latimes--2020-12-08--Some ICUs at California hospitals are completely full: 'It is the worst we have seen'

Some California counties on Tuesday saw intensive care units hit full capacity , and others were getting close to that level as COVID-19 cases continued to surge .
At least three counties in the San Joaquin Valley have reached 0 % capacity in their hospitals ’ intensive care units , making the state ’ s agricultural hub the first area in California to become maxed out .
In Santa Clara County , meanwhile , conditions are deteriorating rapidly .
Officials said there are only 31 ICU beds remaining — less than 10 % of the county ’ s capacity — @ @ @ @ @ @ @ out completely .
“ It is the worst we have seen , and it ’ s continuing to worsen , ” said Dr. Ahmad Kamal of Santa Clara County .
With a population of almost 1 million people , Fresno County faces a potentially dire situation , overshadowing its smaller neighbors Madera County , to the north , and Kings County , to the south .
“ All the things that you ’ re hearing about how impacted our hospitals are , about how dire this situation with our ICUs is , it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Dr. Rais Vohra , Fresno County Department of Public Health ’ s interim health officer .
“ That really is the reason that we want everyone to stay home as much as possible , at least for the next few weeks until we get this surge under control , as we try to work through the hospitalizations that are just coming in so quickly and try to provide the best care.
” Though Central California is the first area in the state to hit 0 % ICU capacity , it will not be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that the entire San Joaquin Valley ’ s ICU capacity is down to 5.6 % , and the Southern California region is hovering around 10.1 % .
ICU beds come with specially trained healthcare professionals and high-tech equipment that can mean the difference between life and death for very sick patients .
They are especially critical for patients with severe cases of COVID-19 , who may require ventilators and round-the-clock care .
Vohra emphasized that the 0 % capacity is a “ snapshot in time ” — the number changes as patients shift @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ It just means that ICU patients ... may be overflowing into other areas of the hospital , ” Vohra said .
“ There are no official open beds available in the ICUs.
” With ICU capacity depleted , patients with serious COVID-19 cases may take up open beds in the emergency department , said Fresno County emergency medical services director Dan Lynch .
He said the county expects to activate an alternate care site for overflow patients at the Porterville Developmental Center on Monday .
The facility , which can hold @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to 25 patients while waiting for ICU staffing to ramp up .
When asked about staffing shortages at hospitals in the San Joaquin Valley during a Tuesday press conference , Dr. Mark Ghaly , the California Health and Human Services secretary , said it has been getting more difficult to secure additional staffing when counties call for help .
“ We ’ re fulfilling what we can .
But it is getting harder .
We know that staff is our main scarce resource , ” Ghaly said .
“ Our requests , both @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are hard to fulfill because of what ’ s happening across America with COVID.
” Nonetheless , with the extreme shortage of ICU beds in the San Joaquin Valley , the region is a priority for additional staffing requests , Ghaly said .
Like the rest of the country , Fresno County is waiting to see the full effect of Thanksgiving gatherings , which likely served to spread the virus .
“ I don ’ t think we ’ ve seen the peak , ” Vohra said .
“ I think the peak @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ m very concerned that our hospitals will not be able to meet the demands that will be placed on them.
” The ICU shortage was a devastating blow for the county , after almost 11 months battling the contagion .
Miguel Arias , president of the Fresno City Council , said he and his colleagues have been working furiously to avoid reaching this point .
They have fined businesses that violate health orders , distributed protective equipment and sanitizers and asked people to wear masks and maintain social distance .
“ Even @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to a point where , Monday , we officially reached that epicenter that we ’ ve all been trying to avoid , ” Arias said in an interview Tuesday afternoon .

Faith E. Pinho, Rong-Gong Lin II, Luke Money

Dr. Rais Vohra, Fresno County’s interim health official, said the county’s hospitals have reached 0% capacity in their intensive care units.
Some California counties on Tuesday saw intensive care units hit full capacity, and others were getting close to that level as COVID-19 cases continued to surge.
At least three counties in the San Joaquin Valley have reached 0% capacity in their hospitals’ intensive care units, making the state’s agricultural hub the first area in California to become maxed out.
In Santa Clara County, meanwhile, conditions are deteriorating rapidly. Officials said there are only 31 ICU beds remaining — less than 10% of the county’s capacity — and that a few hospitals have run out completely.
“It is the worst we have seen, and it’s continuing to worsen,” said Dr. Ahmad Kamal of Santa Clara County.
With a population of almost 1 million people, Fresno County faces a potentially dire situation, overshadowing its smaller neighbors Madera County, to the north, and Kings County, to the south.
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“All the things that you’re hearing about how impacted our hospitals are, about how dire this situation with our ICUs is, it’s absolutely true,” said Dr. Rais Vohra, Fresno County Department of Public Health’s interim health officer. “That really is the reason that we want everyone to stay home as much as possible, at least for the next few weeks until we get this surge under control, as we try to work through the hospitalizations that are just coming in so quickly and try to provide the best care.”
Though Central California is the first area in the state to hit 0% ICU capacity, it will not be the last. The latest data show that the entire San Joaquin Valley’s ICU capacity is down to 5.6%, and the Southern California region is hovering around 10.1%.
ICU beds come with specially trained healthcare professionals and high-tech equipment that can mean the difference between life and death for very sick patients. They are especially critical for patients with severe cases of COVID-19, who may require ventilators and round-the-clock care.
Vohra emphasized that the 0% capacity is a “snapshot in time” — the number changes as patients shift to higher or lower levels of care.
“It just means that ICU patients ... may be overflowing into other areas of the hospital,” Vohra said. “There are no official open beds available in the ICUs.”
With ICU capacity depleted, patients with serious COVID-19 cases may take up open beds in the emergency department, said Fresno County emergency medical services director Dan Lynch. He said the county expects to activate an alternate care site for overflow patients at the Porterville Developmental Center on Monday. The facility, which can hold 123 people, would begin with 20 to 25 patients while waiting for ICU staffing to ramp up.
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When asked about staffing shortages at hospitals in the San Joaquin Valley during a Tuesday press conference, Dr. Mark Ghaly, the California Health and Human Services secretary, said it has been getting more difficult to secure additional staffing when counties call for help.
“We’re fulfilling what we can. But it is getting harder. We know that staff is our main scarce resource,” Ghaly said. “Our requests, both across the state and the nation, are hard to fulfill because of what’s happening across America with COVID.”
Nonetheless, with the extreme shortage of ICU beds in the San Joaquin Valley, the region is a priority for additional staffing requests, Ghaly said.
Like the rest of the country, Fresno County is waiting to see the full effect of Thanksgiving gatherings, which likely served to spread the virus.
“I don’t think we’ve seen the peak,” Vohra said. “I think the peak is yet to come, and I’m very concerned that our hospitals will not be able to meet the demands that will be placed on them.”
The ICU shortage was a devastating blow for the county, after almost 11 months battling the contagion. Miguel Arias, president of the Fresno City Council, said he and his colleagues have been working furiously to avoid reaching this point. They have fined businesses that violate health orders, distributed protective equipment and sanitizers and asked people to wear masks and maintain social distance.
“Even with all that, we have come to a point where, Monday, we officially reached that epicenter that we’ve all been trying to avoid,” Arias said in an interview Tuesday afternoon.


latimes--2020-12-08--California's tax windfall is $15.5 billion, Newsom tells tech industry group

Gov .
Gavin Newsom ’ s upcoming state budget will assume California ’ s tax windfall is $ 15.5 billion , he said Tuesday during an event held by a technology industry trade group .
The governor revealed the estimate during an online presentation during the annual state policy conference of Technet , said a source who attended the event but was not authorized to publicly discuss Newsom ’ s comments .
The organization describes itself as a “ bipartisan network of technology CEOs and senior executives that promotes the growth of the innovation economy ” and lobbies on a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ email to the group seeking comment was not immediately answered .
The estimate offered by Newsom is significantly smaller than the one made last month by the independent Legislative Analyst ’ s Office , which put the size of the unexpected cash surplus at $ 26 billion for the fiscal year that begins in July .
The report , which concluded that California ’ s most wealthy taxpayers had not suffered as sharp a decline in earnings as expected , also noted the total windfall could be between $ 12 billion and $ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ collected .
Even so , Newsom ’ s projection — which will be a key component of the budget his administration will send to the Legislature next month — suggests a more cautious approach in charting a path forward as the state ’ s economy reels from the sharp downturn caused by the COVID-19 pandemic .
H.D .
Palmer , a spokesman for the governor ’ s budget team , did not comment Tuesday on the specific projection Newsom gave to the trade organization .
But he pointed out monthly tax collections have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been forecast back in the spring , when there were fears of a $ 54.3-billion deficit .
“ That said , a surge in revenues should not be mistaken for a strong overall economy , ” Palmer said , noting the high number of Californians who remain unemployed .
How lawmakers choose to divvy up unexpected tax dollars will be a key focus of the legislative session that began on Monday .
The analysts ’ report last month urged the Legislature to put half of those funds into the state ’ s cash @ @ @ @ @ @ @ agreement Newsom signed in June — and the other half of the money toward one-time expenses .
The governor ’ s budget plan , which is being crafted over the next few weeks and must be formally submitted no later than Jan. 10 , may choose a different path .
Newsom also could provide a different estimate of state expenses than used by the legislative analysts , most notably what will be spent on health and human services programs where caseloads have often risen sharply during past recessions .

