Wednesday, February 9, 2022 | California Healthline

San Francisco Chronicle:
‘Explosion Of Individuals Dying’ Has Led To Big Backlog Of Our bodies At The Alameda County Coroner’s Workplace

A rising backlog of our bodies awaiting autopsies has reached a essential level in Alameda County, making it harder to shut circumstances amid a pointy rise in COVID-19 deaths, a regional overdose disaster and surging homicides in Oakland. The bureau’s once-empty dock has turn into a triage space, with coroner vans wedged between the overflow containers. Alameda County sheriff’s spokesperson Lt. Ray Kelly mentioned he’d by no means seen it this unhealthy. (Swan, 2/8)

Sacramento Bee:
Sacramento County Jail Unvaccinated Inmate With COVID Dies 

An unvaccinated inmate who examined constructive for COVID-19 died Monday whereas in custody at Sacramento County Primary Jail, deputies introduced Tuesday afternoon. The 51-year-old man who died had been in custody for practically 5 years, affected by psychological sickness and awaiting trial on an assault cost as COVID-19 case numbers proceed to climb amid a jail outbreak that started final month. (Ahumada, 2/8)

Napa Valley Register:
Napa Experiences Two Extra Deaths From COVID-19, Bringing Pandemic Whole To 118 

Two Napa metropolis residents died within the first week of February after contracting the coronavirus, bringing Napa County’s pandemic loss of life toll to 118, the county introduced Tuesday afternoon. The most recent residents to lose their lives to COVID-19 have been a person in his 80s who died Feb. 2 and a girl in her 90s who died Monday, based on Napa County spokesperson Leah Greenbaum, who mentioned each sufferers have been unvaccinated and died within the county. (Yune, 2/8)

KQED:
Have You Felt ‘COVID Disgrace?’ It is Not Simply You 

Far more individuals gotten sick with COVID-19 throughout these previous few weeks. When you’ve examined constructive, you’ll have felt a variety of feelings: Shock, concern…even anger. There’s additionally one other emotion members of KQED’s viewers are reporting: disgrace. For some, it is a intestine feeling upon seeing that “constructive” end result. Others additionally concern being judged by their friends after being cautious for therefore lengthy. (Watt, Severn and Montecillo, 2/9)

CapRadio:
Sacramento Metropolis Faculty Bus Drivers Accuse District Of Permitting Unsafe Working Circumstances Throughout Omicron Surge

Dozens of Sacramento Metropolis Unified transportation staff gathered in entrance of the varsity district’s headquarters on Friday morning, carrying purple-bordered indicators from their union and their frustration with the district. The employees, represented by SEIU Native 1021, have been joined by lecturers affiliation members, labor leaders and college board members, amongst others. The group circled the car parking zone, chanting “What do we wish? Security. When do we wish it? Now.” After, a number of bus drivers with many years of expertise mentioned they cherished their jobs however confronted unsafe working circumstances in the course of the pandemic and omicron surge. Additionally they mentioned they earned low wages and skilled a scarcity of communication from the district. (Salanga, 2/8)

Sacramento Bee:
Sacramento County To Give COVID Bonuses To Important Employees 

Sacramento County plans to present a one-time bonus of $1,500 or 40 hours of administrative day without work to hundreds of public staff as a type of hazard pay for working in the course of the COVID-19 pandemic. The cash comes from a federal coronavirus aid package deal President Joe Biden signed final yr, which approved authorities businesses to distribute particular pay to important staff. (McGough, 2/8)

CBS Information:
Chinese language Scientists Say They’ve Developed A New, Extremely Correct COVID Take a look at That Provides Outcomes In 4 Minutes 

Chinese language scientists say they’ve developed a brand new coronavirus check that’s as correct as a PCR lab check however provides outcomes inside 4 minutes. … In a peer-reviewed article revealed Monday within the journal Nature Biomedical Engineering, the workforce mentioned their sensor — which makes use of microelectronics to investigate genetic materials from swabs — is fast and correct at recognizing SARS-COV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19. (2/8)

San Francisco Chronicle:
Indoor Masks Mandates In Every Bay Space County: What Will Occur Subsequent?

