CALIFORNIA — Juan Garcia was proud to walk across a stage this spring at Venture Academy in Stockton to receive a medal for the state seal of biliteracy, proof that he can speak, read and write in English and Spanish.

“It’s a great achievement to have. It opens up so many great opportunities. Just having that extra language opens up a whole other world of people,” Garcia said.

Yet many students, particularly English learners, don’t receive the state seal of biliteracy, even though they are bilingual, because there aren’t enough options to show students are proficient in English, according to some advocates and district and county officials. A bill currently in the Legislature, Assembly Bill 370, aims to change that.

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The State Seal of Biliteracy was adopted by California in 2012. High school graduates can receive the gold seal on their high school diploma or transcript if they demonstrate proficiency in English and another language. In 2021-22, the most recent year with data available, 57,582 students were awarded the seal, in more than 22 different languages, from American Sign Language and Arabic to Urdu and Vietnamese.

Garcia’s parents, who are from Mexico, speak Spanish at home. He could speak it conversationally from a young age. But it wasn’t until high school, when he took three years of Spanish, including an Advanced Placement class, that he learned to read and write it fluently. He also feels more confident now in his ability to hold long, in-depth conversations in the language. He hopes to use these skills when he opens his own restaurant someday.

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Garcia is the second in his family to receive the state seal of biliteracy. His older sister received it, too. But his older brother, who Garcia says had better reading and writing skills in Spanish than he does, wasn’t able to obtain the seal.

“He never got the seal despite actually knowing Spanish and English because there weren’t that many options,” Garcia said. “Without having that certificate, it puts him at a disadvantage. It should be more accessible to people.”

According to data from the California Department of Education, half of the students who were awarded the biliteracy seal in 2022 were current or former English learners. The vast majority of those are students who were reclassified as fluent and English proficient, according to 2023 data obtained from several school districts, and from a 2019 report by Californians Together.

Currently, to obtain the State Seal of Biliteracy, a student must show proficiency in both English and another language. There are many different ways a student may show proficiency in a language other than English: by getting a score of 3 or higher on an Advanced Placement exam or a score of 4 or more on the International Baccalaureate (IB) exam; by taking four years of classes in the language with a GPA of 3.0 or higher and demonstrating oral proficiency in the language by passing a district test with a score of proficient or higher; or by passing the SAT II world language exam with a score of 600 or higher.

By contrast, to show proficiency in English, there is only one way: They must complete all English language arts classes required for graduation with a GPA of 2.0 or better, and they must meet or exceed the English language arts portion of California’s standardized test in 11th grade. In addition to these requirements, English learners must also show overall English proficiency on the English Language Proficiency Assessment of California.

California was the first state to adopt a seal of biliteracy. Since then, almost all states have followed suit. Advocates say it is easier in many other states to achieve the seal than in California.

“What we’re asking of world language students in terms of demonstrating proficiency should be equal to what we’re asking of English learners,” said Martha Hernandez, executive director of Californians Together, a nonprofit organization that advocates for students who speak a language other than English at home. “English learners had to demonstrate proficiency in a variety of ways that were not required of our world language students. We feel that this bill is just more equitable for all students in California.”

Assembly Bill 370 would offer students more options to show proficiency in English. If the bill passes, students could show proficiency in English by either completing all English courses with a 3.0 GPA or by meeting the standard on California’s standardized test in 11th grade, instead of requiring both. In addition, the bill would add other ways to show proficiency in English: by completing at least one English language arts class at a college or university with at least a 3.0 grade point average; by achieving a score of 3 or higher on an English Advanced Placement exam or a score of 4 or higher on an English International Baccalaureate exam; or by achieving a score of 600 or higher on the Evidence-Based Reading and Writing section of the SAT.

The bill would also remove the requirement for students who are English learners in high school to meet overall proficiency on the English Language Proficiency Assessment for California and instead require only the highest score on the oral language portion of the test.

The bill would also add some ways for students to show proficiency in another language: by completing high school level courses in another country in a language other than English with a GPA of 3.0 or above; or by completing a language course at a college or university with a GPA of 3.0 or above. Students would no longer be able to show proficiency in a language other than English through the SAT.

Some district and county office of education officials welcomed the bill.

“Under current legislation, a high school student has literally a one-shot chance, one day in 11th grade to demonstrate proficiency. Meanwhile, there is a portfolio of ways that a student can demonstrate proficiency in a world language,” said Nicole Knight, executive director of English language learner and multilingual achievement at Oakland Unified School District.

Knight said the current requirements for the seal of biliteracy put students who began school as English learners at a disadvantage and give an advantage to students who began school as native English speakers, classified as “English only” students.

“We know who this benefits. All we have to do is to look at the rates at Piedmont High School, where the majority of students are English-only and high socio-economic status and have all the conditions to pass the SBAC [Smarter Balanced Assessment of California] and take AP World Language. And yet the majority of our students in Oakland who live and grow up in multilingual households are not honored for the tremendous linguistic assets they bring,” Knight said.

Almost 1 in 4 high school graduates in Piedmont City Unified received the seal in 2022, versus 1 in 10 graduates in Oakland Unified. Piedmont is a small city surrounded by Oakland in the San Francisco Bay Area. Three percent of Piedmont’s students are from low-income families, versus 77 percent of Oakland students.

Graciela Garcia-Torres, curriculum specialist for English learner programs and accountability at the Sacramento County Office of Education, said she expects many more students to be eligible for the seal of biliteracy if AB 370 passes.

“Every year we turn down students,” Garcia-Torres said. “The saddest cases are when they definitely are (fluent in English) but because of the criteria being extremely narrowed, we can’t honor it. For example, they have the AP English, but they do not have the CAASPP, because they were not in town or they didn’t see the relevance.”

Amy Brooks Gottesfeld, supervisor of multilingual programs at San Francisco Unified School District, also welcomed the bill.

“SFUSD was one of the first districts to adopt California’s State Seal of Biliteracy in 2013, and the state has modified the criteria for earning the seal over the last 10 years, making it harder for English learners to earn,” Gottesfeld said. “We wholeheartedly support the passage of AB 370, which would lead to more multilingual learners being recognized and celebrated for their multi/bilingualism with a seal of biliteracy on their diplomas.”

AB 370 has sailed through both the Assembly and the Senate so far without opposition. It is currently awaiting a third and final reading in the Senate. If passed, it will then be sent to the governor to be signed.

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News

By Stephanie Pagones

July 10, 2023 | 4:36pm

Honduran migrants have taken over San Francisco’s drug market with the aid and blessing of Mexican cartels, according to a new report.

The Hondurans work on the front lines distributing to users, capitalizing on the lax immigration and crime policies of the California sanctuary city, the San Francisco Chronicle reported.

They operate brazen open-air markets in the in city’s notoriously blighted Tenderloin and South of Market neighborhoods, where they have squeezed competition out through their highly-coordinated organization and sheer numbers, according to the report.

The migrants often commute to their street-dealing posts via public transportation and “conduct business like they’re going to a job,” San Francisco Mayor London Breed told the outlet. 

San Francisco is seen as a target for “Hondos,” a slang term for Honduran drug dealers, because of its lax policies stemming from bail reform and its “sanctuary city” designation, according to the report. 

“[I]n San Francisco, it’s like you’re here in Honduras,” an anonymous dealer told the  Chronicle. “The law, because they don’t deport, that’s the problem … Many look for San Francisco because it’s a sanctuary city. You go to jail and you come out.”

Homeless people consume illegal drugs in an encampment along Willow St. in the Tenderloin district of downtown on Thursday, Feb. 24, 2022 in San Francisco, California.Los Angeles Times via Getty Images

People seen in the Tenderloin District of San Francisco, California, United States on June 6, 2023. Anadolu Agency via Getty Images

Homeless tents near the Tenderloin District in San Francisco.Anadolu Agency via Getty Images

San Francisco’s “City and County of Refuge” Ordinance, which makes the area a sanctuary city, largely prohibits city employees from assisting US Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in their investigations or efforts, and bars ICE from being able to step in after police have arrested a migrant. 

The investigation found most of the migrants come from the same area, Siria Valley, in Honduras — where people typically earn $8 a day — and recruit others from their families or friendship circles to join them, because they feel they can trust them better.

They pay people smugglers — known as coyotes — to initially get them into the US then live in packed apartments and houses in the neighboring city of Oakland and traveling into San Francisco to do their dealing.

A U.S. Customs and Border Protection officer examines paperwork belonging to Honduran migrants on Sunday, May 21, 2023 in La Joya, Texas.James Keivom

A new controversial billboard that warns against fentanyl is posted near Union Square on April 04, 2022 in San Francisco, California.Getty Images

A local resident snapped a photo showing an apparent early-morning drug sale in San Fransisco.

Mules working for the Mexican Jalisco New Generation and Sinaloa Cartels are providing them with the narcotics, mostly laced with highly lethal fentanyl, which they then sell on the streets of Tenderloin and South of Market.

Dealers told the newspaper they would usually make around between $300 and $700 a day, although cuts from that have to go to street associates from their crew and back up the chain to the distributors.

Those working the streets and taking delivery of drug shipments say they do not know the people higher up the chain from the cartels, offering a level of protection to them and making the police’s job to trace back the drugs much harder.

Over 200 migrants from Honduras have been nabbed for selling drugs in San Francisco since the beginning of last year, the Chronicle found. 

The community reportedly began to take over the drug market during the COVID shutdown, but would not have made such strides if not for the support Mexican cartels, Wade Shannon, former special agent-in-charge of the San Francisco field office of the US Drug Enforcement Administration, told the outlet. 

“If [the cartels] decide to ever cut [the Hondurans] off, that’s the end of the game,” he reportedly said. “But I think they provide a value to the cartels there; they’re moving a lot of their product.”

Only six percent of those charged for dealing drugs between 2018 and 2022 have been convicted. The remainder are still being processed, or ended in plea deals with lesser charges, dismissals or diversion programs, the Chronicle found. 

On average, the outlet found, jail sentences for drug dealing lasted 168 days. 

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As former big league catchers, Bob Melvin and Bruce Bochy certainly had their fair share, and the current managers were playing at a time when big clashes with runners looking to score were simply part of the game.

The rules have changed over the years to protect catchers, but runners are now sometimes safe and collision-free even after being substituted. That’s what happened to Melvin’s San Diego Padres and Bochy’s Texas Rangers this week.

San Francisco’s Blake Sabol was originally drafted in the fifth inning on Wednesday night against the Padres. The call was changed after a long re-examination and Sabol was declared safe when catcher Gary Sánchez was reported for blocking the plate. Melvin called it “one of the worst calls I’ve seen this year.”

Bochy took Melvin a step further, calling a similar play in Rangers’ 6-7 loss to the Chicago White Sox the previous night “absolutely one of the worst calls I’ve ever seen, and it was executed by repetition.”

Like Sánchez, Texas catcher Jonah Heim stood as he made a sweep change. Elvis Andrus was called out first, which would have ended the eighth inning with a game still tied, but the White Sox challenged the day and Heim blocked the plate.

