latimes--2020-12-09--Column: What in tarnation is going on with Southern California sheriffs and coronavirus?

There are reasonable , respectful ways for politicians to oppose Gov .
Gavin Newsom ’ s coronavirus shutdowns .
And then there ’ s the way Southern California ’ s sheriffs do it .
In November , the top lawmen in Riverside , San Bernardino , Ventura , Orange and Los Angeles counties announced that they wouldn ’ t enforce a 10 p.m-to-5 a.m. curfew implemented to thwart a rise in coronavirus cases .
All said then that they ’ d rather take an educational rather than punitive approach to violators .
But now that the governor has shut down @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cases hit record-breaking highs , some sheriffs are advocating insurrection .
In my Orange County , Don Barnes said in a Dec. 5 news release that his department wouldn ’ t cite any maskless people or packed restaurants because public compliance with this latest state order “ is a matter of personal responsibility and not a matter of law enforcement.
” He also opined that for Newsom to expect O.C .
deputies will serve as his personal snitch squad is “ contradictory and disingenuous ” because the governor keeps “ criticizing law enforcement @ @ @ @ @ @ @ jobs.
” East on the 91 Freeway in Riverside , Chad Bianco wasn ’ t as conciliatory .
In a Dec. 4 video better suited for Infowars than a public agency , the first-term sheriff blasted Newsom ’ s “ dictatorial attitude ” and derided stay-at-home orders as “ flat-out ridiculous ” because “ the medical field is so split about this virus.
” Therefore , Bianco proclaimed his department wouldn ’ t be blackmailed or bullied by the “ hypocritical ” Newsom to be “ used as muscle ” against the public @ @ @ @ @ @ @ two make L.A. 's Xerox machine of bad news , Sheriff Alex Villanueva , look good on the coronavirus .
On Tuesday , my colleague Alene Tchekmedyian broke the news that Villanueva knew about a massive , illegal house party in Palmdale yet allowed it to happen before his deputies swarmed in to arrest more than 100 people .
But it ’ s Barnes and Bianco that corona-crazies now hail as heroes for their tough talk .
If this were a western movie , the sheriffs would be Gary Cooper ’ s character @ @ @ @ @ @ @ men willing to take on evil as cowards hide — while Newsom would obviously be a foppish villain a la Hedley Lamarr in “ Blazing Saddles.
” But the two should be shamed , not praised .
They and their fellow sheriff resisters represent some of the worst offenders of the pandemic .
When we need collective sacrifice , they espouse selfishness .
When we need law and order , they encourage anarchy by deciding which rules are valid and which aren ’ t .
When we need officers who follow the policy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ decide to become judge , jury and non-executor on subjects over which they have no knowledge whatsoever .
When we need Andy Griffith , Barnes and Bianco give us Barney Fife .
You can not find two worse spokespeople against the shutdown than them .
I figured Bianco was going to justify his stance by citing a love of civil liberties more than espousing coronavirus trutherism when I requested an interview .
But , no , his emailed responses showed Bianco graduated from the Scott Atlas college of dodgy science .
When I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ about doctors being “ split ” on the coronavirus , Bianco responded , “ If you seek information from more than one news source , these opinions are easy to find .
Doctors and other medical professionals have differing opinions on benefits of masks , social distancing , and lockdowns.
” It ’ s a weird thing to say , given Bianco himself urged Riverside County residents in his Dec. 4 video to “ wear your mask and practice social distancing.
” Bianco doesn ’ t believe this lockdown “ is going to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ though coronavirus rates fell the last time California saw such a similar closure .
And then he got all epidemiologist , which I didn ’ t know they taught at sheriff school .
He wrote , “ Not everyone is going to get the virus , and 99.8 [ % ] of those who do , will get over it .
Common sense would say we should be looking to identify and save that 0.2 [ % ] .
” The thing is , Sheriff , knowing whom the coronavirus will kill isn @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a crook from a lineup because he ’ s wearing a grimy beanie and holding a bag with a dollar sign .
The virus hits everyone , and can kill the healthy and infirm alike .
Bianco should know : Two of his own deputies died of COVID-19 in April .
There ’ s also this : In Riverside County , the COVID-19 fatality rate right now for those who contract the disease is 1.2 % — and its death rate per 100,000 places it ninth out of California ’ s 58 counties @ @ @ @ @ @ @ surprising .
His department hasn ’ t faced many controversies over the last two years .
And Bianco made national news over the summer when he and some of his deputies knelt during a Black Lives Matter rally in Riverside .
He told reporters then , “ This is a huge divide , and the leaders of this have to work with us to make a difference.
” If only he felt the same about leaders banding together to fight the coronavirus .
Yet Bianco is nowhere near as hypocritical in his stance @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
's sheriff has proclaimed to anyone who ’ ll listen that he doesn ’ t run the “ mask police ” because his department would rather go after actual criminals .
Now , he ’ s appearing on Fox News to claim Newsom ’ s lockdowns don ’ t stand “ the constitutional test.
” Caring about the law of the land is rich coming from Barnes .
Over his 31-year law career in Orange County , the Sheriff ’ s Department has careened from one corruption scandal to another .
A @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Brad Gates , acted with “ reckless disregard ” for the Constitution by allegedly issuing gun permits to political supporters ; another , Michael Carona , spent time in federal prison for witness tampering .
Barnes , meanwhile , was in the inner circle of his predecessor , Sandra Hutchens , when multiple convictions were overturned after public defender Scott Sanders discovered that deputies had procured illegal confessions from inmates through the use of jailhouse informants .
This year alone , O.C .
deputies have been charged with stealing credit cards , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ man ’ s home .
In Hollywood ’ s version of the Old West , sheriffs were usually the good guys , the ones who brought order and justice and peace to towns in the midst of chaos .
But Barnes , Bianco , Villanueva and others actually recall a stock character from a different genre , one they have updated for modern times .
Except their tomfoolery endangers us all .

Orange County Sheriff Don Barnes talks to a reporter at his office in Santa Ana on Feb. 19, 2019.
There are reasonable, respectful ways for politicians to oppose Gov. Gavin Newsom’s coronavirus shutdowns.
And then there’s the way Southern California’s sheriffs do it.
In November, the top lawmen in Riverside, San Bernardino, Ventura, Orange and Los Angeles counties announced that they wouldn’t enforce a 10 p.m-to-5 a.m. curfew implemented to thwart a rise in coronavirus cases.
Advertisement
All said then that they’d rather take an educational rather than punitive approach to violators. But now that the governor has shut down in-person dining and severely limited businesses as cases hit record-breaking highs, some sheriffs are advocating insurrection.
In my Orange County, Don Barnes said in a Dec. 5 news release that his department wouldn’t cite any maskless people or packed restaurants because public compliance with this latest state order “is a matter of personal responsibility and not a matter of law enforcement.” He also opined that for Newsom to expect O.C. deputies will serve as his personal snitch squad is “contradictory and disingenuous” because the governor keeps “criticizing law enforcement and taking away tools to do our jobs.”
East on the 91 Freeway in Riverside, Chad Bianco wasn’t as conciliatory.
In a Dec. 4 video better suited for Infowars than a public agency, the first-term sheriff blasted Newsom’s “dictatorial attitude” and derided stay-at-home orders as “flat-out ridiculous” because “the medical field is so split about this virus.” Therefore, Bianco proclaimed his department wouldn’t be blackmailed or bullied by the “hypocritical” Newsom to be “used as muscle” against the public if people violate coronavirus protocols.
The two make L.A.’s Xerox machine of bad news, Sheriff Alex Villanueva, look good on the coronavirus. On Tuesday, my colleague Alene Tchekmedyian broke the news that Villanueva knew about a massive, illegal house party in Palmdale yet allowed it to happen before his deputies swarmed in to arrest more than 100 people.
But it’s Barnes and Bianco that corona-crazies now hail as heroes for their tough talk. If this were a western movie, the sheriffs would be Gary Cooper’s character in “High Noon” — lone men willing to take on evil as cowards hide — while Newsom would obviously be a foppish villain a la Hedley Lamarr in “Blazing Saddles.”
Advertisement
But the two should be shamed, not praised. They and their fellow sheriff resisters represent some of the worst offenders of the pandemic.
When we need collective sacrifice, they espouse selfishness. When we need law and order, they encourage anarchy by deciding which rules are valid and which aren’t. When we need officers who follow the policy recommendations of medical experts, they instead decide to become judge, jury and non-executor on subjects over which they have no knowledge whatsoever.
When we need Andy Griffith, Barnes and Bianco give us Barney Fife.
Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco (Riverside County Sheriff’s Department)
You cannot find two worse spokespeople against the shutdown than them.
I figured Bianco was going to justify his stance by citing a love of civil liberties more than espousing coronavirus trutherism when I requested an interview. But, no, his emailed responses showed Bianco graduated from the Scott Atlas college of dodgy science.
When I asked him to clarify what he meant about doctors being “split” on the coronavirus, Bianco responded, “If you seek information from more than one news source, these opinions are easy to find. Doctors and other medical professionals have differing opinions on benefits of masks, social distancing, and lockdowns.”
It’s a weird thing to say, given Bianco himself urged Riverside County residents in his Dec. 4 video to “wear your mask and practice social distancing.”
Bianco doesn’t believe this lockdown “is going to be effective at all,” even though coronavirus rates fell the last time California saw such a similar closure. And then he got all epidemiologist, which I didn’t know they taught at sheriff school.
He wrote, “Not everyone is going to get the virus, and 99.8[%] of those who do, will get over it. Common sense would say we should be looking to identify and save that 0.2[%].”
The thing is, Sheriff, knowing whom the coronavirus will kill isn’t as easy as picking out a crook from a lineup because he’s wearing a grimy beanie and holding a bag with a dollar sign. The virus hits everyone, and can kill the healthy and infirm alike.
Bianco should know: Two of his own deputies died of COVID-19 in April.
There’s also this: In Riverside County, the COVID-19 fatality rate right now for those who contract the disease is 1.2% — and its death rate per 100,000 places it ninth out of California’s 58 counties.
Bianco’s coronavirus truthiness is surprising. His department hasn’t faced many controversies over the last two years. And Bianco made national news over the summer when he and some of his deputies knelt during a Black Lives Matter rally in Riverside.
He told reporters then, “This is a huge divide, and the leaders of this have to work with us to make a difference.”
If only he felt the same about leaders banding together to fight the coronavirus.
Yet Bianco is nowhere near as hypocritical in his stance as Barnes.
Since May, O.C.’s sheriff has proclaimed to anyone who’ll listen that he doesn’t run the “mask police” because his department would rather go after actual criminals. Now, he’s appearing on Fox News to claim Newsom’s lockdowns don’t stand “the constitutional test.”
Caring about the law of the land is rich coming from Barnes. Over his 31-year law career in Orange County, the Sheriff’s Department has careened from one corruption scandal to another. A federal jury found that one former boss, Brad Gates, acted with “reckless disregard” for the Constitution by allegedly issuing gun permits to political supporters; another, Michael Carona, spent time in federal prison for witness tampering.
Barnes, meanwhile, was in the inner circle of his predecessor, Sandra Hutchens, when multiple convictions were overturned after public defender Scott Sanders discovered that deputies had procured illegal confessions from inmates through the use of jailhouse informants.
This year alone, O.C. deputies have been charged with stealing credit cards, mishandling evidence and repeatedly burglarizing a dead man’s home.
Barnes’ office didn’t return a request for comment.
In Hollywood’s version of the Old West, sheriffs were usually the good guys, the ones who brought order and justice and peace to towns in the midst of chaos. But Barnes, Bianco, Villanueva and others actually recall a stock character from a different genre, one they have updated for modern times.
They’re the Keystone corona-Kops.
Except their tomfoolery endangers us all.


