latimes--2020-05-14--Coronavirus forces sharp cuts to schools, healthcare in California, Newsom says

With California ’ s economy hobbled by the impacts of the long coronavirus shutdown , Gov .
Gavin Newsom asked lawmakers Thursday to sharply curtail spending on public schools and an array of government services while warning additional cuts could be necessary by year ’ s end .
Newsom said his budget plan , intended to erase a $ 54.3-billion deficit through early next summer , is designed to preserve what it can in the state ’ s commitment to public health , public safety and public education .
Even so , the proposal leaves few programs unscathed .
And @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cuts , which would be automatically triggered if President Trump and Congress fail to provide billions of dollars more in pandemic assistance .
“ We are going to be dealing with challenges that we haven ’ t faced in some time , ” Newsom said .
The $ 203.3-billion government blueprint — $ 19 billion less spending than in the governor ’ s January proposal — serves as a stark reminder of how much has changed in the eight weeks since he issued a statewide stay-at-home order to slow the rapid increase in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Department of Finance project a $ 9.7-billion drop in tax revenues for the fiscal year that ends in June , with three times that amount expected to be lost in the 2020-21 budget year .
All told , 75 % of the state ’ s budget deficit is attributed to a collapse in state tax revenues .
As a result , Newsom proposes canceling $ 6.1 billion in program expansions and spending increases .
His plan would then divert $ 4.1 billion in available cash from special government funds and would lean heavily @ @ @ @ @ @ @ last decade .
While the budget does not call for tax increases , it does propose canceling programs that have lowered taxes for some Californians and businesses , thus increasing revenues by $ 4.4 billion in the coming year .
“ We are committed , despite the headwinds ” of an economic downturn , Newsom said , “ to balance the budget , but also to balance our principles and to advance our values.
” No cut may be more noticeable than that made to spending on K-12 schools and community colleges , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s general fund and one tightly bound to the rise and fall in tax revenues .
Newsom ’ s budget proposes less school funding for the coming fiscal year than he envisioned in January .
In broad strokes , the new proposal is seen as enough to maintain current academic year services , adjusted upward slightly for inflation and changes in attendance .
Still , the proposal represents a sizable setback for educators as they struggle to pay costs associated with distance learning and meals provided to students while schools are closed to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ A key provision in Newsom ’ s budget lays out a series of spending cuts totaling $ 14 billion that will be canceled if sufficient extra funds are provided from federal officials in Washington .
On Tuesday , House Speaker Nancy Pelosi ( D-San Francisco ) proposed giving $ 900 billion to state and local governments as part of a new $ 3-trillion federal stimulus package .
Newsom has praised the Democrats ’ plan as the right thing to do in helping emergency and healthcare workers combat the coronavirus , though it has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Republicans .
The governor proposes using $ 7.8 billion from the state ’ s Budget Stabilization Account , the “ rainy day ” reserve fund in the near term , to soften the blow to a variety of government programs .
His plan envisions using the rest of the reserves over a three-year period .
The fiscal blueprint laid out on Thursday bears little resemblance to Newsom ’ s ambitious January offering , with a variety of new programs scrapped in light of the historic deficit .
The budget plan assumes $ 7.1 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ human services programs , a function of those resources being available largely based on a person ’ s income .
It estimates that more Californians than ever will enroll in Medi-Cal , the state ’ s healthcare program for low-income residents .
But the plan includes proposed reductions for that system too .
Newsom will ask the Legislature to cancel plans for expanding Medi-Cal to all adults in the U.S. illegally , a proposal long sought by immigration advocates and Democratic lawmakers .
Dental benefits and spending on hearing aids for some recipients @ @ @ @ @ @ @ provide mental health services for women who have recently given birth are expected to be scrapped .
While welfare assistance grants through the CalWorks program would remain intact , spending on employment and childcare services for those receiving the benefits would no longer keep pace with the influx of new recipients .
Outside of traditional government services , Newsom said he wants the Legislature to focus on addressing the coronavirus crisis , preparing for wildfire season and making progress toward helping California ’ s homeless population .
His budget plan envisions a unique @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by the state of hotels and motels , partially with federal funds , and then gifting those buildings to local governments as permanent supportive housing .
Republican San Diego Mayor Kevin Faulconer has advocated for a similar idea , arguing the owners of local properties that have become vacant during the economic downturn might have an incentive to sell their facilities .
Administration officials conceded Thursday that the absence of a key data set in the annual state budget process — total tax revenue collections — means the proposal could underestimate the severity @ @ @ @ @ @ @ normally file and pay taxes in April were given a 90-day extension until July 15 , thus leaving fiscal analysts to offer their best guess on how much there will be to spend .
Legislators will also have less information on which to base their discussions of Newsom ’ s plan .
Both the state Senate and Assembly adjourned in March due to public health concerns and have not held their traditional public hearings examining dozens of state programs .
They will now have to speed through a basic review of those needs @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to meet their constitutional deadline of June 15 for sending a final budget to the governor ’ s desk .

With California’s economy hobbled by the impacts of the long coronavirus shutdown, Gov. Gavin Newsom asked state lawmakers Thursday to sharply curtail spending on public schools and an array of government services while directly appealing to President Trump and Congress for help to prevent billions of dollars in additional spending cuts.
“The federal government has a moral and ethical and economic obligation to help support the states,” Newsom said. “After all, what is the point of government, if not to protect people, our safety and the wellbeing of citizens?”
Absent that additional help, far beyond what California has already received in pandemic assistance, the governor said state officials have few options in the face of a projected $54.3-billion deficit through early next summer. The cuts envisioned recall many of those made during the depths of the Great Recession more than a decade ago.
Taking such measures, Newsom warned in his plea for federal help, could turn a fast-moving pandemic into a protracted crisis for California.
“If we’re serious about economic growth and getting this nation open again, then we must be serious about getting states and cities off the mat and back up so that we are moving,” he said.
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The $203.3-billion government blueprint — $19 billion less spending than in the governor’s January proposal — is a stark reminder of how much has changed in the eight weeks since Newsom issued a statewide stay-at-home order to slow the rapid increase in COVID-19 infections. Analysts from the California Department of Finance project a $9.7-billion drop in tax revenues for the fiscal year that ends in June, with three times that amount expected to be lost in the 2020-21 budget year.
All told, 75% of the state’s budget deficit is attributed to a collapse in state tax revenues. The rest is roughly split between the cost of state and local coronavirus response and the rising number of Californians who, with reduced or no employment, are signing up for health and social services programs.
Newsom’s budget plan leans heavily on the idea that California’s fate rests on what happens in Washington. If additional federal dollars arrive in the next few weeks, it could erase as much as 40% of California’s deficit. But if the money doesn’t come through, the governor’s proposal envisions 40% of the solution to come from reduced spending. In both scenarios, the remainder of the deficit would be erased by cash reserves, existing government cash borrowed from internal accounts and new revenues collected by canceling tax breaks or imposing limited new fees.
The state’s $16.2 billion “rainy day” reserve fund, the centerpiece of efforts to fortify California’s budget resilience, would be emptied by the mid-summer of 2023.
“We are committed, despite the headwinds” of an economic downturn, Newsom said, “to balance the budget, but also to balance our principles and to advance our values.”
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No budget-balancing idea proposed on Thursday may be more sweeping in its impact to California families than the $13.5-billion drop in projected spending on K-12 schools and community colleges, the largest line item in California’s general fund and one tightly bound to the rise and fall in tax revenues.
Newsom’s budget proposes filling in about $5.5 billion of that hole with one-time assistance, most of it coming from coronavirus funds provided by the federal government in March. But much of the rest in the new school year would come from cuts: less money for efforts aimed at addressing the needs of schoolchildren from low-income families and those who are English learners, less money for almost every school program — protecting only funds earmarked for special education.
In short, California Teachers Assn. President E. Toby Boyd said, the proposal is as bad as it gets.
“More than $10 billion in proposed cuts will lead to cuts to vital student programs, educator layoffs, furlough days and pay cuts just like it did during the last recession when we lost 33,000 educators,” Boyd said in a statement. “Our students, our schools, our colleges, and our families cannot afford to go back.”
Higher education programs are also targeted for cuts. Ten-percent reductions in state funding for the University of California and California State University systems are included in the governor’s plan, while dozens of proposals Newsom made in January are being shelved.
As with California budget dilemmas of the past, administration officials chose scope over size when it came to most spending cuts — scores of proposed small reductions instead of wholesale eliminations.
In Medi-Cal, the state’s healthcare offering for low-income residents, the budget plan assumes 2 million more people will be enrolled in the program this summer because of the coronavirus. Newsom’s proposal accounts for higher overall Medi-Cal spending than projected earlier this year but focuses those dollars on basic care. Gone are plans for expanding Medi-Cal to all adults in the U.S. illegally, a proposal long sought by immigration advocates and Democratic lawmakers. Dental benefits and spending on hearing aids for some recipients would be cut. Recent increases in rates paid to doctors who take Medi-Cal patients would be abandoned. And efforts to provide mental health services for women who have recently given birth are expected to be scrapped.
Welfare assistance grants through the CalWorks program would remain intact, but spending on employment and childcare services for those receiving the benefits would no longer keep pace with the influx of new recipients. State workers would not be laid off under Newsom’s plan, but would be asked to cut their salaries by 10%. State agencies where employees have worked from home during the pandemic could embrace more remote workdays, allowing the state to lease less office space.
California California faces ‘jaw dropping’ unemployment, requiring more federal loans, Newsom says At a news conference Thursday to present a revised state budget for the fiscal year starting July 1, Newsom said the state will need $43.8 billion to cover unemployment claims fueled by the coronavirus crisis in the new year, a 650% increase over what was originally proposed.
Outside of traditional government services, Newsom said he wants the Legislature to focus on addressing the coronavirus crisis, preparing for wildfire season and making progress toward helping California’s homeless population. His budget plan envisions a unique effort to address homelessness: the purchase by the state of hotels and motels, partially with federal funds, and then gifting those buildings to local governments as permanent supportive housing. Republican San Diego Mayor Kevin Faulconer has advocated for a similar idea, arguing the owners of local properties that have become vacant during the economic downturn might have an incentive to sell their facilities.
But that proposal — which would be separate from the existing coronavirus lodging plan — would not provide funding for the counties to operate the facilities.
The timing for what happens next in California’s budget process is unclear. Newsom’s budget director, Keely Martin Bosler, said Thursday that $14 billion in spending cuts can be avoided only if a new federal coronavirus relief plan is enacted prior to July 1, the beginning of the state’s fiscal year.
And even then, the size of the state’s economic problem is, at best, an educated guess. Californians who normally file and pay taxes in April were given a 90-day extension until July 15, thus leaving fiscal analysts to offer their best predictions on how much there will be to spend.
Legislators will also have less information on which to base their discussions of Newsom’s plan. Both the state Senate and Assembly adjourned in March due to public health concerns and have not held their traditional public hearings examining dozens of state programs. They will now have to speed through a basic review of those needs in the next few weeks in order to meet their constitutional deadline of June 15 for sending a final budget to the governor’s desk.
Times staff writer Phil Willon contributed to this report.