Why is there a rule in MLB that prevents catchers from blocking the plate?

To prevent injuries that may result from collisions between baserunners and catchers. In 2014, MLB introduced a rule designed to prevent avoidable collisions on home plate.

Rule 6.01(i) is officially listed as Collisions at Home Plate, but is also referred to informally by many as the Buster-Posey Rule.

This rule not only prohibits catchers from blocking the plate without possessing the ball or just catching the ball, but also states that runners must not deviate from their direct path to the plate to make contact with the catcher or cause an avoidable collision cause .

Posey suffered a fractured fibula and torn ankle ligaments after the Marlins’ Scott Cousins ​​went shoulder-down in 2011 and hit the San Francisco catcher to score. That was a season after Posey was NL Rookie of the Year while the Giants won the World Series.

Detroit Tigers catcher Alex Avila was injured in game five of the 2013 American League Championship Series after colliding with Boston’s David Ross. Avila returned two days later to play Game 6.

Bone-shattering collisions at the slab were common earlier in the game. Among the most famous was Pete Rose, who smashed through Ray Fosse to hit the winning run at the end of the 12th inning of the 1970 All-Star Game, a play that left Fosse with a fractured shoulder.

Why was there a sudden spike in violations?

MLB sent out a memo to teams late last season about how the rule was enforced after several controversial plays at the plate.

Minnesota coach Rocco Baldelli was furious after umpires blocked Sánchez, then with the Twins, in what looked like an out in the 10th inning of a game against Toronto last season.

Enforcement of the rule was also discussed in spring training ahead of this season.

In both cases, the runners were called out by the on-field referees this week before the replay officials ruled otherwise.

Bochy said MLB officials told him about his catcher’s lineup, among other things. Heim had one foot on the side of the plate, but had the ball in his mitt before Andrus slid headfirst onto the open other half of the plate.

MLB said Heim’s “initial positioning was illegal and his subsequent actions while not in possession of the ball obstructed and impeded the runner’s path to home plate.”

WHY ARE TEAMS SO CONFUSED ABOUT THE ‘BLOCKING THE PLATE’ RULE?

The rule encourages runners to slide home, which is now fairly common. At the same time, catchers sometimes move to alter the runner’s expected path to the plate.

Catchers can legally stand in fair territory in front of the plate without possessing the ball. However, they may be called for an infringement if they do not have the ball and line up in foul territory, straddle the foul line or home plate, or have one foot on the plate or foul line.

There are also exceptions to the position of catchers when they need to move to make an incoming shot or when they are moving on a rapidly developing play such as a tie. B. a wild pitch or a hard-hit ball to a drawn throw, cannot get stuck in front of the plate. in the infielder. These exceptions, however, are decisions of the referee or retry officers.

___

AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

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STEPHEN HAWKINS, Associated Press

40 minutes ago

Blake Sabol of the San Francisco Giants (bottom) reacts after scoring against San Diego Padres catcher Gary Sanchez (top) in the fifth inning of a baseball game in San Francisco Wednesday, June 21, 2023. Sabol was initially called out but ruled safe after the Giants contested the call. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)

As former big league catchers, Bob Melvin and Bruce Bochy certainly had their fair share, and the current managers were playing at a time when big clashes with runners looking to score were simply part of the game.

The rules have changed over the years to protect catchers, but runners are now sometimes safe and collision-free even after being substituted. That’s what happened to Melvin’s San Diego Padres and Bochy’s Texas Rangers this week.

San Francisco’s Blake Sabol was originally drafted in the fifth inning on Wednesday night against the Padres. The call was changed after a long re-examination and Sabol was declared safe when catcher Gary Sánchez was reported for blocking the plate. Melvin called it “one of the worst calls I’ve seen this year.”

Bochy took Melvin a step further, calling a similar play in Rangers’ 6-7 loss to the Chicago White Sox the previous night “absolutely one of the worst calls I’ve ever seen, and it was executed by repetition.”

Like Sánchez, Texas catcher Jonah Heim stood as he made a sweep change. Elvis Andrus was called out first, which would have ended the eighth inning with a game still tied, but the White Sox challenged the day and Heim blocked the plate.

Why is there a rule in MLB that prevents catchers from blocking the plate?

To prevent injuries that may result from collisions between baserunners and catchers. In 2014, MLB introduced a rule designed to prevent avoidable collisions on home plate.

Rule 6.01(i) is officially listed as Collisions at Home Plate, but is also referred to informally by many as the Buster-Posey Rule.

This rule not only prohibits catchers from blocking the plate without possessing the ball or just catching the ball, but also states that runners must not deviate from their direct path to the plate to make contact with the catcher or cause an avoidable collision cause .

Posey suffered a fractured fibula and torn ankle ligaments after the Marlins’ Scott Cousins ​​went shoulder-down in 2011 and hit the San Francisco catcher to score. That was a season after Posey was NL Rookie of the Year while the Giants won the World Series.

Detroit Tigers catcher Alex Avila was injured in game five of the 2013 American League Championship Series after colliding with Boston’s David Ross. Avila returned two days later to play Game 6.

Bone-shattering collisions at the slab were common earlier in the game. Among the most famous was Pete Rose, who smashed through Ray Fosse to hit the winning run at the end of the 12th inning of the 1970 All-Star Game, a play that left Fosse with a fractured shoulder.

Why was there a sudden spike in violations?

MLB sent out a memo to teams late last season about how the rule was enforced after several controversial plays at the plate.

Minnesota coach Rocco Baldelli was furious after umpires blocked Sánchez, then with the Twins, in what looked like an out in the 10th inning of a game against Toronto last season.

Enforcement of the rule was also discussed in spring training ahead of this season.

In both cases, the runners were called out by the on-field referees this week before the replay officials ruled otherwise.

Bochy said MLB officials told him about his catcher’s lineup, among other things. Heim had one foot on the side of the plate, but had the ball in his mitt before Andrus slid headfirst onto the open other half of the plate.

MLB said Heim’s “initial positioning was illegal and his subsequent actions while not in possession of the ball obstructed and impeded the runner’s path to home plate.”

WHY ARE TEAMS SO CONFUSED ABOUT THE ‘BLOCKING THE PLATE’ RULE?

The rule encourages runners to slide home, which is now fairly common. At the same time, catchers sometimes move to alter the runner’s expected path to the plate.

Catchers can legally stand in fair territory in front of the plate without possessing the ball. However, they may be called for an infringement if they do not have the ball and line up in foul territory, straddle the foul line or home plate, or have one foot on the plate or foul line.

There are also exceptions to the position of catchers when they need to move to make an incoming shot or when they are moving on a rapidly developing play such as a tie. B. a wild pitch or a hard-hit ball to a drawn throw, cannot get stuck in front of the plate. in the infielder. These exceptions, however, are decisions of the referee or retry officers.

___

AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

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While company officials promised a solution to a $735 million loan that was due for two hotels in the near future, Park Hotels & Resorts executives said “all options are on the table” and the possibility of a return of the keys to the real estate would not rule out.

The $725 million, CMBS fixed rate loan at the Hilton San Francisco Union Square and Park 55 San Francisco — a Hilton hotel — is due in November and is currently paying interest at 4.11%. President and CEO Thomas Baltimore Jr. said during the Real Estate Investment Trust’s first-quarter earnings call that a non-disclosure agreement prevented him from going into the details of Park’s plans, but additional executives are “in discussions with the service provider and all options are being evaluated.” Wells Fargo is the servicer of the loan.

“I stress that all options are being explored and we expect this to be resolved by the summer,” he told analysts after being specifically asked about the possibility of abandoning the properties. “See, these are never cut and dry. So hypothetically if we were to return the keys there would be debt relief and the income we would have we could shield, certainly most of it but not all of it. In theory this would result in a potential dividend payout of around $150 million to $200 million . And it obviously reduces our leverage.”

Sean Dell’Orto, Park’s executive vice president, chief financial officer and treasurer, said during the call that an extension of the current loan is also being considered and the company’s executive team “remains confident that we will have a resolution by early summer will have”.

The ability to exit these two hotels — which together have 2,945 rooms — would represent a dramatic shift in strategy for Park. Baltimore has touted the company’s strong presence in San Francisco as a key differentiator from other hotel-focused REITs and a competitive advantage since the company’s spin-off from Hilton in early 2017.

In addition to the Parc 55 and the Hilton San Francisco Union Square, the company also owns the 344-room JW Marriott San Francisco Union Square and the 316-room Hyatt Centric Fisherman’s Wharf in San Francisco, as well as several other hotels in the Bay Area: the 505 The DoubleTree 360-room Hotel San Jose, 360-room Hilton Oakland Airport, 245-room DoubleTree Hotel Sonoma Wine Country, and 224-room Juniper Hotel Cupertino.

Baltimore said he remains in regular contact with officials in San Francisco, in large part because of the 42-hotel company’s outsized presence in the market, and he remains upbeat about the city’s long-term prospects, despite a slower recovery than several others large markets and a lack of inbound travel from Asia.

He said several macro trends would continue to play in the city’s favor going forward. The recent growth in artificial intelligence could portend another tech boom in general, and he added that much of it was and will be “anchored in San Francisco.”

“San Francisco has historically been a high-beta market, so it’s going through these boom and bust periods,” he said. “This is clearly a tougher time now but we are seeing that she is certainly starting to recover. I think the recovery will take a little longer.”

Baltimore said there have been some signs of life regarding large group gatherings in the city, which Park’s portfolio of big-box hotels would benefit from. He also said the city is about to make some changes that would make it more attractive as a tourist destination.

“The Moscone Center has been talking about rate cuts, and we think that’s a good idea,” he said. “We think a national marketing campaign is another good idea that we have communicated. The ambassador program has been incredibly well received.

While the first quarterPark’s hotels reported revenue per available room of $158.84, representing a 36.5% year-over-year increase for the portfolio. The increase was largely due to a 14.2 percentage point increase in demand to a 65% load factor for the quarter. The company also saw its average daily rate rise 6.6% to $244.38.

The REIT posted net income of $33 million for the quarter, up 158.9% from the loss of $56 million in the first quarter of 2022.

Baltimore also pledged a continuation of a plan to sell smaller non-core assets in Park’s portfolio and forecast assets of between $200 million and $300 million during 2023. In February, the company sold the 508-room Hilton Miami Airport for $118.25 million at a cap of 6.2% based on 2019 net operating income.

At press time, Park stock was trading at $12.30 per share, up 4.3% year-to-date. The NYSE Composite rose 2.3% over the same period.

Read more news on Hotel News Now.

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The Detroit Lions want to make sure no one else gets into the same quarterback situation that the San Francisco 49ers faced in the NFC Championship Game.

You may remember — unless you’re a 49ers fan who blocked it like childhood trauma — but the 49ers were effectively running out of functioning quarterbacks in the game.

Starter Brock Purdy injured his throwing arm early in the game and was replaced by backup Josh Johnson. However, Johnson was knocked out of the game with a concussion. That meant Purdy was pushed back into action despite being unable to throw the ball.

That must have spooked the Lions because they were the ones who submitted the bylaws proposal and not the 49ers.