latimes--2020-12-09--Column One: Three daughters mourn fathers in a sisterhood of grief

Her voice flittered from the screen , filling her father ’ s New York City hospital room .
From a couch in her home office in Los Angeles ’ Mar Vista neighborhood , Carolyn Freyer-Jones watched through her laptop as a ventilator forced air into his lungs .
She knew he didn ’ t want to linger — he had made that clear during end-of-life conversations .
I love you , she told him , over and over .
Thank you , and I love you .
“ Don ’ t hang around for us , Dad , ” she @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to go on your birthday , you can go.
” Later that afternoon — nine days after testing positive — her father , Hugh Freyer , a retired banker from the Bronx who for years committed himself fiercely to his sobriety , died on his 86th birthday .
Eight days later , Serena Dobbie , a 37-year-old real estate agent , stood near her own father ’ s hospital bed in Upland , Calif. , crying behind two masks and searching for words to say goodbye .
A month later , Dolly Spadaro @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in La Cañada Flintridge , rushed to LAX and sobbed through both legs of her flight to Lebanon , where she ’ d sit down with her mother and break the news of her father ’ s passing .
The three daughters — strangers who crossed paths in a private Facebook group for people who ’ ve lost loved ones to COVID-19 — are now part of a sisterhood of communal grief .
Started in April by two women whose fathers died of the virus , the group @ @ @ @ @ @ @ politics ” and “ science-based posting only ” — now has 3,700 members across the globe who share photos , send one another encouraging notes and commiserate over how much they ’ re dreading their first holidays without their loved ones .
At least once a day , Freyer-Jones scrolls the page and leaves a variation of the same message on a new post : “ I ’ m so sorry that you ’ re here .
You ’ re not alone.
” As thousands of people have privately grieved deaths , illnesses @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sudden recession while in isolation , many have turned to social media for support , solace and answers .
Facebook alone hosts dozens of groups for COVID-19 “ long-haulers , ” who swap information about their lasting symptoms .
More formal avenues of support have also cropped up during the pandemic .
Therapists across the country host COVID-19-related support groups by phone and video conference .
In Los Angeles , Kaiser Permanente started bereavement groups , conducted weekly by phone in English , Spanish and Armenian .
The scope of collective grief and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said Deborah Serani , and adjunct professor at Adelphi University in New York .
And the next several weeks could be especially hard for many families , she said , adding that it ’ s important to find ways to incorporate memories of loved ones into holiday rituals and traditions .
“ It ’ s a way to say , ‘ What would my Dad wish we could do ?
’ ” she said .
For Freyer-Jones , who works as a life and business coach , one of those new rituals is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ started urging people to set aside 60 seconds a week to think about someone affected by the coronavirus — perhaps a sick friend , a family in mourning or someone who has lost income or educational opportunities .
She views it as a time to slow down — a grounding moment amid the magnitude of our suffering .
On a recent morning , while broadcasting live from her Instagram account , @ thefridayminute , Freyer-Jones — donning a black baseball cap , one of more than 200 from her father ’ s collection @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of meditation .
She said she thinks often of other grieving families whose stories she has learned — the other devastated daughters who had far fewer years with their own fathers .
Women like Dobbie , who watched on a Thursday in July as her 61-year-old father , Eddie Fierro , walked slowly from her childhood home in Rancho Cucamonga , struggling to breathe .
It wasn ’ t safe to share a car , she knew , so he drove himself ; she followed behind , watching as a hospital employee pushed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wheelchair .
“ I never , ever , ever , ever would have thought he wasn ’ t coming out , ” she said .
At first , he had enough energy to text Dobbie and her younger sister , Lauren Andrews , photos of himself wearing a mask in his hospital room , but soon doctors were mentioning remdesivir and convalescent plasma .
He responded well to the plasma treatment , Dobbie said , and she was able to talk to him on the phone .
I feel like I could walk @ @ @ @ @ @ @ told her .
A day later , he went into cardiac arrest ; five days later , he died .
In an instant , Dobbie and her sister , both in their mid-30s , had lost their father and become caregivers for their mother , who has late-stage Alzheimer ’ s disease .
The sisters wrapped up pending jobs from their father ’ s custom cabinet company — S & L Design , for their initials — and immediately began clearing out their childhood home , knowing they ’ d soon need to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the cost of caring for their mother in a skilled nursing facility .
Sometimes relatives dropped off food outside the door , but other than their husbands , no one could come in to help .
They knew how contagious this virus is — it had also sickened and hospitalized their mother , their uncle , their grandfather and their grandmother .
Dobbie ’ s days blurred with tears and calls from the Internal Revenue Service .
On Halloween , she saw people on social media posing in spiky red orb costumes .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ wear masks — calling the coronavirus a hoax .
It felt as if the only people who truly understood her — who knew how triggering it could be to hear a sneeze followed by a joke about “ the ’ rona ” — were the other members of the Facebook group , which she had stumbled upon months earlier while searching for events memorializing the dead .
She hasn ’ t yet shared her own story with the group , Dobbie said , but she comments on as many posts as she can @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lifelong Dodgers fan , died July 22 , hours before the delayed season opener .
During the bottom of the eighth inning , when a single aluminum balloon floated onto the field , she wondered if it was him sending a sign .
A few weeks later , while driving to an anniversary dinner with her husband , another aluminum balloon floated overhead .
This time , she knew .
She has found some peace , Dobbie said , in knowing that her father never lived a day without his beloved wife and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ her condition , she will never fully know a day without him .
From scrolling the Facebook group , Dobbie knew that many daughters were simultaneously grieving their fathers and comforting their mothers .
One of those was Spadaro , the NASA employee , who emigrated 12 years ago from Beirut to Los Angeles .
She was at work one afternoon in August when she peeked down at her phone and saw that her brother was calling .
Her heart sank .
Several days earlier , her 65-year-old father , living in Beirut @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and started to sweat though the night .
Farid Dahdal tried to nurse his symptoms at home , thinking it best to avoid hospitals , many of which had been damaged by the massive explosion in the Mediterranean port city earlier that month .
When he finally went to the hospital , his blood oxygen level had dropped to 93 % , but he was told he could still manage at home .
He returned to the hospital the next day and was admitted , even as doctors assured him that his vitals @ @ @ @ @ @ @ breathing became increasingly labored ; he was put on a ventilator and the next day went into cardiac arrest .
Doctors tried for 40 minutes to revive him .
Spadaro ’ s cousin , a doctor in Lebanon , broke the news to her brother , who then called her .
Their mother , who was quarantining alone after testing positive herself , was unaware , and the siblings couldn ’ t bear to tell her by phone .
What if she fainted ?
And local relatives couldn ’ t visit her at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and her two brothers frantically booked plane tickets and took coronavirus tests , knowing they ’ d need negative results to be let into Lebanon .
If our mother calls , they begged the hospital , please say our father isn ’ t doing well but remains in critical condition .
When they arrived at their family home in gloves and robes and masks , they sat down and gave their mother the news .
She sobbed , but Spadaro couldn ’ t risk giving her a hug .
Spadaro will return to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that the home will feel achingly empty .
Dad won ’ t be there cuddling his cat or playing the piano or accordion .
Even the thought of putting up a tree makes her feel nervous .
Her parents had paid off their home earlier this year , and her father ’ s dream of retiring in the U.S. had seemed like more than a distant hope .
Maybe , Spadaro remembers thinking , we ’ ll all finally be in the same place .
“ COVID robbed me of my dreams , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ t dream right now.
” She finds deep comfort and validation in the Facebook group .
Sure , many people survive the virus , but the group reminds her that there are many others whose recently healthy loved ones did not .
It was deeply therapeutic to receive so much encouragement after sharing her story , she said , and these days , she has a little more energy to encourage others , as well .
The only other thing buoying her spirit now , she said , is her faith — @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and heaven awaits .
Sometimes sadness hits like a wave , and she repeats a verse from Corinthians 2 like a mantra : We are afflicted in every way , but not crushed ; perplexed , but not driven to despair .

