latimes--2020-04-15--So much is unknown about the pandemic because the government keeps a lid on it

It is a tragedy unfolding in real time .
At a skilled nursing facility in the Tulare County town of Visalia , 71 residents and 41 staffers have tested positive for the novel coronavirus .
Six residents at the 176-bed Redwood Springs Healthcare Center are dead and eight are in acute care , according to Anita Hubbard , the center ’ s administrator .
But without Hubbard ’ s details , little would be known about one of California ’ s worst outbreaks of the deadly virus in a senior facility .
Tulare County stopped commenting for five days , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ skyrocketed .
Like other cities and counties statewide , California doesn ’ t require it to release such information , even in the midst of a pandemic .
As the novel coronavirus continues to claim hundreds of lives across California , a secondary victim of the crisis is emerging : government transparency .
Much of what we know about COVID-19 in nursing homes and senior facilities did not come from public agencies , but private sources : relatives , staff members and administrators .
“ I want updates , ” said Christina Valencia @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people testing positive for the disease at a nursing home in Redondo Beach .
“ You should have a right to know how many residents are positive.
” Californians are in the dark about more than nursing homes .
Information about the availability of personal protective equipment , or PPE , is lacking , upping the anxiety of healthcare workers .
Coroners aren ’ t releasing information about deaths .
Until recently , California was not releasing information about the racial breakdown of people who were infected and killed .
Government confusion has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and has potentially compromised California ’ s response , some health and civil liberties experts argue .
But there are few rules for what cities and counties must disclose and little direction from California ’ s top officials , including Gov .
Gavin Newsom , on what must be communicated in an urgent moment .
Dr. Richard Jackson , who served as California ’ s state health officer under Gov .
Arnold Schwarzenegger , said it ’ s crucial that public health agencies and political leaders keep residents informed by sharing data on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ demographics in their communities .
“ As the general principle , the public has a right to important information that would influence their own health , ” said Jackson , a professor emeritus at the UCLA Fielding School of Public Health .
Such transparency , some experts said , is essential for maintaining public trust amid the catastrophe .
“ Mistrust is the enemy of good public policy and certainly good public health policy , ” said Jeffrey Kahn , head of the Johns Hopkins Berman Institute of Bioethics .
With California waging @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fast-moving pandemic , state and local agencies are overwhelmed , and some difficulty sharing information is inevitable .
Yet California ’ s halting release of key knowledge is alarming groups that look out for the vulnerable and disadvantaged .
Last week , the American Civil Liberties Union of Northern California sent Newsom a letter requesting more transparency about the pandemic ’ s effect on people of color and other at-risk groups .
“ From what we ’ ve seen thus far , we know that this virus has been impacting black communities and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ happening here in California , ” said Abre ’ Conner , staff attorney for the ACLU of Northern California .
“ We ’ d like to see more data now , today.
” Conner said the requirement for local data collection and release needs to come from the state , which she argues is best suited to set perimeters , instead of leaving counties and cities to make their own decisions .
“ California is really behind the ball in ensuring there is comprehensive data available , ” she said .
“ We @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we don ’ t have any accountability.
” The fallout from inadequate information can be seen not just in Tulare , but in nursing homes and eldercare facilities around the state .
Yolo County , home of UC Davis , Monday announced a nursing home there had an outbreak of 35 cases , including 12 staff members and one fatality .
But it refused to name the facility , citing privacy concerns similar to Tulare County .
Sacramento and Alameda counties have also come under fire for failing to give details around elder @ @ @ @ @ @ @ County has been releasing the names of all elder facilities with a single confirmed positive case since late March .
The dearth of information frustrates family members , who , in at least one case , came close to unknowingly spreading the virus from one senior facility to another .
A few weeks ago , a woman named Marcia was hoping to reunite her two elderly parents , who both had Alzheimer ’ s and had been living in separate facilities because they needed different levels of care .
The plan by Marcia @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not be used to protect her family ’ s privacy , was to move her father from the Alameda Care Center in Burbank facility to the Jewish Home in Reseda , where her mom lived .
Marcia was unaware that an outbreak had occurred at the Alameda Care Center — it happened before L.A. County started releasing information about infections at senior homes .
Fortunately , one nurse in Burbank notified a nurse at the Jewish home because they were friends .
The facility quarantined and tested Marcia ’ s father based on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lucky , ” said Dr. Noah Marco , chief medical officer at the Jewish Home .
Marcia ’ s father was less fortunate .
He developed the tell-tale symptoms of COVID-19 .
Four days later , he died , without ever seeing his wife .
In recent days , Newsom has acknowledged the need for greater clarity and access to the data being used to make decisions .
“ Understandably people are eager for transparency in real time , ” he said during an online briefing .
“ Every day we are [ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” It ’ s not just the public that is sometimes left out of the loop .
On April 7 , Newsom announced that California had secured a monthly supply of 200 million N95 respiratory and surgical masks to help protect healthcare workers .
The governor did not announce the procurement during his daily media briefings , but on “ The Rachel Maddow Show.
” That left some lawmakers surprised , because they would have to authorize the purchase within days .
“ Under normal circumstances , the Legislature would have had more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ magnitude , ” wrote state Sen. Holly Mitchell ( D-Los Angeles ) , chair of the joint legislative budget committee , in a letter to Newsom last week , asking for more clarity on the terms of the deal .
Mitchell later said in an interview that she supported Newsom ’ s move and understood the need for speed .
But in the letter , she requested the state immediately start a public website to document its inventory of protective gear and where it ’ s being distributed to ensure supplies wind up @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Frank Girardot , spokesman for BYD , the company that would supply the masks , said it hoped to have quality testing required for federal certifications completed by the end of the month , and shipping could begin then .
The state has yet to respond to The Times ’ public record request for the contract .
It also hasn ’ t responded to numerous other records requests , including one seeking information on PPE the state has requested and received from the federal government .
For government agencies , information sharing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the time involved in collecting data , said Dr. Paul Simon , chief science officer at the Los Angeles County of Public Health .
A lack of unified systems is also a problem at the state and local levels .
“ We don ’ t have this one big , massive information system that allows us to share information electronically at a moment ’ s notice , unfortunately , ” Simon said .
Last month , the League of California Cities sent a letter to Newsom asking for a delay of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ city resources and personnel are stretched thin ” during the outbreak .
“ Depending on how long the COVID-19 pandemic lasts , cities may not be able to physically access certain records due to office closures , limited staffing , or limited IT capability until they are permitted back into city offices , ” said Corrie Manning , general counsel for the league , which represents nearly 500 cities in the state .
The governor ’ s office did not respond to questions about the league ’ s request .
David Snyder @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Coalition , said while he agrees that records relating to the pandemic are vital information that should be released , “ those are not the only records that matter.
” “ There are so many opportunities in a crisis like this for government officials to abuse their powers while everyone ’ s eyes are off the ball , ” Snyder said .
Despite the tremendous stress of the pandemic , public health officials still have an obligation — and a need — to provide information , said Jackson , the state health officer @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to lose your credibility is to give out incorrect information , ” he said .
“ The second fastest way would be to give out no information .
”

