California Coronavirus Updates: Gov. Newsom Says Deal Is Being Negotiated To Reopen Schools Shortly

Tuesday, February 23

Monday, February 22

Saturday, February 20

5:52 p.m.: California avoids ‘twindemic’ of flu and COVID-19 by following public health guidelines

People staying home, wearing masks in public and keeping a six-foot distance from others has significantly reduced the severity of flu season in California, according to new state data.

Surveillance reports from the California Department of Public Health show there have been no flu outbreaks and just 26 deaths since September, compared to 94 outbreaks and 328 deaths by this time last year, a 92% drop in influenza fatalities.

This has been a national trend, and scientists have noted that other viruses have been quiet while COVID-19 has been raging. Some are worried that humans will lose their immunity to influenza and other common viruses, which will put us in a vulnerable position should more severe seasons return in the future.

Last year in California, 51% of residents got vaccinated for the flu, according to a report from the Kaiser Family Foundation. The California Department of Public Health says it does not track influenza vaccination rates and so can’t provide that number for this year. 

In the fall, physicians urged the public to get vaccinated for the flu, to avoid a ‘twindemic’ that would overwhelm already-strained hospitals with both flu and coronavirus patients.

“So both with COVID and influenza, it was almost unthinkable,” said Dr. Natascha Tuznik, an infectious disease specialist with UC Davis. “But because of, we think, the masking and the social distancing and all of those things, we’ve seen significantly lower influenza rates.”

She says it’s not too late to get a flu vaccine if you haven’t already.

As the COVID-19 vaccine gradually becomes available, health experts say it’s crucial that people continue to wear a mask and wash their hands to prevent transmission of both coronavirus and the flu. 

People who are vaccinated are protected from severe illness due to COVID-19, but may still be capable of passing the virus on to others

11:54 a.m.: California updates state guidance on youth sports

The California Department of Public Health on Friday updated guidelines for youth and recreational adult sports, paving the way for some sports to restart this month.

Under the updated guidance, outdoor high-contact and moderate-contact sports competitions may resume in counties under the red or substantial tier in the state’s reopening system. The purple or widespread tier counties can continue these sports, but with modifications, including testing requirements for certain outdoor high contact sports.

“It will only help enliven the capacity of these kids to feel more engaged, feel more alive to get the social … back to social-emotional, the mental and physical health and resume activities that are much more positive in terms of their life’s choices,” Gov. Gavin Newsom said at a Friday press conference.

In both the purple and red tier counties, the sports can only resume when the county has a case rate at or below 14 per 100,000. Weekly testing will be required for football, rugby, and water polo participants age 13 and over in counties with a case rate between 7 and 14 per 100,000.

Weekly testing — either antigen or PCR — is required for all participants and coaches in these sports, with results needed within 24 hours of competition. This applies to high-contact sports like rugby and others that are likely to be played unmasked, with close face-to-face contact exceeding 15 minutes will require said weekly testing.

Outdoor moderate-contact sports like baseball, cheerleading and softball can be played in these counties without the testing requirement.

11:53 a.m.: Pandemic restaurant closures has lead to overstock in second-hand kitchen equipment

The COVID-19 pandemic has forced tens of thousands of restaurants to permanently shut their doors as dining restrictions keep customers away.

But, according to the Associated Press, these closures have been a boon for commercial auctioneers that buy used equipment and sell them to restaurants that managed to stay afloat. Grafe Auction’s chief marketing and technology officer said his company conducted 289 auctions in 2020, up from 203 in 2019.

August was the most profitable month since the company was founded in 1959. A recent report by the National Restaurant Association shows the pandemic’s devastating impact on the restaurant industry, which last year lost 110,000 business — about 17% of the nation’s total.

11:48 a.m.: Shipment delays may push back Sacramento County vaccine appointments

Vaccine shipment delays due to weather conditions in other parts of the country may push back some pre-scheduled vaccine appointments this week in Sacramento County, according to the county public health department.

In a press release, the department said it is working with health care providers and hospitals to shift doses around to cover as many scheduled appointments as possible.

“Priority will be given to second dose appointments, however shortages may result in a delay in some second dose appointments,” it reads.

Second doses of the vaccine are ideally supposed to be given 28 days after the first one for the Moderna and 21 days after the first for the Pfizer. But the county health department notes that the CDC says you can safely administer the second dose up to six weeks after the first.

“We’re hopeful as soon as the weather clears, we’ll receive our doses,” the release reads. “However, we request patience and understanding as we adapt to changing situations.”

The county says apart from the weather delays, all of those eligible for the vaccine may not be able to get an appointment right now.

“Due to low dose allocations, appointment availability is limited and often filled within minutes of opening,” it says.

5:16 p.m.: In diverse Stockton, people of color still underrepresented in vaccination

People of color in California are still underrepresented among COVID vaccine recipients, even in Stockton, which U.S. News and World Report ranked last year as the most racially diverse city in the country.

But Darryl Rutherford, who heads The Reinvent South Stockton Coalition — a nonprofit group working to uplift one of the city’s poorest neighborhoods — says that diversity doesn’t mean equity. He says his biggest concern is access to vaccinations.

“Are folks still going to have to travel completely over to the other side of the city in order to get to the vaccines?” he said. “So that’s something that we’re going to be working through.”

Data from the state Department of Public Health show Black Californians have received less than 3% of the first available doses of the coronavirus vaccine. That compares to 38% for white people, 16% for Latinos and 13% for Asians.

3:20 p.m. Yosemite National Park sees lowest visitor total in 35 years

The number of visitors to Yosemite National Park last year plunged by almost half. The decrease wasn’t attributed to just the pandemic but rather a series of closures. 

In 2019, Yosemite hosted 4.5 million campers, tourists and day visitors — whereas last year, only 2.3 million visitors roamed the valley, climbed at any of the 750 hiking trails or stood beneath the park’s towering waterfalls. 

This is the lowest attendance that the park has had in 35 years. What turned the flow of visitors to a trickle included smoke from wildfires and the pandemic, which closed the park from March to June. The park is now accepting visitors with a reservation system to keep the number of visitors to half of normal.

“[The reservation system] was successful. People came in, we didn’t have shuttle busses, but they were able to park, get around,” Ranger Scott Gediman said. “People are good about social distancing.”

Gediman said the reservation system will stay in place, and the national park will work with local health officials to keep the public safe.

1:29 p.m.: San Jose gym slapped with $1 million in fines for violating coronavirus health orders

A San Jose gym has closed after racking up nearly $1 million in fines for skirting COVID-19 orders, according to the Associated Press.

On Wednesday, Santa Clara County health officials announced that the owner of California Ripped Fitness had submitted a statement of compliance with public health regulations. The gym had ignored rules against indoor operations for months, defiantly posting window signs saying it was exercising its constitutional rights.

The county said it had received dozens of complaints. The county said it would work with the gym to resolve outstanding fines and warned that more penalties were possible if the gym reopened.

1:23 p.m.: California conference in ‘immunity bubble’ spreads COVID-19 around

XPrize founder Peter Diamandis thought he could hold a conference in an “immunity bubble” in the middle of California’s COVID-19 surge last month but instead created a superspreader event that infected attendees, staff and himself.

According to the Associated Press, Diamandis said he was wrong in a blog post that details the implications of a false sense of security created by negative test results and his conclusion that face masks are effective. 

The pandemic prevented Diamandis from holding the conference in a hotel, so he turned his office into a TV studio with a small audience that wasn’t required to constantly wear masks. The small group that attended all had to take COVID-19 tests within 72 hours of the event and then were tested every morning. 

Doctors were also on-site to support COVID-19 safety. A total of 452 tests were taken over four days, and 451 came back negative. The one positive person was not admitted to the event. However, another member tested positive with an antigen test but then tested negative once they took a PCR test. 

Despite all of the testing and doctors, 21 people developed COVID-19. The production crew that wore their masks the entire time and isolated in a corner had no cases.

1:15 p.m.: How do we know if COVID-19 vaccines are safe? Scientists continue to monitor vaccines

AP Illustration/Peter Hamlin

To check the safety of COVID-19 vaccines, scientists look for issues during the testing phase and continue their monitoring as shots roll out.

According to the Associated Press, so far, the only serious warning to emerge is a rare risk of severe allergic reactions. The U.S. uses Pfizer and Moderna shots, while Britain and Europe have authorized those plus the AstraZeneca vaccine.