The Lions submitted a bylaw proposal that provides for an emergency QB. Each team could nominate a 3rd QB from either the inactive or the practice team that can be activated mid-game if the 2 active QBs have been locked out for the rest of the game.

— Jonathan Jones (@jjones9) March 13, 2023

Seems like a solid idea. Given how things have gone for San Francisco, it’s hard to believe any team would fight it. Eventually someone will find a loophole and exploit it, but for now it seems like a solid idea.

However, the NFL misses an opportunity to make headlines in a way that the NHL has mastered. Soccer needs its version of Ice Hockey Emergency Goalie or EBUG.

In this case, they must implement emergency backup quarterbacks or an EBUQ.

The San Francisco 49ers’ brutal QB carousel — particularly in the NFC Championship — could be grounds for a slight rule adjustment. (Photo by Kevin Sabitus/Getty Images)

The Lions’ proposal is fine, but the NFL needs EBUQs.

You should strictly follow the template of the NHL. In short, the home team would secure the services of a backup quarterback in case of an emergency. He can be used by either team if needed. It could be anyone. Someone who was playing QB at a D-II school back then, or maybe a plumber who plays semi-pro football on the weekends.

For most games, the EBUQ just sat in the press box and ate nachos. However, if a team has both QBs out, he can put down the nachos and spring into action.

If you know how it works in the NHL, it’s exciting to see a “normal guy” dress and play in the big leagues.

The only thing that would be more fun from a fan point of view would be some kind of sweepstakes system. At the stadium on game day, washed up high school and junior college QBs who want to show they still have it can throw their name in a bucket. Then, if necessary, we grab the bucket and select a fan to jump into the game.

There’s a higher chance that the chosen person’s football career hasn’t passed Pop Warner — or that they’re completely hammered — but at least the randomness would make things fair.

Whatever the league decides, this year’s NFC Championship was likely enough for most teams to want a safety net.

Just in case you find yourself in a similar situation.

Follow on Twitter: @Matt_Reigle

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SAN FRANCISCO — California is exempting San Francisco from a rule that takes effect Wednesday requiring all people to wear masks indoors in a bid to contain a troubling rise in new coronavirus cases.

San Francisco will continue to allow fully vaccinated people to remove their masks in gyms and workplaces while its overall masking mandate remains in effect, the city Department of Public Health announced.

“It’s a recognition of all of the thought and care that San Francisco residents have been putting into staying as safe as possible,” said Dr. Susan Philip, San Francisco’s health officer.

About 86% of eligible San Francisco residents have received at least one vaccine dose, according to the public health department.

San Francisco businesses were relieved that the city can continue permitting fully vaccinated people to go maskless in some indoor locations.

“To have any disruption at all in the progress we’ve made over the last year and a half in getting customers back would have been devastating,” Dave Karraker, co-owner of MX3 Fitness and spokesman for the San Francisco Independent Fitness Studio Coalition , told the San Francisco Chronicle.

Several other San Francisco Bay Area counties also had relaxed masking rules for vaccinated people but it wasn’t immediately clear whether the state would exempt them, too.

California lifted its statewide mask mandate on June 15 for people who were vaccinated, a date that Gov. Gavin Newsom heralded as the state’s grand reopening.

But health officials are worried about the spread of the new omicron COVID-19 variant, which health officials believe can spread more easily than the original and delta strains. The virus is particularly hitting the unvaccinated.

The new mandate, which will remain in force until at least Jan. 15, also is aimed at reducing the COVID-19 risk when friends and families travel or gather indoors for the holidays.

However, officials haven’t specified how it will be enforced and have acknowledged that much will depend on voluntary public compliance.

After California lifted its statewide indoor mask mandates this summer, county governments covering about half of the state’s population imposed their own mandates as case rates surged with new variants.

The order comes as the statewide seven-day average rate of new coronavirus cases has jumped 47% since Thanksgiving and hospitalizations have risen by 14%, according to the state Department of Public Health.

That’s still far below a surge last winter — before vaccines were available — when the state averaged more than 100 cases per 100,000 people and nearly 20,000 people died during an eight-week period.

What’s worrying now is that even though more than 70% of eligible Californians are fully vaccinated, some areas of the state still have low vaccination rates that put communities of greater risk for the coronavirus, according to the health department.

“Given the current hospital census, which is at or over capacity, even a moderate surge in cases and hospitalizations could materially impact California’s health care delivery system within certain regions of the state,” the department said.

California joins other states with similar indoor mask mandates, including Washington, Oregon, Illinois, New Mexico, Nevada, Hawaii, and New York.

California also is tightening existing testing requirements by ordering unvaccinated people attending indoor events of 1,000 people or more to have a negative test within one or two days, depending on the type of test. The state also recommends travelers who visit or return to California to get tested within five days of their arrival.

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San Francisco has a high vaccination rate — nearly 90% of eligible residents have received at least one dose.

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — California is exempting San Francisco from a rule that takes effect Wednesday requiring all people to wear masks indoors in a bid to contain a troublesome rise in coronavirus cases.

The city health department says San Francisco will continue to allow fully vaccinated people to remove their masks in gyms and workplaces. San Francisco has a high vaccination rate — nearly 90% of eligible residents have received at least one dose.

But other counties have much lower rates and the state is concerned that they will be at risk as the omicron COVID-19 variant surges. There’s also concern that the virus will spread during holiday gatherings.

UPDATE: @CAPublicHealth has further refined its indoor masking requirements since Monday. This means that stable cohorts of 100% fully vaccinated people in settings like workspaces and gyms will continue to be allowed to remove masks. (1/3)

— SFDPH (@SF_DPH) December 15, 2021

The mandate will last from Dec. 15, 2021 to Jan. 15, 2022. California residents outside of San Francisco, regardless of vaccination status, will be required to wear a mask in all indoor, public settings.

Health and Human Services Secretary Dr. Mark Ghaly said during a press conference Monday announcing the month-long mandate was due in part to a 47% increase in coronavirus cases since Thanksgiving.

More information about the indoor mask mandate can be found at the California Department of Public Health website.

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Mixing and matching vaccines with booster shots? | Health Beat with Brea Love

The post San Francisco exempt from California indoor masks rule appeared first on DAILY SAN FRANCISCO BAY NEWS.

SAN FRANCISCO — California is exempting San Francisco from a rule that takes effect Wednesday requiring all people to wear masks indoors in a bid to contain a troubling rise in new coronavirus cases.

San Francisco will continue to allow fully vaccinated people to remove their masks in gyms and workplaces while its overall masking mandate remains in effect, the city Department of Public Health announced.

“It’s a recognition of all of the thought and care that San Francisco residents have been putting into staying as safe as possible,” said Dr. Susan Philip, San Francisco’s health officer.

About 86% of eligible San Francisco residents have received at least one vaccine dose, according to the public health department.

San Francisco businesses were relieved that the city can continue permitting fully vaccinated people to go maskless in some indoor locations.

“To have any disruption at all in the progress we’ve made over the last year and a half in getting customers back would have been devastating,” Dave Karraker, co-owner of MX3 Fitness and spokesman for the San Francisco Independent Fitness Studio Coalition , told the San Francisco Chronicle.

Several other San Francisco Bay Area counties also had relaxed masking rules for vaccinated people but it wasn’t immediately clear whether the state would exempt them, too.

California lifted its statewide mask mandate on June 15 for people who were vaccinated, a date that Gov. Gavin Newsom heralded as the state’s grand reopening.

But health officials are worried about the spread of the new omicron COVID-19 variant, which health officials believe can spread more easily than the original and delta strains. The virus is particularly hitting the unvaccinated.

The new mandate, which will remain in force until at least Jan. 15, also is aimed at reducing the COVID-19 risk when friends and families travel or gather indoors for the holidays.

However, officials haven’t specified how it will be enforced and have acknowledged that much will depend on voluntary public compliance.

After California lifted its statewide indoor mask mandates this summer, county governments covering about half of the state’s population imposed their own mandates as case rates surged with new variants.

The order comes as the statewide seven-day average rate of new coronavirus cases has jumped 47% since Thanksgiving and hospitalizations have risen by 14%, according to the state Department of Public Health.

That’s still far below a surge last winter — before vaccines were available — when the state averaged more than 100 cases per 100,000 people and nearly 20,000 people died during an eight-week period.

What’s worrying now is that even though more than 70% of eligible Californians are fully vaccinated, some areas of the state still have low vaccination rates that put communities of greater risk for the coronavirus, according to the health department.

“Given the current hospital census, which is at or over capacity, even a moderate surge in cases and hospitalizations could materially impact California’s health care delivery system within certain regions of the state,” the department said.

California joins other states with similar indoor mask mandates, including Washington, Oregon, Illinois, New Mexico, Nevada, Hawaii, and New York.

California also is tightening existing testing requirements by ordering unvaccinated people attending indoor events of 1,000 people or more to have a negative test within one or two days, depending on the type of test. The state also recommends travelers who visit or return to California to get tested within five days of their arrival.

The post California exempts San Francisco from COVID indoor masks rule appeared first on DAILY SAN FRANCISCO BAY NEWS.

Find an updated count of COVID-19 cases in California and by county on our tracker here.

Latest Updates

San Francisco eases mask rule, but Los Angeles isn’t ready

This is how often you can reuse your N95 or KN95 masks

Moderna will also begin testing omicron-formulated booster shot

COVID-19 hits one of the last uninfected places on earth

Sol Blume music festival returning to Sacramento after two-year pandemic hiatus

COVID-19 By The Numbers

Friday, January 28

10:12 a.m.: San Francisco eases mask rule, but Los Angeles isn’t ready

COVID-19 case numbers are decreasing in Los Angeles County, but a top health official says it’s too soon to consider relaxing mask and vaccination requirements in LA — as San Francisco plans to do next week.

According to the Associated Press, LA County reported just over 26,000 new coronavirus cases, down over the past two weeks from 46,000, the highest daily numbers since the start of the pandemic. 

Health director Barbara Ferrer says LA County has likely passed the peak of omicron transmission. San Francisco health officials say that the city’s rapidly dropping case rates will allow the lifting of some indoor mask mandates starting Feb. 1.

10:10 a.m.: This is how often you can reuse your N95 or KN95 masks

Experts say how often you can safely wear an N95 or KN95 mask will vary depending on how it’s used.

According to the Associated Press, using a mask to run to the grocery store, for example, is very different from wearing it all day at work.

Richard Flagan, who studies masks and aerosols at the California Institute of Technology, says the amount of time a mask is worn is more important than how frequently it’s worn.

But in general, he recommends limiting the use of an N95 mask to about two or three days. N95s can’t be washed and should be thrown away once you can no longer use them.

9:45 a.m.: Moderna will also begin testing omicron-formulated booster shot

Moderna has begun testing an omicron-specific version of its COVID-19 vaccine in healthy adults, according to the Associated Press.

Earlier this week, competitor Pfizer began similar research with its reformulated shots. It’s not clear that global health authorities will decide the vaccines need to be changed. 

The current shots still offer strong protection against death and severe disease, and a booster also improves the chances of avoiding even a milder infection. 

