Editorial: It’s been two years of COVID. It’s time for a full accounting of our response
3 years ago

Editorial: It’s been two years of COVID. It’s time for a full accounting of our response

LA Times  

There’s no great way to mark the exact moment when the pandemic began in the U.S. Was it when the first domestic case of COVID-19 was confirmed? At this time, as health officials consider whether the disease is moving toward an endemic stage, it’s appropriate to look back at the state and federal response. Not as an exercise in blame — there’s been enough of that over the last two years to fill a book — but a comprehensive, clear-eyed examination similar to that done by the 9/11 commission. Opinion Editorial: We need a COVID postmortem so we do better with the next plague The U.S. needs a clear-eyed examination of the ways the pandemic response was bungled.

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History of this topic

More people are currently dying from the flu in California than from Covid
1 month ago

More people are currently dying from the flu in California than from Covid

The Independent  

Sign up for our free Health Check email to receive exclusive analysis on the week in health Get our free Health Check email Get our free Health Check email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Health officials said they’ve seen an increase in cases and hospitalizations over the last several …

Flu surpasses COVID as California's deadliest respiratory illness
1 month ago

Flu surpasses COVID as California's deadliest respiratory illness

China Daily  

SACRAMENTO, the United States -- For the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic began, influenza has surpassed COVID-19 as the deadliest respiratory illness in California, prompting hospitals to struggle with overwhelming patient numbers amid a surge in flu cases. "Our hospital is full to the brim," Peter Chin-Hong, an infectious disease expert at the University of California, San Francisco, told …

Why has California declared a state of emergency over bird flu?
3 months ago

Why has California declared a state of emergency over bird flu?

Al Jazeera  

Cases of the H5N1 strain of bird flu are on the rise in humans in the US, with the first severe case reported in Louisiana this week. “CDC confirms first severe case of H5N1 Bird Flu in the US. Bird flu, or avian influenza, is a virus that typically spreads among birds but can also affect humans and other animals, …

California declares first statewide emergency over bird flu
3 months ago

California declares first statewide emergency over bird flu

Politico  

But Newsom said the detection on Dec. 12 of the flu to cows in Southern California necessitated “a shift from regional containment to statewide monitoring and response.” This makes California the first state to issue such a sweeping declaration after Colorado announced a targeted emergency in one county, according to Newsom’s Deputy Communications Director Elana Ross. The CDC also on …

Trump’s botched COVID response has been largely forgotten, but it's crucial we remember
4 months, 3 weeks ago

Trump’s botched COVID response has been largely forgotten, but it's crucial we remember

Salon  

At a campaign event in Allentown, Pennsylvania on Wednesday, former President Donald Trump asked the crowd a question Ronald Reagan also asked voters in the 1980 election against Jimmy Carter, and one many presidents before have asked. “People are still framing questions like that as if where we were four years ago was not in the early stages of a …

California’s COVID surge is finally over. But expect another spike in the coming months
5 months, 2 weeks ago

California’s COVID surge is finally over. But expect another spike in the coming months

LA Times  

California’s protracted summer COVID surge has finally ended, a welcome window that provides a key opportunity to prepare for yet another expected resurgence of transmission this autumn and winter, doctors say. “We have an updated COVID vaccine, an updated flu vaccine, an RSV vaccine — all of those can help protect ourselves, our families, our communities.” California New COVID subvariant …

This was a ‘prime weekend’ for COVID spread in California. Why experts see a ‘real risk’ ahead
6 months, 2 weeks ago

This was a ‘prime weekend’ for COVID spread in California. Why experts see a ‘real risk’ ahead

LA Times  

With COVID remaining at stubbornly high levels in California, some doctors are warning that transmission could again accelerate following the busy Labor Day holiday weekend — potentially prolonging a summer wave that has already proved more intense and enduring than some experts had anticipated. And with many California schoolchildren having already returned to school, “this is, unfortunately, a prime weekend …

‘Most people are confused’: What to know about the latest Covid shot
6 months, 3 weeks ago