Carolyn Freyer-Jones, who lost her father to COVID-19, started the movement the Friday Minute, in which she encourages people to set aside 60 seconds each week to focus their thoughts on a person or group suffering from the impacts of the pandemic.
Her voice flittered from the screen, filling her father’s New York City hospital room.
From a couch in her home office in Los Angeles’ Mar Vista neighborhood, Carolyn Freyer-Jones watched through her laptop as a ventilator forced air into his lungs. She knew he didn’t want to linger — he had made that clear during end-of-life conversations. I love you, she told him, over and over. Thank you, and I love you.
“Don’t hang around for us, Dad,” she assured him. “If you want to go on your birthday, you can go.”
Advertisement
Later that afternoon — nine days after testing positive — her father, Hugh Freyer, a retired banker from the Bronx who for years committed himself fiercely to his sobriety, died on his 86th birthday.
Eight days later, Serena Dobbie, a 37-year-old real estate agent, stood near her own father’s hospital bed in Upland, Calif., crying behind two masks and searching for words to say goodbye. A month later, Dolly Spadaro, a 38-year-old resource analyst at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in La Cañada Flintridge, rushed to LAX and sobbed through both legs of her flight to Lebanon, where she’d sit down with her mother and break the news of her father’s passing.
The three daughters — strangers who crossed paths in a private Facebook group for people who’ve lost loved ones to COVID-19 — are now part of a sisterhood of communal grief.
Started in April by two women whose fathers died of the virus, the group — whose ground rules include “no politics” and “science-based posting only” — now has 3,700 members across the globe who share photos, send one another encouraging notes and commiserate over how much they’re dreading their first holidays without their loved ones.
At least once a day, Freyer-Jones scrolls the page and leaves a variation of the same message on a new post: “I’m so sorry that you’re here. You’re not alone.”
As thousands of people have privately grieved deaths, illnesses and the stresses of living through a sudden recession while in isolation, many have turned to social media for support, solace and answers. Facebook alone hosts dozens of groups for COVID-19 “long-haulers,” who swap information about their lasting symptoms.
More formal avenues of support have also cropped up during the pandemic. Therapists across the country host COVID-19-related support groups by phone and video conference. In Los Angeles, Kaiser Permanente started bereavement groups, conducted weekly by phone in English, Spanish and Armenian.
Advertisement
Serena Dobbie, 37, lost her father, Eddie Fierro, 61, to COVID-19 in July. At one point, five of her relatives were hospitalized with the disease. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)
The scope of collective grief and isolation is unparalleled in recent history, said Deborah Serani, a psychologist and adjunct professor at Adelphi University in New York. And the next several weeks could be especially hard for many families, she said, adding that it’s important to find ways to incorporate memories of loved ones into holiday rituals and traditions.
“It’s a way to say, ‘What would my Dad wish we could do?’” she said.
For Freyer-Jones, who works as a life and business coach, one of those new rituals is the Friday Minute, a movement she started urging people to set aside 60 seconds a week to think about someone affected by the coronavirus — perhaps a sick friend, a family in mourning or someone who has lost income or educational opportunities.
Carolyn Freyer-Jones, a life and business coach, helps followers meditate via her movement the Friday Minute. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)
She views it as a time to slow down — a grounding moment amid the magnitude of our suffering.
On a recent morning, while broadcasting live from her Instagram account, @thefridayminute, Freyer-Jones — donning a black baseball cap, one of more than 200 from her father’s collection — led her followers through 60 seconds of meditation. She said she thinks often of other grieving families whose stories she has learned — the other devastated daughters who had far fewer years with their own fathers.
Women like Dobbie, who watched on a Thursday in July as her 61-year-old father, Eddie Fierro, walked slowly from her childhood home in Rancho Cucamonga, struggling to breathe.
It wasn’t safe to share a car, she knew, so he drove himself; she followed behind, watching as a hospital employee pushed him into the emergency room in a wheelchair.
“I never, ever, ever, ever would have thought he wasn’t coming out,” she said.
At first, he had enough energy to text Dobbie and her younger sister, Lauren Andrews, photos of himself wearing a mask in his hospital room, but soon doctors were mentioning remdesivir and convalescent plasma. He responded well to the plasma treatment, Dobbie said, and she was able to talk to him on the phone. I feel like I could walk out of the hospital today, he told her.
A day later, he went into cardiac arrest; five days later, he died.
In an instant, Dobbie and her sister, both in their mid-30s, had lost their father and become caregivers for their mother, who has late-stage Alzheimer’s disease. The sisters wrapped up pending jobs from their father’s custom cabinet company — S&L Design, for their initials — and immediately began clearing out their childhood home, knowing they’d soon need to put it on the market to cover the cost of caring for their mother in a skilled nursing facility.
After their father died, Serena Dobbie and her sister began preparing for the sale of their childhood home to cover the cost of their mother’s care in a skilled nursing facility. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)
Sometimes relatives dropped off food outside the door, but other than their husbands, no one could come in to help. They knew how contagious this virus is — it had also sickened and hospitalized their mother, their uncle, their grandfather and their grandmother.
Dobbie’s days blurred with tears and calls from the Internal Revenue Service. On Halloween, she saw people on social media posing in spiky red orb costumes. Some of her close friends refused to wear masks — calling the coronavirus a hoax.
It felt as if the only people who truly understood her — who knew how triggering it could be to hear a sneeze followed by a joke about “the ’rona” — were the other members of the Facebook group, which she had stumbled upon months earlier while searching for events memorializing the dead. She hasn’t yet shared her own story with the group, Dobbie said, but she comments on as many posts as she can.
Dobbie’s father, a lifelong Dodgers fan, died July 22, hours before the delayed season opener. During the bottom of the eighth inning, when a single aluminum balloon floated onto the field, she wondered if it was him sending a sign. A few weeks later, while driving to an anniversary dinner with her husband, another aluminum balloon floated overhead. This time, she knew.
After his death from COVID-19, Eddie Fierro’s grieving daughters set his photo near the head of the table during their Thanksgiving meal. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)
She has found some peace, Dobbie said, in knowing that her father never lived a day without his beloved wife and that, because of the severity of her condition, she will never fully know a day without him. From scrolling the Facebook group, Dobbie knew that many daughters were simultaneously grieving their fathers and comforting their mothers.
One of those was Spadaro, the NASA employee, who emigrated 12 years ago from Beirut to Los Angeles. She was at work one afternoon in August when she peeked down at her phone and saw that her brother was calling. Her heart sank.
Several days earlier, her 65-year-old father, living in Beirut, had lost his sense of smell and started to sweat though the night. Farid Dahdal tried to nurse his symptoms at home, thinking it best to avoid hospitals, many of which had been damaged by the massive explosion in the Mediterranean port city earlier that month.
When he finally went to the hospital, his blood oxygen level had dropped to 93%, but he was told he could still manage at home. He returned to the hospital the next day and was admitted, even as doctors assured him that his vitals and prognosis looked good. But his breathing became increasingly labored; he was put on a ventilator and the next day went into cardiac arrest. Doctors tried for 40 minutes to revive him.
Column One A showcase for compelling storytelling from the Los Angeles Times. More stories
Spadaro’s cousin, a doctor in Lebanon, broke the news to her brother, who then called her. Their mother, who was quarantining alone after testing positive herself, was unaware, and the siblings couldn’t bear to tell her by phone. What if she fainted? And local relatives couldn’t visit her at home, risking infecting themselves.
Spadaro and her two brothers frantically booked plane tickets and took coronavirus tests, knowing they’d need negative results to be let into Lebanon. If our mother calls, they begged the hospital, please say our father isn’t doing well but remains in critical condition.
When they arrived at their family home in gloves and robes and masks, they sat down and gave their mother the news. She sobbed, but Spadaro couldn’t risk giving her a hug.
Spadaro will return to Beirut at Christmastime, but she worries that the home will feel achingly empty. Dad won’t be there cuddling his cat or playing the piano or accordion. Even the thought of putting up a tree makes her feel nervous.
Her parents had paid off their home earlier this year, and her father’s dream of retiring in the U.S. had seemed like more than a distant hope. Maybe, Spadaro remembers thinking, we’ll all finally be in the same place.
“COVID robbed me of my dreams,” she said. “I can’t dream right now.”
She finds deep comfort and validation in the Facebook group. Sure, many people survive the virus, but the group reminds her that there are many others whose recently healthy loved ones did not. It was deeply therapeutic to receive so much encouragement after sharing her story, she said, and these days, she has a little more energy to encourage others, as well.
The only other thing buoying her spirit now, she said, is her faith — her confidence that this is temporary, and heaven awaits. Sometimes sadness hits like a wave, and she repeats a verse from Corinthians 2 like a mantra: We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair.


