latimes--2020-05-05--Voices from the spectrum: Autistic people deal with the coronavirus

When the coronavirus hit Southern California , Hector Ramirez tried to hang on to some of the guideposts in his usual routine : Waking up at 6 a.m. each day .
Making his bed .
Showering .
Heading out to walk his service dog in his Chatsworth neighborhood .
Ramirez , who is autistic , used to try to greet at least 30 people before he returned home , a ritual that grounded him and connected him to the world .
Now his walks are quiet ; his routine , disrupted .
But Ramirez has had to cope with such @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with disabilities , I ’ ve dealt with social isolation whether I wanted it or not , ” said Ramirez , 45 , who spent part of his youth in an institution in Camarillo , separated from his family .
“ I have years of experience being separate from society.
” Autistic people have diverse experiences that resist easy generalization .
But in recent interviews , a number of autistic adults say that although the pandemic can be especially stressful for people on the spectrum , many are practiced in dealing with the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , economic strain — that are now affecting the general population .
And they hope that those experiences might help people who aren ’ t autistic to better understand them .
Uncertainty , unexpected events and a lack of control are “ the major stressors for people on the spectrum , ” said Barry M. Prizant , an adjunct professor at Brown University and author of “ Uniquely Human : A Different Way of Seeing Autism.
” Now that the coronavirus has hit , “ that ’ s so much of what we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are now major stress factors for neurotypical people — the rest of us.
” Maxfield Sparrow , writing in reaction to an article about people feeling drained as they try to read faces on video calls , points out that “ we Autists live with these discomforts all our lives.
” And Sparrow adds : “ If you are socially disoriented by Zoom and desperate for the pandemic to be over so you can return to comfortable , easy socializing , please lean into that feeling and remember it later.
” Autism is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people think , communicate , move , interact socially and process sensory information .
It can shape how people live in a wide range of ways : Some autistic people need support with day-to-day living skills , while others live independently .
Some people on the spectrum are extremely verbal , while others may have limited or no speech and instead communicate in other ways .
Some are keenly interested in specific topics .
And many people with autism also have other disabilities that affect their day-to-day lives .
To make sense of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ unpredictable , many autistic people have found comfort in routines or other coping mechanisms that address their unique needs .
Routines , Prizant said , provide a “ road map ” for making the world more predictable .
“ All human beings benefit from predictability in their lives , ” Prizant added .
“ People on the spectrum crave it because there are so many more stressors in their lives.
” Many of those stresses have been exacerbated by the coronavirus .
Julia Bascom , executive director of the Autistic Self Advocacy Network @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that some autistic people might not be able to receive needed assistance with day-to-day tasks such as getting dressed , preparing meals or managing medication — services usually provided at home or in the community .
Children and teens on the autism spectrum may not be getting the added support they usually have in school , or they may be having trouble processing their online lessons .
And college students who are autistic have had to cope with campus closures as well .
Mandy Wall , a Sarah Lawrence College senior who is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pronoun “ they , ” said that when they first left campus and rejoined their parents in Connecticut , they “ could barely function.
” Sleep was impossible without a Xanax .
“ My boyfriend had to remind me to brush my teeth and take a shower , ” Wall said .
During the pandemic , autistic advocates have been especially alarmed that some states have set out guidelines for rationing ventilators and prioritizing healthcare , which , Bascom says , are “ very clearly a violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Newsom ’ s administration was blasted by advocates for people with disabilities for initially advising hospitals to prioritize younger patients with longer life expectancy — guidelines that were then quietly removed and replaced .
And if all of those worries aren ’ t enough to process during the pandemic , adults with autism — who already tend to be economically marginalized — are also dealing with the stress of the economic collapse .
Ray Borene , an autistic 32-year-old who lives in Pennsylvania , recently had to stop working at “ the only @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at.
” Borene , who was not diagnosed until adulthood , said that sensory issues led them to drop out of college and quit a string of jobs where they felt taxed by noise and bright lights .
It wasn ’ t until Borene found work teaching pottery at a community studio that they thrived .
“ I could really control my schedule .
It ’ s very tactile .
And instead of talking to people all day , it was hands on , ” Borene said .
“ I really connected to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and the studio had to shut down , since “ there ’ s no way of sterilizing everything.
” Borene , who can not drive , is now back at home at “ a completely new level of isolation.
” The pandemic has also highlighted the ways in which some autistic people have learned to cope with the kinds of stresses that now preoccupy the broader population .
“ Being autistic , over the course of my life I ’ ve had to become very adept at creating coping mechanisms for things , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ transgender man who lives in Washington , D.C. “ The first couple of weeks were the hardest .
But then I sort of learned to shift gears.
” Some people on the spectrum quip that they ’ re already pros at “ social distancing ” — either because social interaction can be stressful or because they have had to cope with unwanted isolation .
Carly Fulgham , president of Autism Society Ventura County , says that being able to step away from face-to-face interaction is a bit of a relief .
“ Not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” said Fulgham , who was diagnosed with autism as an adult .
Whenever she is talking to someone and they cross their arms , Fulgham said she becomes distracted trying to parse their behavior , wondering , “ Does that mean they ’ re cold , or do they not want to talk to me anymore ?
” And for autistic people who were bullied as children , Fulgham added , “ social isolation can be a coping mechanism to keep themselves from being hurt again.
” Ido Kedar , a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in West Hills , had no way to communicate until he was 7 and started using a letter board .
Kedar said in an email that “ I laugh thinking that finally my autism is an advantage in life.
” “ Yes , my many years being cut off from others makes me used to it , though I can ’ t say I like it , ” Kedar wrote , explaining that those experiences had made him introverted .
As an introvert , “ we need fewer people in our day , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ still need people.
” In Phoenix , 46-year-old Carrie Serlin said she misses the people who used to be part of her routine : The bus drivers from Dial-a-Ride who shuttled her to her job at Social Spin Laundromat , which employs adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities ; her supervisors ; the people behind the counter where she gets an iced coffee .
At home , she continues to work during the day , braiding laundry baskets out of plastic bags for the laundromat to sell .
When she does leave the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ about catching something that no one says , ‘ Hi , ’ ” she lamented .
Dena L. Gassner , an adjunct professor of autism studies at Towson University in Maryland , said she has seen a divide in how autistic people are faring , from some who say , “ I ’ m living my best life ” to others mired in anxiety .
“ I worry a great deal about autistic people who don ’ t have the wherewithal to reach out for resources , ” said Gassner , who is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at Adelphi University on Long Island .
“ People who catastrophize , whose anxiety is not well-managed , and think in black and white — they ’ re at great risk right now.
” Ramirez still tries to connect with his neighbors , waving at people beyond his window .
When he is out on his walks , sometimes people hold up written messages to him , such as “ Nice to see you again ” or “ Can you help me get some eggs this week ?
” He ’ s stepped @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that delivers meals , a new routine to restore his sense of purpose .
“ People with disabilities are the experts in coping with social isolation , ” said Ramirez , who is also a board member with Disability Rights California .
“ Not because we want to , but because we ’ ve had to .
”