‘Most people are confused’: What to know about the latest Covid shot

Politico  

Even the Democratic National Convention turned into a superspreader event. And despite the virus’ prevalence — and the persistent threat of long Covid — public health officials are contending with a myriad of obstacles as they try to boost the population’s defenses, including dwindling enthusiasm for the shots, lackluster testing and the end of a program meant to help the …

California COVID surge is surprisingly stronger, longer-lasting than experts had expected
7 months, 2 weeks ago

California COVID surge is surprisingly stronger, longer-lasting than experts had expected

LA Times  

An individual sits with a mask on at the Festival of Arts in Laguna Beach on July 28. “We are seeing a lot of outpatient cases — it’s been a much higher uptick over the last week, actually,” Hudson said Friday. “I’ve heard so many stories in the last few weeks of people who didn’t get any until this point, …

COVID surging in California. Is it time to bring back masks, hand sanitizer? What experts say
7 months, 2 weeks ago

COVID surging in California. Is it time to bring back masks, hand sanitizer? What experts say

LA Times  

People gather outside to listen to the Miskey Mountain Boys at the Festival of Arts in Laguna Beach on July 28. In Los Angeles County, coronavirus levels in wastewater are at 44% of last winter’s peak for the 10-day period that ended July 20. “Given the increased transmission of new strains of COVID-19, residents should continue taking common-sense precautions to …

California's big COVID spike isn't expected to ease anytime soon
7 months, 3 weeks ago

California's big COVID spike isn't expected to ease anytime soon

LA Times  

With COVID-19 numbers in California spiking this summer, experts are warning the new strains driving the spread could be around for some time. It’s also true that, with this being the fifth summer of the COVID era, many people have thrown caution to the wind, and many sick people are continuing to go about their lives without masking or other …

COVID in California keeps rising: Wastewater levels worse than last summer
8 months ago

COVID in California keeps rising: Wastewater levels worse than last summer

LA Times  

Across the nation, COVID-19’s shadow has become more pronounced lately, with the usual seasonal uptick in travel and socialization spawning a fresh spate of infections. Coronavirus levels in California’s wastewater now exceed last summer’s peak, an indication of the rapid spread of the super-contagious new FLiRT strains. For the week that ended July 14, L.A. County reported that 2.8% of …

Rising COVID clashes with carefree California summer as cases jump, precautions fade
8 months ago

Rising COVID clashes with carefree California summer as cases jump, precautions fade

LA Times  

COVID is continuing to rise this summer, and its spread is being aided by people who are still going to work or traveling while sick. However, good common sense shouldn’t go out the window.” While COVID is less severe for most people than during the first years of the pandemic — thanks to immunizations and past infections — and guidance …

New COVID subvariants are rising: How bad will California get hit this summer?
9 months, 3 weeks ago

New COVID subvariants are rising: How bad will California get hit this summer?

LA Times  

As the new FLiRT family of coronavirus subvariants takes hold, early signs are pointing to a summer jump in cases. California’s COVID waves last summer and winter were still big enough to cause significant disruptions, including outbreaks in schools, among sports teams and at Hollywood studios, while some businesses saw higher numbers of workers calling in sick. “In years past, …

COVID-19 intensifies across California, with the worst probably still to come
1 year, 2 months ago

COVID-19 intensifies across California, with the worst probably still to come

LA Times  

The winter COVID-and-flu season is ramping up in California and nationwide, with doctors and other experts saying the worst of the respiratory illness season is still to come. “And we’re probably not quite to the zenith of it yet,” said Dr. Elizabeth Hudson, regional chief of infectious diseases at Kaiser Permanente Southern California. “Looking at some of the data that …

COVID-19 and flu cases are rising in California. How bad will the holiday uptick be?
1 year, 3 months ago

COVID-19 and flu cases are rising in California. How bad will the holiday uptick be?

