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Dernières mises à jour
Variante du COVID-19 d'Afrique du Sud détectée aux États-Unis
Combien de variantes de COVID-19 existe-t-il? Quelques-uns, mais trois sont les plus importants.
L'équipe de l'OMS à Wuhan, en Chine, quitte la quarantaine pour l'étude sur les origines du COVID-19
Blue Shield prend le contrôle du système de vaccination californien
Un rapport d'auditeur d'État indique qu'EDD était au courant des problèmes critiques avant la pandémie
COVID-19 en chiffres
Jeudi 28 janvier
11 h 18 : Combien de variantes de COVID-19 existe-t-il? Quelques-uns, mais trois sont les plus importants.
Illustration AP / Peter Hamlin
Bien qu'il existe de nombreuses variantes du COVID-19 en circulation dans le monde, les scientifiques s'en préoccupent principalement trois.
il n'est pas rare que les virus mutent lorsqu'ils infectent des personnes et se reproduisent d'eux-mêmes. Ainsi, la surveillance des variantes est cruciale car elles pourraient changer la façon dont les personnes sont infectées.
Les vaccins et les traitements pourraient également être moins efficaces sur ces nouvelles formes. Une variante découverte pour la première fois au Royaume-Uni semble se propager plus facilement, tandis que les variantes détectées pour la première fois en Afrique du Sud et au Brésil semblent plus contagieuses.
Les données à ce jour suggèrent que les vaccins actuels devraient toujours fonctionner, mais leur efficacité pourrait être légèrement diminuée.
11 h 13 : L'équipe de l'OMS à Wuhan, en Chine, quitte la quarantaine pour l'étude sur les origines du COVID-19
Une équipe de recherche de l'Organisation mondiale de la santé est sortie de la quarantaine dans la ville chinoise de Wuhan pour commencer son travail de terrain dans une mission d'enquête sur les origines du virus qui a provoqué la pandémie de COVID-19.
l'équipe devait effectuer une quarantaine de 14 jours après son arrivée en Chine. Cependant, la mission est devenue politiquement chargée, car la Chine cherche à éviter d'être blâmée pour tout faux pas présumé dans sa réponse précoce à l'épidémie.
La question centrale sans réponse est de savoir où la Chine autorisera les chercheurs à se rendre et avec qui ils pourront interroger. Jeudi, l'OMS a écrit sur Twitter que son équipe prévoyait d'effectuer des visites sur le terrain dans les hôpitaux, les marchés et les laboratoires à partir de vendredi.
Mercredi 27 janvier
17 h 50 : Blue Shield prend le contrôle du système de vaccination californien
L'État a tardé à faire vacciner ses près de 40 millions d'habitants, les comtés et les systèmes hospitaliers mettant en œuvre des programmes distincts. Le contrat avec Blue Shield est toujours en cours de finalisation, mais sa tâche est de «créer, contracter et gérer un réseau d'administration des vaccins à l'échelle de l'État».
16 h 35 : Le rapport de l'auditeur de l'État indique qu'EDD était au courant des problèmes critiques avant la pandémie
Un rapport récemment publié par l'auditeur de l'État de Californie indique que l'EDD est à blâmer pour un énorme arriéré de demandes de chômage.
L'audit indique qu'EDD était au courant de problèmes critiques, notamment un processus de dépôt de réclamation inefficace, un manque de personnel qualifié et facilement disponible et une mauvaise gestion des centres d'appels depuis près d'une décennie.
En conséquence, lorsque la crise du COVID et les pertes d'emplois associées ont frappé, le ministère n'était pas préparé. Le vérificateur d'État a déclaré que 800 000 demandes avaient été payées en retard - jusqu'à trois semaines après que des chômeurs ayant besoin d'aide aient déposé leurs demandes. Entre-temps, les fraudeurs ont reçu au moins 11 milliards de dollars, et peut-être plus de 30 milliards de dollars.
Mardi, la sous-commission du budget de l'Assemblée sur l'administration de l'État a poussé la directrice nouvellement nommée de l'EDD, Rita L. Saenz, à son plan pour y remédier.
"Ma vision pour EDD en ce moment est de faire payer les gens, d'arrêter la fraude, de moderniser EDD afin que nous soyons capables de gérer les problèmes actuels que nous avons et les problèmes que nous aurons à l'avenir", a déclaré Saenz.
Mais la présidente de l'assemblée du comité, Wendy Carillo, a noté une lettre pré-COVID-19 sur le site Web de l'EDD décrivant essentiellement ce que le rapport de l'auditeur a trouvé : une prise de conscience de la part de l'EDD que le ministère n'était pas préparé à la crise ou même fonctionnait efficacement en temps normal. et comprenait des recommandations d'action.
Le commissaire aux comptes publiera jeudi un rapport distinct sur la situation de la fraude EDD.
15 h 48 : Les petites entreprises du Nevada demandent un soulagement du COVID-19
Sisolak s'est joint aux propriétaires d'une pizzeria et d'un restaurant soul food mardi pour une table ronde sur les problèmes auxquels les petites entreprises sont confrontées près de 11 mois après le début de la pandémie. Plus de 4 300 petites entreprises ont reçu des subventions de secours d'urgence l'année dernière pour les aider à rester à flot.
Cette fois, Sisolak propose d'utiliser les fonds de secours fédéraux restants pour doubler la taille du programme de subventions à 101 millions de dollars. Pendant ce temps, le nombre de nouveaux cas de coronavirus signalés quotidiennement dans l'État a commencé à baisser.
15 h 47 : La deuxième dose de COVID-19 au Nevada sera offerte au Las Vegas Convention Center
Le district de santé du sud du Nevada a déclaré que la clinique réservée aux rendez-vous ouvrirait la Fed. 2 pour les personnes qui ont déjà reçu leurs premières doses dans un dispensaire de district sanitaire et qui sont éligibles pour les deuxièmes doses. Les responsables de la santé du comté de Washoe ont vacciné des centaines de personnes mercredi malgré une puissante tempête hivernale qui a déversé jusqu'à un pied de neige sur certaines parties de Reno-Sparks.
Le district sanitaire du comté a déclaré qu'il avait vacciné plus de 1 200 personnes mardi, son total quotidien le plus élevé à ce jour.
15 h 45 : Les États assouplissent les restrictions relatives au COVID-19 malgré une nouvelle mutation virale
De nombreux États ainsi que la Californie attribuent l'assouplissement des restrictions en raison de l'amélioration du nombre d'infections et d'hospitalisations, mais les États doivent agir avec prudence en raison des diverses variantes hautement contagieuses qui s'installe.
car les hôpitaux étaient tellement submergés de patients infectés par le virus que beaucoup envisageaient de rationner les soins vitaux. Les restaurants et les lieux de culte pourront fonctionner à l'extérieur et de nombreux magasins pourront augmenter le nombre d'acheteurs autorisés à l'intérieur d'un bâtiment.
Le nombre de morts du COVID-19 dans le pays a dépassé les 425000, avec un total de décès proche d'un sommet historique de près de 3350 par jour en moyenne, mais les cas nouvellement confirmés ont chuté au cours des deux dernières semaines.
Mardi 26 janvier
17 h 50 : L'administration Biden travaille pour acheter 200 millions de doses de vaccin supplémentaires
L’administration du président Joe Biden s’emploie à acheter 200 millions de doses supplémentaires de deux vaccins COVID-19 qui ont été autorisés pour une utilisation d’urgence. L'objectif est d'avoir un approvisionnement suffisant pour l'ensemble de la population adulte aux États-Unis d'ici la fin de l'été.
"Cela augmente la commande totale de vaccins pour les États-Unis de 50%, de 400 millions à 600 millions avec ces doses supplémentaires qui devraient être livrées cet été", a déclaré la Maison Blanche dans une fiche d'information.
Le président a également annoncé un plan visant à augmenter le nombre de doses destinées aux gouvernements des États et locaux au cours des trois prochaines semaines. Biden a répété que le déploiement du vaccin était sa priorité absolue.
En savoir plus ici.
17 h 15 : La Californie commencera à utiliser des groupes tiers pour accélérer les vaccinations
Dans un effort pour rendre l'administration des vaccins plus équitable, les responsables de l'État ont annoncé mardi que la Californie commencerait à utiliser des groupes tiers pour aider à accélérer les vaccinations dans tout l'État.
Yolanda Richardson, secrétaire d'État aux opérations gouvernementales, a déclaré que ces groupes comprendraient des cliniques de santé communautaires et des pharmacies, ainsi que des sites pop-up et mobiles.
«Nous voulons nous assurer que rien ne ralentit l'administration du vaccin autre que le rythme auquel le vaccin arrive dans l'État. Nous allons le faire en équilibrant sécurité, rapidité et équité, tout en augmentant le volume pour atteindre le niveau de vaccin nécessaire », a déclaré Richardson.
Richardson admet que l'État a échoué à plusieurs niveaux et a dérouté les gens sur l'admissibilité aux vaccins.
Après avoir intensifié ses efforts, l'État a vacciné 125 000 personnes en moyenne chaque jour de la semaine.
16 h 31 : L'État publie la formule des projections de l'USI
Le plus haut responsable de la santé de Californie a expliqué aujourd'hui comment l'État en est venu à la décision surprenante de lever les commandes de séjour à la maison dans les 58 comtés.
Le secrétaire à la Santé et aux Services sociaux, le Dr Mark Ghaly, a déclaré que les responsables avaient utilisé une formule pas si simple, qui prend en compte les taux de cas de COVID-19 et la croissance de la maladie, pour prédire à quoi ressembleront les hospitalisations en soins intensifs dans quatre semaines.
"Nous savons que les cas d'aujourd'hui deviennent des cas hospitaliers dans environ deux semaines, et que ceux-ci deviennent des cas de soins intensifs dans trois à quatre semaines plus tard", a déclaré Ghaly mardi. "Donc, si nous voulons déterminer quel est l'impact sur où nous voulons être à la hôpitaux, nous devons regarder dans environ 4 semaines. »
Malgré le recul, le modèle réel n'avait pas été révélé jusqu'à aujourd'hui, ce qui, selon Ghaly, était de réduire la confusion. Ghaly a déclaré qu'il était actuellement prévu que les régions réintègrent l'ordre de séjour à la maison, de sorte que les comtés resteront dans le système de niveaux de couleur de l'État pour le moment.
Avec la levée des ordonnances de maintien à la maison de la Californie, les responsables de la santé de l'État exhortent les gens à ne pas trop se détendre quant au respect des protocoles de sécurité COVID-19.
Ghaly dit que les taux de cas et d'hospitalisation s'améliorent et continueront de le faire tant que les gens respecteront les consignes de sécurité, qui, selon lui, se sont avérées efficaces.
«Même si nos résidents ne s'y conforment pas à 100%, même s'il est difficile de toujours mesurer la conformité, la simple notion que ces interventions sont mises en place, trois semaines plus tard, vous voyez que cela commence à s'aplatir», a déclaré Ghaly.
Les comtés sont revenus dans le système de niveaux colorés. À ce jour, 99% de la population de l’État se trouve dans le niveau violet le plus restrictif. Ghaly a déclaré que quelques comtés pourraient passer à des niveaux moins restrictifs dans les semaines à venir, mais qu'au moins un comté pourrait devoir resserrer les restrictions.
11 h 29 : La Californie publie des données de prédictions de santé COVID-19 auparavant secrètes
Le département de la santé de Californie a publié au public des projections précédemment secrètes sur la capacité future des soins intensifs des hôpitaux dans tout l'État, la mesure clé pour lever l'ordre de rester à domicile du coronavirus.
les responsables de l'État n'ont toujours pas expliqué comment les cas de virus régionaux par habitant et les taux de transmission pourraient également influencer la quantité d'espace disponible en USI dans quatre semaines.
car elles sont compliquées et pourraient induire le public en erreur. La publication des données intervient après que des experts en coronavirus, une organisation d'accès public et un groupe d'entreprises ont déclaré que les informations devraient être publiques.
