latimes--2020-04-01--Infants and children in the time of coronavirus

Public health officials in Illinois on Saturday announced the death of an infant in Chicago who had tested positive for the coronavirus .
Although the exact cause of death had not been determined as of Tuesday , it marked the first recorded death in the U.S. of an infant who had contracted the virus .
The virus is more likely to be fatal in adults , but children who have tested positive for COVID-19 also have died .
Underlying health conditions increase the risk of a severe illness .
Experts say the older population remains at higher risk for COVID-19 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Data have shown that the oldest of those infected are more likely to be hospitalized and less likely to survive the disease .
To date , the pandemic has resulted in more than 3,000 deaths in the U.S .
The number of diagnosed COVID-19 cases around the world , as of Wednesday morning , has surpassed 880,000 globally and stands at about 190,000 in the United States , according to Johns Hopkins University , meaning more people , including babies , have and will get the virus , experts say .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tips for parents .
1 .
Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds .
If soap and water are not available , use hand sanitizer .
Look for one that is 60 % or higher alcohol-based .
2 .
Reduce close contact with others by practicing social distancing .
This means staying home as much as possible and avoiding public places where close contact with others is likely .
3 .
Keep your kids away from others who are sick or keep them home if they are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and sneeze into a tissue ( make sure to throw it away after each use ! )
or to cough and sneeze into their arm or elbow , not their hands .
5 .
Clean and disinfect your home as usual using regular household cleaning sprays or wipes .
6 .
Wash stuffed animals or other plush toys following manufacturers ’ instructions in the warmest water possible and dry them completely .
7 .
Avoid touching your face ; teach your children to do the same .

Public health officials in Illinois on Saturday announced the death of an infant in Chicago who had tested positive for the coronavirus. Although the exact cause of death had not been determined as of Tuesday, it marked the first recorded death in the U.S. of an infant who had contracted the virus.
The virus is more likely to be fatal in adults, but children who have tested positive for COVID-19 also have died. Underlying health conditions increase the risk of a severe illness. Experts say the older population remains at higher risk for COVID-19, the illness caused by the coronavirus. Data have shown that the oldest of those infected are more likely to be hospitalized and less likely to survive the disease. To date, the pandemic has resulted in more than 3,000 deaths in the U.S.
The number of diagnosed COVID-19 cases around the world, as of Wednesday morning, has surpassed 880,000 globally and stands at about 190,000 in the United States, according to Johns Hopkins University, meaning more people, including babies, have and will get the virus, experts say.
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The American Academy of Pediatrics offers these common-sense tips for parents.
1. Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. If soap and water are not available, use hand sanitizer. Look for one that is 60% or higher alcohol-based.
2. Reduce close contact with others by practicing social distancing. This means staying home as much as possible and avoiding public places where close contact with others is likely.
3. Keep your kids away from others who are sick or keep them home if they are ill.
4. Teach kids to cough and sneeze into a tissue (make sure to throw it away after each use!) or to cough and sneeze into their arm or elbow, not their hands.
5. Clean and disinfect your home as usual using regular household cleaning sprays or wipes.
6. Wash stuffed animals or other plush toys following manufacturers’ instructions in the warmest water possible and dry them completely.
7. Avoid touching your face; teach your children to do the same.
8. Avoid travel to highly infected areas.
9. Follow local and state guidance on travel restrictions.
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A nurse examines a pregnant woman in a private obstetric hospital in Wuhan in February. (Getty Images)
A woman and her newborn baby are transferred to a room by a nurse. (Getty Images)
A nurse checks on a baby in the private hospital in Wuhan during the lockdown there. (Getty Images)
A maternity nurse wears a mask as she cares for a newborn. (Getty Images)
A nurse takes the temperature of a baby outside the main bus terminal in Bogota, Colombia, on March 24. (Fernando Vergara / Associaed Press)
A baby wears a Hello Kitty face mask in Manila. (Aaron Favila / Associated Press)
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A woman carrying a baby runs hurries to get out of the way of a truck spraying disinfectant in Caracas, Venezuela, in late March. (Ariana Cubillos / Associated Press)
A mother prays with her baby at the Hsing Tian Kong temple in Taipei, Taiwan. (Paula Bronstein / Getty Images)
A woman leaves her children’s school after finding it closed and registrations suspended due to the coronavirus last week in Sharjah in the United Arab Emirates. (Karim Sahib / AFP via Getty Images)


latimes--2020-04-01--Joshua Tree National Park closes to all visitors over coronavirus

Joshua Tree National Park closed indefinitely to all visitors Wednesday amid the coronavirus pandemic , the park ’ s website says .
The 800,000-acre desert park east of Los Angeles earlier had closed campgrounds and access roads into the park but allowed walkers and cyclists to enter .
The park took action after consulting “ with the local county health office to prevent the spread of COVID-19 , ” the website says .
Rangers will continue to patrol the park .
Visitor centers , services and roads had closed indefinitely earlier in March to discourage visitors , but media reports @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
National parks across the country are closed or have scaled back services and operations to try to contain the public health pandemic .
Yosemite , Yellowstone , Canyonlands and Arches in Utah and much of the Golden Gate National Recreation Area have completely shut .
Other popular national parks , such as Grand Canyon in Arizona and Zion in Utah , have shut services , campgrounds and some roads but kept natural areas open to hikers .
Critics say these parks should be closed also because too many people are continuing to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ other public health safety measures .
The Washington Post on Tuesday reported that at least seven National Park Service employees have tested positive for the coronavirus .
The Arizona Republic reported that a person who lives in Grand Canyon Village on the South Rim of the canyon also tested positive .
A stay-at-home order went into effect in Arizona on Tuesday .
National parks earlier stopped collecting entrance fees earlier because of the pandemic .

Joshua Tree National Park closed indefinitely to all visitors Wednesday amid the coronavirus pandemic, the park’s website says. The 800,000-acre desert park east of Los Angeles earlier had closed campgrounds and access roads into the park but allowed walkers and cyclists to enter.
The park took action after consulting “with the local county health office to prevent the spread of COVID-19,” the website says. Rangers will continue to patrol the park. Visitor centers, services and roads had closed indefinitely earlier in March to discourage visitors, but media reports say hikers and climbers flooded the park.
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National parks across the country are closed or have scaled back services and operations to try to contain the public health pandemic. Yosemite, Yellowstone, Canyonlands and Arches in Utah and much of the Golden Gate National Recreation Area have completely shut.
Other popular national parks, such as Grand Canyon in Arizona and Zion in Utah, have shut services, campgrounds and some roads but kept natural areas open to hikers. Critics say these parks should be closed also because too many people are continuing to come and not practicing social distancing and other public health safety measures.
The Washington Post on Tuesday reported that at least seven National Park Service employees have tested positive for the coronavirus. The Arizona Republic reported that a person who lives in Grand Canyon Village on the South Rim of the canyon also tested positive. A stay-at-home order went into effect in Arizona on Tuesday.
National parks earlier stopped collecting entrance fees earlier because of the pandemic.


latimes--2020-04-01--During coronavirus spread, L.A. County is still making nonessential trips, data show

Southern Californians have greatly reduced their daily trips since the coronavirus outbreak took hold of the West Coast , and while data show they are doing a good job , it seems their efforts have slipped a bit , according to new figures released Tuesday .
An interactive map unveiled last week by Unacast , a New York-based technology company that aims to put a grade on people ’ s social distancing efforts , initially gave Los Angeles County and California overall an A for reducing movement during the state ’ s stay-at-home orders .
That score was based on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ comparing the distance that people in each county in the United States traveled before the outbreak started and after it began spreading .
On Tuesday , the company introduced a new metric — a change in visits to venues that state and local officials have deemed nonessential during the pandemic — to help give a more accurate representation about a region ’ s social distancing efforts .
The new measurement and more strict grading requirements resulted in lower scores for several counties .
California — where cases of coronavirus spiked to more than @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for reducing movement by at least 40 % and reducing visits to nonessential venues by at least 60 % .
Los Angeles and Ventura counties also saw their grades drop from an A to a C in the latest version of the map .
Residents in Orange County fared slightly better , earning a C for reducing their average distance traveled and a B for limiting their nonessential errands for an overall B-minus grade .
San Bernardino and Riverside counties maintained their previous D and C grades , respectively .
Marin , San @ @ @ @ @ @ @ counties maintained their top marks , according to the data .
“ We , both at Unacast and as a larger collective community , have learned a lot about COVID-19 , and the human behavioral responses to it , in the past week , ” Madeline Ngo , the company ’ s head of insights and analytics , wrote in a post on Unacast ’ s website Tuesday .
“ Two of our Scoreboard updates — the new grading system and the improved methodology that layers in reduction in visits to nonessential venues @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and up-to-date picture of what ’ s happening in the real world , based on what we know as of this publication.
” The company ’ s analytics also compared a county ’ s letter grade to the number of new COVID-19 cases reported in an area to help people draw conclusions about social distancing behavior and the spread of the virus over time .
While the number of coronavirus infections and deaths continues to climb rapidly statewide , public officials and health experts have repeatedly instructed the public to restrict their movements @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Staying at home was somewhat slow to catch on , with people packing beaches , parks and hiking trails in the early days , a move that eventually forced officials to order closures .
After a person is infected with the coronavirus , it can take two to 14 days for symptoms — most commonly fever , cough and shortness of breath — to appear .
Then , in cases where the illness becomes severe , it usually takes an additional for a patient to require treatment in an intensive care unit @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for the effects of stay-at-home orders to become evident .
“ Our goal in developing this and our COVID-19 Toolkit is to empower organizations to unearth reliable and valuable information to guide critical decision-making and planning in relation to COVID-19 containment , ” Unacast CEO Thomas Walle wrote in a statement .
“ We are updating the Scorecard and enhancing this COVID-19 Toolkit to provide the most timely and accurate information possible , with the hope of ultimately saving lives .
”