latimes--2020-05-14--Orange County reports its highest daily coronavirus case count

Orange County confirmed 229 additional coronavirus cases Thursday , its highest daily case count since the start of the pandemic .
The total broke the previous day ’ s record of 156 new cases .
As testing capacity expands , the number of cases reported has continued to rise across California .
So far , more than 61,600 Orange County residents have been tested for the virus , with 1,510 results reported Thursday .
But the growing numbers aren ’ t only because of an increase in testing , Orange County Health Care Agency Director Clayton Chau said during a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ become seriously ill from the virus in recent weeks , Chau said , including many in nursing homes and jails .
Those populations also account for many of those hospitalized with COVID-19 .
There are 227 people hospitalized , and 79 of those individuals are in intensive care .
“ Most is due to a volume of cases identified in nursing homes and jails in the past two weeks , ” Chau said about the recent surge .
“ The congregate care population accounts for a fair proportion.
” Officials were not able @ @ @ @ @ @ @ accounted for Thursday ’ s numbers .
Of the more than 3,900 people of the county ’ s 3.1 million residents who have had known infections of the virus , 407 individuals have been residents of skilled nursing facilities and 331 have been Orange County jail inmates .
“ The infection rate within those congregate living environment has hit Orange County in a delayed manner , compared to some of our large urban peers , but it is here now in Orange County and we have to step up the amount of testing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ executive officer Frank Kim said , adding that testing at such institutions has expanded .
Officials do not believe that the county ’ s newly reopened beaches has contributed to Thursday ’ s spike , but could not say definitively .
“ We don ’ t know yet , `` Chau said .
A framework for reopening the county is expected to be presented to the Board of Supervisors , but officials did not offer extensive details for what that framework may be beyond what ’ s previously been revealed about testing and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and hospital preparedness .
“ The O.C .
reopening guidelines is intended to be a living document that remains dynamic with the evolution of the epidemic and emergence of new data , ” Chau said .
Kim said that waiting to see no more than one death over a 14-day period — a guideline presented by Gov .
Gavin Newsom for counties to reopen — would be a “ restrictive , difficult measure for us to overcome.
” Officials are instead focused on a stable or steady decline to guide policy .
Santa @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s most populous areas , have been hit hardest , with each reporting more than 600 infections .

Healthcare workers at UC Irvine Medical Center wave to first responders giving them a drive-by salute in mid-April.
Orange County confirmed 229 additional coronavirus cases Thursday, its highest daily case count since the start of the pandemic. The total broke the previous day’s record of 156 new cases.
As testing capacity expands, the number of cases reported has continued to rise across California. So far, more than 61,600 Orange County residents have been tested for the virus, with 1,510 results reported Thursday.
But the growing numbers aren’t only because of an increase in testing, Orange County Health Care Agency Director Clayton Chau said during a media briefing Thursday.
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More people have become seriously ill from the virus in recent weeks, Chau said, including many in nursing homes and jails. Those populations also account for many of those hospitalized with COVID-19. There are 227 people hospitalized, and 79 of those individuals are in intensive care.
“Most is due to a volume of cases identified in nursing homes and jails in the past two weeks,” Chau said about the recent surge. “The congregate care population accounts for a fair proportion.”
Officials were not able to say how many of these individuals accounted for Thursday’s numbers. Of the more than 3,900 people of the county’s 3.1 million residents who have had known infections of the virus, 407 individuals have been residents of skilled nursing facilities and 331 have been Orange County jail inmates.
“The infection rate within those congregate living environment has hit Orange County in a delayed manner, compared to some of our large urban peers, but it is here now in Orange County and we have to step up the amount of testing and protocols for cleaning,” county executive officer Frank Kim said, adding that testing at such institutions has expanded.
Officials do not believe that the county’s newly reopened beaches has contributed to Thursday’s spike, but could not say definitively.
“We don’t know yet, “ Chau said.
A framework for reopening the county is expected to be presented to the Board of Supervisors, but officials did not offer extensive details for what that framework may be beyond what’s previously been revealed about testing and contact tracing capacity, essential worker protection and hospital preparedness.
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“The O.C. reopening guidelines is intended to be a living document that remains dynamic with the evolution of the epidemic and emergence of new data,” Chau said.
Kim said that waiting to see no more than one death over a 14-day period — a guideline presented by Gov. Gavin Newsom for counties to reopen — would be a “restrictive, difficult measure for us to overcome.” Officials are instead focused on a stable or steady decline to guide policy.
California Orange County will unveil proposed coronavirus ‘reopening’ guidelines this week Orange County supervisors, and dozens of residents who turned out to lobby them this week, are increasingly itching to relax restrictions that were imposed in response to the coronavirus outbreak and reopen businesses and public spaces.
Santa Ana and Anaheim, the county’s most populous areas, have been hit hardest, with each reporting more than 600 infections.
Confirmed cases in Orange county, by city
City Total Aliso Viejo 21 Anaheim 615 Brea 27 Buena Park 115 Costa Mesa 60 Coto de Caza 6 Cypress 51 Dana Point 23 Fountain Valley 45 Fullerton 135 Garden Grove 198 Huntington Beach 280 Irvine 147 La Habra 70 La Palma 15 Ladera Ranch 13 Laguna Beach 44 Laguna Hills 25 Laguna Niguel 35 Laguna Woods 8 Lake Forest 35 Los Alamitos 53 Midway City 9 Mission Viejo 58 Newport Beach 131 Orange 190 Placentia 74 Rancho Mission Viejo 6 Rancho Santa Margarita 18 San Clemente 53 San Juan Capistrano 42 Santa Ana 665 Seal Beach 14 Stanton 39 Trabuco Canyon 11 Tustin 60 Villa Park 5 Westminster 71 Yorba Linda 61 Other* 314 Unknown** 126 All of Orange County 3,968
*“Other” includes unincorporated areas. **”Unknown” refers to cases pending investigation.


latimes--2020-05-14--L.A. County mandates masks outside as coronavirus deaths top 3,000 in California