Gov. Gavin Newsom’s upcoming state budget will assume California’s tax windfall is $15.5 billion, he said Tuesday during an event held by a technology industry trade group.
The governor revealed the estimate in an online presentation during the annual state policy conference of Technet, said a source who attended the event but was not authorized to publicly discuss Newsom’s comments. The organization describes itself as a “bipartisan network of technology CEOs and senior executives that promotes the growth of the innovation economy” and lobbies on a variety of issues in Sacramento.
An email to the group seeking comment was not immediately answered.
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The estimate offered by Newsom is significantly smaller than the one made last month by the independent Legislative Analyst’s Office, which put the size of the unexpected cash surplus at $26 billion for the fiscal year that begins in July. The report, which concluded that California’s most wealthy taxpayers had not suffered as sharp a decline in earnings as expected, also noted the total windfall could be between $12 billion and $40 billion once final tax receipts are collected.
Even so, Newsom’s projection — which will be a key component of the budget his administration will send to the Legislature next month — suggests a more cautious approach in charting a path forward as the state’s economy reels from the sharp downturn caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
H.D. Palmer, a spokesman for the governor’s budget team, did not comment Tuesday on the specific projection Newsom gave to the trade organization. But he pointed out monthly tax collections have been “markedly better” than had been forecast back in the spring, when there were fears of a $54.3-billion deficit.
“That said, a surge in revenues should not be mistaken for a strong overall economy,” Palmer said, noting the high number of Californians who remain unemployed.
How lawmakers choose to divvy up unexpected tax dollars will be a key focus of the legislative session that began Monday. The analysts’ report last month urged the Legislature to put half of those funds into the state’s cash reserves — tapped to balance the budget agreement Newsom signed in June — and the other half of the money toward one-time expenses.
The governor’s budget plan, which is being crafted over the next few weeks and must be formally submitted no later than Jan. 10, may choose a different path. Newsom also could provide a different estimate of state expenses than used by the legislative analysts, most notably what will be spent on health and human services programs where caseloads have often risen sharply during past recessions.


latimes--2020-12-08--Judge limits L.A. County outdoor dining ban in searing rebuke, but state order remains

A judge has limited Los Angeles County ’ s outdoor dining ban to three weeks , even as a state order will keep the restrictions in place past Christmas , according to a ruling issued Tuesday .
At a court hearing , the latest to address a pair of challenges to the ban , L.A. County Superior Court Judge James Chalfant said county public health officials must conduct a risk-benefit analysis if they want to extend the ban past its current end date , Dec. 16 .
“ The county should be prevented from continuing the restaurant closure order indefinitely.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ The county health department imposed a three-week ban as coronavirus cases began to soar .
It went into effect Nov. 25 , but was superseded late Sunday by a sweeping regional stay-at-home order that banned all in-person restaurant dining across most of California .
Triggered when available intensive care unit capacity in a given region falls below 15 % , the state order will last for at least three weeks .
With the state order in effect , there is no immediate practical impact of the ruling .
Outdoor dining will remain off @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rebuke of the county ’ s justification for imposing the ban .
“ The issue here is , is shutting down outdoor dining going to help in any significant way , or is it just something to do ?
” Chalfant said at the court hearing .
Swift backlash followed the county ban , which opponents said could spell the end for restaurants and bars already struggling during the pandemic .
The California Restaurant Assn .
sued and a downtown L.A. restaruant , Engine Co. No .
28 , sued separately to lift @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Chalfant said the county should consider the economic and psychological costs of closing more than 30,000 restaurants and assess whether the ban had the intended effect — easing the strained hospital system amid skyrocketing coronavirus cases .
“ Is it going to help , or is it just a drop in the ocean of a much bigger problem ?
” Chalfant said at the hearing .
“ And I don ’ t know , it ’ s not my job to make that decision , it ’ s the public health officials @ @ @ @ @ @ @ attorney , Amnon Siegel , said his client “ vehemently disagrees ” with Chalfant ’ s ruling .
Siegel said the judge was asking for “ some kind of analysis that puts a value on long-term illness and death , ” adding , “ That ’ s not even feasible.
” Siegel also said the court was overreaching by attempting to sway county health policy .
“ There is no admission by the county that they have failed to conduct the proper balancing analysis , ” Siegel said .
“ They haven ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ would like them to conduct , but the court ’ s not in the business of policymaking.
” Mark Geragos , owner of and attorney for the restaurant , called the county ’ s restrictions “ political theater ” and the county ’ s unwillingness to consider them an error , “ intellectual shelter-in-place.
” “ It has driven people to the point where they will not ... expect guidance from the county because they know the guidance given to them by the county is absolutely baseless , ” he said .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to give the county time to show concrete proof that the health benefits outweigh the negative economic impacts of the dining ban .
Referencing a pair of studies from Japan and China , Chalfant on Tuesday said the results did not support that outdoor dining is more than a moderate risk “ at best.
” Chalfant said the county made only “ generalized ” arguments that outdoor dining is inherently risky because patrons aren ’ t wearing masks and aren ’ t socially distancing .
And he blasted American public health officials at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the specific risk of outdoor dining since the pandemic started .
Officials “ in nine months have not seriously looked at outdoor dining , and then ... impose a restriction preventing outdoor dining , ” he said .
“ That ’ s just shocking.
” Although he agreed that intensive care beds were dwindling , he said he thought it was possible to reconfigure hospitals to add more .
At a news conference Tuesday , Dr. Mark Ghaly , the California health and human services secretary , declined to directly comment on Chalfant @ @ @ @ @ @ @ close outdoor restaurant dining as well as other business sectors “ really has to do with the goal of trying to keep people at home , ” Ghaly said .
“ Now ’ s not the time to spend additional time outside of your household , potentially mixing with others , transmitting the illness far and wide .
”

Connley Peterson, left, Garrett Lambert, Erin Mazza and Teresa Frase toast while singing along to “Proud to Be an American” at Cronies sports bar and grill in Agoura Hills on Monday night.
A judge has limited Los Angeles County’s outdoor dining ban to three weeks, even as a state order will keep the restrictions in place past Christmas, according to a ruling issued Tuesday.
At a court hearing, the latest to address a pair of challenges to the ban, L.A. County Superior Court Judge James Chalfant said county public health officials must conduct a risk-benefit analysis if they want to extend the ban past its current end date, Dec. 16.
“The county should be prevented from continuing the restaurant closure order indefinitely,” Chalfant said in the decision.
The county health department imposed a three-week ban as coronavirus cases began to soar. It went into effect Nov. 25, but was superseded late Sunday by a sweeping regional stay-at-home order that banned all in-person restaurant dining across most of California. Triggered when available intensive care unit capacity in a given region falls below 15%, the state order will last for at least three weeks.
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With the state order in effect, there is no immediate practical impact of the ruling. Outdoor dining will remain off limits. But it amounted to a rebuke of the county’s justification for imposing the ban.
“The issue here is, is shutting down outdoor dining going to help in any significant way, or is it just something to do?” Chalfant said at the court hearing.
Swift backlash followed the county ban, which opponents said could spell the end for restaurants and bars already struggling during the pandemic. The California Restaurant Assn. sued and a downtown L.A. restaruant, Engine Co. No. 28, sued separately to lift the ban.
At the hearing Tuesday, Chalfant said the county should consider the economic and psychological costs of closing more than 30,000 restaurants and assess whether the ban had the intended effect — easing the strained hospital system amid skyrocketing coronavirus cases.
“Is it going to help, or is it just a drop in the ocean of a much bigger problem?” Chalfant said at the hearing. “And I don’t know, it’s not my job to make that decision, it’s the public health officials’ job.”
The county’s attorney, Amnon Siegel, said his client “vehemently disagrees” with Chalfant’s ruling.
Siegel said the judge was asking for “some kind of analysis that puts a value on long-term illness and death,” adding, “That’s not even feasible.”
Siegel also said the court was overreaching by attempting to sway county health policy.
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“There is no admission by the county that they have failed to conduct the proper balancing analysis,” Siegel said. “They haven’t conducted the analysis that the court would like them to conduct, but the court’s not in the business of policymaking.”
Mark Geragos, owner of and attorney for the restaurant, called the county’s restrictions “political theater” and the county’s unwillingness to consider them an error, “intellectual shelter-in-place.”
“It has driven people to the point where they will not...expect guidance from the county because they know the guidance given to them by the county is absolutely baseless,” he said.
California L.A. County suspends outdoor dining at restaurants as coronavirus surges L.A. County public health officials on Saturday announced they will issue an order suspending outdoor dining at restaurants amid a surge of new coronavirus cases.
The judge last week had said he wanted to give the county time to show concrete proof that the health benefits outweigh the negative economic impacts of the dining ban.
Referencing a pair of studies from Japan and China, Chalfant on Tuesday said the results did not support that outdoor dining is more than a moderate risk “at best.”
Chalfant said the county made only “generalized” arguments that outdoor dining is inherently risky because patrons aren’t wearing masks and aren’t socially distancing. And he blasted American public health officials at all levels of government for not studying the specific risk of outdoor dining since the pandemic started.
Officials “in nine months have not seriously looked at outdoor dining, and then ... impose a restriction preventing outdoor dining,” he said. “That’s just shocking.”
Although he agreed that intensive care beds were dwindling, he said he thought it was possible to reconfigure hospitals to add more.
At a news conference Tuesday, Dr. Mark Ghaly, the California health and human services secretary, declined to directly comment on Chalfant’s ruling.
The decision to close outdoor restaurant dining as well as other business sectors “really has to do with the goal of trying to keep people at home,” Ghaly said. “Now’s not the time to spend additional time outside of your household, potentially mixing with others, transmitting the illness far and wide.”
Staff writer Ron-Gong Lin II contributed to this report.


latimes--2020-12-08--'Thanksgiving bump' sends California to record 35,400 coronavirus cases, 219 deaths

