83 New Coronavirus Cases Reported in San Bernardino County – San Bernardino Sun

10/20/2020 83 new coronavirus cases reported in San Bernardino County – San Bernardino Sun

LOCAL NEWS •• News 83 new coronavirus cases reported in San Bernardino County

By JEFF HORSEMAN || [email protected]@scng.com || TheThe Press-Press- Enterprise PUBLISHED: October 19, 2020 at 12:39 p.m. || UPDATED:UPDATED: October 20, 2020 at 8:29 a.m.

ThisThis criticalcritical coveragecoverage isis beingbeing providedprovided freefree toto allall readers. Support reporting like this with a subscription to The Sun. Special Offer: 99¢ for the first 3 months.

Support local journalism

San Bernardino County public health officials added 83 new coronavirus casescases and no new COVID-19 deaths in their Monday, Oct. 19 update.

Also Monday, the countyʼs coronavirus hospitalizations as of Sunday, Oct. 18, fellfell backback toto 181181 after rising 40% to 265 on Saturday, Oct. 17.. CountyCounty spokesmanspokesman David Wert said the bump was due to one hospitalʼs reporting error. State Department of Public Health officials referred questions about the matter to thethe county.county.

Here are the latest numbers, according to county and state public health officials.

https://www.sbsun.com/2020/10/19/83-new-coronavirus-cases-reported-in-san-bernardino-county/ 1/4 10/20/2020 83 new coronavirus cases reported in San Bernardino County – San Bernardino Sun San Bernardino County

Confirmed cases: 59,77959,779 total,total, upup 8383 fromfrom Sunday,Sunday, Oct.Oct. 18,18, averagingaveraging 236236 reported per day in the past week

Deaths: 1,0211,021 total,total, nono changechange fromfrom Sunday,Sunday, averagingaveraging 5.05.0 reportedreported perper dayday inin thethe pastpast weekweek

Hospital survey: 181181 confirmedconfirmed andand 4747 suspectedsuspected patientspatients hospitalizedhospitalized Sunday,Sunday, includingincluding 4141 confirmedconfirmed andand ninenine suspectedsuspected patientspatients inin thethe ICU,ICU, withwith 2525 ofof 2525 facilitiesfacilities reporting.reporting. TheThe numbernumber ofof confirmedconfirmed patientspatients isis downdown 1.1%1.1% fromfrom aa week earlier.

People tested: 729,912729,912 total,total, upup 8,1808,180 fromfrom Sunday,Sunday, averagingaveraging 5,6085,608 reportedreported per day in the past week

Resolved cases (estimate): 57,17257,172 total,total, upup 238238 fromfrom Sunday,Sunday, averagingaveraging 260260 perper day in the past week

Reopening plan tier:tier: PurplePurple (widespread(widespread riskrisk level,level, manymany non-essentialnon-essential indoorindoor business operations are closed) based on these metrics as of Tuesday, Oct. 13 :

New cases per day per 100,000 residents: 9.6 Case rate adjusted for testing volume: 10.3 Test positivity rate: 6.5% (8.7% in socioeconomically challenged neighborhoods) Whatʼs next: San Bernardino County is not meeting the criteria to move to a less-restrictive tier. When it has met them for two consecutive weeks, it can advance. The state updates numbers and tiers on Tuesdays.

To see a map and list of cases, deaths and per-capita rates by community, click here..

Here is a look at how the countyʼs numbers have changed each day:

Newsroom Guidelines News Tips Contact Us Report an Error

https://www.sbsun.com/2020/10/19/83-new-coronavirus-cases-reported-in-san-bernardino-county/ 2/4 10/19/2020 Younger residents continue driving LA County COVID cases, gatherings remain trouble

Watch Live

Younger residents continue driving LA County COVID cases, gatherings remain trouble

Published 1 min ago | Coronavirus in SoCal | City News Service

LOS ANGELES - Pointing again to younger residents as driving forces behind coronavirus case numbers, Los Angeles County's public health director warned Monday that large and small gatherings are a continued major source of COVID-19 transmission.

And with the Thanksgiving holiday and cooler weather on the horizon, Barbara Ferrer warned that indoor get-togethers present an even higher risk of transmission that will continue to push case numbers higher and prolong economic shutdowns.

Ad Content by Taboola |

https://www.foxla.com/news/younger-residents-continue-driving-la-county-covid-cases-gatherings-remain-trouble 1/5 10/19/2020 Younger residents continue driving LA County COVID cases, gatherings remain trouble Ferrer noted that people between 18 and 49 now account for 58% of all new COVID-19 cases in the county.