Studies found that common side effects were minor and typical of the immune system revving up after any vaccination. However, scientists still have their eyes on the vaccine and continue to monitor it. With more than 52 million doses administered in the U.S., health officials say they haven’t detected a safety problem.

10:39 a.m.: Health experts say to reopening states: be careful with new virus variants

States are starting to ease up on coronavirus restrictions, but health experts say that we don’t know enough yet about the new variants to begin rolling back measures that slow spread.

According to the Associated Press, as more people are vaccinated and the daily number of COVID-19 cases and deaths drop, public health officials are starting to relax on containment strategies. Businesses like restaurants, bars, and retail establishments are slowly reopening, but the country’s genetic surveillance system is still not robust enough to accurately track variants, which means the variants could be spreading clandestinely.

Experts say that continued public health measures like social distancing can help avoid a stronger variant-based virus surge.

10:38 a.m.: US unemployment claims rise to 861,000, layoffs continue

The number of Americans applying for unemployment benefits rose last week to 861,000, according to the Associated Press.

The application benefits rising is a sign of painfully high layoffs, despite a steady drop in the number of confirmed viral infections across the country. Applications from laid-off workers rose 13,000 from the previous week, which was revised sharply higher, the Labor Department said on Thursday.

Before the virus erupted in the U.S. last March, weekly applications for unemployment benefits had never topped 700,000, even during the 2008-2009 Great Recession.

5:58 p.m.: California lawmakers announce $9.6 billion pandemic relief package

Low-income and undocumented Californians can get new $600 stimulus payments from the state under a sweeping $9.6 billion pandemic relief deal announced by state lawmakers and Gov. Gavin Newsom.

The aid package also includes billions of dollars in grants and fee waivers for small businesses, as well as funding for childcare, farmworker housing and food banks.

If approved by the Legislature, the deal includes one-time relief payments to California households earning up to $30,000 annually. Undocumented taxpayers, who did not receive federal stimulus payments, would also qualify if they earn less than $75,000. Low-income undocumented workers can get relief checks of $1,200.

“As we continue to fight the pandemic and recover, I’m grateful for the Legislature’s partnership to provide urgent relief and support for California families and small businesses where it’s needed most,” Newsom said in a statement.

Here’s what’s included in the relief package:

• $3.75 billion for “Golden State Stimulus” payments to an estimated 5.7 million low-income and undocumented Californians
• $2 billion in grants for struggling small businesses
• Fee waivers for hundreds of thousands of bars, restaurants, barbers and cosmetologists
• $400 million for childcare and preschool providers
• $35 million for food and diaper banks
• $24 million for hotel rooms to allow farmworkers living in congregant housing to quarantine
• Lawmakers are expected to vote on the package in the coming weeks.

5:30 p.m.: California health care providers facing pandemic fatigue, study finds 

As the pandemic enters its second year, California’s health care workers are nearing burnout, increasingly skeptical of the system’s ability to vaccinate the public and frustrated by the public response, a new study finds. 

The survey, conducted by the California Healthcare Foundation, talked to 1,200 providers between Jan. 4 and 12, 2021. It’s the second of three looks at how the state’s healthcare providers are coping.  

Half of the 1,200 health care providers surveyed say they are frustrated at their job. More than half  say they are “overworked,” and more than two-thirds are emotionally stressed.

“California’s health care providers are under strain and fed up,” says Kristof Stremikis, director of Market Analysis and Insight at the California Health Care Foundation. “While their confidence in the new vaccines is high, they have become more worried about the public vaccination drive. Too many report that they still lack basic supplies, and we’re seeing rising levels of burnout and exhaustion. And providers are increasingly frustrated with the public for not doing their part to save lives.”

While 85% of the doctors, nurses and other health care providers responding to the new poll say they have either received a vaccine or plan to do so, a growing number say they’re skeptical in the health care system’s ability to vaccinate the community. Only 19% say they are “very” confident that the health care system in their area is prepared to administer the vaccine. That’s down from 33% when providers were asked that question in September. 

Providers continue to report shortages in personal protective equipment. Almost half, 45% , say they reuse PPE, with nearly 40% saying they don’t have enough medical-grade face masks. Some 6 in 10 agree staffing shortages are hammering their ability to respond to the pandemic. 

3:00 p.m.: Resource and advocate groups work to help vaccinate Sacramento’s communities of color

The coronavirus pandemic has disproportionately impacted people of color, but efforts to vaccinate them lag.

In a bid to boost vaccination rates among Sacramento’s communities of color, two local resource groups hosted vaccination sessions over President’s Day weekend. La Familia Counseling Center and Asian Resources Inc., quickly ran out of the 750 doses shared between the two groups at their south Sacramento locations.

Sacramento City Councilman Eric Guerra said it’s time to make more significant changes to vaccination outreach.

“The fact that we’re getting a response rate this quickly shows our education efforts have worked, but we have to move forward with making sure [vaccines] are available,” Guerra said. “We do not want to lose this momentum.”

Guerra and organizers urged state and county health officials and major health care providers to get more vaccine doses to trusted community organizations to continue the push forward with inoculating people of color.

2:57 p.m.: 10 million fake N95 masks seized in the US

Federal agents have seized more than 10 million fake N95 masks in recent weeks.

According to the Associated Press, it’s the result of an ongoing investigation into counterfeits sold in at least five states to hospitals, medical facilities, and government agencies. Officials say the most recent seizures occurred Wednesday when Homeland Security agents intercepted hundreds of thousands of counterfeit 3M masks in an East Coast warehouse that were set to be distributed.

The imitation masks were not tested to see whether they met strict N95 protection standards, possibly putting frontline medical workers at a big risk if used while treating COVID-19 patients.

Investigators also notified about 6,000 potential victims in at least 12 states, including hospitals, medical facilities, and others who may have unknowingly purchased knockoffs, urging them to stop using the medical-grade masks.

11:54 a.m.: Casino industry revenue drops by nearly a third due to coronavirus pandemic

A national casino industry group says the coronavirus pandemic cut U.S. gambling revenue by 31% in 2020, when compared to the year before, according to the Associated Press.

The American Gaming Association’s annual Commercial Gaming Revenue Tracker, released on Wednesday, put the revenue total at $30 billion for 2020 — the lowest since 2003. Association President and CEO Bill Miller noted that hospitality and travel have been among business sectors hardest hit by the pandemic.

In Las Vegas, MGM Resorts International announced Wednesday it will resume round-the-clock hotel operations on March 3 at Mandalay Bay, Park MGM, and The Mirage. The properties had implemented mid-week closures due to decreased business during the pandemic.

11:52 a.m.: US still can’t get N95 masks needed to hospitals

One year into the COVID-19 pandemic, the United States finds itself with many millions of N95 masks pouring out of factories and heading into storage, according to the Associated Press.

Somehow, there still isn’t nearly enough masks going to hospitals in need of them. An Associated Press investigation finds that this logistical breakdown is due to federal failures over the past year in coordinating supply chains.

Internal emails also show there were deliberate decisions to withhold vital information about new mask manufacturers and availability.

Some procurement officers are stuck between choosing to purchase masks from unfamiliar suppliers or federally approved domestic manufacturers, many of whom charge more than international mask makers. Once a mask is selected, then another tricky part begins — every health care worker must be fit-tested before using a new brand.

As quoted by the Associated Press, at Stanford Health Care, workers are back to using one N95 mask per patient, as needed.

Trade data and interviews with manufacturers, hospital associations, and frontline medical workers reveal a deadly disconnect — not an actual shortage — that is depriving doctors, nurses, paramedics, and other workers in contact with COVID-19 of the protection they need to continue working safely.

6:00 p.m.: Some areas of state could soon ease safety restrictions, says Newsom

California Gov. Gavin Newsom says some areas of the state could soon begin easing safety restrictions as new coronavirus cases decline.

Most counties are now in the purple tier, where the virus is considered widespread. But Newsom says that could change as early as next week if the state’s pandemic picture continues to improve. He says 3.5% of COVID-19 tests are coming back positive, down from over 11% last month.

“So if the trendlines continue, then I think that is indeed the case. We’ll see counties move not just from purple to red, but more and more red to orange.”

But Newsom warned that could change if more highly contagious strains of the virus begin to surface.  

The encouraging numbers come as the state is still trying to ramp up its vaccine rollout. Two new mass vaccination sites opened in Oakland and Los Angeles Tuesday, but California officials say short supplies are getting in the way of a widespread inoculation campaign.

According to Newsom, California now administers more than a million doses of the COVID-19 vaccine per week.  Despite a slow ramp-up, he says most counties are now giving the shots out as quickly as they come in.