LA Times  

COVID-19 and flu are rising across California, sparking new warnings from health officials to take precautions as the wider winter holiday season looms. “Getting tested and treated early can prevent you from getting severely ill, being hospitalized and can potentially save your life.” Relatively speaking, COVID-19, flu and another ailment — respiratory syncytial virus, or RSV — aren’t at the …

DeSantis bragged about a COVID study during Newsom debate. Not so fast, lead author says
1 year, 3 months ago

DeSantis bragged about a COVID study during Newsom debate. Not so fast, lead author says

LA Times  

During the Fox News debate between Florida Gov. As the two traded barbs over who was a “lockdown governor,” DeSantis crowed about his state reopening quickly and said: “In fact, the Lancet just did a study: Florida had a lower standardized COVID death rate than California did” when adjusted for how Florida’s population skews older and has higher rates of …

US ends COVID-19 health emergency today: Key figures defining the pandemic
1 year, 10 months ago

US ends COVID-19 health emergency today: Key figures defining the pandemic

Firstpost  

Though daily life has long returned to near-normal for many in the United States, the official end of the COVID-19 health emergency Thursday night still marks a new post-pandemic era for the country. Three years of health emergency A state of emergency was first declared in the United States in January 2020, more than three years ago. 1.1 million deaths …

Editorial: The COVID-19 pandemic emergency is over, but virus is still here
1 year, 10 months ago

Editorial: The COVID-19 pandemic emergency is over, but virus is still here

LA Times  

After three long and difficult years, the federal COVID-19 public health emergency ends Thursday. Now we are shifting into the next phase, in which we manage the waves of infection that are likely to continue for the foreseeable future, while seeking new medications and therapies to reduce transmission, treat infection and help the many people still suffering from infections they …

California COVID-19 rules ease as emergency declarations end. Here’s what’s changed
1 year, 11 months ago

California COVID-19 rules ease as emergency declarations end. Here’s what’s changed

LA Times  

Shoppers, some wearing masks, make their way along Santee Alley in Los Angeles on Dec. 6, 2022. “With the rescinding of many emergency orders these past weeks, there are questions about which sensible protections remain important to consider,” said L.A. County Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer. “Given the differing risks both by setting and by individual characteristics, the goals of …

California to alter COVID rules in healthcare settings: Masks and vaccinations not required
2 years ago

California to alter COVID rules in healthcare settings: Masks and vaccinations not required

LA Times  

Jazmin Escamilla takes blood samples Dec. 19 in the ambulance bay outside the emergency department at MLK Community Hospital in Los Angeles. With the COVID-19 state of emergency a thing of the past, California health officials on Friday unveiled plans to relax guidance on masking in high-risk settings and to end vaccination requirements for healthcare workers. California L.A. County’s COVID-19 …

Final state emergencies winding down 3 years into pandemic
2 years ago

Final state emergencies winding down 3 years into pandemic

Associated Press  

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — California’s coronavirus emergency officially ended Tuesday, nearly three years after Gov. While California’s emergency declaration is ending, other local emergencies will remain in place — including in Los Angeles County, home to nearly 10 million people. The pandemic strained California’s health care system, which has yet to fully recover, said Carmela Coyle, president and CEO of the …

Final State Emergencies Winding Down 3 Years Into COVID Pandemic
2 years ago

Final State Emergencies Winding Down 3 Years Into COVID Pandemic

Huff Post  

LOADING ERROR LOADING SACRAMENTO, Calif. — California’s coronavirus emergency officially ends Tuesday, nearly three years after Gov. While California’s emergency declaration is ending, other local emergencies will remain in place — including in Los Angeles County, home to nearly 10 million people. The pandemic strained California’s health care system, which has yet to fully recover, said Carmela Coyle, president and …

Newsom rescinds California’s COVID-19 state of emergency, marking an end to the pandemic era
2 years ago

Newsom rescinds California’s COVID-19 state of emergency, marking an end to the pandemic era

LA Times  

Dec. 6. photo of shoppers, some wearing masks, some not, make their way along Santee Alley in Los Angeles. California’s COVID-19 state of emergency officially ends Tuesday, bringing a symbolic close to one of the most challenging chapters of state history and of Gov. “California is better prepared and that’s because we have a serious Legislature and the health ecosystem …

California’s COVID emergency is ending. How will it change your life?
2 years ago

California’s COVID emergency is ending. How will it change your life?

