visiting every campus — with an eye to help rather than to punish .
Suspected violations can be reported to ( 888 ) 700-9995 .
When will high school sports resume ?
The state has allowed physically distanced conditioning since the start of school , but districts set their own timetable .
The hope has been that , for example , more traditional football practice could begin in mid-December and football games in January .
This seems unlikely based @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Newsom , who suggested further delays are likely without providing details .
If you have additional questions , please email howard.blume @ latimes.com .
He ’ ll try to answer them via email or in print .

Woodland Hills Taft High School football player Chris Giron, second from left, with physically distanced teammates in November after L.A. Unified allowed athletic workouts to resume. But it could be awhile before games can take place due to a coronavirus surge.
An alarming rise in new coronavirus cases has prompted major reopening rollbacks that also will stall efforts to reopen campuses throughout Southern California and most of the state — and affect the education of millions of students.
What happens at individual school districts and even schools will vary from county to county as officials grapple with complicated rules, evolving and expensive safety procedures, and infection rates in the communities they serve.
On Monday the number of counties in the strictest tier, purple, more than tripled to 41, including all counties in Southern California.
Here is a look at the various scenarios that will affect the vast majority of California’s more than 6 million students.
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How does the surge affect whether campuses can reopen?
Campuses cannot reopen for in-person classes while a county is in the purple tier — the worst rating, signifying widespread transmission. A campus can only reopen for full services, with safety measures in place, 14 days after health conditions in a county have improved enough to enter the next tier, red.
On Monday, as counties rolled back into the purple tier, new school reopenings were halted.
Magnolia School District, for instance, which serves K-6 students in West Anaheim and Stanton, had planned to reopen campuses to all students this week. But last week the school board pushed the opening date until after winter break — and now even that timing is a question mark.
“On one hand it’s disappointing because we know a lot of our students do need to be in school,” Supt. Frank Donovan said. “But on the other hand, we have to be very cautious, or this could become rampant.”
About 25% of Magnolia students are homeless, and many families are living in motels or other cramped spaces — putting students and their families at a higher risk than in many areas of Orange County.
How does the reopening situation vary in Southern California counties?
Los Angeles, San Bernardino and Imperial counties never left the purple tier, so they have not been able to reopen fully at any time since campuses closed statewide in March.
Orange, San Diego, Ventura and Riverside counties had entered the red tier or better, and many schools districts had begun to reopen in phases and with hybrid classes — which combine in-person and distance learning. Riverside was the first to backslide, weeks ago. Then last week, San Diego fell to purple and on Monday it was Orange and Ventura.
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What happens to campuses that reopened before a county dropped back to the purple tier?
Schools that opened while a county was in the red tier or better, can remain open. However, campuses that had not yet reopened before their county became purple must remain closed until their county is once again out of the worst tier.
Before San Diego County dropped back into the purple tier, 35 of 42 school districts had reopened to some or all students for in-person learning, said Music Watson, a spokesperson for the county’s office of education.
“For those schools that were planning to reopen... we understand how disappointing it is for many families and employees, who have been working diligently to create and implement plans to safely reopen our campuses,” Watson said.
Are schools entirely shut down for in-person services?
Your school may be shut down for various reasons, but it isn’t via state mandate.
Even when a county is in purple, elementary schools can still apply for waivers. In L.A. County, the waivers — if granted — can apply to students in transitional kindergarten through second grade. Other counties grant waivers through sixth grade.
Schools and school districts can still bring back students with special needs in small groups that are kept separate from other groups. Under state rules, the number of these students receiving instruction or other services on campus can add up to 25% of a school’s enrollment at any given time.
Will the rules for special-needs students with in-person classes in L.A. County change as a result of rising infection rates?
No, according to county public health Director Barbara Ferrer.
“That program is working really well,” Ferrer said Monday.
What if a school had started to reopen before its county fell back to the purple tier?
In this situation, a school might have brought ninth- and 10th-graders to campus but not yet 11th- and 12th-graders before the county fell into purple. Such schools might be able to continue with their staggered reopenings — providing they receive approval from the county health officer, according to officials in Orange and San Diego counties.
Presumably such a practice also would apply to other counties, although each county can adopt stricter policies than the state.
My school is hardly serving any students. Why is that?
When a particular school is serving few students, it could be that officials think that there is too much COVID-19 in the community or that safety measures are not yet in place or not affordable. Or districts could still be working through workplace-safety rules and other processes with their employee unions.
My school seems to be operating almost normally — and my county is in the purple tier. Why is that?
It could be that your school is following all safety protocols. If classes are staggered, the 25% rule can cover a lot of students — especially when combined with an elementary waiver, legal child-care services and athletic conditioning.
The L.A. County Health Department has committed to visiting every campus — with an eye to help rather than to punish. Suspected violations can be reported to (888) 700-9995.
When will high school sports resume?
The state has allowed physically distanced conditioning since the start of school, but districts set their own timetable. The hope has been that, for example, more traditional football practice could begin in mid-December and football games in January. This seems unlikely based on remarks Monday by Gov. Gavin Newsom, who suggested further delays are likely without providing details.
If you have additional questions, please email howard.blume@latimes.com. He’ll try to answer them via email or in print.


latimes--2020-11-17--Will 'Amtrak Joe' Biden bail out California's troubled bullet train? Don't bet on it

President-elect Joe Biden is a self-professed train fanatic who estimates that he has ridden more than 2 million miles on 16,000 trains .
This fall , he rode the rails to campaign across Ohio and Pennsylvania , part of the “ Build Back Better ” train tour .
For months , some supporters of California ’ s troubled high-speed rail project have pined for a Biden presidency , hoping his administration would throw its support behind the planned system between Los Angeles and the Bay Area , with trains running at 220 mph .
But while state officials anticipate more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ nobody expects an imminent bailout .
Some doubt that the president-elect will make investment in high-speed rail a priority .
“ Biden is a fan of the typical Amtrak route , which is akin to our Metrolink or the Amtrak service in the Central Valley , ” said Ara Najarian , a board member of Metro and Metrolink .
“ High-speed rail is a question mark .
I don ’ t know he would go that far.
” California ’ s high-speed rail endeavor , launched in 2008 when voters approved $ 9 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
It has a funding shortfall of $ 80 billion .
It may run out of money even to complete a 171-mile starter system between Bakersfield and Merced by 2028 , as Gov .
Gavin Newsom has proposed .
The project still lags in acquiring needed land and has encountered problems building bridges .
One person close to the project said bluntly that there is “ no way in hell ” that tens of billions of dollars are headed to the California project .
Even under a friendly Biden White House , California @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to fund the project and resolve many thorny issues it has avoided , such as a plan to subsidize the service in violation of state law , experts say .
And ultimately , the state needs to come up with a credible plan to connect Los Angeles and San Francisco , not just build an isolated starter system in the Central Valley , as it is now doing .
But with the stroke of a pen , Biden officials could reverse some of the punitive actions that the Federal Railroad Administration took against @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Brian Kelly , chief executive of the California High-Speed Rail Authority , is careful not to set expectations too high , though he has already been in contact with members of Biden ’ s transition team , including Phil Washington , Los Angeles ’ Metro chief .
Just having a normal government relationship would be a good first step , Kelly said .
Federal officials in the Trump administration stopped taking calls or responding to emails from senior California officials last year .
The Federal Railroad Administration rejected invoices submitted to match federal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ submissions .
“ I am encouraged by the opportunity to have a functional partnership , ” Kelly said .
As for more money , Kelly said there is the possibility of “ public help ” and private participation down the road .
“ We are at the end of a tough beginning , ” he said about the project ’ s status .
Advocates for bullet trains have bigger dreams .
The U.S. High Speed Rail Assn.
, based in Washington , wants $ 360 billion for bullet train projects across the nation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ California system .
But major trade groups are not onboard .
The American Society of Civil Engineers — the nation ’ s largest engineering group , founded in 1862 — wants the federal government to focus on decay in existing highways , bridges , rail systems , tunnels , dams , sewers , airports and other essential civil works .
The organization notes that more than 40 % of buses and 25 % of rail transit hardware are in marginal or poor condition .
President Trump was not an immediate enemy of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ two years , his administration became hostile .
Earlier this year , the Federal Railroad Administration terminated a $ 929-million grant issued in 2010 by the Obama administration , saying the rail authority had failed to comply with a requirement that it make “ reasonable progress ” in building a bullet train between Los Angeles and San Francisco .
The state filed a lawsuit , which is pending .
Kelly said he looks forward to a resolution of the suit .
“ I would guess that the $ 929 million in the fiscal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said Louis Thompson , a passenger-rail veteran who chairs the state-appointed peer review panel .
Exactly how the Biden team would restore the grant is unclear .
The fact that the state ’ s suit alleged that the termination was arbitrary and capricious may ease the restoration of the funds , compared to a negotiated administrative procedure , said Eloise Pasachoff , a law professor specializing in federal grants at the Georgetown University Law Center .
The Transportation Department did not appear to file a motion to dismiss the suit or slow the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a settlement could indeed involve reinstituting the grant.
” The other key step that Biden could take is relaxing construction and environmental clearance deadlines set under a $ 2.5-billion grant issued in 2009 under the Obama stimulus program .
It required that the state build 119 miles of structures and track , as well as complete all environmental reviews from San Francisco to Los Angeles by 2022 .
Although Kelly said it is not yet clear whether the project will need a relaxation of the deadline , industry officials and analysts say the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ trying to complete the track installation , given that many bridges , viaducts and other structures have not even begun construction .
If Republicans retain control of the Senate , a possibility that will not be settled until January , any direct help to the California project is doubtful .
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell ( R-Ky. ) is married to Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao , who helped lead the Trump battle against the California project .
Even with a Democratic-controlled Senate that would back a big infrastructure spending package , California would @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for money and would have to decide how to prioritize its share among many important transportation needs .
“ Prospects for some financial participation by the federal government are better than they were , but it is easy to overestimate them , ” said Martin Wachs , an emeritus professor at UCLA who is an expert in transportation .
“ There could be a few billion dollars , but it would not eliminate the need for the state to put the project on a sound financial footing.
” Wachs and others have long @ @ @ @ @ @ @ stronger long-term commitment to the project with a funding plan that shows it can eventually connect the Central Valley construction to the state ’ s urban centers .
In their last year , officials in the Obama administration took tough steps to tighten control of the project , even as the rail authority dismissed their warnings of cost overruns .
Biden ’ s selection of Washington , the Metro chief , to head his transition team for transportation has raised hopes that California has an “ in ” with the new White House @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in urban mass transit .
Indeed , many Democratic legislators in California have already called to slow spending on the Central Valley bullet train and redirect funding to Southern California and the Bay Area , where there is greater public need for transit .
And Democrats have prioritized education , housing and healthcare over everything else .
Dan Richard , former chairman of the rail authority , is similarly cautious .
“ It is impossible to forecast if there will be additional [ bullet train ] funding and the size of it , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ t ask for a pot of money without saying , ‘ This is what it will deliver.
’ ” He notes that Biden supports a big stimulus that would include infrastructure and is a known fan of Amtrak .
“ That doesn ’ t necessarily translate to the California high-speed rail , ” he said .
“ Amtrak needs a big infusion for repair and modernization.
” The key question is how much California ’ s powerful Democratic leaders , including Rep. Nancy Pelosi , Vice President-elect Kamala Harris , Gov .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Garcetti , who is being considered for a cabinet post , will invest in high-speed rail .
As the project has endured delays , technical setbacks and cost overruns , they have publicly said little or nothing on the matter .