In a continuing bid to stymie the spread of the coronavirus , Los Angeles County residents must cover their faces whenever they go outside , a top health official said Thursday .
“ Masks are , in fact , mandatory across the entire county when you ’ re outside of your home , not with members of your household and in any kind of contact with other people , ” Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer said .
Even when on a solitary walk or run , Ferrer said “ you now need to have a face covering with you , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , you were walking by other people , you tried to go into a grocery store , you absolutely have to have that face covering on.
” Residents should wear a cloth face covering “ any time you ’ re out and there are people around , whether it be at a trailhead or a parking lot or a sidewalk , ” she said .
Officials also said visitors to the county ’ s beaches , which opened Wednesday for active recreational use , must cover their faces unless they are in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on the heels of a similar order enacted by Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti .
Cloth face coverings , Ferrer said , are a key component in combating COVID-19 because they can help block transmission of respiratory droplets that carry the disease .
That ’ s particularly important in Los Angeles County , which continues to be a hot spot for the virus in California .
Ferrer announced 51 new coronavirus-linked fatalities Thursday , pushing the state ’ s death toll to more than 3,000 .
In all , 1,709 L.A. County residents @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , according to Ferrer .
Ferrer compared that number with the mortality rate for influenza in a typical year , noting that only about 250 people die during flu season .
“ You can understand why the mortality rate for COVID-19 is so worrisome because it far exceeds what we ’ re normally used to seeing with a virus or a communicable disease , ” she said .
Ferrer also announced 925 new COVID-19 cases in L.A. County , raising its cumulative total to 35,329 and pushing California ’ s statewide figure closer @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s deaths , 865 — about 51 % — were people who lived in institutional settings .
The “ vast majority ” of them resided in nursing facilities , Ferrer said .
“ I ’ m sad to report that this is the first day that we ’ ve had to note that more than half of all the people who have died from COVID-19 in L.A. County were residing in institutional settings , ” she said .
The total number of confirmed cases in those settings is now at 8,783 .
Despite @ @ @ @ @ @ @ COVID-19 infections and fatalities , the state is starting to cautiously lift restrictions put in place to stem the spread of the coronavirus .
The result has been a pandemic patchwork .
Some businesses have been allowed to open while others remain shuttered .
A few areas are requiring masks to be worn anytime residents leave their homes .
More than a dozen counties are moving toward something resembling normalcy , while others are firmly standing by stay-at-home orders and other coronavirus restrictions .
As California moves into what Gov .
Gavin Newsom @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s reopening plan , it has become possible for counties to go further in terms of opening businesses , provided they meet certain criteria .
Newsom said this week that restaurants and shopping malls can reopen in counties that meet state standards for testing and reductions in coronavirus cases , but all businesses will have to abide by state guidelines for physical distancing and cleaning regimens .
Counties also must have adequate testing and hospital capacity and the ability to trace those who have been in contact with ill people .
Before @ @ @ @ @ @ @ complete a risk assessment and develop protection plans that include training employees in how to limit the spread of the virus , providing screenings of workers and establishing disinfection protocols and physical distancing guidelines .
Although the state ’ s phased reopening started Friday — with clothing stores , sporting goods retailers , bookstores , music stores , toy stores and florists able to provide curbside service — only more rural , less-populated reaches of the state have successfully petitioned to open faster .
More than a third of California ’ s 58 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they have contained the spread of COVID-19 , which allows them to reopen restaurants to dine-in service , as well as shopping malls and other businesses .
As of Thursday afternoon , the state said 20 counties had met conditions to reopen more fully : Amador , Butte , Calaveras , Colusa , El Dorado , Glenn , Humboldt , Lassen , Nevada , Mariposa , Placer , Plumas , San Benito , Shasta , Sierra , Siskiyou , Sutter , Tehama , Tuolumne and Yuba .
The counties , which have attested @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are mostly in rural areas of Northern California with small populations .
They represent about 4.5 % of the state ’ s population and do not include urban centers such as Los Angeles and San Francisco that remain largely on lockdown .
“ As of today , the attestations are up and those counties … are moving deeper into the second phase of reopening large sectors of their economy , ” Newsom said during a news conference where he announced a revised state budget in response to the pandemic .
The state is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ trying to meet state standards for testing , hospital availability and numbers of cases .
“ We are doing what we can to move forward as we committed in that space , ” Newsom said .
The benchmarks necessary to reopen remain out of reach for most urban areas .
A Times data analysis last week found that 95 % of Californians live in counties that don ’ t meet two key thresholds : a cessation of COVID-19 deaths in the previous 14 days and no more than one case per 10,000 residents @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Angeles County , which remains the hotbed of California ’ s coronavirus outbreak , officials are allowing the limited reopening of thousands more retail shops and manufacturing companies , even while extending the local stay-at-home order indefinitely .
“ Let me be clear : Businesses must comply with the county ’ s guidelines in order to keep our employees and customers safe , ” county Supervisor Hilda Solis said Thursday .
“ Reopening can ’ t mean jeopardizing the progress we ’ ve made so far.
” Even as additional businesses open and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ areas , Ferrer said it ’ s important for residents to remain vigilant and cautious , especially if they have underlying health conditions .
“ Please take a moment to try to make sure that you will be able to continue to stay at home as much as possible , ” she said .
L.A. Mayor Eric Garcetti also announced Wednesday evening that all Angelenos , except for small children and those with certain disabilities , would be required to wear face coverings outside their homes .
Similar exceptions are in place countywide @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Orange , Riverside , San Bernardino and San Diego — are working to forge a coalition to jointly lobby Newsom so they can further reopen their local economies .
Officials in Orange County , which will unveil a potential road map for lifting some coronavirus-related restrictions Thursday , have said the state ’ s criteria for more fully reopening are overly burdensome and unrealistic for urbanized areas .
“ We are doing this because , even though the governor has said one size doesn ’ t fit all , he is very much @ @ @ @ @ @ @ County Supervisor Don Wagner said Tuesday .
Thursday , Orange County confirmed 229 additional coronavirus cases , its highest daily case count since the start of the pandemic .
The total broke the previous day ’ s record of 156 new cases .
The growing numbers aren ’ t only because of an increase in testing , Dr. Clayton Chau , director of the Orange County Health Care Agency , said during a news conference .
More people have become seriously ill from the virus in recent weeks , Chau said , including @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Those populations also account for many of those hospitalized with COVID-19 .
There are 227 people currently hospitalized , and 79 of those individuals are in intensive care .
The San Francisco Bay Area , where local health officers have largely worked in concert throughout the coronavirus outbreak , is also starting to see some divergence .
At least three counties — San Francisco , San Mateo and Marin — plan to incrementally ease their social distancing restrictions starting Monday .
Santa Clara County has said it has no immediate plans to do @ @ @ @ @ @ @ statewide guidelines will be modified to allow larger counties hit hardest by the outbreak to reopen more broadly .
“ Over the next few weeks , we ’ ll be making subsequent announcements for the entire state , not just those that meet those more restrictive criteria , ” he said Friday .
Times staff writers Colleen Shalby , Susanne Rust , Maura Dolan , Rong-Gong Lin II , Kailyn Brown and Sarah Parvini contributed to this report .