California on Tuesday shattered single-day records of coronavirus cases and deaths — 35,400 new infections , and 219 fatalities — by far the worst tallies of the entire pandemic .
Tuesday ’ s death toll edged out the previous single-day high for California , which was recorded on July 31 , when 214 deaths were recorded , according to The Times ’ independent county-by-county tally of cases .
And Tuesday ’ s case count just eclipsed Monday ’ s record-breaking tally , 34,490 cases , which itself was stratospherically higher than any prior case count .
The latest tally means @ @ @ @ @ @ @ each day over the last week — a number not seen since August — and nearly 25,000 people tested positive for the virus daily , a figure more than twice as bad as the peak of the summer surge .
Monday ’ s tally of infections marked a particularly sizable jump from any other previous daily tally .
So large was the gap between Monday ’ s report and the previous single-day record — set Friday , when 22,369 cases were tallied — that the difference of the two numbers , 12,121 , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ highest totals before the latest surge .
The record-shattering report mirrors the consequences that officials had expected to see of travel and gatherings for the Thanksgiving holiday .
The numbers also may foreshadow a time when daily infection counts equaling the size of a small city could be more the norm than the exception .
“ I would say this is the start of the Thanksgiving bump , ” Los Angeles County Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer said .
The latest increases , she said during a briefing Monday , “ reflect actions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we can ’ t take those actions back .
What we can do is change our actions today so that , two to three weeks from now , we ’ re not reporting a similarly disastrous cascade of events.
” The rate at which coronavirus tests are confirming infection has also soared in recent weeks .
California ’ s seven-day positivity rate is now 10.5 % , the latest state data show , up from the 14-day average of 8.4 % .
Officials are quick to note that cases themselves are not a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ confirm whether someone is already infected .
But the ballooning case count , combined with a greater proportion of tests coming back positive , makes clear that coronavirus transmission is widespread throughout the state , experts say .
The extent of infections in California is particularly troubling because about 12 % of those who test positive will fall ill enough to require hospitalizations two to three weeks later .
If case counts remain high for an extended period of time , the worry is that hospitals will be inundated , stretching bed capacity @ @ @ @ @ @ @ care for the flood of new patients .
Overworked staff and overtaxed facilities threaten to erode the quality of care for everyone , not just those battling COVID-19 , officials say .
“ Unfortunately , we are shattering records , every day , ” said Dr. Sara Cody , the health officer for Santa Clara County .
“ Many of our hospitals have already elected to cancel elective surgeries and other procedures in order to be able to care for the influx of COVID patients.
” There are now 10,567 coronavirus-positive patients hospitalized @ @ @ @ @ @ @ care , state data show .
Both of those figures are all-time highs .
The current number of hospitalizations has doubled in less than three weeks .
“ I think everyone at this point really shares with me this deep concern about how do we make sure that people understand , if the numbers don ’ t start to go down ... you look at what I say are horrific scenarios that end up playing out , not just in our county , but across the state , ” Ferrer said .
Those @ @ @ @ @ @ @ where your morgue can get backed up , where you ’ re delaying care for people who really need care.
” Given all the distressing data points seen during the recent surge , one relatively bright spot had been that the most devastating metric — the number of deaths — had remained relatively low .
But that ’ s no longer the case .
The state has averaged 135 COVID-19 deaths a day over the last week , a rate not seen in months , according to data compiled by The Times .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the last 14 days , Times data show .
Those deaths combined to push the state past a milestone Monday : 20,000 cumulative coronavirus-related fatalities .
It ’ s against this backdrop that Gov .
Gavin Newsom last week unveiled a fresh round of restrictions , to be implemented when a region ’ s available ICU capacity drops below 15 % .
The new stay-at-home order would require affected communities to limit most retail capacity to 20 % and close hair salons , nail salons , public outdoor playgrounds , card rooms @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wineries .
Restaurants would be able to offer only takeout or delivery as indoor and outdoor dining would be banned .
“ Our message is : As much as you can , stay at home , ” Dr. Mark Ghaly , California ’ s health and human services secretary , said during a briefing Tuesday .
“ We know that it works .
We know that we can bring our transmission rates down.
” As of Tuesday , two state-defined regions — Southern California and the San Joaquin Valley — had seen their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ trigger the order .
Those restrictions took hold at 11:59 p.m. Sunday and will remain in place for at least three weeks .
Five Bay Area counties — San Francisco , Santa Clara , Contra Costa , Alameda and Marin — also announced last week that they would proactively implement the new restrictions and planned to keep them in place until at least Jan. 4 .
Combined , those regions are home to some 33 million Californians , representing 84 % of the state ’ s population .
Ghaly said all residents — @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a regional stay-at-home order — should heed the call .
“ Right now , we ’ re seeing such high levels of transmission that almost every activity — I should say every activity — that could be done differently and keep us at our home , not mixing with others , is safer , ” he said .
“ Those are going to be the tools that help us get this under control.
” The Governor ’ s Office of Emergency Services sent cellphone emergency alerts emphasizing that point to residents across Southern @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Tuesday afternoon .
Ghaly added that he thinks the early move on the part of some Bay Area counties is a recognition “ that the sooner some of these changes go into effect , the hope is that the impact is greater and that we can shorten the time that these orders are in place.
” That ’ s particularly true given the lagging nature of the virus .
Those who are hospitalized now were largely infected two to three weeks ago , when case counts , though high , were significantly lower @ @ @ @ @ @ @ just the ongoing slope of increase that we ’ ve seen now , [ but ] we are [ also ] worried about a rapidly accelerating increase and pressure on our hospitals , ” Ghaly said .
“ If we thought we were sort of peaking at this level , some of the regional stay-at-home orders may not have been necessary.
” Ghaly said earlier this week that cases stemming from “ dinner tables or activities and plans , travel through Thanksgiving , are going to show up right about now , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be seeing that for many days to come.
” Ferrer reiterated that point Tuesday , telling the L.A. County Board of Supervisors that “ we anticipate continuing to see these very high numbers of cases now as we ’ re moving into a reflection of actions people took over the Thanksgiving week.
” Though the latest numbers are painting an increasingly bleak picture of the pandemic in California , officials emphasize that everyone — residents and businesses alike — can do their part to help stymie the surge .
Taking simple steps , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , regularly washing your hands and staying home when you ’ re sick , as well as keeping distance from , and avoiding gatherings with , those outside your household can all make a significant dent , experts and officials say .
There ’ s also hope on the horizon , as the first COVID-19 vaccines are slated to arrive in California shortly .
Newsom said Monday the state was planning to receive 2.16 million doses this month — with deliveries expected to start by next week .
Ferrer said L.A. County will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in its first allocation from the state , possibly next week .
Health officials in Orange County said they expect to receive 25,350 doses next week .
“ COVID-19 isn ’ t over yet , ” Orange County Board of Supervisors Chairwoman Michelle Steel said in a statement Tuesday .
“ But this first batch of vaccines will help stop the spread of the virus.
” The priority for the initial wave of vaccines will be healthcare workers .
Though the next few weeks may be tough , it ’ s not too @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said .
“ While we know we ’ re going to see significant increases for the next two to three weeks , it can turn itself around at the moment we all start getting back into the game , ” she said Monday .
“ We don ’ t have to actually just say , ‘ This is inevitable .
We ’ re going to see an overwhelmed healthcare system.
’ ... We have time , but very little , to get ourselves to a place where that will not be the case.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Jaclyn Cosgrove , Rong-Gong Lin II , Sean Greene and Soumya Karlamangla contributed to this report .