President-elect Joe Biden is a self-professed train fanatic who estimates that he has ridden more than 2 million miles on 16,000 trains. This fall, he rode the rails to campaign across Ohio and Pennsylvania, part of the “Build Back Better” train tour.
For months, some supporters of California’s troubled high-speed rail project have pined for a Biden presidency, hoping his administration would throw its support behind the planned system between Los Angeles and the Bay Area, with trains running at 220 mph.
But while state officials anticipate more peaceful dealings with the new administration, nobody expects an imminent bailout. Some doubt that the president-elect will make investment in high-speed rail a priority.
“Biden is a fan of the typical Amtrak route, which is akin to our Metrolink or the Amtrak service in the Central Valley,” said Ara Najarian, a board member of Metro and Metrolink. “High-speed rail is a question mark. I don’t know he would go that far.”
Advertisement
California’s high-speed rail endeavor, launched in 2008 when voters approved $9 billion in bonds, faces daunting challenges. It has a funding shortfall of $80 billion. It may run out of money even to complete a 171-mile starter system between Bakersfield and Merced by 2028, as Gov. Gavin Newsom has proposed. The project still lags in acquiring needed land and has encountered problems building bridges.
Even under a friendly Biden White House, California would need to signal a stronger commitment to fund the project and resolve many thorny issues it has avoided, such as a plan to subsidize the service in violation of state law, experts say.
And ultimately, the state needs to come up with a credible plan to connect Los Angeles and San Francisco, not just build an isolated starter system in the Central Valley, as it is now doing.
But with the stroke of a pen, Biden officials could reverse some of the punitive actions that the Federal Railroad Administration took against the project over the past year.
Brian Kelly, chief executive of the California High-Speed Rail Authority, is careful not to set expectations too high, though he has already been in contact with members of Biden’s transition team, including Phil Washington, Los Angeles’ Metro chief.
Advertisement
Just having a normal government relationship would be a good first step, Kelly said. Federal officials in the Trump administration stopped taking calls or responding to emails from senior California officials last year. The Federal Railroad Administration rejected invoices submitted to match federal grants and refused to act on environmental submissions.
“I am encouraged by the opportunity to have a functional partnership,” Kelly said.
As for more money, Kelly said there is the possibility of “public help” and private participation down the road. “We are at the end of a tough beginning,” he said about the project’s status.
Advocates for bullet trains have bigger dreams. The U.S. High Speed Rail Assn., based in Washington, wants $360 billion for bullet train projects across the nation, including $60 billion for the California system.
The American Society of Civil Engineers — founded in 1862 — wants the federal government to focus on decay in existing highways, bridges, rail systems, tunnels, dams, sewers, airports and other essential civil works. The organization notes that more than 40% of buses and 25% of rail transit hardware are in marginal or poor condition.
President Trump was not an immediate enemy of the California project, but over the last two years, his administration became hostile. Earlier this year, the Federal Railroad Administration terminated a $929-million grant issued in 2010 by the Obama administration, saying the rail authority had failed to comply with a requirement that it make “reasonable progress” in building a bullet train between Los Angeles and San Francisco.
The state filed a lawsuit, which is pending. Kelly said he looks forward to a resolution of the suit.
“I would guess that the $929 million in the fiscal 2010 grant would be re-obligated,” said Louis Thompson, a passenger-rail veteran who chairs the state-appointed peer review panel.
Exactly how the Biden team would restore the grant is unclear.
The fact that the state’s suit alleged that the termination was arbitrary and capricious may ease the restoration of the funds, compared to a negotiated administrative procedure, said Eloise Pasachoff, a law professor specializing in federal grants at the Georgetown University Law Center.
The Transportation Department did not appear to file a motion to dismiss the suit or slow the proceeding, she added, so “a settlement could indeed involve reinstituting the grant.”
The other key step that Biden could take is relaxing construction and environmental clearance deadlines set under a $2.5-billion grant issued in 2009 under the Obama stimulus program. It required that the state build 119 miles of structures and track, as well as complete all environmental reviews from San Francisco to Los Angeles by 2022.
Although Kelly said it is not yet clear whether the project will need a relaxation of the deadline, industry officials and analysts say the project has an almost impossible job in trying to complete the track installation, given that many bridges, viaducts and other structures have not even begun construction.
If Republicans retain control of the Senate, a possibility that will not be settled until January, any direct help to the California project is doubtful. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) is married to Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao, who helped lead the Trump battle against the California project.
A Transportation Department spokesperson said Tuesday that the department was willing to work with the state over the last seven years but that the state “consistently failed to meet its obligations and milestones” under the grant agreement and federal law. The department, the person said, responded with “appropriate corrective actions as steward of taxpayers dollars to keep it from being a complete boondoggle.”
Even with a Democratic-controlled Senate that would back a big infrastructure spending package, California would have to compete with 49 other states for money and would have to decide how to prioritize its share among many important transportation needs.
“Prospects for some financial participation by the federal government are better than they were, but it is easy to overestimate them,” said Martin Wachs, an emeritus professor at UCLA who is an expert in transportation. “There could be a few billion dollars, but it would not eliminate the need for the state to put the project on a sound financial footing.”
Wachs and others have long argued that California needs to show a stronger long-term commitment to the project with a funding plan that shows it can eventually connect the Central Valley construction to the state’s urban centers.
In their last year, officials in the Obama administration took tough steps to tighten control of the project, even as the rail authority dismissed their warnings of cost overruns.
Biden’s selection of Washington, the Metro chief, to head his transition team for transportation has raised hopes that California has an “in” with the new White House. But Washington has made a career in urban mass transit.
Indeed, many Democratic legislators in California have already called to slow spending on the Central Valley bullet train and redirect funding to Southern California and the Bay Area, where there is greater public need for transit. And Democrats have prioritized education, housing and healthcare over everything else.
Dan Richard, former chairman of the rail authority, is similarly cautious.
“It is impossible to forecast if there will be additional [bullet train] funding and the size of it,” Richard said. “You can’t ask for a pot of money without saying, ‘This is what it will deliver.’”
He notes that Biden supports a big stimulus that would include infrastructure and is a known fan of Amtrak. “That doesn’t necessarily translate to the California high-speed rail,” he said. “Amtrak needs a big infusion for repair and modernization.”
The key question is how much California’s powerful Democratic leaders, including Rep. Nancy Pelosi, Vice President-elect Kamala Harris, Gov. Gavin Newsom and Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti, who is being considered for a cabinet post, will invest in high-speed rail.
As the project has endured delays, technical setbacks and cost overruns, they have publicly said little or nothing on the matter.