The newest study will give an omicron-matched booster to about 600 people who’ve already received either two or three Moderna shots.

9:37 a.m.: COVID-19 hits one of the last uninfected places on earth

Kiribati and several other small Pacific nations were among the last on the planet to have avoided any virus outbreaks, thanks to their remote locations and strict border controls.

However, as reported by the Associated Press, the island nation’s defenses appeared to be no match against the highly contagious omicron variant.

After tight lockdowns, Kiribati finally began reopening this month, agreeing to allow the U.S.-based Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to charter a plane to bring home 54 citizens.

Many had left before the border closure to serve missions abroad for what’s widely known as the Mormon church. 

Officials tested each returning passenger three times in nearby Fiji, required they be vaccinated, and put them in quarantine with additional testing when they arrived home. It wasn’t enough.

Thursday, January 27

1:14 p.m.: Sol Blume music festival returning to Sacramento after two-year pandemic hiatus

After missing out the past two years due to the pandemic, Sacramento’s Sol Blume festival of new age R&B, soul and hip-hop artists plans to return this spring.

The festival is expanding to two days, April 30 and May 1, and will grow into larger digs at Discover Park, after previously going down for one-day-only at Cesar Chavez Plaza in 2019.

“We’re excited for the opportunity to continue to bring a carefully curated & unique R&B experience to Sacramento. We took two years off due to the pandemic, which gave us more time to evolve,” Festival Founder Fornati Kumeh wrote in a statement.

Festival headliners this year include Jorja Smith and PartyNextDoor on Saturday, and Jhene Aikoand Summer Walker on Sunday. Aiko headlined the inaugural Sol Blume in 2018. Walker was scheduled to perform at the festival in 2019, but pulled out in the weeks leading up to the show.

Tickets for the two-day festival go on sale Monday, Jan.31, at 10 a.m., and prices range from $200 for weekend passes to $400 for VIP tickets.

9:12 a.m.: COVID-19 booster shot rates are slumping in the US

The COVID-19 booster drive in the U.S. is losing steam, worrying health experts who have pleaded with Americans to get an extra shot to shore up their protection against the highly contagious variant.

The Associated Press reported that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention say just 40% of fully vaccinated Americans have received a booster dose.

The average number of booster shots dispensed per day in the U.S. has plummeted from a peak of 1 million in early December to about 490,000 as of last week.

9:01 a.m.: Health experts monitoring a ‘stealth’ version of the omicron variant

Scientists and health officials are keeping their eyes on a descendent of the omicron variant that has been found in at least 40 counties, called BA.2.

According to the Associated Press, it’s widely considered the stealthier version of the original omicron variant because particular genetic traits make it somewhat harder to detect.

Some scientists worry it could also be more transmissible, but they say there’s a lot they still don’t know, including whether it evades vaccines better or causes more severe disease.

To protect against it, doctors urge vaccination and the usual coronavirus precautions.

8:50 a.m.: Most Americans believe the pandemic is over when COVID-19 becomes a ‘mild illness’

Will the pandemic ever really be “over”? And if so, what would that mean? 

According to the Associated Press, a new AP-NORC poll shows that few Americans, just 15%, said they’d consider the pandemic over only when COVID-19 is largely eliminated.

By contrast, 83% said they’ll feel like the pandemic is over when it’s essentially a mild illness, like the seasonal flu.

The poll also shows that strict precautions like avoiding socializing and travel are making a comeback for many Americans because of the omicron variant.

Wednesday, January 26

10:53 a.m.: Gov. Gavin Newsom, top lawmakers want to give workers more COVID-19 sick time

Gov. Gavin Newsom, Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon and Senate President pro Tempore Toni Atkins want to give workers more paid sick time as the state grapples with the omicron surge. 

Earlier in the pandemic, employers were required to provide up to two weeks of paid sick leave if a worker contracted COVID-19 or needed to care for a family member who was ill. That supplemental sick leave expired in September 2021 and labor unions have been pushing to revive it, especially during this latest surge.

Newsom and the Legislature’s Democratic leaders announced they’ve agreed on a new policy: It will once again require employers with 26 or more workers to provide up to two weeks of paid sick time.

The agreement would also retroactively cover sick days from the beginning of this year through September 2021. Employers can request proof of a positive test. The legislature still needs to approve the new policy before it takes effect, which will likely happen in the coming weeks.

10:48 a.m.: Chico State begins spring semester with mostly in-person classes

Chico State started its spring semester this week and held the majority of its classes in-person, one of a handful of the 23 CSU campuses which began their spring semesters with in-person learning.

Students must be vaccinated or obtain a medical or religious exemption to attend in-person classes, and are required to wear masks indoors. The campus was bustling between classes this week, and many students said they preferred in-person learning to online classes.

“I know a lot of professors in their syllabus are putting in more precautions,” said senior Meliese Menchaca. “Even one of them was like, ‘If you don’t wear your mask, or you’re not wearing it correctly, I will cancel the class and we will move online.’ So I think everyone wants to be here. They don’t want to be online.”

Some students feel the university’s COVID-19 policies are enough to keep them safe. Chico State announced last year it would require students and staff to receive a booster by the end of February. However, not everyone is satisfied. Senior Seana Watkins said her classes were in small rooms with no windows or ventilation, and not enough space between students.          

“I think even if we waited a couple of weeks to get through the surge that’s about to happen and hit Chico,” Watkins said. “I think that would have probably been the safest. Even though I do work better in person. Public safety and health is more important, I think.”

10:27 a.m.: Free N95 masks will be available at some pharmacies and grocery stores

Free N95 masks are starting to arrive at pharmacies and grocery stores around the country nearly a week after the Biden administration announced it would deploy 400 million of the high-quality face coverings to the public, NPR reports.

Pending availability, every person is allowed up to three masks, according to the Department of Health and Human Services. Masks are available at Walgreens while supplies last, and will be available at CVS Pharmacy stores in the coming weeks.

The White House launched this effort after the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced that cloth masks are no longer as effective in preventing the spread of the highly contagious omicron variant. The coveted nonsurgical N95 masks are coming from the Strategic National Stockpile, which has more than 750 million of them on hand.Tuesday, January 25

Tuesday, January 25

10:22 a.m.: New bill would eliminate ‘belief’ exemption for COVID-19 school vaccination

All California K-12 students would have to be vaccinated against COVID-19 for in-person instruction under a bill introduced Monday. 

The requirement would go into effect Jan. 1 if passed by the Legislature and signed by Gov. Gavin Newsom. Sacramento state Senator Richard Pan, a pediatrician, authored the bill.

“Students in California are currently required to be vaccinated for many serious diseases to prevent their spread in schools,” Pan said. “And given the tragically high number of people — and those do include children and teens — who suffer from death and disability from COVID-19, we must make sure our students are vaccinated against COVID as well.”

The legislation would also bar personal belief exemptions for the COVID-19 vaccine requirement. Pan also authored the 2015 bill which eliminated personal belief exemptions for all other childhood vaccines required to attend school. That bill drew fierce opposition.

Pan’s proposal follows legislation introduced last week that would allow California children 12 and up to be vaccinated without their parents’ consent. 

9:25 a.m.: California lawmakers to consider allowing teens to get vaccines without parental consent

California lawmakers will consider a proposal allowing adolescents to get vaccines without their parents’ consent.

The legislation would apply to minors ages 12 to 17, which could allow them to get any vaccine approved by the FDA and recommended by the CDC.

Democratic state Sen. Scott Wiener of San Francisco authored the bill. At a press conference, he said some minors are being prevented from getting the COVID-19 vaccine by their guardians.

“Teens do get sick. There are teens in the hospital, teens on ventilators, and tragically, teens who die,” he said.

Supporters said the legislation builds on state laws that already allow adolescents to seek STI vaccines and reproductive health services without parental consent. But Wiener’s office expects the proposal will spark spirited debate in the state Legislature.

9:10 a.m.: Pfizer to begin testing omicron-matched booster shots in adults

Pfizer and BioNTech have begun studying a COVID-19 vaccine tweaked to match the omicron variant in healthy adults, according to the Associated Press.

COVID-19 vaccine makers have been updating their shots in case global health authorities decide a change is needed. The recently announced study will include more than 1,400 volunteers ages 18 to 55.

Most are already vaccinated and will get boosters of the omicron-based vaccine or the original version. Some unvaccinated volunteers will get three omicron-based doses.

The original vaccines still offer good protection against severe illness and death, while a booster improves the chances of avoiding even a milder infection.

Monday, January 24

9:51 a.m.: Los Angeles schools will prohibit students from wearing cloth masks, require ‘well-fitted’ ones

The Los Angeles Unified School District said it’ll prohibit students from wearing cloth masks as the highly transmissible omicron variant continues to spread.

As reported by the Associated Press, the district said that students must wear “well-fitted, non-cloth masks with a nose wire” at all times starting today.

Higher grade masks will be made available to students upon request. The shift away from cloth masks was prompted by guidance from county health authorities. LAUSD will allow exemptions to mask rules for some students with disabilities.

The LA County Department of Public Health said that the seven-day testing positivity rate remained “very high” at 16%.

9:34 a.m.: Booster shots are needed against the omicron variant, CDC study shows

Three new U.S. studies offer more evidence that the COVID-19 vaccines are standing up to the omicron variant, at least among people who have gotten booster shots.

According to the Associated Press, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released the studies on Friday. The results echo previous research — including studies in Germany, South Africa and the United Kingdom.

They found available vaccines are less effective against omicron than they were against earlier versions of the coronavirus.

One of the papers found that two doses of the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines offered no significant protection against omicron. Several studies have concluded that a booster shot can significantly improve protection.

9:28 a.m.: Omicron surge leaves food banks understaffed

Food banks are experiencing a critical shortage of volunteers as the omicron variant frightens people away from group activities, according to the Associated Press.

Individual volunteers are shying away from their usual shifts, and companies and schools that regularly supply large groups of volunteers are canceling their participation over virus concerns.

The end result in many cases has been a severe increase in spending by food banks at a time when they’re already dealing with higher food costs due to inflation and supply chain issues.

The extent of the problem was highlighted this past week during the national holiday for Martin Luther King Jr. Day when many food banks have traditionally organized mass volunteer drives as part of a day of service.

Friday, January 21

8:55 a.m.: Sacramento County sees omicron surge level off but still has record-breaking hospitalization rates

While Sacramento County is starting to see the omicron surge taper off, hospitalization rates are still at record-breaking levels.

As of Wednesday, there were 615 COVID-19 patients in county hospitals — more than at any other time during the pandemic. The number of daily cases has been higher this week than during last winter’s surge before vaccines were available.

The cause of the surge isn’t just due to the omicron variant, explained Sacramento County Public Health Epidemiology Program Manager Jamie White.

“We are still seeing delta in addition to omicron, so delta has not gone away,” White said. “There is no guarantee that if somebody gets [a] COVID infection today that it’s going to be the omicron variant, so people should be very cautious about that.”

While omicron has become the more dominant variant, studies have shown delta leads to a higher risk of hospitalization, ICU stays and death.

