Updating . .
New signs suggest coronavirus was in California far earlier than anyone knew -- A man found dead in his house in early March. A woman who fell sick in mid-February and later died. These early COVID-19 deaths in the San Francisco Bay Area suggest that the novel coronavirus had established itself in the community long before health officials started looking for it. Paige St. John in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 4/11/20
Stay-at-home orders extended as California coronavirus deaths near 600 -- As of Saturday morning, California had recorded 598 deaths and 21,448 confirmed cases. That’s significantly fewer than in other hot spots such as New York, but local officials have said more social distancing will be needed to keep the numbers manageable. Alex Wigglesworth, Rong-Gong Lin II in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 4/11/20
How a stockpile of 39 million masks was exposed as fake -- A powerful California union that claimed to have discovered 39 million masks for healthcare workers fighting the novel coronavirus was duped in an elaborate scam uncovered by FBI investigators, the U.S. attorney’s office said Friday. Melody Gutierrez, Adam Elmahrek in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 4/11/20
Two Los Angeles city workers die of coronavirus -- Two Los Angeles city employees have died after being infected with the coronavirus, Mayor Eric Garcetti said Friday, part of the growing number of fatalities in the county. Alejandra Reyes-Velarde in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 4/11/20
Front Lines
Whistleblower alleges Valley Med nurses sickened with coronavirus while management stayed quiet -- Santa Clara County is investigating nurses’ complaints that the county-run Valley Medical Center failed to notify them about a deadly coronavirus outbreak among the hospital’s staff. Emily DeRuy, Julia Prodis Sulek in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 4/11/20
When coronavirus kills, it’s like death by drowning — and doctors disagree on best treatment -- COVID-19 is caused by a virus. But what’s actually killing people is something else. This week’s surge in demand for California’s intensive care unit beds – from 1,259 to 1,676 — is caused by an illness that resembles drowning when the lungs are too full of fluid to breathe. Lisa M. Krieger in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 4/11/20
La Jolla Institute Leading Global Hunt For Antibodies To Coronavirus -- Local researchers are collecting antibodies from people around the world who have survived coronavirus to develop a treatment. The international effort led by the La Jolla Institute for Immunology aims to connect dozens of labs across continents to find the best option. Tarryn Mento KPBS -- 4/11/20
Farms and Workers
‘The perfect storm of vulnerability’: Protection in the fields doesn’t follow farmworkers home -- Farmworkers are essential employees during the coronavirus pandemic. But crowded living conditions could trigger an outbreak that would devastate the food supply. Kate Cimini Calmatters -- 4/11/20
Farmers are forced to let crops rot and throw away milk while food bank demand soars -- For many farmers, it’s more cost-effective to let crops rot in the fields. They can’t afford to harvest it if there is no market for it, and food banks can’t cover the full cost of labor. Manuela Tobias, Robert Rodriguez Calmatters -- 4/11/20
Staying afloat
Oakland Teachers Pledge Stimulus Checks to Undocumented Families Left Out of Coronavirus Aid -- As the coronavirus pandemic continues to wreak havoc on the state’s economy, a group of teachers and principals in Oakland are pledging their federal stimulus checks to undocumented families at their schools who are excluded from such aid. Farida Jhabvala Romero KQED -- 4/11/20
Online Ed
Sacramento-area private schools shifted to online learning weeks ago. How they did it so fast -- While Sacramento-area school districts will just begin their formal distance learning programs in the next few weeks, a month after schools announced closures to help stop the spread of the coronavirus, thousands of local private school students are already weeks into their online education. Sawsan Morrar in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 4/11/20
Also ..