RELATED: Stay up to date on all coronavirus-related information

The 12-50 age group represents 68% of all new cases.

Ferrer also noted increasing percentages among younger people hospitalized due to the virus.

She said in mid-May, people aged 18-29 represented 5% of hospitalized virus patients, but now, "that's doubled to about 10% of all hospitalizations."

"As you can see, people of all ages are at risk of being infected with COVID-19, and it's our younger groups that are keeping our case counts high," Ferrer said.

"But we also see that people of all ages can, unfortunately, become tragically ill and some people will pass away.

Get your top stories delivered daily! Sign up for FOX 11’s Fast 5 newsletter. And, get breaking news alerts in the FOX 11 News app. Download for iOS or Android.

So it's important that people of all ages understand and use every tool we have to protect themselves and each other from the transmission of this virus."

Ferrer pointed specically to gatherings -- ranging from small get-togethers with friends to family celebrations to large-scale protest and sports victory celebrations -- as a major contributor to the virus' continued spread.

https://www.foxla.com/news/younger-residents-continue-driving-la-county-covid-cases-gatherings-remain-trouble 2/5 10/19/2020 Younger residents continue driving LA County COVID cases, gatherings remain trouble "I also think there's a false sense of security we have when we're with people we know," she said. "You saw that at the White House. I think you see it in your own lives -- `These are people I know; I trust they're not doing anything stupid; We don't have to keep our masks on, even if we're handing out together; This is all going to be OK because we're all healthy people.' And time and time and time again that is not accurate and oftentimes has devastating consequences when some people get sick and some of those people end up having to be hospitalized."

Los Angeles County recently updated its local health order actually authorizing small gatherings of up to three households, a stark change from earlier recommendations that people gather only with people in their own households.

Health ocials have stressed, however, that the new guidance is not an encouragement to hold such gatherings, but an eort to impose health protocols on them, since authorities know they've been happening regardless of the warnings.

"They're pretty prescribed -- they need to be outside; everyone needs to be wearing a face-covering; people need to be six feet apart," Ferrer said.

"And that's just because we cannot aord to have more cases here in L.A. County."

That concern will grow as fall approaches, bringing with it the Thanksgiving holiday. Ferrer said holiday gatherings can reasonably be held outside with up to three households if all the required protocols are met. But if cooler weather prevails and forces celebrations indoors, they need to be limited to just one household.

https://www.foxla.com/news/younger-residents-continue-driving-la-county-covid-cases-gatherings-remain-trouble 3/5 10/19/2020 Younger residents continue driving LA County COVID cases, gatherings remain trouble "We're increasingly becoming aware of how much easier it is to transmit this virus indoors, particularly in a setting like Thanksgiving where people are going to spend a lot of time eating and drinking, which means you're not going to necessarily keep that face-covering on yourself and your guests won't be able to do that," Ferrer said.

The county on Monday announced one additional coronavirus-related fatality, lifting the cumulative total since the start of the pandemic to 6,877.

The county also announced 923 new conrmed cases, noting that the numbers are traditionally lower early in the week due to reporting lags from the weekend.

The county in recent days has also reported glitches in the state's case- reporting system, contributing to articially low case numbers.

The new cases announced Monday lifted the county's overall total from throughout the pandemic to 289,366.

There were 722 people hospitalized in the county as of Monday due to the virus, down from 752 on Sunday.

Ad Content by Taboola |

https://www.foxla.com/news/younger-residents-continue-driving-la-county-covid-cases-gatherings-remain-trouble 4/5 10/20/2020 LAUSD Superintendent Beutner questions L.A. County’s coronavirus priorities – Daily News

NEWS •• News LAUSD Superintendent Beutner questions L.A. County’s coronavirus priorities IfIf openingopening casinocasino cardroomscardrooms andand otherother businesses are keeping schools from reopening, Austin Beutner said he has a problem with that

LAUSD Superintendent Austin Beutner (Photo(Photo byby BrittanyBrittany Murray,Murray, Press-Press- Telegram/SCNG)

By DAVID ROSENFELD || [email protected] || TheThe DailyDaily BreezeBreeze PUBLISHED: October 19, 2020 at 5:28 p.m. || UPDATED:UPDATED: October 20, 2020 at 7:22 a.m.

https://www.dailynews.com/2020/10/19/lausd-superintendent-beutner-questions-l-a-countys-coronavirus-priorities/ 1/6 10/20/2020 LAUSD Superintendent Beutner questions L.A. County’s coronavirus priorities – Daily News Los Angeles Unified School District Superintendent Austin Beutner called into question Monday, Oct. 19, the priorities of the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health and the Board of Supervisors in choosing to allow certain business sectors to reopen before the vast majority of schools.