“We’re building the infrastructure where the only constraint is supply,” Newsom said. “But when the supply is ample, then we’re able to move aggressively and quickly.”

Last week, some vaccine sites — like Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles — temporarily shuttered after running out of doses. 

The good news is the new mass vaccination sites at Cal State Los Angeles and the Oakland Coliseum won’t cut into California’s regular vaccine supply — the doses come directly from the federal government. Newsom says together, the two sites can vaccinate 84,000 Californians per week.

5:53 p.m.: Sacramento County reaches over 90,000 total COVID-19 cases

Sacramento County passed a grim milestone on Tuesday after the county’s health department recorded 90,930 total COVID-19 cases since the start of the pandemic.

Residents aged 20 to 29 make up the largest segment of those infected, followed by those ages 30 to 39. While white residents have gotten the most infections in the county, Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islanders have the highest infection rate and highest death rate when the cases are broken down by ethnicity. As of Tuesday,  1,382 people in the county have died from the coronavirus. 

The city of Sacramento also hit a milestone Tuesday after reporting that 50,367 people have contracted COVID-19 since the start of the pandemic. Cases have been dropping in the county over the past week with an  average of 170 new cases per day, a drop of nearly 60% from two weeks ago.

5:50 p.m.: Yolo County moves frontline workers ahead in COVID-19 vaccine distribution schedule

Yolo County has expanded their coronavirus vaccination efforts to include all frontline workers in the state’s vaccine prioritization plan. 

According to a press release, the county will move into Phase 1b Tier 1, which the state defines as workers in education, childcare, emergency services, and food and agricultural industries. Vaccinations should start Feb. 15. Health care workers and residents 65 and older are still eligible to get their COVID-19 vaccination in the county.

To start, the county will offer a limited number of appointments for frontline workers who live or work in the county, with more vaccine clinics to be announced for next week. Residents who qualify will be able to register for a Feb. 20 vaccine clinic in Woodland online or by calling 211. 

Dignity Health and Yolo County will also partner in specialized clinics to quickly vaccinate teachers and school staff already in the classroom or on campus. Emergency services workers and law enforcement will be included. 

For farmworkers, the county will conduct a pilot vaccine clinic for 200 workers at a farm in Yolo County on Wednesday, Feb. 17. More clinics specifically for farm workers will be scheduled at various worksites after the test run is completed.

At this time, none of the large health care providers in the county are expanding eligibility to frontline workers. This expansion only applies to Yolo County appointments and those offered in partnership with Dignity Health.

5:47 p.m.: Nevada COVID-19 positivity rate drops, state eases more restrictions

Nevada health officials have reported 391 new COVID-19 cases and 11 deaths, according to the Associated Press. 

The latest numbers reported on Monday by the state bring the pandemic totals to 288,739 known cases and 4,720 deaths. Health officials say that Nevada’s two-week positivity rate has been trending down since mid-January and has dropped to 12.8%. 

Nevada began loosening some restrictions on Monday that Gov. Steve Sisolak put in place to stem a winter surge. Restaurants, casino floors, and gyms can now be 35% occupied, religious gatherings can be at 50% capacity, and public gatherings can involve 100 people or 35% capacity, whichever is less.

11:34 a.m.: San Francisco shutters vaccination site due to shortage of doses

San Francisco is the latest California city to temporarily shut down a mass vaccination site due to a lack of supply.

The city put vaccinations on hold for a week at the Moscone Convention Center until supply ramps up. San Francisco joins Los Angeles in having to pause inoculations amid a national shortage, even as new federal-state vaccination sites open, according to the Associated Press.

Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti said that the city will prioritize people needing second shots over those waiting for their first after closing its mass vaccination site at Dodger Stadium last week. At the time, the city only received 16,000 vaccine doses.

The state also unveiled details of a contract with Blue Shield involving a new state vaccination program. The $15 million contract with the health insurer was picked to run California’s new centralized vaccine delivery system to help develop incentive payment criteria for providers and algorithms to allocate vaccines and prioritize appointments.

Blue Shield will also need to manage the provider network so it hits certain benchmarks, such as making sure vaccines are available for 95% of people within a half-hour drive in urban areas and one-hour drive in rural areas.

11:21 a.m.: Los Angeles County gears up to reopen schools soon

Amid falling coronavirus rates, elementary schools in Los Angeles County are expected to be allowed to reopen as early as this week. But the county’s huge Los Angeles Unified School District isn’t expected to reopen immediately.

According to the Associated Press, the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health said in a statement Monday that it expects to announce on Tuesday that the county has reached the state’s threshold for reopening schools.

Health officials say schools wishing to reopen must submit plans to the county and the California Department of Public Health certifying that they have implemented safety measures. However, Los Angeles Unified is still in negotiations with teachers about reopening.

11:30 a.m.: With supply low, San Francisco pauses some vaccine distribution

San Francisco is the latest California city to temporarily shutter a mass vaccination site due to lack of vaccine, joining Los Angeles in pausing inoculations amid a national shortage. 

According to the Associated Press, officials said Sunday that mass vaccinations are on hold at Moscone convention center for one week until supply ramps up. Many cities and counties in California are crying for more vaccines, saying they have the ability to deliver. 

Nearly 6 million doses have been administered throughout California and there are hopes the Biden administration can open up vaccine supplies. On Tuesday, two new mass vaccination sites with doses from the federal government will open in Oakland and East Los Angeles.

11:12 a.m.: New daily COVID-19 cases drop below 100,000 in U.S.

For the first time since November, new average COVID-19 cases in the United States were below 100,000 on Friday, according to NPR and data from Johns Hopkins University.

The seven- day average of new infections dropped below 100,000 on Friday, continuing at that level through Sunday, according to the Johns Hopkins Coronavirus Resource Center. 

The seven- day average of new infections dropped below 100,000 on Friday, continuing at that level through Sunday, according to the Johns Hopkins Coronavirus Resource Center. Researchers reported 83,321 new infections and 3,361 new deaths Sunday.

These figures are well below the average daily infection rate of 200,000 for December and nearly 250,000 in January.

Nevertheless, health experts warned the country has a long way to go before celebrating a turning point in the pandemic.

“We are still at around 1,500 to 3,500 deaths per day. The cases are more than two-and-a-half-fold times what we saw over the summer,” Dr. Rochelle Walensky, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, said on NBC’s Meet the Press. “It’s encouraging to see these trends coming down, but they’re coming down from an extraordinarily high place.”

Read more from NPR here.

3:41 p.m.: Sacramento County to begin vaccinating K-12 educators and childcare workers 

Sacramento County Public Health and its health care partners will start vaccinating educators and child care providers on Feb. 16. 

The undertaking is a collaborative effort between the Sacramento County Office of Education, the 13 local school districts, private school entities, the county’s public health department and health care providers. A press release from the county says vaccinations will ultimately depend on the availability of doses. 

“Vaccinating our educators and childcare providers is an important step in the effort to fight the COVID-19 pandemic and help return our communities back to their normal lives,” Sacramento County Public Health Officer Dr. Olivia Kasirye said. “While the effort will be slow, every person that gets vaccinated is a step in the right direction.”

Who is eligible?

At this time, those employed in Sacramento County who meet at least one of the criteria below are eligible to schedule a vaccination appointment:

• All staff in preschool, elementary, middle, and high schools
• All formal and informal childcare workers, including daycare providers
• Any other workers involved in child and/or student care, including school bus drivers, monitors, crosswalk guards, etc.
• All staff in educational support services and administration

Because of a limited vaccine supply, colleges, universities, post-secondary education facilities, technical and trade schools will have to wait until a yet-to-be-announced future date. 

Appointments will be required, and SCPH will provide appointment portals directly to the eligible groups to assist with appointment scheduling.

More information can be found on the Sacramento County COVID-19 website. 

3:33 p.m.: Yolo County switches to the state’s COVID-19 vaccine availability site

Yolo County is shifting away from its online COVID-19 vaccination interest form to the state’s vaccination notification website, MyTurn. 

MyTurn allows California residents to register for an email or text notification to let them know when they’re eligible for a coronavirus shot. Eventually, the system will also allow eligible residents to book their vaccination appointments all in the same place. Currently, that feature is only available for people living near Los Angeles, San Diego or San Francisco.

Yolo County initially launched their own COVID-19 interest form on Jan. 19, before the MyTurn system was established. According to a county press release, previously registered Yolo County residents will need to register again on MyTurn to get any updates or reminders due to the differences in databases. 