Southern Californians have greatly reduced their daily trips since the coronavirus outbreak took hold of the West Coast, and while data show they are doing a good job, it seems their efforts have slipped a bit, according to new figures released Tuesday.
An interactive map unveiled last week by Unacast, a New York-based technology company that aims to put a grade on people’s social distancing efforts, initially gave Los Angeles County and California overall an A for reducing movement during the state’s stay-at-home orders. That score was based on data from millions of anonymous mobile phones comparing the distance that people in each county in the United States traveled before the outbreak started and after it began spreading.
On Tuesday, the company introduced a new metric — a change in visits to venues that state and local officials have deemed nonessential during the pandemic — to help give a more accurate representation about a region’s social distancing efforts.
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The new measurement and more strict grading requirements resulted in lower scores for several counties.
Tracking the coronavirus in California The latest maps and charts on the spread of COVID-19 in California.
California — where cases of coronavirus spiked to more than 8,500 Wednesday — received a C overall for reducing movement by at least 40% and reducing visits to nonessential venues by at least 60%. Los Angeles and Ventura counties also saw their grades drop from an A to a C in the latest version of the map.
Residents in Orange County fared slightly better, earning a C for reducing their average distance traveled and a B for limiting their nonessential errands for an overall B-minus grade. San Bernardino and Riverside counties maintained their previous D and C grades, respectively.
Marin, San Francisco, San Mateo and Santa Clara counties maintained their top marks, according to the data.
“We, both at Unacast and as a larger collective community, have learned a lot about COVID-19, and the human behavioral responses to it, in the past week,” Madeline Ngo, the company’s head of insights and analytics, wrote in a post on Unacast’s website Tuesday.
Advertisement
“Two of our Scoreboard updates — the new grading system and the improved methodology that layers in reduction in visits to nonessential venues — combine to paint a more accurate and up-to-date picture of what’s happening in the real world, based on what we know as of this publication.”
The company’s analytics also compared a county’s letter grade to the number of new COVID-19 cases reported in an area to help people draw conclusions about social distancing behavior and the spread of the virus over time.
While the number of coronavirus infections and deaths continues to climb rapidly statewide, public officials and health experts have repeatedly instructed the public to restrict their movements to help stem the virus’ spread. Staying at home was somewhat slow to catch on, with people packing beaches, parks and hiking trails in the early days, a move that eventually forced officials to order closures.
After a person is infected with the coronavirus, it can take two to 14 days for symptoms — most commonly fever, cough and shortness of breath — to appear. Then, in cases where the illness becomes severe, it usually takes an additional eight to 15 days for a patient to require treatment in an intensive care unit.
That means it can take weeks for the effects of stay-at-home orders to become evident.
“Our goal in developing this and our COVID-19 Toolkit is to empower organizations to unearth reliable and valuable information to guide critical decision-making and planning in relation to COVID-19 containment,” Unacast CEO Thomas Walle wrote in a statement. “We are updating the Scorecard and enhancing this COVID-19 Toolkit to provide the most timely and accurate information possible, with the hope of ultimately saving lives.”


latimes--2020-04-01--The bizarre reality of being new parents in the age of coronavirus

All 21 days of Mateo Rodriguez ’ s life have been in a world where coronavirus reigns .
He was born to Cynthia and Nelson Rodriguez on March 11 , the day before California Gov .
Gavin Newsom recommended a statewide cancellation of gatherings of more than 250 people to slow the pandemic ’ s spread .
Two days later , as school districts across California began to suspend classes , his parents went to stay the night at the Yorba Linda home of Cynthia ’ s mother .
They have largely sheltered in place there ever since .
Their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ — a routine checkup in Orange where the pediatrician elbow-bumped Nelson instead of offering a handshake .
Cynthia peppered the doctor with questions like any new mami would for her firstborn .
But there was an extra dose of urgency .
Does Mateo ’ s occasional shallow breathing mean he has the coronavirus ?
( No , that ’ s natural as babies learn to breathe outside the womb . )
Mateo gets extra-warm sometimes — is that coronavirus ?
( No , he ’ s just bundled up a bit too much @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Not coronavirus . )
The pediatrician declared Mateo perfectly healthy .
That hasn ’ t stopped Cynthia from thinking that the coronavirus will eventually reach him .
“ Your mind goes to those places right now , ” she said in a phone interview .
“ I don ’ t want Mateo to sense that , because babies feel it .
So that makes me feel more helpless.
” Being a parent is hard enough .
But the coronavirus has thrown a curveball of anxiety to new mothers and fathers .
They had @ @ @ @ @ @ @ handle parenthood , and now find their plans mostly moot .
“ No one really knows what ’ s going on in the big picture , ” said Diana Spalding , digital education editor for Motherly .
The online publication has received so many queries about the coronavirus and the disease it causes , COVID-19 , that they created a section devoted to how parents can handle the crisis , with over 100 articles published since January .
Spalding , a former pediatric nurse and midwife , teaches an online birth class and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 7,000 people have already taken it .
Hospitals are beginning to limit who can be present during a delivery , and even blocking visitors altogether .
Shortly after Cynthia and Nelson received their mothers and Cynthia ’ s sisters in the delivery ward at Children ’ s Hospital of Orange County , a doctor advised them to not allow any more visitors .
Cynthia had to turn away her grandmother , who had come down from Chowchilla to see her first great-grandchild .
“ It ’ s a major pain point for so @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Spalding .
“ Isolation from loved ones can have a pretty profound impact on a mother ’ s and baby ’ s well-being .
It ’ s a scary time for mamas.
” Cynthia , a 33-year-old freelance writer , knew the coronavirus would “ become a thing ” in the United States , having tracked its spread across Asia and Europe as far back as January .
But she and her husband didn ’ t pay too much attention to it during the last weeks of her pregnancy .
Their focus was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
They put final touches on what will eventually become his room at their home in Santa Ana .
They continued to sift through the presents from a baby shower .
A name was decided on once and for all .
( Cynthia wanted Luca . )
The first hint that the coronavirus would change life as they were expecting it to unfold happened on the day before Cynthia gave birth .
For a last date night , Nelson , 33 , took Cynthia to Father ’ s Office in Culver City to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
They were expecting the usual busy crowd ; instead , they were one of a few diners .
That eerie desolation was a factor in Cynthia ’ s decision to stay with her mom instead of returning to Santa Ana ( a roommate is taking care of Cynthia ’ s cat , Amy Winehouse ) .
“ You just don ’ t know what ’ s going to happen in the coming months , ” said Cynthia , who added that they ’ ll remain in Yorba Linda “ as long as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the baby.
” Dr. Sean O ’ Leary , a professor at the University of Colorado School of Medicine and a member on the infectious diseases committee for the American Academy of Pediatrics , understands the over-precaution new parents and even pediatricians are practicing because “ we haven ’ t got a lot of research with newborns ” and the coronavirus .
The AAP issued a bulletin advising that a baby ’ s vital first check-up be in person instead of via teleconference after hearing reports that pediatricians were asking parents to do @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Journal of the American Medical Assn .
found newborns in China infected with it , although it wasn ’ t clear if the mothers passed it to the child in utero or after birth .
Doctors in Long Island recently revealed that a 3-week old was infected , the youngest yet American with the virus .
O ’ Leary acknowledged the danger of the coronavirus but added , “ as a parent with a newborn , I wouldn ’ t be too panicky.
” The doctor has read reports that show respiratory @ @ @ @ @ @ @ prone to them , are actually dropping right now due to social-distancing practices .
“ To an extent , that ’ s what we ’ ve always recommended for newborns , anyway , ” he said .
That ’ s been the most painful part for Cynthia and Nelson , though .
“ Everyone wants to see the baby right away , ” she said .
“ It ’ s sad letting them know you can ’ t see them days old , ” Nelson added .
“ Now you have to wait @ @ @ @ @ @ @ months old.
” The two have tried to make up for that loss with multiple FaceTime sessions from the safety of Cynthia ’ s childhood bedroom .
That keeps them happy until Nelson ventures out .
Then he vainly scours stores for diapers , formula and baby wipes .
The financial planner doesn ’ t like those trips , because the people he sees “ are acting like robots — just out and about .
They ’ re in shock .
You don ’ t see any light or soul in them.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ day everything will improve .
They ’ re already practicing how to recount these strange days to Mateo when he becomes of age .
“ I ’ m going to tell him how scary it was , and how our main thing was to take care of him , ” Cynthia said , as Mateo began to cry for his afternoon feeding .
“ And I ’ m going to tell him he was the best part of 2020 , ” Nelson said .
“ Everything else was garbage .
”