As schools largely remain closed, the department allowed a series of openings inin recentrecent weeksweeks includingincluding atat outdooroutdoor casinocasino cardrooms,cardrooms, breweriesbreweries andand parksparks asas well as indoor malls and nail salons in accordance with state guidelines while thethe countycounty waswas stillstill underunder thethe mostmost restrictiverestrictive TierTier 11 category.category.

At the same time, the county is struggling to bring down its coronavirus case rates, which is preventing it from advancing to Tier 2 and allowing schools to furtherfurther reopen.reopen.

“Here in Los Angeles, it would be helpful to know more about how the virus is being spread,” Beutner said during his weekly address on Monday. “Elected officials at all levels are under lots of pressure to ʻreopen the economy.ʼ As card rooms, indoor malls and other venues where groups of people can gather are allowed to reopen, one starts to question priorities. If these can open without causing an increase in the spread of the virus, that makes sense. But if these openings are tied to increased cases and that increase in cases is keeping schools closed, Iʼve a problem with that.”

Attempting to answer the question Monday, Los Angeles Department of Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer defended the choices made so far, saying the toptop prioritypriority forfor publicpublic officialsofficials hashas alwaysalways beenbeen safetysafety asas thethe countycounty rampedramped upup thethe reopeningreopening ofof certaincertain schoolschool campusescampuses forfor variousvarious students.students.

The county has already allowed schools to reopen for a limited number of students with special needs. As of last week, 837 schools did so, teaching a combined 17,000 students with 11,000 staff members reporting to campuses currently, 72% of them public schools.

“Every one of those schools gets a site visit and a call from specialists working every day with schools,” Ferrer said. “That includes outbreak management plans… There are positive cases that have occurred at some schools that have reopened. Our team has been there to make sure positive cases donʼt turn into huge outbreaks.”

The county also began last week a process for schools to apply for kindergarten throughthrough secondsecond gradegrade waivers,waivers, butbut theythey willwill bebe limitedlimited toto justjust 3030 high-needhigh-need schools per week in L.A. County, a number Beutner found insufficient considering LAUSD has 439 elementary schools and the county in total has 1,297 grade schools. https://www.dailynews.com/2020/10/19/lausd-superintendent-beutner-questions-l-a-countys-coronavirus-priorities/ 2/6 10/20/2020 LAUSD Superintendent Beutner questions L.A. County’s coronavirus priorities – Daily News “Are similar restrictions in place for card rooms and malls?” Beutner asked.

The LAUSD Superintendentʼs comments, perhaps the most powerful voice on education in the county, were echoed by Palos Verdes Peninsula Unified School District Superintendent Alex Cherniss who has been an outspoken critic of the public health department before.

Cherniss said the countyʼs prioritization method based on schools with the highest percentage of students receiving free or reduced cost meals did not make sense. It should be based instead, he said, on transmission data by community.

“Hundreds of thousands of students are in crisis,” Cherniss said. “Schools in regions of Los Angeles County with the lowest COVID positivity rates should be permitted to reopen. This should be the primary metric to consider reopening our schools. The countyʼs method of prioritizing waiver reopening based on freefree andand reducedreduced mealsmeals andand notnot onon positivitypositivity ratesrates allowsallows forfor schoolsschools inin COVIDCOVID hot spots to reopen and prohibits schools with very limited positivity rates to remain closed.”

Throughout the pandemic, public health officials have repeatedly said that decisions to open or close business sectors would be led by science and evidence. But pressed repeatedly for examples where infections had taken place at, for example, a restaurant, church or gym, officials have been unable toto provideprovide manymany specifics.specifics.

“We all need to better understand how these choices are being made,” Beutner said.

Ferrer shed more light Monday on data provided by the thousands of interviewsinterviews completedcompleted byby countycounty employeesemployees throughthrough contactcontact tracing.tracing. WhileWhile roughly a third of all cases and contacts are refusing to provide information or not returning calls, more than 13,000 people who tested positive for the virus were interviewed between Sept. 24 and Oct. 14.

Slightly more than half were in contact with at least one other person, Ferrer said. The vast majority of contacts were in a personʼs household. More than 700 were in social settings and 200 at workplaces.