Coronavirus doesn’t delay property taxes in California -- Friday was the deadline to pay those taxes without incurring a hefty penalty and Gov. Gavin Newsom let the date pass without taking any action. Business groups had urged Newsom to use his executive authority to delay the deadline or at least waive all penalties for late payments. Adam Beam Associated Press -- 4/11/20
A guide to a stay-at-home coronavirus Easter in Southern California -- This will be an Easter like no other amid stay-at-home restrictions because of the coronavirus outbreak. The message from officials: Enjoy Easter but do it at home. Luke Money, Jaclyn Cosgrove, Sarah Parvini in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 4/11/20
Amid the coronavirus, should young adults move back in with mom and dad? Many are saying yes -- Andres Vidaurre’s story is a lot like those of the many young adults who make their way to Los Angeles in search of work and a vibrant, diverse city to call home. Benjamin Oreskes in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 4/11/20
Coronavirus isolation hitting deeper for San Franciscans who live alone -- Nearly a quarter of older Americans are socially isolated and 35% of adults 45 and older also report feeling lonely, according to a recent National Academy of Sciences report — in which Perissinotto was a committee member — that studied the impacts of social isolation and loneliness over 50. Annie Vainshtein in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 4/11/20
A beach coronavirus warning meets a tidal wave of controversy, and the test of science -- For weeks, a debate has been raging over whether going to the beach or swimming in the ocean increases your risk of catching or transmitting the coronavirus. The issue has rankled surfers, overwhelmed runners and bikers and confused anyone seeking the fresh air and freedom of California’s coast. Rosanna Xia in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 4/11/20
Unlikely that California has ‘herd immunity’ to the coronavirus -- The theory goes like this: California has fewer COVID-19 cases than hard-hit places like New York because the coronavirus has spread throughout the state undetected since the fall and most Californians are now immune. Mallory Moench in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 4/11/20
Meet humanity’s new ally in the coronavirus fight: robots -- They disinfect hospital corridors with ultraviolet light to eliminate traces of the novel coronavirus. They help nurses manage routine tasks so they can spend more time with sick patients. They deliver meals to people heeding public health orders to stay at home and help police deliver warnings to those who aren’t. Amina Khan in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 4/11/20
Lopez: In Hollywood and around L.A., COVID-19 is bringing out our inner heroes -- At 10:45 Thursday morning in Hollywood, an LAPD van rolled to a stop in front of an apartment building on Camerford Avenue. Two officers wearing masks got out and knocked on the door of Unit 1. “I’m Officer Piamonte and this is Officer Pacheco,” said Kat Piamonte. “We have groceries for you.” Steve Lopez in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 4/11/20
California Policy & Politics Saturday Morning
‘It’s unlike anything I have ever seen’: A deadly week across America -- Death fell hard across America this week. More than 7,000 people died of COVID-19. Total U.S. infections of the coronavirus reached nearly half a million. It was the worst seven days the country has seen so far. Jaweed Kaleem, Molly Hennessy-Fiske, Kurtis Lee, Richard Read, Jenny Jarvie in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 4/11/20
Lost wages and jobs haven’t dented support for coronavirus stay-at-home orders, poll finds -- Nearly half of households in Los Angeles County have lost a job or had their work hours cut, and another 10% have lost other sources of income because of the coronavirus pandemic, but those hardships have not diminished support for the severe social distancing measures imposed by government, a new poll has found. Doug Smith in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 4/11/20
California’s early coronavirus efforts will cost $7 billion, Gov. Gavin Newsom says -- Budget advisors to Gov. Gavin Newsom told California lawmakers on Friday that the state’s initial efforts to combat the coronavirus will total at least $7 billion, with additional costs expected before year’s end. John Myers in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 4/11/20
California’s coronavirus death toll is way below New York’s. Here’s why -- New York became the epicenter of the disease in America because of several factors. The virus arrived there earlier than elsewhere and in more locations; it is denser than any other U.S. city; it depends more on public transportation, putting people close to one another; and it was behind California and Washington state in imposing restrictions on public movement, said Nicholas Jewell, a UC Berkeley biostatistician. James Rainey, Soumya Karlamangla in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 4/11/20
Governor Newsom: California’s COVID-19 peak may be lower than state expected -- Gov. Gavin Newsom detailed encouraging updated COVID-19 modeling Friday that reveals the impact physical and social distancing measures have had on reducing the spread of the novel coronavirus around the state. Kerry Crowley in the San Jose Mercury$ Elizabeth Aguilera Calmatters -- 4/11/20