Anita Chabria, Jack Dolan, Ben Poston, Matt Hamilton

Gov. Gavin Newsom, flanked by Mark Ghilarducci, director of the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services, left, and Navy Adm. John Gumbleton, speaks in front of the hospital ship Mercy at the Port of Los Angeles on March 27.
It is a tragedy unfolding in real time. At a skilled nursing facility in the Tulare County town of Visalia, 71 residents and 41 staffers have tested positive for the novel coronavirus. Six residents at the 176-bed Redwood Springs Healthcare Center are dead and eight are in acute care, according to Anita Hubbard, the center’s administrator.
But without Hubbard’s details, little would be known about one of California’s worst outbreaks of the deadly virus in a senior facility. Tulare County stopped commenting for five days, during which the numbers of positive cases skyrocketed. Like other cities and counties statewide, California doesn’t require it to release such information, even in the midst of a pandemic.
As the novel coronavirus continues to claim hundreds of lives across California, a secondary victim of the crisis is emerging: government transparency. Much of what we know about COVID-19 in nursing homes and senior facilities did not come from public agencies, but private sources: relatives, staff members and administrators.
California 20 heartwarming photos show gratitude for healthcare workers Firefighters and law enforcement officers from L.A. to Laguna Beach express their gratitude to healthcare workers for their efforts in fighting COVID-19.
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“I want updates,” said Christina Valencia, whose grandmother was among the several people testing positive for the disease at a nursing home in Redondo Beach. “You should have a right to know how many residents are positive.”
Californians are in the dark about more than nursing homes.
Information about the availability of personal protective equipment, or PPE, is lacking, upping the anxiety of healthcare workers. Coroners aren’t releasing information about deaths. Until recently, California was not releasing information about the racial breakdown of people who were infected and killed.
Government confusion has undermined public understanding of the crisis, and has potentially compromised California’s response, some health and civil liberties experts argue. But there are few rules for what cities and counties must disclose and little direction from California’s top officials, including Gov. Gavin Newsom, on what must be communicated in an urgent moment.
Dr. Richard Jackson, who served as California’s state health officer under Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, said it’s crucial that public health agencies and political leaders keep residents informed by sharing data on local hot spots, infection rates and demographics in their communities.
“As the general principle, the public has a right to important information that would influence their own health,” said Jackson, a professor emeritus at the UCLA Fielding School of Public Health.
Such transparency, some experts said, is essential for maintaining public trust amid the catastrophe.
“Mistrust is the enemy of good public policy and certainly good public health policy,” said Jeffrey Kahn, head of the Johns Hopkins Berman Institute of Bioethics.
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With California waging a blitzkrieg campaign to fight back the fast-moving pandemic, state and local agencies are overwhelmed, and some difficulty sharing information is inevitable. Yet California’s halting release of key knowledge is alarming groups that look out for the vulnerable and disadvantaged.
Last week, the American Civil Liberties Union of Northern California sent Newsom a letter requesting more transparency about the pandemic’s effect on people of color and other at-risk groups.
“From what we’ve seen thus far, we know that this virus has been impacting black communities and we have no idea what is necessarily happening here in California,” said Abre’ Conner, staff attorney for the ACLU of Northern California. “We’d like to see more data now, today.”
Conner said the requirement for local data collection and release needs to come from the state, which she argues is best suited to set perimeters, instead of leaving counties and cities to make their own decisions.
“California is really behind the ball in ensuring there is comprehensive data available,” she said. “We don’t have any data, we don’t have any accountability.”
The fallout from inadequate information can be seen not just in Tulare, but in nursing homes and eldercare facilities around the state. Yolo County, home of UC Davis, Monday announced a nursing home there had an outbreak of 35 cases, including 12 staff members and one fatality. But it refused to name the facility, citing privacy concerns similar to Tulare County.
Sacramento and Alameda counties have also come under fire for failing to give details around elder facilities.
By contrast, Los Angeles County has been releasing the names of all elder facilities with a single confirmed positive case since late March.
The dearth of information frustrates family members, who, in at least one case, came close to unknowingly spreading the virus from one senior facility to another.
Tracking the coronavirus in California The latest maps and charts on the spread of COVID-19 in California.
A few weeks ago, a woman named Marcia was hoping to reunite her two elderly parents, who both had Alzheimer’s and had been living in separate facilities because they needed different levels of care. The plan by Marcia, who asked that her last name not be used to protect her family’s privacy, was to move her father from the Alameda Care Center in Burbank facility to the Jewish Home in Reseda, where her mom lived.
Marcia was unaware that an outbreak had occurred at the Alameda Care Center — it happened before L.A. County started releasing information about infections at senior homes.
Fortunately, one nurse in Burbank notified a nurse at the Jewish home because they were friends. The facility quarantined and tested Marcia’s father based on the unofficial advice.
“We got lucky,” said Dr. Noah Marco, chief medical officer at the Jewish Home.
Marcia’s father was less fortunate. He developed the tell-tale symptoms of COVID-19. Four days later, he died, without ever seeing his wife.
In recent days, Newsom has acknowledged the need for greater clarity and access to the data being used to make decisions.
“Understandably people are eager for transparency in real time,” he said during an online briefing. “Every day we are [working] as quickly as we can.”
It’s not just the public that is sometimes left out of the loop.
On April 7, Newsom announced that California had secured a monthly supply of 200 million N95 respiratory and surgical masks to help protect healthcare workers. The governor did not announce the procurement during his daily media briefings, but on “The Rachel Maddow Show.” That left some lawmakers surprised, because they would have to authorize the purchase within days.
“Under normal circumstances, the Legislature would have had more time to deliberate an expenditure of this magnitude,” wrote state Sen. Holly Mitchell (D-Los Angeles), chair of the joint legislative budget committee, in a letter to Newsom last week, asking for more clarity on the terms of the deal.
Mitchell later said in an interview that she supported Newsom’s move and understood the need for speed. But in the letter, she requested the state immediately start a public website to document its inventory of protective gear and where it’s being distributed to ensure supplies wind up where they are most needed.
Tuesday, Frank Girardot, spokesman for BYD, the company that would supply the masks, said it hoped to have quality testing required for federal certifications completed by the end of the month, and shipping could begin then.
The state has yet to respond to The Times’ public record request for the contract. It also hasn’t responded to numerous other records requests, including one seeking information on PPE the state has requested and received from the federal government.
For government agencies, information sharing is fraught with difficulties, partly because of the time involved in collecting data, said Dr. Paul Simon, chief science officer at the Los Angeles County of Public Health. A lack of unified systems is also a problem at the state and local levels.
“We don’t have this one big, massive information system that allows us to share information electronically at a moment’s notice, unfortunately,” Simon said.
Last month, the League of California Cities sent a letter to Newsom asking for a delay of the state’s public records act as “city resources and personnel are stretched thin” during the outbreak.
“Depending on how long the COVID-19 pandemic lasts, cities may not be able to physically access certain records due to office closures, limited staffing, or limited IT capability until they are permitted back into city offices,” said Corrie Manning, general counsel for the league, which represents nearly 500 cities in the state.
California Some California cities suspend public records requests because of coronavirus Some local governments are halting responses to public records requests. An activist says California’s open records law is more important now than ever.
The governor’s office did not respond to questions about the league’s request.
David Snyder, executive director of the First Amendment Coalition, said while he agrees that records relating to the pandemic are vital information that should be released, “those are not the only records that matter.”
“There are so many opportunities in a crisis like this for government officials to abuse their powers while everyone’s eyes are off the ball,” Snyder said.
Despite the tremendous stress of the pandemic, public health officials still have an obligation — and a need — to provide information, said Jackson, the state health officer under Schwarzenegger.
“The fastest way to lose your credibility is to give out incorrect information,” he said. “The second fastest way would be to give out no information.”
Times staff writer Melanie Mason contributed to this report.


latimes--2020-04-15--In rural San Bernardino County, officials work to slow the spread of coronavirus in small towns