Bay Space well being officers on Tuesday mentioned they have been evaluating their very own counties’ COVID-19 conditions in deciding whether or not to regulate native masks necessities when the statewide indoor masks mandate ends subsequent week. On Monday, California well being officers confirmed that the statewide mandate, which requires everybody to put on face coverings in indoor public areas no matter vaccination statues, will probably be lifted on Feb. 16. The announcement got here as circumstances and COVID hospitalizations have dropped because the peak of the omicron surge final month. (Flores, 2/8)

San Francisco Chronicle:
Bay Space Appears to be like To Regional Strategy When California Masks Mandate Ends

Bay Space well being officers are anticipated to announce regional masking steerage within the coming days that might go into impact subsequent week, when the statewide common masks mandate meant to curb coronavirus transmission expires. It’s not clear what the native steerage will seem like and to what diploma some counties could hold mandates in place even after the state’s masks requirement is lifted subsequent Wednesday. At the least two counties — Marin and Solano — have mentioned they’ll associate with the state and not require vaccinated individuals to put on face coverings in indoor areas. (Allday, 2/8)

Bay Space Information Group:
What Will Change With California’s Masks Guidelines?

Right here we go once more. California well being officers this week introduced a slew of adjustments to the Golden State’s COVID-19 security mandates and suggestions, together with these involving masks and proof of vaccination for giant occasions. After two years of on-again, off-again restrictions, it’s powerful protecting observe. Right here’s the most recent on how the California Division of Public Well being says issues will change: (Woolfolk, 2/8)

Los Angeles Occasions:
L.A. County Retains Masks Mandate Even As O.C., Others Drop It 

Los Angeles County might be weeks away from lifting its indoor masks mandate, and on the newest might ease the order by the tip of April — except a brand new coronavirus variant poses a risk. There are two triggers that might lead to L.A. County easing its indoor masks mandate, Public Well being Director Barbara Ferrer introduced Tuesday. (Lin II and Cash, 2/8)

Bay Space Information Group:
Santa Clara County Will not Be Loosening Masks Guidelines Simply But

Santa Clara County gained’t be making any adjustments to its masks guidelines for now, regardless of a choice Monday by the state to loosen its order. Throughout a Board of Supervisors assembly on Tuesday, Public Well being Director Dr. Sara Cody mentioned that her workplace was nonetheless reviewing figures earlier than they modify any insurance policies. (Greschler and Mukherjee, 2/8)

San Francisco Chronicle:
With California’s Masks Mandate Set To Finish, Ought to You Go Maskless? Right here’s What UCSF’s Dr. Wachter Says

As states throughout the nation – together with California – announce plans to elevate masks mandates for people who find themselves vaccinated, will you are taking off yours? UCSF’s Dr. Bob Wachter took to Twitter to elucidate that the choice ought to rely in your private danger components and the specifics of the state of affairs. In his view, deciding to maintain the masks or ditch it as omicron subsides are each “cheap selections.” (Echeverria, 2/8)

Los Angeles Occasions:
As California Masks Mandate Lifts, Ought to Colleges Be Subsequent?

Educators and households are bracing for an additional spherical of pandemic coverage shifts as California officers weigh when to elevate masks mandates for colleges — with some eagerly calling for college students and workers to unmask and others urging warning. A normal easing of guidelines is about for Feb. 15 — when California is poised to elevate masks mandates for vaccinated residents in indoor public locations. The foundations wouldn’t instantly have an effect on counties with native well being orders which are extra strict than state tips, except officers modify their native guidelines. (Blume, 2/8)

CalMatters:
California Masks Mandate: Will Faculty Guidelines Change?