The county stresses that switching to MyTurn will not negatively impact a resident’s ability to get the vaccine.

MyTurn is available in English and Spanish, with six more languages planned for mid-February. Californians without internet access and call 1-(833) 422-4255 to get help in English or Spanish and 254 additional languages through a third-party operator.

Yolo County is currently vaccinating healthcare workers in Phase 1A and those 65 and older in Phase 1B, Tier 1. Appointments can’t be made on MyTurn yet, so eligible residents can contact their health care provider or register at a public county clinic online.

3:25 p.m.: Bill proposal would permanently allow restaurants to sell to-go cocktails

During the pandemic, the state department of Alcoholic Beverage Control temporarily allowed restaurants to sell boozy takeout drinks, and with a new proposal in the Legislature, that could become permanent.

The head of the California Restaurant Associated applauded the bill saying including cocktails with to-go meals has been helpful for many restaurant owners barely hanging on, especially as restaurants across the state have relied on to-go cocktails to bolster their sales, since indoor dining is still closed.

At least 33 other states have also introduced similar temporary rules allowing customers to take alcoholic drinks on the go. If passed, the new law would require customers to purchase food with their boozy beverages.

12:03 p.m.: Trinity County has one of the lowest COVID-19 vaccination rates in the state

The slow pace of COVID-19 vaccinations in California isn’t a problem only in big cities and counties — smaller counties are struggling to keep up with inoculations, too.

Trinity County has a population of just over 12,000, but is administering some of the fewest doses per 100,000 residents in the state. Out of the 58 counties in California, Trinity County ranks 55th in vaccination rates.

The county’s public health branch director Marcie Jo Cudziol said health officials administered about 550 doses at mass vaccination clinics last week.

“When they released the vaccine back in December, there wasn’t a lot of guidance on the infrastructure around getting it out, and so that was very challenging,” Cudziol said.

Prior to the latest inoculation push, they had only administered about 130 doses in total. Cudziol said the state provided access to six vaccinators this week to help the county’s inoculation effort. Those eligible include residents who are 65 or older and younger people with chronic health conditions.

10:29 a.m.: Natomas Unified School District plans to resume in-person learning

A Sacramento-area school district has announced a timeline to return to in-person learning for students in Transitional Kindergarten through 6th grade.

The Natomas Unified School District has reached out to parents, saying it plans to resume classes on Feb. 23. Superintendent Chris Evans says the decision was based on communication from the Sacramento County Public Health Department allowing these specific grades to return to in-person learning.

The department’s ruling was based on improving COVID-19 case rates in the area. Evans also said in the letter that educators might begin getting the vaccine as early as next week. While students may soon be moving back into classrooms, the in-person groups will be smaller — five to seven students on average per day.

A district poll showed 46% of TK through 6th grade parents want their kids back in class.

8:42: a.m.: California death toll passes New York

California has edged past New York in the grim COVID-19 death toll statistic, according to the Associated Press.

Johns Hopkins University data reported Thursday shows California’s death toll has reached 45,496, surpassing New York’s toll of 45,312. The development comes as coronavirus trends are showing improvement in California.

According to data from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention,California ranks 32nd in the highest death rate per capita, with 113 deaths for every 100,000 residents. New Jersey is the highest with 250 deaths per 100,000 people.

State Department of Public Health data shows the most recent seven-day positive test rate has fallen to 4.8%, and the daily number of new positive cases is under 8,400, down from the well over 53,000 in December.

However, California is grappling with vaccine shortages that are devastating efforts to mass inoculate the state’s nearly 40 million residents. 

8:40 a.m.: How scientists track COVID-19 mutations and variants

AP Illustration/Peter Hamlin

Scientists around the world are tracking variants of the coronavirus by scanning virus samples taken from infected people.

According to the Associated Press, the process is called genome sequencing, and lets experts look for recurring changes in the virus’s genetic code over time. Most mutations are meaningless, but scientists are looking for those that might make the virus more infectious or resistant to vaccines.

Countries vary in their genomic surveillance — for example, Britain sequences about 10% of samples from infected people, compared to less than 1% in the U.S. So far, scientists have sequenced nearly half a million genomes of the coronavirus and are primarily concerned about the three variants first identified in the U.K., South Africa and Brazil.

8:39 a.m.: Los Angeles shuts down vaccination sites due to lack of supply

The city of Los Angeles is temporarily closing five mass vaccination sites — including Dodger Stadium — because the city is running out of COVID-19 doses.

Mayor Eric Garcetti said the city will exhaust its supply of Moderna first doses by Thursday, forcing it to close vaccination sites on Friday and Saturday.

Garcetti says L.A. only received 16,000 new doses this week, just 3,000 more than it uses in a typical day. The announcement came amid complaints over a state vaccine distribution system that one Assemblyman on Wednesday termed “nothing short of chaotic.”

6:13 p.m.: California Labor Secretary Julie Su nominated for deputy U.S. secretary of labor

President Joe Biden has nominated California Labor Secretary Julie Su as the deputy U.S. secretary of labor, putting another Californian in a top administration job. 

The announcement is expected to focus a brighter spotlight on California’s ongoing unemployment fraud scandal. The state says it has paid out at least $11 billion in fraudulent benefits and that figure could top $30 billion. Su’s office oversees EDD operations. EDD officials have also been criticized in two reports by the state auditor and there’s a huge backlog of unpaid claims.

Su’s nomination requires Senate confirmation. She would be tasked with helping lead a sprawling department that oversees laws regulating worker standards and pay, workplace safety, family and medical leave and more.

5:17 p.m.: South African COVID-19 variant detected in California

Two cases of the South African variant of the virus, believed to be more easily transmissible and more resistant to antibodies and vaccines, have been reported in California. One is in Alameda County, the other in Santa Clara County. 

Gov. Gavin Newsom made the announcement while at a new mass vaccination site in Fresno. The South African variant is believed to be more easily transmissible and more resistant to antibodies, including those in the vaccines currently in use. It is not, however, believed to be more deadly.

Newsom also says cases and hospitalizations continue to decrease and ICU capacities continue to rise. The governor also noted the state has administered 5 million doses of the COVID-19 vaccine.

“On Friday of last week, we announced 225,000  vaccinations over a 24-hour reporting period. That represented the 4 million mark.  In less than a week, we’ve now reached 5 million,” Newsom said. “It took us seven days to go from about 3 to 4 million.”

The 5 millionth dose was given to an 85-year-old former farmworker in the Central Valley. That comes as advocates for farmworkers say that the group may be left behind in the state’s vaccine rollout.

5:16 p.m.: Confusion over vaccination order causes thousands of appointments to be missed at Dodger Stadium

Thousands of COVID-19 vaccination appointment opportunities went unused at the Dodger Stadium mass inoculation site on Tuesday over vaccination order confusion, according to the Associated Press.

Many didn’t attend since it was unclear if they could receive the first round of shots there. Los Angeles County health officials announced last week that because of short vaccine supplies, people could only receive their second shots at county-run inoculation sites starting Feb. 9. 

Dodger Stadium is among vaccination sites operated by the city of Los Angeles, which is not limiting appointments to second shots only. About 4,800 doses intended for use on Tuesday are now available Wednesday.

5:10 p.m.: US government looking into massive N94 mask counterfeit scam

Federal authorities are investigating a massive counterfeit N95 mask operation in which fake 3M masks were sold in at least five states to hospitals, medical facilities and government agencies.

According to the Associated Press, the foreign-made knockoffs are becoming increasingly difficult to spot and could put health care workers at grave risk for infection. A federal official says these masks are giving first responders” a false sense of security.”

Nearly a year into the pandemic, fraud still remains a significant problem as scammers seek to exploit hospitals and desperate, weary Americans. These schemes deliver phony products, unlike fraud earlier in the pandemic that focused more on fleecing customers.

Officials could not name the states or the company involved in the fraud because of an active investigation.

10:52 a.m.: California looks into whistleblower allegation over COVID-19 testing lab

The California Department of Public Health is investigating whistleblower allegations of mismanagement and incompetence — including reports of workers sleeping on the job — at the state’s new billion-dollar COVID-19 testing laboratory.

According to the Associated Press, internal documents from the PerkinElmer-run lab detailed alleged issues like contamination causing inconclusive tests, swapped samples and inaccurate results sent to patients.

CBS13 TV in Sacramento obtained the records. They interviewed current and former employees who claim to have found COVID-19 test swaps found in restaurants. California’s health department director Tomas Aragon said the state is taking the allegations seriously.