As a San Bernardino County supervisor , Dawn Rowe serves communities from high up in the snow-capped San Bernardino Mountains to the edges of the Mojave Desert and the rural outposts in between .
In her 3rd District , one town is facing an outbreak of the novel coronavirus at a skilled nursing facility where five residents have died ; a stream of visitors coming into Joshua Tree National Park and parking on private property led to a shutdown of the park ; and local officials have been forced to track down those skirting orders to stop housing visitors .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ understand the trade-offs of choosing to live away from a city and its access to more resources , said Rowe , who lives in Yucca Valley .
But a potential spread of the coronavirus could put a strain on their small communities if outsiders continue to come for what locals are calling the “ COVID vacation.
” “ We have just such limited supplies , we don ’ t have hospitals that can care for large numbers , ” she said .
“ So it ’ s not really the place you want @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” San Bernardino County officials face a challenge in limiting the spread of the coronavirus because of the area ’ s size — it is in the continental U.S. , with about 2 million residents spread out over more than 20,000 square miles , including tourist-driven sites such as Big Bear and the Joshua Tree National Park .
A large percentage of the county ’ s population is concentrated in the western region that borders Los Angeles and Orange counties , but officials are working on increasing resources to far-out rural communities across @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ We don ’ t want anyone to feel like because they live in the mountains , they don ’ t get the same opportunities as people who live in [ the city of ] San Bernardino , ” said Lana Culp , spokeswoman for the county Public Health Department .
“ For the most part , we ’ re struggling just the same as anyone else.
” To meet residents ’ demand for testing , county and local officials have set up drive-through sites across the county , ranging from a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to about 177,000 residents , to a parking lot up in the mountain community of Big Bear Lake , where the year-round population is about 5,000 .
“ We understand the high demand for COVID-19 testing in our county and we are making every effort to organize drive-through events throughout the county , ” Curt Hagman , chairman of the county Board of Supervisors , said in a statement .
The thought that rural communities would be immune from the fast-spreading virus was quickly dispelled in the county , which reported 977 confirmed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
As city dwellers left behind their densely populated surroundings for the space and solitude of the desert and mountains , permanent residents became wary .
Fontana , the second-largest city in the county , has 120 confirmed cases .
But in Yucaipa , with about a quarter of Fontana ’ s population , an outbreak at a skilled nursing facility has driven the total to 104 .
Big Bear Lake Mayor Rick Herrick became the first resident in the town to test positive for COVID-19 in mid-March .
He does not know @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , but he found it difficult to breathe , made worse by being at an elevation of nearly 7,000 feet .
“ It almost felt like I had accidentally , somehow , breathed in toothpicks ” that became stuck in his lungs , he said .
Including Herrick , there have been only three confirmed cases in the town , where the daffodils and tulips are starting to appear , but a drive-through testing site on Friday may help identify more , Herrick said .
During a normal year , Big Bear Lake @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 50,000 after receiving a good amount of snow , which it got last weekend , City Manager Frank A .
Rush Jr. said .
But a virus outbreak on the mountain with that many people could be disastrous ; the lone community hospital can accommodate only about 30 patients after boosting capacity , and it has seven ventilators , he said .
So the city has closed hotels and resorts as residents ’ concerns mount that visitors could bring the virus with them .
Public parking lots have been closed .
And while @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reservations , at least seven groups of visitors have been asked to leave as the city cracked down on self-managing services such as Airbnb , Rush said .
“ Normally we ’ d be welcoming everybody with open arms , so it ’ s kind of a hard message for us to send , to tell visitors to stay away , ” he said .
Yucca Valley Mayor Jeff Drozd expressed a similar struggle as potential visitors contacted him in recent days to see whether he ’ d rent out his guesthouse — @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , which has a state welcome center and is one of the last stops for most people traveling to Joshua Tree National Park , collects revenue from visitors who frequent its shops and restaurants .
And although residents will be hit hard by the economic loss , he said , they are conforming to safety measures .
“ People are really concerned now , ” he said , counting himself among those who initially believed the region was insulated from the virus .
“ Whatever you think , if it ’ s real @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that to help other people feel at ease.
” In Yucaipa , a town in the foothills of the San Bernardino Mountains , an outbreak at the Cedar Mountain Post Acute Rehabilitation facility accounts for a majority of the city ’ s mounting cases .
Five residents of the facility have died of coronavirus-related complications , the county said .
Elizabeth Tyler , a spokeswoman for the facility , said healthy patients have been separated from those who are infected .
A large number of the reported cases were people who were asymptomatic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ members don ’ t know how the spread started .
Mayor David Avila has asked for assistance from both the county , to ramp up testing , and the state , which regulates the facility .
Most Yucaipa residents have complied with the stay-at-home directives and social distancing measures , he said .
Residents have even effectively shamed nonessential businesses on social media for refusing to close , he said .
Avila also counts himself among those who initially believed the region was insulated from the virus .
“ We ’ re kind @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he said .
“ We just had a little , ‘ Eh , it won ’ t come to our town.
’ But it did .
”

A public health care worker collects a nasal swab from Joshua Donnan for coronavirus testing at a drive-through sample collection event held by the San Bernardino County Department of Public Health in Montclair, Calif., on Tuesday.
As a San Bernardino County supervisor, Dawn Rowe serves communities from high up in the snow-capped San Bernardino Mountains to the edges of the Mojave Desert and the rural outposts in between.
In her 3rd District, one town is facing an outbreak of the novel coronavirus at a skilled nursing facility where five residents have died; a stream of visitors coming into Joshua Tree National Park and parking on private property led to a shutdown of the park; and local officials have been forced to track down those skirting orders to stop housing visitors.
People who live in a rural area understand the trade-offs of choosing to live away from a city and its access to more resources, said Rowe, who lives in Yucca Valley. But a potential spread of the coronavirus could put a strain on their small communities if outsiders continue to come for what locals are calling the “COVID vacation.”
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“We have just such limited supplies, we don’t have hospitals that can care for large numbers,” she said. “So it’s not really the place you want to be if you’re sick.”
San Bernardino County officials face a challenge in limiting the spread of the coronavirus because of the area’s size — it is the largest county in the continental U.S., with about 2 million residents spread out over more than 20,000 square miles, including tourist-driven sites such as Big Bear and Joshua Tree National Park.
A large percentage of the county’s population is concentrated in the western region that borders Los Angeles and Orange counties, but officials are working on increasing resources to far-out rural communities across the valley, mountain and desert regions.
“We don’t want anyone to feel like because they live in the mountains, they don’t get the same opportunities as people who live in [the city of] San Bernardino,” said Lana Culp, spokeswoman for the county Public Health Department. “For the most part, we’re struggling just the same as anyone else.”
To meet residents’ demand for testing, county and local officials have set up drive-through sites across the county, ranging from a baseball stadium in Rancho Cucamonga, home to about 177,000 residents, to a parking lot up in the mountain community of Big Bear Lake, where the year-round population is about 5,000.
“We understand the high demand for COVID-19 testing in our county and we are making every effort to organize drive-through events throughout the county,” Curt Hagman, chairman of the county Board of Supervisors, said in a statement.
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The thought that rural communities would be immune from the fast-spreading virus was quickly dispelled in the county, which reported 977 confirmed cases of COVID-19 and 31 fatalities Monday. As city dwellers left behind their densely populated surroundings for the space and solitude of the desert and mountains, permanent residents became wary.
Fontana, the second-largest city in the county, has 120 confirmed cases. But in Yucaipa, with about a quarter of Fontana’s population, an outbreak at a skilled nursing facility has driven the total to 104.
Big Bear Lake Mayor Rick Herrick became the first resident in the town to test positive for COVID-19 in mid-March. He does not know how he became ill, he said, but he found it difficult to breathe, made worse by being at an elevation of nearly 7,000 feet.
“It almost felt like I had accidentally, somehow, breathed in toothpicks” that became stuck in his lungs, he said.
Including Herrick, there have been only three confirmed cases in the town, where the daffodils and tulips are starting to appear, but a drive-through testing site on Friday may help identify more, Herrick said.
During a normal year, Big Bear Lake’s population can swell to about 50,000 after receiving a good amount of snow, which it got last weekend, City Manager Frank A. Rush Jr. said. But a virus outbreak on the mountain with that many people could be disastrous; the lone community hospital can accommodate only about 30 patients after boosting capacity, and it has seven ventilators, he said.
So the city has closed hotels and resorts as residents’ concerns mount that visitors could bring the virus with them. Public parking lots have been closed. And while large rental companies have complied by canceling reservations, at least seven groups of visitors have been asked to leave as the city cracked down on self-managing services such as Airbnb, Rush said.
“Normally we’d be welcoming everybody with open arms, so it’s kind of a hard message for us to send, to tell visitors to stay away,” he said.
Yucca Valley Mayor Jeff Drozd expressed a similar struggle as potential visitors contacted him in recent days to see whether he’d rent out his guesthouse — he won’t. The town, which has a state welcome center and is one of the last stops for most people traveling to Joshua Tree National Park, collects revenue from visitors who frequent its shops and restaurants. And although residents will be hit hard by the economic loss, he said, they are conforming to safety measures.
“People are really concerned now,” he said, counting himself among those who initially believed the region was insulated from the virus. “Whatever you think, if it’s real or not, you have to do that to help other people feel at ease.”
In Yucaipa, a town in the foothills of the San Bernardino Mountains, an outbreak at the Cedar Mountain Post Acute Rehabilitation facility accounts for a majority of the city’s mounting cases. Five residents of the facility have died of coronavirus-related complications, the county said.
Elizabeth Tyler, a spokeswoman for the facility, said healthy patients have been separated from those who are infected. A large number of the reported cases were people who were asymptomatic, Tyler said, adding that staff members don’t know how the spread started.
Mayor David Avila has asked for assistance from both the county, to ramp up testing, and the state, which regulates the facility. Most Yucaipa residents have complied with the stay-at-home directives and social distancing measures, he said. Residents have even effectively shamed nonessential businesses on social media for refusing to close, he said.
Avila also counts himself among those who initially believed the region was insulated from the virus.
“We’re kind of out of the way,” he said. “We just had a little, ‘Eh, it won’t come to our town.’ But it did.”


