latimes--2020-04-17--Cal State to suspend SAT, ACT test requirement during coronavirus crisis

California State University , the largest public university system in the nation , announced Friday it would suspend its SAT and ACT testing requirement for students seeking admission in 2021-2022 amid continued uncertainty over the educational impacts of the coronavirus outbreak .
The admission adjustment represents a major shift for the CSU system , which educates nearly half a million students and currently relies exclusively on the combination of an SAT or ACT score and a student ’ s GPA to determine acceptance eligibility .
The decision by the 23-campus system follows a similar one by the University of California @ @ @ @ @ @ @ State University has provided access to a high-quality education for millions of Californians from all walks of life , and we will continue to fulfill our academic mission even during these most trying of times , ” CSU Chancellor Timothy P. White said in a statement .
“ This temporary change will ensure equitable access to the university , and should provide some measure of relief to prospective students and their families.
” Under the new guidelines , first-time freshmen seeking admission in the fall 2021 , winter 2022 or spring 2022 terms @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or equivalent , completed the 15-course college preparatory sequence known as the “ A-G ” requirements , and earned a 2.5 GPA or better .
Any student with a GPA of 2.0 to 2.49 may be evaluated , based on supplemental factors such as additional coursework , extracurricular activities and household income .
It will be up to each campus to determine the supplemental criteria and communicate them to prospective students .
The standards laid out Friday would apply only to California residents and graduates of California high schools .
Non-California residents may @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a 3.0 GPA or better and meet other supplemental criteria determined by individual campuses .
The change in admission requirements will affect all campuses and programs in the CSU system , including those that have been deemed “ impacted ” — meaning unable to enroll everyone who is eligible .
Those campuses and programs may require higher GPA thresholds and identify their own supplemental criteria and their relative weight .

California State University, the largest public university system in the nation, announced Friday it would suspend its SAT and ACT testing requirement for students seeking admission in 2021-2022 amid continued uncertainty over the educational impacts of the coronavirus outbreak.
The admission adjustment represents a major shift for the CSU system, which educates nearly half a million students and currently relies almost exclusively on the combination of an SAT or ACT score and a student’s GPA to determine acceptance eligibility.
For the record: This article states that Cal State Long Beach evaluates about 70,000 applicants for a first-time freshman class of just under 40,000. The campus reviews 70,000 applicants to enroll roughly 5,000 first-time freshmen.
The decision by the 23-campus system follows a similar one by the University of California earlier this month.
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“The California State University has provided access to a high-quality education for millions of Californians from all walks of life, and we will continue to fulfill our academic mission even during these most trying of times,” CSU Chancellor Timothy P. White said in a statement. “This temporary change will ensure equitable access to the university and should provide some measure of relief to prospective students and their families.”
Under the new guidelines, first-time freshmen seeking admission for the terms of fall 2021, winter 2022 or spring 2022 must have earned a high school diploma or equivalent, completed the 15-course college preparatory sequence known as the “A-G” requirements and earned a GPA of 2.5 or better.
Any student with a GPA of 2.0 to 2.49 may be evaluated, based on supplemental factors such as additional coursework beyond the A-G requirements, extracurricular activities and household income. It will be up to each campus to determine those additional criteria and to communicate them to prospective students.
The standards laid out Friday would apply only to California residents and graduates of California high schools. Non-California residents may be eligible for admission if they earn a GPA of 3.0 or better and meet the additional criteria.
Cal State previously said it would accept marks of “pass” or “credit” instead of letter grades for classes taken in the winter, spring or summer of 2020. These would not be included in the calculation of a student’s GPA.
The change in admission requirements will affect all campuses and programs in the CSU system, including those that have been deemed “impacted” — meaning unable to enroll everyone who is eligible. Those campuses and programs may require higher GPA thresholds and identify their own supplemental criteria and their relative weight.
Dhushy Sathianathan, vice provost for academic planning at Cal State Long Beach, said coming up with a new, fair admissions standard that doesn’t penalize disadvantaged students will be “a monumental task,” especially since applications for 2021 open in just six months.
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“We don’t have a lot of time to investigate other options,” Sathianathan said. “The ideal would be to go to a holistic review completely, but that’s very intensive and requires a lot of resources to put into place, and ... that’s not easy to do quickly.”
Cal State Long Beach, which evaluates about 70,000 applicants each year for a first-time freshman class of just under 40,000, has already begun looking at how it might reconfigure its “eligibility index,” a composite score all CSU campuses use that takes into account GPA and SAT or ACT scores.
Sathianathan said one likely possibility is to give greater weight to student grades in high school math and English coursework. He said the university would run tests using student data from previous admissions cycles to make sure it yields a similar pool of admitted students and does not discriminate against students who are the first in their families to go to college, belong to underrepresented racial and ethnic minorities or come from low-income households.
Other campuses that already consider additional criteria may have an easier time making the adjustment. Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, which received more than 50,000 applicants for fewer than 5,000 seats in fall 2019, awards students bonus points for courses they take beyond the 15 required ones and for their work experience and extracurricular activities. Veterans, first-generation college students and local students also get priority.
James Maraviglia, vice provost for enrollment development at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, said Friday’s announcement would not pose a burden for his university, which could easily tweak its algorithm to give greater weight to other factors.
He said staff members had already run a simulation on this year’s freshmen class and found that removing test scores would not significantly alter the academic profile of the pool of admitted students. However, the change would make it harder to place those students in the appropriate freshman math and English courses, Maraviglia said.
The Cal State systemwide academic senate supports the temporary suspension of the testing requirement, Chair Catherine Nelson said.
“A lot of students are not going to have access to the SAT or ACT,” Nelson said. Even if the College Board offers the test digitally at home, as it this week indicated it may, “not everybody is going to have the technology available for that, nor will they necessarily have access to the internet or access to a quiet place in the home to take a three-hour test,” she said.
Nelson said the academic senate recommended that after the temporary suspension is lifted, CSU review data from 2021-2022 to evaluate whether SAT and ACT scores are even needed to evaluate applicants — a subject that has been hotly debated, particularly in the context of equity for low-income, first-generation and minority students.
“We are well aware of the literature that says GPA is as good a predictor, if not a better predictor, than standardized tests of college success,” she said. “The supplemental criteria are there to help establish potential for college success and for bringing in students that might not otherwise be able to come in.”
Joaquin Gonzalez, a junior at Garfield High School, earned mostly Cs and below his first two years of high school. While his grades have improved this year, he said his hard work came “a little bit too late” to get to the GPA he wants.
The 16-year-old took the SAT earlier this year and scored 990. He was hoping to take it at least once more and earn a higher score. With the cancellation of the June test administration and the feasibility of other dates still unknown, that might not be possible.
“I’m relieved, but I really do want to take the SAT again,” Gonzalez said. “I really want to show how well I could do.”


latimes--2020-04-17--Coronavirus antibody tests are almost impossible to get. Meet three L.A. residents who got them