New parents Cynthia and Nelson Rodriguez of Santa Ana bring their 2-week old son, Mateo, to his first pediatric visit in Orange during the coronavirus outbreak.
All 21 days of Mateo Rodriguez’s life have been in a world where coronavirus reigns.
He was born to Cynthia and Nelson Rodriguez on March 11, the day before California Gov. Gavin Newsom recommended a statewide cancellation of gatherings of more than 250 people to slow the pandemic’s spread. Two days later, as school districts across California began to suspend classes, his parents went to stay the night at the Yorba Linda home of Cynthia’s mother.
They have largely sheltered in place there ever since. Their first family outing happened just last week — a routine checkup in Orange where the pediatrician elbow-bumped Nelson instead of offering a handshake. Cynthia peppered the doctor with questions like any new mami would for her firstborn. But there was an extra dose of urgency.
Does Mateo’s occasional shallow breathing mean he has the coronavirus? (No, that’s natural as babies learn to breathe outside the womb.)
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Mateo gets extra-warm sometimes — is that coronavirus? (No, he’s just bundled up a bit too much.)
What about ... ? (Not coronavirus.)
The pediatrician declared Mateo perfectly healthy. That hasn’t stopped Cynthia from thinking that the coronavirus will eventually reach him.
“Your mind goes to those places right now,” she said in a phone interview. “I don’t want Mateo to sense that, because babies feel it. So that makes me feel more helpless.”
Cynthia and Nelson Rodriguez of Santa Ana leave the doctor’s office after bringing their 2-week old son, Mateo, to his first pediatric visit. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)
Being a parent is hard enough. But the coronavirus has thrown a curveball of anxiety to new mothers and fathers. They had meticulously prepared for months on how to handle parenthood, and now find their plans mostly moot.
“No one really knows what’s going on in the big picture,” said Diana Spalding, digital education editor for Motherly. The online publication has received so many queries about the coronavirus and the disease it causes, COVID-19, that they created a section devoted to how parents can handle the crisis, with over 100 articles published since January.
Advertisement
Spalding, a former pediatric nurse and midwife, teaches an online birth class and made it free on Monday; over 7,000 people have already taken it.
Hospitals are beginning to limit who can be present during a delivery, and even blocking visitors altogether. Shortly after Cynthia and Nelson received their mothers and Cynthia’s sisters in the delivery ward at Children’s Hospital of Orange County, a doctor advised them to not allow any more visitors. Cynthia had to turn away her grandmother, who had come down from Chowchilla to see her first great-grandchild.
“It’s a major pain point for so many people right now,” said Spalding. “Isolation from loved ones can have a pretty profound impact on a mother’s and baby’s well-being. It’s a scary time for mamas.”
Cynthia, a 33-year-old freelance writer, knew the coronavirus would “become a thing” in the United States, having tracked its spread across Asia and Europe as far back as January. But she and her husband didn’t pay too much attention to it during the last weeks of her pregnancy. Their focus was on getting ready for life with Mateo.
They put final touches on what will eventually become his room at their home in Santa Ana. They continued to sift through the presents from a baby shower. A name was decided on once and for all. (Cynthia wanted Luca.)
The first hint that the coronavirus would change life as they were expecting it to unfold happened on the day before Cynthia gave birth.
For a last date night, Nelson, 33, took Cynthia to Father’s Office in Culver City to enjoy the restaurant’s much-celebrated hamburgers. They were expecting the usual busy crowd; instead, they were one of a few diners.
That eerie desolation was a factor in Cynthia’s decision to stay with her mom instead of returning to Santa Ana (a roommate is taking care of Cynthia’s cat, Amy Winehouse). “You just don’t know what’s going to happen in the coming months,” said Cynthia, who added that they’ll remain in Yorba Linda “as long as it’s necessary and safe for the baby.”
Dr. Sean O’Leary, a professor at the University of Colorado School of Medicine and a member on the infectious diseases committee for the American Academy of Pediatrics, understands the over-precaution new parents and even pediatricians are practicing because “we haven’t got a lot of research with newborns” and the coronavirus.
The AAP issued a bulletin advising that a baby’s vital first check-up be in person instead of via teleconference after hearing reports that pediatricians were asking parents to do the latter. A recent report in the Journal of the American Medical Assn. found newborns in China infected with it, although it wasn’t clear if the mothers passed it to the child in utero or after birth. Doctors in Long Island recently revealed that a 3-week old was infected, the youngest yet American with the virus.
O’Leary acknowledged the danger of the coronavirus but added, “as a parent with a newborn, I wouldn’t be too panicky.”
The doctor has read reports that show respiratory diseases for infants, who are naturally prone to them, are actually dropping right now due to social-distancing practices. “To an extent, that’s what we’ve always recommended for newborns, anyway,” he said.
That’s been the most painful part for Cynthia and Nelson, though.
“Everyone wants to see the baby right away,” she said.
“It’s sad letting them know you can’t see them days old,” Nelson added. “Now you have to wait to meet Mateo until he’s months old.”
The two have tried to make up for that loss with multiple FaceTime sessions from the safety of Cynthia’s childhood bedroom.
That keeps them happy until Nelson ventures out. Then he vainly scours stores for diapers, formula and baby wipes. The financial planner doesn’t like those trips, because the people he sees “are acting like robots — just out and about. They’re in shock. You don’t see any light or soul in them.”
The Rodriguezes nevertheless are planning for the day everything will improve. They’re already practicing how to recount these strange days to Mateo when he becomes of age.
“I’m going to tell him how scary it was, and how our main thing was to take care of him,” Cynthia said, as Mateo began to cry for his afternoon feeding.
“And I’m going to tell him he was the best part of 2020,” Nelson said. “Everything else was garbage.”


latimes--2020-04-01--California could see 5,000 coronavirus deaths a week if social distancing eases too soon

California faces 5,000 coronavirus deaths a week if the state ’ s stay-at-home policies are relaxed too early , a health officer in the Bay Area said Tuesday .
“ Some of the modeling is predicting — at the peak — up to 5,000 deaths a week throughout California , ” Dr. Chris Farnitano , health officer for Contra Costa County , told his Board of Supervisors .
That would mean 600 deaths a week from the disease known as COVID-19 in the central San Francisco Bay Area , and 100 to 200 deaths a week in Contra Costa County @ @ @ @ @ @ @ still hopeful we can avoid [ this scenario ] if we don ’ t relax our efforts to flatten the curve , ” said Farnitano , who shared the possible epidemic outcomes on the same day that six Bay Area counties extended and strengthened the nation ’ s first coronavirus shelter-in-place order .
The news came as local health officials began revealing estimates of potential coronavirus death tolls in various counties Tuesday .
There could be 2,000 to 14,000 deaths in Contra Costa County , and perhaps 1,000 deaths in Ventura County , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Last week , the city of San Jose released an estimate saying there could be 2,000 to 16,000 coronavirus deaths in Santa Clara County .
Dr. Robert Levin , health officer for Ventura County , said the number of coronavirus cases coming into hospitals could be a tsunami .
In the last 21 years he ’ s been tracking the data , the worst year for flu deaths came two years ago , with 49 fatalities — a small fraction of the 1,000 deaths the coronavirus could bring to Ventura County .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ much more serious , ” Levin said at a Board of Supervisors meeting Tuesday .
But he added that he hopes the stay-at-home order will significantly curtail the projected death toll .
There are promising signs for Contra Costa County , a suburban county northeast of Oakland with 1.2 million residents .
There are some early signs that new hospital cases of coronavirus are slowing , and that ’ s important .
If hospital cases double every six days , Contra Costa County could start running out of beds by late April , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to be the most intense .
Right now , hospital cases are doubling about every eight days .
If the county is able to slow the doubling to every 10 days , “ we might have enough hospital beds to handle the surge , ” Farnitano said .
The worst period for coronavirus cases is expected between mid-April and mid-May , he said .
The estimate of 2,000 to 14,000 deaths in Contra Costa County , Farnitano said , “ is based on the number of cases we have and how effective our @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The number is similar to a projected death toll for Silicon Valley that San Jose officials released last week .
San Jose Deputy City Manager Kip Harkness said 2,000 to 16,000 people could die from the virus by the end of May in Santa Clara County , which has a population of nearly 2 million .
Santa Clara County officials released a statement that the model presented by the city was not vetted by the county .
Some health officers in California said there are early signs that the shelter-in-place order is working @ @ @ @ @ @ @ coronavirus death toll has been about 10 % of New York ’ s .
“ Now we ’ re seeing terrible outbreaks in New Orleans and Detroit and Chicago , ” Farnitano said .
“ So it ’ s really important : This is not the time to relax .
These kinds of scenarios could still happen in the Bay Area if we relax our social distancing.
” Farnitano said in his county , public transit ridership was down 80 % to 90 % , and miles traveled by residents had been cut @ @ @ @ @ @ @ health officer , Dr. Sara Cody , said Tuesday that she is seeing a bit of slowing in the number of COVID-19 cases , although she added that she was speaking cautiously .
“ The sacrifice that everyone has made , I believe it is starting to bend the curve .
But it ’ s not enough , and it hasn ’ t been in place for long enough , ” Cody said at a news conference .
“ So we need to keep at it .
We just need to keep at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ beginning to make a difference , and it ’ s giving our hospitals more time.
” The extra time is essential .
Some hospitals are reporting shortages of staff and safety equipment needed to prepare for the surge in patients .
In San Mateo County , south of San Francisco , officials sounded the alarm over a lack of personal protective equipment for Seton Medical Center in Daly City .
The state of California recently leased 177 beds from Seton to treat COVID-19 patients , but officials said Tuesday that the state doesn @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to secure critical safety gear for the hospital in San Mateo County ’ s most populous city .
“ Here ’ s what I see : I see a disaster on the brink of happening , ” San Mateo County Supervisor David Canepa said .
“ Us not hearing from the state is problematic .
Because we don ’ t have the resources — the hospital can only acquire 20 % of what they need — we could have the potential of having all these COVID patients and no PPE [ personal protective @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was short on gowns , with only 1,000 left in its central supply , and no estimate when a resupply would arrive , Farnitano said .
Medical-grade cleaning supplies , wipes and face shields were also limited .
Testing delays are still problematic .
In Contra Costa County , officials said results that once took seven to 10 days can still take four to five days , Farnitano said .
There are also shortages of chemicals needed to process the tests and supplies to collect samples from patients .
On Monday , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Dr. Grant Colfax , said his public health lab was expecting to triple its potential capacity to process tests by Tuesday .
But the city was still struggling to get swabs needed for tests as well as the processing chemicals needed to generate test results .
“ Our supply chains are episodic and hard to determine , ” Colfax said .
Health and government officials said hospitals were not yet at capacity .
In the 11 hospitals in Santa Clara County , as of Monday , out of an available 611 ventilators , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 500 more were expected soon .
Out of about 300 intensive care unit beds in Santa Clara County , 119 were still available Monday .
Of those being occupied , 56 were being used by COVID-19 patients .
In San Mateo County , there were just five free intensive care unit beds out of 66 .
Ventura County , which has 1,200 to 1,300 hospital beds , may need the ability to care for 2,500 people and maybe more , Levin said .
“ It ’ s better for us to overdo it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ than to have too little , ” he said .
Dr. Jeffrey Smith , the Santa Clara County executive — who is also a doctor and a lawyer — said that capacity in a hospital system can flex in a crisis , up to a certain point .
“ It ’ s not like filling a glass of water , where you get to the top , and it overflows , ” Smith said .
“ It ’ s more like filling up a water balloon , where there ’ s some flexibility @ @ @ @ @ @ @ you ’ re going to reach a capacity , and then you ’ re done .
But at some point , the water balloon does break .
“ So our job right now is to get as many resources and as many ventilators and as much space in the hospital and health system as much as possible , ” Smith said .
And there are still tricky issues that county officials are trying to sort out — like where to place COVID-19 patients who no longer need hospitalization but still require the kind @ @ @ @ @ @ @ care facility could provide .
In San Mateo County , Louise Rogers , chief of San Mateo County Health , said at a meeting Tuesday that she was hoping the county , state and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention can figure out a way to return COVID-19 patients to nursing homes if they no longer need to be hospitalized .
San Mateo County ’ s hospitals don ’ t have the capacity to hold those patients , she said .
In Ventura County , Levin said he wanted to keep @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and that was being made possible by preparations the county ’ s hospitals are taking .
He also warned he might have trouble meeting that goal .
“ We may have to go to skilled nursing facilities or extended-care facilities and ask them for a wing so that we can use it to dedicate and cohort patients with COVID , so that we keep them out of the rest of the [ skilled nursing facilities ] and extended-care facilities , ” Levin said .