11 h 28 : la Californie donne à l'État plus de contrôle sur la distribution des vaccins
La Californie est en train de réorganiser son système de distribution de vaccins contre les coronavirus pour donner à l'État plus de contrôle sur qui reçoit les vaccins, à la suite des critiques intenses d'un déploiement lent et dispersé par les comtés.
l'agence de santé de l'État a annoncé mardi qu'un administrateur tiers prendrait en charge la commande et la distribution des doses de vaccin. Cela devrait mettre fin à un système de méli-mélo dans lequel chaque comté et système hospitalier dirigeait son propre programme de distribution de vaccins.
Cette décision intervient après que l'État a fait face à de nombreuses critiques pour un déploiement lent du vaccin, tandis que les cas de COVID-19 ont grimpé en flèche et que les lits d'hôpitaux se sont remplis de patients dans une grande partie de l'État.
11 h 22 : le président Biden veut vacciner 1,5 million d'Américains par jour
Son plan comprend la vaccination de 1,5 million d'Américains en moyenne par jour. Lundi, Biden a commenté ses projets alors que les discussions avec le Congrès sur un plan de relance de 1,9 billion de dollars ont montré peu de signes de progrès.
Il a signalé son optimisme croissant sur le rythme de la vaccination après avoir signé un décret visant à stimuler les achats du gouvernement auprès des fabricants américains.
Cela faisait partie d'une vague de mouvements de Biden au cours de sa première semaine complète pour montrer publiquement qu'il prend des mesures rapides pour guérir une économie en difficulté.
Lundi 25 janvier
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La Californie a levé son ordre de rester à la maison dans tout l'État, renvoyant les 58 comtés à l'ancien système de niveaux de coronavirus à code couleur pour régir les restrictions.
"Alors nous allons simplement nous passer de ce non-sens fondamental, fondamentalement."
le Dr Mark Ghaly L'État, pas plus tard que la semaine dernière, résistait aux appels pour que ces données soient rendues publiques, affirmant qu'il ne voulait pas semer la confusion chez les Californiens.
17 h 36 : Des chercheurs californiens utilisent le séquençage génomique pour suivre les variantes et les épidémies de coronavirus
Des chercheurs californiens utilisent une technique appelée séquençage génomique pour mieux comprendre les variantes et les épidémies de coronavirus.
Au fur et à mesure que le coronavirus se propage, il mute lentement. Cela peut sembler effrayant, mais c'est en fait un fil d'Ariane utile pour les épidémiologistes.
Joe Derisi est professeur à l'UCSF et co-président du Chan Zuckerberg Biohub, l'un des nombreux laboratoires de séquençage génomique en Californie.
"Cela nous permet de suivre n'importe quel génome viral donné jusqu'à Wuhan, en Chine", a déclaré Derisi. "Vous avez donc comme cet enregistrement historique de toutes les mutations accumulées depuis qu'il a commencé à se développer."
Cela permet aux responsables de la santé publique de confirmer la source d'une épidémie si toutes les personnes infectées partagent les mêmes mutations virales.
La plupart des changements dans le virus ne sonnent pas l’alarme. Mais le séquençage génomique peut aider à identifier des variantes qui sont plus mortelles ou contagieuses.
3 h 17 : La Cour suprême des États-Unis n'entendra pas l'affaire du rassemblement religieux au Nevada
La Cour suprême des États-Unis a refusé la demande d'une église rurale du Nevada de peser sur une bataille juridique sur le pouvoir du gouvernement de limiter la taille des rassemblements religieux.
la plus haute cour du pays a rejeté la pétition de Calvary Chapel Dayton Valley cherchant à réexaminer leur cas au fond. Les procureurs généraux de 19 autres États se sont récemment joints pour soutenir l'église à l'est de Reno.
Le groupe espérait que la Cour suprême statuerait sur cette affaire pour aider à uniformiser les diverses normes utilisées par les tribunaux nationaux pour concilier les intérêts de la sécurité publique et la liberté de religion.
15 h 14 : Pour les ambulanciers ambulanciers, chaque trajet de patient présente un risque élevé de COVID-19
Pour de nombreux techniciens médicaux d'urgence en Californie, le risque de coronavirus est toujours présent.
l'infection au COVID-19 est devenue leur plus grande peur qui pourrait être déclenchée en roulant avec des patients dans des ambulances, de l'appel du 911 à l'appel du 911. De nombreux ambulanciers paramédicaux et ambulanciers ont pour objectif à vie d'être les premiers intervenants, mais alors que les risques continuent d'augmenter, certains se demandent s'il vaut la peine de risquer leur vie pour un petit salaire.
Dans le sud de la Californie, les ambulanciers paramédicaux et les ambulanciers se démènent pour aider les gens de l'épicentre national de la pandémie, où les hôpitaux regorgent de patients après les vacances. Souvent, les ambulances étaient bloquées à l'extérieur des hôpitaux pendant des heures jusqu'à ce que des lits deviennent disponibles.
15 h 13 : La Californie peut prolonger le moratoire sur les expulsions
L'année dernière, l'État a adopté une loi interdisant les expulsions pour les locataires qui paient au moins 25% de leur loyer dû entre septembre et janvier. Actuellement, ces protections expireront le lundi 31 janvier.
le président de l'Assemblée Anthony Rendon et le président du Sénat Pro Tem Toni Atkins prolongerait ces protections jusqu'à la fin du mois de juin. Une partie de l’argent fédéral serait également utilisée pour payer jusqu’à 80% des dettes de certains locataires si les propriétaires acceptent de pardonner les 20% restants.
11 h 03 : La Californie lève les commandes régionales de séjour à la maison
La Californie a levé les commandes régionales de séjour à la maison dans tout l'État lundi, permettant à des entreprises telles que les restaurants, les gymnases et les salons de coiffure de rouvrir avec certaines restrictions.
Malgré le relâchement des restrictions, les responsables de la santé ont le sentiment que «la pandémie du COVID-19 est loin d'être terminée» et ont encouragé les gens à continuer à porter des masques, à maintenir leur éloignement social et à éviter les rassemblements avec des personnes extérieures à leur foyer.
L'ordre de séjour à domicile était lié à la capacité des soins intensifs, la région étant en mesure de lever les restrictions lorsque les projections ont montré que la capacité des soins intensifs était supérieure à 15% quatre semaines plus tard. L'État n'a pas publié publiquement les projections de l'USI sur 4 semaines pour chaque région, ni publié la formule utilisée pour atteindre ces projections.
La région du Grand Sacramento est sortie de l'ordre de rester à la maison le 3 janvier, après que des responsables de l'État ont déclaré que les projections de l'USI de la région dépassaient 15%, faisant revenir les comtés au système de niveaux colorés de la Californie.
Samedi, la capacité de soins intensifs de la région du Grand Sacramento était de 11,9%, toujours en dessous du seuil de 15%. Sacramento et d'autres comtés voisins sont toujours dans le système de niveau violet le plus restrictif et ne peuvent pas passer à un niveau moins restrictif jusqu'à ce que les taux de cas et de test-positivité diminuent.
10 h 40 : les cas de COVID-19 aux États-Unis chutent, mais restent élevés
L’effort de lutte contre le virus s’intensifie entre l’introduction du vaccin dans les bras des gens et la mutation du virus. Les décès dans le pays se situent désormais en moyenne à un peu moins de 3 100 par jour, contre 3 350 il y a moins de deux semaines.
Les nouveaux cas sont maintenant en moyenne d'environ 170 000 par jour, après avoir culminé à environ 250 000. Le plus grand spécialiste des maladies infectieuses du pays, le Dr Anthony Fauci, a déclaré que les améliorations semblent être le résultat d'un plateau naturel après la poussée des Fêtes et non l'effet des personnes qui ont été vaccinées, il demande donc toujours une vigilance continue.
10 h 39 : Biden rétablit les règles de voyage en raison du COVID-19
Lundi, la Maison Blanche a annoncé que le président Joe Biden rétablirait officiellement les restrictions de voyage COVID-19 pour les voyageurs non américains en provenance de certains pays comme le Brésil, l'Irlande, le Royaume-Uni et 26 autres pays européens.
la nouvelle attachée de presse de la Maison Blanche, Jen Psaki, a également confirmé que l'Afrique du Sud serait ajoutée à la liste restreinte en raison des inquiétudes concernant une nouvelle variante du virus qui se propage au-delà du pays.
Biden annule effectivement un ordre de l'ancien président Donald Trump dans ses derniers jours au pouvoir qui a permis l'assouplissement des restrictions de voyage. Le Dr Anthony Fauci a qualifié le nouvel ordre de «prudent».
Dimanche 24 janvier
14 h 16 : L'interdiction du culte en salle en Californie confirmée par la cour d'appel
Une cour d'appel fédérale a rejeté la demande d'une église du sud de la Californie d'annuler les restrictions de l'État sur les coronavirus interdisant les services de culte à l'intérieur pendant la pandémie de coronavirus.
Un panel de trois juges s'est prononcé contre l'église pentecôtiste unie de South Bay de Chula Vista au sujet d'ordonnances de santé publique qui empêchent la tenue de services religieux à l'intérieur alors que les taux de cas de virus et les hospitalisations restent élevés.
- Presse associée
Samedi 23 janvier
10 h 55 : Le sénateur de l'État Nielsen critique le déploiement du vaccin par l'État dans les petits comtés ruraux
Les comtés ruraux de Californie auront des défis supplémentaires en ce qui concerne la vaccination des personnes âgées contre le COVID-19 - comme atteindre les personnes qui vivent dans des régions éloignées sans accès aux transports en commun.
Le sénateur républicain Jim Nielsen dit que les petits comtés qu'il représente - tels que Butte, Colusa, Glenn et Sutter - sont frustrés par le manque de communication de l'État.
«Et ils aimeraient un certain degré de certitude», a-t-il dit. «Les fonctionnaires du gouvernement - étatique et fédéral - ont eu des mois pour comprendre cela.»
Vendredi 22 janvier
18 h 06 : L'État lance le site Web d'inscription des vaccins pilotes
L'État dispose désormais d'un site Web très attendu sur lequel vous pouvez vous inscrire, appelé «MyTurn».
Mais pour l'instant, le site ne se coordonne qu'avec le comté de Los Angeles. Les agents de santé et les personnes de plus de 65 ans à Los Angeles peuvent utiliser le site pour prendre rendez-vous.
Les gens d'autres comtés peuvent toujours remplir le formulaire, qui comprend des questions sur votre âge, les conditions préexistantes et votre profession. Le site devrait s'améliorer à mesure que de plus en plus de comtés se connectent.
L'État a été critiqué pour la lenteur du déploiement des vaccins. Les comtés disent qu’ils n’auront probablement pas assez de vaccin pour vacciner le grand public jusqu’à cet été.
16 h 08 : L'Église du Nevada veut que la Cour suprême des États-Unis se prononce sur les limites de présence
Calvary Chapel Dayton Valley, une église rurale du Nevada, souhaite que la Cour suprême des États-Unis décide si le gouvernement a le pouvoir de limiter les rassemblements religieux.
l’église à l’est de Reno fait pression sur le dossier même après avoir obtenu une décision de la cour d’appel qui a jugé les restrictions du Nevada inconstitutionnelles. Les procureurs généraux de 19 autres États se sont joints à l'église dans un mémoire d'ami de la cour.
Le groupe exhorte la Cour suprême à se prononcer sur le bien-fondé de l'affaire Nevada afin d'aider à uniformiser les diverses normes que les tribunaux nationaux ont utilisées pour équilibrer les intérêts de la sécurité publique et de la liberté religieuse.
16 h 03 : La peur, les barrières linguistiques ralentissent les efforts de vaccination des immigrants
Certains immigrants dans le pays sans papiers peuvent craindre que les informations fournies lors des vaccinations puissent être transmises aux autorités, de sorte qu'ils ne peuvent pas chercher de vaccins. Les immigrants qui parlent peu ou pas l'anglais peuvent également avoir des difficultés à accéder aux plans dans leur langue.
Ces défis sont particulièrement préoccupants pour les immigrés latinos, qui représentent une grande partie de la main-d'œuvre à haut risque. Afin de s'attaquer à cela, des groupes de défense se dirigent vers les champs agricoles pour apporter des vaccins et des informations aux travailleurs migrants et tentent de contrer la désinformation en espagnol et dans d'autres langues.