Dr. Erica Pan, the state’s epidemiologist, said that while health officials think they’re seeing the peak in cases, they’re also seeing the highest level of virus transmission so far during the pandemic and that hospitals are at capacity.

“Some of our hospitals are 20-25% over what we could call a baseline at our lowest points of COVID for total patients. And as you’ve been hearing, a lot of staffing shortages,” she said.

Pan said it’s very difficult to predict the future course of the virus. She adds that one key variation is unvaccinated people, as they could be vulnerable to new variants.

8:40 a.m.: California lawmaker proposes allowing kids 12 and older get vaccinated without parental consent

California would allow children age 12 and up to be vaccinated without their parents’ consent under a state senator’s proposal, as reported by the Associated Press.

This would be the youngest age a teen could receive vaccinations without an adult guardian’s consent. Alabama allows such decisions at age 14, Oregon at 15, Rhode Island and South Carolina at 16. Only Washington, D.C. has a lower limit, at age 11.

California Sen. Scott Wiener proposed the change late Thursday night, arguing that the state already allows those 12 and up to consent to certain vaccines and treatments.

Wiener’s legislation is permissive, not a mandate, but any vaccination legislation has been hugely controversial in California and elsewhere.

8:11 a.m.: San Francisco subpoenas unauthorized COVID-19 testing operators

San Francisco’s city attorney has issued subpoenas seeking records from a COVID-19 test operator and laboratory suspected of trying to scam people out of money or valuable personal information.

According to the Associated Press, City Attorney David Chiu announced the legal action yesterday after the companies in question — Community Wellness America and Crestview Clinical Laboratory — missed a Monday deadline to provide valid licenses.

They’re under investigation for offering free COVID-19 tests at several pop-up tents earlier this month. Investigators believe the test operator was collecting sensitive personal information and had a profit motive.

Last year, state officials began investigating Community Wellness America after receiving tips about unauthorized testing sites in Marin, Los Angeles, and San Diego counties.

Thursday, January 20

3:05 p.m.: Sacramento County asks residents to leave emergency services for life-threatening symptoms

The number of new COVID-19 cases in Sacramento County may be at a plateau, but the number of new cases each day is still high and hospitals in the county are overwhelmed, public health officials say.

As of Jan. 19, 615 confirmed COVID-19 patients were hospitalized in Sacramento County, the most ever since the start of the pandemic. While many patients coming to emergency rooms with symptoms may require care, officials say nearly 25% of patients are coming in with mild symptoms seeking a COVID-19 test. 

County health officials say that is not a productive use of the ER or a reason to call 911, and ask people not to seek emergency services unless you are experiencing life-threatening symptoms

“If you’re experiencing mild symptoms, while it is uncomfortable, and potentially a disruption to your daily life, most symptoms such as cough, fatigue, headache, sore throat or a low-grade fever, can be treated with over-the-counter medications and will likely resolve in just a few days,” said county spokesperson Janna Haynes. 

The county is asking residents to reserve the emergency room for people with life-threatening COVID-19 symptoms like difficulty breathing, very high fever or pressure or pain in your chest, or for people with other severe injuries or issues not related to COVID-19.

9:25 a.m.: Chico State offers some return to in-person learning

Next week, many colleges and universities will return from a winter break marked by record numbers of COVID-19 cases.

Seventeen of the California State University campuses will begin their spring semesters remotely, but Chico State is not among them.

Though 93% of students and faculty are vaccinated, the virus transmission rate in Butte County remains very high.

Chico State President Gayle Hutchinson said the decision to start the in-person semester was made in conjunction with county health officials.

“Spring 2022 will mirror that of Fall 2021, which is about 60% of our classes in person,” Hutchinson said. “And a number of services and activities will be available on campus, but we’re not really fully 100%.”

Hutchinson told CapRadio Insight host Vicki Gonzalez that she believes the success of the fall semester can be attributed to the school’s high vaccination rate. She also added that there’s a mask requirement in all buildings and officials are encouraging testing, which is available on campus.

“Students really wish to be in person. They struggle with social isolation, and social isolation can contribute to anyone who is having mental health challenges and even depression, so having opportunities then to engage safely on campus is so very, very important,” she said.

Chico State plans to hire more mental health professionals to help students cope with their struggles as the pandemic drags on.

9:18 a.m.: Ambulances wait hours with patients before being admitted to California hospitals

Emergency health workers in California say they’re waiting hours to transfer patients from ambulances to hospital emergency rooms due to chronic delays worsened by the nearly two-year coronavirus pandemic.

According to the Associated Press, during a state legislative hearing, first responders said taking more than 20 minutes to receive a patient at a hospital emergency room isn’t good for patient outcomes. Responders also noted that keeping patients in ambulances for too long impedes their ability to head out on new emergency calls.

Doctors say delays in lab work and insurance authorizations contribute to the hospital bottleneck.

They also say too many non-urgent patients are seeking emergency room care. California is grappling with a rise in hospitalizations following a spike in coronavirus infections that began late last month.

9:03 a.m.: Here’s what it means when COVID-19 goes from pandemic to endemic

Some European countries such as Spain, Portugal and the countries that comprise the U.K. are making tentative plans for when they might start treating COVID-19 as an “endemic” disease since these countries have some of the highest vaccination rates in the continent.

However, according to the Associated Press, the World Health Organization and other officials have warned that the world is nowhere close to declaring the pandemic over.

Diseases are endemic when they occur regularly in certain areas according to established patterns, while a pandemic refers to a global outbreak that causes unpredictable waves of illness.

The idea is to move from crisis mode to control mode, approaching the virus in much the same way countries deal with the flu or measles.

COVID-19 vaccines, medicines and other measures widely available in wealthier countries with low rates of vaccine hesitancy will likely help them curb their outbreaks before the virus is brought under control globally.

Wednesday, January 19

10:25 a.m.: UC Davis Medical Center sets new record for COVID-19 patients admitted

With the highly contagious omicron variant surging in California, UC Davis Medical Center is reporting a record number of COVID-19 hospitalizations.

Providers are caring for more COVID-19 patients now than at any other time during the pandemic, with 126 hospitalized patients with active COVID-19 cases at the medical center. The number surpasses last winter’s peak of 125 patients.

Most patients have severe symptoms, while a few have mild or asymptomatic cases detected through routine screening. Still, providers say those patients still strain hospital resources since they must be isolated to avoid infecting staff and other patients.

Some mild cases still need treatment because the virus can complicate other conditions that ultimately bring people to the hospital.

According to state and local health dashboards, COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations and emergency department visits set all-time-record high numbers for all of Sacramento County last week. Adults aren’t the only patients being admitted either, according to hospital staff.

“A growing number of children are being admitted to the hospital, and we can expect this to continue to increase for both acute COVID infection, but also due to Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome in children, which may follow acute COVID infection by two to four weeks,” said Dean Blumberg, chief of pediatric infectious diseases at UC Davis Children’s Hospital.

On Jan. 1, there were two pediatric patients hospitalized with COVID-19 at UC Davis. A recent study by the health center identified certain predictors of severe outcomes in children.

The medical center also recently announced that it’ll be one of the few hospitals in the region to partner with the California Department of Public Health to provide extra staffing to care for the increasing number of patients.

10:14 a.m.: US begins offering 1 billion at-home COVID-19 tests

For the first time, people across the U.S. can log on to a government website and order free at-home COVID-19 tests, as reported by the Associated Press.

However, the experts say this latest push by the White House may do little to ease the omicron surge, and Washington will have to do a lot more to fix the country’s long-troubled testing system.

The website, covidtests.gov, allows people to order four at-home tests per household and have them delivered by mail, but the tests won’t arrive for seven to 12 days, after omicron is expected to peak in many parts of the country.

9:49 a.m.: Biden administration to distribute over 400 million N95 masks

The Biden administration will begin making 400 million N95 masks available for free to U.S. residents starting next week, according to the Associated Press.

This step comes after federal officials emphasized the masks’ better protection against the omicron variant compared to cloth face coverings.

The White House said the masks will come from the government’s Strategic National Stockpile, which has more than 750 million of the highly protective masks on hand.

Masks will be available for pickup at pharmacies and community health centers across the country and will begin shipping this week for distribution starting late next week.

Tuesday, January 18

4:32 p.m.: You can now order free COVID-19 tests from the U.S. Postal Service

You can now order your four free at-home COVID-19 tests from https://special.usps.com/testkits. You can only place one order per residential household, and the kits will ship for free beginning in late January.

The site’s rollout comes a day before the Biden administration had previously announced it would be available. The president also said the administration would set up a number for those without computer or internet access to order at-home tests, but that number is currently unavailable on the COVID-19 test landing site, https://covidtests.gov. 

However, there have been multiple reports from people on Twitter saying they are unable to order tests since the U.S. Postal Service is recognizing their apartment building as a singular residential address, rendering residents of other units in a building unable to order if another unit has already done so. Some people have also posted potential work-arounds, such as using the U.S. Postal Service ZIP Code look-up to enter the precise address.

U.S. Postal Service spokesperson David Partenheimer confirmed “very limited cases” of people experiencing difficulties with ordering their four COVID-19 tests if they are inputting an address not registered as a multi-unit building.

“This is occurring in a small percentage of orders,” he said via email.

He said that those who need additional assistance during the ordering process can file a service request on the USPS website or or call the U.S. Postal Service help desk at 1-800-ASK-USPS.

Additionally, the COVID-19 test landing site has been updated with a banner acknowledging the site is up and running a day earlier than planned.

“Please check back tomorrow if you run into any unexpected issues,” it reads.

The banner text also affirms that the administration has tests available “for every residential address in the U.S.”

10:16 a.m.: US faces waves of omicron-related deaths in the coming weeks

The fast-moving omicron variant may cause less severe disease on average, yet COVID-19 deaths in the U.S. are climbing, as reported by the Associated Press.

Modelers forecast 50,000 to 300,000 more Americans could die by the time the omicron wave subsides this spring. The seven-day rolling average for daily new COVID-19 deaths in the U.S. has been trending upward since mid-November.

COVID-19 deaths among nursing home residents started rising slightly two weeks ago, although still at a rate of 10 times less than last year, before most residents were vaccinated.

The unprecedented level of infection means vulnerable people will become severely sick. However, the notion that a milder disease on average could still take thousands of lives is difficult for health experts to convey.

9:53 a.m.: Omicron likely won’t be the last variant, experts say

Scientists warn that omicron’s whirlwind spread across the globe practically ensures it won’t be the last worrisome coronavirus variant.

According to the Associated Press, every infection provides a chance for the virus to mutate. Research shows that omicron is at least twice as contagious as delta and at least four times as infectious as the original version of the virus.

What that boils down to is now there’s more people in whom the virus can further evolve.

Experts don’t know how subsequent variants might shape the pandemic, and they say there’s no guarantee the sequels of omicron will cause milder illness or that existing vaccines will work against them.

All they can hope for is to urge broader vaccination rates now while today’s shots are still effective.