latimes--2020-12-10--Southern California is driving record COVID-19 deaths with no signs of letting up

Deaths from COVID-19 in California are reaching record levels this week , a grim sign of how even advances in medical care and a younger demographic of those infected are no match for the relentless spread of the coronavirus .
Southern California and the Central Valley are by far the state ’ s biggest contributors of total deaths in the last week .
Of nearly 950 deaths reported in California in the last week , a Times analysis shows that more than 300 fatalities were reported in L.A. County , followed by nearly 80 in San Bernardino County , about @ @ @ @ @ @ @ counties and nearly 60 in Orange County .
Deaths were also rising in Northern California , but not at the numbers seen in the Southland .
California this week broke its single-day record for COVID-19 deaths — 219 on Tuesday .
The state is now averaging 135 deaths a day over a seven-day period , coming close to the all-time high of 144 set in August .
Health officials expect deaths to continue spiking in the coming weeks as it ’ s becoming clear many people got infected during the Thanksgiving holiday .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ adults .
But once the virus spreads into older people — those age 50 or higher — the likelihood of death is much higher .
Just a few weeks ago , the chance of getting COVID-19 was relatively rare , like the chance of getting soaked while dining outside when there ’ s just a light sprinkle , said Dr. Robert Kim-Farley , medical epidemiologist and infectious diseases expert at the UCLA Fielding School of Public Health .
Now , the virus is so widespread , the situation is more like a heavy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a downpour — because the whole community has widespread transmission — if you ’ re going to be outside , you ’ re going to get wet .
You could get the virus , ” Kim-Farley said .
In California , there was some optimism earlier this fall that even with another surge , deaths could remain under control because doctors have gotten better at treating COVID-19 patients and there has been less spread in institutions such as nursing homes .
And perhaps people had become used to wearing masks and staying physically @ @ @ @ @ @ @ health officials hoped .
“ In all honesty , we never expected or hoped that we would be in this situation at this time of the year , ” L.A. County health officer Dr. Muntu Davis , said in mid-November .
“ We were really hoping that we would be ... by this time of the year , in November , getting our schools back open.
” It is true that a patient entering a hospital now probably has a better chance for survival than earlier in the pandemic .
Doctors have learned @ @ @ @ @ @ @ patients on mechanical ventilators and use alternative ways to get more oxygen into the bloodstream ; place people on their bellies to make it easier for them to breathe and give patients steroid treatments .
But COVID-19 is now so widespread that the overall chance of getting infected , and therefore being one of the unlucky 12 % to need hospitalization , is now worse than ever .
“ The more transmission you have , the more people are ending up in the hospital , and ... the more deaths we ’ re @ @ @ @ @ @ @ County Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer .
It ’ s now clear that some Californians are weary of wearing masks and staying physically distant , setting the stage for a terrible autumn surge of disease .
“ This is the surge that we all expected when we first got wind of this thing in the spring , ” said Dr. Shruti Gohil , associate medical director of epidemiology and infection prevention at UC Irvine .
There are now about 25,000 Californians testing positive for the virus daily , more than double of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ summer , when fewer than 10,000 a day were testing positive for the virus .
As a result , activities that were relatively less risky just a few weeks ago are now far more dangerous .
L.A. County officials now estimate about 1 in 140 L.A. County residents are in the community and contagious with the virus — far more common than in late September , when just 1 in 880 were contagious .
Daily deaths are expected to continue climbing for many weeks to come .
Every infected person in L.A. County @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , one of the highest transmission rates since the first weeks of the pandemic .
The boom in daily deaths that resulted from virus transmission over Thanksgiving won ’ t become apparent until January , a projection based on how past waves have behaved .
“ I do anticipate that the deaths will continue to increase in the weeks to come , ” said Dr. Christina Ghaly , the L.A. County director of health services .
“ Sadly , patients often have very long hospital [ stays ] , and are just not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ month ago , L.A. County now has four times the number of hospitalizations and four times the number of daily deaths .
There are now 43 L.A. County residents dying from COVID-19 daily ; it ’ s plausible that the number could double by Christmas , according to calculations by Ghaly ’ s agency .
The virus can cause a host of serious complications , hijacking other cells and causing inflammation and destruction of the lungs , which is known as pneumonia , drowning the organs in fluid .
The virus can cause @ @ @ @ @ @ @ oxygen in the blood , and result in an inability to breathe and the failure of multiple organs .
More than 8,000 L.A. County residents have died of COVID-19 — a fact that nearly brought Ferrer to tears during a briefing Wednesday .
“ Over 8,000 people who were beloved members of their families are not coming back , ” she said , her voice choking .
“ And their deaths are an incalculable loss to their friends and their family , as well as our community.
” The biggest concern now among @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hospital intensive care units .
Some ICUs across the state , from Silicon Valley to the Central Valley , are already reporting 0 % available capacity .
Across L.A. County , available ICU capacity was at 11.8 % .
“ Let me be clear : 11.8 % ICU capacity is dangerously low , ” said L.A. County Supervisor Hilda Solis .
“ Already we have seen some of our hospitals have to divert ambulances overnight to other hospitals.
” Certain regions were harder hit than others , including the heavily Latino regions of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ County .
On Tuesday , there were zero staffed , licensed and available ICU beds in the San Gabriel Valley ; and only five on the Westside and six in southeast L.A. County .
The rate of new COVID-19 hospitalizations is worse than ever in L.A. County .
In the first surge , the rate never topped more than 300 or so new COVID-19 hospitalizations a day .
But last week , officials reported 350 new hospitalizations a day ; and this week , nearly 500 new hospitalizations a day .
“ Given @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the hospitalizations that resulted from the recent Thanksgiving holiday , we anticipate that the number will continue to grow over the next few weeks , with potentially up to 700 new daily COVID hospitalizations in just one week from now , ” Ghaly said .
In L.A. County , hospitals have been addressing increased demands for staffed hospital beds by calling in for help from other areas of the hospital system , forcing cancellations of scheduled surgeries and outpatient visits ; discharging patients as quickly as possible and temporarily diverting ambulances with certain @ @ @ @ @ @ @ which can only be done in two-hour time periods .
Patients suffering trauma , heart attacks and strokes can not be diverted elsewhere .
On Tuesday , 77 % of hospitals in L.A. County were diverting patients at some point during the day ; normally at this time of year , only 10 % to 15 % of hospitals would be on such a diversion .
Other measures hospitals can do involve discharging COVID-19 patients home and setting them up to receive oxygen treatments there , followed up daily by specially trained workers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ regional stay-at-home order that went into effect Sunday night will help .
The order reduces capacity at retail stores ; closes businesses like hair salons , nail salons , cardrooms , museums , zoos , aquariums ; and closes outdoor restaurant dining .
On Wednesday , a new region — Greater Sacramento — saw its ICU capacity fall below 15 % , and will see a stay-at-home order imposed beginning Thursday night .
By that point , there will be 36 million Californians subject to the regional stay-at-home order , covering 92 % @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the state ’ s 58 counties .
San Francisco officials said they will run out of intensive care beds in 17 days if the current rate of infection remains stable .
Health director Dr. Grant Colfax urged residents to stay home , saying that avoiding contact with others now was “ probably the most important message ” he has tried to impart since the COVID-19 pandemic began .
“ To be blunt , we have one chance to turn this serious surge around , and that chance is right now , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is narrowing and closing fast.
” Lin and Dolan reported from San Francisco , Money from Long Beach .
Times staff writer Sean Greene contributed to this report .