Medical assistant Ana Ivette Zacarias, 25, walks to her car to change clothes after working at South Central Family Health Center on Saturday in Los Angeles.
California on Tuesday shattered single-day records of coronavirus cases and deaths — 35,400 new infections, and 219 fatalities — by far the worst tallies of the entire pandemic.
Tuesday’s death toll edged out the previous single-day high for California, which was recorded on July 31, when 214 deaths were recorded, according to The Times’ independent county-by-county tally of cases. And Tuesday’s case count just eclipsed Monday’s record-breaking tally, 34,490 cases, which itself was stratospherically higher than any prior case count.
The latest tally means an average of 135 Californians have died each day over the last week — a number not seen since August — and nearly 25,000 people tested positive for the virus daily, a figure more than twice as bad as the peak of the summer surge.
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Monday’s tally of infections marked a particularly sizable jump from any other previous daily tally.
So large was the gap between Monday’s report and the previous single-day record — set Friday, when 22,369 cases were tallied — that the difference of the two numbers, 12,121, would have ranked among California’s highest totals before the latest surge.
The record-shattering report mirrors the consequences that officials had expected to see of travel and gatherings for the Thanksgiving holiday. The numbers also may foreshadow a time when daily infection counts equaling the size of a small city could be more the norm than the exception.
“I would say this is the start of the Thanksgiving bump,” Los Angeles County Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer said.
The latest increases, she said during a briefing Monday, “reflect actions we took in late November, and we can’t take those actions back. What we can do is change our actions today so that, two to three weeks from now, we’re not reporting a similarly disastrous cascade of events.”
The rate at which coronavirus tests are confirming infection has also soared in recent weeks. California’s seven-day positivity rate is now 10.5%, the latest state data show, up from the 14-day average of 8.4%.
Officials are quick to note that cases themselves are not a byproduct of testing, because screenings merely confirm whether someone is already infected. But the ballooning case count, combined with a greater proportion of tests coming back positive, makes clear that coronavirus transmission is widespread throughout the state, experts say.
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The extent of infections in California is particularly troubling because about 12% of those who test positive will fall ill enough to require hospitalizations two to three weeks later. If case counts remain high for an extended period of time, the worry is that hospitals will be inundated, stretching bed capacity and the ability for trained staff to care for the flood of new patients.
Overworked staff and overtaxed facilities threaten to erode the quality of care for everyone, not just those battling COVID-19, officials say.
“Unfortunately, we are shattering records, every day,” said Dr. Sara Cody, the health officer for Santa Clara County. “Many of our hospitals have already elected to cancel elective surgeries and other procedures in order to be able to care for the influx of COVID patients.”
There are now 10,567 coronavirus-positive patients hospitalized statewide, and 2,417 are in intensive care, state data show. Both of those figures are all-time highs.
The current number of hospitalizations has doubled in less than three weeks.
“I think everyone at this point really shares with me this deep concern about how do we make sure that people understand, if the numbers don’t start to go down ... you look at what I say are horrific scenarios that end up playing out, not just in our county, but across the state,” Ferrer said.
Those, she said, would be “where your morgue can get backed up, where you’re delaying care for people who really need care.”
Given all the distressing data points seen during the recent surge, one relatively bright spot had been that the most devastating metric — the number of deaths — had remained relatively low. But that’s no longer the case.
The state has averaged 135 COVID-19 deaths a day over the last week, a rate not seen in months, according to data compiled by The Times.
Nearly 1,400 Californians have died from COVID-19 in the last 14 days, Times data show. Those deaths combined to push the state past a milestone Monday: 20,000 cumulative coronavirus-related fatalities.
It’s against this backdrop that Gov. Gavin Newsom last week unveiled a fresh round of restrictions, to be implemented when a region’s available ICU capacity drops below 15%.
The new stay-at-home order would require affected communities to limit most retail capacity to 20% and close hair salons, nail salons, public outdoor playgrounds, card rooms, museums, zoos, aquariums and wineries. Restaurants would be able to offer only takeout or delivery as indoor and outdoor dining would be banned.
“Our message is: As much as you can, stay at home,” Dr. Mark Ghaly, California’s health and human services secretary, said during a briefing Tuesday. “We know that it works. We know that we can bring our transmission rates down.”
As of Tuesday, two state-defined regions — Southern California and the San Joaquin Valley — had seen their available ICU capacities tumble low enough to trigger the order. Those restrictions took hold at 11:59 p.m. Sunday and will remain in place for at least three weeks.
Five Bay Area counties — San Francisco, Santa Clara, Contra Costa, Alameda and Marin — also announced last week that they would proactively implement the new restrictions and planned to keep them in place until at least Jan. 4.
Combined, those regions are home to some 33 million Californians, representing 84% of the state’s population.
Ghaly said all residents — even those in areas not covered under a regional stay-at-home order — should heed the call.
“Right now, we’re seeing such high levels of transmission that almost every activity — I should say every activity — that could be done differently and keep us at our home, not mixing with others, is safer,” he said. “Those are going to be the tools that help us get this under control.”
The Governor’s Office of Emergency Services sent cellphone emergency alerts emphasizing that point to residents across Southern California and the San Joaquin Valley on Tuesday afternoon.
Ghaly added that he thinks the early move on the part of some Bay Area counties is a recognition “that the sooner some of these changes go into effect, the hope is that the impact is greater and that we can shorten the time that these orders are in place.”
That’s particularly true given the lagging nature of the virus. Those who are hospitalized now were largely infected two to three weeks ago, when case counts, though high, were significantly lower than today.
“We anticipate not just the ongoing slope of increase that we’ve seen now, [but] we are [also] worried about a rapidly accelerating increase and pressure on our hospitals,” Ghaly said. “If we thought we were sort of peaking at this level, some of the regional stay-at-home orders may not have been necessary.”
Ghaly said earlier this week that cases stemming from “dinner tables or activities and plans, travel through Thanksgiving, are going to show up right about now,” and “we know we’ll be seeing that for many days to come.”
Ferrer reiterated that point Tuesday, telling the L.A. County Board of Supervisors that “we anticipate continuing to see these very high numbers of cases now as we’re moving into a reflection of actions people took over the Thanksgiving week.”
Though the latest numbers are painting an increasingly bleak picture of the pandemic in California, officials emphasize that everyone — residents and businesses alike — can do their part to help stymie the surge.
Taking simple steps, such as wearing a mask in public, regularly washing your hands and staying home when you’re sick, as well as keeping distance from, and avoiding gatherings with, those outside your household can all make a significant dent, experts and officials say.
There’s also hope on the horizon, as the first COVID-19 vaccines are slated to arrive in California shortly. Newsom said Monday the state was planning to receive 2.16 million doses this month — with deliveries expected to start by next week.
Ferrer said L.A. County will likely get 84,000 doses of the vaccine in its first allocation from the state, possibly next week.
Health officials in Orange County said they expect to receive 25,350 doses next week.
“COVID-19 isn’t over yet,” Orange County Board of Supervisors Chairwoman Michelle Steel said in a statement Tuesday. “But this first batch of vaccines will help stop the spread of the virus.”
The priority for the initial wave of vaccines will be healthcare workers.
Though the next few weeks may be tough, it’s not too late to turn things around, Ferrer said.
“While we know we’re going to see significant increases for the next two to three weeks, it can turn itself around at the moment we all start getting back into the game,” she said Monday. “We don’t have to actually just say, ‘This is inevitable. We’re going to see an overwhelmed healthcare system.’ ... We have time, but very little, to get ourselves to a place where that will not be the case.”
Times staff writers Andrea Roberson, Jaclyn Cosgrove, Rong-Gong Lin II, Sean Greene and Soumya Karlamangla contributed to this report.


latimes--2020-12-09--Manhattan Beach repurposes closed outdoor dining areas for public seating

Though Los Angeles County has ordered restaurants to suspend outdoor dining through the holidays , the city of Manhattan Beach has implemented a plan to allow residents to continue using the space .
The city has repurposed newly closed outdoor dining areas as public seating areas where people can sit and potentially dine out .
The action by Manhattan Beach was taken following the county ’ s newly issued safer-at-home order , which lasts through late December and prohibits outdoor dining at restaurants , breweries and wineries .
The order was implemented following a surge in coronavirus cases that has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The public can now use spaces previously allocated for outdoor dining and retail areas during the pandemic , ” Manhattan Beach City Manager Bruce Monroe said in a statement last week , encouraging patrons to enjoy the holiday shopping experience in the South Bay community .
Los Angeles County has made visits to businesses and contacted the city about the decision , senior city analyst George Gabriel said .
The county ’ s department of public health was not immediately available for comment on whether this rule interferes with the county ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of rules , including the requirement to wear face coverings , maintain social distancing and refrain from gatherings outside the household as well as the prohibition of alcohol use .
The areas will remain closed from 10 p.m. until 7:30 a.m. , following county rules .
Restaurants will not be allowed to serve food directly to patrons , and must continue to abide by the county ’ s orders to limit service to takeout and delivery only .
The City Council directed its COVID-19 Long Term Business Solutions ad hoc subcommittee to assess @ @ @ @ @ @ @ subcommittee directed city staff to undertake the action on Dec. 2 .
“ Our business community is struggling to survive the County ’ s latest restrictions and the City has a win-win solution to help , while safeguarding public health , ” Mayor Suzanne Hadley said in a statement .
According to L.A. County ’ s Department of Public Health , Manhattan Beach has recorded more than 580 cases and at least four deaths related to COVID-19 — a fraction of the more than 460,000 reported infections and over 8,000 deaths in the @ @

Though Los Angeles County has ordered restaurants to suspend outdoor dining through the holidays, the city of Manhattan Beach has implemented a plan to allow residents to continue using the space. The city has repurposed newly closed outdoor dining areas as public seating areas where people can sit and potentially dine out.
The action by Manhattan Beach was taken following the county’s newly issued safer-at-home order, which lasts through late December and prohibits outdoor dining at restaurants, breweries and wineries. The order was implemented following a surge in coronavirus cases that has strained intensive care unit capacity.
“The public can now use spaces previously allocated for outdoor dining and retail areas during the pandemic,” Manhattan Beach City Manager Bruce Monroe said in a statement last week, encouraging patrons to enjoy the holiday shopping experience in the South Bay community.
Los Angeles County has made visits to businesses and contacted the city about the decision, senior city analyst George Gabriel said. The county’s department of public health was not immediately available for comment on whether this rule interferes with the county’s order.
The allowance includes a series of rules, including the requirement to wear face coverings, maintain social distancing and refrain from gatherings outside the household as well as the prohibition of alcohol use. The areas will remain closed from 10 p.m. until 7:30 a.m., following county rules.
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Restaurants will not be allowed to serve food directly to patrons, and must continue to abide by the county’s orders to limit service to takeout and delivery only.
The City Council directed its COVID-19 Long Term Business Solutions ad hoc subcommittee to assess the possibility last week, and the subcommittee directed city staff to undertake the action on Dec. 2.
“Our business community is struggling to survive the County’s latest restrictions and the City has a win-win solution to help, while safeguarding public health,” Mayor Suzanne Hadley said in a statement.
According to L.A. County’s Department of Public Health, Manhattan Beach has recorded more than 580 cases and at least four deaths related to COVID-19 — a fraction of the more than 460,000 reported infections and over 8,000 deaths in the county.


latimes--2020-12-09--Father decapitated two children, forced other kids to view bodies over five days, prosecutors allege