Jake Warner came down with something in late February , but he wasn ’ t sure with what .
“ It ’ s been a bad flu season , a bad allergy season , ” Warner said .
“ There ’ s been a lot of what-ifs.
” The 27-year-old tech entrepreneur is hardly the only person to have wondered if he has unknowingly come down with the coronavirus before the extent of the pandemic was known and diagnostic testing was widely available .
But he is among a rarefied group that has gotten some answers , thanks to a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the blood .
The antibody tests , also known as serology tests , have become increasingly publicized .
Last week , Los Angeles County launched a study to test residents , including those without symptoms , to get a sense of how many people had the virus .
While the tests have captured growing attention , they ’ re not yet widely available to the public .
Only a handful have been allowed by the federal government ; others are approved for research use only .
No test offers ironclad accuracy .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ a research study because in the analysis you can sort of account for that inaccuracy , but when you ’ re dealing with an individual patient , you have to be right , ” said Dr. Paul Simon , chief science officer for the county Department of Public Health .
“ And so I ’ m very concerned that the quality of the tests out there right now are highly variable , very little oversight.
” With antibody testing still relatively hard to obtain , The Times spoke to three Angelenos about what @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to this coveted product .
When Sara Benincasa , a writer and comic , tells people she ’ s had the antibody test , their reaction is akin to her getting an envy-inducing script deal .
“ Some people assumed I must have some secret hookup , ” Benincasa said .
“ That ’ s absolutely not the case.
” Instead , she owes her test to an eagle-eyed friend , who showed her an online survey from the county health department and USC .
The survey was seeking people to participate in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to test for antibodies .
Since she had exposure to two people who had later been diagnosed with COVID-19 , but had no sign of symptoms herself , her friend said she may be a good fit for the study .
Benincasa figured she probably hadn ’ t had the virus .
But if she did , she wanted to donate her plasma , since plasma collected from those who have recovered from coronavirus is being evaluated as a potential treatment for those currently battling it .
She was selected and arrived last @ @ @ @ @ @ @ parking lot , wearing a cloth mask decorated with a unicorn , much to the delight of the USC medical students volunteering at the site .
“ I spent careful time choosing what mask I wore because I figured it would give them a laugh , and I was correct , ” she said .
“ This was my equivalent of going to the prom — the quarantine prom.
” The test consisted of quick finger prick to collect a tiny drop of blood .
She was told her results would be available @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in half that time .
The next day she learned she tested negative .
“ I had a simultaneous feeling of relief and disappointment , ” she said .
“ The disappointment came from realizing , oh , I can still get this .
And the disappointment was also , oh , I can ’ t be of service in this special way.
” At the very least , obtaining the test was an unlikely high point in this surreal time .
Before the pandemic started , she said , “ if somebody @ @ @ @ @ @ @ would be driving my 10-year-old vehicle to a nearly deserted public municipal parking lot and say hi to strangers , one of whom would lightly stab me with a needle , I would say , ‘ Wow , 2020 is really unfolding in a very special way.
’ ” Stacy Rukeyser was scrolling on Instagram when she saw a friend posting about getting an antibody test .
She immediately texted to find out where .
The answer was NextHealth , a boutique wellness center in West Hollywood where the offerings include cryotherapy and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Rukeyser for a number of reasons .
She had been keeping her distance from her elderly mother for fear of inadvertently infecting her .
“ If I knew I had the antibodies , I would go see her , ” Rukeyser said .
“ That would make her life a lot better.
” She also saw the blood test as potentially a step forward in getting back to work .
Rukeyser , the showrunner for the Netflix show “ Sex/Life , ” was two weeks into production in Toronto when coronavirus abruptly shut @ @ @ @ @ @ @ What are the conditions that would have to exist in order for TV shows to go back into production ?
Nobody seems to know , ” Rukeyser said .
“ Antibody tests are one of the things on the list of possibilities.
” The tests at NextHealth cost $ 249 apiece , and Rukeyser noted that being able to afford it put her in “ an incredibly privileged position.
” “ I know how fortunate I am , ” she said .
“ I acknowledge the sort of pay-to-play aspect of it and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ m trying to do it for a good purpose — to amplify the test.
” She and her husband went in for the test on Saturday , getting a blood draw from a vein in her arm .
On Wednesday , they got their results : Both tested negative .
“ I felt disappointed , of course , that I didn ’ t have any antibodies , and thus no potential immunity , ” she said .
“ But I also felt glad to know — to have certainty one way or another.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ if I ’ m in the clear ’ For more than a month , Warner and his live-in girlfriend have been apart , for fear of unintentionally exposing each other to the virus .
His girlfriend has an immune deficiency and asthma , which would make the coronavirus especially risky for her .
Warner said he would jump at “ any way to triple-check when it comes to her safety.
” The antibody test offered the chance to know if they should continue to stay apart .
His mother contacted her longtime doctor @ @ @ @ @ @ @ test kits .
Warner , his mother and stepfather , as well as his girlfriend and her mother , all took the test during a home visit .
The test required about half a vial of blood drawn from the forearm .
Warner did not pay out of pocket for the test and believes his health insurance may have covered it .
Within 90 minutes , he got a phone call with the results .
Warner ’ s entire immediate family tested positive for the antibodies .
He followed up with a nasal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to see if the virus was currently in his system and tested negative for that .
His girlfriend tested negative , meaning their distancing would have to continue .
But Warner , who has consulted with several doctors , says the antibody test hardly offers all the answers .
Much is still unknown about what the presence of antibodies mean and whether that actually indicates of if someone is immune from the virus .
The result is a confusing muddle of conflicting information .
“ I ’ ve been told I ’ m @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I can still contract it again , ” he said .
“ I ’ ve been told I ’ m not contagious , and I ’ ve been told I am contagious.
” The end result is not much practical change for how Warner is approaching the virus .
He still wears a mask and gloves , washes his hands regularly and doesn ’ t go out unless absolutely necessary .
“ The best move on my part and my family is continuously quarantine the way we were before , ” he said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bit of ease of mind knowing I ’ m probably not going to get sick from this point forward.
” But he worries that many people are going to get a false sense of confidence from antibody tests .
“ Rather than it being a means to more information or data about yourself and the population , people are going take it as a pass/fail , ” he said .
“ It needs to be highly expressed on all fronts that ’ s not the case .
”

Jake Warner came down with something in late February, but he wasn’t sure with what.
“It’s been a bad flu season, a bad allergy season,” Warner said. “There’s been a lot of what-ifs.”
The 27-year-old tech entrepreneur is hardly the only person to have wondered if he has unknowingly come down with the coronavirus before the extent of the pandemic was known and diagnostic testing was widely available. But he is among a rarefied group that has gotten some answers, thanks to a test that measures antibodies to the virus in the blood.
Advertisement
The antibody tests, also known as serology tests, have become increasingly publicized. Last week, Los Angeles County launched a study to test residents, including those without symptoms, to get a sense of how many people had the virus.
While the tests have captured growing attention, they’re not yet widely available to the public. Only a handful have been allowed by the federal government; others are approved for research use only. No test offers ironclad accuracy.
“An imperfect test works fine in a research study because in the analysis you can sort of account for that inaccuracy, but when you’re dealing with an individual patient, you have to be right,” said Dr. Paul Simon, chief science officer for the county Department of Public Health. “And so I’m very concerned that the quality of the tests out there right now are highly variable, very little oversight.”
With antibody testing still relatively hard to obtain, The Times spoke to three Angelenos about what it’s like to get access to this coveted product.
‘The quarantine prom’
When Sara Benincasa, a writer and comic, tells people she’s had the antibody test, their reaction is akin to her getting an envy-inducing script deal.
Advertisement
“Some people assumed I must have some secret hookup,” Benincasa said. “That’s absolutely not the case.”
Instead, she owes her test to an eagle-eyed friend, who showed her an online survey from the county health department and USC. The survey was seeking people to participate in a randomized trial to collect blood samples to test for antibodies.
Since she had exposure to two people who had later been diagnosed with COVID-19, but had no sign of symptoms herself, her friend said she may be a good fit for the study.
Benincasa figured she probably hadn’t had the virus. But if she did, she wanted to donate her plasma, since plasma collected from those who have recovered from coronavirus is being evaluated as a potential treatment for those currently battling it.
She was selected and arrived last weekend to the East Los Angeles Library parking lot, wearing a cloth mask decorated with a unicorn, much to the delight of the USC medical students volunteering at the site.
I was exposed to COVID-19 2x (that I know of) in Feb. Thanks to my eagle-eyed friend @robbelushi I applied to & will participate in a study through the LA County Dept. of Public Health. I am actually looking forward to a pinprick test while wearing a mask made in LA. #LAProtects pic.twitter.com/tlYLfMH9Pr — Sara Benincasa (@SaraJBenincasa) April 6, 2020
“I spent careful time choosing what mask I wore because I figured it would give them a laugh, and I was correct,” she said. “This was my equivalent of going to the prom — the quarantine prom.”
The test consisted of quick finger prick to collect a tiny drop of blood. She was told her results would be available in 48 hours, but they returned in half that time. The next day she learned she tested negative.
“I had a simultaneous feeling of relief and disappointment,” she said. “The disappointment came from realizing, oh, I can still get this. And the disappointment was also, oh, I can’t be of service in this special way.”
At the very least, obtaining the test was an unlikely high point in this surreal time.
Before the pandemic started, she said, “if somebody told me the thrill of a lifetime would be driving my 10-year-old vehicle to a nearly deserted public municipal parking lot and say hi to strangers, one of whom would lightly stab me with a needle, I would say, ‘Wow, 2020 is really unfolding in a very special way.’”
‘I know how fortunate I am’
Stacy Rukeyser was scrolling on Instagram when she saw a friend posting about getting an antibody test. She immediately texted to find out where.
The answer was NextHealth, a boutique wellness center in West Hollywood where the offerings include cryotherapy and vitamin shots. The prospect appealed to Rukeyser for a number of reasons. She had been keeping her distance from her elderly mother for fear of inadvertently infecting her.
“If I knew I had the antibodies, I would go see her,” Rukeyser said. “That would make her life a lot better.”
She also saw the blood test as potentially a step forward in getting back to work. Rukeyser, the showrunner for the Netflix show “Sex/Life,” was two weeks into production in Toronto when coronavirus abruptly shut things down on March 13.
“What are the conditions that would have to exist in order for TV shows to go back into production? Nobody seems to know,” Rukeyser said. “Antibody tests are one of the things on the list of possibilities.”
The tests at NextHealth cost $249 apiece, and Rukeyser noted that being able to afford it put her in “an incredibly privileged position.”
“I know how fortunate I am,” she said. “I acknowledge the sort of pay-to-play aspect of it and the inequality of that. I’m trying to do it for a good purpose — to amplify the test.”
She and her husband went in for the test on Saturday, getting a blood draw from a vein in her arm. On Wednesday, they got their results: Both tested negative.
“I felt disappointed, of course, that I didn’t have any antibodies, and thus no potential immunity,” she said. “But I also felt glad to know — to have certainty one way or another.”
‘I don’t know if I’m in the clear’
For more than a month, Warner and his live-in girlfriend have been apart, for fear of unintentionally exposing each other to the virus. His girlfriend has an immune deficiency and asthma, which would make the coronavirus especially risky for her.
Warner said he would jump at “any way to triple-check when it comes to her safety.” The antibody test offered the chance to know if they should continue to stay apart.
His mother contacted her longtime doctor, who had recently received several hundred test kits. Warner, his mother and stepfather, as well as his girlfriend and her mother, all took the test during a home visit. The test required about half a vial of blood drawn from the forearm. Warner did not pay out of pocket for the test and believes his health insurance may have covered it.
Within 90 minutes, he got a phone call with the results. Warner’s entire immediate family tested positive for the antibodies. He followed up with a nasal swab test at an urgent care clinic to see if the virus was currently in his system and tested negative for that.
His girlfriend tested negative, meaning their distancing would have to continue.
But Warner, who has consulted with several doctors, says the antibody test hardly offers all the answers. Much is still unknown about what the presence of antibodies mean and whether that actually indicates of if someone is immune from the virus. The result is a confusing muddle of conflicting information.
“I’ve been told I’m in the clear, but also told I can still contract it again,” he said. “I’ve been told I’m not contagious, and I’ve been told I am contagious.”
The end result is not much practical change for how Warner is approaching the virus. He still wears a mask and gloves, washes his hands regularly and doesn’t go out unless absolutely necessary.
“The best move on my part and my family is continuously quarantine the way we were before,” he said. “There’s a little bit of ease of mind knowing I’m probably not going to get sick from this point forward.”
But he worries that many people are going to get a false sense of confidence from antibody tests.
“Rather than it being a means to more information or data about yourself and the population, people are going take it as a pass/fail,” he said. “It needs to be highly expressed on all fronts that’s not the case.”