Rong-Gong Lin II, Luke Money, Maura Dolan

Dr. Grace Neuman uses hand sanitizer in the parking garage of a Los Angeles health center prior to administering nasal swabs to test for the coronavirus.
Deaths from COVID-19 in California have reached record levels this week, a grim sign of how even advances in medical care and a younger demographic of those infected are no match for the relentless spread of the coronavirus.
Southern California and the Central Valley are by far the state’s biggest contributors of total deaths in the last week. Of nearly 950 deaths reported in California in the last week, a Times analysis shows that more than 300 fatalities were reported in L.A. County, followed by nearly 80 in San Bernardino County, about 70 each in Riverside and San Diego counties and nearly 60 in Orange County.
COVID-19 deaths in Southern California in the last week are driving the state’s death toll. (Los Angeles Times )
Advertisement
Deaths were also rising in Northern California, although not at the numbers seen in the Southland.
California this week broke its single-day record for COVID-19 deaths — 219 on Tuesday. The state averaged 146 new deaths daily over the last week, a new all-time high, according to The Times’ analysis.
Health officials expect deaths to continue spiking in the coming weeks as it’s becoming clear many people got infected over the Thanksgiving holiday.
The coronavirus is now infecting mostly younger adults. But once the virus spreads to older people — those age 50 or higher — the likelihood of death is much higher.
California coronavirus cases and deaths by age group (Los Angeles Times)
Just a few weeks ago, the chance of getting the coronavirus was relatively rare, like the chance of getting soaked while dining outside when there’s just a light sprinkle, said Dr. Robert Kim-Farley, medical epidemiologist and infectious diseases expert at the UCLA Fielding School of Public Health. Now, the virus is so widespread, the situation is more like a heavy storm.
Advertisement
“If it’s a downpour — because the whole community has widespread transmission — if you’re going to be outside, you’re going to get wet. You could get the virus,” Kim-Farley said.
In California, there was some optimism earlier this fall that, even with another surge, deaths could remain under control because doctors had gotten better at treating COVID-19 patients and there had been less spread in institutions such as nursing homes. But starting in late October, the third surge of the pandemic began, accelerating into November and dashing hopes that the autumn would be relatively mild and California could continue its reopening.
“In all honesty, we never expected ... we would be in this situation at this time of the year,” L.A. County health officer Dr. Muntu Davis said in mid-November. “We were really hoping that we would be ... by this time of the year, in November, getting our schools back open.”
It is true that a patient entering a hospital now probably has a better chance of survival than earlier in the pandemic. Doctors have learned to avoid, when possible, placing patients on mechanical ventilators and to use alternative ways to get more oxygen into the bloodstream; to place people on their bellies to make it easier for them to breathe; and to give patients steroid treatments.
But COVID-19 is now so widespread that the overall chance of getting infected, and therefore being one of the 12% who need hospitalization, is now much greater than ever.
“The more transmission you have, the more people are ending up in the hospital, and ... the more deaths we’re going to witness,” said L.A. County Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer.
It’s now clear that some Californians are weary of wearing masks and staying physically distant, setting the stage for the autumn surge of the disease.
“This is the surge that we all expected when we first got wind of this thing in the spring,” said Dr. Shruti Gohil, associate medical director of epidemiology and infection prevention at UC Irvine.
There are now about 25,000 Californians testing positive for the virus daily, more than double the peak of the last surge, in the summer, when fewer than 10,000 a day were testing positive for the virus each day.
As a result, activities that were relatively less risky just a few weeks ago are now more dangerous.
L.A. County officials estimate that about 1 in 140 L.A. County residents are contagious with the virus — far more than in late September, when just 1 in 880 were contagious.
Daily deaths are expected to continue climbing for weeks to come. Every infected person in L.A. County is infecting, on average, 1.14 other people, among the highest transmission rates since the first weeks of the pandemic.
Every L.A. County resident infected with the coronavirus on average transmits it to 1.14 other people, according to data released Wednesday, meaning the virus is still spreading. (L.A. County Department of Health Services
)
The boom in daily deaths that resulted from virus transmission over Thanksgiving won’t become apparent until January, a projection based on how past waves have behaved.
A jump in coronavirus transmission around Thanksgiving is expected to manifest itself in increased deaths in January, because it takes weeks for the virus to multiply in the body and then cause disease severe enough to send people to the hospital and, eventually, for some people to die. (Los Angeles County Department of Public Health)
“I do anticipate that the deaths will continue to increase in the weeks to come,” said Dr. Christina Ghaly, the L.A. County director of health services. “Sadly, patients often have very long hospital [stays], and are just not able to recover.”
Compared to a month ago, L.A. County now has four times the number of hospitalizations and four times the number of daily deaths. There are now 43 L.A. County residents dying from COVID-19 daily; it’s plausible that the number could double by Christmas, according to calculations by Ghaly’s agency.
Forecast of daily mortality in L.A. County
(Los Angeles County Department of Health Services)
The virus can cause a host of serious complications, hijacking other cells and, with pneumonia, causing inflammation and destruction of the lungs, drowning the organs in fluid. The virus can cause shortness of breath and low levels of oxygen in the blood, and result in an inability to breathe and the failure of multiple organs.
More than 8,000 L.A. County residents have died of COVID-19 — a fact that nearly brought Ferrer to tears during a briefing Wednesday.
“Over 8,000 people who were beloved members of their families are not coming back,” she said, her voice choking. “And their deaths are an incalculable loss to their friends and their family, as well as our community.”
The biggest concern now among health officials is the crowded state of hospital intensive care units.
Some ICUs across the state, from Silicon Valley to the Central Valley, are already reporting 0% available capacity. Across L.A. County, available ICU capacity was at 11.8%.
“Let me be clear: 11.8% ICU capacity is dangerously low,” said L.A. County Supervisor Hilda Solis. “Already we have seen some of our hospitals have to divert ambulances overnight to other hospitals.”
Certain regions were harder hit than others, including the heavily Latino regions of the San Gabriel Valley and southeast L.A. County. On Tuesday, there were zero staffed, licensed and available ICU beds in the San Gabriel Valley, and only five on the Westside and six in southeast L.A. County.
The rate of new COVID-19 hospitalizations is higher than ever in L.A. County. In the first surge, the rate never topped more than about 300 new COVID-19 hospitalizations a day. But last week, officials reported 350 new hospitalizations a day and, this week, nearly 500 new hospitalizations a day.
“Given that we’re just now seeing the hospitalizations that resulted from the recent Thanksgiving holiday,” Ghaly said, “we anticipate that the number will continue to grow over the next few weeks, with potentially up to 700 new daily COVID hospitalizations in just one week from now.”
In L.A. County, hospitals have been addressing the increased demand for staffed hospital beds by calling in help from other areas of the hospital system, which is forcing cancellations of scheduled surgeries and outpatient visits; discharging patients as quickly as possible; and temporarily diverting ambulances with certain types of patients to other hospitals, which can only be done in two-hour time periods. Patients suffering trauma, heart attacks and strokes cannot be diverted elsewhere.
On Tuesday, 77% of hospitals in L.A. County were diverting patients at some point during the day; normally at this time of year, 10% to 15% of hospitals would be on such a diversion.
Other measures hospitals can take include discharging COVID-19 patients and setting them up with oxygen treatments at home, followed up daily visits from trained staff.
Health officials are hopeful that the regional stay-at-home order that went into effect Sunday night will help to tamp down on the rise in coronavirus cases and hospitalizations. The order reduces capacity at retail stores; closes businesses including hair salons, nail salons, card rooms, museums, zoos, aquariums; and closes outdoor restaurant dining. On Wednesday, a new region — Greater Sacramento — saw its ICU capacity fall below 15%, and will see a stay-at-home order imposed beginning Thursday night.
By that point, there will be 36 million Californians subject to the regional stay-at-home order, covering 92% of California’s population and 41 of the state’s 58 counties.
San Francisco officials said they would run out of intensive care beds in 17 days if the current rate of infection remained stable.
San Francisco health director Dr. Grant Colfax urged residents to stay home, saying that avoiding contact with others now was “probably the most important message” he has tried to impart since the COVID-19 pandemic began.
“To be blunt, we have one chance to turn this serious surge around, and that chance is right now,” he said. “But our window is narrowing and closing fast.”
Lin and Dolan reported from San Francisco, Money from Long Beach. Times staff writer Sean Greene contributed to this report.


latimes--2020-12-10--Column: California's next U.S. senator should be Black, not Latino. But let's try this first