The state contracted PerkinElmer to process up to 150,000 coronavirus tests a day by March at the Santa Clarita-based lab. However, records show that the facility is currently working through less than 20,000 tests a day while being paid a contracted rate of 100,000 tests per day.

10:51 a.m.: A third of US adults skeptical about COVID-19 vaccination

About 1 in 3 American adults say they definitely or probably won’t get the COVID-19 vaccine.

That’s according to a recent poll from the Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research. Experts say this is discouraging news if the U.S. hopes to achieve herd immunity and vanquish the outbreak.

The poll found that while 67% of Americans plan to get vaccinated or have already done so, 15% are certain they won’t, and 17% said probably not. Many expressed doubts over the vaccine’s safety and effectiveness, even though few if any, serious side effects have turned up more than a month and a half into the vaccination drive.

10:50 a.m.: WHO expert group recommends use of AstraZeneca vaccine

Independent experts advising the World Health Organization have recommended the use of AstraZeneca’s vaccine to fight COVID-19, according to the Associated Press.

The group also stressed the vaccine even in countries where especially contagious variants cropped up. Amid the growing doubts about the vaccine’s effectiveness against the potent coronavirus variant from South Africa, the new advice is for healthcare officials worldwide.

However, this isn’t a green light for the U.N. and its partners to ship the vaccine. That approval could come after a separate WHO group meets on Friday and Monday to assess whether an emergency-use listing for the AstraZeneca vaccine is warranted.

6:08 p.m.: California leaders facing pressure to loosen restrictions on youth sports 

Parents and coaches are ramping up pressure on California leaders to loosen restrictions on youth sports, citing concerns over physical and mental health. Some parents also worry their teenagers could be losing out on scholarship opportunities.

Most team sports have been suspended since the onset of the pandemic. At least one unsanctioned basketball tournament in Rocklin [near Sacramento] late last year led to more than 90 confirmed coronavirus cases.

Gov. Gavin Newsom says it’s something his office has been reevaluating.

“We’ve been negotiating the details of that,” Newsom said Tuesday. “Real progress is being made.”

But the governor says youth sports is part of a larger conversation on reopening schools. He plans to release a deal with state lawmakers on schools later this week.

6:00 p.m.: Butte County officials say more Covid testing needed to assess spread of virus 

Butte County Public Health Officials say testing too few residents could prevent the state from loosening the county’s COVID-19 restrictions.

Butte County is currently in the purple, or most restrictive tier, under the state’s reopening system. This means many non-essential businesses are barred from operating indoors. 

One of the metrics the state looks to when determining restrictions is the test positivity rate, or the percentage of positive COVID-19 tests in the county. Butte County Health Officials say if too few residents are tested, it will be difficult for the state to accurately assess how widespread the virus is in the community.  

Officials say more testing is likely to lower the percentage of positive results and that testing too few residents could hinder the ability to loosen restrictions.

1:44 p.m.: Newsom says school reopening discussion continues, despite vaccines supply issues

Gov. Gavin Newsom once again hinted at a deal this week with California lawmakers on a $6.6 billion plan to reopen schools in the state, despite concerns from educators about access to vaccines.

Newsom said Tuesday that he supports a plan to get students, especially kindergarten to second grade, back into in-person classrooms before the end of the school year.

“I am of the firm belief we can safely get back our children — our youngest children — get them back safely to school in small cohorts,” he said Tuesday at the opening of a vaccination center at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara. “We can get this done and we must get it done. If we care about diversity and we care about the values we preach, we have to get our youngest kids back into instruction and back into an environment where their social and emotional needs are  being met.”

Unions representing teachers and other school employees have put out their open plan, calling for the state to offer vaccines to all school employees before they return to work.

But Newsom said that would be unlikely with the state’s limited supply of vaccines. On Tuesday, he said the federal government will be providing around a million doses to California again this week, though only 594,000 earmarked for first doses.

“When you’re receiving less than 600,000 first doses a week, and you start to do the math, if that’s the prerequisite, then we need to be honest with people, and let them know — parents,  millions of us, myself included — that it is very unlikely we’ll be able to accomplish that very idealistic goal before the end of the school year, unless we took them away from the vast majority of others, seniors and our most medically vulnerable,” Newsom said.

New COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations continue to drop throughout the state, though more than 500 Californians a day are still dying from the disease.

1:37 p.m.: Nevada passes spending plan for 2020 federal coronavirus relief money

Nevada lawmakers unanimously passed spending plans for $633 million-worth of federal coronavirus relief funding passed by the former President Trump administration in December.

According to the Associated Press, the appropriations approved this week pertained to already-passed federal funding and will not draw from the general fund that state lawmakers oversee and use to finance state services and projects.

Lawmakers approved $125 million for Nevada’s rental assistance program, $50 million for a relief fund for small businesses, and $477 million for K-12 schools. The provisions apply to the budget year ending in June 2021 and are separate from the Legislature’s planning process for the upcoming two years.

1:36 p.m.: California churches can resume indoor services, singing still banned

California issued new rules for religious gatherings over the weekend following a Supreme Court ruling that struck down a ban on indoor worship services.

Previously churches were required to conduct religious services outside if their county was still in the highest two risk levels, purple and red, in the state’s color-coded tier reopening system. Most areas have been under these restrictions for weeks after the end of the state’s regional stay-at-home order.

While services are allowed back indoors at 25% capacity, singing and chanting are still banned. Many religious organizations cheered the new guidelines. Several Catholic leaders across the state said they would resume services like Mass under limited capacity.

Despite this, the ban on signing continues to be a sticking point. The Pasadena-based church pastor that brought the lawsuit said he will continue to fight the state’s ban on religious singing.

10:13 a.m: California counties turning to zip codes for vaccine outreach

California and other states are trying to ensure they vaccinate people in mostly Black, Latino and working-class communities since they have usually borne the brunt of the coronavirus pandemic.

According to the Associated Press, San Francisco is reserving some vaccines for older adults in the two zip codes hit hardest by the pandemic. Riverside County in Southern California has partnered with an immigrant advocacy group to vaccinate farmworkers.

Nationwide, states are struggling to distribute vaccines equitably even as officials try to define what equity means. Officials are debating what risk factors gets someone towards the front of the line: those in poverty, communities of color, the work they do, or if they have a disability.

10:12 a.m.: Los Angeles County lost nearly half a million jobs in 2020, will lose more in 2021

A report says Los Angeles County lost 437,000 jobs in 2020 and will have 354,000 fewer living-wage jobs this year compared to the pre-pandemic economy, according to the Associated Press.

The recently released report also outlined that more than 738,000 living-wage jobs will need to be created for the entire workforce in a county of 10 million residents to achieve a satisfactory standard of living. The county Department of Workforce Development, Aging and Community Services commissioned the report.

County Board of Supervisors chairwoman Hilda Solis plans to ask the board to pass a motion to implement many of the report’s recommended recovery strategies.

10:08 a.m.: WHO team confirms COVID-19 did not leak from Chinese lab

A team of international and Chinese scientists looking for the origins of COVID-19 says it’s most likely that the coronavirus first appeared in humans after jumping from an animal.

According to the Associated Press, the team also confirmed that the alternate theory that the virus leaked from a Chinese lab was unlikely. This lab leak theory was the one former President Donald Trump and his administration officials had put forward without evidence. The Wuhan Institute of Virology is home to many different viral samples, leading to the allegation that it must have been the outbreak’s source, whether accidentally or on purpose.

One expert said a closely watched visit by the World Health Organization team to Wuhan, China, didn’t dramatically change the current understanding of the pandemic’s early days but did offer more details. The mission was intended to be a first step in understanding the origins of the virus. Scientists have posited the virus passed to humans through a wild animal like a pangolin or a bamboo rat.

The pandemic has now killed more than 2.3 million people worldwide.

5:40 p.m.: San Joaquin County creates vaccine information site

San Joaquin County residents can now sign up to be notified of available COVID-19 vaccine appointments in the county.

Residents can enter their email address or text-enabled phone number on the county’s website here and be alerted when doses are available for their tier. The state is now vaccinating health care workers, people in long-term care facilities, education and childcare workers, emergency services workers, food and agriculture workers, and all people 65 and older.

People without an email address or text-enabled phone can use an email address of a  caregiver, a family member or a friend.

5:38 p.m.: Natomas Unified School District opens COVID-19 vaccination clinic

The Natomas Unified School District will start administering COVID-19 shots to the surrounding community Thursday, Feb. 11.