latimes--2020-04-17--California coronavirus death toll tops 1,000, and L.A. is hardest hit

California reached a grim new milestone Friday in the fight against the coronavirus , as the number of deaths attributed to COVID-19 surpassed 1,000 .
Los Angeles County reported 40 more deaths Friday and 567 new cases , for a total of 495 deaths and 11,391 cases .
A total of 1,624 people are currently hospitalized ; 33 % of them are in intensive care units , and 20 % are on ventilators , Barbara Ferrer , L.A. County ’ s public health director , said Friday .
The county ’ s COVID-19 mortality rate has continued to creep upward @ @ @ @ @ @ @ she said .
She cited two possible reasons for the continued uptick : a lag between when new cases are reported and people who become sick with COVID-19 die of the illness ; and an increase in outbreaks in institutional settings .
Of those who have died , 177 were residents of such facilities , primarily skilled nursing and assisted living homes , Ferrer said .
They represent about 36 % of all deaths in L.A. County , she said .
In total , 2,183 people who either live or work in institutional @ @ @ @ @ @ @ residents and 968 staff members , Ferrer said .
“ We have many more skilled nursing facilities that have seen a significant number of cases within those facilities , ” she said .
“ And the people who are residents in those facilities are often already in fragile medical condition , and a disease like COVID-19 both spreads more easily in a congregate living situation and also can have devastating impacts on people with underlying health conditions.
” As of Friday , the L.A. County Department of Public Health was investigating 228 institutions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ case of the coronavirus , an increase of 19 from the day before .
They include 20 care facilities that had more than 20 residents test positive and four that had 40 or more residents test positive , Ferrer said .
In addition , there have been 77 confirmed cases in county jail facilities , including 17 inmates and 60 staff members , and 67 cases in federal and state prisons , including 56 inmates and 11 staff members , she said .
“ We are extraordinarily worried about the outbreaks that continue @ @ @ @ @ @ @ settings , ” she said .
She said the county has asked the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the state for help implementing strict infection control procedures at some of the group living sites and is also seeking staffing support to make up for a high level of absences at some facilities .
The rising death toll comes even as the growth of coronavirus cases appears to be slowing in the state .
Officials have cautiously credited strict stay-at-home orders for the deceleration but say the trend could reverse if the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ County reported three additional COVID-19 deaths Friday and 77 new cases , for a total of 1,501 cases and 28 deaths .
In San Francisco , 1,058 have tested positive for the virus , and 20 have died .
In the Central Valley , one worker at a Safeway distribution center has died of complications related to the coronavirus , and 51 others have been infected , officials said this week .
Andrew Whelan — a spokesman for Albertsons Cos. , which owns Safeway — said 3 % of the roughly 1,700 workers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ County had tested positive for the virus , and additional health and safety measures are now in place .
The center provides groceries to about 300 stores throughout Northern California , Nevada and Hawaii .
While California ’ s coronavirus crisis began in the Bay Area , Los Angeles County now accounts for an outsize number of deaths .
The county represents a quarter of California ’ s population but has been the site of almost half of COVID-19 deaths , a Times data analysis found .
Thursday marked the third straight day @ @ @ @ @ @ @ COVID-19 deaths .
The five-county Southern California region accounts for roughly 60 % of deaths in California due to the disease , even though the region comprises just 48 % of California ’ s population .
Those numbers led to California recording its worst one-day death total on Wednesday , with 101 new fatalities .
Despite the continued rise in deaths , daily tallies of new cases in California suggest the spread of the virus is slowing .
So does the number of COVID-19 patients in , which has remained between 1,100 and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Gavin Newsom said Thursday that 1,191 Californians were in intensive care as of Wednesday — a 1.4 % day-to-day increase — but that the overall number of patients hospitalized ticked down by almost 1 % to 3,141 .
“ That ’ s good news , but again , I caution everybody : One day ’ s data does not make a trend , ” he said .
L.A. County officials have said that while strict stay-at-home orders have slowed the spread of coronavirus , they remain worried about the possibility of more outbreaks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to 30 % of the county ’ s 10 million residents could be infected by midsummer without more behavioral changes , such as reducing shopping trips .
Even as officials stressed that the progress could be reversed if stay-at-home orders were lifted too soon , protesters across the country gathered to rally against the orders Friday .
In Huntington Beach , more than 100 people , many standing close together without protective gear , called for an end to the lockdown .
Meanwhile , several Bay Area counties issued additional orders requiring residents @ @ @ @ @ @ @ traveling to essential businesses or riding public transportation .
Dr. Grant Colfax , San Francisco ’ s director of public health , said the orders won ’ t replace the six-feet social distancing requirement .
The order will be enforced by police .

Alex Wigglesworth, Sean Greene, Rong-Gong Lin II, Luke Money, Priscella Vega, Alejandra Reyes-Velarde

People drive by with signs and and honk their horns in support of nurses at Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center on Thursday.
As California continues its fight against the coronavirus, the number of deaths attributed to COVID-19 in the state surpassed 1,000 on Friday — nearly half of them in Los Angeles County.
Although officials noted there has been progress in flattening the curve of new coronavirus cases, L.A. County’s death rate continues to climb. An additional 40 deaths were reported Friday, for a total of 501, and deaths are continuing to double every week, Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti said Friday.
Additionally, 1,624 people are hospitalized, with 33% of patients in intensive care units, said Barbara Ferrer, L.A. County’s public health director.
Ferrer cited two possible reasons for the continued uptick: a lag between when new cases are reported and when people who become sick with COVID-19 die of the illness; and an increase in outbreaks in institutional settings.
Of those who have died, 177 were residents of such facilities, primarily skilled nursing and assisted living homes, Ferrer said. They represent about 36% of all deaths in L.A. County, she said.
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In total, 2,183 people who live or work in institutional settings have been infected, including 1,215 residents and 968 staff members, Ferrer said.
“We have many more skilled nursing facilities that have seen a significant number of cases within those facilities,” she said. “And the people who are residents in those facilities are often already in fragile medical condition, and a disease like COVID-19 both spreads more easily in a congregate living situation and also can have devastating impacts on people with underlying health conditions.”
As of Friday, the L.A. County Department of Public Health was investigating 228 institutions that had reported at least one confirmed case of the coronavirus, an increase of 19 from the day before. They include 20 care facilities that had more than 20 residents test positive and four that had 40 or more residents test positive, Ferrer said.
In addition, there have been 77 confirmed cases in county jail facilities, including 17 inmates and 60 staff members, and 67 cases in federal and state prisons, including 56 inmates and 11 staff members, she said.
“We are extraordinarily worried about the outbreaks that continue to happen across the many different institutional settings,” she said.
She said the county has asked the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the state for help implementing strict infection control procedures at some of the group living sites and is also seeking staffing support to make up for a high level of absences at some facilities.
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The rising death toll comes even as the growth of coronavirus cases appears to be slowing in the state. Officials have cautiously credited stay-at-home orders for the deceleration but say the trend could reverse if the restrictions are lifted too soon.
Garcetti said the city is preparing for a surge of COVID-19 cases and has opened a medical relief center at the Los Angeles Convention Center with a capacity of 175 beds for patients who don’t have the coronavirus.
“So far because you’ve done a great job flattening the curve our hospitals have been able to manage the patient volume,” Garcetti said. “But as I’ve said, our numbers continue to go up even if they go up more slowly, and people are going into hospitals more quickly than they are going out.”
As of Friday, a total of 1,551 hospital beds and 232 ventilators were available in Los Angeles, he said.
Los Angeles will continue to ramp up testing efforts, and Garcetti encouraged residents to seek testing if they believe they have been exposed to the virus.
“Even if you’re asymptomatic, we need you to get tested,” he said. “We need to know because if you don’t know, you might not be isolated from people you know. That kills people.”
The county has added 11 new testing centers in the last week and has the ability to process about 12,000 tests a day, he said.
Garcetti said the city and county were also continuing efforts to house at-risk homeless individuals in shelters, hotels and, soon, trailers provided by the state.
Homeless residents who are older than 65 or who have chronic medical conditions will be housed in the trailers in a Woodland Hills recreation center, and the city plans to acquire more than 300 additional trailers in the coming weeks, Garcetti said.
California The pandemic’s toll: Lives lost in California Hundreds of people have died in California due to the COVID-19 pandemic. These are some of their stories.
Orange County reported three additional COVID-19 deaths Friday and 77 new cases, for a total of 1,501 cases and 28 deaths. In San Francisco, 1,058 have tested positive for the virus, and 20 have died.
In the Central Valley, one worker at a Safeway distribution center has died of complications from the coronavirus, and 51 others have been infected, officials said this week.
Andrew Whelan, a spokesman for Safeway owner Albertsons Cos., said 3% of the roughly 1,700 workers at the Tracy facility in San Joaquin County had tested positive for the virus, and additional health and safety measures are now in place.
The center provides groceries to about 300 stores throughout Northern California, Nevada and Hawaii.
Though California’s coronavirus crisis began in the Bay Area, Los Angeles County now accounts for an outsize number of deaths.
The county represents a quarter of California’s population but has been the site of almost half of COVID-19 deaths, a Times data analysis found. Thursday marked the third straight day the county saw a record number of COVID-19 deaths.
The five-county Southern California region accounts for roughly 60% of deaths in California linked to the disease, though the region comprises just 48% of California’s population.
Those numbers led to California recording its worst one-day death total Wednesday, with 101 new fatalities.
Despite the continued rise in deaths, daily tallies of new cases in California suggest the spread of the virus is slowing. So does the number of COVID-19 patients in intensive care units, which has remained between 1,100 and 1,200 since April 7.
Gov. Gavin Newsom said Thursday that 1,191 Californians were in intensive care as of Wednesday — a 1.4% day-to-day increase — but that the overall number of patients hospitalized ticked down by almost 1%, to 3,141.
“That’s good news, but again, I caution everybody: One day’s data does not make a trend,” he said.
L.A. County officials have said that although stay-at-home orders have slowed the spread of the coronavirus, they remain worried about the possibility of more outbreaks. They forecast last week that up to 30% of the county’s 10 million residents could be infected by midsummer without more behavioral changes, such as reducing shopping trips.
Even as officials stressed that the progress could be reversed if stay-at-home orders were lifted too soon, protesters across the country gathered to rally against the orders Friday. In Huntington Beach, more than 100 people, many standing close together without protective gear, called for an end to the lockdown.
Meanwhile, several Bay Area counties issued additional orders requiring residents and workers to wear face coverings when traveling to essential businesses or riding public transportation.
Dr. Grant Colfax, San Francisco’s director of public health, said the orders won’t replace the six-foot physical distancing requirement. The order will be enforced by police.
Times staff writer Maura Dolan contributed to this report.