Luke Money, Hannah Fry, Sonja Sharp, Patrick McGreevy

Carlos Marroquin, owner of Planet Soccer in Newhall, shows his appreciation to customers Benton Watkins and Benton’s mom, Noelle, at Marroquin’s reopened store.
In a continuing bid to stymie the spread of the coronavirus, Los Angeles County residents must cover their faces whenever they go outside, a top health official said Thursday.
“Masks are, in fact, mandatory across the entire county when you’re outside of your home, not with members of your household and in any kind of contact with other people,” Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer said.
Even when on a solitary walk or run, Ferrer said “you now need to have a face covering with you, because if you came by other people, you were walking by other people, you tried to go into a grocery store, you absolutely have to have that face covering on.”
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Residents should wear a cloth face covering “any time you’re out and there are people around, whether it be at a trailhead or a parking lot or a sidewalk,” she said. Officials also said visitors to the county’s beaches, which opened Wednesday for active recreational use, must cover their faces unless they are in the water.
The more stringent rules come on the heels of a similar order enacted by Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti.
Cloth face coverings, Ferrer said, are a key component in combating COVID-19 because they can help block transmission of respiratory droplets that carry the disease.
Tracking the coronavirus in L.A. County The latest maps and charts on the spread of COVID-19 in Los Angeles County, including cases, deaths, closures and restrictions.
That’s particularly important in Los Angeles County, which continues to be a hot spot for the virus in California. Ferrer announced 51 new coronavirus-linked fatalities Thursday, pushing the state’s death toll to more than 3,000.
In all, 1,709 L.A. County residents have died as a result of COVID-19, according to Ferrer.
Ferrer compared that number with the mortality rate for influenza in a typical year, noting that only about 250 people die during flu season.
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“You can understand why the mortality rate for COVID-19 is so worrisome because it far exceeds what we’re normally used to seeing with a virus or a communicable disease,” she said.
Ferrer also announced 925 new COVID-19 cases in L.A. County, raising its cumulative total to 35,329 and pushing California’s statewide figure closer to 75,000.
Of the county’s deaths, 865 — about 51% — were people who lived in institutional settings. The “vast majority” of them resided in nursing facilities, Ferrer said.
“I’m sad to report that this is the first day that we’ve had to note that more than half of all the people who have died from COVID-19 in L.A. County were residing in institutional settings,” she said.
The total number of confirmed cases in those settings is now at 8,783.
Despite the steady increase in the number of COVID-19 infections and fatalities, the state is starting to cautiously lift restrictions put in place to stem the spread of the coronavirus.
The result has been a pandemic patchwork.
Some businesses have been allowed to open while others remain shuttered. A few areas are requiring masks to be worn anytime residents leave their homes. More than a dozen counties are moving toward something resembling normalcy, while others are firmly standing by stay-at-home orders and other coronavirus restrictions.
As California moves into what Gov. Gavin Newsom has deemed Phase 2 of the state’s reopening plan, it has become possible for counties to go further in terms of opening businesses, provided they meet certain criteria.
Newsom said this week that restaurants and shopping malls can reopen in counties that meet state standards for testing and reductions in coronavirus cases, but all businesses will have to abide by state guidelines for physical distancing and cleaning regimens. Counties also must have adequate testing and hospital capacity and the ability to trace those who have been in contact with ill people.
Before businesses can reopen, a county must complete a risk assessment and develop protection plans that include training employees in how to limit the spread of the virus, providing screenings of workers and establishing disinfection protocols and physical distancing guidelines.
Although the state’s phased reopening started Friday — with clothing stores, sporting goods retailers, bookstores, music stores, toy stores and florists able to provide curbside service — only more rural, less-populated reaches of the state have successfully petitioned to open faster.
More than a third of California’s 58 counties have certified to the state that they have contained the spread of COVID-19, which allows them to reopen restaurants to dine-in service, as well as shopping malls and other businesses.
As of Thursday afternoon, the state said 20 counties had met conditions to reopen more fully: Amador, Butte, Calaveras, Colusa, El Dorado, Glenn, Humboldt, Lassen, Nevada, Mariposa, Placer, Plumas, San Benito, Shasta, Sierra, Siskiyou, Sutter, Tehama, Tuolumne and Yuba.
The counties, which have attested to meeting state standards for containment, are mostly in rural areas of Northern California with small populations. They represent about 4.5% of the state’s population and do not include urban centers such as Los Angeles and San Francisco that remain largely on lockdown.
Which California counties are reopening? To contain the spread of COVID-19, parks, restaurants and stores are slowly reopening.
“As of today, the attestations are up and those counties … are moving deeper into the second phase of reopening large sectors of their economy,” Newsom said during a news conference where he announced a revised state budget in response to the pandemic.
The state is continuing talks with other counties that are trying to meet state standards for testing, hospital availability and numbers of cases.
“We are doing what we can to move forward as we committed in that space,” Newsom said.
The benchmarks necessary to reopen remain out of reach for most urban areas. A Times data analysis last week found that 95% of Californians live in counties that don’t meet two key thresholds: a cessation of COVID-19 deaths in the previous 14 days and no more than one case per 10,000 residents in that same period.
In Los Angeles County, which remains the hotbed of California’s coronavirus outbreak, officials are allowing the limited reopening of thousands more retail shops and manufacturing companies, even while extending the local stay-at-home order indefinitely.
“Let me be clear: Businesses must comply with the county’s guidelines in order to keep our employees and customers safe,” county Supervisor Hilda Solis said Thursday. “Reopening can’t mean jeopardizing the progress we’ve made so far.”
Even as additional businesses open and county officials relax restrictions on outdoor recreational areas, Ferrer said it’s important for residents to remain vigilant and cautious, especially if they have underlying health conditions.
“Please take a moment to try to make sure that you will be able to continue to stay at home as much as possible,” she said.
L.A. Mayor Eric Garcetti also announced Wednesday evening that all Angelenos, except for small children and those with certain disabilities, would be required to wear face coverings outside their homes. Similar exceptions are in place countywide.
Other urban Southern California counties — Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino and San Diego — are working to forge a coalition to jointly lobby Newsom so they can further reopen their local economies.
Officials in Orange County, which will unveil a potential road map for lifting some coronavirus-related restrictions Thursday, have said the state’s criteria for more fully reopening are overly burdensome and unrealistic for urbanized areas.
“We are doing this because, even though the governor has said one size doesn’t fit all, he is very much imposing a one-size-fits-all response,” Orange County Supervisor Don Wagner said Tuesday.
Thursday, Orange County confirmed 229 additional coronavirus cases, its highest daily case count since the start of the pandemic. The total broke the previous day’s record of 156 new cases.
The growing numbers aren’t only because of an increase in testing, Dr. Clayton Chau, director of the Orange County Health Care Agency, said during a news conference. More people have become seriously ill from the virus in recent weeks, Chau said, including many in nursing homes and jails. Those populations also account for many of those hospitalized with COVID-19. There are 227 people currently hospitalized, and 79 of those individuals are in intensive care.
The San Francisco Bay Area, where local health officers have largely worked in concert throughout the coronavirus outbreak, is also starting to see some divergence.
At least three counties — San Francisco, San Mateo and Marin — plan to incrementally ease their social distancing restrictions starting Monday. Santa Clara County has said it has no immediate plans to do so.
Newsom has hinted that the statewide guidelines will be modified to allow larger counties hit hardest by the outbreak to reopen more broadly.
“Over the next few weeks, we’ll be making subsequent announcements for the entire state, not just those that meet those more restrictive criteria,” he said Friday.
Times staff writers Colleen Shalby, Susanne Rust, Maura Dolan, Rong-Gong Lin II, Kailyn Brown and Sarah Parvini contributed to this report.


latimes--2020-05-14--San Bernardino County reports another 18 coronavirus deaths, biggest daily increase in fatalities

San Bernardino County reported 18 additional deaths related to the coronavirus Wednesday , bringing the county ’ s toll to 138 .
It was the highest jump in the number of deaths the county has reported to date , jumping 15 % from the previous day ’ s total of 120 .
According to San Bernardino Public Health Department information officer Lana Culp , about 60 % of the deaths reported in the last 14 days have been linked to facilities where large numbers of people are living , such as nursing homes .
“ It seems that the outbreaks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for the majority of deaths , ” Culp said , adding that it was too soon to determine what caused Wednesday ’ s increase .
More than 3,100 San Bernardino residents have been infected by virus , health officials reported , and the daily case count has continued to rise .
The county has the fifth-largest number of cases in the state , after Los Angeles , Riverside , San Diego and Orange counties .
Thirty-six of the county ’ s cities and communities have recorded infections , with San Bernardino , Chino @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Several outbreaks have taken place in institutional settings , including one Yucaipa care center where 115 staff and residents were infected and 20 have people died .
Roughly 2 million people live throughout , making it the largest county in the continental U.S. More than 33,000 residents have been tested for COVID-19 , a number that has increased in recent weeks as testing capacity has expanded .
The virus has infected people of all ages throughout the county .
Roughly 79 young people ages 14 and younger have been infected , as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of 15 and 19 .
Those between the ages of 50 and 59 account for 620 cases - the highest number among any age group .

San Bernardino County reported 18 additional deaths related to the coronavirus Wednesday, bringing the county’s toll to 138. It was the highest jump in the number of deaths the county has reported to date, jumping 15% from the previous day’s total of 120.
According to San Bernardino Public Health Department information officer Lana Culp, about 60% of the deaths reported in the last 14 days have been linked to facilities where large numbers of people are living, such as nursing homes.
“It seems that the outbreaks occurring in our congregate settings are accounting for the majority of deaths,” Culp said, adding that it was too soon to determine what caused Wednesday’s increase.
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More than 3,100 San Bernardino residents have been infected by virus, health officials reported, and the daily case count has continued to rise. The county has the fifth-largest number of cases in the state, after Los Angeles, Riverside, San Diego and Orange counties.
Thirty-six of the county’s cities and communities have recorded infections, with San Bernardino, Chino, Fontana and Ontario being hit hardest.
Several outbreaks have taken place in institutional settings, including one Yucaipa care center where 115 staff and residents were infected and 20 have people died.
Roughly 2 million people live throughout San Bernardino County’s 20,000 square miles , making it the largest county in the continental U.S. More than 33,000 residents have been tested for COVID-19, a number that has increased in recent weeks as testing capacity has expanded.
The virus has infected people of all ages throughout the county. Roughly 79 young people ages 14 and younger have been infected, as well as 69 individuals between the ages of 15 and 19. Those between the ages of 50 and 59 account for 620 cases - the highest number among any age group.