More than half (55%) of those who answered that they knew of a possible exposure had attended an event or gathering where two or more people got sick with 17% at place of worship. More than 3,000 people spent time at a retail setting such as a grocery store, and 1,400 were at outdoor spaces, Ferrer said.

https://www.dailynews.com/2020/10/19/lausd-superintendent-beutner-questions-l-a-countys-coronavirus-priorities/ 3/6 10/20/2020 LAUSD Superintendent Beutner questions L.A. County’s coronavirus priorities – Daily News Still, Ferrer said, it was extremely difficult to say exactly where people contracted the virus.

“Weʼre still struggling around gatherings,” Ferrer said. “There are still people who donʼt feel like they need to take precautions for themselves. Most of the precautions are for other people. I also think thereʼs a false sense of security when we are with people we know.”

Both the county and the state continued to see low numbers of hospitalizations as of Monday despite prediction in September that hospitals would see up to 89% more patients andand intensiveintensive carecare unitsunits couldcould bebe overrun.overrun.

“We project out with the best models that we have,” said California Health and Human Services Secretary Dr. Mark Ghaly on Monday. “Weʼre seeing a lot of movement in the numbers across the nation and globe. We are holding our course in California and hoping it keeps us on this strong and steady path.”

The number of patients in the hospital statewide who tested positive for COVID-19 was at 2,241, the lowest since April. In L.A. County there were 722 people reportedly hospitalized as of Monday.

The low number of hospitalizations belied another metric that is holding the county back, which is case rates.

Ten counties, including Los Angeles, currently remain in the stateʼs most restrictive tier with more than seven cases per 100,000 people per day. L.A. County on Monday reported 923 new cases and one associated death, although lowerlower numbersnumbers areare oftenoften reportedreported onon MondaysMondays becausebecause ofof scaled-backscaled-back weekend record-keeping. A total of 6,877 people have died in L.A. County related to the coronavirus and a total of 289,366 people have tested positive.

Almost 2.9 million people in L.A. County have now been tested for the virus.

Mondayʼs totals did not include updated figures from Long Beach and Pasadena, which operate their own health departments. Two new cases pushed Pasadenaʼs total to 2,693; its death toll remained at 129. Long Beach posted a new fatality Monday, bringing the cityʼs death toll to 255; 118 more coronavirus cases lifted the cityʼs total to 12,665.

Sign up forfor TheThe Localist,Localist, ourour dailydaily emailemail newsletternewsletter withwith handpickedhandpicked storiesstories relevant to where you live. Subscribe here..

https://www.dailynews.com/2020/10/19/lausd-superintendent-beutner-questions-l-a-countys-coronavirus-priorities/ 4/6 10/20/2020 Sacramento Could Avoid Another Coronavirus Wave, Health Director Says, But Cautions Against Private Gatherings - capradio.org

We Get Support From:

Become a Supporter

Sacramento Could Avoid Another Coronavirus Wave, Health Director Says, But Cautions Against Private Gatherings  Chris Hagan Monday, October 19, 2020 | Sacramento, CA

   

 LISTEN 12:11

Sacramento County Health Director Dr. Peter Beilenson addresses reporters about coronavirus at the Sacramento County administration building on Sunday, March 8, 2020.

Andrew Nixon / CapRadio

https://www.capradio.org/157871 1/6 10/20/2020 Sacramento Could Avoid Another Coronavirus Wave, Health Director Says, But Cautions Against Private Gatherings - capradio.org

Sacramento County Health Director Peter Beilenson told CapRadio's Insight he thinks the county could avoid another coronavirus wave, but still cautions residents to avoid private gatherings as the fall and winter holidays approach.

"Sacramento obviously can be outdoors much more of the year than, let's say, Baltimore or New York," Beilenson said. "The virus is more easily spread in cold weather because people are indoors. We may not have as significant a second wave as would be expected, potentially.

Sacramento County's general COVID-19 outlook has been improving over the past few months, Beilenson said.

"We were at about 250 to 300 cases per day two months ago," he said. "We're now down to 45 to 90 cases per day, which is really important because we now have enough contact tracers that they can take care, they can trace every single case that comes up."

Schools Look At Reopening Plans

Under the state's reopening guidelines, Sacramento County has been in the red (substantial) tier for two weeks, which means all schools can choose to reopen. While many private schools have done, most public schools are still planning.

"For example, at the public schools at 13 jurisdictions, we're testing all public school staff, teachers, staff, administrative folks, etc. every two weeks and then the kids will be tested as needed," Beilenson said.

Schools that are reopening are looking at hybrid models, where students alternate days that they attend in person, to limit potential spread of the virus.