latimes--2020-04-17--California unemployment jumps as payrolls shrink for first time since 2010

California ’ s unemployment rate shot up in March as a statewide coronavirus shutdown took effect and overall payrolls shrank for the first time in a decade , state officials reported Friday .
The March report showed a jobless rate of 5.3 % , up from 3.9 % in February , the largest jump in more than four decades of state data collection .
But the rate is based on a survey that ended March 12 , so it doesn ’ t reflect the positions axed by thousands of employers in the second half of the month .
Through the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ state lost 99,500 jobs .
That ends a record 120-month streak of gains since the Great Recession .
Both the U.S. jobless rate , which was 4.4 % in March , and California ’ s rate have skyrocketed in recent weeks , according to economists who predict the state ’ s unemployment rate this year could climb to more than 16 % and perhaps as high as 20 % .
“ California employment is in free fall and no bottom is yet in sight , ” said Sung Won Sohn , a Loyola @ @ @ @ @ @ @ won ’ t recover sharply even when the lockdown ends.
” The grim news came the day after federal officials reported that 660,966 Californians had filed jobless claims in the week that ended April 11 .
Over four weeks , 2.7 million claims were processed statewide , amounting to 1 of every 7 workers in the state ’ s 19.3-million-person labor force .
Nationwide , some 22 million people have sought unemployment benefits in the last month , the largest number on record .
In the Great Recession , employment declined by 8.6 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2009 .
The number of California jobs lost in March was the fourth-largest on record , driven by declines in six of 11 industry sectors .
The leisure and hospitality sector shrank the most — losing 67,200 positions — largely because of closures of hotels , restaurants , food services and bars .
“ This is just the tip of the iceberg of what we are likely to see when the April California employment report is released , ” said Scott Anderson , chief economist of the Bank of the West in San @ @ @ @ @ @ @ economy will be spared before the job losses will be over.
” The state ’ s “ other services ” sector , which covers a mixture of businesses such as auto repair and dry cleaning , lost 15,500 positions .
The construction sector shrank by 11,600 .
The professional and business services sector , which includes some technology jobs , dropped by 8,600 positions .
The manufacturing sector lost 5,300 .
The trade , transportation and utilities sector shrank by 4,600 .
Retail trade was flat over the month .
Amazon , Walmart @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of workers in recent weeks as shoppers order goods online and crowd into markets to stock up on food .
Those jobs are offset by furloughs at Macy ’ s , Kohl ’ s and other large department stores as well as thousands of smaller clothing stores and other nonessential-goods outlets .
The government sector posted the largest job gain of the month : 5,200 positions , mostly caused by a rise in local government employment .
Federal government also grew , boosted by the hiring of U.S. census takers .
The financial @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and the information sector , which includes some software jobs , gained 2,600 .
Payrolls in the education and health services sector grew by 1,200 .
Mining and logging gained 300 positions .
California employers with more than 75 workers must report plant closures and mass layoffs to the California Employment Development Department under the Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification , or WARN , law .
In the past , the agency issued two monthly reports , but so many companies have been laying off workers that the list is now updated daily @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
In February , just 64 companies reported layoffs , totaling 7,164 workers .
In March , 354 companies reported staff cuts , totaling 52,959 .
And in the first half of April , 1,377 employers reported shedding a combined 154,269 workers .
Thousands were laid off at hotels , restaurants and entertainment venues , but pain has been felt across a wide variety of businesses .
Among the largest layoffs were 3,029 at Pacific Dental Services , an Irvine-based chain ; 2,250 at San Diego ’ s Sea World ; 1,671 at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at LAZ Parking in Los Angeles ; 1,900 at Hawaiian Gardens Casino and 893 at San Diego-based Core Power Yoga .
And the WARN report is far from complete .
Not only does it not include layoffs at smaller companies , it also counts only workers who were employed for at least six of the 12 months before the layoffs .
And last month , Gov .
Gavin Newsom suspended the law ’ s provision that employers give workers and the agency 60 days ’ notice , so many companies have yet to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the jobless rate jumped to 6.3 % in March from 4.3 % in February .
Payrolls in the county , which total about 4.6 million jobs , shed 35,200 .
In Orange County , unemployment grew to 3.6 % from 2.8 % .
The county , with about 1.67 million workers , lost 13,200 jobs .
In the Inland Empire , spanning Riverside and San Bernardino counties , unemployment rose to 5.1 % from 4 % .
The region , with some 1.54 million workers , lost 5,500 positions .
Unemployment claims @ @ @ @ @ @ @ when California begins accepting applications from hundreds of thousands of self-employed workers and independent contractors , noted Lynn Reaser , an economist at Point Loma Nazarene University in San Diego .
With the growth of gig economy companies such as Uber , Lyft and Instacart , that pool of workers has expanded rapidly in recent years .
Until now , gig workers have not been eligible for jobless benefits because the companies they work for do not pay state unemployment taxes .
But they ’ re explicitly included in the federal Coronavirus Aid @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , known as CARES , which offers jobless workers up to $ 600 a week .
Economists offer varying assessments as to how long a coronavirus-induced recession might last .
Anderson , at the Bank of the West , predicted , “ We will be entering a multiyear process of recovery for the California economy , even in the best-case scenario where business shutdowns end and economic activity returns in the second half of this year.
” Reaser was somewhat more optimistic .
“ The steepness and suddenness of the decline is probably @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said .
“ However , the downturn is likely to be much shorter than the Depression of the 1930s , which spanned four years , and even the Great Recession , which lasted 18 months .
The economy is not in a downward spiral with no relief in prospect.
” And Sohn suggested California ’ s eventual recovery might be faster than the overall nation ’ s “ because technology has been the workhorse of the state ’ s recent economic expansion .
During this pandemic , remote communication , online shopping , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the decline in the state ’ s employment.
” But , he cautioned , “ boosting production is easier than persuading consumers to visit restaurants and theaters .
Employees are eager to return to work after weeks of lockdown , but the psychological shock to the people and the economy should not be underestimated .
”