Gavin Newsom hints at California path to ‘some semblance of normalcy’ on coronavirus -- Gov. Gavin Newsom pointed ahead for the first time Friday to the next phase of California’s response to the coronavirus pandemic, saying his administration is developing plans to get “back to some semblance of normalcy” as the disease appears to spread more slowly than the state projected. Alexei Koseff in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 4/11/20
Front Lines
Gilead's experimental drug remdesivir shows 'hopeful' signs in small group of coronavirus patients -- A majority of a small group of patients showed improvements after being treated with an experimental coronavirus treatment made by Gilead Sciences, bolstering hopes for finding a treatment for the disease, according to a study published Friday in the New England Journal of Medicine. Christopher Rowland in the Washington Post$ Melissa Healy in the Los Angeles Times$-- 4/11/20
One by one, nurses got coronavirus at a Silicon Valley hospital while management kept quiet -- The first to get sick was a woman in the nurse staffing office, who died in mid-March after a girls’ trip to Las Vegas with some hospital colleagues. A nursing manager fell ill next, followed by a nurse on the night shift and then a day supervisor. A short time later, a day shift nurse went out and then a temp. Harriet Ryan, Rong-Gong Lin II in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 4/11/20
Bankruptcy judge OKs sale of St. Vincent hospital to Patrick Soon-Shiong -- A federal bankruptcy judge on Friday approved the sale of a shuttered Los Angeles hospital to Dr. Patrick Soon-Shiong, who plans to create a coronavirus research facility on the campus. Judge Ernest M. Robles signed an order authorizing the sale of St. Vincent Medical Center for $135 million to Soon-Shiong. Dakota Smith in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 4/11/20
Mexican health workers protested a lack of protective gear. Now they are getting COVID-19 -- For weeks, staff at public hospitals across Mexico have been protesting a shortage of basic protective supplies, including masks, gloves and even hand soap. Now some of them are getting sick. At least 329 doctors and nurses in the country’s public medical system have tested positive for COVID-19, according to health officials. Kate Linthicum in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 4/11/20
After Effects
Coronavirus infection may cause lasting damage throughout the body, doctors fear -- Chief among the worrisome test results were readings that suggested these apparently recovered patients continued to have impaired liver function. That was the case even after two tests for the live virus had come back negative and the patients were cleared to be discharged. Melissa Healy in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 4/11/20
Spread
70 COVID-19 cases reported at San Francisco's largest homeless shelter -- San Francisco Mayor London Breed announced Friday there are 70 confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus at the St. Vincent De Paul Society's Multi-Service Center South, the city's largest homeless shelter. Eric Ting in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 4/11/20
The latest list of Orange County communities with coronavirus cases -- Coronavirus cases in Orange County continued to climb steadily on Friday, with health officials announcing 62 new cases. Hannah Fry in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 4/11/20
Making sense of the Bay Area coronavirus hospitalization data -- "Cases are a function of testing," UCSF epidemiologist Dr. George Rutherford told SFGATE. "Hospitalizations are hard numbers." The State of California began providing data on the number of patients requiring hospitalization and intensive care at the county level at the beginning of April, which means it's now possible to track Bay Area hospitalizations over time. Eric Ting in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 4/11/20
Amazon warehouse employee in Sacramento tests positive for coronavirus, company confirms -- A worker has tested positive for the coronavirus at Amazon’s warehouse near Sacramento International Airport, making the sprawling facility one of at least 11 warehouses operated by Amazon to be invaded by COVID-19. Dale Kasler in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 4/11/20
San Diego COVID deaths increase to 44, with half in senior facilities -- Dr. Eric McDonald, medical director of epidemiology and immunization services for the county, said it’s not surprising that the population of seniors in assisted living, skilled nursing or other similar facilities is disproportionately high. He did not know Friday if San Diego’s numbers were greater than in other cities. Gary Warth in the San Diego Union-Tribune$ -- 4/11/20
2 more sailors on hospital ship Mercy test positive for COVID-19 -- Two more sailors aboard the San Diego-based hospital ship Mercy have tested positive for COVID-19, bringing the total cases among its crew to three, a Navy spokesman said. The Mercy is pier-side at the Port of Los Angeles. Its first case of COVID-19 among its crew was reported by the Union-Tribune on Wednesday. Andrew Dyer in the San Diego Union-Tribune$ -- 4/11/20