Hector Ramirez outside his home in Chatsworth. Ramirez is autistic, and the COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted his daily routine.
When the coronavirus hit Southern California, Hector Ramirez tried to hang on to some of the guideposts in his usual routine: Waking up at 6 a.m. each day. Making his bed. Showering. Heading out to walk his service dog in his Chatsworth neighborhood.
Ramirez, who is autistic, used to try to greet at least 30 people before he returned home, a ritual that grounded him and connected him to the world. Now his walks are quiet; his routine, disrupted.
But Ramirez has had to cope with such stresses before. “Like many people with disabilities, I’ve dealt with social isolation whether I wanted it or not,” said Ramirez, 45, who spent part of his youth in an institution in Camarillo, separated from his family. “I have years of experience being separate from society.”
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Autistic people have diverse experiences that resist easy generalization. But in recent interviews, a number of autistic adults say that although the pandemic can be especially stressful for people on the spectrum, many are practiced in dealing with the challenges — social isolation, disrupted routines, economic strain — that are now affecting the general population. And they hope that those experiences might help people who aren’t autistic to better understand them.
Uncertainty, unexpected events and a lack of control are “the major stressors for people on the spectrum,” said Barry M. Prizant, an adjunct professor at Brown University and author of “Uniquely Human: A Different Way of Seeing Autism.” Now that the coronavirus has hit, “that’s so much of what we’re talking about, as they are now major stress factors for neurotypical people — the rest of us.”
Maxfield Sparrow, writing in reaction to an article about people feeling drained as they try to read faces on video calls, points out that “we Autists live with these discomforts all our lives.”
And Sparrow adds: “If you are socially disoriented by Zoom and desperate for the pandemic to be over so you can return to comfortable, easy socializing, please lean into that feeling and remember it later.”
Hector Ramirez has been using coping mechanisms to help him deal with his isolation. (Gabriella Angotti-Jones / Los Angeles Times)
A wide spectrum
Autism is a developmental disability that can affect how people think, communicate, move, interact socially and process sensory information. It can shape how people live in a wide range of ways: Some autistic people need support with day-to-day living skills, while others live independently.
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Some people on the spectrum are extremely verbal, while others may have limited or no speech and instead communicate in other ways. Some are keenly interested in specific topics. And many people with autism also have other disabilities that affect their day-to-day lives.
To make sense of a world that can be stressful and unpredictable, many autistic people have found comfort in routines or other coping mechanisms that address their unique needs. Routines, Prizant said, provide a “road map” for making the world more predictable.
“All human beings benefit from predictability in their lives,” Prizant added. “People on the spectrum crave it because there are so many more stressors in their lives.”
Column One A showcase for compelling storytelling from the Los Angeles Times. More stories
Many of those stresses have been exacerbated by the coronavirus. Julia Bascom, executive director of the Autistic Self Advocacy Network, said her group is deeply concerned that some autistic people might not be able to receive needed assistance with day-to-day tasks such as getting dressed, preparing meals or managing medication — services usually provided at home or in the community.
Children and teens on the autism spectrum may not be getting the added support they usually have in school, or they may be having trouble processing their online lessons.
And college students who are autistic have had to cope with campus closures as well. Mandy Wall, a Sarah Lawrence College senior who is about to graduate and who uses the pronoun “they,” said that when they first left campus and rejoined their parents in Connecticut, they “could barely function.” Sleep was impossible without a Xanax.
“My boyfriend had to remind me to brush my teeth and take a shower,” Wall said.
During the pandemic, autistic advocates have been especially alarmed that some states have set out guidelines for rationing ventilators and prioritizing healthcare, which, Bascom says, are “very clearly a violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act.”
In California, Gov. Gavin Newsom’s administration was blasted by advocates for people with disabilities for initially advising hospitals to prioritize younger patients with longer life expectancy — guidelines that were then quietly removed and replaced.
‘My boyfriend had to remind me to brush my teeth and take a shower.’ — Mandy Wall, a Sarah Lawrence College senior coping with campus closure
And if all of those worries aren’t enough to process during the pandemic, adults with autism — who already tend to be economically marginalized — are also dealing with the stress of the economic collapse.
Ray Borene, an autistic 32-year-old who lives in Pennsylvania, recently had to stop working at “the only job I was ever able to succeed at.”
Borene, who was not diagnosed until adulthood, said that sensory issues led them to drop out of college and quit a string of jobs where they felt taxed by noise and bright lights. It wasn’t until Borene found work teaching pottery at a community studio that they thrived.
“I could really control my schedule. It’s very tactile. And instead of talking to people all day, it was hands on,” Borene said. “I really connected to the students.”
Then the coronavirus hit and the studio had to shut down, since “there’s no way of sterilizing everything.” Borene, who cannot drive, is now back at home at “a completely new level of isolation.”
Coping with stress
The pandemic has also highlighted the ways in which some autistic people have learned to cope with the kinds of stresses that now preoccupy the broader population.
“Being autistic, over the course of my life I’ve had to become very adept at creating coping mechanisms for things,” said Kris Guin, an autistic transgender man who lives in Washington, D.C. “The first couple of weeks were the hardest. But then I sort of learned to shift gears.”
Some people on the spectrum quip that they’re already pros at “social distancing” — either because social interaction can be stressful or because they have had to cope with unwanted isolation.
Carly Fulgham, president of Autism Society Ventura County, says that being able to step away from face-to-face interaction is a bit of a relief.
“Not having in-person interactions actually makes things easier,” said Fulgham, who was diagnosed with autism as an adult. Whenever she is talking to someone and they cross their arms, Fulgham said she becomes distracted trying to parse their behavior, wondering, “Does that mean they’re cold, or do they not want to talk to me anymore?”
And for autistic people who were bullied as children, Fulgham added, “social isolation can be a coping mechanism to keep themselves from being hurt again.”
Ido Kedar, author of “Ido in Autismland,” pictured in 2013. (Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times)
Ido Kedar, a 23-year-old autistic author and student who lives in West Hills, had no way to communicate until he was 7 and started using a letter board. Kedar said in an email that “I laugh thinking that finally my autism is an advantage in life.”
“Yes, my many years being cut off from others makes me used to it, though I can’t say I like it,” Kedar wrote, explaining that those experiences had made him introverted.
As an introvert, “we need fewer people in our day,” he said, “but we still need people.”
In Phoenix, 46-year-old Carrie Serlin said she misses the people who used to be part of her routine: The bus drivers from Dial-a-Ride who shuttled her to her job at Social Spin Laundromat, which employs adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities; her supervisors; the people behind the counter where she gets an iced coffee.
At home, she continues to work during the day, braiding laundry baskets out of plastic bags for the laundromat to sell. When she does leave the house, “everyone is so worried about catching something that no one says, ‘Hi,’” she lamented.
Dena L. Gassner, an adjunct professor of autism studies at Towson University in Maryland, said she has seen a divide in how autistic people are faring, from some who say, “I’m living my best life” to others mired in anxiety.
“I worry a great deal about autistic people who don’t have the wherewithal to reach out for resources,” said Gassner, who is autistic and is currently a PhD candidate at Adelphi University on Long Island. “People who catastrophize, whose anxiety is not well-managed, and think in black and white — they’re at great risk right now.”
Ramirez still tries to connect with his neighbors, waving at people beyond his window. When he is out on his walks, sometimes people hold up written messages to him, such as “Nice to see you again” or “Can you help me get some eggs this week?”
He’s stepped up his volunteering at a food pantry that delivers meals, a new routine to restore his sense of purpose.
“People with disabilities are the experts in coping with social isolation,” said Ramirez, who is also a board member with Disability Rights California. “Not because we want to, but because we’ve had to.”


latimes--2020-05-05--Rotting food. Hungry masses. Chaotic supply chains. Coronavirus upends the U.S. food system