Myra Madrid, who worked for 10 years at Four Seasons in Beverly Hills, was among those visiting a food bank at L.A.’s Hospitality Training Academy in March.
California’s unemployment rate shot up in March as a statewide coronavirus shutdown took effect and overall payrolls shrank for the first time in a decade, state officials reported Friday.
The March report showed a jobless rate of 5.3%, up from 3.9% in February, the largest jump in more than four decades of state data collection. But the rate is based on a survey that ended March 12, so it doesn’t reflect the positions axed by thousands of employers in the second half of the month.
Through the first half of the month, the state lost 99,500 jobs. That ends a record 120-month streak of gains since the Great Recession.
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Both the U.S. jobless rate, which was 4.4% in March, and California’s rate have skyrocketed in recent weeks, according to economists who predict the state’s unemployment rate this year could climb to more than 16% and perhaps as high as 20%.
“California employment is in free fall and no bottom is yet in sight,” said Sung Won Sohn, a Loyola Marymount University economist. “Economic activities won’t recover sharply even when the lockdown ends.”
The grim news came the day after federal officials reported that 660,966 Californians had filed jobless claims in the week that ended April 11. Over four weeks, 2.7 million claims were processed statewide, amounting to 1 of every 7 workers in the state’s 19.3-million-person labor force.
Nationwide, some 22 million people have sought unemployment benefits in the last month, the largest number on record. In the Great Recession, employment declined by 8.6 million workers between November 2007 and December 2009.
The number of California jobs lost in March was the fourth-largest on record, driven by declines in six of 11 industry sectors. The leisure and hospitality sector shrank the most — losing 67,200 positions — largely because of closures of hotels, restaurants, food services and bars.
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“This is just the tip of the iceberg of what we are likely to see when the April California employment report is released,” said Scott Anderson, chief economist of the Bank of the West in San Francisco. “No sector of the economy will be spared before the job losses will be over.”
The state’s “other services” sector, which covers a mixture of businesses such as auto repair and dry cleaning, lost 15,500 positions. The construction sector shrank by 11,600.
The professional and business services sector, which includes some technology jobs, dropped by 8,600 positions. The manufacturing sector lost 5,300. The trade, transportation and utilities sector shrank by 4,600.
Retail trade was flat over the month. Amazon, Walmart and many grocery stores have hired thousands of workers in recent weeks as shoppers order goods online and crowd into markets to stock up on food. Those jobs are offset by furloughs at Macy’s, Kohl’s and other large department stores as well as thousands of smaller clothing stores and other nonessential-goods outlets.
The government sector posted the largest job gain of the month: 5,200 positions, mostly caused by a rise in local government employment. Federal government also grew, boosted by the hiring of U.S. census takers.
The financial activities sector grew by 4,000 jobs, and the information sector, which includes some software jobs, gained 2,600. Payrolls in the education and health services sector grew by 1,200. Mining and logging gained 300 positions.
California employers with more than 75 workers must report plant closures and mass layoffs to the California Employment Development Department under the Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification, or WARN, law. In the past, the agency issued two monthly reports, but so many companies have been laying off workers that the list is now updated daily.
The numbers reveal a rapid acceleration. In February, just 64 companies reported layoffs, totaling 7,164 workers. In March, 354 companies reported staff cuts, totaling 52,959. And in the first half of April, 1,377 employers reported shedding a combined 154,269 workers.
Thousands were laid off at hotels, restaurants and entertainment venues, but pain has been felt across a wide variety of businesses. Among the largest layoffs were 3,029 at Pacific Dental Services, an Irvine-based chain; 2,250 at San Diego’s Sea World; 1,671 at YMCA of Metropolitan Los Angeles; 1,331 at LAZ Parking in Los Angeles; 1,900 at Hawaiian Gardens Casino and 893 at San Diego-based Core Power Yoga.
And the WARN report is far from complete. Not only does it not include layoffs at smaller companies, it also counts only workers who were employed for at least six of the 12 months before the layoffs. And last month, Gov. Gavin Newsom suspended the law’s provision that employers give workers and the agency 60 days’ notice, so many companies have yet to file reports.
In Los Angeles County, the jobless rate jumped to 6.3% in March from 4.3% in February. Payrolls in the county, which total about 4.6 million jobs, shed 35,200.
In Orange County, unemployment grew to 3.6% from 2.8%. The county, with about 1.67 million workers, lost 13,200 jobs.
In the Inland Empire, spanning Riverside and San Bernardino counties, unemployment rose to 5.1% from 4%. The region, with some 1.54 million workers, lost 5,500 positions.
Unemployment claims will jump at the end of April when California begins accepting applications from hundreds of thousands of self-employed workers and independent contractors, noted Lynn Reaser, an economist at Point Loma Nazarene University in San Diego. With the growth of gig economy companies such as Uber, Lyft and Instacart, that pool of workers has expanded rapidly in recent years.
Until now, gig workers have not been eligible for jobless benefits because the companies they work for do not pay state unemployment taxes. But they’re explicitly included in the federal Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act, known as CARES, which offers jobless workers up to $600 a week.
Economists offer varying assessments as to how long a coronavirus-induced recession might last.
Anderson, at the Bank of the West, predicted, “We will be entering a multiyear process of recovery for the California economy, even in the best-case scenario where business shutdowns end and economic activity returns in the second half of this year.”
Reaser was somewhat more optimistic.
“The steepness and suddenness of the decline is probably unparalleled in U.S. history,” she said. “However, the downturn is likely to be much shorter than the Depression of the 1930s, which spanned four years, and even the Great Recession, which lasted 18 months. The economy is not in a downward spiral with no relief in prospect.”
And Sohn suggested California’s eventual recovery might be faster than the overall nation’s “because technology has been the workhorse of the state’s recent economic expansion. During this pandemic, remote communication, online shopping, social media and digital streaming have limited the decline in the state’s employment.”
But, he cautioned, “boosting production is easier than persuading consumers to visit restaurants and theaters. Employees are eager to return to work after weeks of lockdown, but the psychological shock to the people and the economy should not be underestimated.”


latimes--2020-04-17--Coronavirus cases in San Bernardino County surpass 1,000

San Bernardino County health officials confirmed 36 new cases of the coronavirus Thursday , bringing the county ’ s total to at least 1,032 , the sixth highest in the state .
The county also reported eight more deaths linked to the virus , bringing the toll to 47 .
To date , eight of the 53 counties that have COVID-19 patients in California have surpassed 1,000 confirmed cases .
In most instances , individuals who have recovered from infection are included in the case logs .
San Bernardino County , like several larger counties , including Los Angeles , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ number of confirmed cases in San Bernardino County has continued to grow as testing capacity has increased throughout the state .
Officials announced that several drive-through testing events will take place over the coming weeks in an effort to accommodate a larger swath of people .
Roughly 2 million residents live throughout San Bernardino County ’ s 20,000 square miles , making it the largest county in the continental U.S. At least 11,191 residents have been tested for COVID-19 .
According to county data , 9.2 % have tested positive .
The largest @ @ @ @ @ @ @ virus are ages 18 to 49 .
Roughly 28 % are 50 to 64 , and 23 % were 65 or older .
At least 22 cases have been reported in youths under 17 .
Most cases in the county have been confirmed in the cities of San Bernardino , Yucaipa , Rancho Cucamonga , Redlands and Ontario .

San Bernardino County health officials confirmed 36 new cases of the coronavirus Thursday, bringing the county’s total to at least 1,032, the sixth highest in the state.
The county also reported eight more deaths linked to the virus, bringing the toll to 47.
California The pandemic’s toll: Lives lost in California Hundreds of people have died in California due to the COVID-19 pandemic. These are some of their stories.
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To date, eight of the 53 counties that have COVID-19 patients in California have surpassed 1,000 confirmed cases. In most instances, individuals who have recovered from infection are included in the case logs. San Bernardino County, like several larger counties, including Los Angeles, does not currently track recoveries.
The number of confirmed cases in San Bernardino County has continued to grow as testing capacity has increased throughout the state. Officials announced that several drive-through testing events will take place over the coming weeks in an effort to accommodate a larger swath of people.
California Coronavirus updates: California will ‘do the right thing’ on restrictions, Newsom says The Los Angeles Times will provide around-the-clock updates on COVID-19 from across Southern California and around the world.Tracking the coronavirus in California: latest numbers | Support our journalism with a subscriptionHave a question about coronavirus? Send us your questions here. | You also can sign up for our newsletterSee latest photo galleryCoronavirus updates for April 16 are here
Roughly 2 million residents live throughout San Bernardino County’s 20,000 square miles, making it the largest county in the continental U.S. At least 11,191 residents have been tested for COVID-19. According to county data, 9.2% have tested positive.
The largest group who has tested positive for the virus are ages 18 to 49. Roughly 28% are 50 to 64, and 23% were 65 or older. At least 22 cases have been reported in youths under 17.
Most cases in the county have been confirmed in the cities of San Bernardino, Yucaipa, Rancho Cucamonga, Redlands and Ontario.


latimes--2020-04-17--Should I wear a coronavirus mask every time I leave my house? Here's what experts say

Wearing face coverings or masks when conducting essential business like shopping and keeping medical appointments is now the law in many parts of California .
But some jurisdictions are going further , requiring face coverings in most public settings .
Beverly Hills , and Riverside County require people to wear masks whenever they go outside , including for .
Some health experts say it doesn ’ t hurt to take the extra precautions .
Dr. Loren Miller , a physician and researcher at the Lundquist Institute in Torrance , said masks aren ’ t intended to protect the person wearing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ saliva onto another person , potentially infecting them .
Wearing masks while walking around your neighborhood is sound advice , Miller said .
In a place like Los Angeles , with , it ’ s common to see people using sidewalks as their new exercise venue .
In some cases , it might not always be feasible to stay at least six feet away from one another .
Chunhuei Chi , director of the Center for Global Health at Oregon State University , says as long as you can maintain that six-foot perimeter @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
If the running path isn ’ t wide enough to pass , Chi said , people can hold their breath until they ’ re in the clear .
It ’ s one option he and his wife have used during their daily walks , he said .
Miller said another option is to do the “ vampire move ” or “ dab , ” where you turn your head and put your elbow over your mouth .
If a person coughs or sneezes , contaminated droplets will go into their elbow .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ wash your hands or use hand sanitizer before and after touching your face or face coverings .
The California Department of Public Health says wearing masks may reduce asymptomatic transmission of the virus and reinforce physical distancing .
“ There is limited evidence to suggest that use of cloth face coverings by the public during a pandemic could help reduce disease transmission , ” the agency said .
“ Their primary role is to reduce the release of infectious particles into the air when someone speaks , coughs , or sneezes , including @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ Cloth face coverings are not a substitute for physical distancing and washing hands and staying home when ill , but they may be helpful when combined with these primary interventions , ” the agency said .
• Wash your cloth face covering frequently , ideally after each use , or at least daily .
• Have a separate bag or bin to keep used cloth face coverings in until they can be laundered with detergent and hot water and dried on a hot cycle .
• If you must re-wear your @ @ @ @ @ @ @ your hands immediately after putting it back on and avoid touching your face .
• Discard cloth face coverings that no longer cover the nose and mouth , have stretched-out or damaged ties or straps , can not stay on the face , or have holes or tears in the fabric Los Angeles County ’ s new requirement on wearing face coverings went into effect Wednesday night .
Customers of essential businesses are to wear a face covering while inside .
Also , employers of essential businesses must provide all employees whose duties @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cloth face covering to wear .
Barbara Ferrer , director of the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health , recommended wearing a face covering anytime you ’ re in public places with other people , such as on a bus or a train while making an essential trip .
“ If you ’ re all by yourself ... you can put it on if you want to , but you ’ re not required to , ” Ferrer said .