The horror inside the beige Lancaster home began to unfold the Sunday after Thanksgiving .
Maurice Jewel Taylor Sr. , 34 , decapitated his son and daughter , authorities allege .
Then , for the next five days , he kept the bodies of 12-year-old Maurice Jr. and 13-year-old Maliaka inside the house , along with his two younger sons , ages 8 and 9 .
During this period , prosecutors allege in court papers filed Tuesday , the personal trainer showed the dead bodies to the surviving children , who were kept in their rooms without food .
It @ @ @ @ @ @ @ call about a possible gas leak brought firefighters to the gruesome scene inside the house on Century Circle .
Taylor ’ s clients , who had been taking Zoom classes with him , had called authorities after he stopped communicating with them .
The children ’ s mother , who was in the house , is not a suspect but has been questioned by investigators and is still in contact with them , said Lt. Brandon Dean of the L.A. County Sheriff ’ s Department ’ s Homicide Bureau .
Dean said deputies @ @ @ @ @ @ @ separate bedrooms in the home .
On Tuesday , prosecutors charged Taylor with two counts each of murder and child abuse .
During his arrest Friday , Taylor was handcuffed and taken away on a stretcher to an ambulance , escorted by deputies .
Taylor becomes the first high-profile murder defendant for newly elected Dist .
Atty .
George Gascón , who has pledged not to seek the death penalty in any new cases .
His arraignment has been postponed until Dec. 21 .
He remains in jail in lieu of a $ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of 57 years to life in prison .
The L.A. County Department of Children and Family Services does not appear to have had any involvement with the family , and deputies had not recently been called to the home , Dean said .
Lancaster Mayor R. Rex Parris said it was his understanding that the family had one minor contact with authorities years ago but nothing to suggest the brutal nature of the crime .
Taylor ’ s clients , with whom he had worked at a Santa Monica physical therapy and fitness @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not send out a Zoom link for a scheduled session and could not be reached .
They were worried that a gas leak had occurred at the home and asked authorities to check on the family .
“ I knew they weren ’ t out of town .
They didn ’ t have money to travel , ” one client said .
Howard Kern , an attorney and writer who trained with Taylor for about seven years , said he called the L.A. County Fire Department at 7:34 a.m. Friday , after other @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Department to relay their worries .
“ I said , ‘ I ’ m concerned , ’ ” Kern recalled .
“ ‘ We are concerned about a possible gas leak .
There are four children and two adults — and we are concerned about their safety.
’ ” Another client , who spoke on the condition of anonymity , said Taylor had been working remotely because of the pandemic .
He was “ so reliable , so responsive ” and “ mellow , ” the client said .

Firefighters responding to a call of a possible gas leak at a Lancaster home last week found the bodies of two children inside.
The horror inside the beige Lancaster home began to unfold the Sunday after Thanksgiving.
Maurice Jewel Taylor Sr., 34, decapitated his son and daughter, authorities allege. Then, for the next five days, he kept the bodies of 12-year-old Maurice Jr. and 13-year-old Maliaka inside the house, along with his two younger sons, ages 8 and 9.
During this period, prosecutors allege in court papers filed Tuesday, the personal trainer showed the dead bodies to the surviving children, who were kept in their rooms without food.
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It wasn’t until Friday that a call about a possible gas leak brought firefighters to the gruesome scene inside the house on Century Circle.
Taylor’s clients, who had been taking Zoom classes with him, had called authorities after he stopped communicating with them.
California Two young people found decapitated in Lancaster home; father arrested, officials say A personal trainer described as “mellow” and “reliable” was arrested Friday in connection with the deaths of his two adolescent children, who were found decapitated in the family home in Lancaster, authorities said.
The children’s mother, who was in the house, is not a suspect but has been questioned by investigators and is still in contact with them, said Lt. Brandon Dean of the L.A. County Sheriff’s Department’s Homicide Bureau. Dean said deputies found the children’s bodies in separate bedrooms in the home.
On Tuesday, prosecutors charged Taylor with two counts each of murder and child abuse. During his arrest Friday, Taylor was handcuffed and taken away on a stretcher to an ambulance, escorted by deputies.
Personal-training clients of Maurice Jewel Taylor Sr. called authorities to check on the family home in the 45000 block of Century Circle on Friday morning after they hadn’t heard from him. (Los Angeles Times)
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Taylor becomes the first high-profile murder defendant for newly elected Dist. Atty. George Gascón, who has pledged not to seek the death penalty in any new cases.
His arraignment has been postponed until Dec. 21. He remains in jail in lieu of a $4.2-million bond and faces a maximum sentence of 57 years to life in prison.
The L.A. County Department of Children and Family Services does not appear to have had any involvement with the family, and deputies had not recently been called to the home, Dean said.
Lancaster Mayor R. Rex Parris said it was his understanding that the family had one minor contact with authorities years ago but nothing to suggest the brutal nature of the crime.
Taylor’s clients, with whom he had worked at a Santa Monica physical therapy and fitness center, became concerned after he did not send out a Zoom link for a scheduled session and could not be reached. They were worried that a gas leak had occurred at the home and asked authorities to check on the family.
“I knew they weren’t out of town. They didn’t have money to travel,” one client said.
Howard Kern, an attorney and writer who trained with Taylor for about seven years, said he called the L.A. County Fire Department at 7:34 a.m. Friday, after other clients had called the Sheriff’s Department to relay their worries.
“I said, ‘I’m concerned,’” Kern recalled. “‘We are concerned about a possible gas leak. There are four children and two adults — and we are concerned about their safety.’”
Another client, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, said Taylor had been working remotely because of the pandemic. He was “so reliable, so responsive” and “mellow,” the client said.


latimes--2020-12-09--San Francisco could run out of ICU beds in 17 days if coronavirus infection rate continues

San Francisco will run out of intensive care beds in 17 days if the current rate of infection remains stable , the director of the San Francisco Department of Public Health said Wednesday .
“ That is if things don ’ t get worse and they very well may , ” said Dr. Grant Colfax at a virtual news briefing .
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 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ surge around , and that chance is right now , ” he said .
“ But our window is narrowing and closing fast.
” He said coronavirus cases have been “ skyrocketing ” since Thanksgiving and the numbers rise by the hour .
The reproductive rate for the virus in San Francisco is now at 1.5 , which means every person who contracts it will infect 1.5 others .
If that rate doesn ’ t come down , the number of residents in the hospital with COVID-19 will rise tenfold by early February @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it is “ plausible ” that another 1,500 residents will die in addition to the 164 who have already succumbed to the disease , Colfax warned .
Bending the rules now will have much more severe consequences than at any time during the pandemic because the virus is much more prevalent , he said .
“ The virus is everywhere in our city right now and in so many neighborhoods where it hasn ’ t taken hold before , ” Colfax said .
“ Even lower risk activities now carry substantial risk … @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with things we have been able to get away with so far.
” He said the city will get 12,000 vaccine doses in the first allocation , probably by Dec. 15 .
The doses will go to acute care hospitals and some nursing homes , he said .
Widespread distribution will be underway by spring or summer , he added .
Last Friday , San Francisco and four other Bay Area counties announced that they were preemptively imposing a stay-at-home order , saying hospitals were so overcrowded they had to act immediately rather @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the state ’ s threshold for such an directive .
California has required state-at-home orders to be imposed in regions of the state where intensive care units have capacity at 15 % or lower .
At the briefing , Colfax said ICU capacity in the city may drop to 15 % this week .
Thirty San Franciscans are now in intensive care units and the number has been “ increasing dramatically every day.
” Mayor London Breed , also speaking at the news conference , praised the state ’ s decision to allow @ @ @ @ @ @ @ should be accompanied by only one adult , people should stay six feet apart and everyone 2 and older should wear masks .
She said visits should be limited to 30 minutes , no one should eat or drink at a playground and everyone should disinfect their hands before and after going to a playground .
“ Our playgrounds are not an excuse for your to get together with a bunch of other families , ” Breed said .
Last Thursday , Breed issued a statement of regret after it was reported she @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the French Laundry in early November , a day after Gov .
Gavin Newsom made an infamous visit to the posh Napa Valley restaurant .
“ The urgency of our public health message in this moment has never been more dire and my actions have distracted from that , ” she stated .

The front page of the San Francisco Chronicle on Tuesday, March 17, 2020, at the start of the pandemic. Health officials are again urging city residents to stay home.
San Francisco will run out of intensive care beds in 17 days if the current rate of infection remains stable, the director of the San Francisco Department of Public Health said Wednesday.
“That is if things don’t get worse and they very well may,” said Dr. Grant Colfax at a virtual news briefing.
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.
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“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.”
He said coronavirus cases have been “skyrocketing” since Thanksgiving and the numbers rise by the hour.
Tracking the coronavirus in California The latest maps and charts on the spread of COVID-19 in California.
The reproductive rate for the virus in San Francisco is now at 1.5, which means every person who contracts it will infect 1.5 others. If that rate doesn’t come down, the number of residents in the hospital with COVID-19 will rise tenfold by early February, he said.
Models also show it is “plausible” that another 1,500 residents will die in addition to the 164 who have already succumbed to the disease, Colfax warned. Bending the rules now will have much more severe consequences than at any time during the pandemic because the virus is much more prevalent, he said.
“The virus is everywhere in our city right now and in so many neighborhoods where it hasn’t taken hold before,” Colfax said. “Even lower risk activities now carry substantial risk …. We can’t get away with things we have been able to get away with so far.”
He said the city will get 12,000 vaccine doses in the first allocation, probably by Dec. 15. The doses will go to acute care hospitals and some nursing homes, he said. Widespread distribution will be underway by spring or summer, he added.
Last Friday, San Francisco and four other Bay Area counties announced that they were preemptively imposing a stay-at-home order, saying hospitals were so overcrowded they had to act immediately rather than waiting for the region to pass the state’s threshold for such an directive.
California has required state-at-home orders to be imposed in regions of the state where intensive care units have capacity at 15% or lower.
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At the briefing, Colfax said ICU capacity in the city may drop to 15% this week. Thirty San Franciscans are now in intensive care units and the number has been “increasing dramatically every day.”
Mayor London Breed, also speaking at the news conference, praised the state’s decision to allow playgrounds to reopen but warned that children should be accompanied by only one adult, people should stay six feet apart and everyone 2 and older should wear masks.
She said visits should be limited to 30 minutes, no one should eat or drink at a playground and everyone should disinfect their hands before and after going to a playground.
“Our playgrounds are not an excuse for your to get together with a bunch of other families,” Breed said.
Last Thursday, Breed issued a statement of regret after it was reported she had joined seven others in dining at the French Laundry in early November, a day after Gov. Gavin Newsom made an infamous visit to the posh Napa Valley restaurant.
“The urgency of our public health message in this moment has never been more dire and my actions have distracted from that,” she stated.