More than a dozen coronavirus cases hit SF’s single-room-occupancy hotels -- Coronavirus is threatening San Francisco’s densely populated residential hotels for those teetering on the brink of homelessness, with at least 23 cases at 17 sites around the city, according to the Department of Public Health. Trisha Thadani and Kevin Fagan in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 4/11/20
‘A war zone’: Tijuana hospitals overwhelmed by coronavirus patients -- Patients are being treated in receiving areas and lobbies while doctors and nurses say they lack the staffing, ventilators and testing to properly care for them. Wendy Fry, Alexandra Mendoza in the San Diego Union-Tribune$ -- 4/11/20
The uncounted: San Francisco man’s neighbors wonder whether coronavirus killed him -- Thirteen San Franciscans have died of COVID-19 — officially. That’s the count from public health officials, but there could be more. And we may never know the real tally. Residents of an Inner Richmond apartment building wonder whether their neighbor belongs in that grim tally. Heather Knight in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 4/11/20
Testing
How is San Francisco testing at nearly double the rate of LA? -- Health officials and medical experts say that testing is key to understanding the coronavirus pandemic sweeping the world. But a new analysis from the Bay Area News Group found widespread differences in testing rates across California — with San Francisco and Santa Clara counties testing at nearly double the rate of Los Angeles. Emily DeRuy, Harriet Blair Rowan in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 4/11/20
False Negative
His first coronavirus test was negative. Now, this 39-year-old city leader is on life support -- The 39-year-old has spent the last three weeks lying unconscious in a hospital bed, barely clinging to life. But when Hernandez was first tested for the coronavirus, when he showed up at an emergency room gasping for breath, he got a false negative and had to be retested. In the meantime, he began rapidly deteriorating and was moved into the hospital’s intensive care unit. Soumya Karlamangla in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 4/11/20
Distancing
A drive-in Easter? Bay Area churches start unorthodox traditions for coronavirus era -- After a few phone calls, the Southridge “Easter Essentials” event was booked at the San Jose Capitol drive-in; the drive-in has been closed to the public in recent weeks, but its parking area is tailor-made for coronavirus distancing. It will be open for the church to hand out masks and assorted personal supplies — and give carloads of visitors the opportunity to listen to their pastor’s Easter message on their FM radios. Peter Hartlaub in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 4/11/20
Federal judge denies church’s bid to hold Easter service despite coronavirus-related stay-home orders -- The Abiding Place Ministries, a congregation of fewer than 100 based in Campo, sued San Diego County saying the stay-at-home order was unconsitutional, but a federal judge cited public health concerns in siding with the county. Greg Moran in the San Diego Union-Tribune$ -- 4/11/20
L.A. County stay-at-home order could last into summer; more social distancing essential, officials say -- Los Angeles County health officials warned Friday that the region needs to significantly increase social distancing to slow the spread of the novel coronavirus and that stay-at-home restrictions could remain into the summer. Rong-Gong Lin Ii, Melanie Mason, Sean Greene in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 4/11/20
Open for Easter? Legal spat brews over lockdown restrictions on Sunday service -- A conservative legal group founded by a leading state Republican wants to make sure that California’s shelter-in-place rules do not violate religious liberty, and that Christians across the state are able to celebrate Easter this Sunday — pandemic bedamned. Ben Christopher Calmatters -- 4/11/20
Data Shows San Diegans Moving Around County Less, But Could Improve On Social Distancing -- San Diegans may not be social distancing as well as other counties in the state even though residents are curbing unnecessary travel. Local officials on Friday highlighted separate data sets that as of that afternoon ranked the region’s social distancing efforts with a grade of C, despite a decrease in movement to retail locations, parks and other destinations. Tarryn Mento KPBS -- 4/11/20
Seniors
California to move seniors to Navy ship to cope with nursing home infections -- The U.S. Navy Ship Mercy will take on senior nursing home patients that have not tested positive for coronavirus, California Gov. Gavin Newsom announced Friday. The Navy ship will lend assistance “specific to the challenges within our nursing facilities and nursing homes,” Newsom said in his Friday noon press conference. Andrew Sheeler in the Sacramento Bee$ Phil Willon, Jack Dolan in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 4/11/20
Layoffs
Coronavirus economy: Bay Area layoff plans swell to huge levels -- The number of layoffs or furloughs being planned by Bay Area companies has soared by a jaw-dropping 10 times what employers reported just two weeks ago, according to state records reviewed by this news organization. George Avalos in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 4/11/20
Unemployment