The Strand walking path and beach in Hermosa Beach are closed in an effort to prevent crowds and gatherings of people to slow the coronavirus spread.
California faces 5,000 coronavirus deaths a week if the state’s stay-at-home policies are relaxed too early, a health officer in the Bay Area said Tuesday.
“Some of the modeling is predicting — at the peak — up to 5,000 deaths a week throughout California,” Dr. Chris Farnitano, health officer for Contra Costa County, told his Board of Supervisors. That would mean 600 deaths a week from the disease known as COVID-19 in the central San Francisco Bay Area, and 100 to 200 deaths a week in Contra Costa County, he said.
“We are still hopeful we can avoid [this scenario] if we don’t relax our efforts to flatten the curve,” said Farnitano, who shared the possible epidemic outcomes on the same day that six Bay Area counties extended and strengthened the nation’s first coronavirus shelter-in-place order.
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The news came as local health officials began revealing estimates of potential coronavirus death tolls in various counties Tuesday. There could be 2,000 to 14,000 deaths in Contra Costa County, and perhaps 1,000 deaths in Ventura County, health officers for both counties said. Last week, the city of San Jose released an estimate saying there could be 2,000 to 16,000 coronavirus deaths in Santa Clara County.
Dr. Robert Levin, health officer for Ventura County, said the number of coronavirus cases coming into hospitals could be a tsunami. In the last 21 years he’s been tracking the data, the worst year for flu deaths came two years ago, with 49 fatalities — a small fraction of the 1,000 deaths the coronavirus could bring to Ventura County.
“This is not influenza. This is much more serious,” Levin said at a Board of Supervisors meeting Tuesday. But he added that he hopes the stay-at-home order will significantly curtail the projected death toll.
There are promising signs for Contra Costa County, a suburban county northeast of Oakland with 1.2 million residents.
There are some early signs that new hospital cases of coronavirus are slowing, and that’s important. If hospital cases double every six days, Contra Costa County could start running out of beds by late April, around the time coronavirus cases are expected to be the most intense.
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Right now, hospital cases are doubling about every eight days.
If the county is able to slow the doubling to every 10 days, “we might have enough hospital beds to handle the surge,” Farnitano said. The worst period for coronavirus cases is expected between mid-April and mid-May, he said.
The estimate of 2,000 to 14,000 deaths in Contra Costa County, Farnitano said, “is based on the number of cases we have and how effective our social distancing is going to be.”
The number is similar to a projected death toll for Silicon Valley that San Jose officials released last week. San Jose Deputy City Manager Kip Harkness said 2,000 to 16,000 people could die from the virus by the end of May in Santa Clara County, which has a population of nearly 2 million. Santa Clara County officials released a statement that the model presented by the city was not vetted by the county.
Signs the shelter-in-place order is working
Some health officers in California said there are early signs that the shelter-in-place order is working. Farnitano noted that California’s coronavirus death toll has been about 10% of New York’s.
“Now we’re seeing terrible outbreaks in New Orleans and Detroit and Chicago,” Farnitano said. “So it’s really important: This is not the time to relax. These kinds of scenarios could still happen in the Bay Area if we relax our social distancing.”
Farnitano said in his county, public transit ridership was down 80% to 90%, and miles traveled by residents had been cut in half.
The Santa Clara County health officer, Dr. Sara Cody, said Tuesday that she is seeing a bit of slowing in the number of COVID-19 cases, although she added that she was speaking cautiously.
“The sacrifice that everyone has made, I believe it is starting to bend the curve. But it’s not enough, and it hasn’t been in place for long enough,” Cody said at a news conference. “So we need to keep at it. We just need to keep at it. I believe it’s beginning to make a difference, and it’s giving our hospitals more time.”
Short on supplies
The extra time is essential. Some hospitals are reporting shortages of staff and safety equipment needed to prepare for the surge in patients.
In San Mateo County, south of San Francisco, officials sounded the alarm over a lack of personal protective equipment for Seton Medical Center in Daly City. The state of California recently leased 177 beds from Seton to treat COVID-19 patients, but officials said Tuesday that the state doesn’t seem to have a plan to secure critical safety gear for the hospital in San Mateo County’s most populous city.
“Here’s what I see: I see a disaster on the brink of happening,” San Mateo County Supervisor David Canepa said. “Us not hearing from the state is problematic. Because we don’t have the resources — the hospital can only acquire 20% of what they need — we could have the potential of having all these COVID patients and no PPE [personal protective equipment].”
Contra Costa County was short on gowns, with only 1,000 left in its central supply, and no estimate when a resupply would arrive, Farnitano said. Medical-grade cleaning supplies, wipes and face shields were also limited.
Testing delays still problematic
Testing delays are still problematic. In Contra Costa County, officials said results that once took seven to 10 days can still take four to five days, Farnitano said. There are also shortages of chemicals needed to process the tests and supplies to collect samples from patients.
On Monday, the San Francisco director of public health, Dr. Grant Colfax, said his public health lab was expecting to triple its potential capacity to process tests by Tuesday. But the city was still struggling to get swabs needed for tests as well as the processing chemicals needed to generate test results.
“Our supply chains are episodic and hard to determine,” Colfax said.
Cots are set up at a possible coronavirus treatment site April 1 in San Mateo, Calif. The National Guard is setting up the federal cache, which includes cots and personal protective equipment needed to establish a federal medical station with capacity up to 250 beds. (Ben Margot / Associated Press)
Hospitals not full yet
Health and government officials said hospitals were not yet at capacity.
In the 11 hospitals in Santa Clara County, as of Monday, out of an available 611 ventilators, 209 were being used Tuesday, and 500 more were expected soon.
Out of about 300 intensive care unit beds in Santa Clara County, 119 were still available Monday. Of those being occupied, 56 were being used by COVID-19 patients.
In San Mateo County, there were just five free intensive care unit beds out of 66.
Ventura County, which has 1,200 to 1,300 hospital beds, may need the ability to care for 2,500 people and maybe more, Levin said. “It’s better for us to overdo it, to have too much capacity, than to have too little,” he said.
Dr. Jeffrey Smith, the Santa Clara County executive — who is also a doctor and a lawyer — said that capacity in a hospital system can flex in a crisis, up to a certain point.
“It’s not like filling a glass of water, where you get to the top, and it overflows,” Smith said. “It’s more like filling up a water balloon, where there’s some flexibility ... so it’s not like you’re going to reach a capacity, and then you’re done. But at some point, the water balloon does break.
“So our job right now is to get as many resources and as many ventilators and as much space in the hospital and health system as much as possible,” Smith said.
Tricky issues
And there are still tricky issues that county officials are trying to sort out — like where to place COVID-19 patients who no longer need hospitalization but still require the kind of care a nursing home or long-term care facility could provide.
In San Mateo County, Louise Rogers, chief of San Mateo County Health, said at a meeting Tuesday that she was hoping the county, state and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention can figure out a way to return COVID-19 patients to nursing homes if they no longer need to be hospitalized. San Mateo County’s hospitals don’t have the capacity to hold those patients, she said.
In Ventura County, Levin said he wanted to keep COVID-19 patients out of long-term care facilities, and that was being made possible by preparations the county’s hospitals are taking.
He also warned he might have trouble meeting that goal.
“We may have to go to skilled nursing facilities or extended-care facilities and ask them for a wing so that we can use it to dedicate and cohort patients with COVID, so that we keep them out of the rest of the [skilled nursing facilities] and extended-care facilities,” Levin said.