latimes--2020-11-17--With two vaccines on the horizon, here's what you need to know

With the pandemic cutting an ever-broadening swath through the country , Moderna ’ s announcement that preliminary data indicate its COVID-19 vaccine was 95 % effective offered Americans a much-needed shot of hope .
It was the second time in as many weeks that independent safety monitors had examined clinical trial data and determined that an experimental vaccine was performing above expectations .
Last week Pfizer , in collaboration with its German partner BioNTech , said its vaccine was 90 % effective in preventing symptoms of the disease .
“ The light at the end of the tunnel is getting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ William Schaffner , an infectious disease and preventive medicine expert at Vanderbilt University .
The news comes as multiple states issued new lockdown orders in an effort to stop a third wave of coronavirus infections .
More than a million new cases were recorded last week alone , and more than 1,100 Americans are dying each day .
Pfizer and Moderna have yet to release detailed data from this final stage of clinical trials , and the results may change by the time they ’ re complete .
But many experts are optimistic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ begin by year ’ s end .
“ The results from Pfizer , and now Moderna , gives me a great deal of encouragement , ” said Dr .
Buddy Creech , director of the vaccine research program at Vanderbilt University Medical Center .
“ The effectiveness levels are beyond our expectations , giving us firm hope that we will see an end to the pandemic once widespread vaccination is possible.
” Here ’ s a closer look at where things stand with these front-running vaccines .
What does it mean for a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ % effective ?
The clinical trials are measuring how good experimental vaccines are at reducing a person ’ s risk of becoming infected with the coronavirus that causes COVID-19 .
To do this , researchers recruited volunteers who were given two doses of either the vaccine or a placebo without knowing which was which .
Then they were encouraged to continue everyday activities .
The trials were designed for an assessment to be made after a pre-specified number of volunteers came down with COVID-19 .
The Moderna trial , for instance , enrolled @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 151 cases were recorded .
So far , 95 individuals have become sick , which was enough for the data monitoring board to provide an early assessment of the vaccine ’ s efficacy .
Participants will continue to be evaluated to see how the vaccine performs over time .
The conclusion was that after three months of exposure in typical communities around the country , about 29,900 individuals in the Moderna trial remained symptom free .
Of the 95 who became ill with COVID-19 , 90 were in the placebo group , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ information allowed the review board to conclude that the vaccine had 94.5 % effectiveness .
The data are still being evaluated to determine why 5 % of those inoculated with the vaccine got ill .
The numbers are similar to the Pfizer trial , which enrolled 44,000 people .
However , unlike Moderna , Pfizer did not provide information about disease severity among participants .
“ The stunning and hopeful news is that the vaccine had an important and positive effect in reducing getting sick , ” said Dr. Larry Steinman , professor @ @ @ @ @ @ @ University who was chair of the immunology department program for 10 years .
Why aren ’ t all the volunteers given the vaccine ?
Researchers need something to compare their vaccine against so they can assess whether it ’ s better — or worse — than doing nothing .
In this case , the placebo is merely a saline solution .
But it ’ s not only the participants who are kept in the dark about whether they got the experimental treatment or the placebo .
The researchers who examine the participants are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ way , when they assess a volunteer ’ s health , they aren ’ t influenced by the knowledge that he or she got — or didn ’ t get — the experimental vaccine .
“ Placebo-controlled trials are the best way to take bias out of the equation , ” said Vanderbilt ’ s Creech .
“ They allow us to see how well a vaccine works .
By randomizing and by staying ‘ blinded ’ as to what a volunteer received , we are able to more fairly judge whether the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ helps researchers identify side effects caused by the vaccine .
For instance , if those who received the placebo complained of sore arms as much as those who got the vaccine , it would be reasonable to conclude that the soreness is the result of the needle and not necessarily due to the vaccine ’ s active ingredients .
If the results are so good , why are they still testing the vaccine ?
More time is needed for more study participants to become sick .
The more cases there are , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the outcomes for the two groups of volunteers are different — and that the vaccine performed better than the placebo .
Some side effects may take awhile to develop as well , and the trial has to last long enough to give them a chance to crop up .
In general , clinical trials may be stopped ahead of schedule if the early data make it obvious that an experimental medication is completely ineffective , or when the results are so favorable that it is no longer ethically responsible to deny it to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ kinds of side effects have been seen so far ?
They ’ ve all been minimal .
Some participants have reported a sore arm for a day or two .
Some complained of headaches and fatigue , as well as general muscle aches and pain .
None of these is considered a severe adverse reaction .
Even trials of this size might not be able to detect very rare adverse events , which is why even after a vaccine is approved , monitoring systems continue to look for these rare events in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ final results about the Moderna and Pfizer vaccines ?
These clinical trials were designed as two-year studies , so it ’ s not clear when the final results will be available .
But final results are not necessary for the Food and Drug Administration , which is tasked with vetting new medications for public use , to decide whether to grant any COVID-19 vaccine an Emergency Use Authorization and allow it to be made available to the public .
If such an authorization is given , then vaccines could start to be distributed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ AstraZeneca and Johnson & Johnson are also considered viable contenders .
Both are in the late-stage clinical trials , with enrollment continuing around the world .
These vaccines are made slightly differently from the ones from Pfizer and Moderna , but because they target the same protein on the surface of the virus , “ we have a lot of confidence that they may enjoy similar efficacy , ” Creech said .
How soon can I get the vaccine ?
If the FDA issues an Emergency Use Authorization , the Centers for Disease @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of overseeing the vaccine ’ s distribution to the public .
States will develop their own plans as well .
While there ’ s still a lot of uncertainty , it ’ s already clear that there won ’ t be enough vaccines to go around at first .
Early prioritization schemes put healthcare workers at the front of the line .
They ’ ll be joined by older individuals and those with underlying medical conditions , because people in these groups are more likely to become severely ill if they are infected @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reported that they will have about 20 million doses by the end of the year , but experts believe it will take until late spring or early summer to produce enough vaccine to immunize a majority of U.S. residents .
But experts say that public health protocols such as wearing masks and maintaining social distance must remain in place for months or even years after vaccines first become available .
What remains to be answered is whether these vaccines will keep people from getting infected .
As promising as these trials are , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will stop the spread of the virus .