California unemployment agency to increase hotline hours for claims amid coronavirus -- Facing public outcry over limited hours for jobless claim processing help by phone, Gov. Gavin Newsom said Friday that he has directed California’s unemployment agency to keep lines open until 5 p.m. or longer — and promised the change will happen soon. Patrick McGreevy in the Los Angeles Times$ David Lightman in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 4/11/20
California faces two years of high unemployment from coronavirus, UCLA predicts -- As the economic effects of the coronavirus worsen, the state’s unemployment rate may peak at 16.4% in the second quarter of this year, then gradually slacken. That would dwarf the 12.3% jobless rate in 2010, in the depths of the financial crisis. Margot Roosevelt in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 4/11/20
Staying afloat
Thousands Line Up For Food, As More San Diegans Lose Their Paychecks Due To Coronavirus -- With the rain pounding down, thousands of people lined up in their cars Friday morning at a San Diego Food Bank food distribution pop-up in Chula Vista. Food Bank officials say demand has gone up tremendously as an unprecedented number of people have lost their jobs amid the shutdowns brought on by the pandemic. Matthew Bowler, Shalina Chatlani KPBS -- 4/11/20
Here Are Some Ways To Help Californians Impacted By COVID-19 -- With millions of Californians newly unemployed due to the COVID-19 shelter-in-place orders, local safety net services are being pushed to the brink. Many servers and bartenders are out of work, as are performing artists, substitute teachers and lots of other people who cannot perform their duties remotely. Sammy Caiola Capital Public Radio -- 4/11/20
Economic Rescue Package
IRS launches website to speed relief payments to some low-income Americans who don’t file taxes -- Many Americans who didn’t file taxes in 2018 or 2019 because they earned less than $12,000 a year can now provide the IRS with direct deposit information in order to more quickly receive their up to $1,200 economic stimulus payout, the IRS announced Friday. Sarah D. Wire in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 4/11/20
Homeless
Trailers sent to Orange County fairgrounds could house homeless -- Less than a week after a proposal to house the homeless at a boutique hotel withered under intense public opposition, officials moved forward Friday with a plan to use the Orange County fairgrounds as a location for temporary housing and potential emergency medical facilities amid the coronavirus pandemic. Hannah Fry, Faith E. Pinho in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 4/11/20
Overcrowding on San Francisco’s Tenderloin streets — a bad scene getting worse in the coronavirus crisis -- Roll through San Francisco’s gritty Tenderloin any time of day, and the street doesn’t look normal. It’s worse. At a time when everybody is being urged to keep social distancing and California is under a shelter-in-place order, it appears little of that is going on in the Tenderloin’s street crowds. Kevin Fagan in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 4/11/20
Transit
Coronavirus threatens to derail San Diego’s plans to expand public transit -- MTS proposal to dramatically expand transit with a half-cent sales tax may not make it onto the November ballot. Joshua Emerson Smith in the San Diego Union-Tribune$ -- 4/11/20
Construction problems delay Metro’s $2-billion Crenshaw Line opening until 2021 -- The Metropolitan Transportation Authority acknowledged Friday that flawed construction on a $2.06-billion rail line through South Los Angeles will delay its opening until mid-2021, two years later than originally promised. Laura J. Nelson in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 4/11/20
Inmates
Judge suggests California use private prisons to give inmates space amid coronavirus crisis -- A federal judge overseeing litigation concerning the treatment of California’s inmates suggested Friday that the state corrections department consider using private prisons as “additional possible real estate” to spread out the population amid the coronavirus pandemic. Richard Winton in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 4/11/20
Business
SF mayor caps fees food delivery apps can charge restaurants at 15% -- In a move to ensure the survival of San Francisco restaurants, Mayor London Breed has placed a cap on how much food delivery apps can charge restaurants during the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. Susana Guerrero in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 4/11/20
Education
UC lecturers want university to provide resources to teach classes from home -- Lecturers teach more than 30% of student credit hours in the UC system, though they generally work on short-term, part-time contracts. The University Council-American Federation of Teachers represents about 6,500 librarians and non-tenure-track teaching faculty, including more than 3,500 lecturers, throughout the UC system. Ron Kroichick in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 4/11/20
Immigration / Border
Detainees at Otay Mesa Detention Center were offered masks, but only if they signed contracts -- Detainees at Otay Mesa Detention Center had been asking for more protection from the COVID-19 pandemic all week, when a shipment of surgical masks arrived at the facility on Friday. The women of “A pod” would finally be able to ditch their own constructions made from rubber bands, panty liners and cut up shirts for proper masks. Kate Morrissey in the San Diego Union-Tribune$ -- 4/11/20
Also . . .