latimes--2020-04-15--Column: The medical supplies were sitting in storage. Then this healthcare team sent them to the fro

Column: The medical supplies were sitting in storage. Then this healthcare team sent them to the front lines

Good people doing good things in troubled times .
It ’ s a story that doesn ’ t get old , and here ’ s one more chapter .
In ordinary times , a Glendale-based nonprofit called Mending Kids sends volunteer medical teams around the world to perform pediatric surgery on children in need .
But the coronavirus crisis forced a pause for a charity that has flown to the rescue in more than a dozen countries over the last 15 years and served more than 4,000 kids .
“ All of a sudden our surgical missions were grounded , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Isabelle Fox .
“ Our doctors still wanted to travel , but the risk to them was that they ’ d be quarantined when they got back home , and their practices would take serious hits.
” As a result , stockpiled medical equipment intended for foreign service was sitting unused while stories about supply shortages at U.S. clinics and hospitals abounded .
Mending Kids had hundreds of masks , along with gowns , face shields and oxygen supply equipment .
“ My first instinct was — how can we have the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ here at home ?
” said Fox .
Fox first checked with the doctors , nurses and other medical staff who volunteer with Mending Kids and provided equipment to those who needed it at their regular workplaces .
Fox also wanted to get equipment to anyone doing social and medical outreach for L.A. County ’ s thousands of homeless people .
To that end , Fox called a friend , and before long she was connected to Sieglinde von Deffner , an L.A. County coordinator of skid row services .
Von Deffner , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the many unsung heroes who for years has worked the streets here in the homeless capital of the United States .
I once wrote about a woman living in her car at a hospital where she was getting dialysis treatment , and someone asked me , “ Have you called Sieglinde ?
” I hadn ’ t but after I did , the dialysis patient got housed .
When Fox caught up with her in mid-March , Von Deffner and the county ’ s Housing for Health team had been temporarily redeployed from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Playa del Rey , where teams were setting up isolation and quarantine units for COVID-19 patients and those exposed to the disease .
Some of the few dozen people in the temporary housing were homeless , some had been in shelters , some were living in overcrowded conditions .
The point was to get them proper medical treatment and limit the spread of the virus .
At that point , the workers already had protective equipment , Von Deffner said , but she knew that N95 masks and other supplies could be hard @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the L.A. County Health Services Department ’ s medical director on the Dockweiler team , Dr. Heidi Behforouz , if they could use a donation from Mending Kids .
“ She said , ‘ Heck yeah , we ’ ll take it , ’ ” said Von Deffner .
“ The conditions were really challenging because of the wind at Dockweiler , ” said Von Deffner , something that made contact with sick clients seem all the riskier .
She said she maintained a six-foot distance between herself and the others , but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ contact with the clients they were caring for .
Back at Mending Kids headquarters , Fox , volunteer Bob Rubaszewski and others began loading supplies into vehicles .
One of the organization ’ s doctors — ear , nose and throat specialist Dr. Ayal Willner — was there for a board meeting and helped sift through the supplies to determine what might be most useful to a quarantine camp .
“ I said let ’ s go , ” Willner told me , and he drove one of the vehicles to Dockweiler , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Willner , a board member at Mending Kids , has traveled to far-off places to perform surgery and help train foreign medical teams , so there ’ s a sustainable service in place .
He is scheduled to travel to Tanzania in June , but fears that mission will be postponed .
He also works on Mending Kids ’ L.A. mission , which is to perform surgeries on local children who don ’ t have access to healthcare and are bullied for scars or physical maladies .
“ I ’ m thankful to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Guatemala and help people there and to train their physicians , and also to help here with our hometown mission , ” Willner said .
“ It ’ s an honor.
” The delivered equipment was put to good use , Von Deffner said , and the Dockweiler camp served its purpose until the county was able to move clients there and the medical team to a hotel in Bell Gardens .
But the relationship between the county and Mending Kids didn ’ t end there .
The usual medical supply chain @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and it ’ s now a case of “ grab what you can wherever you can get it.
” Mending Kids , because of its global connections , has been able to scramble , tap sources and get supplies .
And Fox has kept in touch with Von Deffner .
“ We did more fundraising through our donors , ” Fox said , “ and were able to buy masks and face shields and gloves , and I called Sieglinde back and said , ‘ Is this gon na make a difference @ @ @ @ @ @ @ last Friday I loaded a couple hundred face shields and N95 masks ... and we had a portable ventilator we use for kids who are having open heart surgery.
” Fox delivered most of the equipment to Von Deffner but took the ventilator to MLK Hospital .
“ I know everybody is crazy for ventilators right now , ” she said .
“ They had 11 ventilators on hand and 10 were in use with six more on order .
And today , I coordinated for another ventilator to be sent to them.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ the latest donation from Mending Kids is now in use at the hotel that ’ s serving as an isolation and quarantine center .
The rest is being used by the public and nonprofit medical teams serving skid row , where Von Deffner is working again .
And she said Fox has told her she ’ ll be shipping more supplies , including a large stash of masks , as soon as she gets her hands on them .
We ’ ll have lots of dark and painful memories when , down the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ prolonged test of our resolve .
We ’ ll think about the loss of so many lives , the blow to so many businesses and the economic hardship suffered by millions .
But we ’ ll also remember this as a time when a day did not go by without a story about somebody doing something good for somebody else .
You can find more information on the Mending Kids mission , and how to support the cause , at mendingkids.org .

Good people doing good things in troubled times. It’s a story that doesn’t get old, and here’s one more chapter.
In ordinary times, a Glendale-based nonprofit called Mending Kids sends volunteer medical teams around the world to perform pediatric surgery on children in need. But the coronavirus crisis forced a pause for a charity that has flown to the rescue in more than a dozen countries over the last 15 years and served more than 4,000 kids.
“All of a sudden our surgical missions were grounded,” said Mending Kids’ executive director, Isabelle Fox. “Our doctors still wanted to travel, but the risk to them was that they’d be quarantined when they got back home, and their practices would take serious hits.”
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More than 100 recreational vehicles parked in a lot at Dockweiler State Beach are being used to house people who have tested positive for or have symptoms of COVID-19. (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times)
As a result, stockpiled medical equipment intended for foreign service was sitting unused while stories about supply shortages at U.S. clinics and hospitals abounded. Mending Kids had hundreds of masks, along with gowns, face shields and oxygen supply equipment.
“My first instinct was — how can we have the most impact with what we have, here at home?” said Fox.
Fox first checked with the doctors, nurses and other medical staff who volunteer with Mending Kids and provided equipment to those who needed it at their regular workplaces. Fox also wanted to get equipment to anyone doing social and medical outreach for L.A. County’s thousands of homeless people.
To that end, Fox called a friend, and before long she was connected to Sieglinde von Deffner, an L.A. County coordinator of skid row services.
Von Deffner, a social worker, is one of the many unsung heroes who for years has worked the streets here in the homeless capital of the United States. I once wrote about a woman living in her car at a hospital where she was getting dialysis treatment, and someone asked me, “Have you called Sieglinde?” I hadn’t but after I did, the dialysis patient got housed.
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Workers monitor RVs parked at Dockweiler State Beach to housing people under coronavirus quarantine. (Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times)
When Fox caught up with her in mid-March, Von Deffner and the county’s Housing for Health team had been temporarily redeployed from skid row to Dockweiler State Beach in Playa del Rey, where teams were setting up isolation and quarantine units for COVID-19 patients and those exposed to the disease. Some of the few dozen people in the temporary housing were homeless, some had been in shelters, some were living in overcrowded conditions. The point was to get them proper medical treatment and limit the spread of the virus.
At that point, the workers already had protective equipment, Von Deffner said, but she knew that N95 masks and other supplies could be hard to come by, So she asked the L.A. County Health Services Department’s medical director on the Dockweiler team, Dr. Heidi Behforouz, if they could use a donation from Mending Kids.
“She said, ‘Heck yeah, we’ll take it,’” said Von Deffner.
“The conditions were really challenging because of the wind at Dockweiler,” said Von Deffner, something that made contact with sick clients seem all the riskier. She said she maintained a six-foot distance between herself and the others, but medical staffers needed to be in close contact with the clients they were caring for.
Back at Mending Kids headquarters, Fox, volunteer Bob Rubaszewski and others began loading supplies into vehicles. One of the organization’s doctors — ear, nose and throat specialist Dr. Ayal Willner — was there for a board meeting and helped sift through the supplies to determine what might be most useful to a quarantine camp.
“I said let’s go,” Willner told me, and he drove one of the vehicles to Dockweiler, where he helped unload the equipment.
Willner, a board member at Mending Kids, has traveled to far-off places to perform surgery and help train foreign medical teams, so there’s a sustainable service in place. He is scheduled to travel to Tanzania in June, but fears that mission will be postponed. He also works on Mending Kids’ L.A. mission, which is to perform surgeries on local children who don’t have access to healthcare and are bullied for scars or physical maladies.
“I’m thankful to have the opportunity to go to Tanzania and Guatemala and help people there and to train their physicians, and also to help here with our hometown mission,” Willner said. “It’s an honor.”
The delivered equipment was put to good use, Von Deffner said, and the Dockweiler camp served its purpose until the county was able to move clients there and the medical team to a hotel in Bell Gardens. But the relationship between the county and Mending Kids didn’t end there.
The usual medical supply chain has been disrupted worldwide during the pandemic, and it’s now a case of “grab what you can wherever you can get it.” Mending Kids, because of its global connections, has been able to scramble, tap sources and get supplies. And Fox has kept in touch with Von Deffner.
“We did more fundraising through our donors,” Fox said, “and were able to buy masks and face shields and gloves, and I called Sieglinde back and said, ‘Is this gonna make a difference?’ She said absolutely, so last Friday I loaded a couple hundred face shields and N95 masks ... and we had a portable ventilator we use for kids who are having open heart surgery.”
RVs parked at Dockweiler State Beach to be used to housing people under coronavirus quarantine. (Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times)
Fox delivered most of the equipment to Von Deffner but took the ventilator to MLK Hospital.
“I know everybody is crazy for ventilators right now,” she said. “They had 11 ventilators on hand and 10 were in use with six more on order. And today, I coordinated for another ventilator to be sent to them.”
Von Deffner said the bulk of the latest donation from Mending Kids is now in use at the hotel that’s serving as an isolation and quarantine center. The rest is being used by the public and nonprofit medical teams serving skid row, where Von Deffner is working again. And she said Fox has told her she’ll be shipping more supplies, including a large stash of masks, as soon as she gets her hands on them.
We’ll have lots of dark and painful memories when, down the road, we look back on this prolonged test of our resolve. We’ll think about the loss of so many lives, the blow to so many businesses and the economic hardship suffered by millions.
But we’ll also remember this as a time when a day did not go by without a story about somebody doing something good for somebody else.
You can find more information on the Mending Kids mission, and how to support the cause, at mendingkids.org.