Moderna said Monday that the vaccine it has developed with the National Institutes of Health provides strong protection against the coronavirus. Above, a volunteer is injected with the vaccine during early testing.
With the pandemic cutting an ever-broadening swath through the country, Moderna’s announcement that preliminary data indicate its COVID-19 vaccine was 95% effective offered Americans a much-needed shot of hope.
It was the second time in as many weeks that independent safety monitors had examined clinical trial data and determined that an experimental vaccine was performing above expectations. Last week Pfizer, in collaboration with its German partner BioNTech, said its vaccine was 90% effective in preventing symptoms of the disease.
“The light at the end of the tunnel is getting a little brighter,” said Dr. William Schaffner, an infectious disease and preventive medicine expert at Vanderbilt University.
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The news comes as multiple states issued new lockdown orders in an effort to stop a third wave of coronavirus infections. More than a million new cases were recorded last week alone, and more than 1,100 Americans are dying each day.
Pfizer and Moderna have yet to release detailed data from this final stage of clinical trials, and the results may change by the time they’re complete. But many experts are optimistic that initial distribution of these vaccines could begin by year’s end.
“The results from Pfizer, and now Moderna, gives me a great deal of encouragement,” said Dr. Buddy Creech, director of the vaccine research program at Vanderbilt University Medical Center. “The effectiveness levels are beyond our expectations, giving us firm hope that we will see an end to the pandemic once widespread vaccination is possible.”
Here’s a closer look at where things stand with these front-running vaccines.
What does it mean for a vaccine to be 90% or 95% effective?
The clinical trials are measuring how good experimental vaccines are at reducing a person’s risk of becoming infected with the coronavirus that causes COVID-19.
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To do this, researchers recruited volunteers who were given two doses of either the vaccine or a placebo without knowing which was which. Then they were encouraged to continue everyday activities.
The trials were designed for an assessment to be made after a pre-specified number of volunteers came down with COVID-19. The Moderna trial, for instance, enrolled 30,000 participants and planned to stop after 151 cases were recorded. So far, 95 individuals have become sick, which was enough for the data monitoring board to provide an early assessment of the vaccine’s efficacy. Participants will continue to be evaluated to see how the vaccine performs over time.
The conclusion was that after three months of exposure in typical communities around the country, about 29,900 individuals in the Moderna trial remained symptom free. Of the 95 who became ill with COVID-19, 90 were in the placebo group, and five had received the vaccine.
This information allowed the review board to conclude that the vaccine had 94.5% effectiveness. The data are still being evaluated to determine why 5% of those inoculated with the vaccine got ill.
The numbers are similar to the Pfizer trial, which enrolled 44,000 people. However, unlike Moderna, Pfizer did not provide information about disease severity among participants.
“The stunning and hopeful news is that the vaccine had an important and positive effect in reducing getting sick,” said Dr. Larry Steinman, professor of pediatrics and neurological sciences at Stanford University who
was chair of the immunology department program for 10 years.
Why aren’t all the volunteers given the vaccine?
Researchers need something to compare their vaccine against so they can assess whether it’s better — or worse — than doing nothing. In this case, the placebo is merely a saline solution.
But it’s not only the participants who are kept in the dark about whether they got the experimental treatment or the placebo. The researchers who examine the participants are “blinded” as well. That way, when they assess a volunteer’s health, they aren’t influenced by the knowledge that he or she got — or didn’t get — the experimental vaccine.
“Placebo-controlled trials are the best way to take bias out of the equation,” said Vanderbilt’s Creech. “They allow us to see how well a vaccine works. By randomizing and by staying ‘blinded’ as to what a volunteer received, we are able to more fairly judge whether the vaccine works.”
The study design also helps researchers identify side effects caused by the vaccine. For instance, if those who received the placebo complained of sore arms as much as those who got the vaccine, it would be reasonable to conclude that the soreness is the result of the needle and not necessarily due to the vaccine’s active ingredients.
If the results are so good, why are they still testing the vaccine?
More time is needed for more study participants to become sick. The more cases there are, the more certain researchers can be about saying the outcomes for the two groups of volunteers are different — and that the vaccine performed better than the placebo.
Some side effects may take awhile to develop as well, and the trial has to last long enough to give them a chance to crop up.
In general, clinical trials may be stopped ahead of schedule if the early data make it obvious that an experimental medication is completely ineffective, or when the results are so favorable that it is no longer ethically responsible to deny it to those who got the placebo.
What kinds of side effects have been seen so far?
They’ve all been minimal. Some participants have reported a sore arm for a day or two. Some complained of headaches and fatigue, as well as general muscle aches and pain. None of these is considered a severe adverse reaction.
Even trials of this size might not be able to detect very rare adverse events, which is why even after a vaccine is approved, monitoring systems continue to look for these rare events in the broader population.
When will we get final results about the Moderna and Pfizer vaccines?
These clinical trials were designed as two-year studies, so it’s not clear when the final results will be available.
But final results are not necessary for the Food and Drug Administration, which is tasked with vetting new medications for public use, to decide whether to grant any COVID-19 vaccine an Emergency Use Authorization and allow it to be made available to the public. If such an authorization is given, then vaccines could start to be distributed by December.
Vaccines being developed by AstraZeneca and Johnson & Johnson are also considered viable contenders.
Both are in the late-stage clinical trials, with enrollment continuing around the world. These vaccines are made slightly differently from the ones from Pfizer and Moderna, but because they target the same protein on the surface of the virus, “we have a lot of confidence that they may enjoy similar efficacy,” Creech said.
How soon can I get the vaccine?
If the FDA issues an Emergency Use Authorization, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention will be in charge of overseeing the vaccine’s distribution to the public. States will develop their own plans as well. While there’s still a lot of uncertainty, it’s already clear that there won’t be enough vaccines to go around at first.
Early prioritization schemes put healthcare workers at the front of the line. They’ll be joined by older individuals and those with underlying medical conditions, because people in these groups are more likely to become severely ill if they are infected.
Both Pfizer and Moderna have publicly reported that they will have about 20 million doses by the end of the year, but experts believe it will take until late spring or early summer to produce enough vaccine to immunize a majority of U.S. residents.
But experts say that public health protocols such as wearing masks and maintaining social distance must remain in place for months or even years after vaccines first become available.
What remains to be answered is whether these vaccines will keep people from getting infected. As promising as these trials are, it is not known if the vaccine will stop the spread of the virus.


latimes--2020-11-17--3.5 earthquake registered near Desert Hot Springs

A magnitude 3.5 earthquake was reported at 11:19 p.m. Monday seven miles from Desert Hot Springs , according to the U.S. Geological Survey .
The earthquake occurred nine miles from Big Bear City , nine miles from Banning , 10 miles from Palm Springs and 13 miles from Yucca Valley .
In the past 10 days , there has been one earthquake of magnitude 3.0 or greater centered nearby .
An average of 234 earthquakes with magnitudes between 3.0 and 4.0 occur per year in California and Nevada , according to a recent three-year data sample .
The earthquake occurred @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Did you feel this earthquake ?
Consider reporting what you felt to the USGS .
Even if you didn ’ t feel this small earthquake , you never know when the Big One is going to strike .
Ready yourself by following our five-step earthquake preparedness guide and building your own emergency kit .
This story was automatically generated by Quakebot , a computer application that monitors the latest earthquakes detected by the USGS .
A Times editor reviewed the post before it was published .
If you ’ re interested in learning @ @ @ @ @ @ @ list of frequently asked questions .

A map of an earthquake reported 11:19 p.m. Monday near Desert Hot Springs, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.
A magnitude 3.5 earthquake was reported at 11:19 p.m. Monday seven miles from Desert Hot Springs, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.
The earthquake occurred nine miles from Big Bear City, nine miles from Banning, 10 miles from Palm Springs and 13 miles from Yucca Valley.
In the past 10 days, there has been one earthquake of magnitude 3.0 or greater centered nearby.
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An average of 234 earthquakes with magnitudes between 3.0 and 4.0 occur per year in California and Nevada, according to a recent three-year data sample.
The earthquake occurred at a depth of 3.9 miles. Did you feel this earthquake? Consider reporting what you felt to the USGS.
Even if you didn’t feel this small earthquake, you never know when the Big One is going to strike. Ready yourself by following our five-step earthquake preparedness guide and building your own emergency kit.
This story was automatically generated by Quakebot, a computer application that monitors the latest earthquakes detected by the USGS. A Times editor reviewed the post before it was published. If you’re interested in learning more about the system, visit our list of frequently asked questions.


latimes--2020-11-16--Boy Scouts deluged with 92,700 sexual abuse claims, dwarfing U.S. Catholic Church's numbers