latimes--2020-05-14--After nearly two weeks with no coronavirus deaths, Ventura County reports 5

After nearly two weeks with no coronavirus-related deaths , Ventura County reported five fatalities in the last two days , bringing the death toll to 24 .
On Wednesday , Ventura County reported three deaths .
The county had announced two others Tuesday .
Most of the county ’ s victims — 17 of them — were at least 65 years old .
Five were ages 45 to 64 , and the other two were 25 to 44 .
All of those who have died had other health problems , according to the county .
Also on Wednesday , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ — with 477 patients having recovered .
Its cumulative number of confirmed infections is far fewer than those of nearby Santa Barbara and Kern counties , both of which have nearly double the number of cases .
Neighboring Los Angeles County has more than 34,000 cases .
Amid the slow uptick in the number of cases and deaths , more businesses are being allowed to reopen their doors as officials have further relaxed local coronavirus restrictions .
Car washes , and pet grooming and landscape gardening services were allowed to reopen Wednesday , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ galleries and other public spaces , with modifications .
Child care is also now available for nonessential workers , and office-based businesses can reopen — though county officials said teleworking was strongly encouraged if feasible .
All businesses must review and meet certain criteria before they can resume operations .
Among the requirements are that owners conduct a risk assessment and write a site-specific COVID-19 prevention plan .
“ We are positioned to move forward because our businesses and residents have sacrificed so much to comply with the local order , ” County @ @ @ @ @ @ @ statement .
“ We trust our business community .
We know they are working so hard to meet the guidelines .
We want them to be able to reopen safely , and we know they will do a great job.
” The latest round of reopenings in Ventura County continues a gradual unlocking of businesses statewide as California begins to crawl out of an economic crater caused by the coronavirus pandemic and inch toward some semblance of normalcy .
Starting Friday , clothing stores , sporting goods retailers , bookstores , music stores @ @ @ @ @ @ @ providing curbside service for customers .
Restaurants and shopping malls also will be able to reopen in counties that meet certain state standards regarding testing and coronavirus case growth , Gov .
Gavin Newsom said this week .
Even as more businesses open , Ventura health officials said it was important to proceed cautiously , so as not to unwind the county ’ s progress .
“ We must continue to practice social distancing , and businesses must make modifications needed to lower the risk of COVID-19 exposure , ” Ventura County Public @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a statement .
“ This will help keep our numbers low so we can continue to move forward .
”

Beachgoers hit a volleyball around at Harbor Cove Beach in Ventura on May 2.
After nearly two weeks with no coronavirus-related deaths, Ventura County reported five fatalities in the last two days, bringing the death toll to 24.
On Wednesday, Ventura County reported three deaths. The county had announced two others Tuesday. Most of the county’s victims — 17 of them — were at least 65 years old. Five were ages 45 to 64, and the other two were 25 to 44.
All of those who have died had other health problems, according to the county.
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Also on Wednesday, the county reported 725 cases of COVID-19 infections — with 477 patients having recovered. Its cumulative number of confirmed infections is far fewer than those of nearby Santa Barbara and Kern counties, both of which have nearly double the number of cases. Neighboring Los Angeles County has more than 34,000 cases.
Tracking the coronavirus in California The latest maps and charts on the spread of COVID-19 in California.
Amid the slow uptick in the number of cases and deaths, more businesses are being allowed to reopen their doors as officials have further relaxed local coronavirus restrictions.
Car washes, and pet grooming and landscape gardening services were allowed to reopen Wednesday , as well as outdoor museums, open galleries and other public spaces, with modifications.
Child care is also now available for nonessential workers, and office-based businesses can reopen — though county officials said teleworking was strongly encouraged if feasible.
All businesses must review and meet certain criteria before they can resume operations. Among the requirements are that owners conduct a risk assessment and write a site-specific COVID-19 prevention plan.
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“We are positioned to move forward because our businesses and residents have sacrificed so much to comply with the local order,” County Executive Officer Mike Powers said in a statement. “We trust our business community. We know they are working so hard to meet the guidelines. We want them to be able to reopen safely, and we know they will do a great job.”
The latest round of reopenings in Ventura County continues a gradual unlocking of businesses statewide as California begins to crawl out of an economic crater caused by the coronavirus pandemic and inch toward some semblance of normalcy.
Starting Friday, clothing stores, sporting goods retailers, bookstores, music stores, toy stores and florists could start providing curbside service for customers. Restaurants and shopping malls also will be able to reopen in counties that meet certain state standards regarding testing and coronavirus case growth, Gov. Gavin Newsom said this week.
Even as more businesses open, Ventura health officials said it was important to proceed cautiously, so as not to unwind the county’s progress.
“We must continue to practice social distancing, and businesses must make modifications needed to lower the risk of COVID-19 exposure,” Ventura County Public Health Officer Dr. Robert Levin said in a statement. “This will help keep our numbers low so we can continue to move forward.”


latimes--2020-05-14--Large workplaces vulnerable to coronavirus super-spread as economy reopens, experts warn

Even as the economy begins to reopen , the coronavirus will remain a threat for some time to come , experts say .
And of particular concern are large workplaces .
Experts say so-called super-spreading events could become a leading cause of virus transmission .
Having people clustered together at work could set the stage for large numbers of people falling ill , as happened when 52 workers became infected at a Safeway distribution center in the San Joaquin Valley .
At a panel discussion Wednesday , the former head of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration talked about getting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the face of an infection that could be with us for the long haul .
Dr. Scott Gottlieb , commissioner of the FDA from 2017 to 2019 , said , “ People rightly want to know when this is going to be over .
And the answer is : It might not be over for a very long time until we ’ re able to more fully vanquish this pathogen with our technology.
” The virus , he said , could be “ with us in perpetuity ” but become “ something that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we can conquer with vaccines and with therapeutics .
But in the interim ... we ’ re going to need to define a new normal.
” This new normal , he said in the webinar hosted by the American Public Health Assn .
and the National Academy of Medicine , involves allowing society to get back to work and back to the things we enjoy , “ but we ’ re going to have to do so differently.
” “ We ’ re going to have to sacrifice certain trappings and impose certain @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” Gottlieb said , “ and we ’ re gon na have to do things more safely than we ’ ve done before , and with more awareness to the risk of viral transmission.
” There are some positive signs of progress , he added .
Gottlieb said New York was experiencing sharp declines in disease , and there is improvement in hard-hit cities including New Orleans , Detroit and Boston .
But there will need to be a marshaling of resources to fight this virus , he said .
As of Thursday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ after being infected with the coronavirus , according to Johns Hopkins University .
In the U.S. , more than 84,000 fatalities have been reported , including over 2,900 in California , which has reached a stubborn plateau in COVID-19 deaths .
The Golden State has been reporting an average of 500 deaths weekly over the past month .
Some experts worry the worst may be yet to come , with perhaps 147,000 deaths nationally and more than 5,800 in California by early August , according to one influential forecast published by the University @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Metrics and Evaluation .
Dr. Anthony Fauci , the nation ’ s top infectious disease expert , warned Congress on Tuesday that states that pushed too quickly to reopen businesses could “ trigger an outbreak that you may not be able to control.
” And in testimony prepared for Congress , Rick Bright , an immunologist who says he was ousted from his job overseeing drug and vaccine development at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services , warned that the world was facing “ a great public health emergency , which @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wrought by the 1918 influenza which globally claimed over 50 million lives.
” “ While it is terrifying to acknowledge the extent of the challenge that we currently confront , the undeniable fact is there will be a resurgence of the COVID-19 this fall , ” Bright said .
Without a national , coordinated response to the pandemic , Bright said , “ 2020 will be the darkest winter in modern history.
” A vaccine is likely 12 to 18 months away .
It ’ s possible there could be a very large @ @ @ @ @ @ @ spreading further as students return to school , experts say .
Gottlieb said there must be a focus on at-risk communities , helping people who lack access to testing and good care because of where they work and live , which puts them at higher risk of infection .
And there needs to be investment in staffing up teams of disease investigators to tamp outbreaks , he said .
Blacks , Latinos , Native Americans and Pacific Islanders are among the communities hit hard by the pandemic .
Here are three things experts @ @ @ @ @ @ @ about as the pandemic continues : Super-spreading events may be responsible for most infections New Zealand , which has done an excellent job of keeping the coronavirus from becoming a major disaster , discovered that half of all disease transmission came from large transmission events in that country , said Dr. Chris Murray , director of the University of Washington ’ s Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation , the publisher of an influential pandemic forecast .
“ And that really , I think , puts the onus on employers and local governments @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to a pretty small number , like 10 or less , just to avoid the risk of those hundred-people transmission events that we ’ ve seen quite routinely , ” Murray said .
That means that larger workplaces — such as places with assembly lines where people are close to one another — are particularly vulnerable as a threat for rapid spread of disease , said David Michaels , epidemiologist and professor in environmental and occupational health at George Washington University and assistant secretary of Labor for the Occupational Safety and Health Administration @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the West Coast have already seen a number of mass disease transmission incidents that spread the coronavirus , which scientists call SARS-CoV-2 .
In Washington state , a single person who was showing signs of illness attended a 2½-hour choir practice at church on March 10 with 60 other people .
After the practice , 52 people fell sick with COVID-19 , a disease attack rate of 87 % , and two died .
The virus ’ spread was likely facilitated by people being less than six feet from one another and worsened @ @ @ @ @ @ @ U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention .
“ Certain persons , known as superemitters , who release more aerosol particles during speech than do their peers , might have contributed to this and previously reported COVID-19 superspreading events , ” the CDC said in a news release this week .
“ These data demonstrate the high transmissibility of SARS-CoV-2 and the possibility of superemitters contributing to broad transmission in certain unique activities and circumstances.
” In the San Joaquin Valley , 52 workers at a Safeway distribution center in Tracy , Calif. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the coronavirus , and one worker .
Thousands of people nationwide who work at have been infected , and at least 20 have died .
The number of workers at a meat packing plant in California ’ s Kings County who tested positive for the virus has now risen to 182 , the .
COVID-19 has become a “ massive worker safety crisis , ” Michaels said .
Infection rates are rising rapidly in places where the epidemic is driven by exposure to the virus at work .
But there ’ s little @ @ @ @ @ @ @ become more commonplace .
For instance , he said , there was a coronavirus outbreak in Massachusetts that officials belatedly discovered was associated with a Walmart store and linked to scores of infected employees .
“ When the initial cases started to appear , local health authorities had no idea they were all linked to only one workplace .
Once they finally put it together , they shut down the store , ” Michaels said .
“ But they said , if they had known earlier … they could ’ ve gone in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ramps up , it ’ s increasingly hard to determine whether an increase in reported cases is simply a result of more widespread testing or if it ’ s an early sign of a new surge in infections .
That ’ s a problem , said Murray , of the University of Washington .
“ What ’ s the early warning system for the next flare-up or the next hot spot ?
” Hospitalizations can serve as an indicator of disease progress .
But the problem is , hospital stays are a delayed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ between infection and admission , Murray said .
“ So it ’ s a 10-day lag on what ’ s happening in the community , ” Murray said .
There could be improvements in how hospitals and governments report data .
For instance , it would be helpful if every state and county were to report the number of people admitted with COVID-19 to hospitals daily , Murray said , and not just the number of people who are in the hospital .