"So the cohorts are small enough that should anyone come down with that virus … we don't have to close an entire school down," Beilenson said. "We can just quarantine those kids for a couple of weeks."

Beilenson said that while children are less likely to have long-term consequences of the virus, they are still able to spread it to parents and grandparents, especially if they are without symptoms.

Will Sacramento Avoid Another Wave?

With fall and winter holidays approaching, California recently released guidelines restricting private gatherings to no more than three families outdoors for less than two hours.

https://www.capradio.org/157871 2/6 10/20/2020 Sacramento Could Avoid Another Coronavirus Wave, Health Director Says, But Cautions Against Private Gatherings - capradio.org

"So that's to try and deal with the problem of gatherings where we had a lot of cases a couple, three months ago from extended family and friends gatherings," Beilenson said. "We're strongly encouraging people to just have their own family indoors, dining and outdoor dining. They can have friends and other folks as long as they have social distancing."

Beilenson said the county is hoping to avoid the surge in cases that came after the reopening of some businesses in May and the summer holidays.

"We opened up probably too rapidly and we had a big increase in cases. Then we clamped back down again, which is where we are right now," Beilenson said. "And again, we're coming down to 45 to 90 cases per day down from 300. And instead of 300 people hospitalized every day, [that] is down to 75 or 80. The number of deaths have been down dramatically. So we are progressing in the correct fashion."

He encouraged all residents to get flu shots to reduce the strain on the health care system, something that will be important with a potential vaccine months away from being widely distributed.

"I would say that we're stuck in the pandemic's phase probably till next July or August to some extent," he said.

CapRadio provides a trusted source of news because of you. As a nonprofit organization, donations from people like you sustain the journalism that allows us to discover stories that are important to our audience. If you believe in what we do and support our mission, please donate today.

Donate Today 

https://www.capradio.org/157871 3/6 10/20/2020 COVID-19 death toll nears 17,000 in California - Los Angeles Times

CALIFORNIA

COVID-19 death toll nears 17,000 in California

Jessica Garcia gives Laura Duggan a test to detect the coronavirus at Arthur E. Wright Middle School in Calabasas. (Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times)

By LUKE MONEY | STAFF WRITER

OCT. 19, 2020 | 11:22 AM UPDATED 6:15 PM

While the number of daily COVID-19 deaths has fallen dramatically in California in the last few months, the state’s death toll has become the third-highest in the nation, with https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2020-10-19/covid-19-death-toll-nears-17000-in-california?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_… 1/13 10/20/2020 COVID-19 death toll nears 17,000 in California - Los Angeles Times nearly 17,000 lives lost.

California ranks behind only New York and Texas in total deaths linked to the coronavirus, with 16,980 as of 5:19 p.m. Monday, according to data compiled by The Times.

When adjusted for population, however, the state is in the middle of the pack nationally. Twenty-six other states have seen more COVID-19 deaths per 100,000 residents than California, including North Dakota, Delaware, Rhode Island, Louisiana and Iowa.

California averaged 57 daily deaths over the last week, a far cry from late July and early August, when the daily death toll at times exceeded 150.

As the number of confirmed coronavirus cases worldwide topped 40 million Monday, California continues to lead the U.S. in case count, with more than 875,000.

But in a sign that the virus may have plateaued in the state, the seven-day average of new cases has dropped below 3,000, according to the latest state data, and the positivity rate — the percentage of those tested who are found to be infected — has been at a relatively low 2.5% for the last two weeks. This is the first time the seven-day average has been fewer than 3,000 since mid-June, according to Times data.

https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2020-10-19/covid-19-death-toll-nears-17000-in-california?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_… 2/13 10/20/2020 COVID-19 death toll nears 17,000 in California - Los Angeles Times Despite the somewhat promising data points, officials say there are concerning trends. One is the number of COVID-19 patients who are becoming sick enough to be hospitalized. Although the raw number of hospitalizations continues to decline, the rate of decrease has slowed. Over the last 14 days, the state has seen a 4% decrease in hospitalizations — from 2,344 to 2,241 — and a 3% decline in intensive care admissions, from 681 to 660. But in the last week, both those figures have ticked up, Gov. Gavin Newsom said.

“Each and every ICU admission is precious and, obviously, a point of real concern as it relates to quality care and timely care,” he said Monday.

SPONSORED CONTENT Discover the Pet-Friendly Carpet That Is Designed For Life’s...  By Stainmaster With STAINMASTER® PetProtect® carpet in your home, no room is off limits.