The Boy Scouts of America will face more than 92,700 claims of sexual abuse in a landmark bankruptcy that could reshape the future of one of the nation ’ s oldest and largest youth organizations , lawyers in the case said Monday as the filing deadline passed .
The number of claims and the total payouts to settle them will easily eclipse those in the sex abuse scandal that engulfed the U.S. Catholic Church more than a decade ago , plaintiffs ’ lawyers say .
“ This is a staggering number of cases , even beyond what I thought was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , a Los Angeles attorney who won a $ 20-million judgment against the Scouts in 2010 and represents several hundred accusers in the bankruptcy .
“ The scope of this is something I could never have contemplated.
” The 110-year-old Boy Scouts of America filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in February as it faced a wave of new sex abuse lawsuits after several states , including California , New York and New Jersey , expanded legal options for childhood victims to sue .
The bankruptcy put a hold on hundreds of lawsuits @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to be negotiated .
It also required new abuse claims to be handled in that venue rather than in state courts .
The Bankruptcy Court set Monday as the “ bar date ” by which the claims must be filed , triggering law firms ’ TV and internet advertisements for prospective clients and a rush of claims in recent months .
In a statement Monday , the organization called the massive response from abuse survivors “ gut-wrenching.
” “ We are devastated by the number of lives impacted by past abuse in Scouting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who have come forward , ” it said .
“ We are heartbroken that we can not undo their pain ... .
We are deeply sorry.
” The Boy Scouts conducted its own public outreach this fall , encouraging victims to seek compensation from a trust fund it will establish .
A researcher hired by the Scouts to analyze its internal records last year identified 7,819 suspected abusers and 12,254 victims — a fraction of the number who have now filed claims .
One coalition of law firms billing itself as Abused in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Andrew Van Arsdale , a San Diego lawyer involved with the group .
“ The BSA was very effective at getting out the message to the men who suffered as children in their care , ” he said .
“ The question remains if the BSA will make good on their word to make the tens of thousands of lives they altered better .
The BSA failed them once as children ; we hope they do not do it again this time around.
” All claims will be vetted by “ third-party advisors @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reorganization plan and establishes its compensation fund , the Scouts said Monday , promising to work as “ expeditiously as possible.
” The size of the victims fund has yet to be determined , along with how much of its cost will be footed by the Scouts or their insurers .
Some insurers have balked at covering payouts in sex abuse cases , contending the organization could have prevented the abuse that led to the claims , court records show .
At the time of the bankruptcy , the national organization had assets @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Local Boy Scouts councils separately hold billions more in real estate and other assets , but it is unclear how much they will contribute to the compensation fund .
“ That ’ s all now being negotiated between the Boy Scouts and the creditors committee and other claimants and the insurers , ” said Mones , who sits on that Bankruptcy Court committee representing victims .
“ We are not anywhere close to having what the final number is going to be , or even what the criteria are on which the claims @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ Most likely , it will include the severity of abuse and how long it happened.
” Not in doubt , Mones said , is that the Scouts ’ payouts will dwarf those made by the Catholic Church , including the Archdiocese of Los Angeles ’ 2007 settlement of $ 660 million involving more than 500 victims .
“ It has to be in the billions , ” he said , but “ nobody knows how much money is going to be in the pot.
” Lawsuits against the Scouts numbered into @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bankruptcy , but the organization has never disclosed how often it has been sued or how much it has paid in settlements and judgments .
Many of the lawsuits came in the wake of the Los Angeles Times ’ publication in 2012 of internal Scout records involving about 5,000 men on a blacklist known as the “ perversion files , ” a closely guarded trove of documents that details sexual abuse allegations against troop leaders and others dating back a century .
In its yearlong examination of the files , The Times documented @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Scouts failed to report accusations to authorities , hid the allegations from parents and the public , or urged admitted abusers to quietly resign — and then helped cover their tracks with bogus reasons for their departures .
Accusers cited the files — formally known for decades as the “ ineligible volunteer files ” and now called the Volunteer Screening Database — as evidence the organization knew of pedophiles in its ranks but failed to protect children .
Mones used about 1,200 of the files in a Portland , Ore. , trial to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Scouts in 2010 on behalf of a man who was sexually abused as a boy in the 1980s .
Mones and others have long insisted that the files reflect only a fraction of the abuse that has occurred in Scouting .
He noted that the Boy Scouts of America holds a rare congressional charter , and he urged lawmakers to investigate the extent of the abuse indicated by the flood of claims .
He predicted that the the post-bankruptcy Boy Scouts of America would be “ a leaner , trimmed-down version ” of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ membership .
He said he also expected its all-American image to suffer .
“ The scope of the problem here is definitely going to change the Norman Rockwell image of the Boy Scouts , ” Mones said .
“ I don ’ t see how people can see the mom-and-apple-pie part of the Boy Scouts anymore .
”

Boy Scouts of America will face more than 92,700 claims of sexual abuse in a bankruptcy that could reshape the future of the organization, lawyers say.
The Boy Scouts of America will face more than 92,700 claims of sexual abuse in a landmark bankruptcy that could reshape the future of one of the nation’s oldest and largest youth organizations, lawyers in the case said Monday as the filing deadline passed.
The number of claims and the total payouts to settle them will easily eclipse those in the sex abuse scandal that engulfed the U.S. Catholic Church more than a decade ago, plaintiffs’ lawyers say.
“This is a staggering number of cases, even beyond what I thought was out there,” said Paul Mones, a Los Angeles attorney who won a $20-million judgment against the Scouts in 2010 and represents several hundred accusers in the bankruptcy. “The scope of this is something I could never have contemplated.”
The 110-year-old Boy Scouts of America filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in February as it faced a wave of new sex abuse lawsuits after several states, including California, New York and New Jersey, expanded legal options for childhood victims to sue.
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The bankruptcy put a hold on hundreds of lawsuits to allow for a potential global settlement to be negotiated. It also required new abuse claims to be handled in that venue rather than in state courts.
The Bankruptcy Court set Monday as the “bar date” by which the claims must be filed, triggering law firms’ TV and internet advertisements for prospective clients and a rush of claims in recent months.
In a statement Monday, the organization called the massive response from abuse survivors “gut-wrenching.”
“We are devastated by the number of lives impacted by past abuse in Scouting and moved by the bravery of those who have come forward,” it said. “We are heartbroken that we cannot undo their pain.... We are deeply sorry.”
The Boy Scouts conducted its own public outreach this fall, encouraging victims to seek compensation from a trust fund it will establish.
A researcher hired by the Scouts to analyze its internal records last year identified 7,819 suspected abusers and 12,254 victims — a fraction of the number who have now filed claims.
California Boy Scout files reveal repeat child abuse by sexual predators Los Angeles Times review of Boy Scout documents shows that a blacklist meant to protect boys from sexual predators too often failed in its mission.
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One coalition of law firms billing itself as Abused in Scouting now represents 16,500 claimants, said Andrew Van Arsdale, a San Diego lawyer involved with the group.
“The BSA was very effective at getting out the message to the men who suffered as children in their care,” he said. “The question remains if the BSA will make good on their word to make the tens of thousands of lives they altered better. The BSA failed them once as children; we hope they do not do it again this time around.”
All claims will be vetted by “third-party advisors” while the national organization develops a reorganization plan and establishes its compensation fund, the Scouts said Monday, promising to work as “expeditiously as possible.”
The size of the victims fund has yet to be determined, along with how much of its cost will be footed by the Scouts or their insurers. Some insurers have balked at covering payouts in sex abuse cases, contending the organization could have prevented the abuse that led to the claims, court records show.
At the time of the bankruptcy, the national organization had assets of more than $1 billion. Local Boy Scouts councils separately hold billions more in real estate and other assets, but it is unclear how much they will contribute to the compensation fund.
“That’s all now being negotiated between the Boy Scouts and the creditors committee and other claimants and the insurers,” said Mones, who sits on that Bankruptcy Court committee representing victims.
“We are not anywhere close to having what the final number is going to be, or even what the criteria are on which the claims will be valued,” he said. “Most likely, it will include the severity of abuse and how long it happened.”
Not in doubt, Mones said, is that the Scouts’ payouts will dwarf those made by the Catholic Church, including the Archdiocese of Los Angeles’ 2007 settlement of $660 million involving more than 500 victims.
“It has to be in the billions,” he said, but “nobody knows how much money is going to be in the pot.”
Lawsuits against the Scouts numbered into the hundreds at the time of the bankruptcy, but the organization has never disclosed how often it has been sued or how much it has paid in settlements and judgments.
Many of the lawsuits came in the wake of the Los Angeles Times’ publication in 2012 of internal Scout records involving about 5,000 men on a blacklist known as the “perversion files,” a closely guarded trove of documents that details sexual abuse allegations against troop leaders and others dating back a century.
In its yearlong examination of the files, The Times documented hundreds of cases in which the Boy Scouts failed to report accusations to authorities, hid the allegations from parents and the public, or urged admitted abusers to quietly resign — and then helped cover their tracks with bogus reasons for their departures.
Accusers cited the files — formally known for decades as the “ineligible volunteer files” and now called the Volunteer Screening Database — as evidence the organization knew of pedophiles in its ranks but failed to protect children.
Mones used about 1,200 of the files in a Portland, Ore., trial to win a $19.9-million verdict against the Scouts in 2010 on behalf of a man who was sexually abused as a boy in the 1980s.
Mones and others have long insisted that the files reflect only a fraction of the abuse that has occurred in Scouting. He noted that the Boy Scouts of America holds a rare congressional charter, and he urged lawmakers to investigate the extent of the abuse indicated by the flood of claims.
He predicted that the the post-bankruptcy Boy Scouts of America would be “a leaner, trimmed-down version” of an organization that already was suffering declining membership.
He said he also expected its all-American image to suffer.
“The scope of the problem here is definitely going to change the Norman Rockwell image of the Boy Scouts,” Mones said. “I don’t see how people can see the mom-and-apple-pie part of the Boy Scouts anymore.”


latimes--2020-11-16--California breaks single-day record for new COVID-19 cases amid sweeping new restrictions