California seems to be getting ready to what may very well be one in all its most dramatic shifts in COVID coverage because the pandemic started practically two years in the past: altering faculty masking guidelines. State well being officers introduced Monday that they’re working with “training, public well being and neighborhood leaders to replace masking necessities at colleges to adapt to altering circumstances and make sure the security of youngsters, lecturers and workers.” (Hoeven, 2/8)

Metropolis Information Service:
County Supervisors Vote To Ask State For ‘Protected’ Section-Out Of Faculty Masks Mandate 

The county Board of Supervisors Tuesday unanimously voted to ask the state Division of Public Well being for a “protected and accountable path” towards phasing out pandemic-related masks necessities for varsity kids from kindergarten via twelfth grade. Board Chairman Nathan Fletcher made the request, saying that because the vaccine has been permitted for youngsters, the county must proceed to plan for subsequent steps as safely as attainable. (2/8)

San Francisco Chronicle:
Masks Advantages In Colleges Outweigh Inconvenience, State Epidemiologist Says

Advantages of protecting masks necessities in colleges, whilst California strikes to loosen them for vaccinated individuals in most indoor settings subsequent week, outweigh the options, mentioned Dr. Erica Pan, the state epidemiologist. “What we actually all need is our youngsters to be at school and mitigate transmission,” she mentioned throughout a Grand Rounds dialogue with medical professionals on Tuesday. (Vaziri, Fracassa and Beamish, 2/9)

The Hill:
Air Power Provides 9 Non secular Exemption For Vaccine Mandate 

The Air Power on Tuesday mentioned it has granted 9 service members non secular exemptions to the COVID-19 vaccine mandate, making it the second navy service to say it has permitted such lodging. Eight of the exemptions have been granted after being requested, the Air Power mentioned in its weekly COVID-19 replace. One exemption was granted on enchantment, that means that it was initially turned down. (Williams, 2/8)

EdSource:
Failing To Implement California’s Covid-19 Vaccine Mandate Could Put Faculty Districts In Monetary Peril 

Gov. Gavin Newsom’s faculty vaccine mandate is not less than 5 months away, however some faculty boards, notably these in small, rural, largely conservative areas of California, are already saying they gained’t implement it. The vaccine mandate, meant to sluggish the unfold of Covid-19, will prohibit unvaccinated workers and college students from coming onto faculty campuses for in-person instruction, though college students can enroll in unbiased examine. The chief order is anticipated to enter impact July 1. (Lambert and Tadayon, 2/9)

Modesto Bee:
Search CA State Employee Vaccination Charges By Division 

Vaccination charges differ tremendously from division to division in California state authorities, based on information offered by the Human Assets Division. The charges as of the tip of January could also be searched by division beneath. CalHR offered information for 111 departments, businesses, commissions and places of work masking about 209,000 of the state’s roughly 230,000 staff. Some are lacking, together with the Division of Corrections and Rehabilitation, which posts vaccination charges by itself COVID-19 web site. (Venteicher, 2/9)

SF Gate:
In Shift, Hawaii Will Not Require Vacationers Be Boosted

Vacationers seeking to go to Hawaii won’t must obtain the COVID-19 booster shot to depend as totally vaccinated, Hawaii Gov. David Ige introduced Tuesday. “In making this choice, we thought of declining COVID-19 case counts in Hawaii, the continental U.S. and Europe,” Ige mentioned in a press release. “Hospitalizations have additionally dropped.” (Bote, 2/8)

The Washington Publish:
Hawaii In Talks To Drop Covid Journey Restrictions By Spring 

Hawaii’s strict journey program for home guests could also be a bit of pandemic historical past by the spring, the state’s lieutenant governor mentioned Tuesday. Lt. Gov. Josh Inexperienced (D) mentioned in a telephone interview that discussions are ongoing about eliminating all restrictions on journey within the coming months — barring any extra covid surges. (Sampson, 2/8)

San Diego Union-Tribune:
New Choice Arrives To Defend Most Weak From COVID-19, However There’s Not Sufficient For Everybody 

Devan McGirr of Lemon Grove didn’t thoughts spending an hour sitting within the ready room of a Hillcrest dental clinic after receiving a hard-to-get shot Tuesday morning. “It appears like I gained the lottery,” McGirr mentioned. “It’s fully unreal. ”The wait was to make sure she had no unfavourable reactions after receiving Evusheld, the brand new and long-lasting treatment that research have proven can present vital safety towards COVID-19 for these with compromised immune programs. (Sisson, 2/8)