CALIFORNIA L.A. County reports 358 new coronavirus cases, 13 deaths Oct. 18, 2020

As California marks seven months since Newsom’s original stay-at-home order, officials and residents alike find themselves balancing the desire to return to wider normality with the fear that doing too much too quickly could force a fallback to more stringent restrictions on businesses and activities.

Those discussions and debates are taking place as other states contend with new surges in coronavirus infections.

https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2020-10-19/covid-19-death-toll-nears-17000-in-california?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_… 3/13 10/20/2020 COVID-19 death toll nears 17,000 in California - Los Angeles Times “This is what we anticipated, moving into the colder season, moving into the season where more of us are moving inside, moving into a season where more of us begin to mix and come back ... for the holidays,” Newsom said. “This is an area of obvious and real concern, and that’s why we’re being very sober and, forgive me, stubborn about some industries in the state.”

Of particular concern now are Halloween and Día de los Muertos. Such seasonal celebrations typically entail interactions among numerous households, which public health officials say could worsen the spread of the virus.

In light of the risks, some areas, such as Beverly Hills, have decided to prohibit house- to-house trick-or-treating and car-based “trunk-or-treating” this year. Neither the state nor Los Angeles County has gone that far , though both recommend against such activities.

CALIFORNIA As holidays approach, California unveils new rules on family gatherings, social events Oct. 13, 2020

Public health officials continue to emphasize that personal responsibility, perhaps more than any policy decision, will chart the future of the pandemic.

L.A. County Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer said Monday that private gatherings — which are allowed on a limited basis — remain a troubling potential source of infections. That’s especially the case for those who may feel a “false sense of security”

https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2020-10-19/covid-19-death-toll-nears-17000-in-california?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_… 4/13 10/20/2020 COVID-19 death toll nears 17,000 in California - Los Angeles Times mingling with people they know and trust, so they don’t adhere to required infection prevention measures such as physical distancing and face coverings.

“We’re not out of the woods at all,” Ferrer said. “We still have widespread community transmission. That means it’s easy for people to get infected when they are gathering, even in small groups.”

CALIFORNIA Officials fear Halloween could become super-spreader horror show as L.A. County coronavirus infections rise Oct. 15, 2020

More than 288,000 coronavirus infections have been confirmed in L.A. County to date, and almost 6,900 people have died. Ferrer on Monday announced one additional death and 923 new cases but said those numbers are probably affected by a data reporting lag from the weekend.

The county remains in the strictest category of the state’s four-tier reopening system — Tier 1, or purple — because it continues to report more than seven cases per 100,000 residents each day. That means many businesses and public facilities either cannot operate indoors or can do so only at a strictly limited capacity.

Though residents, businesses and even some politicians may be clamoring to lift restrictions and move closer to something resembling normality, Ferrer emphasized that circumstances remain far from that.

“There are ways for us to actually do activities that we love, but we have to do them differently than we’ve done them in the past, and we have to be mindful that we are

https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2020-10-19/covid-19-death-toll-nears-17000-in-california?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_… 5/13 10/20/2020 COVID-19 death toll nears 17,000 in California - Los Angeles Times living through a pandemic,” she said. “There’s nothing normal about this. This is a very dangerous virus that can infect lots of people very rapidly.”

California coronavirus cases: Tracking the outbreak

L.A. is one of 10 California counties in the most restrictive reopening tier; the others are San Bernardino, Imperial, Tulare, Monterey, Madera, Sonoma, Mendocino, Glenn and Tehama. Officials recently cautioned that the case rate for San Diego County is trending in the wrong direction — putting it at risk of backsliding into the category too.

“We must bring our numbers down, and the only way to do that is to limit our contact with people outside our households,” Dr. Wilma Wooten, the San Diego County public health officer, said in a statement. “San Diegans who need to be out in public should wear a mask and maintain their distance from people outside their household. Avoid large crowds or gatherings to prevent getting or passing the virus.”

The state will update its tier assignments Tuesday.

With the pandemic still far from over, some have cast their gaze toward a hopeful horizon: the potential that a vaccine could be publicly available before the end of the year.

CALIFORNIA Newsom says California will review FDA-approved COVID-19 vaccines before releasing them to public https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2020-10-19/covid-19-death-toll-nears-17000-in-california?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_… 6/13 10/20/2020 COVID-19 death toll nears 17,000 in California - Los Angeles Times Oct. 19, 2020

But Newsom on Monday dismissed the idea of a quick rollout, saying that supplies of any vaccine will be limited to start and that deploying doses to millions of residents throughout the state and nation will present significant logistical hurdles that will take time to clear.