Near downtown Los Angeles , a meat processing plant ramped up production even as it worked to keep frontline employees separated from one another .
In Salinas , Calif. , a lettuce grower hustled to redirect supply after being forced to plow under unused crops .
In the Bay Area , a food distributor that previously served restaurants started selling produce boxes directly to consumers .
Near the Mexico border , a food bank expanded distribution to meet an explosion of need .
And in Hollywood , a nonprofit that has served sit-down meals to homeless people for 33 years @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ve completely had to change what we ’ re doing , ” said Sherry Bonanno , executive director of the Hollywood Food Coalition .
“ We just keep adapting and adjusting.
” In less time than it takes a farmer to plant and harvest a head of lettuce , the nation ’ s entire food industry has been flipped on its head by the COVID-19 pandemic .
An intricate system for matching supply with demand , established over decades , has been thrown out of whack just as unemployment and food insecurity are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been particularly severe in California , where more than a third of the country ’ s vegetables and two-thirds of its fruits and nuts are grown — and where hunger and homelessness were already deeply entrenched .
In response , a vast network of food producers , distributors , retailers and advocates have been scrambling to find a new equilibrium , to shore up the nation ’ s food supply and their own bottom lines while reducing waste and want .
In dozens of interviews , farmers , truckers , grocery executives , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bank administrators from Northern California to the Imperial Valley said the effort has been exhausting , but worth it .
It all went haywire March 16 , when Gov .
Gavin Newsom asked restaurants to close their doors .
The food service industry , which supplies restaurants and bars , as well as schools , hotels , production studios and catering services , immediately tanked .
As nervous shoppers flocked to grocery stores to stockpile food , retail demand shot up , but not enough to make up for all the lost demand @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a crazy swing , ” said Scott Grabau , president and chief executive of Tanimura & Antle , a Salinas-based lettuce producer .
Crops planted months before based on pre-pandemic demand spoiled without buyers .
Billions of dollars ’ worth of produce went to waste , much of it tilled back into the soil , said Cathy Burns , CEO of the Produce Marketing Assn.
, which represents produce companies .
Grabau ’ s company , which grows year-round in California and Arizona , stopped harvesting entire fields .
He ’ s thinking @ @ @ @ @ @ @ which grocery shoppers buy , and less of the boutique leaves used by chefs .
Grabau ’ s team has had to be more agile than ever , packaging produce to fit orders that customers keep changing on the fly .
He ’ s constantly in communication with his employees in the field .
“ It ’ s a walkie-talkie call that says , ‘ Hey , stop doing this .
This order increased , so start doing this instead , ’ ” Grabau said .
Few parts of the supply chain have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Dozens of plants have been shuttered due to coronavirus outbreaks , prompting President Trump last week to order facilities to stay open as a matter of national security .
Unions and others have objected , pointing to thousands of infections among meat workers .
Zack Levenson is chief operating officer for Golden West Food Group , based in Vernon , which produces beef , pork and chicken products .
The company , which has not had a known coronavirus infection in any of its facilities , slowed production for a couple of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ maneuvered to expand capacity by millions of pounds of meat per week , Levenson said .
By good fortune , the company just weeks before the pandemic had commissioned the conversion of old dry-packing space in its main facility into more raw-meat processing space .
That proved crucial for ramping up production at a time when employees had to be spaced farther apart , Levenson said .
For worker safety , the company began instituting special protocols early on , Levenson said .
Masks were introduced , “ hand sanitizer is everywhere , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and teams have been isolated , he said .
That way , if a line member gets ill , the company is able to quarantine his or her 10-member team without halting the entire operation .
Zach England , chief operating officer of C.R .
England , a Utah-based company that hauls produce and meat in refrigerated trucks across California and other states , said the pandemic has created a seesaw effect .
About 4,000 of his company ’ s 6,000 or so drivers regularly haul food .
Demand for their services @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the pandemic as grocers struggled to stock shelves , but that has since leveled off .
Overall , there are more haulers on the hunt for work and less freight .
Smaller trucking outfits are hurting ; owner-operators are being paid less .
The logistics involved in keeping truckers working , England said , have been intense .
Greg Dubuque , president of the California Trucking Assn .
and owner of Liberty Linehaul West in Montebello , said trucking companies are “ just trying to keep our wheels rolling to get to a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ $ 303-billion industry , with 350,000 employees delivering 8.7 billion cases of product across the U.S. annually , according to Mark Allen , president and CEO of the International Foodservice Distributors Assn .
The industry “ walked off the cliff ” when restaurants and other businesses closed in the middle of March , with most distributors losing 60 % to 90 % of their volume , Allen said .
Ed Maybrun , owner of Cotati Food Service in Sonoma County , lost about 80 % of his business overnight and has been hustling @ @ @ @ @ @ @ storing more food for big customers in his freezers and looking for new inventory to sell .
He took on deliveries for a local food bank and started breaking apart industrial-size packages of bread , paper products and other staples to sell directly to consumers .
“ I ’ ve never worked so much for such a small piece of business in my life , ” Maybrun said .
When the restaurants shuttered , a shock wave rippled out from owners and managers to servers , bartenders , dishwashers and cooks .
It @ @ @ @ @ @ @ went straight into panic mode , ” said Curtis Stone , the Australian chef who has cooked for the likes of Oprah Winfrey and has two high-end restaurants in the Los Angeles area : Maude and Gwen .
“ We were like , ‘ Oh my God , how do we just stay in business and make sure everyone gets their next paycheck ?
’ ” Stone said .
At first , there was no way .
He simply couldn ’ t afford to keep on more than a dozen or so staff @ @ @ @ @ @ @ At Gwen , which always functioned in part as a butchery , Stone and his managers turned the restaurant into a sort of neighborhood market .
They started doing a modest trade on eggs and milk , boxes of produce and prime cuts of meat .
They joined food delivery apps to connect with more customers .
They created a new menu of comfort food for takeout .
And they started replicating the process at Maude , which previously had been an exclusive 24-seat , three-course dining experience .
As the new model @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he was able to start bringing staffers back .
“ We made a decision early on as a team to not stand around and talk about how bad it is , ” he said .
“ We just don ’ t have the time to be unproductive.
” In the first weeks of the shutdown , customers cleared grocery shelves faster than they could be restocked , even though inventory was streaming in from suppliers .
Shoppers were buying four to eight weeks worth of food at once .
There weren ’ t @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said Nancy Lebold , vice president of merchandising for Food 4 Less , a value grocer with a large customer base in the Latino community .
At times , big orders just wouldn ’ t show up .
Normally , fruit accounts for 60 % of produce sales , and vegetables the remainder .
The first week of the shutdown , they flip-flopped , Lebold said , and have stayed that way ever since .
Other patterns of food consumption also were upended as people became reacquainted with their kitchens , and some @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , said Manny Vivanco , regional logistics director for the Kroger Co. , which owns Ralphs and Food 4 Less .
Food 4 Less operates three inventory warehouses in the Los Angeles region : one in Paramount that is 98 % automated , one in Compton that is about half-automated and one in Riverside that is not automated , relying instead on frontline associates .
As demand surged , the automated warehouses couldn ’ t keep up , Vivanco said .
Meanwhile , workers in Riverside were cranking out increased orders .
In @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have been trying to keep stores stocked even as dozens of workers have become ill , and unions have protested what they say are management failures to protect them .
The COVID-19 chaos severely diminished the supply of free food to food banks , just as need surged .
Millions of Californians have lost work due to the pandemic .
Many have been left hungry .
In the first three weeks of April , nearly 265,000 people applied for government food assistance under the CalFresh program — more than double the number who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ — according to the California Department of Social Services , which administers the program .
The number of people arriving at the Food Bank of Contra Costa and Solano has doubled , said Cassidie Bates , the organization ’ s policy and advocacy manager .
“ We have seen a completely new population emerge , ” Bates said .
Meanwhile , grocery stores are selling more of their stock and passing on less food .
Restaurants and other businesses that closed had lots of inventory to hand off to food banks in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that supply has run dry .
And what was pulled in at the start of the pandemic has largely gone out the door already .
Food banks normally stockpile at this time of year , but demand is too high to hold back anything , Bates said .
The Imperial Valley Food Bank near the southern border , which normally serves 20,000 people each month , served more than 26,000 in the first three weeks of April , said Sara Griffen , the executive director .
Many of the food bank ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , a particularly cruel irony .
Griffen said local farmers have provided produce , but she still worries about protein , having recently received word that “ quite a few ” of her expected meat shipments had been canceled , likely due to closures of meat processing plants , she said .
On a recent afternoon , Bonanno of the Hollywood Food Coalition was moving a mile a minute .
She ’ s always busy , but more so with the move to a new model where clients no longer stream inside for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ outside .
“ Everything is in a to-go bag , ” she said .
On top of that , Bonanno said , her normal supply chains have collapsed .
Her group has long received food from the movie studios .
A single day of production on a film or television set could yield enough leftover meals for hundreds of people on any given night .
Now , all the studios have closed .
Caterers , restaurants and groceries are providing less , too .
“ Normally there ’ s tons of overproduction of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will try to scramble to take that , ” she said .
“ What ’ s been disrupted is the regular restaurant , caterers and grocery-store distribution system.
” Rick Nahmias , executive director of Food Forward , a nonprofit that collects food for redistribution , said his organization has been ramping up efforts in the face of huge need .
He started the group a decade ago , harvesting unused fruit from a single tree in his backyard .
It grew to handling 2 million pounds of food per month .
Amid @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 800,000 pounds a week , scrambling to redirect excess farm produce to places like the Hollywood Food Coalition .
At distribution points where food is given directly to hungry Californians , “ food that would last for three hours just a few months ago is now gone in five , 10 , 15 minutes , ” Nahmias said .
Across the nation ’ s food web , people are nervous and frustrated .
There is great need , but there is also hope for a future with less waste and more humanity .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ figure out how to rebalance the supply and demand , ” said Chris Tang , a supply chain expert and professor at the UCLA Anderson School of Management .
“ We have so much food being wasted .
The question is , how do you reduce the food waste so that the food will actually get to the people in need ?
” Already , new lines of communication are opening between producers and those on the front lines of poverty and hunger .
Tang hopes that government and the private sector will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
California , with its tech hubs and massive farms , could take the lead .
He sees a new , nationwide online platform where those with food can immediately be paired up with those who need it .
“ Given that we are facing some of our darkest hours , ” Tang said , “ this is one bright spot .
”