9:35 a.m.: The pandemic’s impact on shipping is affecting small business owners

Sharply higher costs of goods are yet another challenge thrown at business owners by the global pandemic, according to the Associated Press.

The unpredictability of shipping, labor and the coronavirus itself have created an environment where owners are often left guessing about when products might arrive and how much they’ll cost.

In response, businesses are raising prices, cutting staff hours, dropping some goods and services, nixing free shipping and more in a delicate balancing act.

However, with low visibility into how long the higher inflation will last, some owners are increasingly worried about keeping their doors open in the long run.

Monday, January 17

12:23 p.m.: Sacramento County sets new high for COVID-19 hospitalizations

Sacramento County set a new high for confirmed hospitalized COVID-19 patients over the long weekend — 533 on Jan. 15 and 547 on Jan. 16. The previous high was 518 reported on Dec. 22, 2020, during a deadly winter surge

The number of confirmed COVID-19 patients in the county’s ICUs has also been rising, but at a slower pace than general hospitalizations have. The county reported 96 patients with COVID-19 in its ICUs on Jan. 16, which is far off from the county’s previous high of 130 last January.

While some have expressed less concern about the omicron variant as it seems to provoke milder illness for many people, UChicagoMedicine infectious disease physician Dr. Emily Landon told NPR that there are still a lot of risks. Landon says that the truth of the matter is that omicron is “probably somewhere in between what you think of as a common cold or flu and the COVID that we had before.”

While the New York Times reported last week that California hospitals were finding that the omicron variant causes fewer hospitalizations and shorter stays than previous variants, hospitals are still feeling the strain. A third of hospitals are reporting critical staffing shortages, and California’s health department is considering issuing an order postponing many elective surgeries, according to CalMatters.

Sacramento County public health officer Dr. Olivia Kasirye advises people to get vaccinated against the virus, and to refrain from going to the hospital unless it’s a true emergency.

9:40 a.m.: Omicron variant continuing to affect small Sacramento businesses

The omicron variant of COVID-19 continues to rip through the Sacramento area, affecting small businesses and the people that run them.

Shane Twilla owns Identify Boutique, a small clothing and gift shop. He said the last two years of the pandemic have been rough for business, and when omicron hit, “it was like a gut punch.”

Twilla said he and his fiance and business partner are just trying to be positive, adapt and stay afloat as the virus flares.

“We’re just working harder than we’ve ever worked, to not lose any ground, without really gaining any ground,” he said. “And it’s exhausting.”

Exhaustion is felt elsewhere too. Hundreds of members of a California grocery and food workers union were out sick this month. More than 20% of Sacramento City Unified school staff were absent in early January.

UC Davis Public Health Sciences Dean Brad Pollock said the exhaustion is “producing a strain on many aspects of society.”

“When you have a bug that is much more infectious, you’re going to see what we call spikier curve, epidemic curves,” Pollock said. “So they go up very fast, and likewise they’ll peak and they’ll go down very fast.”

Sacramento County’s public health officer said people should avoid emergency rooms for COVID-19 tests so hospitals can focus on true emergencies.

9:13 a.m.: COVID-19 infections rising in nursing homes again

COVID-19 infections are soaring again at U.S. nursing homes because of the omicron wave, and deaths are climbing too.

According to the Associated Press, that’s leading to new restrictions on family visits and a renewed push to get more residents and staff members vaccinated and boosted.

Nursing homes were the lethal epicenter of the pandemic early on before the advent of the vaccines allowed many of them to reopen and welcome visitors again.

Now the highly contagious variant has dealt them a setback. Nursing homes reported about 32,000 COVID-19 cases among residents in the week ending Jan. 9, a nearly sevenfold increase from about a month ago.

A total of 645 COVID-19 related deaths were reported during the same week, a 47% increase from a month earlier.

9:09 a.m.: China to not sell tickets for this year’s winter Olympics

Tickets will not be sold for the upcoming winter Olympic and Paralympic Games in Beijing due to the “grave and complicated situation of the COVID-19 pandemic,” according to NPR.

Instead, organizers announced that they would invite groups of spectators to attend the games in person.

“The organisers expect that these spectators will strictly abide by the COVID-19 countermeasures, before, during and after each event as pre-conditions for the safe and sound delivery of the Games,” the Beijing 2022 organizing committee said in a statement.

The International Olympic Committee previously said they would sell tickets only to spectators living in mainland China who met certain COVID-19 safety requirements.

During the summer Olympics in Tokyo last year, fans weren’t allowed in the stands.

The winter games won’t require athletes to be vaccinated against COVID-19, but those who remain unvaccinated will have to quarantine for 21 days when arriving in Beijing.

The IOC also implemented other policies to prevent the spread of COVID-19 during the competition, such as a “closed-loop” system that limits participants to certain Olympics-related areas and other permitted locations that isolate them from China’s general public.

Friday, January 14

9:17 a.m.: US Supreme Court says ‘no’ to Biden’s vaccine mandate

The Supreme Court has stopped a major push by the Biden administration to boost the nation’s COVID-19 vaccination rate: a requirement that employees at large businesses get a vaccine or test regularly and wear a mask on the job.

According to the Associated Press, the court is allowing the administration to proceed with a vaccine mandate for most health care workers in the U.S.

The court’s orders coming out on Thursday during a big spike in coronavirus cases was a mixed bag for the administration. The court’s conservative majority concluded the administration overstepped its authority by seeking to impose the Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s vaccine-or-test rule on U.S. businesses with at least 100 employees.

9:07 a.m.: Retail sales dropped after holiday spending and omicron surge

Americans, beset by product shortages, rising prices and the arrival of omicron, sharply cut their spending in December after a burst of early spending in the fall that helped bolster the holiday season, according to the Associated Press.

Retail sales fell a seasonally adjusted 1.9% in December compared with the previous month when sales increased 0.3%, the U.S. Commerce Department said Friday.

Sales rose 1.8% in October compared to September. Still, retail sales rose 16.9% compared with the year-ago period.

The World Health Organization identified omicron in late November, and the December report from the Commerce Department is the first to capture its effects on consumer behavior.

8:49 a.m.: Unemployment is once again on the rise, possibly due to omicron cases skyrocketing

The number of Americans applying for unemployment benefits rose last week to the highest level since mid-November.

According to the Associated Press, jobless claims climbed by 23,000 last week to 230,000, which is still slow by historic standards.

The four-week moving average, which smooths out week-to-week blips, was up nearly 6,300 to almost 211,000. The weekly applications — a proxy for layoffs — have now risen four of the last five weeks, possibly a sign that the omicron variant is having an impact on the job market, which has bounced strongly from last year’s coronavirus recession.

Thursday, January 13

10:28 a.m.: Biden to double free at-home COVID-19 testing supply, also will add in N95 masks

President Joe Biden announced Thursday plans for the government to double free rapid, at-home COVID-19 tests for Americans to a total of 1 billion, according to the Associated Press.

Speaking at the White House, Biden said the administration will also make the most protective N95 masks available for no charge.

He spoke at an event aimed at highlighting the federal government’s efforts to “surge” COVID-19 testing and send personnel to help overwhelmed medical facilities.

The effort comes amid the upswing in coronavirus cases and staff shortages due to the omicron variant. Starting next week, 1,000 military medical personnel will begin arriving at COVID-19 hot-spots to help mitigate staffing crunches at hospitals.

10:07 a.m.: COVID-19 pills stymied by long production times and shortages

Two brand-new COVID-19 pills that were supposed to be an important weapon against the pandemic in the U.S. are in short supply and have played little role in the fight against the omicron wave of infections.

According to the Associated Press, the problem is that production is not yet at full strength and that the pill considered to be far superior — Pfizer’s formulation — takes six to eight months to manufacture.

The supply is expected to improve dramatically in the coming months, but doctors are clamoring for the pills now, as omicron causes an explosion of cases.

Adding to the pressure is that two antibody drugs that were once the go-to treatments for COVID-19 don’t work as well against the omicron variant.

9:55 a.m.: California democrats move forward with single-payer health plan

California Democrats have taken their first step towards creating a universal health care system.

According to the Associated Press, a legislative committee in the state Assembly advanced a bill on Tuesday that would replace California’s current private insurance market with a plan paid for by the government.

However, the proposal is still a long way from becoming law. It faces strong opposition from the state’s powerful business interest.

If approved and does become law, voters will have to approve an income tax that’ll be applied to companies earning more than $2 million, businesses with more than 50 employees, and workers that make over $150,000 a year.

Carmen Comsti, the lead regulatory policy specialist with the nurses association, said the tax would generate somewhere between $160 and $170 billion annually.

“We are talking about ensuring that everybody gets comprehensive benefits without copays or deductibles,” Comsti said.

Bill author Ash Kalra, a San Jose assemblymember, said the primary reasons single-payer has failed in the past have been due to cost, opposition from health insurance giants and monied business interests.

The proposal has a long way to go, but Democrats still hailed the vote for jumpstarting one of their long-stalled policy goals.

Wednesday, January 12

10:02 a.m.: Newsom gives school districts more flexibility with substitute teachers

Gov. Gavin Newsom issued an executive order on Tuesday, giving school districts more flexibility to hire substitutes, extend the contracts of those already on the job and bring back retired teachers.

The order comes as districts face a critical staffing shortage largely caused by a surge of the omicron variant of COVID-19.

As he sometimes does when discussing issues dealing with kids and school, Newsom brought up his own children as he talked about the need to make sure students continue with in-person learning.

“I’m very, very sensitive to this and the learning opportunities that are lost because kids are not safely in school, the challenges and vagaries of going online,” Newsom said. “My son, and we had fits and starts, he’s in and out of school, said ‘please daddy, no more Zoom school.’ And you hear that echoed all throughout the state of California.”

9:34 a.m.: Omicron variant affects local high school sports

The omicron variant of COVID-19 is once again upending many communal activities, including school sports.

The California Interscholastic Federation guidelines require weekly testing, with a positive test resulting in isolation for at least five days and a negative test required before returning to play.

The CIF’s Sacramento-San Joaquin section encompasses some quarter of a million students. Will DeBoard, the assistant commissioner, said there’s been some unique challenges.

“Sac-Joaquin section, we’re kind of an interesting situation because we have 16 different counties where we deal with high schools,” DeBoard said. “Merced County may say something completely different than what Yolo County is saying. So we have to navigate, not only from a state side of things, but also each county.”

DeBoard also said some counties and schools are allowing players a little more leeway, but with virus cases increasing, teams need to be more flexible and ready to make last minute changes.

9:29 a.m.: Only 17% of children aged 5 to 11 in the US are vaccinated

Suspicions, misinformation and other factors have combined to produce what authorities say are alarmingly low COVID-19 vaccination rates in U.S. children ages 5 to 11.

According to the Associated Press, as of Tuesday, just over 17% of children in this age group were fully vaccinated more than two months after shots for them became available.

There was a pre-holiday surge after the shots were introduced last fall, but the numbers have crept up slowly since then. Omicron’s out-of-control spread appears to have had little effect in encouraging parents to get their children vaccinated.