15 h 56 : Un responsable de la santé du Nevada qualifie l'attribution des vaccins par l'État de «faible» et «lente»
Vendredi, Case a déclaré que l’allocation de vaccins de l’État par le gouvernement fédéral était «faible, lente et hebdomadaire» et «n’était pas suffisante pour répondre à nos besoins ou à notre capacité».
L’État tout entier n’en reçoit qu’environ 36 000 doses par semaine, tandis que le sud du Nevada, où vivent les trois quarts de la population totale de l’État, a la capacité d’administrer environ 92 000 doses par semaine. Cage a déclaré que le Nevada faisait tout ce qu'il pouvait pour demander plus de doses.
10 h 23 : la Californie conserve les données virales critiques du public
L'agence de santé publique de Californie a récemment surpris les responsables locaux en levant une ordonnance de maintien à la maison dans la région du Grand Sacramento, dans les 13 comtés du comté, pour le 13 janvier.
la manière dont ces décisions ont été prises semble être un mystère car les fonctionnaires ne partageront pas leurs données malgré des promesses répétées de transparence. Les responsables de l’État ont déclaré avoir projeté la capacité de l’unité de soins intensifs et la propagation du virus quatre semaines plus tard pour prendre la décision.
Le porte-parole du département de la santé de l'État, Ali Bay, a déclaré à l'AP, «pour le moment, les projections ne sont pas partagées publiquement», car les responsables estiment qu'elles pourraient semer la confusion parmi le public. Le porte-parole du comté de San Bernardino, David Wert, a déclaré que les responsables ne sont pas au courant des modèles secrets mais qu'ils seraient heureux de pouvoir consulter les données.
10 h 12 : Au Nevada, les cas de vacances COVID-19 sont en baisse, mais les décès continuent de grimper
Le chef de la biostatistique, Kyra Morgan, a noté que les décès augmentent généralement au cours des semaines suivant des poussées de cas puis des hospitalisations. Le Nevada a vu son nombre le plus élevé de nouveaux cas confirmés en une seule journée atteindre 3400 le 7 janvier.
Jeudi, les responsables de la santé de l'État ont signalé environ 1400 cas supplémentaires et 47 nouveaux décès dus au virus depuis mercredi. Les cas de coronavirus du Nevada ont maintenant dépassé 266000 et 3910 décès depuis le début de la pandémie.
10 h 09 : La Californie enregistre une augmentation considérable des demandes de chômage
La Californie a signalé une forte augmentation du nombre de personnes déposant des demandes de chômage en tant qu'entrepreneurs indépendants la semaine dernière.
cela a soulevé des drapeaux sur le retour d'une fraude généralisée qui a déjà coûté à l'État des centaines de millions de dollars. Le département du travail des États-Unis a déclaré que l'État avait reçu 77000 demandes supplémentaires la semaine dernière par rapport à une semaine plus tôt, dans le cadre d'un programme conçu pour aider les travailleurs de chantier et les travailleurs indépendants touchés par l'épidémie de COVID-19.
Ce nombre représentait plus du quart de toutes les demandes de ce type soumises au niveau national. Le département de développement de l'emploi de Californie a déclaré qu'il s'attendait à cette augmentation après que le Congrès a approuvé une extension des avantages sociaux en décembre.
Jeudi 21 janvier
20 h 22 : Les législateurs californiens se bousculent pour prolonger le moratoire sur les expulsions de l'État
Le président Joe Biden a prolongé un moratoire national sur les expulsions jusqu'en mars, mais les législateurs californiens continuent de faire pression pour étendre la protection des locataires à l'échelle de l'État.
Le gel des expulsions en Californie, qui a commencé en septembre, expirera à la fin du mois.
Les législateurs disent que la politique à l'échelle de l'État est plus forte.
«La politique fédérale obligerait les locataires à rembourser leur loyer à l'expiration du moratoire sur les expulsions, sinon ils risqueraient une expulsion immédiate», a déclaré le député démocrate David Chiu, qui préside le Comité du logement de l'Assemblée. "La politique actuelle de la Californie n'exigerait que 25% de l'arriéré de loyer à payer à l'expiration de la politique."
Les Californiens devront éventuellement rembourser tout le loyer accumulé pendant la pandémie, mais pas en une seule fois.
Les défenseurs et certains analystes affirment qu’un moratoire sur les expulsions jusqu’en mars n’est pas assez long et que la politique de l’État devrait s’étendre davantage.
«Je ne pense pas que quiconque s'attende à ce que l'économie soit à nouveau opérationnelle d'ici la fin du mois de mars, étant donné que nous sommes à un niveau historique de pertes d'emplois», a déclaré Sara Kimberlin, analyste principale au California Budget & Policy Center..
Un nouveau rapport du centre révèle que la majorité des Californiens noirs et latino-américains consacrent plus de 30% de leurs revenus au loyer, ce qui les expose à un risque plus élevé d'expulsion pendant une récession.
Chiu dit que les législateurs et les groupes de propriétaires sont toujours en train de négocier la durée du moratoire prolongé sur les expulsions de l'État.
15 h 13 : Les experts disent que la surtension actuelle du COVID-19 a peut-être culminé
La vague écrasante d'infections au COVID-19 de l'automne et de l'hiver qui frappe tous les coins du pays semble avoir finalement atteint un sommet à l'échelle nationale, comme le rapporte NPR, même si les cas restent élevés.
Les chercheurs pensent que la vague actuelle semble avoir atteint un sommet au cours des deux dernières semaines, avec une baisse constante des nouvelles infections quotidiennes dans la plupart des États. Cependant, alors que la charge de travail semble diminuer, une autre poussée est encore tout à fait possible, en particulier avec les nouvelles variantes plus infectieuses dans le monde.
Les hôpitaux sont toujours débordés de patients dans de nombreux endroits, mais leur nombre semble avoir atteint un sommet et est également en légère baisse. Il est passé d'un pic de plus de 132 000 patients au 6 janvier à 122 700 mercredi. La baisse des décès quotidiens pourrait également suivre bientôt.
Malgré les légères tendances à la baisse, la transmission communautaire est encore élevée dans la plupart des États, avec près de 200 000 cas quotidiens en moyenne. Un pic moyen sur sept jours de plus de 249000 a frappé le pays le 11 janvier.
14 h 25 : Les dockers du sud de la Californie font pression pour la vaccination contre le coronavirus
Les dirigeants du port, les dirigeants syndicaux et les élus travaillent tous ensemble pour que les dockers soient bientôt éligibles aux vaccins COVID-19 afin d'éviter un ralentissement des cargaisons transitant par les ports jumeaux à haute densité de Los Angeles et Long Beach.
le directeur exécutif du port de Los Angeles a déclaré au Los Angeles Times qu'il y avait actuellement plus de marchandises que de main-d'œuvre. Le Syndicat international des débardeurs rapporte que 694 dockers ont contracté des infections au COVID-19 au 17 janvier et que des centaines prennent des congés liés au virus.
L'appel à vacciner les dockers se heurte à un manque d'approvisionnement, car l'admissibilité s'est étendue des travailleurs de première ligne et des établissements de soins infirmiers qualifiés aux résidents de 65 ans et plus.
14 h 02 : Peut-on mélanger les vaccins COVID-19? Pas vraiment.
Illustration AP / Peter Hamlin
All of the COVID-19 vaccines currently available so far require two shots, and some health officials say that those doses should be of the same kind.
In England, they offer the Pfizer and AstraZeneca vaccines which both function roughly the same way since they target the spike protein layer on the coronavirus, so their health officials believe a mismatched dose is better than a partial one.
However, in the United States, officials don’t think the vaccines should be mixed, until more studies are done.
if people do somehow accidentally get their vaccines mixed up it’ll “work fine and likely be well tolerated.”
11 :42 a.m. : California greenlights previously paused Moderna vaccine
California State Epidemiologist Dr. Erica Pan has advised providers to immediately resume the administration of a Moderna COVID-19 vaccine that was previously paused due to possible allergic reactions.
“Our highest priorities are to ensure that vaccines are safe and effective, and distributed equitable and efficiently,” said Dr. Pan.
Previously, Pan recommended “out of an abundance of caution” to pause the 41L20A batch of the vaccine over the weekend. After the Western States Scientific Safety Review Workgroup came together on Tuesday, they examined the batches and had discussions with the County of San Diego Department of Public Health, the FDA, the CDDC and Moderna, before declaring to end the pause.
“These findings should continue to give Californians confidence that vaccines are safe and effective, and that the systems put in place to ensure vaccine safety are rigorous and science-based,” Pan said. “I encourage every Californian to get the vaccine when it's their turn.”
11 :28 a.m. : U.S. unemployment claims fall but still remain historically elevated
The elevated rate points to an ongoing job crisis due to the still-raging pandemic. The Labor Department’s report underscored that President Joe Biden has inherited an economy that faltered this winter as virus cases continued to spike, cold weather restricted outdoor dining, and federal rescue aid expired.
The government reports that 5.1 million Americans are continuing to receive state jobless benefits, down from 5.2 million in the previous week, suggesting that while some people are able to find new jobs, others are likely using up their state benefits and transitioning to the extended-benefit programs.
11 :27 a.m. : Biden to sign virus measures, including mask requirement
President Joe Biden is putting into play his national COVID-19 strategy to ramp up vaccinations, testing, reopen schools and businesses, increase the use of masks, and require masks for travel.
Biden will sign 10 virus-related executive orders on Thursday as the nation worries over new mutations and the pandemic's deadliest wave.
The new president has vowed to take more aggressive measures than his predecessor to contain the virus. However, he still faces many obstacles, including uncertainty over whether congressional Republicans will help him pass his $1.9 trillion coronavirus package and future plans.
Wednesday, January 20
6 :17 p.m. : More than a dozen COVID-19 patients being treated at former Kings Arena
Doctors and nurses are currently treating 14 patients at the Sleep Train Arena, the former home of the Sacramento Kings in the Natomas neighborhood north of Sacramento’s downtown.
and their beds are walled off with plastic sheeting.
State officials say the facility is trying to ease the burden on Northern California hospitals by providing care to patients who need skilled nursing, but who are not the sickest COVID-19 patients.
“These are people who can self-feed, they may require oxygen but they’re not intubated,” says Brian Ferguson, spokesperson with CalOES. He says hospitals are taking care of the patients who require the most intensive care.
Traveling physicians and nurses are working at the arena, as well as “disaster medical assistance teams” that the state agency has on hand for emergencies.
Ferguson said Sleep Train is not just to support Sacramento hospitals, but health care facilities throughout Northern California. During the course of the pandemic, he says, it’s been a resource for communities as far north as Butte, Shasta and Lake counties.
“It’s really a regional asset to support the wider area … In Shasta, if there is an overage, maybe they send their patients to Chico, and Chico sends some patients to Sacramento. So it just provides another tool in the tool box of the medical managers who may be running out of options,” he said.
According to the state’s dashboard of COVID-19 care sites that buffer patient surges for hospitals around the state, Sleep Train arena currently has the ability to treat 11 more patients immediately, and the capacity to treat as many as 244 with the proper staffing and resources.
Ferguson says there were as many as 30 patients being treated at the Sacramento arena during this winter’s surge, and that they’ll use the space for as long as necessary.
3 :32 p.m. : California reports second-highest number of daily COVID-19 deaths
While this is the second-highest recorded death total in the state, Wednesday also saw the total number of people hospitalized with COVID-19 drop below 20,000 for the first time since Dec. 27.
The AP reports that statewide hospitalizations are down 8.5% over 14 days and that the number of intensive care patients is also dipping downwards. Hospitals are now seeing 2,500 to 2,900 daily admissions, down from totals of 3,500 two weeks ago.
3 :25 p.m. : Nevada governor wants to diversify tourism-dependent economy
Nevada Gov. Steve Sisolak laid out ambitious plans on Tuesday to create programs to spur job growth and attract new industries to Nevada as the coronavirus pandemic continues to devastate the state’s tourism-driven economy.
In his State of the State address, Sisolak pledged to invest heavily in job training, infrastructure, and renewable energy to stimulate the economy and diversify. Sisolak acknowledged the devastation caused by the pandemic and conceded that it was far from over.
He said that Nevada can’t just aim for reopening its economy, but must have an economy that will prosper in the future.