Associates fill orders for Ralphs and Food 4 Less grocery stores at the Ralphs Distribution Center in Riverside.
Near downtown Los Angeles, a meat processing plant ramped up production even as it worked to keep frontline employees separated from one another. In Salinas, Calif., a lettuce grower hustled to redirect supply after being forced to plow under unused crops.
In the Bay Area, a food distributor that previously served restaurants started selling produce boxes directly to consumers. Near the Mexico border, a food bank expanded distribution to meet an explosion of need. And in Hollywood, a nonprofit that has served sit-down meals to homeless people for 33 years shifted to takeout.
“We’ve completely had to change what we’re doing,” said Sherry Bonanno, executive director of the Hollywood Food Coalition. “We just keep adapting and adjusting.”
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In less time than it takes a farmer to plant and harvest a head of lettuce, the nation’s entire food industry has been flipped on its head by the COVID-19 pandemic. An intricate system for matching supply with demand, established over decades, has been thrown out of whack just as unemployment and food insecurity are skyrocketing among families.
The fallout has been particularly severe in California, where more than a third of the country’s vegetables and two-thirds of its fruits and nuts are grown — and where hunger and homelessness were already deeply entrenched.
In response, a vast network of food producers, distributors, retailers and advocates have been scrambling to find a new equilibrium, to shore up the nation’s food supply and their own bottom lines while reducing waste and want.
In dozens of interviews, farmers, truckers, grocery executives, restaurateurs, food service providers and food bank administrators from Northern California to the Imperial Valley said the effort has been exhausting, but worth it.
The farmers
Cruz Carranza, left; his sister-in-law Elvia Ramirez; and his father, Javier Carranza, plant sunflowers at McGrath Family Farm in Camarillo. (Mel Melcon / Los Angeles Times)
It all went haywire March 16, when Gov. Gavin Newsom asked restaurants to close their doors. The food service industry, which supplies restaurants and bars, as well as schools, hotels, production studios and catering services, immediately tanked. As nervous shoppers flocked to grocery stores to stockpile food, retail demand shot up, but not enough to make up for all the lost demand from restaurants.
“It was just a crazy swing,” said Scott Grabau, president and chief executive of Tanimura & Antle, a Salinas-based lettuce producer.
Crops planted months before based on pre-pandemic demand spoiled without buyers. Billions of dollars’ worth of produce went to waste, much of it tilled back into the soil, said Cathy Burns, CEO of the Produce Marketing Assn., which represents produce companies.
Grabau’s company, which grows year-round in California and Arizona, stopped harvesting entire fields. He’s thinking about planting more iceberg and romaine, which grocery shoppers buy, and less of the boutique leaves used by chefs.
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Grabau’s team has had to be more agile than ever, packaging produce to fit orders that customers keep changing on the fly. He’s constantly in communication with his employees in the field.
“It’s a walkie-talkie call that says, ‘Hey, stop doing this. This order increased, so start doing this instead,’” Grabau said.
The meat processors
The Smithfield pork processing plant in Sioux Falls, S.D., has one of the country’s largest known coronavirus clusters. (Kerem Yucel / AFP / Getty Images)
Few parts of the supply chain have been hit as hard as meat processing. Dozens of plants have been shuttered due to coronavirus outbreaks, prompting President Trump last week to order facilities to stay open as a matter of national security. Unions and others have objected, pointing to thousands of infections among meat workers.
Zack Levenson is chief operating officer for Golden West Food Group, based in Vernon, which produces beef, pork and chicken products.
The company, which has not had a known coronavirus infection in any of its facilities, slowed production for a couple of weeks to protect employees but has since maneuvered to expand capacity by millions of pounds of meat per week, Levenson said.
By good fortune, the company just weeks before the pandemic had commissioned the conversion of old dry-packing space in its main facility into more raw-meat processing space. That proved crucial for ramping up production at a time when employees had to be spaced farther apart, Levenson said.
For worker safety, the company began instituting special protocols early on, Levenson said. Masks were introduced, “hand sanitizer is everywhere,” new plastic dividers have been installed, and teams have been isolated, he said.
That way, if a line member gets ill, the company is able to quarantine his or her 10-member team without halting the entire operation.
The truckers
Truckers park for the night at the Sinclair gas station in Alamo, Nev. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times)
Zach England, chief operating officer of C.R. England, a Utah-based company that hauls produce and meat in refrigerated trucks across California and other states, said the pandemic has created a seesaw effect.
About 4,000 of his company’s 6,000 or so drivers regularly haul food. Demand for their services shot up in the early weeks of the pandemic as grocers struggled to stock shelves, but that has since leveled off.
Overall, there are more haulers on the hunt for work and less freight. Smaller trucking outfits are hurting; owner-operators are being paid less. The logistics involved in keeping truckers working, England said, have been intense.
Greg Dubuque, president of the California Trucking Assn. and owner of Liberty Linehaul West in Montebello, said trucking companies are “just trying to keep our wheels rolling to get to a better day.”
The distributors
Food service is a $303-billion industry, with 350,000 employees delivering 8.7 billion cases of product across the U.S. annually, according to Mark Allen, president and CEO of the International Foodservice Distributors Assn.
The industry “walked off the cliff” when restaurants and other businesses closed in the middle of March, with most distributors losing 60% to 90% of their volume, Allen said.
Ed Maybrun, owner of Cotati Food Service in Sonoma County, lost about 80% of his business overnight and has been hustling to stay afloat since.
He started storing more food for big customers in his freezers and looking for new inventory to sell. He took on deliveries for a local food bank and started breaking apart industrial-size packages of bread, paper products and other staples to sell directly to consumers.
“I’ve never worked so much for such a small piece of business in my life,” Maybrun said.
The restaurants
Chef Curtis Stone at his Beverly Hills restaurant Maude. (Ricardo DeAratanha / Los Angeles Times)
When the restaurants shuttered, a shock wave rippled out from owners and managers to servers, bartenders, dishwashers and cooks. It wasn’t pretty.
“We went straight into panic mode,” said Curtis Stone, the Australian chef who has cooked for the likes of Oprah Winfrey and has two high-end restaurants in the Los Angeles area: Maude and Gwen.
“We were like, ‘Oh my God, how do we just stay in business and make sure everyone gets their next paycheck?’” Stone said.
At first, there was no way. He simply couldn’t afford to keep on more than a dozen or so staff.
But that has since changed.
At Gwen, which always functioned in part as a butchery, Stone and his managers turned the restaurant into a sort of neighborhood market. They started doing a modest trade on eggs and milk, boxes of produce and prime cuts of meat.
They joined food delivery apps to connect with more customers. They created a new menu of comfort food for takeout. And they started replicating the process at Maude, which previously had been an exclusive 24-seat, three-course dining experience.
As the new model began to catch hold, Stone found he was able to start bringing staffers back.
“We made a decision early on as a team to not stand around and talk about how bad it is,” he said. “We just don’t have the time to be unproductive.”
The grocers
Associates fill orders for Ralphs and Food 4 Less grocery stores at the Ralphs Distribution Center in Riverside. (Gary Coronado / Los Angeles Times)
In the first weeks of the shutdown, customers cleared grocery shelves faster than they could be restocked, even though inventory was streaming in from suppliers. Shoppers were buying four to eight weeks worth of food at once.
There weren’t enough trucks to handle the demand, said Nancy Lebold, vice president of merchandising for Food 4 Less, a value grocer with a large customer base in the Latino community. At times, big orders just wouldn’t show up.
Normally, fruit accounts for 60% of produce sales, and vegetables the remainder. The first week of the shutdown, they flip-flopped, Lebold said, and have stayed that way ever since.
Other patterns of food consumption also were upended as people became reacquainted with their kitchens, and some automated supply processes were slow to respond, said Manny Vivanco, regional logistics director for the Kroger Co., which owns Ralphs and Food 4 Less.
Food 4 Less operates three inventory warehouses in the Los Angeles region: one in Paramount that is 98% automated, one in Compton that is about half-automated and one in Riverside that is not automated, relying instead on frontline associates.
Business Why are eggs getting so expensive? Blame coronavirus demand As shoppers rushed to grocery stores to stock up on food staples, they cleaned out egg aisles across the country. That has boosted egg prices.
As demand surged, the automated warehouses couldn’t keep up, Vivanco said. Meanwhile, workers in Riverside were cranking out increased orders.
In recent weeks, Kroger and other grocers have been trying to keep stores stocked even as dozens of workers have become ill, and unions have protested what they say are management failures to protect them.
The food banks
Workers pack boxes of food at Second Harvest Food Bank at the Orange County Great Park in Irvine. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
The COVID-19 chaos severely diminished the supply of free food to food banks, just as need surged.
Millions of Californians have lost work due to the pandemic. Many have been left hungry.
In the first three weeks of April, nearly 265,000 people applied for government food assistance under the CalFresh program — more than double the number who applied during the same period last year — according to the California Department of Social Services, which administers the program.
The number of people arriving at the Food Bank of Contra Costa and Solano has doubled, said Cassidie Bates, the organization’s policy and advocacy manager.
“We have seen a completely new population emerge,” Bates said.
Meanwhile, grocery stores are selling more of their stock and passing on less food. Restaurants and other businesses that closed had lots of inventory to hand off to food banks in the first days of the shutdown, but that supply has run dry. And what was pulled in at the start of the pandemic has largely gone out the door already.
Food banks normally stockpile at this time of year, but demand is too high to hold back anything, Bates said.
The Imperial Valley Food Bank near the southern border, which normally serves 20,000 people each month, served more than 26,000 in the first three weeks of April, said Sara Griffen, the executive director.
Many of the food bank’s clients are farmworkers who have lost hours, a particularly cruel irony.
Griffen said local farmers have provided produce, but she still worries about protein, having recently received word that “quite a few” of her expected meat shipments had been canceled, likely due to closures of meat processing plants, she said.
The advocates
Volunteers prep meals for homeless people and other clients of the Hollywood Food Coalition. (Gary Coronado / Los Angeles Times)
On a recent afternoon, Bonanno of the Hollywood Food Coalition was moving a mile a minute. She’s always busy, but more so with the move to a new model where clients no longer stream inside for warm meals but get handed their food outside.
“Everything is in a to-go bag,” she said.
On top of that, Bonanno said, her normal supply chains have collapsed.
Her group has long received food from the movie studios. A single day of production on a film or television set could yield enough leftover meals for hundreds of people on any given night. Now, all the studios have closed. Caterers, restaurants and groceries are providing less, too.
“Normally there’s tons of overproduction of food, and lots of different organizations will try to scramble to take that,” she said. “What’s been disrupted is the regular restaurant, caterers and grocery-store distribution system.”
Rick Nahmias, executive director of Food Forward, a nonprofit that collects food for redistribution, said his organization has been ramping up efforts in the face of huge need.
He started the group a decade ago, harvesting unused fruit from a single tree in his backyard. It grew to handling 2 million pounds of food per month. Amid the pandemic, it’s handling 800,000 pounds a week, scrambling to redirect excess farm produce to places like the Hollywood Food Coalition.
At distribution points where food is given directly to hungry Californians, “food that would last for three hours just a few months ago is now gone in five, 10, 15 minutes,” Nahmias said.
The future
Across the nation’s food web, people are nervous and frustrated. There is great need, but there is also hope for a future with less waste and more humanity.
“The whole world is trying to figure out how to rebalance the supply and demand,” said Chris Tang, a supply chain expert and professor at the UCLA Anderson School of Management. “We have so much food being wasted. The question is, how do you reduce the food waste so that the food will actually get to the people in need?”
Already, new lines of communication are opening between producers and those on the front lines of poverty and hunger. Tang hopes that government and the private sector will do even more to link the two. California, with its tech hubs and massive farms, could take the lead.
He sees a new, nationwide online platform where those with food can immediately be paired up with those who need it.
“Given that we are facing some of our darkest hours,” Tang said, “this is one bright spot.”


latimes--2020-05-05--Scientists say a now-dominant strain of the coronavirus appears to be more contagious than original