9:14 a.m.: Inflation in the US at highest point since 1982

Prices paid by U.S. consumers jumped 7% in December from a year earlier, and it’s now the highest inflation rate since 1982, according to the Associated Press.

 This is just the latest evidence that rising costs for food, fuel, rent and other necessities are heightening the financial pressures on America’s households.

Inflation has spiked during the recovery from the pandmeic recession as Americans have ramped up spending on goods such as cars, furniture and appliances. Those increased purchases have clogged ports and warehouses, exacerbating supply shortages of semiconductors and other computer parts.

Tuesday, January 11

10 a.m.: SCUSD schools are short on substitute teachers due to coronavirus infections

Surging COVID-19 cases are having an impact on attendance and instruction at Sacramento City Unified District schools.

According to an email sent to parents last Friday, 21% of district staff called in sick that day.

The district said there were only enough substitute teachers to cover half of the absences. In order to cover teacher vacancies, the district is turning to principals, credentialed central office and site staff. Even parents have been asked to help supervise classrooms.

Between staff and students, the district recorded nearly 1,600 COVID cases last week. The surge comes amid a nationwide explosion of cases brought on by the highly transmissible omicron variant.

9:41 a.m.: Sacramento restaurants brace themselves for continuing omicron surge

Restaurants are once again bracing themselves as case counts of the omicron variant are continuing to rise in Sacramento.

At Binchoyaki in Southside Park, the people lined up under the restaurant’s overhang aren’t always waiting for food — instead, the restaurant’s owners have set up their outdoor patio as a COVID-19 testing site.

Owner Tokiko Sawada said they’ve been offering free testing to anyone who needs it since August. They’ve noticed that the lines seem to have gotten longer in the past few days.

“We’ve been doing, on average, almost a hundred [tests] a week, but the last two weeks, it’s been really over a hundred easily,” Sawada said.

She explained that the restaurant is taking the surge seriously. They haven’t had any positive cases amongst the staff, but they’ve been closed for two weeks and will reconsider indoor dining when they return.

“It’s like one thing after another, it’s rough. You can’t really forecast anything ahead, you can’t expect anything, any changes you decide to make, you have to change it again because the waves change constantly,” she said.

A number of other restaurants have stopped offering indoor dining or closed entirely for the next few weeks due to the omicron surge and the shortage of workers. Sawada said they hope to be reopening for outdoor service soon.

9:35 a.m.: Rural California hospitals affected by omicron surge

The omicron variant of COVID-19 is causing cases and hospitalizations to rise dramatically in California, and rural areas aren’t immune.

Dr. Marcia Nelson is the Chief Medical Officer at Enloe Medical Center in Chico. She said that the more transmissible and contagious omicron variant is leading to a surge in cases and hospitalizations.

“To put that into context, we have 29 to 30 patients this week in the hospital with COVID,” Nelson said. “And about two weeks ago, that was 16, in the middle teens, so we’re seeing a consistent increase.”

She said the surge is expected to peak in California towards the end of January. With Butte County likely being a week or two behind that curve, Nelson said the hospital is currently expecting to see an increase in cases through early February.

She asked that the public help keep caseload numbers down by taking the pandemic seriously.

“And just be acting as if this is real because it is real,” she said. “We’re living this every single day. We’re having staff members, physicians, who are having breakthrough cases, fortunately mild, but this omicron variant is different than anything we’ve dealt with before.”

Nelson said of the COVID-19 patients hospitalized at Enloe, 89% were not fully vaccinated against the virus.

Adventist Health and Rideout in Marysville are also seeing an overwhelming number of hospitalizations. Yuba and Sutter County health officials said the surge is driven by COVID-19 cases and non-COVID-related medical conditions.

Officials are asking residents not to go to the emergency room for COVID-19 testing as hospital staff are overwhelmed.

Monday, January 10

9:58 a.m.: Go to work sick or miss a paycheck? Many American workers are grappling with this question.

Millions of workers whose jobs don’t provide paid sick days are having to choose between their health and their paycheck as the omicron variant of COVID-19 rages across the country.

While many companies instituted more robust sick leave policies at the beginning of the pandemic, some of those have since been scaled back with the rollout of vaccines, despite omicron managing to evade shots.

According to the Associated Press, the current labor shortage is adding to the pressure of workers having to decide whether to show up to their jobs sick or forgo a paycheck.

Low-wage workers are especially vulnerable. Only 33% of workers whose wages are at the bottom 10% get paid sick leave, compared with 95% in the top 10%, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

9:53 a.m.: Poll shows Americans more worried about economy than pandemic

The coronavirus pandemic is beginning to recede as a top priority in the minds of Americans, according to the Associated Press.

Instead, many are growing increasingly concerned about the economy, personal finances, and inflation. That potentially spells political trouble for Democrats heading into the midterm elections.

A poll from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research finds just 37% of Americans say COVID-19 is a top priority for the government to work on in 2022, compared with 53% who said it was at the start of last year.

This year, 68% of Americans polled named the economy as the government’s top concern, while 14% mentioned inflation — including 18% of Republicans and 10% of Democrats.

9:33 a.m.: Pope Francis says COVID-19 vaccinations are a “moral obligation”

Pope Francis recently spoke about getting the coronavirus vaccination as a “moral obligation,” according to the Associated Press.

Francis used some of his strongest words yet, calling for people to get vaccinated in a speech to ambassadors accredited to the Holy See on Monday. He denounced how people had been swayed by “baseless information” to refuse one of the most effective measures to save lives.

Francis has generally shied away from speaking about vaccination as a “moral obligation,” though his COVID-19 advisory body has spoken of a “moral responsibility.”

On Monday, he said individuals had a responsibility to care for themselves, “and this translates into respect for the health of those around us.”

Sunday, January 9

12:27 p.m.: Gov. Newsom requests $2.7 billion to fight omicron surge 

Gov. Gavin Newsom is asking the Legislature for $2.7 billion to pay for increased testing, vaccination efforts and support for hospitals, which are filling up with patients amid a COVID-19 surge.

The governor will ask lawmakers to fund $1.4 billion immediately rather than in June, when the state budget is typically completed. The ask comes before Newsom presents a full budget proposal Monday morning, including plans for spending an estimated $31-billion surplus.

The total COVID-19 package would include $1.2 billion to boost testing, including millions of antigen tests for local health departments, schools and community clinics. 

Administration officials say 9.4 million test kits have now been delivered to county offices of education as part of Newsom’s promise that every student would get a test after the holiday break. According to the Los Angeles Times, less than half arrived before many students returned to classes on Monday, and as of Friday, 17 counties still had not received any tests.

California’s total number of hospitalizations is dangerously close to the peak of 53,000 during last winter’s surge. As of Saturday, 52,057 hospital beds were occupied, including patients with COVID-19 and other ailments. The administration is asking for $614 million to pay surge staff at strained hospitals.

The package also includes:

• $583 million for in-home vaccinations, transportation and outreach to encourage more Californian to get vaccines and booster shots.  
• $200 million to support the California Department of Public Health and Office of Emergency Services.
• $110 million to test and vaccinate people at the California-Mexico border and expand statewide contact tracing.

Friday, January 7

9:58 a.m.: California seeing a surge of children hospitalized due to COVID-19

California hospitals are filling up with COVID-19 patients, with an uptick in children being admitted. Experts say it’s going to get worse.

Just over the last month, hospitalizations jumped 165% in the state. Health officials said more children are being admitted now than they were this time last year, with hospitals seeing staffing shortages due to the virus.

Stanford University immunologist Dr. Anne Liu said children in regions with low vaccination rates are at the highest risk.

“I worry about the ability of these health systems to be able to take care of sick kids as well as other sick adults who have conditions besides COVID,” Liu said.

The surge is a significant concern for parents — especially those with kids younger than 5, who aren’t eligible for their shots yet.

Sacramento resident Pahelen Parker has a kindergartner and a 3year old. He’s found that it’s “added a whole layer of stress and caution to our behavior.”

His older child is immunized, but since she’s attending school in person, it makes him nervous for his toddler.

“He probably wouldn’t have much more than a cough for a fever,” Parker said. “But also his body and his mind is developing, and I’d rather not have him have that exposure, if possible.”

Health officials are urging people not to go to the emergency room unless they have an urgent problem.

9:53 a.m.: A California health official says current COVID-19 surge could ease next month

A surge in coronavirus cases has shut down California schools and sidelined thousands of police, firefighters and health care workers, but officials hope it’ll be short-lived.

Los Angeles County’s public health director, Barbara Ferrer, said that she hopes the surge will start easing in February, according to the Associated Press.

Ferrer also said vaccinations and boosters are protecting many people from severe illness. California’s number of confirmed COVDI-19 cases has soared five-fold in two weeks, leading to hours-long waits for COVID tests and straining school systems.

All 54 schools in one San Francisco Bay Area school district closed Friday, and some Oakland teachers planned a sickout to demand more virus protections.

9:38 a.m.: US governors have little appetite for mandates during omicron surge

Governors across the U.S. took sweeping action during earlier stages of the COVID-19 pandemic but are taking a much different approach during the record-setting caseloads caused by the omicron variant.

According to the Associated Press, previously, many of them closed schools or ordered businesses to shut down. They also issued mask mandates, vaccine requirements, and in some places, quarantines for those who had traveled to hot spots out of state.

While governors are sending help to hospitals, there seems to be little appetite for widespread public orders or shutdowns again, even as the omicron surge shatters COVID-19 case records.

Even Democratic governors who passed strict mandates early on are relying more on persuasion than dictates.

Thursday, January 6

10:05 a.m.: Sacramento County issues new public health order to stem omicron spread

New COVID-19 cases in Sacramento County have had sustained day-over-day case rate increases, causing the county public health officer Dr. Olivia Kasiyre to issue a health order to require all public boards, councils, commissions, and other similar bodies to suspend in-person public meetings and transition to virtual.

The county’s previous public health order passed on July 29, 2021 and required all people in Sacramento County to wear face coverings indoors. This order remains in place, and is unaffected by the new order.

The rapid emergence of the highly contagious omicron variant, coupled with holiday gatherings, has led to an unprecedented case rate in the county.

On Dec. 30, there were 1,917 new cases reported, which is 51.3% higher than the highest episode date of the winter surge of 2020. On Jan. 4, 2022, the county reached an all-time high of 80.3 cases per 100,000 residents.

“The steep increase in cases and high transmissibility of the omicron variant is very concerning,” Kasirye said. “This order is necessary to protect essential government functions.”

Getting vaccinated, getting a booster, getting tested, and following local mask guidance while avoiding crowded places are all important things to do to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

If you can’t avoid or postpone traveling or gathering, it’s recommended to get tested one to three days before and three to five days after the event. For a list of vaccination clinics, visit the Sacramento County Public Health Vaccination website, call 2-1-1 or visit www.MyTurn.ca.gov. Homebound residents can contact 2-1-1 to request in-home vaccination services.

9:34 a.m: Californians still struggling to find at-home testing kits

The omicron variant of COVID-19 is spreading rapidly in California. Experts say testing is key to slowing transmission, but it’s still not that easy to find test kits.