3 :24 a.m. : Nevada hits new single-day death record but reports fewer cases
On Wednesday, the state's COVID-19 response director Caleb Cage said that those who died likely contracted the virus in mid-December. Although deaths continue to surge, the number of new cases reported daily in the state has slowed.
It's a trend that Cage is cautiously optimistic about. Most of those who died had been 70 and older, prompting the state to prioritize the age group for early vaccine distribution, but said distribution poses delays and challenges, especially in Las Vegas.
11 :30 a.m. : California state auditor says more COVID-19 money should have gone to smaller counties
Howle said the state’s 16 most populous counties got nearly twice the amount per person than the 42 smaller counties. That’s because the state decided to send some of its allocation to those large counties even though they had already received direct funding from the federal government.
The Department of Finance said the state Legislature approved the funding strategy. This audit was the first of Howle’s reports looking at how the state is spending billions of dollars in federal coronavirus aid.
11 :20 a.m. : California hopes new administration will help with current COVID-19 surge
California officials are pinning their hopes on the newly inaugurated President Joe Biden as they struggle to obtain coronavirus vaccines to curb the surge that has packed hospitals and morgues in the state.
San Francisco’s public health department says it’s likely to run out of its vaccine batches on Thursday, but Mayor London Breed and others say they’re hopeful that Biden will provide more vaccination resources after his inauguration on Wednesday.
California surpassed 3 million COVID-19 cases this week.
11 :10 a.m. : New CDC director takes over an embattled agency
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's incoming director is arriving at an agency that has been relegated to the sidelines during the coronavirus pandemic.
Dr. Rochelle Walensky arrives at the CDC this week as the virus' U.S. death toll eclipses 400,000. The nation is also trying to work on the largest-ever vaccination campaign in its history while juggling delays, confusion and apprehension.
Experts say that while the agency has retained some of its top scientific talent, it has a long list of needs, including protection from political influence, a review of its own missteps during the pandemic, and money, a necessary ingredient.
Tuesday, January 19
6 :05 p.m. : COVID-19 cases in California may be improving, though researchers are tracking new variant, says State Health Secretary
As the number of COVID-19 cases continue to rise in California, there are some signs that things may be improving, if only slightly. State Health and Human Services Secretary Dr. Mark Ghaly says the surge in cases and hospitalizations from Christmas and New Year’s travel and gatherings was not as bad as it could have been.
” he said. “We saw an 8.5% decrease from the last 14 days, and then similarly a decrease in ICUs over the last seven days.”
Meanwhile, California health officials and researchers at the state’s universities and hospitals are trying to learn more about another variant of the coronavirus. Only days after the so-called “UK variant” was identified here in the state, a different, separate variant has now been traced to outbreaks in Santa Clara County.
Ghaly says scientists are trying to learn everything they can.
“Working to determine if this variant, similar to the UK variant, has any increase in infectiousness, what its impact might be on vaccinations and in other areas of concern,” he said.
Ghaly says the state is not out of the woods by any means and that people must continue to wear masks, maintain social distancing and obey regulations intended to preserve public health.
He added that none of the three regions of California still under a stay-at-home order appear ready to join Northern California and the Greater Sacramento region in relaxing restrictions. To do so would require a projection of ICU capacity greater than 15% four weeks into the future.
3 :37 p.m. : US COVID-19 death toll surpasses 400,000 as President Trump leaves office
While millions of Americans are waiting for a lifesaving vaccine, COVID-19’s death total keeps climbing upwards with horrifying speed, according to NPR.
On Tuesday the official death count reached 400,000. More than 100,00 people have died in the pandemic in just the past five weeks. The deaths are so frequent, somebody now dies from COVID-19 every 26 seconds and the coronavirus is claiming more lives of people in the United States each week than other conditions like cancer or heart disease.
Because the U.S. has a relatively large population, the nation’s death rate from COVID-19 is lower than many other countries in comparison. However, the total 400,000 deaths is higher than any other country, close to four times the death count in the United Kingdom.
Scientists were worried that wintertime could be the deadliest season, and California has found itself averaging now more than 500 deaths a day.
The U.S. is now averaging more than 3,300 deaths a day, well above the 2020 spring surge when daily average deaths hovered around 2,000.
3 :28 p.m. : In Vegas, school teachers, students are all added to the COVID-19 vaccine eligibility
The Southern Nevada Health District on Monday added “frontline community support” workers for eligibility, including employees in the food, shelter, court and social services, along with essential public transportation sectors.
On Tuesday, Clark County officials planned a ceremonial remembrance of the nearly 2,900 Las Vegas-area residents who have died since March.
Statewide, health officials reported 1,630 new coronavirus cases and 18 new deaths, bringing the totals to nearly 264,000 confirmed cases and almost 3,800 deaths in the state since the pandemic started.
12 :00 p.m. : Coronavirus mutations continue to rise with skyrocketing cases
Every new infection gives the virus a chance to mutate. So far, vaccines seem to still be effective against the new variants, but the longer it takes to vaccinate people, the more likely it is that a version of the virus will develop that can elude defenses.
In the U.S. federal health officials say that the new variant first identified in the United Kingdom may become dominant in the U.S. by March, potentially leading to more hospitalizations and deaths since it spreads more rapidly and efficiently.
11 :43 a.m. : Answering three big questions about the COVID-19 vaccine
With the COVID-19 vaccine slowly rolling out, many people have questions about it. Here are three big questions and their answers.
- Can someone who has been vaccinated still spread the disease?
- “I think it’s hard to say because we’re constantly being bombarded by different pathogens, and we don’t know when your immune system is responding,” University of Washington Immunologist Marion Pepper told NPR
- In short, it depends. It takes about three to five days for your body to adapt to the vaccine regimen, so experts recommend wearing masks and other protective gear until science sorts everything out and herd immunity is reached
- Will the vaccine remain viable as the virus evolves?
- This seems to be tricky to answer. Currently, scientists aren’t too concerned about the virus strains spreading globally and fully expect the current vaccines to work. What makes this question hard to answer is that if the virus continues to morph, it could lead to to uncertain consequences
- How long does the vaccine’s protection last?
- When you get a vaccine, your body naturally triggers an immune response, and in many cases, the body can achieve lifetime protection with certain illnesses like measles, mumps, and rubella. However, some viruses require a booster shot to keep immunity strong, like tetanus, diphtheria, and pertussis
- While studies have shown that patients’ bodies have been able to produce immunity for many months following a case of COVID-19, it’s still too early to know the length of immunity. If necessary, booster shots could become available in the future
11 :27 a.m. : Exhausted hospital chaplains bring solace to those dying alone from COVID-19
Chaplain Kristin Michealsen holds the hand of a deceased COVID-19 patient while talking on the phone with the patient's family member at Providence Holy Cross Medical Center in the Mission Hills section of Los Angeles on Saturday, Jan. 9, 2021./Jae C. Hong
Just like doctors, nurses, and other health care providers, hospital chaplains have become part of the line of first responders when it comes to caring for people with COVID-19.
hospital chaplains often come and visit those dying to act as surrogates for the family and friends who can’t visit their loved ones due to the risk of them catching the virus themselves. The chaplains hold the hands of dying patients, pray with them and carry in tablets to hospital rooms to allow patients to have video calls with their families.
at a hospital in the hard-hit Los Angeles County, the dozen chaplains employed often cover shifts that extend to 24 hours a day, seven days a week to keep up with the patients.
Monday, January 18
4 :42 p.m. : California becomes first state to reach 3 million COVID-19 infections
The Golden State has become the first in the nation to record more than 3 million known coronavirus infections, according to a Monday tally by Johns Hopkins University.
but its speed was stunning. The state only reached 2 million reported cases on Dec. 24 and has now hit 3 million in less than four weeks.
California’s COVID-19 count per capita since the start of the pandemic remains below the U.S average, but its number of new cases per resident in the past week trails only Arizona. The state has seen more than 33,600 deaths to the coronavirus.
The caseload has been so enormous that the latest surge that began last fall has strained hospitals. Officials warn that a recent slight downward trend could reverse when the full impact of holiday gathering transmissions is felt.
4 :38 p.m. : Nevada Gov. Steve Sisolak will skip in-person presidential inauguration due to coronavirus pandemic
His office said in a statement that because of the pandemic and his scheduled State of the State address on Tuesday, he wouldn’t be able to attend the ceremony in Washington D.C. However, his office has said that Sisolak and his staff have been in touch with Biden’s team and look forward to “a close, productive” and collaborative relationship with the new administration.
Sisolak “sends his best’ to Biden and his team. Nevada’s State of The State address will be prerecorded and released Tuesday night.
4 :07 p.m. : Coronavirus deaths rising in 30 states amid winter surge
Amid the warnings that new, highly contagious variants are taking hold, a vast effort for mass vaccination is getting off to an uneven start. While the latest federal data show about 31 million doses of vaccine have been distributed, fewer than 11 million people have received the first dose.
In California, counties are begging for more vaccines to reduce the high infection rate, leading to the state’s record numbers of hospitalizations and death. Los Angeles County recently announced that anyone 65 and older can receive the vaccine, but health care workers say they just don’t have enough vaccinations to immunize so many people.
The death rate from COVID-19 in LA, the new U.S. pandemic epicenter, works out to about one person dying every six minutes. On Sunday, the South Coast Air Quality Management District suspended some pollution-control limits on cremations for at least 10 days to deal with the backlog of deceased people in hospitals and funeral homes across the county.
9 :52 a.m. : California recommends pausing use of single lot of the Moderna vaccine
California State Epidemiologist Dr. Erica S. Pan is recommending that providers pause vaccinations from a specific lot of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccines because of a possible allergic reaction.
“Our goal is to provide the COVID vaccine safely, swiftly and equitably,” said Pan. “A higher-than-usual number of possible allergic reactions were reported with a specific lot of Moderna vaccine at one community clinic.”
The lot batch is 41L20A, and it’s currently under investigation.
According to Pan, there’s been fewer than 10 people vaccinated from that batch who needed medical attention. She also mentioned that they’re asking to pause these specific vaccines “out of an extreme abundance of caution.”
The Sacramento Bee reports that the batch was distributed across 287 sites between Jan. 5 and 12.
Sacramento has not received any of these doses, according to the county health department.
The people affected are all experiencing a possible severe allergic reaction during the standard 24-hour observation period. There’s been over 330,000 doses from this lot distributed across the state, and no other allergic reactions have yet been reported.
Those concerned about possible allergic reactions related to the vaccine can head over to the CDC’s website on how health care people will manage anaphylaxis.
9 :35 a.m. : Reno Municipal Court staff have cut the COVID-19 vaccination line
Reno city officials have criticized Municipal Court staff after learning they may have secured COVID-19 vaccinations for some city personnel and their families ahead of state and county inculcation order plans.
The Reno Gazette-Journal obtained emails that showed two judges helped arrange the line-skipping vaccinations through a clinic intended for older residents. On Saturday, the state reported a daily record high of 63 COVID-19 deaths.
9 :28 a.m. : WHO chief raises concern over COVID-19 vaccine drugmakers profits and unequal global vaccine distribution
The World Health Organization Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyeus said it’s “not right” that younger, healthier adults in wealthier countries get vaccinated against COVID-19 before older people in poorer countries.
Ghebreyesus kicked off the WHO’s week-long executive board meeting by lamenting that one low-income country got only 25 vaccine doses. In contrast, more than 39 million doses have been made for nearly 50 other more affluent nations.
He said that “the world is on the brink of a moral catastrophic failure” in ensuring equitable access to vaccinations. The WHO chief also raised an issue over the “profits” that drugmakers can make in wealthier countries. Austria’s envoy raised questions about the WHO’s program to get vaccines to poorer countries.
7 a.m. : Sacramento groups hold Martin Luther King Day car caravan
The Sacramento NAACP and Black Lives Matter Sacramento will hold a car caravan in celebration of this year’s Martin Luther King Day.
While the city usually sees three separate parades in honor of King’s birthday, this year with the pandemic raging there will only be one, and it will take place in cars. The car caravan route is simple : Start at Grant High School at 9 a.m. then traverse through Land Park, Oak Park and finish at Sacramento State University.
Organizers say the past year has highlighted the inequities faced by people of color, particularly Black residents in Sacramento. They hope the parade can celebrate Kamala Harris who this week will become the first Black woman to serve as Vice President, while also highlighting that King’s dream for racial equality is yet to be realized.