latimes--2020-04-01--Here is the latest list of L.A. County communities with coronavirus cases

Los Angeles County ’ s coronavirus cases topped 3,500 on Wednesday , marking a surge of more than 1,000 new @ @ @ @ @ officials said .
Los Angeles County officials on Wednesday confirmed 11 new coronavirus-linked deaths , @ @ @ @ @ .
To date , more than 20,000 people have been tested for the virus in @ @ @ @ @ who have tested positive , 733 have been hospitalized at some point during their illness @ @ @ @ @ in treatment , said Barbara Ferrer , director of the Los Angeles County Department of @ @ @ @ @ the breakdown by community .
For more , go to The Times tracker .

Los Angeles County’s coronavirus cases topped 3,500 on Wednesday, marking a surge of more than 1,000 new cases in two days, officials said.
Los Angeles County officials on Wednesday confirmed 11 new coronavirus-linked deaths, bringing the toll to 65.
To date, more than 20,000 people have been tested for the virus in the county. Of those who have tested positive, 733 have been hospitalized at some point during their illness, including 267 people currently in treatment, said Barbara Ferrer, director of the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health.
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Here is the breakdown by community. For more, go to The Times tracker.
Long Beach 133
Glendale 86
Hollywood 67
West Hollywood 64
Torrance 63
Santa Monica 53
Santa Clarita 50
Redondo Beach 50
North Hollywood 45
Carson 44
Manhattan Beach 41
Brentwood 39
Beverly Hills 39
Burbank 39
Sherman Oaks 37
Inglewood 37
Downey 37
Hancock Park 33
Pasadena 33
Lancaster 32
Encino 32
Hollywood Hills 32
Sylmar 30
Tarzana 29
Woodland Hills 29
Palms 27
Westwood 26
Silver Lake 25
South Gate 25
Pacific Palisades 23
Valley Village 23
Bellflower 23
Beverly Crest 22
West Los Angeles 22
Hawthorne 22
Norwalk 21
Lynwood 20
Reseda 20
Studio City 19
Compton 19
Venice 18
Westchester 18
Lakewood 18
Palmdale 18
Koreatown 18
Chatsworth 18
Mar Vista 18
Century City 17
Van Nuys 17
Del Rey 17
Carthay 17
Culver City 17
Rancho Palos Verdes 16
Glassell Park 16
Downtown 15
Beverlywood 15
Crestview 15
Palos Verdes Estates 15
West Vernon 15
Boyle Heights 15
San Pedro 14
Los Feliz 14
University Park 14
Gardena 14
West Adams 14
Florence-Firestone 14
Lake Balboa 14
Pico Rivera 14
Granada Hills 14
Central 13
Wilmington 13
Athens-Westmont 13
Huntington Park 13
Baldwin Hills 13
Alhambra 13
Calabasas 13
Mid-City 13
Westlake 13
Pomona 13
East Hollywood 12
Miracle Mile 12
Arcadia 12
Bell 12
Bel-Air 12
Hermosa Beach 12
Northridge 12
Wilshire Center 12
West Carson 11
Eagle Rock 11
Winnetka 11
Century Palms/Cove 11
Temple-Beaudry 11
North Hills 11
Panorama City 11
Agoura Hills 10
West Hills 10
Wholesale District 10
Paramount 10
Canoga Park 10
Harbor Gateway 9
Highland Park 9
South Carthay 9
Sun Valley 9
La Mirada 9
Covina 9
Pico-Union 9
Monterey Park 9
Green Meadows 8
Hyde Park 8
Porter Ranch 8
Lennox 8
La Cañada Flintridge 8
Valley Glen 8
South Whittier 8
Exposition Park 8
Cerritos 8
Cheviot Hills 8
Sunland 8
Little Bangladesh 8
Hacienda Heights 8
Maywood 8
Country Club Park 8
Glendora 7
Arleta 7
Watts 7
West Covina 7
Playa Vista 7
South Pasadena 7
Lawndale 7
Pacoima 7
Azusa 7
Harbor City 7
Monrovia 7
Vermont Vista 7
Mission Hills 6
Echo Park 6
San Gabriel 6
Ladera Heights 5
Marina del Rey 5
Tujunga 5
South Park 11
Montebello 7
Vernon Central 5
Adams-Normandie 8
El Monte 6
Bell Gardens 5
Harvard Park 4
Lincoln Heights 5
San Dimas 5
Castaic 3
La Puente 6
Rowland Heights 5
Diamond Bar 6
Walnut 4
El Sereno 4
Willowbrook 5
Rosemead 3
Claremont 3
Baldwin Park 3
La Verne 2
Temple City 1
Del Aire 1-4
Manchester Square 1-4
Longwood 1-4
Lomita 1-4
Mandeville Canyon 1-4
Little Tokyo 1-4
Little Armenia 1-4
Sierra Madre 1-4
Signal Hill 1-4
South El Monte 1-4
Stevenson Ranch 1-4
Leimert Park 7
Lafayette Square 1-4
Sun Village 1-4
La Verne 2
La Rambla 1-4
Marina Peninsula 6
Hawaiian Gardens 1-4
San Fernando 5
Toluca Lake 1-4
Harvard Heights 5
Gramercy Place 1-4
Valencia 1-4
Elysian Valley 1-4
Elysian Park 1-4
Valinda 1-4
El Segundo 1-4
Vermont Knolls 5
East Whittier 1-4
East La Mirada 1-4
Duarte 1-4
Vermont Square 1-4
Malibu 1-4
Shadow Hills 1-4
Cudahy 8
Crenshaw District 5
Covina 9
Mt. Washington 1-4
North Whittier 1-4
Victoria Park 1-4
Palisades Highlands 1-4
Park La Brea 5
View Heights 1-4
Commerce 1-4
Cloverdale / Cochran 5
Playa del Rey 1-4
West L.A. 1-4
Quartz Hill 1-4
Westlake Village 1-4
Chinatown 1-4
Rancho Dominguez 1-4
Rancho Park 1-4
Regent Square 1-4
Reseda Ranch 1-4
Canyon Country 1-4
Santa Fe Springs 1-4
Cadillac-Corning 1-4
Reynier Village 1-4
Rolling Hills Estates 1-4
Atwater Village 1-4
San Marino 1-4
Athens Village 1-4
Artesia 1-4
Alsace 1-4
Thai Town 1-4


latimes--2020-04-01--Coronavirus stay-at-home orders have reduced traffic accidents by half