Dr. Anthony Fauci, the nation’s top infectious disease expert, warned Congress on Tuesday that states that pushed too quickly to reopen businesses could “trigger an outbreak that you may not be able to control.”
Even as the economy begins to reopen, the coronavirus will remain a threat for some time to come, experts say.
And of particular concern are large workplaces.
Experts say so-called super-spreading events could become a leading cause of virus transmission. Having people clustered together at work could set the stage for large numbers of people falling ill, as happened when 52 workers became infected at a Safeway distribution center in the San Joaquin Valley.
At a panel discussion Wednesday, the former head of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration talked about getting back to work “differently” in the face of an infection that could be with us for the long haul.
Advertisement
Dr. Scott Gottlieb, commissioner of the FDA from 2017 to 2019, said, “People rightly want to know when this is going to be over. And the answer is: It might not be over for a very long time until we’re able to more fully vanquish this pathogen with our technology.”
The virus, he said, could be “with us in perpetuity” but become “something that we can live with, and that we can conquer with vaccines and with therapeutics. But in the interim ... we’re going to need to define a new normal.”
California Coronavirus updates: Burr leaves Intelligence role amid inquiry into pandemic-time sale of stocks The Los Angeles Times will provide around-the-clock updates on COVID-19 from across Southern California and around the world.Tracking the coronavirus in California: latest numbers | Support our journalism with a subscriptionHave a question about coronavirus? Send us your questions here. | You also can sign up for our newsletterSee latest photo galleryCoronavirus updates for May 13 are here
This new normal, he said in the webinar hosted by the American Public Health Assn. and the National Academy of Medicine, involves allowing society to get back to work and back to the things we enjoy, “but we’re going to have to do so differently.”
“We’re going to have to sacrifice certain trappings and impose certain things that will make life different,” Gottlieb said, “and we’re gonna have to do things more safely than we’ve done before, and with more awareness to the risk of viral transmission.”
There are some positive signs of progress, he added. Gottlieb said New York was experiencing sharp declines in disease, and there is improvement in hard-hit cities including New Orleans, Detroit and Boston.
Advertisement
But there will need to be a marshaling of resources to fight this virus, he said.
As of Thursday, more than 297,000 have died worldwide after being infected with the coronavirus, according to Johns Hopkins University. In the U.S., more than 84,000 fatalities have been reported, including over 2,900 in California, which has reached a stubborn plateau in COVID-19 deaths. The Golden State has been reporting an average of 500 deaths weekly over the past month.
Some experts worry the worst may be yet to come, with perhaps 147,000 deaths nationally and more than 5,800 in California by early August, according to one influential forecast published by the University of Washington’s Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation.
Dr. Anthony Fauci, the nation’s top infectious disease expert, warned Congress on Tuesday that states that pushed too quickly to reopen businesses could “trigger an outbreak that you may not be able to control.”
And in testimony prepared for Congress, Rick Bright, an immunologist who says he was ousted from his job overseeing drug and vaccine development at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, warned that the world was facing “a great public health emergency, which has the potential to eclipse the devastation wrought by the 1918 influenza which globally claimed over 50 million lives.”
“While it is terrifying to acknowledge the extent of the challenge that we currently confront, the undeniable fact is there will be a resurgence of the COVID-19 this fall,” Bright said. Without a national, coordinated response to the pandemic, Bright said, “2020 will be the darkest winter in modern history.”
A vaccine is likely 12 to 18 months away. It’s possible there could be a very large coronavirus outbreak in the fall, potentially spreading further as students return to school, experts say.
Gottlieb said there must be a focus on at-risk communities, helping people who lack access to testing and good care because of where they work and live, which puts them at higher risk of infection.
And there needs to be investment in staffing up teams of disease investigators to tamp outbreaks, he said.
Blacks, Latinos, Native Americans and Pacific Islanders are among the communities hit hard by the pandemic.
Here are three things experts on Gottlieb’s panel voiced concerns about as the pandemic continues:
Super-spreading events may be responsible for most infections
New Zealand, which has done an excellent job of keeping the coronavirus from becoming a major disaster, discovered that half of all disease transmission came from large transmission events in that country, said Dr. Chris Murray, director of the University of Washington’s Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation, the publisher of an influential pandemic forecast.
“And that really, I think, puts the onus on employers and local governments keeping the limits on group gatherings down to a pretty small number, like 10 or less, just to avoid the risk of those hundred-people transmission events that we’ve seen quite routinely,” Murray said.
That means that larger workplaces — such as places with assembly lines where people are close to one another — are particularly vulnerable as a threat for rapid spread of disease, said David Michaels, epidemiologist and professor in environmental and occupational health at George Washington University and assistant secretary of Labor for the Occupational Safety and Health Administration in the Obama administration.
California and the West Coast have already seen a number of mass disease transmission incidents that spread the coronavirus, which scientists call SARS-CoV-2.
In Washington state, a single person who was showing signs of illness attended a 2½-hour choir practice at church on March 10 with 60 other people. After the practice, 52 people fell sick with COVID-19, a disease attack rate of 87%, and two died. The virus’ spread was likely facilitated by people being less than six feet from one another and worsened by singing together, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention .
(U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
“Certain persons, known as superemitters, who release more aerosol particles during speech than do their peers, might have contributed to this and previously reported COVID-19 superspreading events,” the CDC said in a news release this week. “These data demonstrate the high transmissibility of SARS-CoV-2 and the possibility of superemitters contributing to broad transmission in certain unique activities and circumstances.”
In the San Joaquin Valley, 52 workers at a Safeway distribution center in Tracy, Calif., were found to be infected with the coronavirus, and one worker died . Thousands of people nationwide who work at meat packing plants have been infected, and at least 20 have died. The number of workers at a meat packing plant in California’s Kings County who tested positive for the virus has now risen to 182, the Fresno Bee reported .
Which California counties are reopening? To contain the spread of COVID-19, parks, restaurants and stores are slowly reopening.
Workers are at risk
COVID-19 has become a “massive worker safety crisis,” Michaels said. Infection rates are rising rapidly in places where the epidemic is driven by exposure to the virus at work.
But there’s little workplace testing, which he said must become more commonplace.
For instance, he said, there was a coronavirus outbreak in Massachusetts that officials belatedly discovered was associated with a Walmart store and linked to scores of infected employees.
“When the initial cases started to appear, local health authorities had no idea they were all linked to only one workplace. Once they finally put it together, they shut down the store,” Michaels said. “But they said, if they had known earlier … they could’ve gone in there much earlier.”
An outbreak early warning system is needed
As coronavirus testing ramps up, it’s increasingly hard to determine whether an increase in reported cases is simply a result of more widespread testing or if it’s an early sign of a new surge in infections.
That’s a problem, said Murray, of the University of Washington. “What’s the early warning system for the next flare-up or the next hot spot?”
Hospitalizations can serve as an indicator of disease progress. But the problem is, hospital stays are a delayed warning, with an estimated 10-day gap between infection and admission, Murray said.
“So it’s a 10-day lag on what’s happening in the community,” Murray said.
There could be improvements in how hospitals and governments report data. For instance, it would be helpful if every state and county were to report the number of people admitted with COVID-19 to hospitals daily, Murray said, and not just the number of people who are in the hospital.