Wearing face coverings or masks when conducting essential business like shopping and keeping medical appointments is now the law in many parts of California.
But some jurisdictions are going further, requiring face coverings in most public settings.
Beverly Hills, Glendale and Riverside County require people to wear masks whenever they go outside , including for walks in their neighborhoods .
Some health experts say it doesn’t hurt to take the extra precautions.
Dr. Loren Miller, a physician and researcher at the Lundquist Institute in Torrance, said masks aren’t intended to protect the person wearing them but to shield the transfer of saliva onto another person, potentially infecting them.
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Wearing masks while walking around your neighborhood is sound advice, Miller said. In a place like Los Angeles, with trails, beaches and parks closed , it’s common to see people using sidewalks as their new exercise venue. In some cases, it might not always be feasible to stay at least six feet away from one another.
Chunhuei Chi, director of the Center for Global Health at Oregon State University, says as long as you can maintain that six-foot perimeter, mask wearing isn’t imperative.
If the running path isn’t wide enough to pass, Chi said, people can hold their breath until they’re in the clear. It’s one option he and his wife have used during their daily walks, he said.
Miller said another option is to do the “vampire move” or “dab,” where you turn your head and put your elbow over your mouth. If a person coughs or sneezes, contaminated droplets will go into their elbow.
Health experts have also suggested that you wash your hands or use hand sanitizer before and after touching your face or face coverings.
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The California Department of Public Health says wearing masks may reduce asymptomatic transmission of the virus and reinforce physical distancing.
“There is limited evidence to suggest that use of cloth face coverings by the public during a pandemic could help reduce disease transmission,” the agency said. “Their primary role is to reduce the release of infectious particles into the air when someone speaks, coughs, or sneezes, including someone who has COVID-19 but feels well.
“Cloth face coverings are not a substitute for physical distancing and washing hands and staying home when ill, but they may be helpful when combined with these primary interventions,” the agency said.
Here’s some advice from California health officials:
Wash your cloth face covering frequently, ideally after each use, or at least daily.
Have a separate bag or bin to keep used cloth face coverings in until they can be laundered with detergent and hot water and dried on a hot cycle.
If you must re-wear your cloth face covering before washing, wash your hands immediately after putting it back on and avoid touching your face.
Discard cloth face coverings that no longer cover the nose and mouth, have stretched-out or damaged ties or straps, cannot stay on the face, or have holes or tears in the fabric
Lifestyle I made a coronavirus mask for my 76-year-old mom out of a sock. Here’s how In the midst of this coronavirus crisis, I just wanted a simple mask for running essential errands, like a trip to the pharmacy. I made a no-sew mask out of a sock. It won’t win any fashion awards, but it will help keep my 76-year-old mother (and my husband and me) safe.
Los Angeles County’s new requirement on wearing face coverings went into effect Wednesday night.
Customers of essential businesses are required to wear a face covering while inside. Also, employers of essential businesses must provide all employees whose duties require contact with other people with a cloth face covering to wear.
Barbara Ferrer, director of the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health, recommended wearing a face covering anytime you’re in public places with other people, such as on a bus or a train while making an essential trip.
“If you’re all by yourself ... you can put it on if you want to, but you’re not required to,” Ferrer said.


latimes--2020-04-17--Less than half of L.A. County residents still have jobs amid coronavirus crisis

Because of the colossal impact that the coronavirus outbreak has had on the U.S. economy , less than half of Los Angeles County residents — 45 % compared with 61 % in mid-March — still hold a job , a decline of 16 percentage points , or an estimated 1.3 million jobs , according to findings from a national survey released Friday .
The survey also suggests that 25.5 million jobs have been potentially lost across the U.S. since mid-March , and that people of color , especially black Americans , are more likely to have lost their jobs since @ @ @ @ @ @ @ white people said they had lost their jobs , while 18 % of Latinos and 21 % of black people reported job losses .
But a significant majority of job losses , 67 % nationally , were reported as temporary layoffs .
Angelenos reported similar experiences .
“ Under normal circumstances losing a job without access to benefits would be bad enough , but in the current situation , chances of finding a new job are likely to be close to nonexistent , ” Arie Kapteyn , director of the USC Dornsife Center @ @ @ @ @ @ @ administers the tracking survey , said in a statement .
“ These changes are nothing less than catastrophic for those affected.
” The Understanding Coronavirus in America Study , led by the USC Dornsife Center , has been surveying a panel of nearly 5,500 adults in the United States about their perceptions and attitudes regarding the coronavirus outbreak and how it ’ s affecting their lives since mid-March .
The latest survey was conducted from April 1 to April 14 and compares findings from a similar survey from March 10 to March 31 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ change in California and the United States as policymakers grappled with how to address the outbreak with limited information and significant consequences .
The researchers have a representative sample of the United States and a representative sample of L.A. County .
“ Because our panel members fill out questions in the Understanding Coronavirus in America tracking survey on a daily basis , we are able to pick up any changes in behavior or attitudes that may occur as a result of the pandemic , ” Jill Darling , survey director for the Understanding @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sample for the tracking survey , said in a statement .
“ Since the same people respond to each wave of the survey , we can detect real shifts in the impact the pandemic is having on people ’ s financial and personal lives.
” The researchers found that some of the most pronounced changes over the two time periods came in how Americans are actually heeding the warnings of public health officials and taking personal responsibility in slowing the spread of the coronavirus .
Ninety percent of Americans now avoid public spaces @ @ @ @ @ @ @ up 57 percentage points since March .
In L.A. County , 94 % are doing so , compared with 69 % previously .
A high percentage of respondents , 86 % , reported avoiding restaurants , up 46 percentage points since March .
And many more people , both across the United States and in L.A. County , are wearing masks or other types of face coverings .
Whereas only 10 % of Americans wore face coverings in March , now 48 % report doing so .
In L.A. County , the figure @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
It ’ s an increase that makes sense and is likely to be encouraging news for public officials who have continued to stress the importance of a largely self-enforced effort .
Since the first wave of surveys , Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti issued a mandatory face covering order April 7 for anyone visiting most essential businesses , and the county ’ s facial covering order went into effect Wednesday .
Many other municipalities and counties across the state and country have followed suit .
Some of the motivation to protect oneself @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from fear .
In California , almost 30,000 people have been confirmed to have the coronavirus and nearly 1,000 people have died .
Although people with no more than a high school education believe they ’ re less likely to contract the virus than those with some college education , they believe they ’ re more likely to die from it if they are infected , the researchers found .
Nationally , people estimate they have a 25 % chance of dying from the virus if they are infected , up from 15 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ March .
Overall , Americans estimate a 28 % chance of contracting COVID-19 within the next three months , up from 21 % previously .
The percentages were similar for Angelenos .
Unsurprisingly , the proportion of L.A. County residents suffering from psychological distress rose 12 percentage points to 48 % .
The survey results also give a glimpse into how people are behaving and feeling about their financial stability amid the coronavirus outbreak .
Whereas the only disruption some Angelenos have faced has primarily been a switch to working from home , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more dire financial situations .
Across the country and county , more people are fearing losing their jobs and running out of money .
In L.A. County , people estimated their chances of running out of money within the next three months at 33 % , and those who are currently employed estimated their chances of losing their jobs at 22 % .
Nationally , those measures were 22 % and 15 % , respectively .
The researchers found that Latinos are least confident about their job security .
But since mid-March , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their chances of running out of money , from a 23 % likelihood to a 32 % likelihood .