latimes--2020-04-14--10 more businesses face charges for violating Garcetti's coronavirus order to close

Los Angeles City Atty .
Mike Feuer filed criminal charges against 10 businesses — including a massage parlor , smoke shop , car wash and print shop — accusing them of refusing to shut down despite Mayor Eric Garcetti ’ s order imposed to fight the coronavirus .
“ If we must , we will file prosecutions , ” Feuer said Tuesday at a media briefing where he announced the second round of charges against the owners of businesses that the city has deemed not essential during the COVID-19 outbreak .
Thus far , the owners of 14 businesses face @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in violation of the “ Safer at Home ” order , which was issued March 19 and requires businesses deemed nonessential to close to slow the spread of the virus .
“ We have to achieve voluntary compliance , ” Feuer said .
“ We have achieved voluntary compliance in more than 200 cases.
” Feuer said Garcetti made it clear that only essential businesses , such as healthcare providers , organizations serving vulnerable populations and grocery stores , may remain open during the COVID-19 emergency .
Remaining open in other circumstances jeopardizes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The Los Angeles Police Department has reported 79 businesses for violating the order to the city attorney for criminal prosecution since the order was put in place , according to the mayor ’ s office .
“ The sooner we achieve maximum compliance from businesses and residents alike , the sooner all Angelenos can get back to work and resume our normal routines , ” Feuer said .
Those charged Tuesday include the owners of two San Fernando Valley smoke shops , a Lincoln Boulevard tobacco shop , a vape store , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Sherman Way massage parlor , a Verdugo Road print shop and a South L.A. beauty supply store , according to Feuer ’ s office .
Last week , Feuer charged four stores — including two smoke shops , an electronics discount store and shoe store — with violating the closure order .
Feuer said he also rebuffed an effort to challenge a provision in the order that required gun shops to close .
A state court denied a gun rights group ’ s efforts to obtain a temporary restraining order against the mayor @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to gun stores , Feuer said .
Last week , a federal judge denied a similar order .
“ We ’ ll continue to do what it takes to defend and enforce the order , which is about saving lives , ” he said .

Los Angeles City Atty. Mike Feuer: “If we must, we will file prosecutions.”
Los Angeles City Atty. Mike Feuer filed criminal charges against 10 businesses — including a massage parlor, smoke shop, car wash and print shop — accusing them of refusing to shut down despite Mayor Eric Garcetti’s order imposed to fight the coronavirus.
“If we must, we will file prosecutions,” Feuer said Tuesday at a media briefing where he announced the second round of charges against the owners of businesses that the city has deemed not essential during the COVID-19 outbreak.
Thus far, the owners of 14 businesses face misdemeanor prosecution for continuing to remain open in violation of the “Safer at Home” order, which was issued March 19 and requires businesses deemed nonessential to close to slow the spread of the virus.
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“We have to achieve voluntary compliance,” Feuer said. “We have achieved voluntary compliance in more than 200 cases.”
Feuer said Garcetti made it clear that only essential businesses, such as healthcare providers, organizations serving vulnerable populations and grocery stores, may remain open during the COVID-19 emergency. Remaining open in other circumstances jeopardizes public health and safety, he said.
The Los Angeles Police Department has reported 79 businesses for violating the order to the city attorney for criminal prosecution since the order was put in place, according to the mayor’s office.
“The sooner we achieve maximum compliance from businesses and residents alike, the sooner all Angelenos can get back to work and resume our normal routines,” Feuer said.
Those charged Tuesday include the owners of two San Fernando Valley smoke shops, a Lincoln Boulevard tobacco shop, a vape store, a Sepulveda Boulevard car wash, a Sherman Way massage parlor, a Verdugo Road print shop and a South L.A. beauty supply store, according to Feuer’s office.
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Last week, Feuer charged four stores — including two smoke shops, an electronics discount store and shoe store — with violating the closure order.
Feuer said he also rebuffed an effort to challenge a provision in the order that required gun shops to close. A state court denied a gun rights group’s efforts to obtain a temporary restraining order against the mayor’s Safer at Home provision related to gun stores, Feuer said. Last week, a federal judge denied a similar order.
“We’ll continue to do what it takes to defend and enforce the order, which is about saving lives,” he said.


latimes--2020-04-14--12 residents who tested positive for the coronavirus die at Bay Area nursing homes

Eleven residents of a Bay Area nursing home who tested positive for the coronavirus have died , according to the Alameda County Public Health Department .
Additionally , 40 residents and 25 staff members at Gateway Care and Rehabilitation Center in Hayward have tested positive in the COVID-19 outbreak plaguing the facility , according to the health agency .
At another facility , East Bay Post-Acute of Castro Valley , one resident who tested positive has died .
Twenty-three staff members and 22 residents there have tested positive as of Tuesday .
“ We express our deepest sympathies for the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Neetu Balram , Alameda County Public Health Department spokeswoman , said in an email .
“ We understand the public ’ s ongoing interest in case numbers and we report these facilities ’ numbers daily .
This is dependent on the facility confirming case numbers daily.
” Because of multiple outbreaks at nursing homes , Gov .
Gavin Newsom last week announced some healthy residents at affected facilities will be transferred to the Navy hospital ship Mercy in Los Angeles to avoid exposure to the coronavirus .
The state also will dispatch 600 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ help nursing homes and other adult care facilities with slowing the spread of the virus at their facilities and quarantining residents who test positive .
Aboard the hospital ship , which has been pier-side at the Port of Los Angeles since late March , Naval health officials are fighting an outbreak of the novel coronavirus among the crew .
San Diego Union-Tribune staff writer Andrew Dyer and Times staff writers Phil Willon , Jack Dolan and Maura Dolan contributed to this report .