latimes--2020-05-14--L.A. now requires face coverings even when outside. Here are the rules

Los Angeles residents are now required to wear masks when going outside for any tasks .
The new rule marks a significant increase in the city ’ s mandates , one that Mayor Eric Garcetti says is a necessary step to help slow the spread of the coronavirus and eventually reopen the economy in a bigger way .
“ Bring your mask with you whenever you leave your home , ” Garcetti said .
“ That will help us get more freedoms.
” Where must you wear a face covering ?
• If you visit any retail business ( except @ @ @ @ @ @ @ still closed ) , including those that are open only for curbside or doorside pickup • If you exercise in your neighborhood or are on a trail , golf course or beach ( where you must wear a face covering if you are out of the water and people are nearby ) • If you ride on L.A. Department of Transportation transit buses , Metro buses or trains , or travel through Los Angeles International Airport • The new guidelines on face coverings exempt children under 2 and people with certain disabilities .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Many experts have said masks can provide some protection against the spread of the virus .
Up to now , the city has required face coverings only while conducting essential business , such as grocery shopping .
The city also require workers to wear masks .
“ Face coverings help stop the spread of the virus , and wearing them in public creates a layer of protection .
However , a face covering is not a substitute for other critical measures to slow the spread of COVID-19 — most importantly , staying home @ @ @ @ @ @ @ frequently , and practicing safe physical distancing of at least 6 feet in all settings , ” the city said in its order .
Where is this coming from ?
In recent weeks , Los Angeles leaders have been discussing whether to require Angelenos to have masks or other facial coverings at hand whenever they leave their homes , a proposal championed by City Councilman Paul Koretz as a way to prevent new infections .
“ The last thing we need is another spike in cases to set us back as we ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Koretz said earlier this month .
“ People still .
They still ride bicycles .
They still may stop and chat with their neighbors , ” he said .
“ This would reduce the spread.
” The councilman argued that mandating mask wearing would help keep people who are infected but asymptomatic from unknowingly transmitting the virus .
He pointed to the Czech Republic , which imposed a similar requirement , as an example of how the mandate could reduce new infections .
Some council members raised concerns about racially discriminatory enforcement of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are some face covering basics ?
• Wash your cloth face covering frequently , ideally after each use , or at least daily .
• Have a separate bag or bin to keep used cloth face coverings in until they can be laundered with detergent and hot water and dried on a hot cycle .
• If you must rewear your cloth face covering before washing , wash your hands immediately after putting it back on and avoid touching your face .
• Discard cloth face coverings that no longer cover the nose @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ties or straps , can not stay on the face , or have holes or tears in the fabric .
Health experts also have suggested routinely washing your hands with soap and water or using hand sanitizer before and after touching your face or face coverings .
Once surgical masks get moist , experts say their effectiveness diminishes .
If a makeshift mask gets moist or is visibly soiled , it ’ s time to switch to a clean one .
To clean them , run masks through the laundry or hand wash @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tips can be found here .

Yiran Zou, a student at the California College of Art in San Francisco, prepares to fly home to China from Los Angeles International Airport, where all travelers must wear face coverings.
Los Angeles residents are now required to wear masks when going outside for any tasks.
The new rule marks a significant increase in the city’s mandates, one that Mayor Eric Garcetti says is a necessary step to help slow the spread of the coronavirus and eventually reopen the economy in a bigger way.
“Bring your mask with you whenever you leave your home,” Garcetti said. “That will help us get more freedoms.”
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Where must you wear a face covering?
If you visit any retail business (except those in indoor malls, which are still closed), including those that are open only for curbside or doorside pickup
If you exercise in your neighborhood or are on a trail, golf course or beach (where you must wear a face covering if you are out of the water and people are nearby)
If you ride on L.A. Department of Transportation transit buses, Metro buses or trains, or travel through Los Angeles International Airport
The new guidelines on face coverings exempt children under 2 and people with certain disabilities.
Why is this action being taken?
Many experts have said masks can provide some protection against the spread of the virus. Up to now, the city has required face coverings only while conducting essential business, such as grocery shopping. The city also require workers to wear masks.
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“Face coverings help stop the spread of the virus, and wearing them in public creates a layer of protection. However, a face covering is not a substitute for other critical measures to slow the spread of COVID-19 — most importantly, staying home as much as possible, washing hands frequently, and practicing safe physical distancing of at least 6 feet in all settings,” the city said in its order.
Where is this coming from?
In recent weeks, Los Angeles leaders have been discussing whether to require Angelenos to have masks or other facial coverings at hand whenever they leave their homes, a proposal championed by City Councilman Paul Koretz as a way to prevent new infections.
“The last thing we need is another spike in cases to set us back as we’re trying to move forward,” Koretz said earlier this month.
“People still walk dogs . They still ride bicycles. They still may stop and chat with their neighbors,” he said. “This would reduce the spread.”
The councilman argued that mandating mask wearing would help keep people who are infected but asymptomatic from unknowingly transmitting the virus. He pointed to the Czech Republic, which imposed a similar requirement, as an example of how the mandate could reduce new infections.
Some council members raised concerns about racially discriminatory enforcement of mask rules against African Americans.
What are some face covering basics?
Here’s some advice from California health officials:
Wash your cloth face covering frequently, ideally after each use, or at least daily.
Have a separate bag or bin to keep used cloth face coverings in until they can be laundered with detergent and hot water and dried on a hot cycle.
If you must rewear your cloth face covering before washing, wash your hands immediately after putting it back on and avoid touching your face.
Discard cloth face coverings that no longer cover the nose and mouth, have stretched-out or damaged ties or straps, cannot stay on the face, or have holes or tears in the fabric.
Health experts also have suggested routinely washing your hands with soap and water or using hand sanitizer before and after touching your face or face coverings.
Once surgical masks get moist, experts say their effectiveness diminishes. If a makeshift mask gets moist or is visibly soiled, it’s time to switch to a clean one.
To clean them, run masks through the laundry or hand wash them with soap and water.


latimes--2020-05-14--L.A. requires face coverings outdoors to slow coronavirus, help lift stay-at-home restrictions