LA Times  

This March 2020 photo along La Brea Avenue in midtown Los Angeles was taken during the beginning of the coronavirus outbreak. California’s 3-year-old COVID-19 state of emergency will lift Tuesday — a development that reflects the dawn of a next, hopeful phase of the pandemic, even as officials and experts say continued vigilance and preparation are necessary to maintain the …

COVID-19 deaths top 100,000 in California: ‘Nobody ... anticipated this toll’
2 years ago

COVID-19 deaths top 100,000 in California: ‘Nobody ... anticipated this toll’

LA Times  

It was three years ago this month that California documented its first known victim of the COVID-19 pandemic. “The heartache of having so many people die weighs heavily on all of us here at public health,” Los Angeles County Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer said. “Both perspectives are understandable because the risk of getting sick, the risk of having severe …

California tops 12 million coronavirus cases as XBB.1.5 becomes dominant
2 years, 1 month ago

California tops 12 million coronavirus cases as XBB.1.5 becomes dominant

LA Times  

The total number of coronavirus cases reported in California has topped 12 million. “We do have more tools now than we’ve had at any point during the pandemic,” Los Angeles County Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer told reporters. “While new strains always have the potential to drive surges in cases, to date, we’ve not seen a major increase in cases …

While COVID raged, another deadly threat was on the rise in hospitals
2 years, 1 month ago

While COVID raged, another deadly threat was on the rise in hospitals

LA Times  

As COVID-19 began to rip through California, hospitals were deluged with sickened patients. Amid the new threat of the coronavirus, an old one was also quietly on the rise: More people have suffered severe sepsis in California hospitals in recent years — including a troubling surge in patients who got sepsis inside the hospital itself, state data show. There’s no …

California won’t require COVID vaccine to attend schools
2 years, 1 month ago

California won’t require COVID vaccine to attend schools

Associated Press  

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Children in California won’t have to get the coronavirus vaccine to attend schools, state public health officials confirmed Friday, ending one of the last major restrictions of the pandemic in the nation’s most populous state. Gavin Newsom first announced the policy in 2021, saying it would eventually apply to all of California’s 6.7 million public and private …

California’s COVID-19 student vaccine mandate, on hold since April, is dropped
2 years, 1 month ago

California’s COVID-19 student vaccine mandate, on hold since April, is dropped

LA Times  

Sarginoor Kaur gets a COVID-19 vaccination from nurse Chelsea Meyer at Arleta High School in 2021. California will not enact its student vaccine mandate, Public Health Department officials said. California’s student COVID-19 vaccine mandate — which has been on hold since April — has been quietly dropped as the state prepares to end emergency pandemic restrictions later this month, public …

Has California avoided another devastating winter COVID wave?
2 years, 1 month ago

Has California avoided another devastating winter COVID wave?

LA Times  

Shoppers, some wearing masks, made their way along Santee Alley in Los Angeles in December. “I never say we’re in the clear, because there’s still people for whom COVID is going to remain a really big concern, and they’re going to continue to need to do everything they can to avoid getting infected,” Los Angeles County Public Health Director Barbara …

Editorial: We have to face our COVID-19 pandemic stumbles — before we forget them
2 years, 3 months ago

Editorial: We have to face our COVID-19 pandemic stumbles — before we forget them

LA Times  

Now that we have vaccines and rapid tests and Paxlovid for COVID-19 — not to mention boundless supplies of KN95 face masks and toilet paper — it’s easy to forget the early days of the pandemic when we had none of those things. There was the discovery that the nation’s stockpile of pharmaceuticals and medical supplies maintained by the Department …

Can California avoid a third devastating COVID-19 winter wave? Cautious signs of hope
2 years, 3 months ago

Can California avoid a third devastating COVID-19 winter wave? Cautious signs of hope