Sunday, January 17
4 :03 p.m. : California closes in on 3 million coronavirus cases
California is closing in on 3 million coronavirus cases as the state tries to smooth the rocky rollout of vaccines during a continuing spike in COVID-19 deaths.
The state reported 432 deaths on Sunday, a day after recording the second-highest daily count of 669.
California’s death toll since the start of the pandemic rose to nearly 33,400.
Lawmakers and public health officials have said the surge won’t be flattened without mass vaccinations, but California has trailed the rest of the country when it comes to inoculating its residents.
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Friday, January 15
5 :40 p.m. : Extra vaccine doses not coming to California as promised by Trump administration
California’s plan to speed up distribution of the coronavirus vaccine appears to have hit a snag. It’s been disclosed that the extra doses the Trump administration promised to release to states was actually already shipped out last month. In short, the reserve didn’t exist at the time the administration made the promise.
“We, already, all of us, are working closely with the incoming administration,” he said. “Hope and expectation is that we get some clarification in the absence of any further clarification by the current administration. As soon as we know, we’ll be able to clarify that.”
Officials there said they hoped to vaccinate 12,000 people a day once it's fully operational.
There are other super vaccination sites being set up here in Sacramento at Cal Expo, though that's not up and running yet, and at Petco Park in San Diego.
3 :48 p.m. : California still lacks uniform COVID-19 vaccination plan to handle demand
A hospital in Lompoc planned to give out 100 doses on Wednesday. Instead, it gave out 350 as anxious community members without appointments showed up. This is just one example of vaccine providers not adhering to their own schedules or the rules created by the state.
Things have been complicated further this week after the state widened the eligibility pool to include people over 65. Now, more than 10 million Californians are eligible for inoculation, but only 900,000 have gotten shots.
3 :36 p.m. : Will the vaccine affect my pregnancy? Maybe not.
AP Illustration/Peter Hamlin
The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists said that COVID-19 vaccines should not be withheld from pregnant people and encourage patients to discuss individual risks and benefits with their health care providers.
Unfortunately, there isn’t much more advice because COVID-19 vaccines have so far not been tested on pregnant people. Evidence about safety and effectiveness is reassuring from data in studies that inadvertently included some people who didn’t know they were pregnant.
Whether vaccination would protect fetuses is still uncertain. More answers are expected from upcoming research, including a study by Pfizer and BioNTech that’s expected to start early this year and will include pregnant women.
3 :34 p.m. : California urged to move up people who are incarcerated higher on the vaccination order list
Attorneys representing Californians in prison are urging state officials and a federal judge to advance about 1 of every 10 people in prison to the front of the line for coronavirus vaccinations.
the lawyers are lobbying to immediately vaccinate about 9,000 people in prison who have underlying medical conditions. The attorney group said it would help ease the burden on hospitals while helping control outbreaks inside state prison facilities.
More than 4,000 of the state’s 95,000 incarcerated people have active infections, including 1 out of every 3 at the California Men’s Colony located on the Central Coast. The issue isn’t just present in men’s prisons, either. One out of every 10 at the state’s largest women’s facility has the virus. An advocacy group says officials bungled their response to the outbreak.
11 :57 a.m. : Global COVID-19 death toll tops 2 million
The global death toll from COVID-19 has now reached over 2 million as several coronavirus vaccines are being rolled out worldwide in an all-out attempt to eliminate the virus.
Johns Hopkins University reported that the world reached this grim milestone on Friday, roughly over a year after the coronavirus was first detected in Wuhan, China. This death total is equal to the population of Brussels, Mecca, Minsk, or Vienna.
While it took about eight months to lose the first 1 million lives globally, the coronavirus has continued to spread rapidly, taking only four months to reach the next million deaths.
11 :56 a.m. : CDC concerned more contagious virus variant may soon dominate the US
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention health officials have said that by March, the new and more infectious U.K. coronavirus variant will likely become America's dominant strain.
the U.K. variant has already been found in 12 states but is still fairly rare, making up only 76 confirmed diagnoses out of the 23 million U.S. cases reported to date. Despite this, CDC officials still think it's likely that the variant is more widespread in the country than is currently reported.
While it's considered more infectious than the current coronavirus that's spreading in the U.S. there's no evidence that the variant causes a more severe illness or is transmitted differently. Therefore, mask-wearing, social distancing, hand washing, and other prevention strategies can still protect people.
11 :28 a.m. : Some big corporations offering incentives to employees to get COVID-19 vaccines
On Thursday, grocery delivery service Instacart said it will provide a $25 stipend to workers who get the COVID-19 shots. Grocery chain Trader Joe’s said it will give workers two hours of pay for each shot they receive.
Dollar General said it would also provide four hours’ worth of extra pay for each shot they receive. Other companies, like Target, DoorDash and Albertsons, have said that while workers won’t be getting bonuses for getting their shots, the companies are still trying to ensure their workers get access to the vaccine soon.
9 :16 a.m. : Placer County residents over 65 can now make COVID-19 vaccine appointments
Placer County officials say they’re now offering an “extremely limited supply” of vaccines to adults over age 65.
The county is vaccinating people at its own clinic and at eight Safeway pharmacies. To make an appointment with the county or Safeway, visit this site.
If you’re a Kaiser Permanente or Sutter Health patient in Placer County and a senior, here’s who to contact:
Only people older than 65, or people who fall under Phase 1A (health workers, long-term care residents and staff), are eligible for the vaccine in Placer County. Proof of residency and age are required for age-based groups, proof of employment is required for occupation-based groups.
The number of doses they get from the state weekly varies. This week they were allotted 2,925 first doses and 1,200 second doses. They’re asking Placer County residents to be patient until supply increases.
Thursday, January 14
6 :52 p.m. : Biden unveils $1.9 trillion plan to stem COVID-19 tide, help economy
Part of that plan includes speeding up the vaccine rollout, providing financial help to individuals, states, local governments, and businesses struggling with the prolonged economic fallout.
Here’s how the is plan is currently breaking down :
- $1 trillion is earmarked for $1,400 checks for most Americans and assistance with rent payments, food, child care, and utility assistance for those in need
- $440 billion will be broken down into $350 billion for first responders & other essential workers and grants for small businesses, tribal governments, and transit
- $19 billion will go to support and modernize federal cybersecurity infrastructure
Three hundred eighty-five thousand people have died of COVID-19 since the start of the pandemic, and 965,000 people filed for unemployment nationwide, a sign that infections and deaths are forcing businesses to cut back and lay off workers.
Under Biden’s multipronged plan, about $400 billion will go directly to working on the pandemic, leaving the rest for economic relief and aid for states and localities. Another $20 billion would go to a more disciplined focus on vaccination, on top of the already $8 billion already approved by Congress. The Biden team has also called for setting up mass vaccination centers and even sending mobile units to hard-to-reach places.
3 :24 p.m. : Disneyland ending annual pass program
Even one of the most magical places in the world is struggling during the pandemic. Disneyland is ending its annual pass program 10 months after the park shut down because of the coronavirus pandemic.
the Anaheim-based park said it would start issuing prorated refunds to eligible pass holders. Disney officials would not say how many people hold these passes.
The announcement coincides with Disneyland allowing county health officers to use their huge parking lot as a large-scale field vaccination site. Since March, the park has been closed because Orange County COVID-19 cases have yet to reach the levels required by the state to reopen.
3 :13 p.m. : Expanded COVID-19 vaccine roll-out causes delays, issues
In California, counties are begging for more vaccines to reach the millions of older adults that call the state home. Hard-hit Los Angeles County can’t immediately provide shots to an expanded pool because it has only incolculated about a quarter of its 800,000 health care workers.
retired medical workers, firefighters and National Guard members with medical training.
11 :57 a.m. : World Health Organization team arrives in Wuhan to study COVID-19
A team of 13 World Health Organization scientists have arrived in Wuhan, China to study the origins of COVID-19, according to NPR.
Reports from Johns Hopkins University show that globally, nearly 2 million people have died due to complications from the virus, and over 92 million people have been infected. Currently, China has been pushing back against the consensus that the virus originated in humans in Wuhan and have suggested without evidence that the virus was brought into China from other countries instead.
While the team began traveling to China over a week ago, Chinese officials had not given permission for the team to enter the country, leaving them in limbo for a bit in Singapore, but the scientists have now arrived in Wuhan.
Recently, Chinese authorities have issued a stay-at-home order and other restrictions on the 11 million people living in the Hebei province after an upturn in positive tests.
11 :44 a.m. : Nine people who are incarcerated charged in California’s unemployment fraud
Nine people incarcerated in San Diego County have been charged with scamming California’s unemployment benefits system.
District Attorney Summer Stephan said on Thursday that those nine people received more than $160,000 through fraud committed between June and September 2020. The group allegedly lied about their eligibility and addresses on the state’s unemployment assistance applications.
At the time, they were all assigned to a program in San Diego that allows certain people in the state’s prison system to finish their sentences in halfway house settings. The state has acknowledged that the department has been scammed out of hundreds of millions of dollars.
11 :26 a.m. : Unemployment claims last week soared past 960,000 applicants
This shows that the resurgent coronavirus has caused a spike in recent layoffs. On Tuesday, the Labor Department issued the latest figures for jobless claims, and they still remain at levels never before seen levels until the COVID-19 pandemic hit the states.
Before the pandemic, weekly applications typically numbered around 225,000. Last spring, after nationwide shutdowns took effect, applications for jobless benefits spiked to nearly 7 million, about 10 times the previous record high. After declining a bit over the summer, weekly claims have hovered above 700,000 since September.
Wednesday, January 13
5 :25 p.m. : Las Vegas hospital reached capacity crisis as COVID-19 cases soar in state
With nearly half of its 147 beds occupied by coronavirus patients, the hospital had to cancel elective surgeries beginning on Saturday. Other units have been pressed into use for non-COVID-19 patients.
A hospital spokesperson said on Wednesday that patients weren’t turned away, and the capacity plan is set to stay in effect until Jan 22. He told the Las Vegas Review-Journal that two other St. Rose hospitals in the area haven’t issued disaster declarations but are also strained.
5 :21 p.m. : SAG Awards moves date to not conflict with rescheduled Grammys
The Screen Actors Guild Awards will not share the same air date as the Grammys after all.
the two award shows were scheduled to air on March 14, after the Grammys rescheduled their original date of Jan. 31 because of the COVID-19 pandemic. On Wednesday, the SAG Awards announced that the 27th annual ceremony has now been moved to April 4 to avoid conflict.
With the coronavirus pandemic continuing to surge across the nation, other award shows, including the Oscars and the Golden Globes, have pushed their ceremonies back as well.
5 :15 p.m. : Housing advocates call on Biden administration to extend eviction moratorium
President Donald Trump’s directive, implemented in September by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, was extended until the end of January. Given that the pandemic is still ongoing, advocates argue that renters should have protection for the next several months and that protections should be expanded beyond those tenants facing eviction for not paying rent.
Eviction bans were implemented early on in the pandemic by states and cities to keep people housed and avoid a spike in homelessness. Since most of those state protections expired, the federal ban is the only remaining protection in many places. It’s estimated that the eviction ban is preventing more than 23 million renters across the nation from being evicted.
11 :41 a.m. : While vaccination picks up steam, many still face a long wait
More Americans than ever are now eligible to get a COVID-19 vaccine, but many may still face a wait for their first dose.
states are expanding their vaccination pool to a broader population range and opening up more sites in sports, arenas, and fairgrounds to meet the demand. The latest push is now focused on people deemed most vulnerable to COVID-19.
Who is eligible for the vaccine, where and when they can get it varies by state. CapRadio has a list of what Californians can expect when it comes to the state’s vaccination efforts.
This week the federal government recommended lowering the age threshold to anyone 65 or older. It also began freeing up supplies by no longer holding back the required second dose.
11 :36 a.m. : COVID-19 deaths in US reach another single-day high at over 4,300
As the country shifted its attention to the fallout from the deadly uprising at the U.S. Capitol, the overall death toll from COVID-19 has eclipsed 380,000, as reported by Johns Hopkins University.