Los Angeles County beaches reopened Wednesday and more businesses were given the green light to provide curbside service to customers , but officials made clear the region still has a ways to go before a major lifting of stay-at-home orders is possible .
L.A. Mayor Eric Garcetti announced Wednesday evening that all Angelenos , except for small children and those with certain disabilities , would be required to wear face coverings outside .
That marks a significant increase in the city ’ s rules , but the mayor said it was a necessary step help slow the spread of coronavirus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bigger way .
“ Bring your mask with you whenever you leave your home , ” Garcetti said .
“ That will help us get more freedoms.
” Garcetti and other officials said they remain optimistic that more aspects of the stay-at-home order could be lifted as the county saw declines in the number of deaths and new coronavirus cases .
But at the same time , the Los Angeles County Public Health Department extended the order indefinitely even while easing some of the conditions .
Still , with the changes , thousands @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pickup and some manufacturing companies can also reopen .
Shops in indoor malls that do not have street or parking lot-facing entrances will remain closed .
Before any retailers , manufacturing or logistical businesses can reopen , however , they are required to implement and post plans for adhering to social distancing and infection control practices , said County Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer .
She said that there is no end date to the health order and stressed that people should stay home as much as possible to help reduce the spread @ @ @ @ @ @ @ than 1,600 people in the county .
“ As I ’ ve said from the beginning , this will be a slow journey , ” Ferrer said .
Recreational facilities , including golf courses , tennis and , shooting and archery ranges , equestrian centers and community gardens also got the green light to reopen this week .
The reopening of the beaches was a symbolic boost .
“ Today was a great day for Los Angeles as people went back to our iconic beaches , ” Garcetti said at a media briefing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an exciting week , not a depressing one.
” But after a six-week closure , L.A. 's coast looks different than it did pre-pandemic .
Visitors are not able to picnic , sunbathe or participate in group sports such as volleyball .
when not in the water , and only active recreation — surfing , running , walking and swimming — is permitted .
“ Parking lots and piers and beach bike paths and concessions remain closed , ” Garcetti said .
“ But let ’ s take advantage of what ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have been glowing in Venice.
” The mayor also sought to soften Tuesday ’ s news that stringent public health orders would not be lifted for months to come .
Los Angeles County is the California epicenter of the coronavirus , with more than 34,000 confirmed cases .
On Wednesday , officials also reported 47 new fatalities , bringing the county ’ s death toll to 1,660 .
The majority of the county ’ s deaths — roughly 1,300 — occurred over the last month , Ferrer said .
Other parts of California @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and some of those regions are reopening much more quickly .
The state said Wednesday that — most of them rural — will be allowed to more fully reopen .
Amador , Butte , El Dorado , Lassen , Nevada , Placer , Plumas , Sierra , Tuolumne , Yuba , Sutter and Shasta have been certified as meeting the state ’ s conditions for additional businesses to reopen .
Colusa , Glenn , San Benito and Tehama were added Wednesday afternoon , bringing the total to 16 .
“ This is a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ want to delay unnecessarily based on timelines , ” Gov .
Gavin Newsom said Wednesday during his daily coronavirus news briefing .
“ It ’ s not about timelines , it ’ s not about deadlines .
It ’ s simply about data and it ’ s about health.
” Talks are underway with 31 other California counties to discuss whether they can expand their reopenings , the governor said , but he noted that conditions are still too serious in Los Angeles and Bay Area counties to modify guidelines for resuming business @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to express frustration with the state ‘ s more cautious approach .
They contend the economic havoc wreaked by the regulations makes it vital to loosen the rules .
“ I think it ’ s time to open up , ” Orange County Board of Supervisors Chairwoman Michelle Steel said Tuesday .
“ Maybe it ’ s too late .
It ’ s going to be very tough to catch up.
” At least three Bay Area counties — San Francisco , San Mateo and Marin — plan to incrementally ease their social @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from Santa Clara County , which on Tuesday said it would not be easing its restrictions .
had issued some of California ’ s most stringent shelter-in-place orders , but county health officials said Wednesday that conditions had improved enough to modify the requirements .
“ I want to remind everyone these modifications are not being made because it is safe to be out and about , ” Scott Morrow , the county ’ s public health officer , said in a statement .
“ The virus continues to circulate in our community @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people is likely to spread the virus at a higher rate.
” In San Francisco , Mayor London Breed said Wednesday that all curbside retailers would be allowed to reopen as of May 18 for pickup and delivery .
She had cautioned for weeks that San Francisco would be slow to reopen .
But at a news conference , she said the meant that 95 % of San Francisco ’ s retailers would be allowed to open starting Monday .
Warehouses and manufacturers are also allowed to reopen , but the city has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ employees allowed in each business .
“ We do see the numbers flattening , ” Breed said .
“ They have not declined , but the fact is we are in a better place.
” She said hospitalizations for COVID-19 remained flat and hospital capacity was stable .
Times staff writers Rong-Gong Lin II , Maura Dolan and Colleen Shalby contributed to this report .

Los Angeles County beaches reopened Wednesday and more businesses were given the green light to provide curbside service to customers, but officials made clear the region still has a ways to go before a major lifting of stay-at-home orders is possible.
L.A. Mayor Eric Garcetti announced Wednesday evening that all Angelenos, except for small children and those with certain disabilities, would be required to wear face coverings outside. That marks a significant increase in the city’s rules, but the mayor said it was a necessary step help slow the spread of coronavirus and eventually reopen the economy in a bigger way.
“Bring your mask with you whenever you leave your home,” Garcetti said. “That will help us get more freedoms.”
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Garcetti and other officials said they remain optimistic that more aspects of the stay-at-home order could be lifted as the county saw declines in the number of deaths and new coronavirus cases.
But at the same time, the Los Angeles County Public Health Department extended the order indefinitely even while easing some of the conditions.
Still, with the changes, thousands more retails shops can reopen for curbside pickup and some manufacturing companies can also reopen.
Shops in indoor malls that do not have street or parking lot-facing entrances will remain closed.
People wearing masks walk along Hermosa Beach. (Jay L. Clendenin/Los Angeles Times)
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Before any retailers, manufacturing or logistical businesses can reopen, however, they are required to implement and post plans for adhering to social distancing and infection control practices, said County Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer.
She said that there is no end date to the health order and stressed that people should stay home as much as possible to help reduce the spread of COVID-19, which has killed more than 1,600 people in the county .
“As I’ve said from the beginning, this will be a slow journey,” Ferrer said.
Recreational facilities, including golf courses, tennis and pickleball courts , shooting and archery ranges, equestrian centers and community gardens also got the green light to reopen this week.
The reopening of the beaches was a symbolic boost.
“Today was a great day for Los Angeles as people went back to our iconic beaches,” Garcetti said at a media briefing Wednesday evening. “This should be an exciting week, not a depressing one.”
But after a six-week closure, L.A.’s coast looks different than it did pre-pandemic. Visitors are not able to picnic, sunbathe or participate in group sports such as volleyball. Face coverings are required when not in the water, and only active recreation — surfing, running, walking and swimming — is permitted.
“Parking lots and piers and beach bike paths and concessions remain closed,” Garcetti said. “But let’s take advantage of what’s there, see those beautiful waves that have been glowing in Venice.”
The mayor also sought to soften Tuesday’s news that stringent public health orders would not be lifted for months to come.
People weaing masks attend the re-opening of the Farmer’s Market, in Manhattan Beach. (Jay L. Clendenin/Los Angeles Times)
Los Angeles County is the California epicenter of the coronavirus, with more than 34,000 confirmed cases. On Wednesday, officials also reported 47 new fatalities, bringing the county’s death toll to 1,660. The majority of the county’s deaths — roughly 1,300 — occurred over the last month, Ferrer said.
Other parts of California have been far less hard hit, and some of those regions are reopening much more quickly.
The state said Wednesday that 12 of California’s 58 counties — most of them rural — will be allowed to more fully reopen.
Amador, Butte, El Dorado, Lassen, Nevada, Placer, Plumas, Sierra, Tuolumne, Yuba, Sutter and Shasta have been certified as meeting the state’s conditions for additional businesses to reopen. Colusa, Glenn, San Benito and Tehama were added Wednesday afternoon, bringing the total to 16.
“This is a dynamic process and we don’t want to delay unnecessarily based on timelines,” Gov. Gavin Newsom said Wednesday during his daily coronavirus news briefing. “It’s not about timelines, it’s not about deadlines. It’s simply about data and it’s about health.”
Talks are underway with 31 other California counties to discuss whether they can expand their reopenings, the governor said, but he noted that conditions are still too serious in Los Angeles and Bay Area counties to modify guidelines for resuming business there.
Officials in Orange County continue to express frustration with the state‘s more cautious approach. They contend the economic havoc wreaked by the regulations makes it vital to loosen the rules.
“I think it’s time to open up,” Orange County Board of Supervisors Chairwoman Michelle Steel said Tuesday. “Maybe it’s too late. It’s going to be very tough to catch up.”
At least three Bay Area counties — San Francisco, San Mateo and Marin — plan to incrementally ease their social distancing restrictions starting Monday, a departure from Santa Clara County, which on Tuesday said it would not be easing its restrictions.
San Mateo had issued some of California’s most stringent shelter-in-place orders, but county health officials said Wednesday that conditions had improved enough to modify the requirements.
“I want to remind everyone these modifications are not being made because it is safe to be out and about,” Scott Morrow, the county’s public health officer, said in a statement. “The virus continues to circulate in our community, and this increase in interactions among people is likely to spread the virus at a higher rate.”
In San Francisco, Mayor London Breed said Wednesday that all curbside retailers would be allowed to reopen as of May 18 for pickup and delivery.
She had cautioned for weeks that San Francisco would be slow to reopen. But at a news conference, she said the city’s next phase meant that 95% of San Francisco’s retailers would be allowed to open starting Monday. Warehouses and manufacturers are also allowed to reopen, but the city has imposed a limit on the number of employees allowed in each business.
“We do see the numbers flattening,” Breed said. “They have not declined, but the fact is we are in a better place.” She said hospitalizations for COVID-19 remained flat and hospital capacity was stable.
Times staff writers Rong-Gong Lin II, Maura Dolan and Colleen Shalby contributed to this report.