The coronavirus known as SARS-CoV-2, which causes COVID-19.
Eleven residents of a Bay Area nursing home who tested positive for the coronavirus have died, according to the Alameda County Public Health Department.
Additionally, 40 residents and 25 staff members at Gateway Care and Rehabilitation Center in Hayward have tested positive in the COVID-19 outbreak plaguing the facility, according to the health agency.
At another facility, East Bay Post-Acute of Castro Valley, one resident who tested positive has died. Twenty-three staff members and 22 residents there have tested positive as of Tuesday.
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“We express our deepest sympathies for the families impacted by this situation,” Neetu Balram, Alameda County Public Health Department spokeswoman, said in an email. “We understand the public’s ongoing interest in case numbers and we report these facilities’ numbers daily. This is dependent on the facility confirming case numbers daily.”
Because of multiple outbreaks at nursing homes, Gov. Gavin Newsom last week announced some healthy residents at affected facilities will be transferred to the Navy hospital ship Mercy in Los Angeles to avoid exposure to the coronavirus.
The state also will dispatch 600 nurses trained in infectious disease control to help nursing homes and other adult care facilities with slowing the spread of the virus at their facilities and quarantining residents who test positive.
Aboard the hospital ship, which has been pier-side at the Port of Los Angeles since late March, Naval health officials are fighting an outbreak of the novel coronavirus among the crew.
San Diego Union-Tribune staff writer Andrew Dyer and Times staff writers Phil Willon, Jack Dolan and Maura Dolan contributed to this report.


latimes--2020-04-14--All L.A. residents with symptoms can now get same-day or next-day coronavirus tests

Mayor Eric Garcetti announced Tuesday that , thanks to increased testing capacity , anyone with coronavirus symptoms can now book a same or next-day appointment .
“ Great news for anybody who ’ s feeling under the weather and has the symptoms , ” he said at a news briefing .
More information about getting tested is available here .
Of more than 63,000 people who have been tested in Los Angeles County , 11 % were positive , officials said Tuesday .
Public Health Department Director Barbara Ferrer said that percentage could indicate that of Los Angeles County ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ could have as many as 1 million people at some point in time ” who are infected .
Of course , not every individual will obtain testing for COVID-19 .
Testing is considered a crucial way of tracking and potentially slowing the coronavirus .
The number of those tested has been collected via an electronic reporting system , Ferrer said .
Commercial labs , medical providers and hospitals are recording those numbers , and a public health team checks for duplicate reports .
Ferrer said the numbers are reported once a test result @ @ @ @ @ @ @ certain labs did not have access to the reporting system , which is one possible reason the reported number of those tested jumped by more than 10,000 Tuesday .
Los Angeles County health officials on Tuesday confirmed 40 more deaths linked to the coronavirus , the highest number reported in a single day .
The county ’ s death toll now stands at 366 , and Ferrer said the mortality rate has increased to 3.6 % .
Ferrer confirmed 670 additional COVID-19 cases , bringing the county ’ s total to more than @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the case count includes individuals who have recovered , but there is currently no way to track those numbers .

Mayor Eric Garcetti announced Tuesday that, thanks to increased testing capacity, anyone with coronavirus symptoms can now book a same or next-day appointment.
“Great news for anybody who’s feeling under the weather and has the symptoms,” he said at a news briefing.
More information about getting tested is available here.
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Of more than 63,000 people who have been tested in Los Angeles County, 11% were positive, officials said Tuesday.
1 / 37 Drive-through COVID-19 testing in Boyle Heights. Experts say widespread testing is crucial for states to be able to safely reopen their economies. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times) 2 / 37 Testing in Boyle Heights. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times) 3 / 37 A testing sample is sealed. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times) 4 / 37 Putting on personal protective equipment before testing. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times) 5 / 37 Testing in Boyle Heights. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times) 6 / 37 A patient is screened before testing. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times) 7 / 37 Information is collected from a patient. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times) 8 / 37 Boyle Heights COVID-19 testing. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times) 9 / 37 Juan Infante, a certified medical assistant, takes the temperature of a patient before she gets tested. (Carolyn Cole / Los Angeles Times) 10 / 37 Carson City Mayor Albert Robles does self-testing at a new drive-up testing site for COVID-19 outside of a community center in Carson. Free COVID-19 testing is available to all city residents. (Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times) 11 / 37 Carson residents Kaeli Burks, 3, left, and her cousin Bailey Watson, 5, look out the window of their car after their mothers helped them with self-testing at a drive-up testing site for COVID-19 in Carson. (Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times) 12 / 37 A Carson resident passes a sealed self-test to a health official at a drive-up testing site. (Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times) 13 / 37 Carson resident Melvin Smith, 64, does self-testing. (Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times) 14 / 37 A person drops a specimen at a COVID-19 mobile testing site in Bell. (Christina House / Los Angeles Times) 15 / 37 A person swabs their mouth at a COVID-19 mobile testing site in Bell. (Christina House / Los Angeles Times) 16 / 37 A man talks with a healthcare worker outside Kedren Community Health Center in South LA, where they are offering walk-up coronavirus testing along with other medical services. (Jason Armond/Los Angeles Times) 17 / 37 A specimen is turned in at the new mobile testing site for people with symptoms of the coronavirus at Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Science in South Los Angeles. (Christina House/Los Angeles Times) 18 / 37 A portrait and quote by Martin Luther King, Jr. overlooks a new mobile testing site for people with symptoms of the coronavirus at Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Science in South Los Angeles. (Christina House/Los Angeles Times) 19 / 37 Julie Montez, right, sits in her car as a nurse administers a coronavirus test at Arrowhead Regional Medical Center in Colton. (Irfan Khan/Los Angeles Times) 20 / 37 Nurses pose for a fun photo between breaks at a drive-through public testing for coronavirus at Arrowhead Regional Medical Center in Colton. (Irfan Khan/Los Angeles Times) 21 / 37 Healthcare workers tend to a driver in line at a drive-through Coronavirus (COVID-19) testing site at the Westminster Mall in Westminster. (Allen J. Schaben/Los Angeles Times) 22 / 37 Healthcare workers tend to a driver in line at a drive-through Coronavirus testing site at the Westminster Mall in Westminster. (Allen J. Schaben/Los Angeles Times) 23 / 37 Gessie Lurlay is working as a coronavirus screener at the Camarena Health Center in Madera. (Carolyn Cole/Los Angeles Times) 24 / 37 Francis Gon-Gibbs, of LA County Fire Department Lifeguard Division, stands at the entrance of a new mobile testing site for people with symptoms of the coronavirus at Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Science in South Los Angeles. (Christina House/Los Angeles Times) 25 / 37 A man drops off his self-administered COVID-19 test in a blue bin at a drive-up test site at the Veterans Administration Parking Lot 15 outside of Jackie Robinson Stadium in Los Angeles. (Genaro Molina/Genaro Molina/Los Angeles Times) 26 / 37 Workers direct drivers at a drive-up test site for COVID-19 at the Veterans Administration Parking Lot 15 outside of Jackie Robinson Stadium in Los Angeles. (Genaro Molina/Los Angeles Times) 27 / 37 A man misses the blue bin while dropping off his self-administered COVID-19 test at a drive-up test site at the Veterans Administration Parking Lot 15 outside of Jackie Robinson Stadium in Los Angeles. (Genaro Molina/Los Angeles Times) 28 / 37 Workers help conduct drive-thru coronavirus testing at Crenshaw Christian Center in South Los Angeles. (Jason Armond/Los Angeles Times) 29 / 37 A sign directs people to drive-thru coronavirus testing at Crenshaw Christian Center in South Los Angeles. (Jason Armond/Los Angeles Times) 30 / 37 Cassidy Roosen, with Beach Cities Health District, holds up a sign that says, “We’re All In This Together,” while waiting to direct cars at a drive-through, appointment-only coronavirus testing location, at the South Bay Galleria, in Redondo Beach. (Jay L. Clendenin/Los Angeles Times) 31 / 37 A woman shows her notice from her doctor that allows her to obtain a test for COVID-19 at a new drive-up testing site in a parking lot at the South Bay Galleria in Redondo Beach. (Genaro Molina/Los Angeles Times) 32 / 37 Coronavirus CO drive-thru sample collection takes place at the county fairgrounds in Victorville. (Irfan Khan/Irfan Khan/Los Angeles Times) 33 / 37 San Bernardino County health care worker takes a sample at a coronavirus drive-thru sample collection that took place at the county fairgrounds in Victorville. (Irfan Khan/Los Angeles Times) 34 / 37 Motorists, line up on Stadium Way, near Dodger Stadium, waiting to enter a parking lot and be tested for the coronavirus. (Mel Melcon/Los Angeles Times) 35 / 37 Members of the Los Angeles Fire Dept. wear protective gear while handing out kits to people to swab the inside of their mouths to test for the coronavirus, inside a parking lot on Stadium Way, near Dodger Stadium. (Mel Melcon/Los Angeles Times) 36 / 37 Riverside County medical personnel screen a car of load of four people at a coronavirus drive-though testing facility for Coachella Valley residents in the parking lot of the Southwest in Indian Wells. (Gina Ferazzi/Los Angeles Times) 37 / 37 Aerial views cars lined up for drive-through coronavirus testing inside a parking lot on Stadium Way near Dodger Stadium. (Robert Gauthier/Los Angeles Times)
Public Health Department Director Barbara Ferrer said that percentage could indicate that of Los Angeles County’s 10 million residents, “we could have as many as 1 million people at some point in time” who are infected. Of course, not every individual will obtain testing for COVID-19.
Testing is considered a crucial way of tracking and potentially slowing the coronavirus.
The number of those tested has been collected via an electronic reporting system, Ferrer said. Commercial labs, medical providers and hospitals are recording those numbers, and a public health team checks for duplicate reports. Ferrer said the numbers are reported once a test result is obtained.
At some point, certain labs did not have access to the reporting system, which is one possible reason the reported number of those tested jumped by more than 10,000 Tuesday.
Los Angeles County health officials on Tuesday confirmed 40 more deaths linked to the coronavirus, the highest number reported in a single day.
The county’s death toll now stands at 366, and Ferrer said the mortality rate has increased to 3.6%.
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Ferrer confirmed 670 additional COVID-19 cases, bringing the county’s total to more than 10,000. Officials have previously said that the case count includes individuals who have recovered, but there is currently no way to track those numbers.