Scientists have identified a new strain of the coronavirus that has become dominant worldwide and appears to be more contagious than the versions that spread in the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic , according to a new study led by scientists at Los Alamos National Laboratory .
The new strain appeared in February in Europe , migrated quickly to the East Coast of the United States and has been the dominant strain across the world since mid-March , the scientists wrote .
In addition to spreading faster , it may make people vulnerable to a second infection after a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ report warned .
The 33-page report was posted Thursday on BioRxiv , a website that researchers use to share their work before it is peer reviewed , an effort to speed up collaborations with scientists working on COVID-19 vaccines or treatments .
That research has been largely based on the genetic sequence of earlier strains and might not be effective against the new one .
The mutation identified in the new report affects the now infamous spikes on the exterior of the coronavirus , which allow it to enter human respiratory cells .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ felt an “ urgent need for an early warning ” so that vaccines and drugs under development around the world will be effective against the mutated strain .
Wherever the new strain appeared , it quickly infected far more people than the earlier strains that came out of Wuhan , China , and within weeks it was the only strain that was prevalent in some nations , according to the report .
The new strain ’ s dominance over its predecessors demonstrates that it is more infectious , according to the report , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The coronavirus , known to scientists as SARS-CoV-2 , has infected more than 3.5 million people around the world and caused more than 250,000 COVID-19 deaths since its discovery late last year .
The report was based on a computational analysis of more than 6,000 coronavirus sequences from around the world , collected by the Global Initiative for Sharing All Influenza Data , a public-private organization in Germany .
Time and again , the analysis found the new version was transitioning to become dominant .
The Los Alamos team , assisted by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Sheffield in England , identified 14 mutations .
Those mutations occurred among the nearly 30,000 base pairs of RNA that other scientists say make up the coronavirus ’ s genome .
The report authors focused on a mutation called D614G , which is responsible for the change in the virus ’ spikes .
“ The story is worrying , as we see a mutated form of the virus very rapidly emerging , and over the month of March becoming the dominant pandemic form , ” study leader Bette Korber , a computational @ @ @ @ @ @ @ her Facebook page .
“ When viruses with this mutation enter a population , they rapidly begin to take over the local epidemic , thus they are more transmissible.
” While the Los Alamos report is highly technical and dispassionate , Korber expressed some deep personal feelings about the implications of the finding in her Facebook post .
“ This is hard news , ” wrote Korber , “ but please don ’ t only be disheartened by it .
Our team at LANL was able to document this mutation and its impact @ @ @ @ @ @ @ global effort of clinical people and experimental groups , who make new sequences of the virus ( SARS-CoV-2 ) in their local communities available as quickly as they possibly can.
” Korber , a graduate of Cal State Long Beach who went on to earn a PhD in chemistry at Caltech , joined the lab in 1990 and focused much of her work on an HIV vaccine .
In 2004 , she won the Ernest Orlando Lawrence Award , the U.S. Department of Energy ’ s highest recognition for scientific achievement .
She @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to help establish an orphanage for young AIDS victims in South Africa .
The report contains regional breakdowns of when the new strain of virus first emerged and how long it took to become dominant .
Italy was one of the first countries to see the new virus in the last week of February , almost at the same time that the original strain appeared .
Washington was among the first states to get hit with the original strain in late February , but by March 15 the mutated strain dominated .
New @ @ @ @ @ @ @ around March 15 , but within days the mutant strain took over .
The team did not report results for California .
Scientists at major organizations working on a vaccine or drugs have told The Times that they are pinning their hopes on initial evidence that the virus is stable and not likely to mutate the way influenza virus does , requiring a new vaccine every year .
The Los Alamos report could upend that assumption .
If the pandemic fails to wane seasonally as the weather warms , the study warns , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as research organizations prepare the first medical treatments and vaccines .
Without getting on top of the risk now , the effectiveness of vaccines could be limited .
Some of the compounds in development are supposed to latch onto the spike or interrupt its action .
If they were designed based on the original version of the spike , they might not be effective against the new coronavirus strain , the study ’ s authors warned .
“ We can not afford to be blindsided as we move vaccines and antibodies into clinical @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ Please be encouraged by knowing the global scientific community is on this , and we are cooperating with each other in ways I have never seen … in my 30 years as a scientist.
” David Montefiori , a Duke University scientist who worked on the report said it is the first to document a mutation in the coronavirus that appears to make it more infectious .
Although the researchers don ’ t yet know the details about how the mutated spike behaves inside the body , it ’ s clearly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ advantage over its predecessor and is fueling its rapid spread .
One scientist called it a “ classic case of Darwinian evolution.
” “ D614G is increasing in frequency at an alarming rate , indicating a fitness advantage relative to the original Wuhan strain that enables more rapid spread , ” the study said .
Still unknown is whether this mutant virus could account for regional variations in how hard COVID-19 is hitting different parts of the world .
In the United States , doctors had begun to independently question whether new strains @ @ @ @ @ @ @ differences in how it has infected , sickened and killed people , said Alan Wu , a UC San Francisco professor who runs the clinical chemistry and toxicology laboratories at San Francisco General Hospital .
Medical experts have speculated in recent weeks that they were seeing at least two strains of the virus in the U.S. , one prevalent on the East Coast and another on the West Coast , according to Wu .
“ We are looking to identify the mutation , ” he said , noting that his hospital has had @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hundreds of cases it has treated , which is “ quite a different story than we are hearing from New York.
” The Los Alamos study does not indicate that the new version of the virus is more lethal than the original .
People infected with the mutated strain appear to have higher viral loads .
But the study ’ s authors from the University of Sheffield found that among a local sample of 447 patients , hospitalization rates were about the same for people infected with either virus version .
Even if @ @ @ @ @ @ @ than the others , it could still complicate efforts to bring the pandemic under control .
That would be an issue if the mutation makes the virus so different from earlier strains that people who have immunity to them would not be immune to the new version .
If that is indeed the case , it could make “ individuals susceptible to a second infection , ” the study authors wrote .
It ’ s possible that the mutation changes the spike in some way that helps the virus evade the immune system @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on an HIV vaccine for 30 years .
“ It is hypothetical .
We are looking at it very hard .
”

An image from an electron microscope shows SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19. Scientists say this coronavirus has mutated and become more contagious.
Scientists have identified a new strain of the coronavirus that has become dominant worldwide and appears to be more contagious than the versions that spread in the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a new study led by scientists at Los Alamos National Laboratory.
The new strain appeared in February in Europe, migrated quickly to the East Coast of the United States and has been the dominant strain across the world since mid-March, the scientists wrote.
For the record:
In addition to spreading faster, it may make people vulnerable to a second infection after a first bout with the disease, the report warned.
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The 33-page report was posted Thursday on BioRxiv, a website that researchers use to share their work before it is peer-reviewed, an effort to speed up collaborations with scientists working on COVID-19 vaccines or treatments. That research has been largely based on the genetic sequence of earlier strains and might not be effective against the new one.
Scientists with major organizations working on a vaccine or drugs to combat the coronavirus have told The Times that they are pinning their hopes on initial evidence that the virus is stable and not likely to mutate the way the influenza virus does, requiring a new vaccine every year. The Los Alamos report could upend that assumption.
The mutation identified in the new report affects the now-infamous spikes on the exterior of the coronavirus, which allow it to enter human respiratory cells. The report’s authors said they felt an “urgent need for an early warning” so that vaccines and drugs under development around the world will be effective against the mutated strain.
In many places where the new strain appeared, it quickly infected far more people than the earlier strains that came out of Wuhan, China, and within weeks it was the only strain that was prevalent in some nations, according to the report. The new strain’s dominance over its predecessors suggests that it is more infectious, according to the report, though exactly why is not yet known.
The coronavirus, known to scientists as SARS-CoV-2, has infected more than 3.5 million people around the world and caused more than 250,000 COVID-19 deaths since its discovery late last year.
The report was based on a computational analysis of more than 6,000 coronavirus sequences from around the world collected by the Global Initiative for Sharing All Influenza Data, a public-private organization in Germany. Time and again, the analysis found the new version was transitioning to become dominant.
The Los Alamos team, assisted by scientists at Duke University and the University of Sheffield in England, identified 14 mutations. Those mutations occurred among the nearly 30,000 base pairs of RNA that make up the coronavirus’s genome. The report authors focused on a mutation called D614G, which is responsible for the change in the virus’ spikes.
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“The story is worrying, as we see a mutated form of the virus very rapidly emerging, and over the month of March becoming the dominant pandemic form,” study leader Bette Korber, a computational biologist at Los Alamos, wrote on her Facebook page. “When viruses with this mutation enter a population, they rapidly begin to take over the local epidemic, thus they are more transmissible.”
Scientists’ reaction to the study were mixed Tuesday.
Charles Brenner, a professor of biochemistry at the University of Iowa who has conducted research on how cells defend themselves against viruses, called the Los Alamos report a useful paper. Teams around the world working to develop vaccines “would be watching papers like this very carefully.”
Brenner noted that the study did not show the mutation makes people sicker, but found more of the virus present in sick people, “suggesting that it replicates better.” The new strain of the virus is likely to be used for vaccine generation, he said.
Dr. Peter Hotez, co-director of Texas Children’s Hospital Center for Vaccine Development, called the new study “noteworthy” but said its conclusions require further investigation.
“There is a lot of speculation here,” Hotez said. “They have no experimental verification.”
The Los Alamos report contains regional breakdowns of when the new strain of the virus first emerged and how long it took to become dominant.
Italy was one of the first countries to see the new virus in the last week of February, almost at the same time that the original strain appeared. Washington was among the first states to get hit with the original strain in late February, but by March 15 the mutated strain dominated. New York was hit by the original virus around March 15, but within days the mutant strain took over. The team did not report results for California.
If the pandemic fails to wane seasonally as the weather warms, the study warns, the virus could undergo further mutations even as research organizations prepare the first medical treatments and vaccines. Without getting on top of the risk now, the effectiveness of vaccines could be limited.
Some of the compounds in development are supposed to latch onto the spike or interrupt its action. If they were designed based on the original version of the spike, they might not be effective against the new coronavirus strain, the study’s authors warned.
“We cannot afford to be blindsided as we move vaccines and antibodies into clinical testing,” Korber wrote on Facebook. “Please be encouraged by knowing the global scientific community is on this, and we are cooperating with each other in ways I have never seen … in my 30 years as a scientist.”
David Montefiori, a Duke University scientist who worked on the report, said it is the first to document a mutation in the coronavirus that appears to make it more infectious.
Although the researchers don’t yet know the details about how the mutated spike behaves inside the body, it’s clearly doing something that gives it an evolutionary advantage over its predecessor and is fueling its rapid spread. One scientist called it a “classic case of Darwinian evolution.”
“D614G is increasing in frequency at an alarming rate, indicating a fitness advantage relative to the original Wuhan strain that enables more rapid spread,” the study said.
Still unknown is whether this mutant virus could account for regional variations in how hard COVID-19 is hitting different parts of the world.
In the United States, doctors had begun to independently question whether new strains of the virus could account for the differences in how it has infected, sickened and killed people, said Alan Wu, a UC San Francisco professor who runs the clinical chemistry and toxicology laboratories at San Francisco General Hospital.
Medical experts have speculated in recent weeks that they were seeing at least two strains of the virus in the U.S., one prevalent on the East Coast and another on the West Coast, according to Wu.
“We are looking to identify the mutation,” he said, noting that his hospital has had only a few deaths out of the hundreds of cases it has treated, which is “quite a different story than we are hearing from New York.”
The Los Alamos study does not indicate that the new version of the virus is more lethal than the original. People infected with the mutated strain appear to have higher viral loads. But the study’s authors from the University of Sheffield found that among a local sample of 447 patients, hospitalization rates were about the same for people infected with either virus version.
Even if the new strain is no more dangerous than the others, it could still complicate efforts to bring the pandemic under control. That would be an issue if the mutation makes the virus so different from earlier strains that people who have immunity to them would not be immune to the new version.
If that is indeed the case, it could make “individuals susceptible to a second infection,” the study authors wrote.
Peter Pitts, president of the nonpartisan Center for Medicine in the Public Interest, and former FDA associate commissioner, said the emergence of a mutation is not surprising, but it does increase the urgency to protect the public through social isolation and other measures.
“It clearly means that we are up against a wily virus,” he said.
Times staff writer Anita Chabria contributed to this report.