When the leader of California ’ s Legislative Black Caucus talks about why it should be a Black woman who replaces Kamala Harris in the U.S. Senate , she often comes back to the old adage about political power .
“ If you don ’ t have a seat at the table , ” Assemblywoman Shirley Weber ( D-San Diego ) told me , “ then you ’ re on the menu.
” And Black people in California clearly have no intention of being on the menu .
For the second time this week , an amalgam of Black leaders @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Newsom on Wednesday , urging him to pick Rep. Karen Bass of Los Angeles or Rep. Barbara Lee of Oakland to fill the seat soon to be vacated by Vice President-elect Harris .
“ Representation matters , ” they wrote .
“ Our democracy should reflect the vibrant diversity of California and reward African American women for continuing to power the Democratic Party to important victories nationwide , including regaining the White House.
” Only problem for Newsom is that Latino leaders are making a similar argument .
“ California is blue , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” Assemblywoman Lorena Gonzalez ( D-San Diego ) said last month .
“ It is the work that Latinos did on the ground .
It is our housekeepers and our janitors .
We built California as a new California , as a California that elects Democrats time and time again.
” The Latino Legislative Caucus is pushing Newsom to appoint Secretary of State Alex Padilla — especially now that another potential pick , California Atty .
Gen. Xavier Becerra , has been nominated to become the nation ’ s next Health and Human @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a governor who loves to talk about equity to do when faced with this phalanx of qualified candidates of color ?
Here ’ s a thought : We should help him out by urging Dianne Feinstein to step down early — preferably before the next Congress — so that California will have two open seats in the U.S. Senate instead of just one .
While it ’ s not the easiest solution to Newsom ’ s political problem , it is the right solution .
Representation does matter , and the more I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it on behalf of a state that is becoming more diverse every year , the less I understand why our senior senator is still in office , blocking progress .
In truth , I didn ’ t entirely understand it in 2018 either , back when Feinstein was running for reelection against now-L.A. City Councilman Kevin de León .
Then a member of the Sacramento Bee ’ s editorial board , I remember listening carefully when we asked her why she wanted to return to the U.S. Capitol after spending decades in Congress @ @ @ @ @ @ @ because there ’ s so much more I can do.
” Feinstein went on to talk about the importance of her seniority on the high-profile Senate Appropriations , Intelligence and Judiciary committees — leadership of which she has agreed to drop — and her apparently unique proficiency in securing grants .
And then she said this : “ I think I represent the values of the state.
” Yeah , no .
That just doesn ’ t ring true anymore .
Certainly not after the year we ’ ve had , with racial @ @ @ @ @ @ @ upheaval that has devastated poor and middle-class Californians alike and a pandemic that continues to disproportionately claim Latino and Black lives .
At 87 years old , Feinstein is the oldest member of the U.S. Senate , a member of the Silent Generation in a state dominated by people under 40 .
She is a wealthy woman in a state overrun with poverty , and the homelessness that too often accompanies it .
Criticism of Feinstein has been escalating in recent months , especially from the progressive left after confirmation hearings of now-U.S. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Amy Coney Barrett .
Persistent questions about her mental acuity — particularly her short-term memory — haven ’ t helped , with staffers frequently having to clarify statements that Feinstein has made to reporters .
Given all of this , it would make perfect sense for Feinstein to be selfless and retire early with California ’ s gratitude for a distinguished career .
Now is absolutely the time to be an ally to communities of color and let another younger lawmaker represent the evolving values of this state .
For to adequately address @ @ @ @ @ @ @ everything from healthcare to housing , California needs a Black senator and a Latino senator .
But politics rarely , if ever , makes perfect sense .
What ’ s far more likely to happen is that Feinstein will serve until her term ends in January of 2025 .
That means it will be up to Newsom to ensure that California has a real shot at this multicultural future in the U.S. Senate — and the only way to do that is to appoint Lee or Bass to replace Harris .
If the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ truth is it will be difficult — if not impossible — for either of these highly qualified women to become a U.S. senator .
And , if history is any indication of the future , it will take several more years for another Black woman to have a real shot at a seat in the upper chamber , given there are only a few of us at the highest levels of government .
Harris was only the second Black woman to serve in the U.S. Senate , after Carol Moseley Braun of Illinois @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , there are now only three Black women in California ’ s congressional delegation , none of them in the Senate .
“ The ability around the nation to recognize and to support Black women in statewide positions is very bleak , ” Weber said .
“ You got 100 people in the Senate and you don ’ t have one Black woman ” without Harris .
Weber recalls the “ extremely expensive ” fight that was necessary to get Harris in front of voters statewide for the first time , and scoffs @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to do it again rather than being able to rely on the visibility that comes with incumbency .
It is particularly galling at a time when Democrats are hailing Black women for being the “ backbone ” of the party and are depending on another Black woman , Stacey Abrams , to ensure enough voters turn out in Georgia next month to flip the Senate back to Democratic control .
A Latino candidate , on the other hand , would likely have better luck with voters while running for Feinstein ’ s seat @ @ @ @ @ @ @ indication of the future .
Already a quarter of California ’ s congressional delegation and about half of the current statewide officeholders are Latino .
That ’ s why Weber , joined by Black politicians and activists up and down California and across the U.S. , isn ’ t giving up .
“ This is our seat , ” she said .
“ We have fought to get the seat , and there was a reason why we fought for the seat .
And we should not have to justify it .
”

California’s U.S. Sens. Dianne Feinstein, left, and Kamala Harris, now the vice president-elect, at the Capitol in September 2017.
When the leader of California’s Legislative Black Caucus talks about why it should be a Black woman who replaces Kamala Harris in the U.S. Senate, she often comes back to the old adage about political power.
“If you don’t have a seat at the table,” Assemblywoman Shirley Weber (D-San Diego) told me, “then you’re on the menu.”
And Black people in California rightly have no intention of being on the menu. For the second time this week, an amalgam of Black leaders sent a letter to Gov. Gavin Newsom on Wednesday, urging him to pick Rep. Karen Bass of Los Angeles or Rep. Barbara Lee of Oakland to fill the seat soon to be vacated by Vice President-elect Harris.
Advertisement
“Representation matters,” they wrote. “Our democracy should reflect the vibrant diversity of California and reward African American women for continuing to power the Democratic Party to important victories nationwide, including regaining the White House.”
Only problem for Newsom is that Latino leaders are making a similar argument.
“California is blue, blue, blue because of us,” Assemblywoman Lorena Gonzalez (D-San Diego) said last month. “It is the work that Latinos did on the ground. It is our housekeepers and our janitors. We built California as a new California, as a California that elects Democrats time and time again.”
The Latino Legislative Caucus is pushing Newsom to appoint Secretary of State Alex Padilla — especially now that another potential pick, California Atty. Gen. Xavier Becerra, has been nominated to become the nation’s next Health and Human Services secretary.
So what’s a governor who loves to talk about equity to do when faced with this phalanx of qualified candidates of color?
Here’s a thought: We should help him out by urging Dianne Feinstein to step down early — preferably before the next Congress — so that California will have two open seats in the U.S. Senate instead of just one.
California Gov. Gavin Newsom, left, visits Dodger Stadium with Secretary of State Alex Padilla on Oct. 30, 2020. (Carolyn Cole / Los Angeles Times)
While it’s not the easiest solution to Newsom’s political problem, it is the right solution. Representation does matter, and the more I listen to Black and Latino leaders demand it on behalf of a state that is becoming more diverse every year, the less I understand why our senior senator is still in office, blocking progress.
In truth, I didn’t entirely understand it in 2018 either, back when Feinstein was running for reelection against now-L.A. City Councilman Kevin de León. Then a member of the Sacramento Bee’s editorial board, I remember listening carefully when we asked her why she wanted to return to the U.S. Capitol after spending decades in Congress.
Her answer? A dubious “because there’s so much more I can do.”
Advertisement
Feinstein went on to talk about the importance of her seniority on the high-profile Senate Appropriations, Intelligence and Judiciary committees — leadership of which she has agreed to drop — and her apparently unique proficiency in securing grants.
And then she said this: “I think I represent the values of the state.”
Yeah, no. That just doesn’t ring true anymore. Certainly not after the year we’ve had, with racial reckonings over white supremacy, an economic upheaval that has devastated poor and middle-class Californians alike and a pandemic that continues to disproportionately claim Latino and Black lives.
At 87 years old, Feinstein is the oldest member of the U.S. Senate, a member of the Silent Generation in a state dominated by people under 40. She is a wealthy woman in a state overrun with poverty, and the homelessness that too often accompanies it.
Criticism of Feinstein has been escalating in recent months, especially from the progressive left after confirmation hearings of now-U.S. Supreme Court Justices Brett M. Kavanaugh and Amy Coney Barrett. Persistent questions about her mental acuity — particularly her short-term memory — haven’t helped, with staffers frequently having to clarify statements that Feinstein has made to reporters.
Given all of this, it would make perfect sense for Feinstein to be selfless and retire early with California’s gratitude for a distinguished career. Now is absolutely the time to be an ally to communities of color and let another younger lawmaker represent the evolving values of this state. For to adequately address the many long-standing, race-based disparities in everything from healthcare to housing, California needs a Black senator and a Latino senator.
But politics rarely, if ever, makes perfect sense. What’s far more likely to happen is that Feinstein will serve until her term ends in January of 2025.
That means it will be up to Newsom to ensure that California has a real shot at this multicultural future in the U.S. Senate — and the only way to do that is to appoint Lee or Bass to replace Harris now. Black people can’t wait.
From left, Reps. Karen Bass, Barbara Lee and Maxine Waters of California in Washington. (Jose Luis Magana / Associated Press)
If the governor doesn’t, the sad truth is it could be extremely difficult — if not impossible — for either of these highly qualified women to ever become a U.S. senator, even though each deserves the seat. And, if history is any indication of the future, it will take several more years for another Black woman to have a real shot at the upper chamber, given that there are only a few of us at the highest levels of government.
Blame systemic racism and sexism.
Harris was only the second Black woman to serve in the U.S. Senate, after Carol Moseley Braun of Illinois. And with Harris becoming vice president, there are now only three Black women in California’s congressional delegation — and none in the Senate from this state or any other state.
“The ability around the nation to recognize and to support Black women in statewide positions is very bleak,” Weber said. “You got 100 people in the Senate and you don’t have one Black woman” without Harris.
That is unacceptable.
Weber recalls the “extremely expensive” fight that was necessary to get Harris in front of voters statewide for the first time, and scoffs with anger at the idea of having to do it again rather than being able to rely on the visibility that comes with incumbency.
It is particularly galling at a time when Democrats are hailing Black women for being the “backbone” of the party and are depending on another Black woman, Stacey Abrams, to ensure enough voters turn out in Georgia next month to flip the Senate back to Democratic control.
A Latino candidate, on the other hand, would likely have better luck with voters while running for Feinstein’s seat — assuming again that history is any indication of the future. Already a quarter of California’s congressional delegation and about half of the current statewide officeholders are Latino.
That’s why Weber, joined by Black politicians and activists up and down California and across the U.S., isn’t giving up. And rightfully so.
“This is our seat,” she said. “We have fought to get the seat, and there was a reason why we fought for the seat. And we should not have to justify it.”
I hope Newsom is listening.


latimes--2020-12-10--Fewer high school graduates enrolled in college this fall amid COVID-19 pandemic, study shows