latimes--2020-12-09--Cannabis regulators may loosen California rules to help struggling industry

With California ’ s licensed pot shops still struggling to compete with the illicit market and facing the new challenges of COVID-19 , a state panel that advises regulators on cannabis sales recommended Wednesday that several restrictions be relaxed to give legal businesses a better shot .
The state Cannabis Advisory Committee recommended changes that included lifting the $ 5,000 limit on the amount of pot that can be carried by delivery vans , making it easier for small businesses to sell different products and eventually allowing food and beverages to be served in cannabis lounges .
The panel included @ @ @ @ @ @ @ which it approved Wednesday .
“ The state has faced unprecedented circumstances in 2020 : the global COVID-19 pandemic and resulting recession , a record breaking wildfire season , and the nationwide fight for racial justice and equality , ” the 17-member panel said in the report .
California voters approved state licensing of growing , distributing and selling cannabis in 2016 when they approved Proposition 64 , but the legal market has not lived up to expectations .
State officials originally predicted the initiative would result in 6,000 retail stores selling marijuana @ @ @ @ @ @ @ license in California , but currently there are just 715 pot shops and 314 state-approved delivery firms .
The industry has said it has not grown as expected because of high taxes , strict regulations and the fact that 80 % of California ’ s cities do not permit the retail sale of cannabis for recreational use .
When the state issued a stay-at-home order in March to reduce the spread of COVID-19 , it deemed cannabis an “ essential ” industry , which has allowed marijuana shops to stay open but with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to move largely to curbside pickup .
The committee , which is made up of representatives of the cannabis industry , law enforcement , public health experts and city and state agencies , held public hearings throughout the year and made 17 recommendations for improving the legal market that will be considered by Gov .
Gavin Newsom ’ s administration .
“ The Administration has made clear that we are committed to assessing our framework and making improvements and adjustments when warranted , ” said Nicole Elliott , the governor ’ s senior @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Wednesday .
“ To this end , we will carefully consider any recommendations the Committee sends our way , and we are grateful for their work.
” The panel , which advises the state Bureau of Cannabis Control , said that the decision of many cities not to allow pot shops within their jurisdictions has created cannabis deserts where delivery is in high demand .
Current rules limit delivery vans to carrying no more than $ 5,000 in product with the aim of minimizing the possibility of robberies .
In recommending the limit @ @ @ @ @ @ @ industry has complained that the rule “ has posed challenges to licensed retail delivery businesses seeking to provide cannabis to areas where legal store-front retail sales are not currently available.
” The recommendation , which does not include a set amount for the new limit , is supported by Lindsay Robinson , executive director of the California Cannabis Industry Assn .
“ As we have seen delivery become a preferred method for safe purchase by consumers , we support the recommendation to increase the delivery threshold which will provide safe access to more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ statement .
The committee also saw value in allowing businesses that are licensed by the state to serve cannabis onsite to also serve food not infused with cannabis and non-alcoholic beverages for consumption , as long as it is allowed by local ordinances .
The change statewide was recommended following the opening of cannabis cafes in West Hollywood and other cities that offer restaurant fare and the opportunity to smoke marijuana in the dining room .
• Expanding authorized activities under microbusiness licenses to include processing of cannabis products , and allowing them @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Eliminating a requirement that different activities at a microbusiness be separated by walls or barriers • Lifting a restriction that testing laboratories can only test cannabis products • Permitting samples to be provided to retailers • Giving more time to report tracking data on products in the event of natural disasters , power outages or other loss of computer connectivity or technology failure Opponents of pot legalization , including Scott Chipman , vice president of Americans Against Legalizing Marijuana , claimed that the recommendations to the state Bureau of Cannabis Control are skewed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ public health .
“ Recent recommendations continue to chip away at any semblance of protections to the public , ” Chipman said .
“ The BCC has no real incentive to protect the public .
It is an agency that serves the pot industry.
” The committee also recommended some expanded testing of pot products and it asked that the president of the University of California convene an expert scientific task force to review scientific literature on the increasingly high potency tetrahydrocannabinol , or THC , content of cannabis , including its potential @ @ @ @ @ @ @

The state Cannabis Advisory Committee on Wednesday recommended loosening rules on marijuana businesses, including delivery firms. Above, Ñ Cheryl Luell at the Healing Center, a marijuana dispensary in Needles, Calif.
With California’s licensed pot shops still struggling to compete with the illicit market and facing the new challenges of COVID-19, a state panel that advises regulators on cannabis sales recommended Wednesday that several restrictions be relaxed to give legal businesses a better shot.
The state Cannabis Advisory Committee recommended changes that included lifting the $5,000 limit on the amount of pot that can be carried by delivery vans, making it easier for small businesses to sell different products and eventually allowing food and beverages to be served in cannabis lounges. The panel included the proposals in its annual report, which it approved Wednesday.
“The state has faced unprecedented circumstances in 2020: the global COVID-19 pandemic and resulting recession, a record breaking wildfire season, and the nationwide fight for racial justice and equality,” the 17-member panel said in the report.
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California voters approved state licensing of growing, distributing and selling cannabis in 2016 when they approved Proposition 64, but the legal market has not lived up to expectations.
State officials originally predicted the initiative would result in 6,000 retail stores selling marijuana for recreational and medical use under state license in California, but currently there are just 715 pot shops and 314 state-approved delivery firms.
The industry has said it has not grown as expected because of high taxes, strict regulations and the fact that 80% of California’s cities do not permit the retail sale of cannabis for recreational use.
When the state issued a stay-at-home order in March to reduce the spread of COVID-19, it deemed cannabis an “essential” industry, which has allowed marijuana shops to stay open but with social distancing requirements that have forced many to move largely to curbside pickup.
The committee, which is made up of representatives of the cannabis industry, law enforcement, public health experts and city and state agencies, held public hearings throughout the year and made 17 recommendations for improving the legal market that will be considered by Gov. Gavin Newsom’s administration.
“The Administration has made clear that we are committed to assessing our framework and making improvements and adjustments when warranted,” said Nicole Elliott, the governor’s senior advisor on cannabis, in a statement Wednesday. “To this end, we will carefully consider any recommendations the Committee sends our way, and we are grateful for their work.”
The panel, which advises the state Bureau of Cannabis Control, said that the decision of many cities not to allow pot shops within their jurisdictions has created cannabis deserts where delivery is in high demand.
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Current rules limit delivery vans to carrying no more than $5,000 in product with the aim of minimizing the possibility of robberies. In recommending the limit be lifted, the committee said the industry has complained that the rule “has posed challenges to licensed retail delivery businesses seeking to provide cannabis to areas where legal store-front retail sales are not currently available.”
The recommendation, which does not include a set amount for the new limit, is supported by Lindsay Robinson, executive director of the California Cannabis Industry Assn.
“As we have seen delivery become a preferred method for safe purchase by consumers, we support the recommendation to increase the delivery threshold which will provide safe access to more Californians,” Robinson said in a statement.
The committee also saw value in allowing businesses that are licensed by the state to serve cannabis onsite to also serve food not infused with cannabis and non-alcoholic beverages for consumption, as long as it is allowed by local ordinances.
The change statewide was recommended following the opening of cannabis cafes in West Hollywood and other cities that offer restaurant fare and the opportunity to smoke marijuana in the dining room.
Other recommendations include:
Expanding authorized activities under microbusiness licenses to include processing of cannabis products, and allowing them to conduct sales at licensed events
Eliminating a requirement that different activities at a microbusiness be separated by walls or barriers
Lifting a restriction that testing laboratories can only test cannabis products
Permitting samples to be provided to retailers
Allowing firms holding multiple cultivation licenses to share propagation and processing areas
Giving more time to report tracking data on products in the event of natural disasters, power outages or other loss of computer connectivity or technology failure
Opponents of pot legalization, including Scott Chipman, vice president of Americans Against Legalizing Marijuana, claimed that the recommendations to the state Bureau of Cannabis Control are skewed to allow more sales instead of protecting public health.
“Recent recommendations continue to chip away at any semblance of protections to the public,” Chipman said. “The BCC has no real incentive to protect the public. It is an agency that serves the pot industry.”
The committee also recommended some expanded testing of pot products and it asked that the president of the University of California convene an expert scientific task force to review scientific literature on the increasingly high potency tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC, content of cannabis, including its potential effect on health and drugged driving.