The new death total is closing in fast on reaching the same number of Americans killed in World War II, which is about 407,000. At the same time, the country is simultaneously facing a political and economic crisis as there continues to be more threats of violence from far-right extremists.
Tuesday, January 12
4 :29 p.m. : Greater Sacramento region expected to exit stay-at-home order
Counties in California’s Greater Sacramento region expect the state to lift the stay-at-home order in the region Tuesday, ending a six-week period where many businesses had to stop or severely limit operations.
Counties in the region will be reentering the “purple tier,” which allows businesses including restaurants, hair salons and more to reopen with modifications. A source with Sacramento says the county could have a new public health order that would allow the reopening of these businesses by midday Wednesday.
The state typically announces changes in county restrictions once a week, based on the four-week projections for ICU capacity in each region. At the Tuesday midday announcement, California Health and Human Services Secretary Dr. Mark Ghaly said all regions would remain under the stay-at-home order, but that the state is actively calculating new information and might be updating the status of certain regions late Tuesday or on Wednesday.
You can find more information on the stay-at-home order lifting here.
NEW : We’re seeing stabilization in ICUs & positivity rates. Greater Sacramento is coming out of the Regional Stay-at-Home & going back to purple tier effective today.
We must continue to wear a mask & stay home as much as possible.
2021
3 :44 p.m. : Some states refuse to impose new restrictions to stop COVID-19 spread
As the U.S. finds itself in the most lethal phase of the coronavirus outbreak yet, governors and local officials in hard-hit parts of the country are showing little willingness to impose any new restrictions on businesses to stop the spread.
both Democratic and Republican leaders are signaling their opposition to forced closings and other measures, expressing their fears of compounding the economic damage inflicted by the crisis.
Others see little patience left among their constituents for more restrictions 10 months into the crisis. It also comes as they are trying to focus on the rollout of vaccines, since Americans will be well into the second half of 2021 before enough people are inoculated enough to stop the virus, according to some estimates.
3 :38 p.m. : Nevada plans to change state’s COVID-19 vaccination plan
Four weeks after receiving its first shipment of COVID-19 vaccines from the federal government, about two-thirds of the doses are still in their vials, waiting to be used. U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data show that six states have administered fewer vaccines per capita than Nevada.
The state released a new plan on Monday outlining how it will direct providers to administer doses to Nevadans with underlying health conditions and specific groups of essential workers since the state finishes vaccinating front-line health care workers and nursing home residents.
3 :34 p.m. : Millions sign up for Covered California amid coronavirus surge
On Tuesday, state officials said that nearly 200,000 more people have signed up for insurance this year, compared with the same time period last year. The deadline to purchase coverage is Jan. 31.
Covered California Executive Director Peter Lee estimates about 2.7 million Californians don’t have health insurance, and of those, 1.2 million are eligible for financial assistance or Medicaid. About 718,000 of people in that eligibility group live in Southern California, where the coronavirus outbreak is at its worst.
1 :15 p.m. : Northern California region ICU capacity drops dramatically
The Northern California region reported a steep drop in intensive care unit capacity from 35% Monday to 17.6% Tuesday, the largest single-day decrease seen so far by any of the state’s five regions.
This region is the only one of California’s five COVID-19 regions that isn’t under a stay-at-home order. Tuesday's drop is the closest Northern California has been so far to hitting the 15% capacity mark to trigger such an order.
If the region falls below 15% ICU capacity, the stay-at-home order would close businesses such as nail salons and barber shops. Restaurants would be restricted to takeout only and retail stores would be limited to 20% capacity. Once the order is invoked, the region must stay under the restrictions for at least three weeks.
Northern California is made up of Del Norte, Glenn, Humboldt, Lake, Lassen, Mendocino, Modoc, Shasta, Siskiyou, Tehama and Trinity counties, and is home to many rural communities that already have limited healthcare capacity.
12 :19 p.m. : San Jose area hospitals fined $184,000 for hiding employee coronavirus infection
000 after it kept quiet when one of its employees was hospitalized with the virus early in the pandemic.
Cal/OSHA also fined a Kaiser hospital in Antioch $56,000 after the hospital failed to immediately report that two employees were also hospitalized with COVID-19. Santa Clara County officials also fined the San Jose hospital $43,000 after it kept quiet about a coronavirus outbreak that’s infected 60 employees, including one who died.
12 :18 : p.m. : Should I get the COVID-19 vaccine if I was previously infected? Experts say yes.
AP Illustration/Peter Hamlin
Health experts say that people who have previously been infected with the coronavirus should still plan on getting a COVID-19 vaccine once it’s available to them.
However, scientists don’t know precisely how long this immunity lasts or how strong it is. Without that knowledge, experts recommend everyone get a vaccine to boost whatever immunity they might already have from a previous infection.
12 :17 p.m. : Mass vaccination campaign shifts to speed up process
Less than a month into the mass vaccination campaign against COVID-19, the Trump administration has unexpectedly shifted gears to speed up the delivery of shots.
a slow start to the process triggered a widespread concern from states and public health officials, but Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar announced two significant changes on Tuesday.
- The government will no longer hold back the required second doses of vaccines, practically doubling the supply
- States should immediately start vaccinating other groups lower down the priority scale, including people age 65 and older, along with younger people with certain health problems
This change aligns the Trump administration with President-elect Joe Biden’s plans, who earlier said he would not hold back second doses.
Monday, January 11
6 :03 p.m. : Several gorillas at San Diego Zoo have tested positive for the coronavirus
Several gorillas at the San Diego Zoo Safari Park have tested positive for the coronavirus in what is believed to be the first known cases among such primates.
The park's executive director says eight gorillas at the park are believed to have the virus and several have been coughing.
The park tested the fecal matter from the troop. It appears the infection came from a member of the park's wildlife care team who also tested positive for the virus but has been asymptomatic.
6 :01 p.m. : Cal Expo one of three California sports venues becoming vaccination sites
Los Angeles Dodgers Stadium, PetCo Park in San Diego and Sacramento’s Cal Expo will be transitioned this week.The locations have been serving as testing locations.
“And so that’s why we’re speeding up the administration, not just priority groups, but also now opening up large sites to do so.”
The vaccination sites aren’t open yet to the general public. Right now, only health care workers and other front-line employees will be eligible to get shots there.
2 :30 p.m. : California needs volunteers, medical workers but can’t find help
95,000 people initially came forward to promise to volunteer for the California Health Corps, but currently there are just 14 working in the field. Very few of the original volunteers actually met qualifications met the qualifications set by the state, and only a fraction of that group had the high-level experience needed to assist with the most severe coronavirus cases.
Only about a third of the original set of volunteers had valid professional licenses, and of those, only about 4,600 people qualified. That number trickled down to only 850 people who signed up, remaining static, despite the governor often pleading for more people to participate.
Originally, the California Health Corps plan was to use volunteers to fill treatment gaps at health care facilities using retired or inactive doctors, nurses, and respiratory care practitioners. They would also be paid what the state calls “competitive wages.”
2 :27 p.m. : Nevada records one-day record high of additional deaths
Nevada now has 246,309 confirmed COVID-19 cases and 3,450 deaths since the pandemic started a little under a year ago. The state on Wednesday reported a one-day record high of 60 additional deaths.
The Las Vegas Review-Journal reported that these additional deaths on Saturday gave the state a new pandemic-high. Officials anticipate a spike in cases and deaths in the coming weeks following extensive holiday gatherings and travel.
Seven-day rolling averages of daily new cases and daily deaths both increased during the past two weeks in the state.
2 :26 p.m. : Las Vegas’ Consumer Electronics Show goes online due to pandemic
Every January, huge crowds arrive in Las Vegas for the Consumer Electronics Show, a convention that focuses on technology with 1,960 vendors scheduled for this year. The huge event is often an extravaganza of tech and glitz, intended to set the tone for the coming year in consumer technology.
the tech event will now be done entirely online. CES has been reborn as a virtual show, taking place online, where attendees will only be able to view new technology by using technology, aka video streams and chats.
In-display this year, there will be COVID-fighting “coronabots,” a “COVID-19 State of the Union,” and more about digital health. Health care industry speakers will be represented by CVS, the Department of Health Services, and others.
11 :44 a.m. : Sacramento County reaches 1,000 COVID-19 deaths
On Monday, Sacramento County passed 1,000 deaths related to the coronavirus pandemic.
According to the county, 1,015 residents have died from COVID-19.The county has seen 74,101 total cases and an additional 2,260 cases throughout the pandemic, with a case rate of 43.4 per 100,000 residents getting infected with the virus.
Residents aged 20 to 29 have the highest number of cases at 15,501 over the course of the pandemic, while those 80 or older total most of the deaths at 487. Elk Grove has the highest rate of cases across the county, reporting over 7,000 infects in the past ten months.
As of Monday, 497 people are hospitalized with the coronavirus, and 115 are in the intensive care unit.
10 :31 a.m. : California reaches 30,000 total deaths from COVID-19 pandemic
000 total deaths from COVID-19.
data from Johns Hopkins University showed that the nation’s most populous state has recorded this staggering death total since the pandemic started nearly a year ago.
Deaths have exploded in the state since a COVID-19 surge began spreading in October. While it took the state nearly six months to record its first 10,000 deaths, in barely a month, the total rose from 20,000 to 30,000. Over the weekend, the state reported a two-day record of 1,163 deaths.
Hospitalizations have also reached dizzying levels as many hospitals are stretched to the limit. Health officials have warned that the worst is still yet to come later this month.
10 :29 a.m. : Los Angeles County will stop using Curative COVID-19 tests
Curative is a company that produces testing kits that people use to swab their mouth to test for COVID-19 at testing sites, instead of performing a deep nasal swab.
The Food and Drug Administration recently alerted patients and health care providers that the test could produce false negatives. The county’s Department of Health Services said they will be switching over to Fulgent Genetics tests later in the week. These tests also come in nasal and oral swabs.
The department said the Curative tests used at pop-up sites between Dec. 13 and Jan. 2 made up about 10% of all COVID-19 tests administered at county-supported test sites during the same time frame.
10 :27 a.m. : US ramping up COVID-19 vaccination efforts
As the U.S. enters the second month of the most extensive vaccination effort in the country’s history, football stadiums, major league ballparks, fairgrounds and convention centers are all being opened to inoculate a larger and more diverse pool of people.
after a frustratingly slow rollout involving primarily health care workers and nursing home residents, states are moving onto the next phase before the first phase has even been completed.
Shots are being made available to groups such as older adults, teachers, bus drivers, police officers, firefighters, and people with underlying medical conditions. As of Monday morning, about 2.7% of the U.S. population, or 9 million Americans, have gotten their first dose of the vaccine. Experts say as many as 85% of the population will have to be inoculated to achieve the “herd immunity” needed to stamp out the outbreak.
In California, one of the deadliest hot spots in the country, a drive-thru “vaccination superstation” opened in the parking lot near the San Diego Padres ballpark. About 584,000 doses have been administered in the state, totaling about 1.5% of the population.
Sunday, January 10
2 :11 p.m. : California closes in on 30,000 deaths during pandemic
California is closing in on 30,000 deaths from the coronavirus pandemic as hospitals scramble to find beds for severely ill patients during a continuing spike in COVID-19 case numbers.
The state reported 468 deaths Sunday, a day after setting a record one-day total of 695. California’s death toll since the start of the virus outbreak rose to 29,701.
A surge of cases following Halloween and Thanksgiving produced record hospitalizations, and now the most seriously ill of those patients are dying in unprecedented numbers.
Hospitals warn they may need to ration care as intensive care beds dwindle.
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2 :09 p.m. : Virus, housing issues await returning California lawmakers
Families and a small-business economy ravaged by the coronavirus and a state agency torn by a related fraud that could exceed $2 billion are at the top of California lawmakers’ fixit list as they return to the state Capitol.
They pushed back their usual start by one week because of the coronavirus surge. Among their most urgent priorities, lawmakers are racing to extend eviction protections that otherwise will soon expire.
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Saturday, January 9
3 :02 p.m. : California reports record 695 virus deaths in a day
California health authorities reported on Saturday a record high of 695 coronavirus deaths as many hospitals strain under unprecedented caseloads.
The state Department of Public Health says the number raises the state's death toll since the start of the pandemic to 29,233. A surge of cases following Halloween and Thanksgiving produced record hospitalizations in California, and now the most seriously ill of those patients are dying in unprecedented numbers.