Coronavirus stay-at-home orders that went into effect on March 20 have reduced vehicle collisions on California roadways by roughly half , according to a UC Davis survey that is the first to estimate the impact of the extraordinary health orders on traffic .
“ The reduction works out to about 15,000 fewer collisions per month and 6,000 fewer injury accidents per month , ” said Fraser Shilling , co-director of the Road Ecology Center at UC Davis .
Shilling said the reduction in motor vehicle accidents on highways and roads , “ can be directly or indirectly attributed to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a 60 % drop in traffic volume — when compared to the same period last year — accounts for a roughly 50 % decline in collisions on roadways policed by California Highway Patrol .
As people have limited their vehicular use to traveling to work and obtaining food and other essentials , it was predictable that collisions would decrease .
And with bars and restaurants shuttered , there would be even fewer drunk driving accidents .
But Shilling was surprised by the extent of the reduction .
“ We ’ ve never had @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” he said , “ where you severely reduced traffic and then in real time monitor the public health implications of less vehicles and their pollution.
” He said it is unlikely , however , that shelter-in-place orders in California and across the nation would result in fewer deaths from traffic accidents than the number of lives claimed by the coronavirus .
Susan Handy , a professor of environmental science and director of the National Center for Sustainable Transportation at UC Davis , described Shilling ’ s findings as “ an important reminder @ @ @ @ @ @ @ become.
” Using data derived from California Highway Patrol incident reports , the survey compared the average daily number of collisions on state highways and roads between March 10 and 19 , 2019 and March 21 and 30 , 2019 with those reported during the same periods in 2020 .
The average daily number of collisions reported in the 10 days prior to the stay-at-home order was 1,116 , compared with 500 per day after the order was issued by Gov .
Gavin Newsom .
Similarly , the average daily number of vehicle @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 10 days prior to the order was 562 , compared with 274 per day in the 10 days after the order was issued .
Overall , the reduction in traffic accidents was evenly distributed throughout the state , Shilling said .
Although major transportation routes that support freight movement such as the 5 , 10 , 15 and 101 Freeways in Southern California , for example , “ are seeing a little less traffic , ” he said , “ urban highways normally traversed daily by tens of thousands of commuters are experiencing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Normally , Shilling conducts research into animals who are killed on public roadways .
In this case , the survey was unable to collect enough data to accurately gauge changes in the number of animal deaths .
“ We need a longer time frame of information for that , ” Shilling said .
The UC Davis Road Ecology Center was established to help design transportation systems , including highways , that take into account their impact on natural landscapes and urban centers .
Cheryl Brehme , a biologist with the U.S. Geological Survey @ @ @ @ @ @ @ settings “ is promoting safer crossings for a variety of species at a time of the year when they ’ re migrating to breeding habitat within their home ranges : toads , newts , deer , coyotes , badgers.
” “ Regardless of any short-term effects from changes in traffic volume on the mortality rates of wildlife , ” she said , “ it is important for us to provide safe crossing structures such as underpasses and overpasses to connect populations and habitats .
This will help to ensure wildlife species and communities @ @ @ @ @ @ @ far , research biologists have seen no evidence that Southern California ’ s increasingly isolated and inbred populations of mountain lions are benefiting from far fewer vehicles on freeways cutting across their ever-shrinking islands of habitat .
“ There is no evidence that the animals that we ’ re tracking are crossing freeways any more in the last couple of weeks , ” said Seth P. D. Riley , wildlife ecologist and branch chief for the National Park Service ’ s Santa Monica Mountains Recreation Area .
“ But that is not too @ @ @ @ @ @ @ time frame.
” Mountain lions are not endangered in California , but groups living in the Santa Monica and Santa Ana ranges now find themselves in genetic peril .
Separated by nearly impenetrable freeways and lethal traffic , they are unable to travel and are growing increasingly rare and inbred , researchers say .
The California Fish and Game Commission on April 16 is expected to decide whether to recommend listing lion populations in Central and Southern California as a state endangered species .
In the meantime , the National Center for Sustainable @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at UC Davis have made funding requests to support research aimed at probing deeper into the positive and negative impacts of the pandemic on social rhythms of life .
“ As the shelter in place order extends over months , ” Shilling said , “ we hope to answer pressing questions such as this one : What are the cost-savings and other social benefits from reduced injuries and deaths on state highways due to COVID-19 ?
”

Traffic is light at rush hour at the interchange of the 110 and the 105 freeways recently.
Coronavirus stay-at-home orders that went into effect on March 20 have reduced vehicle collisions on California roadways by roughly half, according to a UC Davis survey that is the first to estimate the impact of the extraordinary health orders on traffic.
“The reduction works out to about 15,000 fewer collisions per month and 6,000 fewer injury accidents per month,” said Fraser Shilling, co-director of the Road Ecology Center at UC Davis. Shilling said the reduction in motor vehicle accidents on highways and roads “can be directly or indirectly attributed to the shelter-in-place order.”
The survey suggests that a 60% drop in traffic volume — when compared with the same period last year — accounts for a roughly 50% decline in collisions on roadways policed by California Highway Patrol.
As people have limited their vehicular use to traveling to work and obtaining food and other essentials, it was predictable that collisions would decrease. And with bars and restaurants shuttered, there would be even fewer drunk driving accidents.
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But Shilling was surprised by the extent of the reduction.
“We’ve never had a statewide experiment like this before,” he said, “where you severely reduced traffic and then in real time monitor the public health implications of less vehicles and their pollution.”
He said it is unlikely, however, that stay-at-home orders in California and across the nation would mean the number of lives spared in traffic accidents would exceed the number of lives claimed by the coronavirus.
Susan Handy, a professor of environmental science and director of the National Center for Sustainable Transportation at UC Davis, described Shilling’s findings as “an important reminder of how hazardous our normal lives have become.”
Using data derived from California Highway Patrol incident reports, the survey compared the average daily number of collisions on state highways and roads between March 10 and 19, 2019 and March 21 and 30, 2019 with those reported during the same periods in 2020.
The average daily number of collisions reported in the 10 days prior to the stay-at-home order was 1,116, compared with 500 per day after the order was issued by Gov. Gavin Newsom.
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Similarly, the average daily number of vehicle collisions involving injuries and fatalities in the 10 days prior to the order was 562, compared with 274 per day in the 10 days after the order was issued.
Overall, the reduction in traffic accidents was evenly distributed throughout the state, Shilling said. Although major transportation routes that support freight movement such as the 5, 10, 15 and 101 Freeways in Southern California, for example, “are seeing a little less traffic,” he said, “urban highways normally traversed daily by tens of thousands of commuters are experiencing significant reductions in numbers of vehicles.”
Normally, Shilling’s research focuses on animals that are killed on public roadways. In this case, the survey was unable to collect enough data to accurately gauge changes in the number of animal deaths. “We need a longer time frame of information for that,” Shilling said.
The UC Davis Road Ecology Center was established to help design transportation systems, including highways, that take into account their impact on natural landscapes and urban centers.
Cheryl Brehme, a biologist with the U.S. Geological Survey, believes that reduced traffic in rural settings “is promoting safer crossings for a variety of species at a time of the year when they’re migrating to breeding habitat within their home ranges: toads, newts, deer, coyotes, badgers.”
“Regardless of any short-term effects from changes in traffic volume on the mortality rates of wildlife,” she said, “it is important for us to provide safe crossing structures such as underpasses and overpasses to connect populations and habitats. This will help to ensure wildlife species and communities persist in the long term.”
So far, research biologists have seen no evidence that Southern California’s increasingly isolated and inbred populations of mountain lions are benefiting from far fewer vehicles on freeways cutting across their ever-shrinking islands of habitat.
“There is no evidence that the animals that we’re tracking are crossing freeways any more in the last couple of weeks,” said Seth P.D. Riley, wildlife ecologist and branch chief for the National Park Service’s Santa Monica Mountains Recreation Area. “But that is not too surprising — it is a very short time frame.”
Mountain lions are not endangered in California, but groups living in the Santa Monica and Santa Ana ranges now find themselves in genetic peril. Separated by nearly impenetrable freeways and lethal traffic, they are unable to travel and are growing increasingly rare and inbred, researchers say.
The California Fish and Game Commission on April 16 is expected to decide whether to recommend listing lion populations in Central and Southern California as a state endangered species.
In the meantime, the National Center for Sustainable Transportation and the Institute of Transportation Studies at UC Davis have made funding requests to support research aimed at probing deeper into the positive and negative impacts of the pandemic on social rhythms of life.
“As the shelter in place order extends over months,” Shilling said, “we hope to answer pressing questions such as this one: What are the cost-savings and other social benefits from reduced injuries and deaths on state highways due to COVID-19?”


latimes--2020-04-01--She was infected by coronavirus. Her roommate was 71 — and her mother

Elisa ’ s nightmare had become reality .
The Los Angeles resident was diagnosed with COVID-19 , but she paused before telling her 71-year-old mother about the results , despite the fact that she lived with her .
In Elisa ’ s opinion , the best thing she could do to manage the situation was to not worry her mother — and to keep her at a distance .
By Tuesday , L.A. County had recorded more than 3,000 confirmed cases and 54 deaths from the disease .
Elisa , 36 , had started feeling physically weak March 23 ; @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cough , and her head and body ached .
The next day , when she hardly had the strength to move , she decided to drive to an open-air clinic at the Crenshaw Christian Center in South L.A. to get tested .
Elisa , who was born in El Salvador , was sent home to rest .
She would have to wait for her results .
But Elisa knew that whatever she had was worse than the bouts of flu and bronchitis she had suffered in the past .
Eventually , Elisa decided @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have been infected with coronavirus , though she was careful to couch it as an uncertainty .
Her mother didn ’ t believe it .
But at that moment , Elisa isolated herself from her mother .
( Though COVID-19 has sickened and killed people of different ages , senior citizens are considered to be especially vulnerable ) .
“ We have a large apartment .
I ’ m in the living room ; she ’ s in her room .
If she walks into the kitchen , I won ’ t go @ @ @ @ @ @ @ We wash our hands constantly .
If I feel like I ’ ve been touching my face too much , I wash them.
” In the days that followed , she felt like she had sand in her throat .
“ I found it hard to breathe , and every time I took a breath I felt pain shoot through my chest and lungs , ” Elisa said in a phone call .
“ I take a few steps and I feel weak.
” Among her symptoms : waves of nausea , loss @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ; her tongue became swollen , with a white coat over it that caused her to constantly wash out her mouth .
On Monday , Elisa ’ s suspicions were confirmed when she got the results of her test .
She had COVID-19 .
On Tuesday , she told her mother that there was no longer any doubt .
For the better part of a week , Elisa had been sure she was ill with COVID-19 .
But she didn ’ t want to worry her mother if there was any chance that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this time I ’ ve taken precautions so that I don ’ t infect her .
I didn ’ t tell her [ that I felt certain about the illness ] because I didn ’ t want to worry her .
I didn ’ t want her to have thoughts in her head that she might have the virus , ” Elisa said .
“ I wanted her to see me getting better and to think that if I was getting better , then she would too if she were to also get @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the news was bittersweet .
“ She ’ s worried but relieved that she doesn ’ t have the symptoms , ” Elisa said .
“ And that I ’ m coming out of this.
” More than eight days since she got ill , Elisa still has no idea how she got exposed to the coronavirus .
Between March 11 and 14 , she was at an event for personal development at a hotel near LAX .
There were more than 200 people in one hall ; organizers were checking the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said .
On the third day , Elisa said , the event was canceled because one person turned out to have pneumonia , according to a message she received later .
In the next days , Elisa went hiking in nearby mountains and went to various stores to buy food .
“ I can ’ t say with certainty how or when I was infected , ” she said .
But Elisa said she feels fortunate that she had stopped working the first week of March — keeping her away from co-workers .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ laid off from her job as a housekeeper on March 16 .
“ I ’ ve had anxiety attacks … but what has kept me from panicking is official announcements that say that the majority of people recuperate , ” Elisa said .
Her advice : Don ’ t panic .
Monitor your symptoms and see how your body reacts to them .
She said she ’ s trying to stay positive and keep her mother feeling the same way .
“ Of course , you always worry about money during these times @ @ @ @ @ @ @ when you ’ ve been in this position , you realize that your health is the most important thing .
”