Across the state, at-home test kits are in low supply and high demand. California Association of Health Officers Director Kate Deburgh said there’s a huge dearth of testing kits.

“There just simply aren’t enough to test everybody who needs to be tested,” Deburgh said.

When at-home test kits are available, health departments try their best to distribute them to neighborhoods hardest hit by the virus.

Meanwhile, lines at testing sites are exceedingly long because there isn’t enough staff. Deburgh said that if you’re struggling to find a testing appointment, just keep checking.

“Check with your provider if you have one. Check to see if your local pharmacies test, which they probably do, or if they have over-the-counter tests that you can use,” they said.

The state is distributing at-home test kits for school-aged children. Some counties are also giving away home tests at libraries and other sites, though Sacramento County libraries ran through their supply this week and don’t expect to receive more.

9:27 a.m.: Masking mandates in California are extended for another month

A spike in COVID-19 cases is driving an extension of California’s indoor mask mandate.

The month-long mask requirement was initially set to expire on Jan. 15, but the state’s top health official Dr. Mark Ghaly said it’ll stay in place for another month.

“It will be extended until February 15,” Ghaly said. “At that time, we will again re-evaluate the conditions across California, our communities and our health care delivery settings.”

Health officials recommend a tight-fitting mask or double masking in public places. The omicron variant is causing cases and hospitalizations to spike, but Ghaly said the state is better prepared to handle a surge than it was last winter when vaccines were just rolling out.

Masks will also be required at large events, including next month’s Super Bowl in Los Angeles, where Ghaly said pandemic measures will be in place, including a mask requirement.

“The work is to make sure that as it is moving forward as planned, that the mitigation strategies create safety around that event are in place.”

However, Ghaly said he and Gov. Gavin Newsom were not discussing business or school closures during the surge.

Wednesday, January 5

9:56 a.m.: COVID-19 test kits sent home with SCUSD students identified over 500 COVID-19 cases

With students returning from winter break this week, school districts around the region have been scrambling to provide adequate testing in hopes of keeping COVID-19 off their campuses and school buildings.

Thanks to an early allotment of testing kits, Sacramento City Unified was one of the few districts to send the majority of their students home for the holidays with a test kit.

SCUSD’s Director of Student Support and Health Services, Victoria Flores, said they sent home 38,000 kits that ultimately helped identify 500 cases.

“We know that we prevented a lot of exposure with those 500-plus positive cases because they did not come to school,” Flores said. “They knew to stay home from work or from school and care for themselves.”

In December, Gov. Gavin Newsom pledged to provide kits so students could be tested “as they return to school from winter break.” Many districts are just now receiving those kits.

Sacramento County Office of Education Spokesperson Tim Herrera said 213,000 tet kits are in the process of being delivered to area school districts.

“We’re doing everything we can to make sure everyone is safe. We want everyone to feel safe, for sure,” Herrera said. “And that’s one of the reasons why we’re making sure that these tests are available to our students.”

State public health officials have yet to respond to questions about the uneven allot of COVID test kits.

9:45 a.m.: Mental health challenges abound during pandemic

Mental health challenges have gained more attention as the pandemic wears on, contributing to feelings of anxiety around health, safety and attending school or work in person.

Plus, many have found the loss of regular in-person activities like concerts and movies upsetting.

Sacramento County Behavioral Health Services clinical psychologist Dr. Andrew Mendonsa said that this confusing and distressing time has caused some people to struggle to adapt to a post-covid world.

“There’s really this uncertainty that I think folks have, some have adapted to … and have gotten used to. Things are changing every day,” he said. “And others are still really struggling to really get a firm base underneath them to be able to really kind of forge forward in what’s ahead.”

To cope, he recommended going out for a walk, healthy eating and maintaining contact with friends and co-workers. The goal is not to retreat or isolate oneself.

9:37 a.m.: Pediatric COVID-19 cases continue to rise

Cases of the omicron variant are on the rise, and in the last week of December, cases in Sacramento County more than tripled from around 600 to almost 1,900 a day.

The number of children being admitted at hospitals is also starting to tick up, according to Dr. Dean Blumberg, UC Davis Health’s chief of pediatric infectious diseases. In an interview with Insight, he said the silver lining is that while child admission rates are increasing, it’s still below last summer’s surge.

However, Blumberg stressed that this doesn’t mean children aren’t at risk.

“There is no vaccine available for children less than 5, so they remain vulnerable to infection,” he said. “And for the 5- to 11-year-olds, we only had a recent recommendation for immunization, and we only have about 25% vaccination rate in that group.”

Because of this, he said pediatric cases are likely to continue rising. He cautioned that while COVID-19 infections tend to be less severe in children, thousands have been hospitalized and over 1,000 in the U.S. have died.

Tuesday, January 4

9:55 a.m.: Sacramento County Public Health to distribute at-home COVID-19 test kits at libraries, though some locations already out

Updated at 3:01 p.m.

Sacramento County announced Tuesday morning it would distribute more than 91,000 free at-home COVID-19 test kits through public libraries, but by the afternoon many locations were out. In a note on its website, the Sacramento Public Library system said that it hopes to “have a limited supply available tomorrow, January 5 at all locations.”

3:20 p.m. Update: Folsom’s allotment of COVID-19 home test kits from Sacramento County Public Health has been exhausted. We do not anticipate any additional supply. For more COVID-19 testing resources and locations, visit https://t.co/r0HJJuBUMh.

— City of Folsom (@CityofFolsom) January 4, 2022

The kits are available on a first-come, first-serve basis. There’s also a limit of two test kits per person. The Sacramento County Public Health Department is partnering with the county library system and the Folsom Public Library to provide the free at-home test kits.

Those seeking at-home test kits through the Sacramento Public Library can visit any of the library’s 28 locations during regular hours of operation for curbside test kit pick up, or indoors at the library counter at some locations. 

The kits are free to the public, and no library card is required. 

Each rapid test kit will contain two tests and results are available  within 15 minutes of completing the test.

“Testing before and after gathering in groups or attending large events help lessen the spread of COVID and the new omicron variant,” county Public Health Officer Dr. Olivia Kasirye said. 

Getting vaccinated, getting a booster when eligible, getting tested following local mask guidance, and avoiding crowded places are the most important things people can do to prevent the spread of omicron and other variants, according to health officials.

For more information, please visit the Sacramento Library system or the Folsom Library’s website.

9:44 a.m.: CDC shortens waiting period for Pfizer booster shot

The Centers for Disease Control and prevention has signed off on two measures to increase access to additional doses of the Pfizer coronavirus vaccine.

According to the Associated Press, the CDC recommended shortening the waiting period between the original Pfizer vaccinations and when a person should receive a booster shot, from six months to five months.

The agency has not changed the recommended booster interval for people who got other vaccines — Johnson & Johnson booster interval is two months, while the Moderna vaccine can be given six months after initial doses.

The CDC also recommended that kids ages 5 to 11 with moderately or severely weakened immune systems receive an additional dose 28 days after their second Pfizer shot. Currently, the third vaccine is only recommended for that age group and pharmaceutical brand.

This latest decision follows the Food and Administration’s approval of Pfizer booster shots for kids ages 12 to 15. While the CDC has not announced a recommendation about that, an expert advisory committee is expected to take up the matter during a meeting tomorrow.

9:31 a.m.: Here’s why some fully vaccinated people are still getting infected with COVID-19

Why are so many vaccinated people getting COVID-19 lately? A couple of factors are at play, starting with the emergence of the highly contagious omicron variant, according to the Associated Press.

Omicron is more likely to infect people, even if it doesn’t make everyone sick. Plus, the surge coincided with the holiday travel season in many places globally.

Some mistakenly think that COVID-19 vaccines will completely block infection, but experts say the shots are mainly designed to prevent severe illness, not stop all possibility of infection.

However, vaccines are still doing their job at protecting people from serious illness, particularly for people who’ve gotten boosters. Experts noted that breakthrough infections appear to be much more likely with omicron.

Monday, January 3

4:40 p.m.: Sacramento County records new high for daily cases, hospitalizations spike

Updated at 4:40 p.m. with new hospitalization data

Sacramento County set new records for daily COVID-19 cases by episode date and the seven-day daily average of cases per 100,000 residents over the holiday as the omicron variant continues to spread.

The county reported 1,871 cases with an episode date of Dec. 30, the highest ever reported. A cases’ episode date is the closest estimate of when the illness started, and refers to the earliest of these dates that is available in the case: symptom onset, diagnosis, specimen collection, specimen receipt or death. 

The high during this summer’s delta variant surge was 853 cases with an episode date of Aug. 11, and the high during last winter’s surge was 1,267 on Dec. 14, 2020.

As of Dec. 30, Sacramento County’s seven-day case average for every 100,000 residents was 72.4, another record high, compared to 46 statewide as of that date. The county reported 6,504 new cases over the long holiday weekend. 

No new deaths were reported over the long weekend, but hospitalizations have risen starkly. There are 267 people hospitalized with confirmed COVID-19 cases in Sacramento as of Jan. 2, up nearly 95% from two weeks ago.

11:13 a.m.: FDA expands booster shot eligibility to teens as omicron surges

The U.S. is expanding COVID-19 boosters as it confronts the omicron surge. According to the Associated Press, the Food and Drug Administration on Monday allowed extra Pfizer shots for children as young as 12.

Boosters are already recommended for everyone 16 and older, and the FDA said they’re also warranted for 12- to 15-year-olds.

The FDA also said everyone eligible for a Pfizer booster can get one as early as five months after their last dose, rather than six months.

But for the move, coming as classes restart after the holidays, isn’t the final step. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention must decide whether to recommend boosters for the younger teens.

11 a.m.: Winter weather plus coronavirus delays flights, trains

A winter storm hitting the mid-Atlantic combined with the pandemic to further frustrate air and train travelers whose return trips home from the holidays were canceled or delayed in the first few days of the new year.

According to the Associated Press, the tracking service FlightAware reports that more than 2,600 U.S. flights and more than 4,100 worldwide were grounded as of midday Monday. Another 8,500 flights were delayed, including 3,100 in the U.S.

In the last 24 hours, the Sacramento International Airport has canceled 25 flights and is reporting a change in flight activity of -22% when compared to the same week in 2020, before the pandemic rocked the airline industry.

That follows Sunday’s cancellation of more than 2,700 domestic flights and more than 4,4000 worldwide.

Due to a mix of weather issues and coronavirus cases among workers, about two dozen Amtrak trains on both the Northeast Corridor and long-distant routes will be affected. Travelers could take hope from an improving weather forecast.

10:10 a.m.: Roadmap to making coronavirus endemic is clouded by omicron

The fast-moving omicron variant is complicating a key question — how does the COVID-19 pandemic end and the world coexist with the virus?

Experts agree that the coronavirus is here to stay and that ending the pandemic won’t be like flipping a light switch, according to the Associated Press.

Scientists also do not expect omicron to be the last mutation either. However, at some point, different parts of the world — probably at different times — will tamp down the virus enough to ease up on the constant state of red alert and to consider it another of the health threats we live with.

Find older coronavirus updates on our previous blog page here.

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