The vaccination site will follow the state’s tier system for priority groups, meaning people 65 and older, and first responders. Vaccine-eligible people can register online or call (916) 561-5253 on Mondays from 8 to 11 a.m. for assistance. Help will be available in also Spanish, Punjabi, Hindu, Tagalog and Urdu. People calling the phone number may need to leave a message and be contacted later by staff.

Vaccinations will be at the Natomas High School parking lot at 3301 Fong Ranch Road as a drive-through shot site. Appointments are required, and walk-ups will not be admitted. The clinic  will continue on Thursdays moving forward.

5:25 p.m.: Nevada reports nearly 1,000 more COVID-19 deaths

On Saturday, Nevada reported 898 additional known COVID-19 cases and 33 additional deaths. 

According to the Associated Press, this increases the state’s pandemic totals to 283,391 cases and 4,496 deaths. The seven-day rolling averages of daily new cases and daily deaths in the state decreased over the past two weeks, as reported by data from the COVID Tracking Project.

The rolling average of daily new cases dropped from 1,451.7 on Jan. 22 to 887.7 on Friday, with the rolling average of daily deaths dropping from 37.1 to 35 during the same period. The number of infections in Nevada is thought to be far higher.

1:44 p.m.: First Sacramento-region case of UK COVID-19 variant confirmed in Yolo County

The Sacramento region’s first case of the U.K. variant of the coronavirus has been discovered in Yolo County.

UC Davis identified the case of the B.1.1.7 COVID-19 variant, the strain originally identified in the U.K. The variant was found through the university’s free testing program, Health Davis Together.

“Given that the B.1.1.7 variant has already been found in Southern California and the Bay Area, it is not surprising that it has now been detected in Yolo County,” Yolo County Public Health Officer Dr. Aimee Sisson said in a  press release.

Sisson said this infection is a reminder that even though cases may be declining in Yolo County, residents should still continue to wear masks, social distance and avoid indoor gatherings.

The person who tested positive for the variant has already been notified and is in isolation. Contract tracing efforts were started immediately. The unnamed person is an adult and may have caught the mutation through travel outside of their community.

The B.1.1.7 variant was originally identified in September 2020 and has been detected in 33 states, including California, Florida, Nevada, New York and Texas. Researchers from UC San Diego have hypothesized that this particular strain has been spreading rapidly in the U.S. since late November.

11:44 a.m.: Some California churches already open for indoor worship

Some California churches opened their doors to worshippers soon after the state revised its guidelines for places of prayer, according to the Associated Press.

The reopening follows the Supreme Court ruling Friday that lifted a ban on indoor services during the coronavirus pandemic. Gov. Gavin Newsom’s office issued revised guidelines that limit indoor service attendance in areas with widespread or substantial virus spread.

In the most significant legal victory against California’s COVID-19 health orders, the high court said the state couldn’t continue a ban on indoor services, but it can limit attendance to 25% of the building’s capacity and restrict singing inside.

11:42 a.m.: Which COVID-19 test will I need for international travel? Depends on your destination.

AP Illustration/Peter Hamlin

Many countries are stepping up COVID-19-related requirements for incoming travelers. Some plan to ask travelers to show a recent negative COVID-19 test, according to the Associated Press.

The U.S. will accept results from either a standard COVID-19 test or a rapid test, but the tests must have been taken no more than three days before flying into the country. The more sensitive nasal swab can take a day or more to get results, while the rapid tests can get a turnaround time of about 15 to 30 minutes.

Regardless of which test, the U.S. requires electronic or printed proof of the negative result from a medical laboratory — so even though results can be acquired quickly, travelers will likely need to see a health care provider to get proper documentation.

England also will accept either test, but their health authorities require that the tests meet a certain standard for accuracy. European Union officials recently agreed to standardized testing requirements for entry across all 27-nation bloc.

9:25 a.m.: Farmworkers may be overlooked in vaccination drive

In California, older adults, teachers, first responders, and farmworkers are all eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine right now, but with a limited supply of doses, counties have to choose who to prioritize.

Many counties are setting up clinics for older adults, advising them to check in with their doctors about setting up a coronavirus vaccine appointment. However, farmworkers across the state may not even know they are eligible for the vaccine or have a way to access it.

This lack of communication can lead to lower vaccination rates among farmworkers. According to a Stanford University report, even though farmworkers can get a free flu shot at any pharmacy, less than 5% do. But when people go onsite to where the farmworkers are to administer the vaccine, 80 to 85% receive their flu shot.

The Stanford team wants to go onsite to administer COVID-19 shots, but they can’t get their hands on the doses needed. Right now, the state has about 3 million on hand, but there are roughly 11.5 million people currently eligible.

While counties make their own decisions about administering the vaccine supply they get from the state, once older adults and frontline workers are vaccinated, the rollout should go by age group.

California’s coronavirus picture remains much improved, but officials expressed concern that Super Bowl gatherings could erase gains made over the past several weeks.

The California Department of Public Health urged residents not to gather for the big game.

3:27 p.m.: California to revise indoor church guidelines after ruling

California Gov. Gavin Newsom’s office says it will issue revised guidelines for indoor church services after the U.S. Supreme Court lifted the state’s ban on indoor worship during the coronavirus pandemic. 

In the most significant legal victory against California’s COVID-19 health orders, the high court told California it can’t continue with a ban on indoor services during the coronavirus pandemic, but it can limit attendance to 25% of a building’s capacity and restrict singing and chanting inside. 

Newsom’s office said it will continue to enforce the restrictions the high court left in place.

—Associated Press

12:50 p.m.: California can no longer ban indoor church services, rules Supreme Court 

The Supreme Court has ruled that California can no longer continue with a ban on indoor church services in response to the pandemic. However, the state can keep in place restrictions on singing and chanting inside. 

Churches in Chula Vista and Pasadena argued that the state had violated their religious liberty last year when it placed limits on in-person attendance at worship services based on COVID-19 rates. 

The court was split over how much leeway states should be given for restricting church attendance in order to keep COVID-19 at bay. 

Read more here.

2:16 p.m.: San Quentin State Prison faces huge Cal/OSHA fine over COVID-19 outbreak

California workplace safety regulators say they have hit San Quentin State Prison with by far the state’s largest pandemic-related fine against an employer yet.

San Quentin has been rocked by one of the nation’s worst coronavirus outbreaks. According to the Associated Press, the prison now has a more than $400,000 fine levied against it. This new fine is several times higher than any others doled out by the Division of Occupational Safety and Health, commonly known as Cal/OSHA.

The announcement comes days after the state’s inspector general said corrections officials “caused a public health disaster” at San Quentin regarding COVID-19. Cal/OSHA said employees were not given adequate training, equipment or proper medical services.

2:15 p.m.: Nevada fights against COVID-19 vaccine disparity

Nevada Gov. Steve Sisolak has introduced a new initiative aimed at addressing COVID-19 vaccine distribution disparities in Clark County, where Las Vegas is located, according to the Associated Press.

Sisolak said on Friday that the Equity and Fairness Initiative was created to get vaccines to the communities that need them most, including working-class families, low-income households, and people of color.

The governor said he was alarmed at what he called an equity crisis in the U.S.

Nevada is expected to work with Clark County Emergency Management and the Southern Nevada Health District on the initiative. Progress is expected to be reported publicly to the state’s COVID-19 Mitigation Task Force.

2:00 p.m.: US troops to assist with COVID-19 vaccinations

The Pentagon will deploy more than 1,100 troops to five vaccination centers in what will be the first wave of increased military support for the Biden administration’s vaccination campaign.

According to the Associated Press, President Joe Biden has called to set up 100 mass vaccination centers around the country within a month. Two of those five new military teams will go to vaccination centers opening in California.

The two sites in California will both open on Feb. 16. One will be California State University, Los Angeles, and the other in Oakland.

Coronavirus senior adviser Andy Slavitt said military personnel will arrive at those centers in a little over a week. Three additional centers across the country are expected to be announced soon.

10:42 a.m.: Main State Lab Far Short Of Its COVID-19 Testing Goal

California’s newest state lab remains far short of its goal for processing COVID-19 tests.

The lab in Valencia was hailed as a game-changer when it opened in November, and Gov. Gavin Newsom indicated it would turn around 150,000 tests per day by March.

It is processing roughly that number of tests — but weekly, not daily.

“Trying to get a specimen flow into a laboratory can be difficult,” said Rick Greenwood, adjunct professor of public health at UCLA. “The commercial labs, which are testing way more, have set up logistics for years.”