latimes--2020-04-14--Navy removes 116 from hospital ship Mercy in L.A. port after coronavirus infects 7

The Navy has removed 116 medical staff members from its hospital ship docked off Los Angeles after seven of them tested positive for the novel coronavirus , an official said Tuesday .
The personnel from the medical ship Mercy were taken to a nearby base and remain under quarantine .
None so far has needed hospitalization , said Lt. Rochelle Rieger of the 3rd Fleet .
It ’ s unclear where or how the sailors became infected , Rieger said .
The ship left San Diego on March 23 , and all personnel were screened before they boarded , Rieger @ @ @ @ @ @ @ four days later to provide relief to the city amid the pandemic by accepting patients who were not infected with the virus .
None of the more than 1,000 personnel aboard were allowed to leave the ship once it departed San Diego .
“ The only people going on and off the ship are the actual patients we ’ ve been treating , so it ’ s very hard to trace where this came from , ” Rieger said .
The first case emerged last week as the ship was preparing to receive @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Angeles to protect them from being exposed to the virus .
So far the ship , with 1,000 beds , has taken in only 20 patients from hospitals and none has tested positive for the coronavirus or showed any symptoms of the illness , Rieger said .
Two medical personnel from the ship who tested positive came in close contact with a small number of the patients , but they were wearing full protective gear , including gloves , N95 masks and goggles .
The removal of the 116 crew members will not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ treat patients , Rieger said .
The Navy is also planning to send some of its staff who have been screened and completed a 14-day self-quarantine period to work at Los Angeles medical facilities at some point , but that had not happened yet , Rieger said .
The Navy has strictly followed the guidelines of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for hospitals , Rieger said .
It also has done deep cleaning of the ship , including sanitizing spaces where any of the infected staff may have been .
Those @ @ @ @ @ @ @ best as possible , and the Navy has added tables to its flight deck to allow people to go up top to eat when mess decks become too crowded .
The Navy has struggled to contain the virus once it comes aboard a ship .
About 12 % of sailors aboard the Theodore Roosevelt , an aircraft carrier with a crew that has largely been moved ashore in Guam , are infected with the virus .
On Monday , the Roosevelt reported its first death , a sailor who had tested positive on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the virus causes mild or moderate symptoms , such as fever and cough that clear in two to three weeks .
For some , especially older adults and people with existing health problems , it can cause severe life-threatening illness , including pneumonia .
Los Angeles County public health authorities have reported more than 9,400 virus cases and 320 deaths .

The Navy has removed 116 medical staff members from its hospital ship docked off Los Angeles after seven of them tested positive for the novel coronavirus, an official said Tuesday.
The personnel from the medical ship Mercy were taken to a nearby base and remain under quarantine. None so far has needed hospitalization, said Lt. Rochelle Rieger of the 3rd Fleet.
It’s unclear where or how the sailors became infected, Rieger said.
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The ship left San Diego on March 23, and all personnel were screened before they boarded, Rieger said. It arrived in Los Angeles four days later to provide relief to the city amid the pandemic by accepting patients who were not infected with the virus.
None of the more than 1,000 personnel aboard were allowed to leave the ship once it departed San Diego.
“The only people going on and off the ship are the actual patients we’ve been treating, so it’s very hard to trace where this came from,” Rieger said.
The first case emerged last week as the ship was preparing to receive elderly patients from skilled-nursing facilities in Los Angeles to protect them from being exposed to the virus.
So far the ship, with 1,000 beds, has taken in only 20 patients from hospitals and none has tested positive for the coronavirus or showed any symptoms of the illness, Rieger said. Two medical personnel from the ship who tested positive came in close contact with a small number of the patients, but they were wearing full protective gear, including gloves, N95 masks and goggles.
The removal of the 116 crew members will not affect the ship’s ability to treat patients, Rieger said.
The Navy is also planning to send some of its staff who have been screened and completed a 14-day self-quarantine period to work at Los Angeles medical facilities at some point, but that had not happened yet, Rieger said.
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The Navy has strictly followed the guidelines of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for hospitals, Rieger said. It also has done deep cleaning of the ship, including sanitizing spaces where any of the infected staff may have been.
Those on board are practicing social distancing as best as possible, and the Navy has added tables to its flight deck to allow people to go up top to eat when mess decks become too crowded.
The Navy has struggled to contain the virus once it comes aboard a ship. About 12% of sailors aboard the Theodore Roosevelt, an aircraft carrier with a crew that has largely been moved ashore in Guam, are infected with the virus. On Monday, the Roosevelt reported its first death, a sailor who had tested positive on March 30.
For most people, the virus causes mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough that clear in two to three weeks. For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause severe life-threatening illness, including pneumonia.
Los Angeles County public health authorities have reported more than 9,400 virus cases and 320 deaths.


latimes--2020-04-14--Social distancing in a classroom? Newsom suggests major changes when schools reopen