California officials on Monday pulled what they characterized as an emergency brake , announcing a dramatic rollback of reopening in much of the state as it broke its single-day record for new coronavirus cases .
Once the changes go into effect Tuesday , 94 % of Californians — roughly 37 million people — will live in counties that are in the strictest tier of the state ’ s reopening roadmap .
Many businesses in those counties will have to suspend or severely limit their indoor operations .
The move came as California recorded 13,412 new cases Monday , according to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is the highest daily total since the pandemic began and a sign of how quickly the coronavirus is spreading .
“ We are seeing community spread broadly now throughout the state of California , ” Gov .
Gavin Newsom said .
Last week , just 13 of California ’ s 58 counties were in the strictest tier , purple , indicating widespread transmission of the disease .
Newsom announced Monday that the number would more than triple , to 41 .
Among the counties that have newly fallen back into the purple tier @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Kern and San Luis Obispo .
Los Angeles , San Bernardino , Riverside , San Diego and Imperial counties were already in that category .
The most populated counties in the Bay Area were also sent back to the purple tier , including Santa Clara , Alameda , Contra Costa , Napa and Solano .
All eight counties in the San Joaquin Valley are now in the purple tier .
The purple swath also covers all of California ’ s Central Coast and much of the area in and around Sacramento County @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , California officials require that the following types of indoor settings be closed to the public : restaurant dining rooms , gyms , dance and yoga studios , movie theaters , museums , zoos and aquariums .
Houses of worship can no longer hold in-person services indoors , and most retail stores , indoor malls and libraries can only open to 25 % capacity ; grocery stores are allowed to open to 50 % capacity .
Monday ’ s announcement comes amid the steepest rise in coronavirus cases that California has seen .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the state averaged 7,985 cases per day , a rate that has nearly doubled in the past two weeks , according to data compiled by The Times .
The rolling metric hasn ’ t been that high since mid-August , and it is a far cry from just a month ago , when the seven-day average of new cases dipped below 3,000 .
“ This is simply the fastest increase California has seen since the beginning of this pandemic , ” Newsom said .
Los Angeles County reported more than 3,000 new @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the 3,780 cases on Saturday represented the highest one-day total since mid-July .
Even on Monday , when case counts are typically lower because of reporting lags over the weekend , officials announced 2,795 new cases .
“ It is clear that L.A. County is at a very dangerous point in the pandemic , ” county Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer said .
As the case count swells , officials stress that it ’ s essential for residents to follow infection prevention protocols : Wear a mask in public , wash hands regularly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a physical distance from , and avoid gathering with , those outside your household .
None of those are novel concepts in the battle against the coronavirus .
As Ferrer put it , “ This isn ’ t like we don ’ t know what to do .
This is about getting back to doing what works.
” “ As a community and as individuals , we ’ re going to need to be laser-focused on reducing transmission , ” she said during a briefing .
“ To say many lives are at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ widespread reassignment announced Monday means that only 17 counties won ’ t be subject to the most stringent restrictions on businesses and other facilities outlined in California ’ s four-tier , color-coded blueprint .
Once the changes go into effect , 11 counties will be in the second-most severe , or red , category : Del Norte , Modoc , Humboldt , Plumas , Colusa , Lake , Marin , San Francisco , San Mateo , Amador and Mono .
Four are in the third , orange , tier — Lassen , Sierra @ @ @ @ @ @ @ two , Alpine and Mariposa , remain in the least-restrictive , yellow , tier .
Even more changes could be coming .
Although California has typically updated its tier assignments weekly on Tuesdays , Newsom said those determinations would now be made and announced closer to real time .
“ We need now to be more aggressive , ” he said , “ more surgical , more targeted.
” The tier system categorizes counties based on their average daily number of new coronavirus cases for every 100,000 residents and the percentage of conducted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ used to regress only if their metrics fell in the range of a more restrictive tier for two straight weeks .
Now , those decisions can be made based on one week ’ s worth of data .
Some counties saw their metrics worsen this week to the point that they slid back multiple categories .
Among them was San Francisco , which was long hailed as a coronavirus success story but is now “ seeing an explosion of new cases throughout the city , ” Public Health Director Grant Colfax said during @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of California ’ s increased case count is likely the byproduct of ramped-up testing , the rate at which those tests are coming back positive is also increasing .
About a month ago , the seven-day positivity rate stood at 2.58 % .
Now , it ’ s 5 % .
The number of those infected with the coronavirus who are ill enough to require hospitalization has also spiked in recent weeks .
As of the latest tally , there were 3,852 COVID-19 hospitalizations statewide — up roughly 48 % from two weeks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in intensive care .
“ As I say to my patients often , ‘ When I ’ m worried , I ’ ll tell you , so you can worry with me.
’ And we ’ re there , ” said Dr. Mark Ghaly , California ’ s Health and Human Services secretary .
Eventually , “ about 12 % of those cases end up in the hospital , ” he said during a briefing Friday , “ and when you look at a high number of cases day over day , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s exactly what we worry about in terms of overwhelming our hospital system.
” More than 1 million Californians have been diagnosed with COVID-19 at some point during the pandemic .
Although most have recovered , more than 18,200 have died .
The spate of new cases comes as California — and the rest of the nation — heads into what officials already predict will be a particularly dangerous time for the pandemic , when cooler temperatures push people indoors and holidays tempt residents to gather with other households .
Last week , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ avoid unnecessary travel — including for Thanksgiving — and urging those who do head out of the state to self-quarantine for 14 days when they return .
As the latest surge shows no signs of slowing , some L.A. County officials have discussed potentially limiting businesses ’ hours or instituting some type of curfew in a bid to stymie community spread .
Newsom said the state , too , was assessing the possibility of a curfew , though the idea is still being studied .
Though Ghaly and other health officials have regularly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ warding off the worst the pandemic can bring , it remains to be seen what additional measures California could contemplate if that message falls on deaf ears .
That ’ s an especially worrying possibility as some residents and businesses grow increasingly tired of , or resentful toward , the sacrifices they ’ ve been asked to make for months .
Among those who have stumbled is Newsom , who has come under fire after attending a birthday party with other households at an upscale Napa Valley restaurant .
“ I want to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to preach and practice , not just preach and not practice , and I ’ ve done my best to do that , ” he said Monday .
“ We ’ re all human .
We all fall short sometimes.
” Thanksgiving could prove a particularly hard sell for pandemic-weary Californians .
The state has generally banned large gatherings — although brief , small ones of no more than three households may be held , provided they take place outdoors and attendees physically distance and wear face coverings .
Whether large numbers of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ around the Thanksgiving table remains to be seen .
Officials and experts say it ’ s safest to connect with extended friends and family through video calls or by phone , while limiting in-person celebrations to those you live with .
“ I know everybody wants to know what to do for Thanksgiving , and the basic answer — to be the Grinch who stole Thanksgiving — is not to do it , ” Dr. George Rutherford , an epidemiologist and infectious disease expert at UC San Francisco , said at a recent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ writers Maura Dolan , Taryn Luna , Alex Wigglesworth , David Zahniser and Iris Lee contributed to this report .