latimes--2020-05-06--Earthquake: 3.6 quake near Brawley, Calif.

A magnitude 3.6 earthquake was reported at 1:27 a.m. Wednesday 12 miles from Brawley , Calif. , according to the U.S. Geological Survey .
The earthquake occurred 21 miles from Imperial , 25 miles from El Centro , 33 miles from Calexico and 42 miles from Coachella .
In the past 10 days , there has been one earthquake of magnitude 3.0 or greater centered nearby .
An average of 234 earthquakes with magnitudes between 3.0 and 4.0 occur per year in California and Nevada , according to a recent three-year data sample .
The earthquake occurred at a depth @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this earthquake ?
Consider reporting what you felt to the USGS .
Even if you didn ’ t feel this small earthquake , you never know when the Big One is going to strike .
Ready yourself by following our five-step earthquake preparedness guide and building your own emergency kit .
This story was automatically generated by Quakebot , a computer application that monitors the latest earthquakes detected by the USGS .
A Times editor reviewed the post before it was published .
If you ’ re interested in learning more about the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ asked questions .

A magnitude 3.6 quake was reported 12 miles from Brawley, Calif., and 25 miles from El Centro.
A magnitude 3.6 earthquake was reported at 1:27 a.m. Wednesday 12 miles from Brawley, Calif., according to the U.S. Geological Survey.
The earthquake occurred 21 miles from Imperial, 25 miles from El Centro, 33 miles from Calexico and 42 miles from Coachella.
In the past 10 days, there has been one earthquake of magnitude 3.0 or greater centered nearby.
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An average of 234 earthquakes with magnitudes between 3.0 and 4.0 occur per year in California and Nevada, according to a recent three-year data sample.
The earthquake occurred at a depth of 6.4 miles. Did you feel this earthquake? Consider reporting what you felt to the USGS.
Even if you didn’t feel this small earthquake, you never know when the Big One is going to strike. Ready yourself by following our five-step earthquake preparedness guide and building your own emergency kit.
This story was automatically generated by Quakebot, a computer application that monitors the latest earthquakes detected by the USGS. A Times editor reviewed the post before it was published. If you’re interested in learning more about the system, visit our list of frequently asked questions.


latimes--2020-05-06--After hours of debate, Riverside County postpones vote to reopen amid coronavirus pandemic

After more than eight hours of debate Tuesday , the Riverside County Board of Supervisors voted to table its decision on whether to rescind the county ’ s public health orders and instead opted to wait until Gov .
Gavin Newsom provides more guidelines later this week .
The supervisors voted to meet again Friday .
Officials met to discuss whether the county should lift local orders that closed schools , restricted golf courses , and required people to stay six feet apart and wear facial coverings while grocery shopping and during other essential activities .
Cameron Kaiser , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ had put the restrictions in place until June 19 .
Supervisors V. Manuel Perez and Karen Spiegel brought the proposal to rescind to the board .
A crowd of more than 200 people , including a group of protesters in favor of the rescission , attended the board meeting .
Dozens of speakers offered testimony — both for and against easing rules .
Some called the restrictions arbitrary , onerous and “ unconstitutional , flat-out.
” Cosmetologists said they wanted to go back to work .
One woman said she knows three people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ quarantine , suggesting those deaths were a result of stress from the lockdown .
Others said they wanted to be able to attend church .
“ I would rather die of a virus than lose my freedoms , ” said a speaker who identified herself as a nurse , wearing an American flag bandanna around her neck .
Others , including teachers and labor union members , cautioned against lifting restrictions too quickly .
Some said opening without the appropriate safety measures could trigger a second , even deadlier wave of infections .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ to say rescinding mandates that the public wear facial coverings will result in more infections .
Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco , who was welcomed to the microphone with cheers from the audience , said the county does not have the resources to enforce “ unreasonable orders.
” “ From the beginning , I told you I would not enforce the stay-at-home order partly because I trusted our residents ’ ability to do the right thing without the fear of being arrested .
I knew that they could be trusted to act as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” he said .
“ I refuse to make criminals out of business owners , single moms and otherwise healthy individuals who are exercising their constitutional rights.
” Over the phone , county Treasurer Jon Christensen said : “ I ’ m very concerned .
We have to get our businesses back open.
” The latest changes to the Newsom ’ s four-stage plan to gradually reopen the state expand decision-making at the local level , allowing some communities to move further ahead into the second phase of the reopening process at their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ those outlined in the statewide policy .
But counties must first submit “ containment plans ” that meet certain requirements for hospital beds , testing kits , and the ability to track infected people and trace their contacts , Newsom said .
Other local orders that are more restrictive than statewide reopening plans would supersede any changes the governor makes , Newsom said .
Riverside County has some of the strictest public health orders in the state .
The county has the second-highest number of infections , behind Los Angeles County , with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as of Monday evening .
More than 56,000 people have been tested and nearly 2,000 people have recovered from the virus .
During Tuesday ’ s marathon meeting , Kaiser and other health officials acknowledged that the county ’ s coronavirus numbers were not as dire as they had initially projected — 65,000 coronavirus cases by May — mostly due to the restrictions they put in place early .
But they warned supervisors that if orders were lifted too soon , they ’ d run the risk of impeding the county ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ paycheck are just as important to public health as anything else , ” Kaiser said .
“ The presence of us [ here ] is not to say that we should not reopen , it ’ s to say that the orders that are in place ... enhance our ability to serve the public and to reopen those businesses responsibly.
” Due to a recent increase in personal protective equipment for healthcare workers , the opening of eight additional testing sites and the large quantity of available hospital beds , local experts said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that they are prepared for the second phase of reopening .
They also said that by continuing to require residents to wear masks and practice social distancing — both of which aren ’ t statewide requirements — the county can make its case to reopen stronger .
Ultimately , Perez agreed with health officials and changed his mind on the matter .
Late in the meeting , he asked his colleagues to vote against his initial recommendation .
“ I think we can have a win-win , ” he said .
“ I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are ... .
We are in a great position to demonstrate to the governor that we can move into Phase 2 hopefully as soon as Friday and then maybe even fast-track ourselves into Phase 3 , ” Perez said .
“ Come Friday , we ’ re ready to move forward.
” In response to Perez ’ s recommendation , Third District Supervisor Chuck Washington recommended that the vote be postponed until next week , but 5th District Supervisor Jeff Hewitt warned that a decision was needed sooner .
Following Newsom ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Supervisors will meet on Friday afternoon to vote on whether to rescind all of the county ’ s public health orders .
Times staff writers Taryn Luna and Phil Willon contributed to this report .