Because of the colossal impact that the coronavirus outbreak has had on the U.S. economy, less than half of Los Angeles County residents — 45% compared with 61% in mid-March — still hold a job, a decline of 16 percentage points, or an estimated 1.3 million jobs, according to findings from a national survey released Friday.
The survey also suggests that 25.5 million jobs have been potentially lost across the U.S. since mid-March, and that people of color, especially black Americans, are more likely to have lost their jobs since mid-March.
Nationally, 15% of white people said they had lost their jobs, while 18% of Latinos and 21% of black people reported job losses.
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But a significant majority of job losses, 67% nationally, were reported as temporary layoffs. Angelenos reported similar experiences.
“Under normal circumstances losing a job without access to benefits would be bad enough, but in the current situation, chances of finding a new job are likely to be close to nonexistent,” Arie Kapteyn, director of the USC Dornsife Center for Economic and Social Research, which administers the tracking survey, said in a statement. “These changes are nothing less than catastrophic for those affected.”
The Understanding Coronavirus in America Study, led by the USC Dornsife Center, has been surveying a panel of nearly 5,500 adults in the United States about their perceptions and attitudes regarding the coronavirus outbreak and how it’s affecting their lives since mid-March.
The latest survey was conducted from April 1 to April 14 and compares findings from a similar survey from March 10 to March 31, two time periods that reflect immense change in California and the United States as policymakers grappled with how to address the outbreak with limited information and significant consequences.
1 / 83 Socially distanced bikers and walkers, against a backdrop of the Queen Mary, make their way along pedestrian and beach bike path on the first day that Long Beach reopened the path on Monday May 11, 2020. The city of Long Beach eased a few of its public health restrictions, allowing under certain guidelines the reopening of pedestrian and beach bike paths, tennis centers and courts. Beach bathrooms are also reopening, but the parking lots and beaches still remain closed. (Genaro Molina/Los Angeles Times) 2 / 83 Traffic remains light on the southbound 110 Freeway headed toward downtown Los Angeles on April 28. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times) 3 / 83 Dominique Barrett, center, known as “King Vader” to his 2.4 million TikTok followers, prepares to shoot a video on April 30 in Glendora. (Dania Maxwell / Los Angeles Times) 4 / 83 Cody Purcell of Redondo Beach rides a wave, glowing from the bioluminescence, in Hermosa Beach, CA, after midnight Friday morning, May 8. (Jay L. Clendenin/Los Angeles Times) 5 / 83 Friends play spikeball, a game perfect for social distancing on an open but restricted San Buenaventura State Beach. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times) 6 / 83 The majority of golfers are wearing masks while hitting balls on the driving range at Van Buren Executive Golf Course in Riverside. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times) 7 / 83 Beaches including Harbor Cove Beach were open but beachgoers were not supposed to be sitting on the sand. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times) 8 / 83 Tango instructor Yelizaveta Nersesova leads a Zoom tango event from her Los Angeles home April 27 that brought together hundreds of dancers from around the world. (Jason Armond / Los Angeles Times) 9 / 83 Grocery store workers, joined by United Food and Commercial Workers International Union Local 770 representatives and community members, hold a rally in support of strict social distancing on May 1 at a Ralphs store in Hollywood where 19 employees have tested positive for COVID-19. (Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times) 10 / 83 Mostly masked commuters keep their distance from one another on a Metro bus in downtown Los Angeles on April 29. (Gabriella Angotti-Jones / Los Angeles Times) 11 / 83 Gregory Kuhl, 69, heads home after a shopping trip in Hollywood on April 28. Big cracks in the street, cars parked in driveways blocking sidewalks and uneven pavement levels make navigating his route difficult. (Dania Maxwell / Los Angeles Times) 12 / 83 Tenants and their supporters from across Los Angeles gather at city hall to call on L.A. Mayor Eric Garcetti, the L.A. City Council and California Gov. Gavin Newsom to cancel rent and mortgage payments during the COVID-19 crisis. (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times) 13 / 83 Aerial view of over 100 vehicles lined up at the West Valley COVID-19 testing center at Warner Center in Woodland Hills. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times) 14 / 83 Senior Mason Wise, left, helps his sister, Mackenzie, a sophomore, clean out her PE locker at El Camino Real Charter High School in Woodland Hills. School officials were allowing no more than five students at a time on campus to take home their belongings. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times) 15 / 83 Shuttered storefront businesses in the garment district of Los Angeles. California’s unemployment rate has skyrocketed since the statewide coronavirus shutdown took effect. (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times) 16 / 83 Healthcare workers celebrate as Claudia Martinez is discharged from the ICU after she recovered from COVID-19 at Scripps Mercy Hospital in Chula Vista. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) 17 / 83 Carson residents Kaeli Burks, 3, left, and her cousin Bailey Watson, 5, look out the window of their car after their mothers helped them with self-testing at a new drive-up testing site for COVID-19 in Carson. Free COVID-19 testing is available to all city residents thanks to a partnership between the city and US Health Fairs. (Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times) 18 / 83 Norm and Tracy Kahn enjoy eating dinner outside on a small cafe table sitting in blue chairs on their side yard during the coronavirus pandemic on April 27 in Riverside. “During this pandemic, eating outside offers us an opportunity to change surrounding and appreciate the calmness of being outdoors among trees, scents from nature and the sounds of birds,” she said. Also adding, “Mixing up where we eat puts variety into our days and takes away the sameness of feeling trapped at home.” (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times) 19 / 83 Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center nurses carry supplies outside the hospital. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times) 20 / 83 Tom Sean Foley pauses on a walk with his kids, Cathelen Claire, “C.C.,” 3, and Timothy Joseph, 4, to take a photo in front of the “Love Wall,” mural by artist Curtis Kulig, outside of Smashbox Studios in Culver City. (Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times) 21 / 83 Protesters stand along Mission Blvd. in Pacific Beach during A Day of Liberty rally on April 26. The protesters were against the government shutdown due to the coronavirus. (K.C. Alfred / San Diego Union-Tribune) 22 / 83 People make orders at a food truck along Shoreline Avenue in Long Beach. (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times) 23 / 83 Medical staff, wearing protective gear, work inside a COVID-19 isolation area inside the emergency department at Los Angeles County-USC Medical Center in Los Angeles, where patients with the virus are being treated. (Mel Melcon / Los Angeles Times) 24 / 83 Neighbors practice social distancing while enjoying the nice weather near The Strand in Hermosa Beach. (Gabriella Angotti-Jones / Los Angeles Times) 25 / 83 Counter-protesters attend a protest to call on state and local officials to reopen the economy in downtown Los Angeles. (Christina House / Los Angeles Times) 26 / 83 A group of protesters cheer on cars during a vehicle caravan protest to call on state and local officials to reopen the economy in downtown Los Angeles. (Christina House / Los Angeles Times) 27 / 83 Cedar Mountain Post Acute Rehabilitation staff member Navi Cavaltera waters a flower pot put up by the community to show their support for the nursing staff of the facility in Yucaipa. Eighteen of 20 coronavirus-related deaths in Yucaipa were residents of the skilled nursing facility. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times) 28 / 83 A pedestrian wearing a protective mask passes a mural on a store on Melrose Avenue in the Fairfax district of Los Angeles. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times) 29 / 83 Jonte Florence, a freestyle dancer, does a handstand on a mostly empty Hollywood Walk of Fame. Florence said he normally performs for hundreds of tourists along the busy street. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times) 30 / 83 The Tyrannosaurus rex overlooking the intersection of Hollywood Boulevard and Highland Avenue wears a protective mask while practicing social distancing. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times) 31 / 83 Businesses are shuttered and pedestrians are few and far between on Hollywood Boulevard. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times) 32 / 83 Daniel Rogerson wears a vintage military gas mask while riding a bike along the beach path in Santa Monica, which is closed to enforce social distancing because of the coronavirus pandemic. (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times) 33 / 83 A face mask seller in colorful dress appears to be part of a mural behind a bus stop on Soto Street in Los Angeles. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times) 34 / 83 Life around Cesar E. Chavez Boulevard and Soto Street has slowed down as California officials extended stay-at-home orders into May and residents entered Easter weekend with unprecedented limits on their movements. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times) 35 / 83 UC Irvine Medical Center health care workers return their gratitude as about 25 Orange County first responder vehicles participate in a drive-by parade of gratitude as they battle COVID-19 at the hospital. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times) 36 / 83 Billy Budd, 55, of Hollywood, walks along Hollywood Boulevard with a protective face covering. Budd is a scenic artist for movies and television who is currently out of work due to the coronavirus outbreak. (Mel Melcon / Los Angeles Times) 37 / 83 Stuart Reyes and his sister, Stephanie, sell masks for $5 each on the 3000 block of West Century Boulevard in Inglewood. Stuart Reyes said he is selling masks to support his mother. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times) 38 / 83 A jogger runs on a closed trail past dozens of pieces of caution tape, torn off by hikers and mountain bikers at El Escorpion Canyon Park in West Hills. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times) 39 / 83 Alex Herron and nurse Mercy Pineda at a blood drive sponsored by USC athletics and the American Red Cross at USC’s Galen Center. (Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times) 40 / 83 Los Angeles City Hall displays blue lights to show support for healthcare workers and first responders. (Gary Coronado / Los Angeles Times) 41 / 83 After being indoors for several days because of rainy weather and coronavirus stay-at-home orders, Olivia Jacobs, 4, and her mom, Cia Jacobs, enjoy a warm and sunny afternoon making chalk drawings on the sidewalk in front of their home in West Hills. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times) 42 / 83 An Oceanview Plaza security guard sports a whimsical mask while on patrol. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times) 43 / 83 Jacob De Wilde, left, and Lesli Lytle load a car with food during a food distribution organized to mark Good Friday. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times) 44 / 83 As a late season storm continues to make its way across the Southland, a young basketball player dribbles along an alley through an Elysian Park neighborhood in Los Angeles. (Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times) 45 / 83 People are silhouetted in a window of an apartment building in Hollywood, where a stay-at-home order remains in effect to help curb the spread of the coronavirus. (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times) 46 / 83 The Wilshire Grand Center display blue lights and a heart to show support for healthcare workers and first responders. (Gary Coronado / Los Angeles Times) 47 / 83 Women wear masks as they stroll along Highland Avenue in Hollywood. Wearing masks while outdoors is mandatory in the city of Los Angeles. (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times) 48 / 83 Patients are removed from Magnolia Rehabilitation and Nursing Center after 39 tested positive for the coronavirus and nursing staff was not showing up to work. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times) 49 / 83 A specimen is turned in at the new mobile testing site for people with symptoms of the coronavirus at Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Science in South Los Angeles. (Christina House / Los Angeles Times) 50 / 83 Hippie Kitchen in Los Angeles hands out food, water and toiletries to homeless people and residents of skid row. Additionally, masks were offered to help reduce the spread of the coronavirus. (Myung J. Chun / Los Angeles Times) 51 / 83 Nurses pose for a fun photo during a break in drive-through public testing for the coronavirus at Arrowhead Regional Medical Center in Colton. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times) 52 / 83 A woman shows a notice from her doctor that allows her to obtain a test for coronavirus at a new drive-up testing site in a parking lot at the South Bay Galleria in Redondo Beach. (Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times) 53 / 83 A person who wishes to remain anonymous strikes from her car to support McDonald’s employees who are demanding the company cover healthcare costs of any worker or immediate family member who gets sick from COVID-19 in Los Angeles. (Dania Maxwell / Los Angeles Times) 54 / 83 Cassidy Roosen, with Beach Cities Health District, holds up a sign that says, “We’re All in This Together,” while waiting to direct cars at a drive-through, appointment-only coronavirus testing location at the South Bay Galleria in Redondo Beach. (Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times) 55 / 83 Juliann Hartman, center, and her husband, Butch, wave signs they created to cheer up people on Calabasas Road in Calabasas during the pandemic. (Mel Melcon / Los Angeles Times) 56 / 83 Grace Carter, 15, of Riverside, practices a dance routine at home after dance classes and school were canceled. She has to use the Zoom app on her iPhone to practice with her dance group. “It’s hard,” she said. “My bedroom is a smaller space. I miss all my friends at the studio.” (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times) 57 / 83 A man works from his home in Long Beach. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) 58 / 83 A San Bernardino County healthcare worker takes a sample at a coronavirus drive-through testing site at the county fairgrounds in Victorville. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times) 59 / 83 A Metro general service employee disinfects a bench in Boyle Heights. (Gary Coronado / Los Angeles Times) 60 / 83 A runner jogs past the Pottery Barn in Pasadena. Some businesses in the area have boarded up their stores. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times) 61 / 83 Raquel Lezama and daughter Monica Ramos collect meals for their family at Manual Arts High School. Lezama was laid off from her $17.76-an-hour job at a Beverly Hills hotel. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times) 62 / 83 The Iron City Tavern in San Pedro tries an incentive to lure takeout customers. (Carolyn Cole / Los Angeles Times) 63 / 83 Healthcare workers gather outside UCLA Ronald Reagan Medical Center to call for further action from the federal government in response to the COVID-19 outbreak. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times) 64 / 83 Kristen Edgerle, of Victorville, collects information from a blood donor before drawing blood at The Richard Nixon Presidential Library blood drive during the coronavirus pandemic in Yorba Linda. (Jason Armond / Los Angeles Times) 65 / 83 Shauna Jin, of Los Angeles, with her dog, Bodhi, practices social distancing with John Kiss, of Los Angeles, at the entrance of Runyon Canyon Park in Los Angeles. (Gary Coronado / Los Angeles Times) 66 / 83 A lending library had some additional useful items, including a roll of toilet paper and cans of beans and corn, in a Hermosa Beach neighborhood. (Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times) 67 / 83 Protesters drive by the Getty House, the home of L.A. Mayor Eric Garcetti, in Hancock Park. Tenant advocates are demanding a total moratorium on evictions during the coronavirus crisis. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times) 68 / 83 Venice residents Emily Berry and Gavin Kelley take a break at Venice Beach. Berry, a cocktail waitress at Enterprise Fish Co., lost her job due to the coronavirus outbreak. Kelley, a manager at a performing arts school with a focus on music, said that he still has a job and that classes at the school will resume online this coming Monday. (Mel Melcon / Los Angeles Times) 69 / 83 The JW Marriott at L.A. Live is sharing a message of hope with red lights in 34 windows, creating a 19-story display on the hotel’s north side. (Gary Coronado / Los Angeles Times) 70 / 83 Juan Diaz Jr., a lifelong Dodgers fan, prays that the season will start by May in front of Dodger Stadium on what would have been opening day. (Mel Melcon / Los Angeles Times) 71 / 83 Hayley, CEO and founder of Love My Neighbor Foundation, right, dances with Crystal Armster, 51, while she and her colleagues continue to feed the homeless on skid row amid the pandemic. (Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times) 72 / 83 A masked passenger on a Metro bus in downtown Los Angeles. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times) 73 / 83 Dede Oneal waits for a coronavirus test at the Crenshaw Christian Center in South Los Angeles. (Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times) 74 / 83 A man in a mask passes a closed restaurant along Spring Street in downtown Los Angeles. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times) 75 / 83 Artist Corie Mattie paints a mural on the side of a pop-up store as a man takes a picture in West Hollywood. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times) 76 / 83 Medical assistant Zoila Villalta works with Rosie Boston, 32, of Glendale, who is donating blood for her first time at L.A. Care Health Plan downtown. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times) 77 / 83 A couple wait for a bus outside the Petersen Automotive Museum in Los Angeles. (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times) 78 / 83 With all Los Angeles schools closed until further notice, LAUSD buses sit idle in Gardena. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times) 79 / 83 A lone traveler makes his way to catch a flight in Tom Bradley International Terminal. (Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times) 80 / 83 Denise Young looks on as her daughter, Allison, 9, a fourth-grader at EARThS (Environmental Academy of Research Technology and Earth Sciences) Magnet School in Newbury Park, receives a Chromebook. (Mel Melcon / Los Angeles Times) 81 / 83 Hollywood Boulevard is devoid of the usual crowds. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times) 82 / 83 Michael Ray, 11, plays before a movie at the Paramount Drive-In. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times) 83 / 83 Isabella Leader, 15, counts how many flags have been left for World War II veteran Lt. Col. Sam Sachs who was celebrating his 105th birthday at the Mom & Dad’s House, an assisted living facility, in Lakewood. Lt. Col. Sachs appealed to the public for birthday cards after the coronavirus pandemic forced the cancellation of a big celebration and wound up receiving thousands, including a letter and photo from President Trump. (Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times)
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The researchers have a representative sample of the United States and a representative sample of L.A. County.
“Because our panel members fill out questions in the Understanding Coronavirus in America tracking survey on a daily basis, we are able to pick up any changes in behavior or attitudes that may occur as a result of the pandemic,” Jill Darling, survey director for the Understanding America Study online panel that provides the sample for the tracking survey, said in a statement. “Since the same people respond to each wave of the survey, we can detect real shifts in the impact the pandemic is having on people’s financial and personal lives.”
The researchers found that some of the most pronounced changes over the two time periods came in how Americans are actually heeding the warnings of public health officials and taking personal responsibility in slowing the spread of the coronavirus.
Ninety percent of Americans now avoid public spaces, according to the survey results, up 57 percentage points since March. In L.A. County, 94% are doing so, compared with 69% previously.
A high percentage of respondents, 86%, reported avoiding restaurants, up 46 percentage points since March.
And many more people, both across the United States and in L.A. County, are wearing masks or other types of face coverings. Whereas only 10% of Americans wore face coverings in March, now 48% report doing so. In L.A. County, the figure soared from 18% to 77%.
It’s an increase that makes sense and is likely to be encouraging news for public officials who have continued to stress the importance of a largely self-enforced effort.
Since the first wave of surveys, Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti issued a mandatory face covering order April 7 for anyone visiting most essential businesses, and the county’s facial covering order went into effect Wednesday. Many other municipalities and counties across the state and country have followed suit.
Some of the motivation to protect oneself has likely been, in part, from fear. In California, almost 30,000 people have been confirmed to have the coronavirus and nearly 1,000 people have died.
Although people with no more than a high school education believe they’re less likely to contract the virus than those with some college education, they believe they’re more likely to die from it if they are infected, the researchers found.
Nationally, people estimate they have a 25% chance of dying from the virus if they are infected, up from 15% in the earlier survey period in March.
Overall, Americans estimate a 28% chance of contracting COVID-19 within the next three months, up from 21% previously. The percentages were similar for Angelenos.
Unsurprisingly, the proportion of L.A. County residents suffering from psychological distress rose 12 percentage points to 48%.
The survey results also give a glimpse into how people are behaving and feeling about their financial stability amid the coronavirus outbreak.
Whereas the only disruption some Angelenos have faced has primarily been a switch to working from home, some of the survey participants reported much more dire financial situations. Across the country and county, more people are fearing losing their jobs and running out of money.
In L.A. County, people estimated their chances of running out of money within the next three months at 33%, and those who are currently employed estimated their chances of losing their jobs at 22%. Nationally, those measures were 22% and 15%, respectively.
The researchers found that Latinos are least confident about their job security.
But since mid-March, black Americans reported the steepest increase in their chances of running out of money, from a 23% likelihood to a 32% likelihood.