LA Times  

Nurse Angela Tapia administers the Moderna COVID-19 booster vaccine to Maria Salazar, 88, at her home in Los Angeles as her son Louis Salazar Jr., 64, right, and nurse Bryan Phan watch. “But you should really take some comfort in knowing that we have within our wherewithal to mitigate anything that comes up our way.” Some of the advantages we …

Southern California braces for difficult flu season as cases rise after COVID lull
2 years, 4 months ago

Southern California braces for difficult flu season as cases rise after COVID lull

LA Times  

Officials generally recommend the flu vaccine for people 6 months and older. This year, officials are also suggesting those age 65 or older get turbocharged flu vaccines that are considered higher dose or “adjuvanted,” which helps trigger a stronger immune response. The current levels of flu activity are “much higher” compared to pre-pandemic years, the Los Angeles County Department of …

California: Docs may be disciplined for spreading COVID lies
2 years, 5 months ago

California: Docs may be disciplined for spreading COVID lies

Associated Press  

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Doctors who spread coronavirus lies could be disciplined for unprofessional conduct in California under a law signed Friday by Gov. The bill, AB2098, introduced by Democratic Assembly Member Evan Low, declares that a physician or surgeon commits professional misconduct if they disseminate “misinformation or disinformation” about the nature and risks of COVID-19, its prevention and treatment and …

California ends coronavirus testing requirements for certain unvaccinated workers
2 years, 6 months ago

California ends coronavirus testing requirements for certain unvaccinated workers

LA Times  

California has rescinded coronavirus testing requirements for unvaccinated workers at schools, healthcare facilities and other congregate settings, the latest rule to be rolled back as the state enters what officials say is a new phase of the pandemic. “We’ve entered a phase of the pandemic where the majority of people in these workplace settings are vaccinated, and our youngest Californians …

Coronavirus Today: Who’s dying of COVID-19 now?
2 years, 6 months ago

Coronavirus Today: Who’s dying of COVID-19 now?

LA Times  

I’m Karen Kaplan, and it’s Tuesday, Sept. 20. At a time when vaccines, boosters, medications and antibody treatments are plentiful, when hospitals have the bandwidth to care for patients who are seriously ill, and when, as White House COVID-⁠19 Response Coordinator Dr. Ashish Jha said, “most COVID-19 deaths are preventable,” you’ve got to wonder: Who is dying of COVID-19 now? …

New Mexico updates public health order following CDC changes
2 years, 7 months ago

New Mexico updates public health order following CDC changes

Associated Press  

SANTA FE, N.M. — New Mexico’s emergency public health order was streamlined Friday, with state health officials saying the changes were in order given the evolution of the virus, the changing nature of the pandemic and new recommendations adopted by the federal government. The move comes after the nation’s top public health agency relaxed its COVID-19 guidelines and dropped the …

The time has come for DIY mandates on COVID-19
2 years, 7 months ago

The time has come for DIY mandates on COVID-19

LA Times  

People, many masked, look for lunch at the Grand Central Market on the first day that California reopened its economy in downtown Los Angeles on June 15, 2021. Yet even in pandemic-smacked L.A. County, reporting thousands of new infections a day and a double-digit rate of positive tests that is well into the danger zone, serious resistance emerged as health …

Politics and pandemic fatigue derail California’s COVID-19 vaccine mandates
2 years, 9 months ago

Politics and pandemic fatigue derail California’s COVID-19 vaccine mandates

LA Times  

In January, progressive California Democrats vowed to adopt the toughest COVID-19 vaccine requirements in the country. Now, even as case rates start to balloon again, the window of opportunity to adopt COVID-19 vaccine mandates may have closed, said Hemi Tewarson, executive director of the National Academy for State Health Policy. And legislation is just not being enacted.” California One of …

California’s new coronavirus wave is disrupting lives, even with less severe illness
2 years, 9 months ago

California’s new coronavirus wave is disrupting lives, even with less severe illness

LA Times  

A new surge of coronavirus cases is taking shape, as California slogs into a third pandemic summer with far fewer hospitalizations and deaths but still significant disruptions. “If we continue on the current trajectory, we could find that cases and hospitalizations end up exerting stress on our healthcare system within just a few weeks,” Los Angeles County Public Health Director …