Already, many hospitals in Los Angeles and other hard-hit areas are struggling to keep up and warned they may need to ration care as intensive care beds dwindle.
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Friday, January 8
He admits it’s been delayed. So far only about a quarter of the vaccine doses allotted to the state have been administered.
But the rules changed this week to allow more flexibility around the order of vaccinations, to prevent doses from going to waste.
“There’s no one that showed up in line or this person decided last minute not to take it, then there’s this 64-year-old senior who’s there … by definition we want to support that flexibility. So, common sense,” he said.
and that he and his family are waiting to get their shots until it’s their turn.
2 :59 p.m. : Record California budget proposal includes new stimulus checks, small business grants
In his record-high state spending plan unveiled Friday the governor wants to use some of that revenue to help those hit hard by the pandemic. That includes additional grants for small businesses, and a new round of stimulus checks to low-income Californians.
“To basically make those $600 checks that people are starting to receive from the federal government to get them to be $1,200,” he said. “We want to get roughly four million checks out within three weeks of me signing this package.”
2 :58 p.m. : Las Vegas Mayor optimistic about bringing tourists back
She gave her annual state of the city address virtually Thursday, acknowledging the struggles the city faced but remained positive in her outlook on the new year. She praised city efforts to help small businesses and provide housing assistance to people who are unhoused and residents struggling to pay their rent or mortgages.
The Las Vegas Sun reported that the city was forced to cut $124 million from its budget last year due to economic distress caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
2 :57 p.m. : Nevada breaks daily record for COVID-19 cases
On Thursday, state officials reported 3,402 new confirmed COVID-19 cases, bringing the statewide total to 249,795 cases. Nevada COVID-19 response director Caleb Cage anticipated the spike earlier in the week and said it mirrored other post-holiday peaks the state has experienced.
Gov. Steve Sisolak’s tightened restrictions on business capacity and private gatherings are set to expire on Jan. 15 unless he extends them.
10 :21 a.m. : San Jose hospital fined $43,000 for failure to report post-holiday outbreak
Kaiser Permanente San Jose Medical Center has been fined $43,000 for failing to report a deadly coronavirus outbreak that may have been linked to an inflatable holiday costume worn by an unknowingly infected staffer on Christmas Day.
Santa Clara County’s public health department said that the outbreak has affected 60 staffers, leading to one death.
Kaiser is responsible for timely reporting of cases, the county said. The hospital's spokesperson said it’s reviewing the penalty notice that breaks down to a $1,000 fine for each of the initial 43 cases. County officials have said that this outbreak is not related to the more contagious U.K. strain.
This breaks a record of 3,900 deaths set just yesterday. The surge is being seen in several Sun Belt states, where spikes of the virus caseload were noted over the summer. Johns Hopkins University shows that the U.S. had 4,085 deaths Thursday, along with nearly 275,000 new coronavirus cases reported.
The numbers are another stark reminder of the worsening situation following the holiday and family gathering travel mixed in with more time indoors with others during the winter months. More than 365,000 Americans have died from COVID-19.
10 :08 a.m. : Pfizer, BioNTech vaccines may work against COVID-19 mutation
Two new easier-to-spread variants of the virus popped up and have put the world on edge. One was first discovered in England, while the other in South Africa. Despite the distance, the viruses share a common mutation.
Pfizer researchers have said that laboratory testing shows that this kind of mutation doesn’t block the mechanism of the vaccine. More tests are still needed to see if any additional mutations that may evolve could be a cause for concern.
The preliminary study was posted on an online research site late Thursday and has yet to be reviewed by other experts.
Thursday, January 7
6 :51 p.m. : State, hospital association at odds over responding to patient surge
The disagreement comes as health officials warn that already strained medical facilities will soon be overwhelmed by a new surge from the Christmas and New Year’s holidays.
California health authorities reported Thursday a record two-day total of 1,042 virus deaths, with many people infected during the surge after Halloween and Thanksgiving.
The California Hospital Association says the state is moving too slowly to find ways to handle so many cases. State officials counter that moves made this week to limit nonessential surgeries and transfer patients to hospitals with more available beds will save lives.
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5 :56 p.m. : Short on resources, hospitals prepare for possibility of rationing care
The state is grappling with a skyrocketing coronavirus surge, with the second-highest number of daily virus deaths reported Wednesday at 459. More than a quarter-million new cases are being reported each week.
Authorities say Thanksgiving holiday gatherings vastly spread infections, leading the virus to rage out of control across the country. Only Arizona tops California in cases per resident.
In Los Angeles County, Methodist Hospital of Southern California formed an in-house triage team to decide how to distribute resources, although it isn't yet rationing care, the AP reports.
3 :24 p.m. : California seeing two-day record of COVID-19 deaths
California health authorities have reported a record two-day total of 1,042 coronavirus deaths as many hospitals strain under the unprecedented caseloads.
the state Department of Public Health’s website on Thursday lists 583 new deaths a day after 459 coronavirus-related deaths. The previous two-day total was 1,013 deaths at the end of December.
California’s death toll since the start of the pandemic now stands at 28,045. On Wednesday, a travel advisory was issued “strongly discouraging” people from out-of-state visiting or entering the state. Californians are also told to avoid traveling more than 120 miles from home except for essential purposes.
3 :01 p.m. : California congresswoman tests positive for COVID-19
The Orange County Republican was sworn in just three days ago and recently discovered on Wednesday that she was in contact with somebody who was COVID-positive. While she had no symptoms, she was tested as a precaution, and the results came back positive.
Harley Rouda for the position in November.
Last spring, Steel questioned the need for a countywide mask mandate but later changed her mind and endorsed face coverings in public.
2 :33 p.m. : California suspends 1.4 million unemployment claims to battle fraud
The San Francisco Chronicle reported at the state Employment Development Department said on Wednesday that it had examined existing claims from people who said they lost their jobs during the COVID-19 pandemic and found about 3.5 million claims were “potentially fraudulent.”
Nearly 2 million claims have already been disqualified, and payment was suspended for about 1.4 million people pending verification. The state has acknowledged that the department was bilked out of hundreds of millions of dollars in COVID-19 unemployment funds that went to fraudsters.
10 :31 a.m. : US records highest death toll from the COVID-19 pandemic
On Jan. 6, the same day the Pro-Trump rioters stormed the Capitol, the country recorded nearly 3,900 deaths. The attack on the Capitol highlighted some of the same deep political divisions that have hampered the battle against the pandemic. Trump and his followers have resisted efforts to social distance or wear masks to slow the spread of the virus.
Virtually no state has escaped the latest viral surge, but California has been hit particularly hard, with skyrocketing deaths and infections threatening to force hospitals to ration critical care. As of Jan. 6, 28,045 Californians had died from COVID-19.
10 :30 a.m. : How long can I wait between COVID-19 vaccine doses? US and UK debate the timeline.
AP Illustration/Peter Hamlin
The first COVID-19 vaccines available in the U.S. and the U.K. require two doses to be taken a few weeks apart.
the two counties have differed on how closely those guidelines should be followed. While people should get some kind of protection from the vaccine within the first two weeks of receiving it, the pharmaceutical giants also differ on the waiting period before the second shot.
The Pfizer and BioNTech shot regiment should follow up with a second shot three weeks after the first, while for Moderna, the second shot can be administered four weeks later. Despite this, the U.K. says it’s OK to delay the booster shots for as long as 12 weeks to speed up the number of people receiving their first shots.
Regulators in the U.S. have skipped that plan since it’s unknown how long the first dose's partial protection can last.
10 :29 a.m. : 787,000 Americans still applying for unemployment benefits
While the number of Americans seeking unemployment aid fell slightly to 787,000 applicants, these numbers still show evidence of a job market stumbling in the face of a viral pandemic.
as we enter month 10 of the pandemic in the U.S. figures from the Labor Department showed that many employers are still cutting jobs as the pandemic tightens business restricts and leads anxious consumers to stay home.
Before the recession, roughly 225,000 Americans applied for unemployment benefits weekly. Now, the renewed viral surge has changed the habits of millions of consumers as they avoid eating out, shopping and traveling.
TD Securities economists estimate that more than half of all states are now limiting gatherings to 10 people or less, which is up from a roughly quarter of states that enacted these restrictions back in September.
Wednesday, January 6
/h3>
S. governor to impose a statewide stay-at-home order due to the pandemic, but a recent swell of cases have caused various forms of restrictions to linger into 2021, impacting many retail stores during the year’s typically busiest shopping season.
The state spending he announced on Tuesday will be split up a few ways. Close to half the money, totaling $1.5 billion, will go towards people purchasing electric cars and construction jobs to set up more charging stations across the state as a part of the ban on the sale of all new gas-powered cars by 2035.
so if the new proposal is approved, more than $1 billion will be available to small business owners.
3 :43 p.m. : Over 6,000 unemployment benefits claims came from out-of-state prisons and jails
A recent report says that more than $40 million in California unemployment benefits earmarked for people left jobless by the coronavirus pandemic probably went to out-of-state jails and prisons.
The Los Angeles Times reviewed an analysis commissioned by the state’s Employment Development Department and found that the EDD approved more than 6,000 claims involving people who were probably incarcerated out of state.
At least 2,000 of those claims came from Florida jails and prisons. The EDD has acknowledged it paid about $400 million to Californians incarcerated in-state, including some on death row.
12 :22 p.m. : Patients could transferred across California as doctors search for available ICU beds
Hospitals in California are so swamped by the mounting coronavirus cases that the state has ordered those with available space to accept patients from others that have run out of intensive care beds.
the public health order issued Tuesday could result in patients being shipped to Northern California from Southern California and the San Joaquin Valley. Within those regions, 14 counties were also ordered to delay nonessential and “non-life-threatening” surgeries.
For much of the year, California has managed to avoid a catastrophe, but now the virus is raging, and California remains at or near the top of states with the newest cases per capita.
12 :19 p.m. : Nevada State of the State address will be pre-recorded
As a health precaution, the pre-recorded address will go online on Jan. 19. The governor announced Tuesday that he would also release his proposed budget the day before his address. The speech will also emphasize the governor’s priorities before the state’s legislative session begins in February.
The state is facing a substantial deficit because of the pandemic. In November, Sisolak had told state agencies to prepare for 12% budget cuts in each of the next two fiscal years. A special session last summer had made $1 billion in cuts from the previous budget.
12 :18 p.m. : California extends an extra $600 payment to low-income residents
The proposed payment announced Wednesday would go to residents with annual incomes of less than $30,000 a year. The pool of eligible people includes some immigrants who are undocumented and file taxes with the state. Roughly 4 million people would be eligible for the payment for a total state cost of $2.4 billion.
so people can get their funds starting in February. The governor is also asking the Legislature to extend a moratorium on evictions.
Tuesday, January 5
5 :43 p.m. : Too soon to know impact of Granite Bay New Year's party, health officials say
Health officials say it’s too early to tell whether a highly-criticized New Year’s Eve celebration in Granite Bay was a super-spreader event.
The largely-maskless event that has drawn the ire of many, including Sacramento Mayor Darrell Steinberg.
For those who attended the party, health officials suggest one thing.
“Anybody who was at that party should be quarantining right now," said Susie Welty, an epidemiologist at UC San Francisco.
Welty says slow testing turnaround times and a lack of public trust make contact tracing a large social gathering more difficult, especially as COVID-19 cases spike during the holidays.
“It’s just the scale of this. The number of cases," she said. "The number of contacts we have. We’re not equipped for this sort of public health response.”
Officials suggest getting tested after five days of isolating in response to an exposure. So it’s too early to know whether the gathering will result in confirmed COVID-19 cases.
Welty said contact tracers are doing their best, but there is little they can do when people aren’t heading health advice.
5 :22 p.m. : Ukiah hospital delivers 800 vaccine doses in two hours after freezer failure
The freezer holding 850 doses of the Moderna COVID vaccine failed at Adventist Health Ukiah Valley Medical Center Monday. So did the alarm that would have warned of the failure, leaving the hospital just two and a half hours to vaccinate that many people or watch the doses spoil.