latimes--2020-12-09--First child in L.A. County dies from COVID-19-related MIS-C

A child died this week from the coronavirus-linked multisystem inflammatory syndrome , known as MIS-C , the first such reported death in Los Angeles County .
This also marks the county ’ s first COVID-19-related death of a child .
The patient , who was at Children ’ s Hospital Los Angeles , had a “ complex , preexisting cardiac condition ” and died from complications tied to MIS-C , public relations officer Lauren Song said in a statement Wednesday .
The hospital did not provide further details because of patient privacy .
At least 145 cases of MIS-C have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ according to the state ’ s Department of Public Health .
The Los Angeles County death appears to be the first in California , although no deaths linked to the illness have been recorded on the state ’ s database .
Two children between the ages of 5 and 17 have died from COVID-19 , data show .
A massive surge in coronavirus cases across the state has led to record numbers of infections , hospitalizations and deaths .
And while health experts have yet to unlock the direct connection between the virus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is that a spike in coronavirus infections is directly linked to an uptick in MIS-C cases , doctors told The Times .
“ With the number of cases we ’ re seeing in Los Angeles now , I do expect to see more children with MIS-C coming into the hospital in the next few weeks , ” said Dr. Jackie Szmuszkovicz , pediatric cardiologist at Children ’ s Hospital Los Angeles .
“ We ’ re at a critical moment right now.
” At least 43 children have been treated for MIS-C in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Children ’ s Hospital .
According to the latest update from the county ’ s department of public health , nearly 50 % of the children hospitalized were treated in intensive care .
Of those , 26 % were under the age of 5 , 37 % were between 5 and 11 and 37 % were ages 12 to 20 .
The syndrome is rare , but it can be serious — and potentially deadly .
Typically , children develop symptoms of MIS-C roughly two to four weeks after exposure to the coronavirus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ children are asymptomatic carriers .
Symptoms include fever , pain in the abdomen and neck , vomiting , diarrhea , rash , bloodshot eyes and exhaustion .
Doctors in California have reported some children arriving at hospitals in shock .
Children in Latino and Black communities have been affected most by the disease , reports show .
In L.A. County , Latino children account for 72 % of the reported cases , according to data from the health department .
Children who exhibit symptoms are typically diagnosed with MIS-C after testing positive for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to decipher potential long-term effects from the illness and do not know whether certain children are genetically predisposed .
More than 1,280 children have developed MIS-C in the U.S. , and at least 23 have died from the disease , according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention .
MIS-C is similar to Kawasaki disease , a rare inflammatory illness .
Researchers think some children diagnosed with Kawasaki disease between January and May may have been infected with MIS-C instead .
MIS-C has been diagnosed in patients less than a year old @ @ @ @ @ @ @ majority are between 7 and 9 .
Health experts say parents should call a doctor and seek help immediately if a child shows potential symptoms of the illness .
“ Please do not delay in seeking care for your child if they are ill , ” Szmuszkovicz said .
“ Length of stay is going to be shorter if we can get inflammation under control earlier.
” If your family has been affected by MIS-C and you would like to share your experience , please contact Colleen Shalby at colleen.shalby @ latimes.com .

A patient at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles died this week from the coronavirus-linked multisystem inflammatory syndrome, known as MIS-C.
A child died this week from the coronavirus-linked multisystem inflammatory syndrome, known as MIS-C, the first such reported death in Los Angeles County. This also marks the county’s first COVID-19-related death of a child.
The patient, who was at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, had a “complex, preexisting cardiac condition” and died from complications tied to MIS-C, public relations officer Lauren Song said in a statement Wednesday.
The hospital did not provide further details because of patient privacy.
At least 145 cases of MIS-C have been reported among children in California, according to the state’s Department of Public Health. The Los Angeles County death appears to be the first in California, although no deaths linked to the illness have been recorded on the state’s database. Two children between the ages of 5 and 17 have died from COVID-19, data show.
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A massive surge in coronavirus cases across the state has led to record numbers of infections, hospitalizations and deaths. And although health experts have yet to unlock the direct connection between the virus and MIS-C, what’s clear is that a spike in coronavirus infections is directly linked to an uptick in MIS-C cases, doctors told The Times.
“With the number of cases we’re seeing in Los Angeles now, I do expect to see more children with MIS-C coming into the hospital in the next few weeks,” said Dr. Jackie Szmuszkovicz, pediatric cardiologist at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles. “We’re at a critical moment right now.”
At least 43 children have been treated for MIS-C in Los Angeles County, including 32 at Children’s Hospital. According to the latest update from the county’s Department of Public Health, nearly 50% of the children hospitalized were treated in intensive care. Of those, 26% were under the age of 5, 37% were between 5 and 11, and 37% were ages 12 to 20.
The syndrome is rare, but it can be serious — and potentially deadly. Typically, children develop symptoms of MIS-C roughly two to four weeks after exposure to the coronavirus, which often goes undetected because most children are asymptomatic carriers. Symptoms include fever, pain in the abdomen and neck, vomiting, diarrhea, rash, bloodshot eyes and exhaustion. Doctors in California have reported some children arriving at hospitals in shock.
Children in Latino and Black communities have been affected most by the disease, reports show. In L.A. County, Latino children account for 72% of the reported cases, according to data from the Health Department.
Children who exhibit symptoms are typically diagnosed with MIS-C after testing positive for COVID-19 antibodies. Doctors are still trying to decipher potential long-term effects from the illness and do not know whether certain children are genetically predisposed.
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More than 1,280 children have developed MIS-C in the U.S., and at least 23 have died from the disease, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. MIS-C is similar to Kawasaki disease, a rare inflammatory illness. Researchers think some children diagnosed with Kawasaki disease between January and May may have been infected with MIS-C instead.
MIS-C has been diagnosed in patients less than a year old and up to age 20; the majority are 7 to 9 years old.
Health experts say parents should call a doctor and seek help immediately if a child shows possible symptoms of the illness.
“Please do not delay in seeking care for your child if they are ill,” Szmuszkovicz said. “Length of stay is going to be shorter if we can get inflammation under control earlier.”
If your family has been affected by MIS-C and you would like to share your experience, please contact Colleen Shalby at colleen.shalby@latimes.com.


latimes--2020-12-09--Stay-at-home order issued for Sacramento region after ICU shortage hits critical level

A stay-at-home order for the Sacramento region will take effect at 11:59 p.m. Thursday after hospital intensive care unit capacity dropped below a critical threshold Wednesday , California health officials said .
The region — which encompasses Alpine , Amador , Butte , Colusa , El Dorado , Nevada , Placer , Plumas , Sacramento , Sierra , Sutter , Yolo and Yuba counties — dipped to 14.3 % ICU availability Wednesday as COVID-19 hospitalizations continued to mount , according to the state .
New guidelines call for the tighter restrictions when availability falls under 15 % .
Already , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and San Joaquin Valley regions .
Those areas had seen their ICU availability tumble to 9 % and 4.2 % , respectively , as of Wednesday morning .
Five Bay Area counties — San Francisco , Santa Clara , Contra Costa , Alameda and Marin — the new restrictions .
The other state-defined regions all remain above the 15 % threshold for now , but officials warn that could quickly change and that the stakes for all Californians remain high .
“ It is the worst we have seen , and it ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Dr. Ahmad Kamal , Santa Clara County ’ s director of health preparedness .
“ Hospitals are nearing capacity , our staffing is stretched thin — not just in our county , but throughout the state and throughout the nation.
” More Californians died from COVID-19 on Tuesday than on any other day , the latest milestone in an accelerating pandemic that is infecting and hospitalizing residents at levels far eclipsing any seen before .
Tuesday ’ s statewide death toll , 219 , eclipsed the previous single-day high of 214 , which @ @ @ @ @ @ @ data compiled by The Times .
The latest figure may be a harbinger of higher death tolls .
Until this past week , California had topped 200 daily coronavirus-related deaths only four times .
That number has been exceeded twice in the last five days .
The weekly fatality average — 135 Californians per day over the last week — is also at a level not seen since the darkest days of the state ’ s summertime surge .

A stay-at-home order for the Sacramento region will take effect at 11:59 p.m. Thursday after hospital intensive care unit capacity dropped below a critical threshold Wednesday, California health officials said.
The region — which encompasses Alpine, Amador, Butte, Colusa, El Dorado, Nevada, Placer, Plumas, Sacramento, Sierra, Sutter, Yolo and Yuba counties — dipped to 14.3% ICU availability Wednesday as COVID-19 hospitalizations continued to mount, according to the state. New guidelines call for the tighter restrictions when availability falls under 15%.
Already, new stay-at-home orders have been implemented in the Southern California and San Joaquin Valley regions. Those areas had seen their ICU availability tumble to 9% and 4.2%, respectively, as of Wednesday morning.
Five Bay Area counties — San Francisco, Santa Clara, Contra Costa, Alameda and Marin — have proactively implemented the new restrictions.
The other state-defined regions all remain above the 15% threshold for now, but officials warn that could quickly change and that the stakes for all Californians remain high.
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“It is the worst we have seen, and it’s continuing to worsen,” said Dr. Ahmad Kamal, Santa Clara County’s director of health preparedness. “Hospitals are nearing capacity, our staffing is stretched thin — not just in our county, but throughout the state and throughout the nation.”
More Californians died from COVID-19 on Tuesday than on any other day, the latest milestone in an accelerating pandemic that is infecting and hospitalizing residents at levels far eclipsing any seen before.
Tuesday’s statewide death toll, 219, eclipsed the previous single-day high of 214, which was recorded July 31, according to data compiled by The Times.
The latest figure may be a harbinger of higher death tolls. Until this past week, California had topped 200 daily coronavirus-related deaths only four times. That number has been exceeded twice in the last five days.
The weekly fatality average — 135 Californians per day over the last week — is also at a level not seen since the darkest days of the state’s summertime surge.


latimes--2020-12-09--Cal State announces plans for fall 2021 reopening of its 23 campuses