Elisa’s nightmare had become reality. The Los Angeles resident was diagnosed with COVID-19, but she paused before telling her 71-year-old mother about the results, despite the fact that they lived together.
In Elisa’s opinion, the best thing she could do to manage the situation was to not worry her mother — and to keep her at a distance.
(Elisa, a campaign consultant for an Assembly candidate in L.A. County, did not want her last name used because she has not told the rest of her family about the illness and did not want anyone to try to visit out of concern.)
By Tuesday, L.A. County had recorded more than 3,000 confirmed cases and 54 deaths from the disease.
Elisa, 36, had started feeling physically weak March 23; she had a sore throat and dry cough, and her head and body ached. The next day, when she hardly had the strength to move, she decided to drive to an open-air clinic at the Crenshaw Christian Center in South L.A. to get tested.
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Elisa, who was born in El Salvador, was sent home to rest. She would have to wait for her results.
But Elisa knew that whatever she had was worse than the bouts of flu and bronchitis she had suffered in the past.
Eventually, Elisa decided to tell her mother that she might have been infected with the coronavirus that causes COVID-19, though she was careful to couch it as an uncertainty. Her mother didn’t believe it. But at that moment, Elisa isolated herself from her mother. (Though COVID-19 has sickened and killed people of different ages, senior citizens are considered to be especially vulnerable.)
“We have a large apartment. I’m in the living room; she’s in her room. If she walks into the kitchen, I won’t go in,” Elisa said. “We wash our hands constantly. If I feel like I’ve been touching my face too much, I wash them.”
In the days that followed, she felt like she had sand in her throat. “I found it hard to breathe, and every time I took a breath I felt pain shoot through my chest and lungs,” Elisa said in a phone call. “I take a few steps and I feel weak.”
Among her symptoms: waves of nausea, loss of appetite, vomiting and stomachaches; her tongue became swollen, with a white coat over it that caused her to constantly wash out her mouth.
Marcelo Prado, clinical lab scientist and supervisor of the molecular lab, and Katie Zegarski, supervising clinical lab scientist, with the Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine at UC Davis Health in Sacramento, demonstrate how to load samples into the Roche Diagnostics cobas 6800 instrument. The instrument, one of the few of its kind at a west coast academic medical center, is undergoing validation this week before UC Davis Health begins to test for the COVID-19 strand of coronavirus. The instrument is capable of testing nearly 1,500 samples in 24 hours, with quick results. (Wayne Tilcock/Wayne Tilcock/UC Davis Health)
On Monday, Elisa’s suspicions were confirmed when she got the results of her test. She had COVID-19. On Tuesday, she told her mother that there was no longer any doubt.
For the better part of a week, Elisa had been sure she was ill with COVID-19. But she didn’t want to worry her mother if there was any chance that she wasn’t.
“All this time I’ve taken precautions so that I don’t infect her. I didn’t tell her [that I felt certain about the illness] because I didn’t want to worry her. I didn’t want her to have thoughts in her head that she might have the virus,” Elisa said. “I wanted her to see me getting better and to think that if I was getting better, then she would too if she were to also get ill.”
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Her mother’s response to the news was bittersweet. “She’s worried but relieved that she doesn’t have the symptoms,” Elisa said. “And that I’m coming out of this.”
More than eight days since she got ill, Elisa still has no idea how she got exposed to the coronavirus.
Between March 11 and March 14, she was at an event for personal development at a hotel near Los Angeles International Airport. There were more than 200 people in one hall; organizers were checking the temperatures of people who arrived, she said.
On the third day, Elisa said, the event was canceled because one person turned out to have pneumonia, according to a message she received later.
In the next days, Elisa went hiking in nearby mountains and went to various stores to buy food. “I can’t say with certainty how or when I was infected,” she said.
But Elisa said she feels fortunate that she had stopped working the first week of March — keeping her away from co-workers.
For her part, her mother was laid off from her job as a housekeeper March 16.
“I’ve had anxiety attacks … but what has kept me from panicking is official announcements that say that the majority of people recuperate,” Elisa said.
Her advice: Don’t panic. Monitor your symptoms and see how your body reacts to them. She said she’s trying to stay positive and keep her mother feeling the same way.
“Of course, you always worry about money during these times,” Elisa said. “But when you’ve been in this position, you realize that your health is the most important thing.”


latimes--2020-04-01--Not going coronavirus outbreak alone: Some find quarantine buddies to lessen isolation

They call themselves the quarantine gang .
They are not blood-related .
They are not romantic partners .
They are friends brought together by the unprecedented restrictions on face-to-face contact that have upended life across America to slow the spread of the novel coronavirus .
The foursome — a songwriter , a therapist and two journalists — has decided to be a family , of sorts , in a situation no one could have imagined a few months ago .
They share meals , huddle together on the couch strumming guitars , exercise together , even hug .
All four @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and potentially months alone was too much to bear .
So they made a pact .
They would see each other , and only each other .
They are not the only ones creating impromptu families in the time of the coronavirus .
People who live alone are especially tempted to acquire a quarantine buddy or two , for mutual aid as well as for human contact .
Under stay-at-home orders from Los Angeles city and county officials , people should go out as little as possible , and group gatherings are forbidden @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with stern disapproval from those who adhere to a traditional definition of family .
Some public health experts emphasize the increased risk of contagion that comes with a larger social circle .
Others say that forming self-contained units is an acceptable way to lessen the psychological stresses of solitude .
In a city like Los Angeles , where people arrive from all over the world to make it in creative industries , friends often serve as surrogate families for those far from home .
Laurie Penny , a television writer and journalist from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with a roommate , songwriter Natti Vogel .
Another member of the quarantine gang lives nearby , with the fourth in West Hollywood .
“ If I was by myself out here in L.A. , so far from my family , I think I would have gone a bit bonkers , ” said Penny , 33 .
Like many quarantine circles , this one has unwritten rules .
Wear gloves when you press the crosswalk button .
Keep at least six feet away from anyone outside the group .
If you are thinking @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a boxing workout with a friend , consult the others .
The boxing was unanimously rejected , as was a request to host someone who needed a place to stay .
Besides the quarantine gang , they refer to themselves as the pod , los quarantinos or fourcan ( a play on toucan ) .
The four had already been in close contact when stay-at-home orders came down from the governor and the mayor .
All are musicians and had been filming a music video together .
They had also been back and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ after Penny and Vogel got bedbugs .
Sam Braslow , a freelance journalist , considered three options : Move in with his parents and 92-year-old grandfather , isolate himself in his studio apartment or throw in his lot with his three friends .
Staying with his biological family would have felt like regressing to childhood , with all-too-predictable annoyances ensuing .
“ If I had to choose who to go crazy with , I would rather do it with my more intentional family , ” said Braslow , 26 .
“ There ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s an adventure.
” A small group of people does not have to be blood-related to safely practice social isolation , said Jeffrey Martin , an internist and professor of epidemiology and biostatistics at UC San Francisco .
If members live in separate houses , they can reduce risk by having the same person always get groceries for the whole group and by receiving deliveries at only one address , he said .
As the crisis wears on , if people are completely isolated , they could act out in ways more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ individuals , Martin said .
“ This is all about limiting the number of new contacts in your life , ” Martin said .
“ Of those people who you contact , they are a product of all their contacts .
If you can keep that circle small , it doesn ’ t matter if you ’ re related or not.
” It is impossible for all Americans to lock themselves in a room for weeks , so people are figuring out their own boundaries , said Howard Forman , a professor of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and management at Yale University .
Over a long period of time , people will need some human contact , he said .
He himself lives alone and has hung out with several friends in recent days — from a distance of at least six feet , which he recommends for all quarantine buddies .
He works as an emergency room radiologist and looks forward to the social interaction on his shifts .
“ It ’ s certainly better to be in a room with someone than alone with Zoom constantly , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ service .
“ I don ’ t see that as conveying risk .
But I don ’ t get why they wouldn ’ t want to maintain social distancing.
” In an essay on the Medium website , an infectious disease epidemiologist cautioned about the extended transmission chains that can infect small family groups .
“ If your son visits his girlfriend , and you later sneak over for coffee with a neighbor , your neighbor is now connected to the infected office worker that your son ’ s girlfriend ’ s mother @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Smith , a Ph.D. candidate at Emory University and a lecturer at Yale University .
Smith added that small indulgences , like “ one quick little get together , ” could undermine the entire contagion-reducing framework .
Yimu Xue , who lives in Pico-Robertson , chose her quarantine buddies carefully .
One lives close by , and the two go on walks around the neighborhood .
The other buddy comes over for wine and TV watching , bringing her own glass and sitting on the opposite end of the couch .
Xue cleans @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Xue was already seeing these two friends regularly before the stay-at-home orders came down .
She trusts them to go out only when necessary .
Until the pandemic is over , she will not see anyone else , other than bringing groceries to her mother .
Xue has been living by herself since her roommate decamped to be with family .
Quarantine buddies are a coping mechanism , she said , along with reorganizing her house three times .
“ We ’ re all trying to find a missing puzzle piece of our @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 28 , a freelance producer and creative director .
“ This is a very infrequent light that we use to add a little bit of levity and add a little bit of what we miss about being social , because we are social creatures .
I don ’ t want to be scrolling on Instagram all day watching people.
” There is plenty of levity in the apartments frequented by the quarantine gang foursome , which can take on the air of a “ young strangers thrown together ” reality show .
Vogel @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as “ well-read , gifted , currently dangerously sex-starved , deeply compassionate nut jobs .
We are working round the clock to keep one another entertained , inspired , fed and virus-free.
” They have read through plays , recorded songs together , performed for one another .
Vogel led a concert from their front porch , with the audience social-distancing six feet away .
As thanks , a neighbor dropped off milk and some squash .
“ It ’ s like being theater kids again , ” Penny said .
They message @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it is impossible to meet in person .
As the days wear on , they have discussed a no-hooking-up rule for the group .
All are fortunate to still have paying jobs .
Pam Shaffer , the therapist , is swamped with clients weighed down by coronavirus anxiety .
On Zoom , she counsels them on how to deal with uncertainty , loss of control and grief about canceled plans .
She is avoiding her older parents , despite their pleas to come over , ordering groceries for them on Amazon instead .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ your house because I love you , ” Shaffer , 38 , said of her parents .
Vogel is accepting commissions .
He has written a coronavirus nursery rhyme — “ We ’ re grateful for our groceries/Corona , corona , we all bow down ” — and a song about how to unplug from social media and find the energy within .
The group is deciding whether to expand its ranks with another friend .
Sometimes , the discussion veers toward a touchy subject : What is so important to you that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and be cast out ?
Vogel ’ s vulnerabilities are easily pinpointed by his friends : staying fit at the gym and recording at his musical collaborator ’ s studio .
“ We need to care for each other , ” Vogel said .
“ That ’ s why we freak out as a group when someone talks about breaking quarantine .
”