“Don’t anticipate or expect that you can go down to the local pharmacy any time in this calendar year and likely get a vaccination,” he said. “We hope that’s the case, but based upon all the evidence, all the data that we have been provided … it is simply unrealistic to expect that. These limited doses will be for a limited number of people, and we don’t anticipate mass availability until 2021.

“The question for all of us: Is that the first quarter, second or third quarter of 2021?”

Times staff writer Esmeralda Bermudez contributed to this report.

CALIFORNIA COVID-19 PANDEMIC

The stories shaping California Get up to speed with our Essential California newsletter, sent six days a week.

Enter Email Address

https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2020-10-19/covid-19-death-toll-nears-17000-in-california?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_… 7/13 California's feared surge of virus cases hasn't happened

California’s feared surge of virus cases hasn’t happened By ADAM BEAM today

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — Near the end of September, with coronavirus cases falling and more schools and businesses reopening, Gov. Gavin Newsom’s administration urged restraint, citing a statistical model that predicted a startling 89% increase in virus hospitalizations in the next month.

That hasn’t happened. Instead, state data shows hospitalizations have fallen by about 15% since that warning while the weekly average number of new cases continues to decline even as

https://apnews.com/article/virus-outbreak-business-california-gavin-newsom-us-news-a570f528de4c1d1fc986b63c2e446ffb[10/20/2020 8:56:13 AM] California's feared surge of virus cases hasn't happened

other more populous states like Florida, Ohio and Illinois see increases.

California’s good news isn’t enough to change what Newsom calls his “slow” and “stubborn” approach to reopening the world’s fifth-largest economy. He again cautioned people against “being overly exuberant” about those coronavirus numbers, pointing to a “decline in the rate of decline” of hospitalizations.

While California’s 14-day average of hospitalizations is down, the 7-day average is up ever so slightly to 2,241 patients. The number peaked in July at more than 7,100.

“Boy, what more of a reminder do you need than seeing these numbers begin to plateau?” Newsom said Monday during his weekly news conference.

Dr. Mark Ghaly, California’s top public health official, said Monday the state’s hospitalizations have declined in part because of the state is testing more people, allowing public health officials to trace positive cases and put people into “supportive isolation.”

But Brad Pollock, associate dean of public health sciences at the University of California, Davis, School of Medicine, said this shows models that try to predict how the coronavirus will behave are “not that great.”

“We don’t have a model that accurately predicts what’s going to happen next,” he said.

Hospitalizations are trending younger in Los Angeles County, where people 18 to 29 now account for about 10% of all coronavirus-related hospitalizations compared with 5% in mid- May. Los Angeles County Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer said it was one of the troubling trends in the nation’s most populous county with about 10 million residents.

Collectively, people 18 to 49 now account for 58% of all new coronavirus cases in the county.

“If you were to add teenagers in the mix — these are oftentimes young people who may be out socializing — individuals between the ages of 12 and 50 account for fully 68%,” she said.

Newsom’s go-slow approach has frustrated the state’s tourism industry, which is trying to recover after seven months of shutdown. As of last week, the state has lifted its most severe https://apnews.com/article/virus-outbreak-business-california-gavin-newsom-us-news-a570f528de4c1d1fc986b63c2e446ffb[10/20/2020 8:56:13 AM] California's feared surge of virus cases hasn't happened

restrictions on all but 10 of the state’s 58 counties, with another update scheduled for Tuesday.

Earlier this month, the Newsom administration for the first time said it was OK for up to three households to gather but only if it is outdoors and people remain socially distanced.

But Newsom still has not allowed for large public gatherings or theme parks to reopen, even with modifications. The Walt Disney Co. has criticized the state for delaying reopening rules for theme parks, saying it contributed to the company’s decision to lay off 28,000 workers at its parks in California and Florida.

Even the unions representing Disney employees have changed their stance, sending Newsom a letter on Monday urging him to allow theme parks to reopen. The unions, representing about 10,000 Disneyland workers, told Newsom in June it was unsafe to open theme parks. But they now say Disney has a testing program and measures in place for personal protective equipment and ventilation.

“We are confident that with these protocols set in place, Disneyland will be able to fully reopen safely,” said Andrea Zinder, president of UFCW 324.

Newsom said he plans to announce guidelines for theme parks on Tuesday, hinting he might have different rules for different types of theme parks.