The number of students enrolling in college immediately after high school plunged nearly 22 % this fall over last year , hitting high-poverty , urban schools hardest — a likely reflection of the coronavirus-related toll on higher education plans , according to a national survey released Thursday .
The survey by the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center found that the drop-off varied substantially by institution , with community colleges showing the largest enrollment decline among low-income students and public four-year universities the lowest .
In California , that pattern appears to hold , although not as dramatically .
The report @ @ @ @ @ @ @ but California ’ s higher education systems have tracked similar information .
The California Community Colleges system expects an average decline across 116 campuses of 5 % to 7 % , but enrollment at the nine-campus Los Angeles Community College District is down by about 10 % this fall compared with last year — roughly 270,000 students compared with 300,000 last year .
The picture is mixed at the 23-campus California State University system , with enrollment growing at Southern California campuses such as Fullerton , Northridge and San Diego , and dropping @ @ @ @ @ @ @ San Francisco , Chico , and Humboldt .
While systemwide enrollment is at a record high — in large part due to transfer and continuing students — first-time freshman enrollment was down 6 % systemwide compared with last year .
Overall , University of California enrollment of new first-time undergraduates is projected to increase by 2.5 % over fall 2019 , rising among in-state students and declining among nonresidents .
The report ’ s data supports what many college counselors in underserved neighborhoods see firsthand .
“ Has there been a drop in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ?
Overwhelmingly , yes , ” said Heather Brown , a college counselor at Los Angeles High School , which serves mainly low-income Latino and Black students .
Although Brown did not have precise figures for her school , she estimated that the proportion of students who applied to college in fall 2019 but did not enroll the following year may have doubled to 40 % .
She said many of her students could not overcome numerous enrollment barriers : they or family members contracted COVID-19 , for instance .
Some left the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cheaper housing , while others did not have laptops or hotspots to follow up with college paperwork or attend mandatory online orientations over the summer .
Many chose to work instead .
Her 2020 high school salutatorian , she said , had been admitted to USC with an $ 80,000 financial aid package but nearly missed the deadline for accepting the offer because he was working at a construction site in the Antelope Valley after graduation to help his family make ends meet .
She hunted him down and helped him complete his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ USC .
“ Mentally , they got knocked off their pathway and got shifted to a whole other life , ” Brown said of her students .
The research center used preliminary data as of Sept. 18 to estimate the immediate enrollment rates of graduates from more than 2,300 high schools with differing income , racial and neighborhood characteristics .
It was not clear how many California high schools and colleges participated .
“ Based on preliminary data , there is little evidence that COVID-19 impacted high school graduation , ” Doug Shapiro @ @ @ @ @ @ @ director , said in a statement .
“ However , the pandemic impacted high school graduates in their immediate college enrollment , and those from high poverty , low income , and urban high schools have been hit the hardest .
The enrollment gaps appear to be widening because of COVID-19.
” Brown said high school graduation rates may have been unaffected by the pandemic because many schools chose not to fail students last spring amid the abrupt shutdown of campuses and move to online learning .
That may change this year , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ out more Ds and Fs than usual .
The 21.7 % decline in immediate college enrollment of high school graduates in fall 2020 was nearly eight times the pre-pandemic loss .
Overall , the percentage of high school graduates nationally who enrolled in college dropped to 27.7 % from `` 35.5 % the previous year .
And the neediest students struggled the most .
College enrollment of graduates of high-poverty high schools dropped 32.6 % compared with 16.4 % at low-poverty schools .
In addition , enrollment fell by 26.4 % at schools @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with 18 % at low-minority high schools , and decreased 25.1 % at urban schools,19.8 % at suburban schools and 18 % at rural high schools .

Naomi Shacham waves to her teachers during a drive-up graduation ceremony for the Class of 2020 at the New West Charter School in Los Angeles in June.
The number of students enrolling in college immediately after high school plunged nearly 22% this fall over last year, hitting high-poverty, urban schools hardest — a likely reflection of the coronavirus-related toll on higher education plans, according to a national survey released Thursday.
The survey by the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center found that the drop-off varied substantially by institution, with community colleges showing the largest enrollment decline among low-income students and public four-year universities the lowest.
In California, that pattern appears to hold, although not as dramatically. The report did not break out state data, but California’s higher education systems have tracked similar information.
The California Community Colleges system expects an average decline across 116 campuses of 5% to 7%, but enrollment at the nine-campus Los Angeles Community College District is down by about 10% this fall compared with last year — roughly 270,000 students compared with 300,000 last year.
Advertisement
The picture is mixed at the 23-campus California State University system, with enrollment growing at Southern California campuses such as Fullerton, Northridge and San Diego, and dropping among some in the north, including San Francisco, Chico, and Humboldt. While systemwide enrollment is at a record high — in large part due to transfer and continuing students — first-time freshman enrollment was down 6% systemwide compared with last year.
Overall, University of California enrollment of new first-time undergraduates is projected to increase by 2.5% over fall 2019, rising among in-state students and declining among nonresidents.
The report’s data supports what many college counselors in underserved neighborhoods see firsthand.
“Has there been a drop in our graduates enrolling in college last fall? Overwhelmingly, yes,” said Heather Brown, a college counselor at Los Angeles High School, which serves mainly low-income Latino and Black students.
Although Brown did not have precise figures for her school, she estimated that the proportion of students who applied to college in fall 2019 but did not enroll the following year may have doubled to 40%.
She said many of her students could not overcome numerous enrollment barriers: they or family members contracted COVID-19, for instance. Some left the area in search of safer surroundings or cheaper housing, while others did not have laptops or hotspots to follow up with college paperwork or attend mandatory online orientations over the summer. Many chose to work instead.
Advertisement
Her 2020 high school salutatorian, she said, had been admitted to USC with an $80,000 financial aid package but nearly missed the deadline for accepting the offer because he was working at a construction site in the Antelope Valley after graduation to help his family make ends meet. She hunted him down and helped him complete his paperwork; he is now enrolled at USC.
“Mentally, they got knocked off their pathway and got shifted to a whole other life,” Brown said of her students.
The research center used preliminary data as of Sept. 18 to estimate the immediate enrollment rates of graduates from more than 2,300 high schools with differing income, racial and neighborhood characteristics. It was not clear how many California high schools and colleges participated.
“Based on preliminary data, there is little evidence that COVID-19 impacted high school graduation,” Doug Shapiro, the research center’s executive director, said in a statement. “However, the pandemic impacted high school graduates in their immediate college enrollment, and those from high poverty, low income, and urban high schools have been hit the hardest. The enrollment gaps appear to be widening because of COVID-19.”
Brown said high school graduation rates may have been unaffected by the pandemic because many schools chose not to fail students last spring amid the abrupt shutdown of campuses and move to online learning. That may change this year, she said, as schools report handing out more Ds and Fs than usual.
The 21.7% decline in immediate college enrollment of high school graduates in fall 2020 was nearly eight times the pre-pandemic loss. Overall, the percentage of high school graduates nationally who enrolled in college dropped to 27.7% from 35.5% the previous year.
And the neediest students struggled the most. College enrollment of graduates of high-poverty high schools dropped 32.6% compared with 16.4% at low-poverty schools. In addition, enrollment fell by 26.4% at schools with large proportions of underrepresented minorities compared with 18% at low-minority high schools, and decreased 25.1% at urban schools,19.8% at suburban schools and 18% at rural high schools.


latimes--2020-12-10--Here's how California plans to distribute the COVID-19 vaccine in coming weeks