Fire, police crews salute healthcare workers with light show outside San Diego hospitals -- It’s not unusual to see flashing lights and hear sirens at hospitals — but a boisterous display on Friday was truly unique, officials said. At 5 p.m., San Diego police officers, lifeguards and firefighters gathered outside seven local hospitals and ran their lights and sirens to honor the city’s medical workers. Lyndsay Winkley in the San Diego Union-Tribune$ -- 4/11/20
Harvey Weinstein faces new sexual assault charge in Los Angeles -- Former Hollywood mogul Harvey Weinstein, weeks after being sent to prison in New York and already facing prosecution in Los Angeles, has been charged with an additional count of sexual assault in connection with the alleged 2010 attack of a woman at a Beverly Hills hotel, Los Angeles County prosecutors announced Friday. James Queally in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 4/11/20
Skyscraper with condos and a hotel proposed for downtown Los Angeles -- An Australian developer is pushing ahead with new plans for a $500-million skyscraper in downtown Los Angeles that would house both condominiums and a hotel. Roger Vincent in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 4/11/20
Healthcare district board OK’s emergency funds to help clinics, caregivers -- The Grossmont Healthcare District board of directors on Monday authorized an emergency grant program for COVID-19 relief funding. The board approved $255,000 to support area community clinics as well as front-line caregivers at Sharp Grossmont Hospital. Karen Pearlman in the San Diego Union-Tribune$ -- 4/11/20
Burning Man will move from the playa to online due to the coronavirus pandemic -- Black Rock City will now be built virtually after organizers decided Friday to cancel this year's Burning Man event due to the coronavirus pandemic. Matthew Tom in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 4/11/20
POTUS 45
Trump casts himself as pandemic patron, personalizing the government’s spread of cash and supplies -- President Trump often speaks of federal payments coming to many Americans as an act of his own benevolence, calling the bipartisan stimulus legislation “a Trump administration initiative” and reportedly musing about printing his thick-and-jagged signature on the government checks. Robert Costa and Philip Rucker in the Washington Post$ -- 4/11/20
Can Trump reopen the economy on May 1? Not really -- President Trump said again Friday he would “love” to begin reopening the nation’s shuttered economy on May 1. But ultimately, nervous governors, mayors, school boards and families across the country will determine when to resume normal life. Noah Bierman, Eli Stokols, Chris Megerian in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 4/11/20
Beltway
A plan to defeat coronavirus finally emerges, but it’s not from the White House -- Instead, a collection of governors, former government officials, disease specialists and nonprofits are pursuing a strategy that relies on the three pillars of disease control: Ramp up testing to identify people who are infected. Find everyone they interact with by deploying contact tracing on a scale America has never attempted before. And focus restrictions more narrowly on the infected and their contacts so the rest of society doesn’t have to stay in permanent lockdown. Lena H. Sun, William Wan and Yasmeen Abutaleb in the Washington Post$ -- 4/11/20
Pelosi warns Trump not to reopen country too soon -- Speaker Nancy Pelosi signaled Thursday that the House is unlikely to return to session later this month, her clearest indication yet that Congress — like the rest of the country — could remain shuttered for weeks or even longer as the coronavirus crisis continues. Heather Caygle and John Bresnahan Politico -- 4/11/20
Restarting America Means People Will Die. So When Do We Do It? -- The Times Magazine convened five thinkers to weigh the moral choice we face. Link Here -- 4/11/20
-- Friday Updates
Testing
How far has coronavirus spread? This test is a first step in trying to get back to normal life -- Starting Friday, county health officials will begin testing the blood of 1,000 randomly selected residents, including those with no symptoms, to see if they have or had COVID-19. Using emerging technology that tests for antibodies to a virus, the study has the potential to shed light on the true mortality rate of the coronavirus, the efficacy of social distancing efforts and when this unprecedented clampdown on daily life could end. Melanie Mason, Susanne Rust in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 4/10/20
Apple, Google to Turn Smartphones Into Coronavirus Tracking Devices -- Apple Inc. and Google will build software together that would alert people if they were in contact with someone infected with the coronavirus, an unprecedented collaboration between two Silicon Valley giants and rivals. Tripp Mickle and Rob Copeland in the Wall Street Journal$ -- 4/10/20
Front Lines
Janitors and other nonclinical hospital workers feel forgotten in coronavirus battle: ‘They’re terrified’ -- When Andre Ross gets home from his shift at Southern California Hospital at Hollywood, he immediately strips off his scrubs, puts them in a bag and runs to the washing machine. He showers as fast as he can. He disinfects the bathroom. Hailey Branson-Potts in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 4/10/20
3 more San Bernardino County deputies test positive for coronavirus as Inland Empire toll climbs -- Three more employees with the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department have tested positive for the coronavirus, doubling the number of people in the agency infected as the death toll among residents grew across the Inland Empire. Richard Winton in the Los Angeles Times$-- 4/10/20