In his weekly televised coronavirus update, California Gov. Gavin Newsom made the dramatic announcement of a possible statewide curfew on business activity amid the steepest rise in coronavirus cases that California had seen.
California officials on Monday pulled what they characterized as an emergency brake, announcing a dramatic rollback of reopening in much of the state as it broke its single-day record for new coronavirus cases.
Once the changes go into effect Tuesday, 94% of Californians — roughly 37 million people — will live in counties that are in the strictest tier of the state’s reopening roadmap. Many businesses in those counties will have to suspend or severely limit their indoor operations.
The move came as California recorded 13,412 new cases Monday, according to The Times’ coronavirus tracker. That is the highest daily total since the pandemic began and a sign of how quickly the coronavirus is spreading.
“We are seeing community spread broadly now throughout the state of California,” Gov. Gavin Newsom said.
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Last week, just 13 of California’s 58 counties were in the strictest tier, purple, indicating widespread transmission of the disease. Newsom announced Monday that the number would more than triple, to 41.
Among the counties that have newly fallen back into the purple tier are Orange, Ventura, Santa Barbara, Kern and San Luis Obispo. Los Angeles, San Bernardino, Riverside, San Diego and Imperial counties were already in that category.
The most populated counties in the Bay Area were also sent back to the purple tier, including Santa Clara, Alameda, Contra Costa, Napa and Solano. All eight counties in the San Joaquin Valley are now in the purple tier.
The purple swath also covers all of California’s Central Coast and much of the area in and around Sacramento County.
Among counties in the purple tier, California officials require that the following types of indoor settings be closed to the public: restaurant dining rooms, gyms, dance and yoga studios, movie theaters, museums, zoos and aquariums. Houses of worship can no longer hold in-person services indoors, and most retail stores, indoor malls and libraries can only open to 25% capacity; grocery stores are allowed to open to 50% capacity.
Advertisement
Monday’s announcement comes amid the steepest rise in coronavirus cases that California has seen. Over the seven-day period that ended Sunday, the state averaged 7,985 cases per day, a rate that has nearly doubled in the past two weeks, according to data compiled by The Times.
The rolling metric hasn’t been that high since mid-August, and it is a far cry from just a month ago, when the seven-day average of new cases dipped below 3,000.
“This is simply the fastest increase California has seen since the beginning of this pandemic,” Newsom said.
Los Angeles County reported more than 3,000 new infections on both Saturday and Sunday; the 3,780 cases on Saturday represented the highest one-day total since mid-July.
Even on Monday, when case counts are typically lower because of reporting lags over the weekend, officials announced 2,795 new cases.
“It is clear that L.A. County is at a very dangerous point in the pandemic,” county Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer said.
As the case count swells, officials stress that it’s essential for residents to follow infection prevention protocols: Wear a mask in public, wash hands regularly, stay home when sick and keep a physical distance from, and avoid gathering with, those outside your household.
None of those are novel concepts in the battle against the coronavirus. As Ferrer put it, “This isn’t like we don’t know what to do. This is about getting back to doing what works.”
“As a community and as individuals, we’re going to need to be laser-focused on reducing transmission,” she said during a briefing. “To say many lives are at stake is not an exaggeration.”
The widespread reassignment announced Monday means that only 17 counties won’t be subject to the most stringent restrictions on businesses and other facilities outlined in California’s four-tier, color-coded blueprint.
Once the changes go into effect, 11 counties will be in the second-most severe, or red, category: Del Norte, Modoc, Humboldt, Plumas, Colusa, Lake, Marin, San Francisco, San Mateo, Amador and Mono.
Four are in the third, orange, tier — Lassen, Sierra, Calaveras and Inyo — and only two, Alpine and Mariposa, remain in the least-restrictive, yellow, tier.
Even more changes could be coming. Although California has typically updated its tier assignments weekly on Tuesdays, Newsom said those determinations would now be made and announced closer to real time.
“We need now to be more aggressive,” he said, “more surgical, more targeted.”
The tier system categorizes counties based on their average daily number of new coronavirus cases for every 100,000 residents and the percentage of conducted tests that detect the virus.
Counties used to regress only if their metrics fell in the range of a more restrictive tier for two straight weeks. Now, those decisions can be made based on one week’s worth of data.
Some counties saw their metrics worsen this week to the point that they slid back multiple categories. Among them was San Francisco, which was long hailed as a coronavirus success story but is now “seeing an explosion of new cases throughout the city,” Public Health Director Grant Colfax said during an online news conference.
California California coronavirus surge worsens, prompting new pleas to avoid travel A travel advisory issued Friday encourages Californians to stay local and avoid nonessential travel, and asks those who arrive from another state or country to self-quarantine for 14 days.
Though some of California’s increased case count is likely the byproduct of ramped-up testing, the rate at which those tests are coming back positive is also increasing. About a month ago, the seven-day positivity rate stood at 2.58%. Now, it’s 5%.
The number of those infected with the coronavirus who are ill enough to require hospitalization has also spiked in recent weeks. As of the latest tally, there were 3,852 COVID-19 hospitalizations statewide — up roughly 48% from two weeks ago. There are 1,031 COVID-19 patients in intensive care.
“As I say to my patients often, ‘When I’m worried, I’ll tell you, so you can worry with me.’ And we’re there,” said Dr. Mark Ghaly, California’s Health and Human Services secretary.
Eventually, “about 12% of those cases end up in the hospital,” he said during a briefing Friday, “and when you look at a high number of cases day over day, and that’s sustained, that’s exactly what we worry about in terms of overwhelming our hospital system.”
More than 1 million Californians have been diagnosed with COVID-19 at some point during the pandemic. Although most have recovered, more than 18,200 have died.
The spate of new cases comes as California — and the rest of the nation — heads into what officials already predict will be a particularly dangerous time for the pandemic, when cooler temperatures push people indoors and holidays tempt residents to gather with other households.
Last week, Newsom issued an advisory recommending that residents avoid unnecessary travel — including for Thanksgiving — and urging those who do head out of the state to self-quarantine for 14 days when they return.
As the latest surge shows no signs of slowing, some L.A. County officials have discussed potentially limiting businesses’ hours or instituting some type of curfew in a bid to stymie community spread.
Newsom said the state, too, was assessing the possibility of a curfew, though the idea is still being studied.
Though Ghaly and other health officials have regularly preached that personal responsibility is key to warding off the worst the pandemic can bring, it remains to be seen what additional measures California could contemplate if that message falls on deaf ears. That’s an especially worrying possibility as some residents and businesses grow increasingly tired of, or resentful toward, the sacrifices they’ve been asked to make for months.
Among those who have stumbled is Newsom, who has come under fire after attending a birthday party with other households at an upscale Napa Valley restaurant.
“I want to apologize to you, because I need to preach and practice, not just preach and not practice, and I’ve done my best to do that,” he said Monday. “We’re all human. We all fall short sometimes.”
Thanksgiving could prove a particularly hard sell for pandemic-weary Californians. The state has generally banned large gatherings — although brief, small ones of no more than three households may be held, provided they take place outdoors and attendees physically distance and wear face coverings.
Whether large numbers of families will willingly forgo fellowship and food around the Thanksgiving table remains to be seen. Officials and experts say it’s safest to connect with extended friends and family through video calls or by phone, while limiting in-person celebrations to those you live with.
“I know everybody wants to know what to do for Thanksgiving, and the basic answer — to be the Grinch who stole Thanksgiving — is not to do it,” Dr. George Rutherford, an epidemiologist and infectious disease expert at UC San Francisco, said at a recent campus town hall meeting.
Times staff writers Maura Dolan, Taryn Luna, Alex Wigglesworth, David Zahniser and Iris Lee contributed to this report.


latimes--2020-11-17--Patient shot by sheriff's deputy inside Harbor UCLA hospital dies

A patient at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center has died from wounds he suffered when he was shot last month by a Los Angeles County sheriff ’ s deputy .
Nicholas Burgos Jr. , 38 , who was shot seven times , died on Nov. 1 , according to the Los Angeles County coroner ’ s office .
Burgos was a patient at the hospital on Oct. 6 , when he allegedly became enraged for an unknown reason .
The shooting occured after Burgos shattered a window with a heavy , steel medical device , then attempted to force his way into @ @ @ @ @ @ @ watching over an injured deputy who had been admitted to the hospital .
The deadly incident marked the second time in recent years that police have opened fire inside Harbor-UCLA .
In the wake of the shooting , hospital staff have publicly expressed outrage that more was not done to de-escalate the situation before deadly force was used .
In addition to ongoing investigations by the Sheriff ’ s Department and District Attorney ’ s Office , the county ’ s Board of Supervisors has directed the Office of the Inspector General to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ also asked county attorneys to draw up options for restricting the presence of law enforcement officers in county hospitals or requiring deputies to receive additional training .
Sheriff Alex Villanueva has defended the deputy ’ s actions , saying she was “ about a second or two away from getting beaned in the head ’ ’ with the object Burgos was wielding .
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He said it was unreasonable to expect the deputy could wait for hospital staff specially trained in restraining violent patients to respond .
“ I ’ m not sure @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for people to gather together on the first floor of the hospital and get a plan together and go up to the fourth floor to intervene , ” he said .
“ No .
I wouldn ’ t expect anybody to wait under those circumstances.
” The deputy who opened fire has not been identified publicly .
She is assigned to the department ’ s South L.A. station and is not a member of a sheriff ’ s unit attached to Harbor-UCLA , according to Dr. Anish Mahajan , chief medical officer for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Lt. Derrick Alfred said two deputies were inside a hospital room guarding a wounded deputy about 11:15 p.m. when they heard banging and screams .
One of the deputies left the room and walked down the hallway to investigate , Alfred said .
A few rooms down , she encountered Burgos , who was in a hospital gown and attempting to smash a window with a 6.5-pound medical device encased in steel , Alfred said .
The deputy directed hospital staff to clear other patients from the room , and an announcement was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a special crisis team , Alfred said .
The deputy went back to the room of the wounded deputy and closed the door , he said .
Shortly after , Alfred said , a window on the door to the deputy ’ s room shattered and the deputies saw the patient holding the device over his head .
Burgos then struck the door and attempted to enter swinging the device .
A deputy blocked the man from entering and ordered him to put the object down , according to Alfred .
As the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his head , one of the deputies fired nine times , , Alfred said .
With no security cameras in patient rooms and the deputies not wearing body cameras , there is no video of the shooting , Alfred said .