Adventist gave shots based on Monday's priority list, set up four mobile vaccination pop-up locations and put out the word in the Mendocino County community of 16,000. Mendocino College math professor Leslie Banta got the call just after 1 p.m.
“Hurried over to the church, did not have to wait in line very long, and had my shot at 1 :30," Banta said. "The dosages expired at two o’clock. So they were able to vaccinate nearly 800 people in about two hours, It was amazing work on their part. It took a heroic effort for their staff.”
All the doses were administered before the deadline. Those who got the vaccine will be contacted in the next three weeks or so to come back for the follow-up second dose.
3 :24 p.m. : Grammys will be postponed to March due to coronavirus surge
the 2021 Grammy Awards will no longer be held this month and will ultimately be broadcast in March due to the recent increase in COVID-19 cases and deaths in California.
The Recording Academy told the AP on Tuesday that the annual show would shift from its original Jan. 31 broadcast to a yet-to-be-announced date in March. Beyoncé is a leading contender this year with nine nominations.
The award show will still be held in Los Angeles at the Staples Center, despite the county being the epicenter of California's crisis.
L.A. County has surpassed 10,000 COVID-19 deaths, totaling about 40% of the total deaths statewide.
3 :06 p.m. : Nevada officials plan to start vaccinating people age 75 and older
The inoculation effort could begin at pharmacies in Clark County as soon as next week. The Las Vegas Review-Journal reported Monday that a Southern Nevada Health District spokesperson said the start date could be as soon as Jan. 11.
Vaccination efforts in the state have focused so far on front-line health care workers, staff, and residents in long-term care facilities. A Nevada Health and Human Services spokesperson said multiple counties could “soon” begin vaccinating people in the state’s second-tier priority group, which includes older adults.
Both health agencies have said that more information will be released as details are confirmed.
3 :03 p.m. : Sacramento region hospitals remain below 15% ICU capacity
ICU capacity in Sacramento area hospitals has been hovering below 15% in the past several days.
On Monday, the capacity fell to 12%, according to Sacramento County Public Health Officer Dr. Olivia Kasirye. The region will remain under California's regional stay-at-home order until state projections show ICU capcity above 15% capacity four weeks out.
"We're still in that situation where it's tenuous; we have to be cautious," she said on CapRadio’s Insight. "We're not out of the danger just yet."
Health officials are still waiting to see if there will ultimately be any post-holiday COVID-19 surge. Meanwhile, Kasirye said she's disheartened to hear about people not taking California's regional stay-at-home orders seriously, especially in the light of the Granite Bay New Year's Eve party attended by hundreds.
"I think it is saddening to find that people are still choosing to ignore the warnings that we are putting out."
10 :26 a.m. : Only about 1% of Californians vaccinated amid COVID-19 vaccine campaign
Out of California’s 30 million residents, only about 1% of the state has been inoculated.
About 454,000 doses have been administered, but that’s just a quarter of the 1.3 million the state has received so far. On Monday, the state’s death toll topped 26,500, and confirmed cases soared near 2.4 million since the start of the pandemic. State hospitals are swamped with more than 22,000 COVID-19 patients.
10 :22 a.m. : Is it possible to be reinfected with COVID-19? Yes, but unlikely.
AP Illustration/Peter Hamlin
While some reinfections have been confirmed, two new studies suggest that it would be unusual to get the virus again for at least several months, and maybe longer. In one study, only 0.3% of U.S. people who were previously infected tested positive again over the next several months.
A similarly low rate of reinfections was found in a study of U.K. health workers. The findings seem to bode well for current COVID-19 vaccines, which trigger the kind of immune responses that the studies found protective.
10 :10 a.m. : Granite Bay New Year’s Eve party attendees encouraged to get coronavirus tests, self-isolate
Placer County health officials are encouraging the hundreds of partygoers who attended a New Year’s Eve party at the posh Granite Bay home formerly owned by actor Eddie Murphy to get tested for COVID-19 and self-isolate.
“You know, while it was disappointing to see that, this is not within law enforcement’s purview to even enforce,” Musallam said.
The county couldn’t confirm social media reports that some party attendees have begun experiencing COVID-19 symptoms. The interim health official said people who attended any large gathering over the holidays should get tested for the virus and avoid others.
Monday, January 4
5 :22 : Sacramento to discuss protections for renters
Sacramento City Council will discuss the city’s Tenant Protection Program Tuesday as the deadline for paying back-rent approaches.
The program was put in place in 2019 and amended last year to protect renters from evictions during the pandemic. But Councilmember Katie Valenzuela said the program is not providing the protections it should for tenants struggling to pay rent.
Valenzuela says she hopes more innovative solutions to strengthen protections for renters can be considered.
"Converting back rent owed into consumer debt, so I still owe you as my landlord, but it can no longer be grounds for eviction and the repayment schedule can be negotiated based on what the tenant can afford and what the landlord needs," Valenzuela said, as one option that could assist renters.
The California Apartment Association representing landlords said their members have been in compliance with rental programs. But they’ve noted in the past that stronger tenant protections could push out small mom and pop landlords.
The governor says the state has received 1.29 million doses, with another 611,000 on the way. But so far, only 454,000 doses have been administered in California. Part of his solution is to allow vaccinations to be given by more than doctors and clinic workers.
National Guard, more of our National Guard deployed to begin the distribution and administration.”
He’ll release details of that on Friday.
12 :01 p.m. : California hospitals swamped as COVID-19 numbers rise
California’s COVID-19 death toll topped 26,500 this weekend, according to the California Department of Public Health.
Since the start of the pandemic, the state’s confirmed cases have neared 2.4 million. Hospitals in the state are treating more than 22,000 COVID-19 patients, including nearly 4,700 in ICUs, according to the California Department of Public Health.
Authorities in California have warned of a potential huge surge on the horizon due to travel and gatherings for the December holidays and New Year’s.
11 :58 a.m. : 2021 men’s March Madness to take place in bubble in Indiana
All 67 of the 2021 men’s March Madness games will be played in a bubble in Indiana in an effort to stage the college basketball tournament after last year’s was canceled due to the pandemic, NPR reports.
Some of last year’s 2020 March Madness games were originally set to take place at the Golden 1 Center in downtown Sacramento before being canceled due to the virus. Golden 1 Center last hosted March Madness in 2017, which had a $4 million economic impact on the city.
The NCAA says it’s still determining whether fans can attend the games. The organization also announced plans to hold the women’s tournament in March, with Final Four games in San Antonio, Texas. It said it was in talks to hold the whole women’s tournament in that same region to reduce team travel.
11 :52 a.m. : Inflatable holiday costume could be tied to San Jose hospital staff outbreak
Since Dec. 27, 44 staff members in the emergency department have tested positive for the virus, according to Kaiser Permanente San Jose Medical Center Senior Vice President and Area Manager Irene Chavez.
Inflatable costumes like the one used by the employee usually rely on battery-operated fans to suck in air to keep its shape, which could have spread COVID-19-infected droplets in the air. Investigators are looking into the functioning of the fan.
6 :40 a.m. : New California law gives workers new COVID-19 protections
California now has strict new rules meant to protect workers from contracting COVID-19 on the job under AB 685, a new state law which took effect Jan. 1.
If you can’t work remotely and have spent any time at work the past couple months, you may have received an email from HR telling you that a colleague tested positive for the coronavirus, or was exposed to someone with it.
Starting this year, employers will have to do that. The new law requires written notification of potential exposures in the workplace.
Labor attorney Caroline Donelan says employers have an ethical duty to keep their workers safe, and many have already been doing this.
"These processes are probably already in place for most employers. But now in addition to this ethical duty, they now have a legal duty to do," Donelan said.
Donelan says workers who don’t feel they’re getting those protections have a few options. She says it’s a good idea to start by speaking with your employer first. But if that doesn’t change anything, head to Cal/OSHA’s website.
"They have a hotline to call if employees have questions on things like paid sick leave, retaliation protections," Donelan said. "And if they feel like they’ve gotten to the point where they want to file a complaint, that can be done completely online as well."
The last thing AB 685 does is give Cal/OSHA the authority to shut down work sites that aren’t following these new coronavirus rules. But Donelan says the agency is already overwhelmed, and how much it actually uses that power remains to be seen.
Learn more about new California laws for 2021 in our interactive guide here.
6 :35 a.m. : LA County recording new COVID-19 case every six seconds, mayor says
Mayor Eric Garcetti says LA County is recording a new COVID-19 case every six seconds. He said they must stay vigilant.
California hospitals stretched to their limits will get help from the state's Fire and Rescue Mutual Aid System, which is usually used in response to wildfires, floods and other natural disasters.
Sunday, January 3
10 :55 a.m. : Greater Sacramento region remains under regional stay-at-home order
Stay-at-home orders for the Sacramento region will be extended, state officials announced Saturday, as intensive care unit capacity is projected to remain low.
The region fell under the state's regional stay-at-home order Dec. 10, after ICU capacity dropped below the state's 15% threshold to remain open. Under the orders, businesses such as barbershops and nail salons must close, while retail stores can stay open at 20% capacity and restaurants are limited to takeout-only.
Regions must stay under the orders for at least three weeks, but can come off once projections show ICU capacity rising above 15% four weeks in the future. The Greater Sacramento region would have been able to leave the order as soon as Jan. 1. But on Saturday, the state reported that the region’s four-week ICU capacity projections do not meet the criteria to exit the order.
The Southern California and San Joaquin Valley regions also remain under the order. The Bay Area will remain under the order until at least Jan. 8 when it has a chance to exit based on ICU projections.
10 :23 a.m. : U.S. COVID-19 death toll tops 350,000
More than 350,000 people in the United States have been killed by the coronavirus, NPR reports.
The devastating milestone is according to a Johns Hopkins University tracker.
A new variant of the virus continues to spread across dozens of countries, including the U.S. where it has been found so far in California, Colorado and Florida.
The U.S. could see a particularly deadly January, after a record number of infections in December.
"
10 :11 a.m. : New director appointed to California unemployment department
California's governor has appointed Rita L. Saenz to oversee the state’s unemployment benefits department, which has been overwhelmed by claims during the coronavirus pandemic and also has paid out hundreds of millions of dollars in phony claims.
a former director of the state Department of Social Services.
The department has been struggling to deal with a huge backlog of unemployment claims because of the COVID-19 outbreak that shut most nonessential businesses and cost millions their jobs.
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Saturday, January 2
12 :28 p.m. : Pharmacist arrested, accused of destroying more than 500 Moderna vaccine doses
A pharmacist from Milwaukee was arrested Thursday on suspicion of intentionally removing hundreds of coronavirus vaccines from refrigeration, leading to their destruction, according to NPR.
Police officials from Grafton, Wisconsin, said in a statement the pharmacist, who has been fired from the Advocate Aurora Health hospital system, was arrested on recommended charges of first-degree recklessly endangering safety, adulterating a prescription drug and criminal damage to property.
Health care workers were forced to throw out about 570 doses of the Moderna vaccine that had been removed from required refrigeration. However, 57 patients were given the medicine that had been left out. Bahr said those vaccines were rendered potentially less effective or altogether ineffective. The patients were notified and are not at any risk of adverse health effects, he said.
Officials said that in a written statement to Aurora Health officials, the pharmacist responsible admitted "to intentionally removing the vaccine knowing that if not properly stored the vaccine would be ineffective."
11 :09 a.m. : United States surpasses 20 million confirmed cases on New Year’s Day
More than 20 million confirmed cases of the coronavirus have been recorded in the United States, NPR reports.
The country reached the grim milestone on Friday, the first day of 2021, according to numbers from Johns Hopkins University.
With 10 million cases recorded Nov. 9, the U.S. more than doubled the number of infections in less than two months. It accounts for nearly a quarter of all cases in the world and a fifth of all deaths.
California leads the U.S. in cases, with a new single-day record in deaths recorded on Friday.
10 a.m. : California reports a record 585 virus deaths in single day
California started the new year by reporting a record 585 coronavirus deaths in a single day.
The state Department of Public Health said Friday there were more than 47,000 new confirmed cases reported, bringing the total to more than 2.29 million.
S. Army Corps of Engineers to evaluate and upgrade outdated oxygen delivery systems at six Los Angeles area hospitals.
California this week became the third state to exceed 25,000 COVID-19 deaths since the start of the pandemic.
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