Spread
This is the latest breakdown of L.A. County communities with coronavirus cases -- Los Angeles County now has nearly 8,000 confirmed coronavirus cases, and the death toll stands at 225. Almost one-fourth of the people who have died in L.A. County lived in nursing homes and other institutional settings, public health director Barbara Ferrer said. Luke Money in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 4/10/20
Four more coronavirus deaths in San Diego County as cases top 1,600 -- County officials on Thursday announced that four more San Diego County residents have died of COVID-19 as the regions case total climbed to 1,628. To date, the county’s death toll stands at 40. Of the victims, 16 were white, 10 were Latino, two were Asian and one person was more than one race. Race was not available in 11 deaths. Lyndsay Winkley in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 4/10/20
Distancing
Want to report coronavirus scofflaws? Riverside County has an app for that -- Coronavirus watchdogs in Riverside County who come across nonessential businesses still in operation, large gatherings or businesses not complying with health orders can now report scofflaws anonymously through the county’s mobile app. Hannah Fry in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 4/10/20
See the map of Oakland's 74 miles of closed streets -- The new program Oakland Slow Streets launching Saturday will close 74 miles of streets to through traffic to give Oakland residents more space to safely walk, run and cycle during the coronavirus shelter-in-place order. Amy Graff in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 4/10/20
Masking
L.A.'s coronavirus mask order is now the law. 5 things you need to know -- If you are going to a grocery store, pharmacy or doing other essential shopping in Los Angeles, you need to be wearing a mask or face covering. Beginning Friday, a new city order requires both shoppers and workers to wear a face covering. Jaclyn Cosgrove, Luke Money, Kailyn Brown in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 4/10/20
Do I need to wear a mask when walking outside? In my car? Does my pet need one? -- The two health experts explained what to look for in a mask and other precautions that should be taken when using face coverings. Priscella Vega in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 4/10/20
New Normal
Bay Area funeral homes offering virtual services and memorials -- In this time of isolation to prevent the spread of COVID-19, bereaved families are finding themselves deprived of the chance to make a final farewell to departed loved ones. Joan Morris in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 4/10/20
This Easter, coronavirus prompts revival of a SoCal church legacy: the drive-in ministry -- This Easter, the Rev. Robert A. Schuller plans on letting his faith take the wheel. The son of the pastor who built Garden Grove’s Crystal Cathedral, Schuller is temporarily reviving the drive-in ministry, a practice that helped his father rise from humble beginnings to become one of the late 20th century’s most recognized religious figures. Sarah Parvini in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 4/10/20
Rent Strikes
San Diego landlord to tenants: ‘Nobody really has a legitimate reason not to pay rent’ -- A San Diego landlord has sent an email to his tenants criticizing the idea of a rent strike and putting in blunt terms that federal and state aid mean they shouldn’t be having problems. Phillip Molnar in the San Diego Union-Tribune$ -- 4/10/20
Small Business Frustrations
Small-Business Loans Face Delays Even as Coronavirus Program Expands -- Despite the Trump administration’s promise to deliver aid quickly, small-business owners who have applied for federally guaranteed loans to keep them afloat during the coronavirus pandemic are still largely waiting for the money, according to business advocates and banking industry officials. Yuka Hayashi in the Wall Street Journal$ -- 4/10/20
Hiring
Amazon hires over 800 in Sacramento area as coronavirus causes demand to spike -- Amazon has hired more than 800 employees in the Sacramento region in less than a month, part of a nationwide hiring surge as demand for online orders has risen sharply due to the coronavirus pandemic.Michael McGough in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 4/10/20
Layoffs
Velodyne Lidar is sued over coronavirus-linked job cuts -- A Silicon Valley company that provides technology for autonomous vehicles has been sued by an employee over layoffs that the firm says were linked to coronavirus economic jolts. George Avalos in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 4/10/20
Health Care
Lose your job due to the coronavirus? Here are your health care options in California -- Laid-off workers can keep their health insurance coverage, but it’s likely to cost more. They can seek help to obtain other coverage, and the state has an extensive network ready to help. David Lightman in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 4/10/20
Detailees
10 Detainees Now Positive For COVID-19 At Otay Mesa Detention Center -- There are now 10 detainees who are positive for COVID-19 at the Otay Mesa Detention Center, according to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and CoreCivic, the operator of the center. The detention center houses people in immigration and US Marshals’ Custody. Six employees there have now tested positive for the disease caused by the novel coronavirus. Max Rivlin-Nadler KPBS -- 4/10/20