Demonstrators who favor ending pandemic restrictions rally in the lobby of the County Administrative Center in Riverside. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)
After more than eight hours of debate Tuesday, the Riverside County Board of Supervisors voted to table its decision on whether to rescind the county’s public health orders and instead opted to wait until Gov. Gavin Newsom provides more guidelines later this week.
The supervisors voted to meet again Friday.
For the record: An earlier version of this article stated that 3rd District Supervisor Chuck Washington recommended that the vote be postponed until next week. First District Supervisor Kevin Jeffries made the suggestion.
Officials met to discuss whether the county should lift local orders that closed schools, restricted golf courses, and required people to stay six feet apart and wear facial coverings while grocery shopping and during other essential activities.
Cameron Kaiser, the county’s public health officer, had put the restrictions in place until June 19. Supervisors V. Manuel Perez and Karen Spiegel brought the proposal to rescind to the board.
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A crowd of more than 200 people, including a group of protesters in favor of the rescission, attended the board meeting. Dozens of speakers offered testimony — both for and against easing rules.
Protesters who want public health orders rescinded watch and listen to video monitors during the Riverside County Board of Supervisors meeting on May 5 in Riverside, Calif. Many were not wearing masks. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)
Some called the restrictions arbitrary, onerous and “unconstitutional, flat-out.” Cosmetologists said they wanted to go back to work. One woman said she knows three people who lost friends to suicide during the quarantine, suggesting those deaths were a result of stress from the lockdown. Others said they wanted to be able to attend church.
“I would rather die of a virus than lose my freedoms,” said a speaker who identified herself as a nurse, wearing an American flag bandanna around her neck.
Others, including teachers and labor union members, cautioned against lifting restrictions too quickly. Some said opening without the appropriate safety measures could trigger a second, even deadlier wave of infections. Palm Springs Mayor Geoff Kors called in to say rescinding mandates that the public wear facial coverings will result in more infections.
Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco, who was welcomed to the microphone with cheers from the audience, said the county does not have the resources to enforce “unreasonable orders.”
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“From the beginning, I told you I would not enforce the stay-at-home order partly because I trusted our residents’ ability to do the right thing without the fear of being arrested. I knew that they could be trusted to act as responsible adults and I was correct,” he said. “I refuse to make criminals out of business owners, single moms and otherwise healthy individuals who are exercising their constitutional rights.”
Over the phone, county Treasurer Jon Christensen said: “I’m very concerned. We have to get our businesses back open.”
The latest changes to the Newsom’s four-stage plan to gradually reopen the state expand decision-making at the local level, allowing some communities to move further ahead into the second phase of the reopening process at their own pace and open more businesses beyond those outlined in the statewide policy.
But counties must first submit “containment plans” that meet certain requirements for hospital beds, testing kits, and the ability to track infected people and trace their contacts, Newsom said.
Other local orders that are more restrictive than statewide reopening plans would supersede any changes the governor makes, Newsom said. Riverside County has some of the strictest public health orders in the state.
The county has the second-highest number of infections, behind Los Angeles County, with 4,454 positive COVID-19 cases and 184 deaths as of Monday evening. More than 56,000 people have been tested and nearly 2,000 people have recovered from the virus.
During Tuesday’s marathon meeting, Kaiser and other health officials acknowledged that the county’s coronavirus numbers were not as dire as they had initially projected — 65,000 coronavirus cases by May — mostly due to the restrictions they put in place early. But they warned supervisors that if orders were lifted too soon, they’d run the risk of impeding the county’s progress.
“A job and a paycheck are just as important to public health as anything else,” Kaiser said. “The presence of us [here] is not to say that we should not reopen, it’s to say that the orders that are in place ... enhance our ability to serve the public and to reopen those businesses responsibly.”
Due to a recent increase in personal protective equipment for healthcare workers, the opening of eight additional testing sites and the large quantity of available hospital beds, local experts said that they think the county can prove that they are prepared for the second phase of reopening. They also said that by continuing to require residents to wear masks and practice social distancing — both of which aren’t statewide requirements — the county can make its case to reopen stronger.
Ultimately, Perez agreed with health officials and changed his mind on the matter. Late in the meeting, he asked his colleagues to vote against his initial recommendation. “I think we can have a win-win,” he said.
“I say we leave our orders as they are.... We are in a great position to demonstrate to the governor that we can move into Phase 2 hopefully as soon as Friday and then maybe even fast-track ourselves into Phase 3,” Perez said. “Come Friday, we’re ready to move forward.”
In response to Perez’s recommendation, 1st District Supervisor Kevin Jeffries recommended that the vote be postponed until next week, but 5th District Supervisor Jeff Hewitt warned that a decision was needed sooner. Following Newsom’s address on Thursday, the Board of Supervisors will meet on Friday afternoon to vote on whether to rescind all of the county’s public health orders.
Times staff writers Alene Tchekmedyian, Taryn Luna and Phil Willon contributed to this report.


latimes--2020-05-06--Court upholds California ban on church services in coronavirus pandemic

California Gov .
Gavin Newsom had the right to ban church assemblies in the interest of public health during the coronavirus outbreak , a federal judge ruled Tuesday .
Newsom ’ s stay-at-home order did not violate the constitutional rights to free assembly and religion when the Cross Culture Christian Center in Lodi was ordered to cease holding services , Judge John Mendez ruled in Sacramento .
Pastor Jonathan Duncan had continued to assemble his congregation after the governor banned public gatherings in March despite warnings it was in violation of state and local orders .
The church of fewer @ @ @ @ @ @ @ federal guidelines to prevent spread of the virus .
Lodi police entered the church during a service attended by about 30 worshipers in late March and said they were defying the governor ’ s order .
The church responded with a “ cease and desist ” letter sent to the city and argued they had a 1st Amendment right to gather and practice their religion .
“ Constitutional rights can not be suspended by a virus , ” the church ’ s attorney , Dean Broyles , said at the time .
Police @ @ @ @ @ @ @ its nonessential use created a public nuisance .
San Joaquin County health officials then warned the church ’ s landlord , Bethel Open Bible Church , it could face a misdemeanor charge if it allowed assemblies to continue .
Duncan planned to hold Palm Sunday services on April 5 , but couldn ’ t get in the church because his landlord had changed the locks .
Police threatened to cite anyone who entered the property .
Duncan said in a statement that he was disappointed with the ruling but would continue to fight @ @ @ @ @ @ @ It is time for pastors and religious leaders across the state to rise up and start pushing back against these draconian stay-at-home orders that completely fail to take into account the true essentiality of religion in our society , ” he said .
The church was one of several that initially defied the governor ’ s order .
Most houses of worship have moved to online services , though Broyles said “ more churches than you would think ” are not complying with the order .
The church argued in its suit against @ @ @ @ @ @ @ officials that the order was an abuse of power that criminalized communal worship while allowing people to frequent department stores , liquor stores , marijuana dispensaries and other businesses deemed essential .
The judge said that argument missed the point because shoppers were going to those businesses to purchase specific items , not to commune with one another .
A more relevant comparison would be restaurants , concerts , movies and sporting events — secular places people gather that were also ordered closed .
Mendez said state and local stay-at-home orders were a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ didn ’ t violate the church ’ s constitutional rights .
Mendez noted that the Supreme Court more than 100 years ago upheld the government ’ s right to exercise police powers to promote public safety during a public health crisis .
“ During public health crises , new considerations come to bear , and government officials must ask whether even fundamental rights must give way to a deeper need to control the spread of infectious disease and protect the lives of society ’ s most vulnerable , ” Mendez wrote .
Americans @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , which filed a brief supporting the public officials , applauded the ruling because it upheld an order that applies to secular and religious gatherings .
“ Gov .
Newsom ’ s public health order does not violate religious freedom ; it ensures that the government is not favoring some people ’ s religious practices in a way that endangers other people ’ s lives , ” Rachel Laser , president and CEO of Americans United said in a statement .
“ We sympathize with Californians who find solace in communal religious services @ @ @ @ @ @ @ finding creative new ways to worship together remotely.
” Broyles said the judge ’ s rejection of a temporary restraining order request will not stop them from pressing on with their case .
“ It ’ s the first skirmish in many battles that lie ahead , ” he said .

California Gov. Gavin Newsom had the right to ban church assemblies in the interest of public health during the coronavirus outbreak, a federal judge ruled Tuesday.
Newsom’s stay-at-home order did not violate the constitutional rights to free assembly and religion when the Cross Culture Christian Center in Lodi was ordered to cease holding services, Judge John Mendez ruled in Sacramento.
Pastor Jonathan Duncan had continued to assemble his congregation after the governor banned public gatherings in March despite warnings it was in violation of state and local orders. The church of fewer than 50 members said it was obeying federal guidelines to prevent spread of the virus.
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Lodi police entered the church during a service attended by about 30 worshipers in late March and said they were defying the governor’s order. The church responded with a “cease and desist” letter sent to the city and argued they had a 1st Amendment right to gather and practice their religion.
“Constitutional rights cannot be suspended by a virus,” the church’s attorney, Dean Broyles, said at the time.
Police posted a notice on the building that its nonessential use created a public nuisance. San Joaquin County health officials then warned the church’s landlord, Bethel Open Bible Church, it could face a misdemeanor charge if it allowed assemblies to continue.
Duncan planned to hold Palm Sunday services on April 5, but couldn’t get in the church because his landlord had changed the locks. Police threatened to cite anyone who entered the property.
Duncan said in a statement that he was disappointed with the ruling but would continue to fight for the right to worship.
“It is time for pastors and religious leaders across the state to rise up and start pushing back against these draconian stay-at-home orders that completely fail to take into account the true essentiality of religion in our society,” he said.
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The church was one of several that initially defied the governor’s order. Most houses of worship have moved to online services, though Broyles said “more churches than you would think” are not complying with the order.
The church argued in its suit against Newsom, Lodi police and county health officials that the order was an abuse of power that criminalized communal worship while allowing people to frequent department stores, liquor stores, marijuana dispensaries and other businesses deemed essential.
The judge said that argument missed the point because shoppers were going to those businesses to purchase specific items, not to commune with one another. A more relevant comparison would be restaurants, concerts, movies and sporting events — secular places people gather that were also ordered closed.
Mendez said state and local stay-at-home orders were a valid exercise of emergency police powers and didn’t violate the church’s constitutional rights. Mendez noted that the Supreme Court more than 100 years ago upheld the government’s right to exercise police powers to promote public safety during a public health crisis.
“During public health crises, new considerations come to bear, and government officials must ask whether even fundamental rights must give way to a deeper need to control the spread of infectious disease and protect the lives of society’s most vulnerable,” Mendez wrote.
Americans United for Separation of Church and State, which filed a brief supporting the public officials, applauded the ruling because it upheld an order that applies to secular and religious gatherings.
“Gov. Newsom’s public health order does not violate religious freedom; it ensures that the government is not favoring some people’s religious practices in a way that endangers other people’s lives,” Rachel Laser, president and CEO of Americans United said in a statement. “We sympathize with Californians who find solace in communal religious services and applaud the faith communities who are finding creative new ways to worship together remotely.”
Broyles said the judge’s rejection of a temporary restraining order request will not stop them from pressing on with their case.
“It’s the first skirmish in many battles that lie ahead,” he said.