Commercial labs are processing more than 10-times the number of tests handled by the Valencia lab.

“California is on track with its targeted efforts to increase testing access across the state,” wrote Dr. Gil Chavez, co-chair of the state’s testing task force, in an emailed statement. “We will continue to expand testing while ensuring that capacity is available to meet surges in demand due to outbreaks, community-wide COVID-19 increases, or surveillance and screening.”

The California Department of Public Health declined an interview request.

Experts and the state say vaccine distribution will likely impact the demand for testing over time.

10:36 a.m.: Unemployment fraud during pandemic spans almost the entire nation

Unemployment agencies across the country were bombarded with so many claims during the pandemic that many — including California — struggled to distinguish the genuine from the fake.

According to the Associated Press, simple tax forms are now revealing the extent of the identity theft that made state-run unemployment offices lucrative targets for fraud after millions of people lost their jobs during the pandemic.

California isn’t the only state dealing with fraud. In Ohio, the governor and lieutenant governor learned that fraudulent claims had been filed in both their names.

10:35 a.m.: COVID-19 cases drop at nursing homes, long-term care facilities

Coronavirus cases have dropped at nursing homes and long-term care facilities across the country over the past few weeks, according to the Associated Press.

The dip offers a glimmer of hope that health officials attribute to the start of vaccinations, plus an easing of the post-holiday surge and better prevention among other reasons. Statistics show that more than 153,000 residents of the country’s nursing homes and assisted living centers have died of COVID-19, making up 36% of the U.S. pandemic death toll.

While experts say the vaccination rollout may be contributing to the drop in cases, other factors are likely playing a larger role. However, they caution that threats are still looming, including new, more contagious strains of the virus.

3:17 p.m.: Elko County creates private fund to support coronavirus-related business fines

Nevada Gov. Steve Sisolak has criticized Elko County for undermining COVID-19 restrictions after establishing a fund to raise private money to support coronavirus-related business infractions.

According to the Associated Press, on Wednesday, Elko County commissioners unanimously approved the fund and insisted that the fund won’t include any taxpayer money. The Elko Daily Free Press reports county Republican Party Chairman Lee Hoffman told the commissioners he was ready to become the first contributor, pledging $100.

Commission Chairman John Karr said the ultimate goal is to ease the restrictions that set capacity limits, require masks and social distancing.

3:05 p.m.: US coronavirus deaths surpass 450,000, daily deaths still high

Coronavirus deaths in the U.S. have surpassed 450,000, according to the Associated Press.

Daily deaths remain stubbornly high at more than 3,000 new deaths a day, despite falling infections and the arrival of multiple vaccines. Infectious disease specialists expect deaths to start dropping soon, right after cases hit a peak around the beginning of the year.

The new CDC director Dr. Rochelle Walensky says COVID-19 deaths could ebb as early as next week. Still, there’s also the risk that improving infection trends and hospitalizations could be offset by people relaxing and coming together — especially with the Super Bowl happening this Sunday.

On Wednesday, 3,912 COVID-19 deaths were recorded nationwide, down from the pandemic peak of 4,466 deaths on Jan. 12. California has been the biggest driver to the U.S. death toll over the past month, averaging more than 500 deaths per day in recent weeks.

12:06 p.m.: Report shows food establishments most commonly cited place Southern Nevada residents infected with COVID-19

The Southern Nevada Health District has released new data that shows where Clark County residents may have been exposed to the coronavirus, according to the Associated Press.

While the most common exposure site is listed as “other,” the most common specified locations were food establishments with 13,146 potential cumulative exposures with 1,969 possible exposures in the last 30 days.

Next ranked were hotels or motels, which accounted for 12,219 total potential exposures. The following highest potential exposure sites were medical facilities, “work,” grocery stores, casinos, schools and long-term care facilities.

11:48 a.m.: Can I take painkillers before and after getting a COVID-19 vaccine? Probably not.

AP Illustration/Peter Hamlin

It’s best to avoid certain painkillers before and after getting a COVID-19 vaccine, unless you routinely take them for a medical condition, according to the Associated Press.

Although the evidence is limited, some painkillers might curb the very immune system response the vaccine is trying to generate. Symptoms such as arm soreness, fever, headaches and body aches are common after a vaccine and are signs that the body is mounting a defense against the virus.

Medical experts say people should not take painkillers preventively before getting a vaccine unless a doctor has advised them to.

11:47 a.m.: US scrambles to identify coronavirus mutations

Despite its world-class medical system and its vaunted Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the U.S. fell behind in the race to detect dangerous coronavirus mutations.

According to the Associated Press, the nation is only now beginning to catch up. The problem hasn’t been a shortage of technology or expertise, but rather an absence of national leadership and coordination.

Scientists say all of that, plus a lack of funding and supplies for overburdened laboratories trying to juggle diagnostic testing with the hunt for mutations.

5:25 p.m.: California opening two new COVID-19 vaccination center

California is joining with the federal government to open two new vaccination centers as test areas for President Joe Biden’s effort to create 100 mass vaccination sites nationwide in 100 days. 

Gov. Gavin Newsom made the announcementWednesday in front of the Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum, one of the two sites. Newsom says the program will be jointly run with FEMA.

“We’ll be working with the county and local officials, hiring local individuals from the community creating jobs for community members to distribute what we hope is a minimum of 6,000 doses a day hoping to build from that moving forward,” Newsom said.

The other test site is at California State University, Los Angeles. 

Wednesday’s announcement comes as California’s most deadly pandemic surge eases but as the state struggles with vaccine shortages. Newsom promoted the new sites as part of the larger effort to target communities that might otherwise be left behind.

5:20 p.m.: Five more UK variant COVID-19 cases reported in Las Vegas

Health officials in Las Vegas say five more residents have contracted the more contagious coronavirus variant first identified in the United Kingdom, according to the Associated Press.

On Tuesday, the Nevada Health District said that all five people had close contact with the person whose first-in-the-state case was reported on Jan. 25. State health officials have identified the first case, a woman in her 30s with no travel history and reportedly limited contact with people outside her household. 

The UK variant is part of the emerging group of highly contagious mutations evolving around the globe. New variants were also recently first identified in South Africa and Brazil. 

Researchers are looking into whether these mutations are resistant to vaccines.

5:10 p.m.: Yolo County expands vaccine eligibility to all residents 65 and older

Yolo County has opened its vaccine clinics this week to all county residents 65 and older, regardless of medical insurance.

Pop-up clinics will be held from Feb. 3 to Feb. 6 and located in Esparto, Knights Landing, Woodland and West Sacramento. The county said it’s focusing on getting all of their vaccines out effectively and efficiently while trying to focus on residents who are at the highest risk of serious complications or death from the virus.

Here is the county’s vaccine eligibility requirements:

• 65 or older
• Yolo County resident or a Yolo County health care worker that has not been vaccinated yet

Residents that meet these requirements can sign up at the following clinics:

For residents who can’t access these sites, need assistance, or are homebound and require an in-home vaccine, the county suggests calling 211 or toll-free at (855) 866-1783 for assistance. For more information about Yolo County’s COVID-19 vaccination plan, residents can visit the county’s website.

San Francisco has taken a dramatic step in its effort to get kids back into public schools, according to the Associated Press.

The city has sued its own school district to try and force classrooms to reopen amid the coronavirus pandemic. This lawsuit is the first of its kind in California, and possibly the country, as school systems come under increasing pressure from parents and politicians to end online learning.

On Wednesday, the city sued the San Francisco Board of Education and the San Francisco Unified School District with the support of Mayor London Breed and City Attorney Dennis Herrera.

Teachers unions in many large school districts, including San Francisco, say they won’t return to classrooms until they are vaccinated.

10:54 a.m.: Study finds that COVID-19 vaccine may reduce transmission

A new study may help answer one of the biggest open questions in suppressing the coronavirus outbreak: Can vaccines reduce transmission in addition to preventing serious illness? It seems so.

According to the Associated Press, Oxford University researchers say that AstraZeneca’s COVID-19 vaccine does more than just protect people from falling seriously ill. It also appears to reduce viral transmission.

The study released on Wednesday also suggested that a single dose of the AstraZeneca formula provides a high level of protection for 12 weeks. Up until now, the recommended time between doses in the U.S. has been four weeks.

6:10 p.m.: California continues to adjust vaccine rollout amidst confusion

California’s vaccine rollout has caused confusion as the state continues to adjust who’s next in line for the shot. 