Education
California schools’ response to pandemic varies widely -- Parents across the state have had very different experiences when it comes to communication from their children’s school. Wealth inequality appears to be a major factor. Ricardo Cano Calmatters -- 4/10/20
Kids grounded by coronavirus need tutoring. And online platforms need more tutors -- Children all over the country are struggling with distance learning necessitated by the coronavirus outbreak. That spells opportunity for those with teaching and tutoring skills. There are dozens of online tutoring platforms actively seeking new educators to help those kids stay on track. Kathy Kristof in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 4/10/20
Lost Revenues
Canceled conventions due to coronavirus costing San Diego $203M — so far -- So far, more than 20 larger groups have canceled meetings originally planned for the San Diego Convention Center in March, April, May and June — a tsunami of lost business that is estimated to cost San Diego some $203 million in lost spending at hotels, restaurants, bars and other businesses, not to mention a regionwide economic impact hit of $345 million. Lori Weisberg in the San Diego Union-Tribune$ -- 4/10/20
Transit
Delayed again: BART to San Jose, Milpitas sets June opening target -- With budget shortfalls and empty trains, BART has endured weeks of terrible news, but the beleaguered transit agency has one bright spot on the horizon: Train service will finally begin on the long-delayed Milpitas and North San Jose/Berryessa stations this year. Adam Brinklow Curbed San Francisco -- 4/10/20
Local Economy
Coronavirus cuts Irvine’s Great Park Neighborhoods’ home sales to zero -- Like many folks in the Southern California housing industry, the prime selling season looked promising to Emile Haddad. As February turned to March, the CEO of Five Point Holdings saw sales contracts at the Great Park Neighborhoods in Irvine running double the usual pace. One week, 24 homes sold. The next, 25. Jonathan Lansner in the Orange County Register -- 4/10/20
Also . . .
Health officials bearish on Trump's drive to reopen economy by May -- President Donald Trump on Friday offered his most optimistic reading yet of U.S. efforts to combat the coronavirus pandemic, even as his top health advisers cautioned that now is not the time to abandon the stringent mitigation measures that have sent the American economy into a tailspin. Quint Forgey Politico -- 4/10/20
Faulty masks. Flawed tests. China’s quality control problem in leading global COVID-19 fight -- The COVID-19 pandemic has ignited a worldwide scramble for medical gear: masks, gowns, ventilators, testing kits, much of it made in China, which is attempting to recast its image as the source of the virus to the leader in the fight against it. But that narrative is threatened by a major problem: quality control. Alice Su in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 4/10/20
Weintraub: Coping during COVID-19: First feeling scared, now embracing it -- Initially, I felt very disjointed, one moment feeling scared and hopeless and the next feeling encouraged that we will get through this. Now, as days and weeks have passed, I’m content with the “new normal” way of life and have found myself, for lack of better words, embracing it. I find comfort in the fact that, for the first time in memory, we are, quite literally, all in this together — our family, our community and the world. Sidney Weintraub in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 4/10/20
Lazarus: Coronavirus has created opportunities for, shall we say, quirky cures -- Some have received due notoriety, such as those made by televangelist Jim Bakker, who is being sued by the state of Missouri for selling a product called Silver Sol Liquid that Bakker claims can diagnose and cure COVID-19. David Lazarus in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 4/10/20
Hiltzik: California might behave as a ‘nation-state.’ But its power has limits -- With its nearly $1-billion deal to acquire 200 million respiratory and surgical masks a month, amid a nationwide shortage of the crucial protective gear for first-line healthcare workers, California has demonstrated what seems to be a unique capability to chart its own course in the coronavirus battle. Michael Hiltzik in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 4/10/20
We can’t shelter in place forever: How the coronavirus lockdown might end -- In California, public health officials said social distancing policies will probably remain in place for months, and they warn that lifting the strict rules too early could worsen the health crisis. They also caution that coronavirus cases are likely to rise when stay-at-home orders are relaxed. Deborah Netburn in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 4/10/20
When can we travel again? Experts share their predictions -- Ask an expert when Americans are going to start hitting the road and flying freely again, and you’ll get a spectrum of answers. The optimists lean toward summer. Others think it will be longer. Mary Forgione, Christopher Reynolds, Catharine Hamm in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 4/10/20
Should we spend billions on clean energy? It worked during the last crisis -- A decade later, as the country enters a pandemic-driven economic downturn that could rival or exceed the Great Recession, the Recovery Act provides a template for how lawmakers might drive further growth in clean energy — particularly nascent industries such as energy storage or electric vehicles. Sammy Roth in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 4/10/20