Friends Laurie Penny, left, Pam Shaffer, Natti Vogel and Sam Braslow at Penny’s home in Silver Lake. As officials order Californians to stay at home to decrease the spread of the coronavirus, some people are making pacts with small circles of friends.
They call themselves the quarantine gang.
They are not blood-related. They are not romantic partners. They are friends brought together by the unprecedented restrictions on face-to-face contact that have upended life across America to slow the spread of the novel coronavirus.
The foursome — a songwriter, a therapist and two journalists — has decided to be a family, of sorts, in a situation no one could have imagined a few months ago. They share meals, huddle together on the couch strumming guitars, exercise together, even hug.
All four are single. The thought of weeks and potentially months alone was too much to bear. So they made a pact. They would see each other, and only each other.
They are not the only ones creating impromptu families in the time of the coronavirus. People who live alone are especially tempted to acquire a quarantine buddy or two, for mutual aid as well as for human contact.
Advertisement
Under stay-at-home orders from Los Angeles city and county officials, people should go out as little as possible, and group gatherings are forbidden. Quarantine buddy arrangements are sometimes met with stern disapproval from those who adhere to a traditional definition of family.
Some public health experts emphasize the increased risk of contagion that comes with a larger social circle. Others say that forming self-contained units is an acceptable way to lessen the psychological stresses of solitude.
In a city like Los Angeles, where people arrive from all over the world to make it in creative industries, friends often serve as surrogate families for those far from home.
Laurie Penny, a television writer and journalist from England, shares her Silver Lake house with a roommate, songwriter Natti Vogel. Another member of the quarantine gang lives nearby, with the fourth in West Hollywood.
Clockwise from left; friends Natti Vogel, Pam Shaffer, Laurie Penny and Sam Braslow are at Penny’s Silver Lake home. (Mel Melcon/Los Angeles Times)
“If I was by myself out here in L.A., so far from my family, I think I would have gone a bit bonkers,” said Penny, 33.
Advertisement
Like many quarantine circles, this one has unwritten rules. Wear gloves when you press the crosswalk button. Keep at least six feet away from anyone outside the group. If you are thinking of doing something potentially risky, like a boxing workout with a friend, consult the others.
The boxing was unanimously rejected, as was a request to host someone who needed a place to stay. Besides the quarantine gang, they refer to themselves as the pod, los quarantinos or fourcan (a play on toucan).
The four had already been in close contact when stay-at-home orders came down from the governor and the mayor. All are musicians and had been filming a music video together. They had also been back and forth between each other’s apartments after Penny and Vogel got bedbugs.
Sam Braslow, a freelance journalist, considered three options: Move in with his parents and 92-year-old grandfather, isolate himself in his studio apartment or throw in his lot with his three friends.
Staying with his biological family would have felt like regressing to childhood, with all-too-predictable annoyances ensuing.
“If I had to choose who to go crazy with, I would rather do it with my more intentional family,” said Braslow, 26. “There’s something novel about this. It’s an adventure.”
A small group of people does not have to be blood-related to safely practice social isolation, said Jeffrey Martin, an internist and professor of epidemiology and biostatistics at UC San Francisco.
If members live in separate houses, they can reduce risk by having the same person always get groceries for the whole group and by receiving deliveries at only one address, he said.
As the crisis wears on, if people are completely isolated, they could act out in ways more damaging than associating with the same few individuals, Martin said.
“This is all about limiting the number of new contacts in your life,” Martin said. “Of those people who you contact, they are a product of all their contacts. If you can keep that circle small, it doesn’t matter if you’re related or not.”
It is impossible for all Americans to lock themselves in a room for weeks, so people are figuring out their own boundaries, said Howard Forman, a professor of diagnostic radiology, public health and economics and management at Yale University.
Over a long period of time, people will need some human contact, he said. He himself lives alone and has hung out with several friends in recent days — from a distance of at least six feet, which he recommends for all quarantine buddies. He works as an emergency room radiologist and looks forward to the social interaction on his shifts.
“It’s certainly better to be in a room with someone than alone with Zoom constantly,” said Forman, referring to the video-communication service. “I don’t see that as conveying risk. But I don’t get why they wouldn’t want to maintain social distancing.”
In an essay on the Medium website, an infectious disease epidemiologist cautioned about the extended transmission chains that can infect small family groups.
“If your son visits his girlfriend, and you later sneak over for coffee with a neighbor, your neighbor is now connected to the infected office worker that your son’s girlfriend’s mother shook hands with,” wrote Jonathan Smith, a Ph.D. candidate at Emory University and a lecturer at Yale University.
Smith added that small indulgences, like “one quick little get together,” could undermine the entire contagion-reducing framework.
Yimu Xue, who lives in Pico-Robertson, chose her quarantine buddies carefully. One lives close by, and the two go on walks around the neighborhood. The other buddy comes over for wine and TV watching, bringing her own glass and sitting on the opposite end of the couch. Xue cleans her apartment before and after visits.
Xue was already seeing these two friends regularly before the stay-at-home orders came down. She trusts them to go out only when necessary. Until the pandemic is over, she will not see anyone else, other than bringing groceries to her mother.
Xue has been living by herself since her roommate decamped to be with family. Quarantine buddies are a coping mechanism, she said, along with reorganizing her house three times.
“We’re all trying to find a missing puzzle piece of our lives again,” said Xue, 28, a freelance producer and creative director. “This is a very infrequent light that we use to add a little bit of levity and add a little bit of what we miss about being social, because we are social creatures. I don’t want to be scrolling on Instagram all day watching people.”
There is plenty of levity in the apartments frequented by the quarantine gang foursome, which can take on the air of a “young strangers thrown together” reality show.
Vogel, the songwriter, describes the group as “well-read, gifted, currently dangerously sex-starved, deeply compassionate nut jobs. We are working round the clock to keep one another entertained, inspired, fed and virus-free.”
They have read through plays, recorded songs together, performed for one another. Vogel led a concert from their front porch, with the audience social-distancing six feet away. As thanks, a neighbor dropped off milk and some squash.
“It’s like being theater kids again,” Penny said.
They message potential mates on dating apps, but it is impossible to meet in person. As the days wear on, they have discussed a no-hooking-up rule for the group.
All are fortunate to still have paying jobs.
Pam Shaffer, the therapist, is swamped with clients weighed down by coronavirus anxiety. On Zoom, she counsels them on how to deal with uncertainty, loss of control and grief about canceled plans.
She is avoiding her older parents, despite their pleas to come over, ordering groceries for them on Amazon instead.
“I’m not going to your house because I love you,” Shaffer, 38, said of her parents.
Vogel is accepting commissions. He has written a coronavirus nursery rhyme — “We’re grateful for our groceries/Corona, corona, we all bow down” — and a song about how to unplug from social media and find the energy within.
The group is deciding whether to expand its ranks with another friend. Sometimes, the discussion veers toward a touchy subject: What is so important to you that you would choose it over the group and be cast out?
Vogel’s vulnerabilities are easily pinpointed by his friends: staying fit at the gym and recording at his musical collaborator’s studio.
“We need to care for each other,” Vogel said. “That’s why we freak out as a group when someone talks about breaking quarantine.”