Right now, people over 65 are eligible for the vaccine, as are food and agricultural workers, educators, and law enforcement. The question of who’s next in line is where it gets tricky.

It was going to be transportation and manufacturing employees, and people who work in homeless shelters, jails and prisons. Then people under 65 with medical conditions, and workers in communications, defense and financial services.

But those categories are all scrapped, according to the state health department. The state’s going to make people eligible by age only. They have not announced which age group will follow people 65 and older, and the old priority list is still on their website.

Find more information about California’s vaccine rollout here.

5:35 p.m.: California hospitalization rates are going down

There are some encouraging trends in California’s battle with the coronavirus. 

Three key measurements — infections, hospitalizations and ICU admissions — have all been trending down for the past two weeks. 

But Health and Human Services Secretary Dr. Mark Ghaly warns infection rates are still almost three times higher than they were in the fall. He says new variants of the virus, as well as any relaxation in safety measures could prompt a rebound.

“COVID is still abound in our communities,” Ghaly said. ” We’ve gotta keep our guard up. How likely is it that we’ll see another surge? I think again it comes back to the behaviors and our own sense of personal choice and personal responsibility on this.” 

Ghaly says Californians are now being vaccinated at three times the rate they were a month ago, with 3.5 million Californians having had at least the first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine.

“We cannot wait long to vaccinate communities that have been disproportionately impacted by COVID, those communities that may have historically higher hesitancy to vaccines and health care services,” Ghaly said. “Where access is not as robust as it is in other parts of our state.”

Two counties — Trinity and Alpine — moved from the red to the orange reopening tier today, signaling a relaxing of restrictions. Fifty-four of California’s 58 counties are still in the most restrictive purple tier.

5:20 p.m.: Nevada lawmakers open legislative session amid pandemic

Nevada lawmakers are stressing bipartisanship in the opening days of the legislative session ahead of what are expected to be tense policy discussions about pandemic restrictions, taxes and budget cuts. 

Lawmakers kicked off their four-month legislative session on Monday with swearing-in ceremonies scaled back to prevent the spread of the coronavirus, according to the Associated Press. 

While the legislative building is usually crowded with staff, lobbyists and lawmakers’ families for opening day festivities, it was pretty empty this time around due to virus-related restrictions. Unlike the special sessions held last summer, the Legislature is offering those permitted in the building rapid tests, hoping to prevent an outbreak that could slow proceedings.

5:15 p.m.: Coronavirus vaccines heading to pharmacies as soon as next week

President Joe Biden’s administration is moving forward to expand access to COVID-19 vaccines, freeing up more doses for states, and has plans to start distributing them to retail pharmacies next week.

According to the Associated Press, this latest push comes as there is a new urgency to speed vaccinations to help stem the spread of severe strains of the virus, with more than 445,000 deaths already in the United States.

Starting next week, 1 million doses will soon be distributed to some 6,500 pharmacies across the county. States and territories can also expect a boost of weekly vaccine allocations sent directly to them in the coming weeks.

More pharmacies are expected to get more vaccinations as soon as drug makers increase production. The original goal was to distribute vaccines through more than 40,000 pharmacies nationwide, but the campaign got off to a slow start because some states lack their own infrastructure for mass vaccination. State of local guidelines will dictate whether or not someone can be vaccinated at a local pharmacy.

11:08 a.m.: Gov. Newsom and teacher unions clash over reopening schools

An effort to reopen schools in California is foundering, stoking the frustration of parents and Gov. Gavin Newsom, according to the Associated Press.

As the first anniversary of distance learning approaches, parents are grappling with the toll of isolation and intense screen time on their kids’ academic and emotional well-being. A $2 billion plan by Newsom to reopen schools next month has not been well received, and the Legislature shows no sign of fast-tracking its approval.

Meanwhile, a growing body of evidence — including a new report by researchers with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention — shows few outbreaks linked to schools where safety measures such as mask-wearing are enforced. 

The state’s teacher unions and biggest school districts say the current state plan is unworkable, raising questions about whether K-12 schools will open at all this academic year.

11:07 a.m.: Nevada health officials say January was deadliest month for COVID-19 deaths

Nevada recorded its deadliest month of coronavirus pandemic in January after reporting eight additional coronavirus deaths over the weekend, according to the Associated Press.

On Monday, the Las Vegas Review-Journal reported that the additional deaths on Sunday boosted the statewide death toll to 1,132 — more than a quarter of the 4,278 deaths in the state since the pandemic began.

The state surpassed the previous monthly record of 982 deaths set in December. Health officials also reported 838 newly confirmed COVID-19 cases. University of Nevada, Las Vegas epidemiologist Brian Labus said the new current figures are a lagging indicator because people who died in January were mostly infected between the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays.

11:06 a.m.: Does wearing two masks offer more protection? Yes, but isn’t always needed.

AP Illustration/Peter Hamlin

Health experts recommend a single cloth mask with multiple layers, but doubling up on masks could offer added protection in certain situations.

According to the Associated Press, the CDC recommends wearing a cloth mask made with two or more layers and ensuring it covers your nose and mouth. However, somebody might want the extra protection if they are caring for a sick household member or in public for a long time, like on a plane.

In situations like these, wearing a cloth mask and a surgical mask could have a similar effect to an N95 mask. The order of mask usage doesn’t matter much. If somebody is looking for “maximum” protection without an N95, then a person can double up on cloth masks with a filter material in one.

6:50 p.m.: California inspector general report slams prisons for COVID-19 outbreak

A report by California’s inspector general says misguided attempts to protect inmates from the coronavirus at one prison “caused a public health disaster” at another. 

Outdated tests failed to detect that some of the transferred inmates were already infected, and two of them later died. Corrections officials reiterated Monday that they had the best intentions. 

The report says the transfer of those inmates from the California Institution for Men east of Los Angeles to San Quentin State Prison north of San Francisco at the end of May led to the deaths of 28 inmates and a correctional officer there, while infecting 75% of inmates.

6:45 p.m.: U.S. makes deal to provide 15-minute at-home COVID-19 tests

The Biden administration has struck a $231.8 million deal with an Australian company to increase the availability of the first at-home 15-minute test for the coronavirus. 

The FDA gave emergency authorization to the test, made by Ellume, after it showed 96% accuracy in a U.S. clinical study.

Ellume says its contract, with the U.S. Defense Department, will help fund construction of the company’s first manufacturing plant in the U.S. The plant will produce more than 500,000 tests per day when it is completed, says Ellume.

Read more here. 

11:58 a.m.: Community clinics worry Sacramento County may miss vulnerable communities in vaccine rollout

Sacramento County is starting to roll out COVID-19 vaccines to seniors, but some community groups are worried that marginalized people are being left out of the equation.

Currently, the county plans to vaccinate people through a drive-through site at Cal Expo once doses are available, but this won’t be an option for people without personal vehicles.

Community clinics say they want to provide vaccines for people who are unhoused, uninsured, or otherwise hard to reach, but the county hasn’t created walk-up vaccine sites in diverse, low-income neighborhoods like for COVID-19 testing.

The county has said that they’re working with more than a dozen community-based organizations on vaccine logistics, including purchasing two trucks and two trailers that can be taken to underserved communities for pop-up vaccines.

Only people over 65 and certain frontline workers are eligible for the vaccine right now. The county is not currently giving priority to Black and brown Californians hit hardest by the virus.

11:34 a.m.: Nursing home staff across the country are declining COVID-19 vaccines on first offer

Only a little more than a third of nursing home workers have been getting their COVID-19 shots when they are first offered.

According to the Associated Press, that report comes from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. It’s a national accounting of a problem that’s been only noted anecdotally until recently.

The CDC looked at more than 11,000 nursing homes and skilled nursing facilities that had at least one vaccination clinic between the middle of December and the middle of January. A CDC expert says more staffers to choose to get vaccinating once a second or third pop-up clinic is held at a nursing home.

11:33 a.m.: WHO research team visits Hubei disease control centers

A World Health Organization team investigating the origins of the coronavirus pandemic has visited two disease control centers located in the province where the outbreak first emerged, according to the Associated Press.

The investigative team arrived in Wuhan, the Hubei provincial capital, last month to start looking for clues. After finally being released from a mandatory quarantine, the team has visited hospitals and a seafood market where early cases were detected.

On Monday, the team visited the Hubei Provincial Center for Disease Control and its Wuhan city office, amid tight Chinese controls on access to information about the virus. China has sought to avoid blame for alleged missteps in its early response to the future global outbreak while promoting some theories that the virus originated somewhere else.