A patient at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center has died from wounds he suffered when he was shot last month by a Los Angeles County sheriff’s deputy.
Nicholas Burgos Jr., 38, who was shot seven times, died on Nov. 1, according to the Los Angeles County coroner’s office.
Burgos was a patient at the hospital on Oct. 6, when he allegedly became enraged for an unknown reason. The shooting occured after Burgos shattered a window with a heavy, steel medical device, then attempted to force his way into a nearby room, where deputies were watching over an injured deputy who had been admitted to the hospital.
The deadly incident marked the second time in recent years that police have opened fire inside Harbor-UCLA. In the wake of the shooting, hospital staff have publicly expressed outrage that more was not done to de-escalate the situation before deadly force was used.
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In addition to ongoing investigations by the Sheriff’s Department and District Attorney’s Office, the county’s Board of Supervisors has directed the Office of the Inspector General to examine the shooting. The board has also asked county attorneys to draw up options for restricting the presence of law enforcement officers in county hospitals or requiring deputies to receive additional training.
Sheriff Alex Villanueva has defended the deputy’s actions, saying she was “about a second or two away from getting beaned in the head’’ with the object Burgos was wielding. . He said it was unreasonable to expect the deputy could wait for hospital staff specially trained in restraining violent patients to respond.
“I’m not sure how long you want her to wait for people to gather together on the first floor of the hospital and get a plan together and go up to the fourth floor to intervene,” he said. “No. I wouldn’t expect anybody to wait under those circumstances.”
The deputy who opened fire has not been identified publicly. She is assigned to the department’s South L.A. station and is not a member of a sheriff’s unit attached to Harbor-UCLA, according to Dr. Anish Mahajan, chief medical officer for the hospital.
Sheriff’s Homicide Lt. Derrick Alfred said two deputies were inside a hospital room guarding a wounded deputy about 11:15 p.m. when they heard banging and screams.
One of the deputies left the room and walked down the hallway to investigate, Alfred said. A few rooms down, she encountered Burgos, who was in a hospital gown and attempting to smash a window with a 6.5-pound medical device encased in steel, Alfred said.
The deputy directed hospital staff to clear other patients from the room, and an announcement was broadcast over the hospital speaker system summoning a special crisis team, Alfred said. The deputy went back to the room of the wounded deputy and closed the door, he said.
Shortly after, Alfred said, a window on the door to the deputy’s room shattered and the deputies saw the patient holding the device over his head. Burgos then struck the door and attempted to enter swinging the device. A deputy blocked the man from entering and ordered him to put the object down, according to Alfred.
As the man lunged forward with the device over his head, one of the deputies fired nine times, , Alfred said. With no security cameras in patient rooms and the deputies not wearing body cameras, there is no video of the shooting, Alfred said.


latimes--2020-11-17--L.A. County cuts hours of some businesses, limits size of outdoor gatherings to battle COVID-19

In an effort to battle a dangerous surge in COVID-19 cases , Los Angeles County officials will soon announce new limits on hours of operation for some businesses while also limiting the size of outdoor gatherings .
Officials also warned that if cases and hospitalizations continue to surge , more extreme measures would be taken in the coming weeks , including limiting restaurants to pick-up orders and some type of return to the “ safer at home ” order that would “ only allow essential workers and those securing essential services to leave their homes.
” Starting Friday , restaurants @ @ @ @ @ @ @ establishments will be barred from providing outdoor service between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m. , said L.A. County Supervisor Sheila Kuehl .
She was unsure whether food establishments would be allowed to continue offering takeout during these hours .
She said the county ’ s public health department would soon release an order outlining the changes .
Additionally , outdoor social gatherings will be limited to three households , with a maximum of 15 people .
Businesses currently allowed to operate indoors — including retail , offices and personal-care establishments — will be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said .
Restaurants , breweries and wineries operating outdoors will be limited to 50 % capacity or less , Kuehl said .
Personal-care establishments will also be required to provide services by appointment only , and everyone will be required to wear a mask , meaning “ no more facials , ” she said .
The L.A. County Board of Supervisors discussed the order in a closed session meeting Tuesday and did not provide details about the discussion afterward .
For the past few weeks , the supervisors have discussed the order at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , from 7.6 new cases per 100,000 residents last week to 13.7 new cases per 100,000 residents this week .
And the rate of positivity for coronavirus tests is substantially up , at 5.3 % , compared with 3.8 % last week .
One major problem , officials say , is groups of young adults on a Thursday in hopes of getting negative results by Saturday morning , then having a party Saturday night .
Such tests provide a false sense of security — and engaging in this practice can result in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ It ’ s a false narrative , ” L.A. County Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer said Monday .
“ Your test result that you got Saturday morning was from Thursday , when you got tested , and it said , ‘ On Thursday , you were negative.
’ It says nothing about whether you ’ re still negative on Saturday.
” Mayor Eric Garcetti on Monday called on residents to stay home as much as possible to slow the spread .
The new mandates fall short of the strict “ safer at home @ @ @ @ @ @ @ dire situation L.A. and the rest of California face in the coming weeks if the surging case numbers don ’ t start decreasing .
“ This is a different kind of moment , a new level of danger , ” Garcetti said .
“ If we don ’ t make these decisions now , there really is only one outcome : We will almost certainly have to shut things down again .
And more people will get sick and die .
“ We must stay at home as much as possible for the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for accessing essential services , food and outdoor exercise , ” he added .
Across California , coronavirus cases are surging at an unprecedented pace , even worse than the second surge of the year , .
Weekly coronavirus infections across California are now nearly 150 % worse than they were a month ago , according to a Times analysis , rising from about 22,600 to 56,000 for the seven-day period that ended Sunday .
Hospitalizations statewide are up 51 % over the same period .
And the statewide rate at which coronavirus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 5 % , nearly double that of a month ago , when it was 2.6 % .
Deaths are expected to climb .
Times staff writers Rong-Gong Lin and Luke Money contributed to this report .

Karen Alvarez comforts her 3-year-old daughter, Mercedez Gomez, as they wait in line at the Tom Bradley International Terminal at LAX before their flight to Nicaragua on Monday.
In an effort to battle a dangerous surge in COVID-19 cases, Los Angeles County officials announced Tuesday evening new limits on hours of operation for some businesses, while also limiting the size of outdoor gatherings.
Officials also warned that if cases and hospitalizations continue to surge, more extreme measures would be taken in the coming weeks, including limiting restaurants to pick-up orders and some type of return to the “safer at home” order that would “only allow essential workers and those securing essential services to leave their homes.”
Starting Friday, restaurants, breweries, bars, wineries and nonessential retail establishments must close from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m.
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Additionally, outdoor social gatherings — the only type allowed — will be limited to three households, with a maximum of 15 people.
Businesses currently allowed to operate indoors — including retail, offices and personal-care establishments — will be limited to 25% capacity.
Restaurants, breweries and wineries operating outdoors will be limited to 50% capacity, as will card rooms and outdoor mini-golf, go-karts and batting cages.
Personal-care establishments will be required to provide services by appointment only, and everyone will be required to wear a mask, meaning facials and shaves are banned. Food and drinks cannot be served to customers at these establishments.
The L.A. County Board of Supervisors discussed the order in a closed session meeting Tuesday and did not provide details about the discussion afterward. For the past few weeks, the supervisors have discussed the order at their public meetings.
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The new restrictions come in response to surging COVID-19 caseloads.
“Lives and livelihoods are at stake, and our entire community will be affected by our collective action if we do the right thing,” L.A. County Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer said in a statement.
More stringent requirements will be implemented if L.A. County’s numbers do not improve. If the five-day average of cases in the county becomes 4,500 or more, or there are more than 2,000 hospitalizations per day, the county will implement an order allowing only essential workers and those securing essential services to leave their homes.
Additionally, a countywide curfew between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m. would be mandated, with essential workers exempt.
L.A. County’s adjusted coronavirus case rate has nearly doubled, from 7.6 new cases per 100,000 residents last week to 13.7 new cases per 100,000 residents this week. And the rate of positivity for coronavirus tests is substantially up, at 5.3%, compared with 3.8% last week.
One major problem, officials say, is groups of young adults who get tested on a Thursday in hopes of getting negative results by Saturday morning, then having a party Saturday night. Such tests provide a false sense of security — and engaging in this practice can result in the gathering becoming a super-spreading event.
“It’s a false narrative,” Ferrer said Monday. “Your test result that you got Saturday morning was from Thursday, when you got tested, and it said, ‘On Thursday, you were negative.’ It says nothing about whether you’re still negative on Saturday.”
Mayor Eric Garcetti on Monday called on residents to stay home as much as possible to slow the spread.
“This is a different kind of moment, a new level of danger,” Garcetti said. “If we don’t make these decisions now, there really is only one outcome: We will almost certainly have to shut things down again. And more people will get sick and die.
“We must stay at home as much as possible for the next two to three weeks, except for accessing essential services, food and outdoor exercise,” he added.
California Orange County officials cry foul after state imposes sweeping COVID-19 restrictions County supervisors took Gov. Gavin Newsom and his administration to task for the recent reclassification that sent the county into the state’s most restrictive reopening tier.
Across California, coronavirus cases are surging at an unprecedented pace, even worse than the second surge of the year, in the summer . Weekly coronavirus infections across California are now nearly 150% worse than they were a month ago, according to a Times analysis, rising from about 22,600 to 56,000 for the seven-day period that ended Sunday.
Hospitalizations statewide are up 51% over the same period. And the statewide rate at which coronavirus tests are coming back positive is now 5%, nearly double that of a month ago, when it was 2.6%. Deaths are expected to climb.
Times staff writers Rong-Gong Lin and Luke Money contributed to this report.