The AP Interview: US ‘vulnerable’ to COVID without new shots
2 years, 10 months ago

The AP Interview: US ‘vulnerable’ to COVID without new shots

Associated Press  

WASHINGTON — White House COVID-19 coordinator Dr. Ashish Jha issued a dire warning Thursday that the U.S. will be increasingly vulnerable to the coronavirus this fall and winter if Congress doesn’t swiftly approve new funding for more vaccines and treatments. “That leaves a lot of us vulnerable.” Jha predicted that the next generation of vaccines, which are likely to be …

How many California lives were saved by COVID-19 vaccines? Scientists have an answer
2 years, 11 months ago

How many California lives were saved by COVID-19 vaccines? Scientists have an answer

LA Times  

The arrival of the first COVID-19 vaccines in December 2020 marked the start of a new, safer phase of the pandemic. In the first 10 months of their availability, COVID-19 vaccines prevented an estimated 1.5 million coronavirus infections, nearly 73,000 hospitalizations, and almost 20,000 deaths in California, according to a study published Friday in the journal JAMA Network Open. Each …

One of the most far-reaching vaccine mandate bills in California will not move forward
2 years, 11 months ago

One of the most far-reaching vaccine mandate bills in California will not move forward

LA Times  

Assemblymember Buffy Wicks said Tuesday that she would hold Assembly Bill 1993, which would have required employees and independent contractors to be vaccinated against COVID-19 unless they obtained an exemption. Citing improved pandemic conditions and opposition from public safety unions, Assemblymember Buffy Wicks said she would hold Assembly Bill 1993, which would have required employees and independent contractors, in both …

What Californians should do now to prepare for a possible spring Omicron BA.2 surge
3 years ago

What Californians should do now to prepare for a possible spring Omicron BA.2 surge

LA Times  

Is California doing enough to prepare for a potential increase in cases of the Omicron subvariant BA.2 this spring? Los Angeles County isn’t seeing as high of a percentage of BA.2 cases as places like New York and Chicago, but the L.A. County Department of Public Health is saying nationwide trends suggest that Angelenos “should be prepared to mitigate the …

Op-Ed: I nearly died from COVID. Now I’m letting go of the fear
3 years ago

Op-Ed: I nearly died from COVID. Now I’m letting go of the fear

LA Times  

COVID hospitalizations are far less deadly now than they were two years ago. Today, COVID-19 is far less dangerous than it was two years ago, and I wonder: By telling my harrowing story, did I contribute to a climate of fear that we now find difficult to dispel? It’s time for a full accounting of our response Two years ago, …

2 years into pandemic, world takes cautious steps forward
3 years ago

2 years into pandemic, world takes cautious steps forward

Associated Press  

PORTLAND, Ore. — With COVID-19 case numbers plummeting, Emily Safrin did something she hadn’t done since the pandemic began two years ago: She put her fears aside and went to a concert. “Everyone was supposed to be vaccinated or have a negative test, and I said, ‘What the heck, I’m just gonna live my life,’” Safrin said of her concert …

Covid-19 is killing more people now than during most of the pandemic. Here’s who’s still at risk
3 years ago

Covid-19 is killing more people now than during most of the pandemic. Here’s who’s still at risk

CNN  

CNN — Plummeting Covid-19 case counts across the United States are leading to lifted mask mandates and more conversations about steps toward normalcy – but more people are dying of the coronavirus now than during most points of the pandemic. More than 120,000 people in the US have died of Covid-19 since Omicron became the dominant variant in December, and …

U.S. virus cases and hospitalizations continue steady decline
3 years, 1 month ago

U.S. virus cases and hospitalizations continue steady decline

LA Times  

Average daily COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations are continuing to fall in the U.S., an indicator that the Omicron variant’s hold is weakening across the country. “I think what’s influencing the decline, of course, is that Omicron is starting to run out of people to infect,” said Dr. Thomas Russo, professor and infectious disease chief at the University of Buffalo’s Jacobs …

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