latimes--2020-05-05--LAPD employee assaulted with a rock while jogging, agency says

A Los Angeles Police Department employee was attacked while jogging Tuesday morning and struck in the head with a rock @ @ @ @ @ .
The employee was running near the LAPD Academy in Elysian Park about 9:30 a.m. @ @ @ @ @ by police as Danny Ramirez , 28 , of Los Angeles — armed himself with @ @ @ @ @ employee in the head and ran off with some personal property , Officer Mike Lopez @ @ @ @ @ Tuesday on suspicion of robbery , Lopez said .
He declined to specify the LAPD @ @ @ @ @ what property was stolen .
The employee suffered a head injury but is in stable @ @ @ @ @

A Los Angeles Police Department employee was struck in the head with a rock while jogging Tuesday morning, a department spokesman said.
A Los Angeles Police Department employee was attacked while jogging Tuesday morning and struck in the head with a rock, a department spokesman said.
The employee was running near the LAPD Academy in Elysian Park about 9:30 a.m. when an assailant — identified by police as Danny Ramirez, 28, of Los Angeles — armed himself with a rock, hit the employee in the head and ran off with some personal property, Officer Mike Lopez said.
Ramirez was arrested Tuesday on suspicion of robbery, Lopez said.
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He declined to specify the LAPD employee’s rank or what property was stolen. The employee suffered a head injury but is in stable condition, Lopez said.


latimes--2020-05-05--Judge who ordered ICE to immediately release California immigrants overruled; detainees will stay pu

Judge who ordered ICE to immediately release California immigrants overruled; detainees will stay put

A panel of three 9th Circuit Court of Appeals judges on Tuesday overruled a lower court ’ s order to significantly reduce the number of detainees held at the Adelanto ICE Processing Facility northeast of Los Angeles .
The decision by judges Barry Silverman , Jacqueline Nguyen and Daniel Collins came in response to an emergency request by the Trump administration to halt the April 23 preliminary injunction ruling by U.S. District Judge Terry Hatter while it appeals his order .
A preliminary injunction is temporarily issued early in a lawsuit to stop defendants from continuing harmful actions as the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ protect detainees from a potential coronavirus outbreak , Hatter had declared that the population at Adelanto — one of the largest immigrant detention facilities in the country — must decrease “ to such a level that would allow the remaining detainees to maintain a social distance of six feet from each other at all times.
” He had directed ICE not to allow any new detainees at the facility and to reduce the population by at least 250 people by April 30 .
Adelanto has space for nearly 2,000 detainees but currently holds @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are in ICE custody .
Lawyers for the federal government appealed Hatter ’ s decision the day after it was issued , preventing any detainees from being immediately released .
The 9th Circuit judges left one aspect of Hatter ’ s decision intact : his requirement that the Adelanto facility administrators comply with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines for detention facilities concerning COVID-19 .
The guidance includes ensuring that detainees receive medical evaluations and treatment at the first signs of having coronavirus ; that those with symptoms wear a face @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ; and that new intakes be quarantined for two weeks before entering the facility ’ s general population .
In his approval of the emergency request and in a partial dissent from the other two judges , Collins said he would have overruled Hatter ’ s requirement on the CDC guidance as well .
Collins said that an injunction must “ state its terms specifically.
” But the CDC notes that guidance might have to be adapted based on issues like space , staffing and population .
“ One of the many problems @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is that it disregards the very sort of considerations that the CDC says may require adaption of the guidelines in the context of a particular facility , ” he wrote .
The ruling comes in response to a lawsuit filed April 14 by the American Civil Liberties Union Foundation of Southern California and the law firm Latham & Watkins .
Lawyers argue that conditions at Adelanto make the facility vulnerable to an outbreak .
Four to eight detainees live in cells as small as eight by 10 feet and share bathrooms , showers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ aren ’ t provided with enough cleaning supplies and masks , which ICE disputes .
The agency says facilities have increased social distancing by introducing staggered meal and recreation times and suspending community service projects and social visits .
Late last week , advocates announced that several detainees at the Adelanto facility had begun a hunger strike — the second in recent weeks over coronavirus concerns .
ICE spokeswoman Alexx Pons said just one detainee was on hunger strike .
According to ICE policy , facility staff must record detainees not eating for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ They make us clean only with shampoo and toothpaste , without any kind of liquid to sanitize the bathroom or the common areas , ” said one detainee on strike whose name was withheld due to fear of retaliation , according to an audio file shared by the Inland Coalition for Immigrant Justice .
Though there have been no confirmed cases at the facility , only six detainees had been tested as of April 23 , according to a declaration by Gabriel Valdez , assistant field director of enforcement and removal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Two of those detainees were tested at a nearby hospital “ as a local protocol , ” where they were receiving medical care unrelated to the coronavirus .
Valdez said that facility staff identified 323 detainees as high risk due to age or medical conditions , and that 66 of them were released .
As of Thursday , 674 detainees and 39 ICE employees at detention centers nationwide have .
ACLU attorney Minju Cho said it ’ s significant that the appellate court ordered ICE to come into compliance with CDC guidance at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ very concerned about people who remain detained at Adelanto and will do everything we can to protect them , ” she said .

A panel of three 9th Circuit Court of Appeals judges on Tuesday overruled a lower court’s order to significantly reduce the number of detainees held at the Adelanto ICE Processing Facility northeast of Los Angeles.
The decision by judges Barry Silverman, Jacqueline Nguyen and Daniel Collins came in response to an emergency request by the Trump administration to halt the April 23 preliminary injunction ruling by U.S. District Judge Terry Hatter while it appeals his order. A preliminary injunction is temporarily issued early in a lawsuit to stop defendants from continuing harmful actions as the case moves forward.
In order to protect detainees from a potential coronavirus outbreak, Hatter had declared that the population at Adelanto — one of the largest immigrant detention facilities in the country — must decrease “to such a level that would allow the remaining detainees to maintain a social distance of six feet from each other at all times.” He had directed ICE not to allow any new detainees at the facility and to reduce the population by at least 250 people by April 30.
Adelanto has space for nearly 2,000 detainees but currently holds about 1,200. Nationwide, 29,700 people are in ICE custody.
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Lawyers for the federal government appealed Hatter’s decision the day after it was issued, preventing any detainees from being immediately released.
The 9th Circuit judges left one aspect of Hatter’s decision intact: his requirement that the Adelanto facility administrators comply with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines for detention facilities concerning COVID-19. The guidance includes ensuring that detainees receive medical evaluations and treatment at the first signs of having coronavirus; that those with symptoms wear a face mask and be placed in medical isolation; and that new intakes be quarantined for two weeks before entering the facility’s general population.
In his approval of the emergency request and in a partial dissent from the other two judges, Collins said he would have overruled Hatter’s requirement on the CDC guidance as well. Collins said that an injunction must “state its terms specifically.” But the CDC notes that guidance might have to be adapted based on issues like space, staffing and population.
“One of the many problems with the district court’s injunction is that it disregards the very sort of considerations that the CDC says may require adaption of the guidelines in the context of a particular facility,” he wrote.
The ruling comes in response to a lawsuit filed April 14 by the American Civil Liberties Union Foundation of Southern California and the law firm Latham & Watkins. Lawyers argue that conditions at Adelanto make the facility vulnerable to an outbreak.
Four to eight detainees live in cells as small as eight by 10 feet and share bathrooms, showers and dining tables. Detainees say they aren’t provided with enough cleaning supplies and masks, which ICE disputes. The agency says facilities have increased social distancing by introducing staggered meal and recreation times and suspending community service projects and social visits.
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Late last week, advocates announced that several detainees at the Adelanto facility had begun a hunger strike — the second in recent weeks over coronavirus concerns. ICE spokeswoman Alexx Pons said just one detainee was on hunger strike. According to ICE policy, facility staff must record detainees not eating for 72 hours before designating a hunger strike.
BREAKING: Women in the Adelanto Detention Center have begun a hunger strike to oppose the conditions within the detention center pic.twitter.com/kiNA6e9d1d — ICIJ (@IC4IJ) April 30, 2020
“They make us clean only with shampoo and toothpaste, without any kind of liquid to sanitize the bathroom or the common areas,” said one detainee on strike whose name was withheld due to fear of retaliation, according to an audio file shared by the Inland Coalition for Immigrant Justice.
Though there have been no confirmed cases at the facility, only six detainees had been tested as of April 23, according to a declaration by Gabriel Valdez, assistant field director of enforcement and removal operations for ICE in Los Angeles. Two of those detainees were tested at a nearby hospital “as a local protocol,” where they were receiving medical care unrelated to the coronavirus. Valdez said that facility staff identified 323 detainees as high risk due to age or medical conditions, and that 66 of them were released.
As of Thursday, 674 detainees and 39 ICE employees at detention centers nationwide have tested positive for COVID-19 .
ACLU attorney Minju Cho said it’s significant that the appellate court ordered ICE to come into compliance with CDC guidance at the facility.
“But we remain very concerned about people who remain detained at Adelanto and will do everything we can to protect them,” she said.