With U.S. approval expected this week for the first COVID-19 vaccine , California could soon begin its historic and complex rollout of millions of immunizations , a much-anticipated turning point in a state where over 20,000 people have been killed by the virus .
Though it is unclear exactly when the U.S. Food and Drug Administration will grant approval to the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine , the move could come as soon as Thursday , Gov .
Gavin Newsom said this week .
California ’ s first shipment of vaccines will include 327,000 doses — supplying 327,000 people with their first dose @ @ @ @ @ @ @ between Saturday and Tuesday , he said .
The vaccine requires two shots administered 21 days apart to reach the 95 % effectiveness established in clinical trials .
By the end of the year , California expects to have given the first dose of the vaccine to 2.16 million people who are in the group that ’ s first in line — healthcare workers , as well as residents of long-term care facilities .
Follow-up doses will come in further shipments .
“ Hope is on the horizon , ” Newsom said .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ a deadly winter .
Most Californians are under a stay-at-home order as the state logs record numbers of new COVID cases and some hospitals begin to run out of beds in intensive care units .
Already this year , 1.4 million Californians have been confirmed to have contracted the virus and 20,464 have died , a figure that will only grow in the coming weeks .
“ The vaccine will not save us from this current national , state or local surge .
Very simply , [ there ’ s ] not enough @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Dr. Grant Colfax said Wednesday .
Still , the approval of a vaccine represents a new phase of COVID-19 , what some experts describe as the beginning of the end of the pandemic .
On Tuesday , the United Kingdom became the first nation to administer the Pfizer shot to its healthcare workers and elderly .
In the U.S. , a report by FDA staff released Tuesday confirmed that the Pfizer vaccine is highly effective and that there are no safety concerns that would prevent it from being granted emergency authorization .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the vaccine this week and the immediate availability of 6.4 million doses nationwide , which will be distributed to states based on their populations .
Once the vaccines arrive in a state , they will be stored at locations that can accommodate the extremely low temperatures they require — the Pfizer vaccine must be stored at around minus 70 degrees Celsius ( about minus 95 Fahrenheit ) .
Among these facilities are Cedars-Sinai Medical Center , UCLA and UC San Francisco Medical Center .
But a very small number of people will receive @ @ @ @ @ @ @ initial shipment to California “ likely to end up largely in hospital settings , ” Dr. Robert Schechter , a medical officer with the California Department of Public Health , told participants in a vaccine advisory panel Wednesday .
Priority will go to health workers most likely to be exposed to the coronavirus .
Vaccines administered to residents and staff of long-term care facilities through a federal partnership with CVS and Walgreens will probably receive a separate slice of California ’ s allotment , rather than some of the first batch of 327,000 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ vaccine , created by the pharmaceutical company Moderna in partnership with the National Institutes of Health , could be approved by the FDA within a week of the Pfizer vaccine , Schechter said .
California expects at least 2 million doses of it by the end of the month and approximately 6 million by the end of January , he said .
Beyond the two groups already designated most vulnerable , California officials have not yet determined who will be next in line for vaccines .
Industry groups have lobbied for early slots @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the meat and poultry industry , the metal can industry , farmworkers and more .
For the general public not given special consideration , it will likely be spring or summer before vaccines are available , said UCLA epidemiologist Dr. Timothy Brewer .
The initial allotment this year won ’ t even cover all 2.4 million healthcare workers in California , he said .
“ If I were planning a wedding for next summer , I would plan it in a way so that everything is cancelable , ” he said .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ may have to wait until after the summer depending on what ’ s learned in ongoing studies of the virus and vaccines .
International trips could continue to pose risks longer , he noted , since other countries will need time to build up their vaccination programs , supply chains and infrastructure .
He said he anticipates the U.S. could reach herd immunity , with around 60 % to 70 % of the population vaccinated , by mid- to late 2021 .
“ I ’ m optimistic we will have a better Thanksgiving @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this year , ” he said .
In L.A. County , the initial vaccine shipment will provide 84,000 doses of the Pfizer vaccine , which will be distributed to healthcare workers as soon as next week , said county Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer .
A second shipment expected Dec. 21 will be used to immunize more acute-care hospital workers , as well as some staff and residents at skilled nursing facilities , she said .
“ The supply of vaccine is expected to be limited , while the need will be high @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Once those initial workers are vaccinated , the next task will be determining where the general public will be vaccinated .
During the 2009 H1N1 pandemic , the county set up temporary sites in various communities to rapidly vaccinate several people at once .
But the Pfizer vaccine presents a logistical challenge the county hasn ’ t dealt with before because it must be kept extremely cold .
The county Department of Health Services — which operates four public hospitals and 27 clinics — recently bought eight subzero freezers that altogether can @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The county ’ s Department of Public Health has also acquired eight subzero freezers , including three from the state .
It will place them strategically across the county , which spans over 4,000 square miles .
Possibilities for vaccination sites include schools , libraries and clinics , as well as the coronavirus testing sites around Los Angeles .
The city testing sites run by CORE , an emergency relief organization that provides free testing , have already administered 9,000 flu shots since early October .
And CORE has developed relationships in communities @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and local leaders , said CORE Chief Executive Ann Lee .
“ We feel very strongly that not only because logistically we have this very well-oiled machine here , but also , I think the most critically important piece of it is , we have developed community trust , ” Lee said .
“ A lot of people know these testing sites and are comfortable with them.
” Statewide , the facilities where COVID-19 immunizations will be given will vary by place , Schechter said .
California ’ s 61 local-level health departments @ @ @ @ @ @ @ vaccines , but the scarce early doses will probably be limited to clinics and local health departments with public health sponsoring , he said .
“ As the vaccine becomes increasingly available , this will feel more and more like receiving a seasonal flu vaccine , ” Schechter said .

Soumya Karlamangla, Maya Lau, Laura J. Nelson, Jaclyn Cosgrove

A London nurse shows a vial of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine, which could be authorized this week by U.S. regulators for emergency use.
With U.S. regulators expected to clear the way this week for the first COVID-19 vaccine, California could soon begin its historic and complex rollout of millions of immunizations, a much-anticipated turning point in a state where over 20,000 people have been killed by the virus.
Though it is unclear exactly when the U.S. Food and Drug Administration will grant emergency use authorization for the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine, the move could come as soon as Thursday, Gov. Gavin Newsom said this week.
California’s first shipment of vaccines will include 327,000 doses — supplying 327,000 people with their first dose — and is expected to reach hospitals between Saturday and Tuesday, he said.
The vaccine requires two shots administered 21 days apart to reach the 95% effectiveness established in clinical trials. By the end of the year, California expects to have given the first dose of the vaccine to 2.16 million people who are in the group that’s first in line — healthcare workers, as well as residents of long-term care facilities. Follow-up doses will come in further shipments.
“Hope is on the horizon,” Newsom said.
The milestone comes as the state anticipates a deadly winter. Most Californians are under a stay-at-home order as the state logs record numbers of new COVID cases and some hospitals begin to run out of beds in intensive care units. Already this year, 1.4 million Californians have been confirmed to have contracted the virus and 20,464 have died, a figure that will only grow in the coming weeks.
Advertisement
“The vaccine will not save us from this current national, state or local surge. Very simply, [there’s] not enough time,” San Francisco health director Dr. Grant Colfax said Wednesday.
Still, the emergency authorization of a vaccine represents a new phase of COVID-19, what some experts describe as the beginning of the end of the pandemic. On Tuesday, the United Kingdom became the first nation to administer the Pfizer shot to its healthcare workers and elderly.
In the U.S., a report by FDA staff released Tuesday confirmed that the Pfizer vaccine is highly effective and that there are no safety concerns that would prevent it from being granted emergency authorization. The findings set the stage for release of the vaccine this week and the immediate availability of 6.4 million doses nationwide, which will be distributed to states based on their populations.
Once the vaccines arrive in a state, they will be stored at locations that can accommodate the extremely low temperatures they require — the Pfizer vaccine must be stored at around minus 70 degrees Celsius (about minus 95 Fahrenheit). Among these facilities are Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, UCLA and UC San Francisco Medical Center.
But a very small number of people will receive the vaccine this year, with the initial shipment to California “likely to end up largely in hospital settings,” Dr. Robert Schechter, a medical officer with the California Department of Public Health, told participants in a vaccine advisory panel Wednesday. Priority will go to health workers most likely to be exposed to the coronavirus.
Advertisement
Vaccines administered to residents and staff of long-term care facilities through a federal partnership with CVS and Walgreens will probably receive a separate slice of California’s allotment, rather than some of the first batch of 327,000 doses, Schechter said.
A second vaccine, created by the pharmaceutical company Moderna in partnership with the National Institutes of Health, could be granted emergency use authorization by the FDA within a week of the Pfizer vaccine, Schechter said. California expects at least 2 million doses of it by the end of the month and approximately 6 million by the end of January, he said.
Beyond the two groups already designated most vulnerable, California officials have not yet determined who will be next in line for vaccines. Industry groups have lobbied for early slots for law enforcement, long-term care workers, the meat and poultry industry, the metal can industry, farmworkers and more. For the general public not given special consideration, it will likely be spring or summer before vaccines are available, said UCLA epidemiologist Dr. Timothy Brewer. The initial allotment this year won’t even cover all 2.4 million healthcare workers in California, he said.
“If I were planning a wedding for next summer, I would plan it in a way so that everything is cancelable,” he said.
Brewer also said activities like nonessential travel may have to wait until after the summer depending on what’s learned in ongoing studies of the virus and vaccines. International trips could continue to pose risks longer, he noted, since other countries will need time to build up their vaccination programs, supply chains and infrastructure.
He said he anticipates the U.S. could reach herd immunity, with around 60% to 70% of the population vaccinated, by mid- to late 2021.
“I’m optimistic we will have a better Thanksgiving and Christmas next year than we did this year,” he said.
In L.A. County, the initial vaccine shipment will provide 84,000 doses of the Pfizer vaccine, which will be distributed to healthcare workers as soon as next week, said county Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer. A second shipment expected Dec. 21 will be used to immunize more acute-care hospital workers, as well as some staff and residents at skilled nursing facilities, she said.
“The supply of vaccine is expected to be limited, while the need will be high,” Ferrer told county officials Tuesday.
Once those initial workers are vaccinated, the next task will be determining where the general public will be vaccinated.
During the 2009 H1N1 pandemic, the county set up temporary sites in various communities to rapidly vaccinate several people at once. But the Pfizer vaccine presents a logistical challenge the county hasn’t dealt with before because it must be kept extremely cold.
The county Department of Health Services — which operates four public hospitals and 27 clinics — recently bought eight subzero freezers that altogether can store more than 1 million doses.
The county’s Department of Public Health has also acquired eight subzero freezers, including three from the state. It will place them strategically across the county, which spans over 4,000 square miles.
Possibilities for vaccination sites include schools, libraries and clinics, as well as the coronavirus testing sites around Los Angeles.
The city testing sites run by CORE, an emergency relief organization that provides free testing, have already administered 9,000 flu shots since early October. And CORE has developed relationships in communities of color through church groups, nonprofits and local leaders, said CORE Chief Executive Ann Lee.
“We feel very strongly that not only because logistically we have this very well-oiled machine here, but also, I think the most critically important piece of it is, we have developed community trust,” Lee said. “A lot of people know these testing sites and are comfortable with them.”
Statewide, the facilities where COVID-19 immunizations will be given will vary by place, Schechter said. California’s 61 local-level health departments are considering which institutions will provide the vaccines, but the scarce early doses will probably be limited to clinics and local health departments with public health sponsoring, he said.
“As the vaccine becomes increasingly available, this will feel more and more like receiving a seasonal flu vaccine,” Schechter said.
Times staff writer Karen Kaplan contributed to this report.