The New York Occasions:
J.&J. Pauses Manufacturing Of Its Covid Vaccine Regardless of Persistent Want 

Johnson & Johnson’s easy-to-deliver Covid-19 shot is the vaccine of alternative for a lot of the creating world. But the American firm, which has already fallen far behind on its deliveries to poorer international locations, late final yr quietly shut down the one plant making usable batches of the vaccine, based on individuals acquainted with the choice. The power, within the Dutch metropolis of Leiden, has as a substitute been making an experimental however doubtlessly extra worthwhile vaccine to guard towards an unrelated virus. (Robbins, Nolen, LaFraniere and Weiland, 2/8)

CIDRAP:
Infants Born To COVID-Vaccinated Mothers Have Antibodies At 6 Months

A small Massachusetts Common Hospital–primarily based examine in JAMA reveals extra lasting antibodies in infants after COVID-19 vaccination throughout being pregnant, in contrast with infants whose moms had pure COVID-19 infections throughout being pregnant however weren’t vaccinated. The examine checked out 77 vaccinated pregnant moms, and 12 who had symptomatic SARS-CoV-2 an infection in being pregnant; all vaccination sequence with mRNA vaccines have been accomplished between weeks 20 and 32 in being pregnant. The infants of vaccinated girls had considerably larger immunoglobulin G (IgG) antibodies in each umbilical twine blood at supply, and at blood attracts at 2 and 6 months postpartum. (2/8)

San Diego Union-Tribune:
San Diego’s Endeavor BioMedicines Nets $101M To Hunt Down Genetic Culprits Of Most cancers 

Endeavor BioMedicines, a precision remedy startup concentrating on the foundation drivers of most cancers and different illnesses, has raised $101 million in a second spherical of enterprise capital financing. The cash will probably be used to advance sure therapies in San Diego-based Endeavor’s pipeline, together with a small molecule inhibitor for the remedy of most cancers and idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, in addition to a second small molecule inhibitor geared toward cancers with excessive fatality charges which are tough to deal with with medicine. (Freeman, 2/8)

Metropolis Information Service:
Sherman Oaks Girl Pleads Responsible In $20 Million Healthcare Fraud

A Sherman Oaks girl pleaded responsible Tuesday, Feb. 8, to federal expenses for her management function in a scheme during which greater than $20 million in bogus claims authorities say have been submitted to insurance coverage firms. Roshanak “Roxanne” Khadem, 54, and 4 others — together with a former fraud investigator at Anthem Blue Cross — have been charged in a multiyear conspiracy to commit healthcare fraud towards not less than eight firms, based on the U.S. Legal professional’s Workplace. (2/8)

CalMatters:
New COVID Sick Depart Would Exempt 1 In 4 California Employees

A invoice on its technique to Gov. Gavin Newsom would require massive employers in California to supply staff as much as 80 hours of COVID-related paid sick depart. However there’s a catch: The invoice, which the Legislature handed Monday, doesn’t apply to small employers with 25 or fewer staff. That exemption — which California’s 2021 COVID sick depart legislation additionally included — applies to greater than 90% of firms in California and leaves not less than 1 in 4 staff with out entry to the brand new paid depart, based on information from California’s Employment Improvement Division. (Gedye, 2/8)

Modesto Bee:
Single-Payer Well being Care Died In CA With out Hurting Newsom

When an effort to create government-run common well being care died in California died final week, finger-pointing instantly started. The California Nurses Affiliation and Meeting Speaker Anthony Rendon criticized the invoice creator, Assemblyman Ash Kalra, for not bringing the invoice up for a vote. Progressive activists blamed highly effective well being care teams for scuttling the hassle. And a few political pundits blamed these progressives for threatening to tug endorsements from lawmakers who didn’t help it, placing stress on Kalra to not carry the invoice up in any respect for concern of alienating his colleagues. (Bollag, 2/9)