Six days before its application window closes , the California State University system serving nearly half a million students has announced a plan for all 23 of its campuses to reopen next fall after more than a year of virtual instruction amid the COVID-19 pandemic .
The early announcement is aimed at helping students and families as they plan for next year — and as they decide whether to apply to Cal State , university leaders said .
“ We want to return as much as we can to the in-person university , ” Chancellor Timothy P. White said in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ students who are applying currently … to know what our plans are.
” “ This decision comes at a good time as high school and transfer students have until Dec. 15 to complete their applications for fall admission , ” Chancellor-select Joseph I. Castro , who takes over in January , said in a statement .
“ I urge eligible students across the Golden State to apply for admission to one or more CSU campuses.
” In May , the nation ’ s largest four-year university system similarly came out early with a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was to announce the move to offer almost all-virtual instruction .
Despite that decision , overall enrollment at the university surged to a record high this fall , surpassing 485,000 students .
But the number of first-time freshmen dropped significantly , and enrollment also fell at some Northern California campuses , following trends from previous years .
Those latter drops were likely on university officials ’ minds as they weighed options for next year .
Already the Cal State system has extended its application deadline for students planning to enter in fall 2021 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Officials have said that they wanted to ease the burden on students who had experienced challenges as a result of the pandemic and ensure that the deadline was not a barrier to applications .
Some high school counselors and students have predicted a drop-off in applications , especially among low-income and first-generation students who have pressing financial and family concerns to attend to and who lack the resources at home to apply on their own .
White said he had noticed a slight increase in the number of “ in-progress ” applications @ @ @ @ @ @ @ potential first-time and transfer students have begun but not yet completed .
“ It could simply be that they ’ re busy , or they ’ re waiting ” until the deadline — but it could also be that they ’ re hesitating , White said .
He wanted to provide students some certainty about what next fall would look like .
“ California can ill-afford to lose a generation of students… .
I want to turn every stone to make sure that those individual students keep their doors open for their future @ @ @ @ @ @ @ application fee waivers and “ robust financial aid ” are available to students who are experiencing financial difficulties .
The Cal State system will be offering primarily virtual instruction for the rest of the academic year amid a statewide surge in cases .
But White , whose academic background is in the life sciences , said that current research and promising news about a vaccine gave him the confidence to make a different decision for eight months from now .
He said he has always been guided by the “ twin north stars @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of campus communities and advancing students ’ progress to degrees .
“ And if things change , the university will be nimble , ” he said .
Cal State systemwide academic senate chair Robert Keith Collins said White consulted with him ahead of the announcement , and that Collins relayed the faculty ’ s concerns about an in-person return .
Those included questions about how the university would limit the risk of transmission if herd immunity hasn ’ t been achieved , protocols to enforce mask-wearing and vaccination , procedures for dealing with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a vaccine , and the cost burden of such a return .
“ It really is important for faculty to know this is going to be a safe environment , ” Collins said .
He added that older faculty , those at higher risk of complications from the virus , and those living in multi-generational households should be given the option of working remotely until herd immunity is achieved .
Charles Toombs , president of the California Faculty Assn.
, the union that represents Cal State faculty , said in a statement that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was not consulted prior to the announcement , but that it was “ cautiously optimistic ” about a safe return to campus next fall .
“ There are positive indicators that the U.S. will gain a better handle on COVID-19 by fall 2021 , including the impending distribution of a vaccine and the election of a new leader of federal efforts , ” Toombs said .
Zahraa Khuraibet , president of the Cal State Students ’ Assn.
, said she was grateful the chancellor ’ s office came out early with a plan @ @ @ @ @ @ @ requested .
“ I at least feel comfortable that the decision is going to be based on science , ” she said .
“ I ’ m happy that there ’ s some hope for us .
”

CSU officials hope potential students will be encouraged to apply now for in-person instruction beginning in August.
Six days before its application window closes, the California State University system serving nearly half a million students has announced a plan for all 23 of its campuses to reopen next fall after more than a year of virtual instruction amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
The early announcement is aimed at helping students and families as they plan for next year — and as they decide whether to apply to Cal State, university leaders said.
“We want to return as much as we can to the in-person university,” Chancellor Timothy P. White said in an interview. “We want our students who are applying currently … to know what our plans are.”
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“This decision comes at a good time as high school and transfer students have until Dec. 15 to complete their applications for fall admission,” Chancellor-select Joseph I. Castro, who takes over in January, said in a statement. “I urge eligible students across the Golden State to apply for admission to one or more CSU campuses.”
In May, the nation’s largest four-year university system similarly came out early with a plan for fall semester — except it was to announce the move to offer almost all-virtual instruction.
Despite that decision, overall enrollment at the university surged to a record high this fall, surpassing 485,000 students. But the number of first-time freshmen dropped significantly, and enrollment also fell at some Northern California campuses, following trends from previous years.
Those latter drops were likely on university officials’ minds as they weighed options for next year.
Already the Cal State system has extended its application deadline for students planning to enter in fall 2021 by 11 days, to Dec. 15. Officials have said that they wanted to ease the burden on students who had experienced challenges as a result of the pandemic and ensure that the deadline was not a barrier to applications.
Some high school counselors and students have predicted a drop-off in applications, especially among low-income and first-generation students who have pressing financial and family concerns to attend to and who lack the resources at home to apply on their own.
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White said he had noticed a slight increase in the number of “in-progress” applications to Cal State campuses — applications that potential first-time and transfer students have begun but not yet completed.
“It could simply be that they’re busy, or they’re waiting” until the deadline — but it could also be that they’re hesitating, White said. He wanted to provide students some certainty about what next fall would look like.
“California can ill-afford to lose a generation of students…. I want to turn every stone to make sure that those individual students keep their doors open for their future,” White said, adding that application fee waivers and “robust financial aid” are available to students who are experiencing financial difficulties.
The Cal State system will be offering primarily virtual instruction for the rest of the academic year amid a statewide surge in cases. But White, whose academic background is in the life sciences, said that current research and promising news about a vaccine gave him the confidence to make a different decision for eight months from now.
He said he has always been guided by the “twin north stars” of ensuring the health and safety of campus communities and advancing students’ progress to degrees.
“And if things change, the university will be nimble,” he said.
Cal State systemwide academic senate chair Robert Keith Collins said White consulted with him ahead of the announcement, and that Collins relayed the faculty’s concerns about an in-person return. Those included questions about how the university would limit the risk of transmission if herd immunity hasn’t been achieved, protocols to enforce mask-wearing and vaccination, procedures for dealing with any individuals who are opposed to receiving a vaccine, and the cost burden of such a return.
“It really is important for faculty to know this is going to be a safe environment,” Collins said.
He added that older faculty, those at higher risk of complications from the virus, and those living in multi-generational households should be given the option of working remotely until herd immunity is achieved.
Charles Toombs, president of the California Faculty Assn., the union that represents Cal State faculty, said in a statement that the association was “disappointed” it was not consulted prior to the announcement, but that it was “cautiously optimistic” about a safe return to campus next fall.
“There are positive indicators that the U.S. will gain a better handle on COVID-19 by fall 2021, including the impending distribution of a vaccine and the election of a new leader of federal efforts,” Toombs said.
Zahraa Khuraibet, president of the Cal State Students’ Assn., said she was grateful the chancellor’s office came out early with a plan for next year, as students had requested.
“I at least feel comfortable that the decision is going to be based on science,” she said. “I’m happy that there’s some hope for us.”


latimes--2020-12-09--'Gimme Shelter': How 'crime-free housing' rules prevented a family from renting

Across the country over the last three decades , cities and police departments have approved policies that empower landlords to evict or exclude tenants who have had prior criminal convictions or new brushes with law enforcement .
The programs are especially widespread in California , where at least 147 cities and counties have approved what are known as “ crime-free housing ” rules , according to a new Times investigation .
The investigation found that these programs have disproportionately affected Black and Latino tenants , making it harder for them to rent apartments and leaving them at greater risk of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Gim me Shelter : The California Housing Crisis Podcast , ” we discuss the effects of crime-free housing policies in California and note that adoption of the programs has often coincided with the migration of Black and Latino residents from central cities to suburban communities .
Our guest is Terrance Stewart , who was unable to find housing with his wife and two children in Riverside due to background checks , conducted under crime-free housing rules , that flagged his cocaine-dealing conviction .
Stewart ’ s family still struggled to find a place @ @ @ @ @ @ @ master ’ s degree from UC Riverside and his conviction was almost a decade old .
“ , ” a biweekly podcast that looks at why it ’ s so expensive to live in California and what the state can do about it , features Liam Dillon , who covers housing affordability issues for the Los Angeles Times , and Matt Levin , data and housing reporter for .
You can subscribe to “ Gim me Shelter ” on , , , and .

Terrance Stewart stands for a portrait outside the apartment where he lives with his family in Colton, Calif.
Across the country over the last three decades, cities and police departments have approved policies that empower landlords to evict or exclude tenants who have had prior criminal convictions or new brushes with law enforcement. The programs are especially widespread in California, where at least 147 cities and counties have approved what are known as “crime-free housing” rules, according to a new Times investigation. The investigation found that these programs have disproportionately affected Black and Latino tenants, making it harder for them to rent apartments and leaving them at greater risk of eviction.
On this episode of “Gimme Shelter: The California Housing Crisis Podcast,” we discuss the effects of crime-free housing policies in California and note that adoption of the programs has often coincided with the migration of Black and Latino residents from central cities to suburban communities. Our guest is Terrance Stewart, who was unable to find housing with his wife and two children in Riverside due to background checks, conducted under crime-free housing rules, that flagged his cocaine-dealing conviction. Stewart’s family still struggled to find a place to live after he graduated with a master’s degree from UC Riverside and his conviction was almost a decade old.
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“ Gimme Shelter ,”a biweekly podcast that looks at why it’s so expensive to live in California and what the state can do about it, features Liam Dillon, who covers housing affordability issues for the Los Angeles Times, and Matt Levin, data and housing reporter for CalMatters .