Although campuses are likely to reopen in the fall , the school day may unfold in starkly different ways , California Gov .
Gavin Newsom said Tuesday , suggesting staggered start times , “ reconfigured ” classrooms that allow for social distancing and some continuance of online learning .
The governor said that physical distancing and other precautions against transmission of the coronavirus could remain in place for a lengthy period at schools after stay-at-home orders are lifted and California begins to gradually reopen .
School district leaders will need to begin considering a host of safety measures , he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ times that our students come in so you can appropriate yourself differently within the existing physical environment — by reducing physical contact if possible , reducing the congregate meal , dressing issues related to PE and recess ?
” Newsom said .
“ Those are the kinds of things — those are the kind of conversations we ’ re all going to be having over the course of the next number of weeks and the next number of months.
” “ We need to get our kids back to school , ” he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ my kids back to school .
We need to get our kids educated.
” Such precautionary measures would have a profound impact on the experience of school for the state ’ s 6.1 million students in kindergarten through 12th grade as well as for students attending college .
Since early to mid March , virtually all schooling in California has become “ distance learning , ” typically involving students and teachers interacting online .
The biggest concern has centered on the effect of the altered learning environment for students who lack computers , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ home .
Many school districts are loaning out computers and arranging for internet access .
Los Angeles Unified is spending $ 100 million on computers and broadband hot spots for its students — 80 % are members of low-income households .
State Supt .
of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond said he ’ s encouraged by the governor ’ s optimism , the incremental progress in the fight against COVID-19 and the early thinking on reopening schools .
All the same , he said , schools need to “ continue working on distance learning @ @ @ @ @ @ @ current school year and look at using the summer to address academic issues .
On Monday , L.A. schools Supt .
Austin Beutner announced that campuses in the state ’ s largest school system would remain closed through summer , with online courses available .
District officials also said Monday that no student would receive a failing grade for spring classes .
Beutner said Tuesday that it ’ s difficult to predict what schooling will look like in the fall : “ The science continues to evolve and it changes — while maybe @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the day ... And as we know more , we ’ ll be able to be more prescriptive and more detailed as to what our plans will be for reopening.
” School systems will confront a potential logistics nightmare when they reopen , said UC Berkeley education professor Bruce Fuller .
“ Go slow , ” Fuller suggested .
“ Invite 15 kids into a classroom with two adults .
Use parent volunteers .
Start with preschools and elementary schools .
Younger children are more likely to conform to social distancing .
Randomly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ guard against a return of coronavirus.
” It ’ s hard to make a campus virus-proof , said UC Berkeley education and African American studies professor Janelle Scott .
“ The ability of things to spread is just really not controllable , ” Scott said , adding that it is not uncommon for parents to catch the bugs their children bring home .
“ You spend the first several years of school ... sick all the time.
” Fears over safety are likely to persist among both teachers and non-teaching staff , some @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the deep cleaning needed to keep others safe , she said .
Such concerns are rooted in recent experience .
In New York City , for example , at least 50 Department of Education employees have died from COVID-19 .
Ongoing safety measures could feel scary , off-putting or threatening to students , said UCLA education professor John Rogers .
“ It will be imperative for adults to talk with young people about why certain actions are being taken and to do so in a manner that expresses care and concern — rather @ @ @ @ @ @ @ USC education and psychology professor Erika Patall said that ultimately students may prove more adaptable than the adults .
“ It will still be stressful , and some kids are much more sensitive than others to change , but on average , kids will probably be happy to go back to school in any form , ” Patall said .
The health situation underscores the importance of fully staffing schools with nurses , said Jeff Freitas , president of the California Federation of Teachers .
In his remarks , Newsom acknowledged that unions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ through the myriad issues .
The challenge of a reimagined schooling experience will come at a difficult time , said Robin Lake , director of the Center on Reinventing Public Education at the University of Washington .
School districts could face steep budget cuts even as they are trying to help students recover from an almost inevitable learning loss or delay caused by the campus shutdowns and the transition to online learning , she said .
“ If there ’ s ever been a time for innovation , it is now , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ traditional boundaries , ” Lake said .
In an altered school day , some students may need more time on campus than others , said UCLA education professor Tyrone Howard .
“ There very well could be a hybrid model of school/home , but I would hope that there is consideration for students from low-income backgrounds who have less access to technology supports , ” Howard said .
“ Perhaps there will be a staggered situation where some students are on a 70/30 school/home situation , whereas other students may be on a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to have to be creative , flexible , and great listeners to the needs of vulnerable children and families.
” Former L.A. school board member Caprice Young sees opportunity in the moment .
“ Let ’ s create more individualized instruction that is not based on the old factory model , ” said Young , who has spent most of the last two decades working with privately managed charter schools .
“ Students should progress from grade to grade based on their competency in the subject matter , not how much time their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Some students learn best in small groups ; others with one-on-one tutoring or through experimentation , ” she said .

Schools will likely make major changes when they reopen, Gov. Gavin Newsom said.
Although campuses are likely to reopen in the fall, the school day may unfold in starkly different ways, California Gov. Gavin Newsom said Tuesday, suggesting staggered start times, “reconfigured” classrooms that allow for social distancing and some continuance of online learning.
The governor said that physical distancing and other precautions against transmission of the coronavirus could remain in place for a lengthy period at schools after stay-at-home orders are lifted and California begins to gradually reopen.
School district leaders will need to begin considering a host of safety measures, he said.
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“Can you stagger the times that our students come in so you can appropriate yourself differently within the existing physical environment — by reducing physical contact if possible, reducing the congregate meal, dressing issues related to PE and recess?” Newsom said. “Those are the kinds of things — those are the kind of conversations we’re all going to be having over the course of the next number of weeks and the next number of months.”
“We need to get our kids back to school,” he added. “I need to get my kids back to school. We need to get our kids educated.”
Such precautionary measures would have a profound impact on the experience of school for the state’s 6.1 million students in kindergarten through 12th grade as well as for students attending college. Since early to mid March, virtually all schooling in California has become “distance learning,” typically involving students and teachers interacting online.
The biggest concern has centered on the effect of the altered learning environment for students who lack computers, adequate broadband or suitable study conditions at home. Many school districts are loaning out computers and arranging for internet access. Los Angeles Unified is spending $100 million on computers and broadband hot spots for its students — 80% are members of low-income households.
State Supt. of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond said he’s encouraged by the governor’s optimism, the incremental progress in the fight against COVID-19 and the early thinking on reopening schools. All the same, he said, schools need to “continue working on distance learning,” make the most of the current school year and look at using the summer to address academic issues.
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On Monday, L.A. schools Supt. Austin Beutner announced that campuses in the state’s largest school system would remain closed through summer, with online courses available. District officials also said Monday that no student would receive a failing grade for spring classes.
Beutner said Tuesday that it’s difficult to predict what schooling will look like in the fall: “The science continues to evolve and it changes — while maybe not by the day, almost by the day... And as we know more, we’ll be able to be more prescriptive and more detailed as to what our plans will be for reopening.”
Newsom’s comments sparked discussion about the challenges ahead.
School systems will confront a potential logistics nightmare when they reopen, said UC Berkeley education professor Bruce Fuller.
“Go slow,” Fuller suggested. “Invite 15 kids into a classroom with two adults. Use parent volunteers. Start with preschools and elementary schools. Younger children are more likely to conform to social distancing. Randomly test children and teachers each week to guard against a return of coronavirus.”
It’s hard to make a campus virus-proof, said UC Berkeley education and African American studies professor Janelle Scott.
“The ability of things to spread is just really not controllable,” Scott said, adding that it is not uncommon for parents to catch the bugs their children bring home. “You spend the first several years of school ... sick all the time.”
Fears over safety are likely to persist among both teachers and non-teaching staff, some of whom will be tasked with doing the deep cleaning needed to keep others safe, she said.
Such concerns are rooted in recent experience. In New York City, for example, at least 50 Department of Education employees have died from COVID-19.
Ongoing safety measures could feel scary, off-putting or threatening to students, said UCLA education professor John Rogers.
“It will be imperative for adults to talk with young people about why certain actions are being taken and to do so in a manner that expresses care and concern — rather than fear,” Rogers said.
USC education and psychology professor Erika Patall said that ultimately students may prove more adaptable than the adults.
“It will still be stressful, and some kids are much more sensitive than others to change, but on average, kids will probably be happy to go back to school in any form,” Patall said.
The health situation underscores the importance of fully staffing schools with nurses, said Jeff Freitas, president of the California Federation of Teachers.
In his remarks, Newsom acknowledged that unions would be at the table in working through the myriad issues.
The challenge of a reimagined schooling experience will come at a difficult time, said Robin Lake, director of the Center on Reinventing Public Education at the University of Washington.
School districts could face steep budget cuts even as they are trying to help students recover from an almost inevitable learning loss or delay caused by the campus shutdowns and the transition to online learning, she said.
“If there’s ever been a time for innovation, it is now, and for kind of getting over worries about traditional boundaries,” Lake said.
In an altered school day, some students may need more time on campus than others, said UCLA education professor Tyrone Howard.
“There very well could be a hybrid model of school/home, but I would hope that there is consideration for students from low-income backgrounds who have less access to technology supports,” Howard said. “Perhaps there will be a staggered situation where some students are on a 70/30 school/home situation, whereas other students may be on a 50/50 situation. We’re going to have to be creative, flexible, and great listeners to the needs of vulnerable children and families.”
Former L.A. school board member Caprice Young sees opportunity in the moment.
“Let’s create more individualized instruction that is not based on the old factory model,” said Young, who has spent most of the last two decades working with privately managed charter schools. “Students should progress from grade to grade based on their competency in the subject matter, not how much time their seat has been in the seat. Some students learn best in small groups; others with one-on-one tutoring or through experimentation,” she said.
“Let’s build back better.”