“I hope one recognizes our stubbornness on a health-first, data driven decision making process is done with our eyes wide open on what’s happening now around the world,” Newsom said. “We have to maintain that vigilance so we can avoid any further increase in transmission.” https://apnews.com/article/virus-outbreak-business-california-gavin-newsom-us-news-a570f528de4c1d1fc986b63c2e446ffb[10/20/2020 8:56:13 AM] California's feared surge of virus cases hasn't happened

Much of the U.S. is seeing an uptick in coronavirus cases and hospitalizations, with the Midwest seeing some of the worst spikes. The Northeast was the hardest hit in the spring, and the tri-state region of New York, Connecticut and New Jersey instituted rules requiring travelers from states with a high-rate of coronavirus spread to quarantine for two weeks upon entering.

Monday, Newsom said he was not considering similar rules for travelers to California. But he added: “We always maintain an openness to those considerations.”

“We have done better than other states,” Newsom said, adding the percentage of positive tests in California for the coronavirus has never exceeded 8%. The most recent weekly rate is 2.4%.

“We had to be tough and we’ve had to be vigilant and we had to be mindful of the changing dynamics of this pandemic,” he said.

——-

Associated Press reporter John Antczak contributed from Los Angeles.

Trending on AP News

https://apnews.com/article/virus-outbreak-business-california-gavin-newsom-us-news-a570f528de4c1d1fc986b63c2e446ffb[10/20/2020 8:56:13 AM] 10/20/2020 Coronavirus CA: Case rate steady as Newsom talks vaccines | The Sacramento Bee

HOMEPAGE Coronavirus updates: California’s plateau continues; Newsom talks vaccine timeline

BY MICHAEL MCGOUGH OCTOBER 19, 2020 09:44 AM, UPDATED OCTOBER 19, 2020 02:07 PM    



Governor Gavin Newsom announces the state has put together a “Scientific Safety Review” panel of 11 health experts who will review the efficacy of COVID-19 vaccines and spelled out the expected "mass availability" timeline. BY CALIFORNIA GOVERNOR | DAVID CARACCIO 

https://www.sacbee.com/article246553033.html 1/10 10/20/2020 Coronavirus CA: Case rate steady as Newsom talks vaccines | The Sacramento Bee

Listen to this article now 12:21 Powered by Trinity Audio

With coronavirus numbers growing increasingly dire in other parts of the United States, COVID-19 activity has now continued on a plateauing trend in California for at least a month.

Two months ago on Aug. 19, the state’s rolling two-week average for new lab- confirmed cases stood at just under 8,200, according to data from the California Department of Public Health. By Sept. 19, as the summer surge subsided, that rate had plummeted to about 3,300. The figure has been fluctuating slightly but has remained between 3,100 and 3,425 since then, CDPH data show.

California’s hospitalization rate has correlated with the stabilizing infection total as one might expect, given the typical timeline of progression for the respiratory disease. Two weeks after Sept. 19, on Oct. 3, the state had 2,283 people with lab- confirmed cases in hospital beds. As of Monday morning, the reported total was 2,241. Like with cases, day-to-day fluctuation in the hospital rate has been minimal, state data show.

RELATED STORIES FROM SACRAMENTO BEE

https://www.sacbee.com/news/politics-government/capitol-alert/article246564513.html 3/7 10/19/2020 Newsom says California will review FDA-approved COVID-19 vaccines - Los Angeles Times

15-Year Fixed 2.25% 2.39% APR Today's Mortgage Rate 30-Year Fixed 2.25% 2.48% APR 2.39% 5/1 ARM 3.13% 2.91% APR APR $225,000 (5/1 ARM) $964/mo 2.91% APR Calculate Payment $350,000 (5/1 ARM) $1,452/mo 2.72% APR Terms & Conditions apply. NMLS#1136

CALIFORNIA

Newsom says California will review FDA-approved COVID-19 vaccines before releasing them to public

California Gov. Gavin Newsom tours Bloom Energy in Sunnyvale. (Associated Press)

By TARYN LUNA | STAFF WRITER

OCT. 19, 2020 | 1:40 PM https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2020-10-19/newsom-california-statewide-plan-covid-19-vaccine-availability-review 1/7 10/19/2020 Newsom says California will review FDA-approved COVID-19 vaccines - Los Angeles Times

SACRAMENTO — California will review the safety of all COVID-19 vaccines that receive federal approval before distributing them to the public, Gov. Gavin Newsom said Monday.

The governor announced the creation of a new work group of physicians and scientists working with the California Department of Public Health that will “independently review” all federal Food and Drug Administration-approved vaccines, he said.

“Of course, we don’t take anyone’s word for it,” Newsom said at a news conference on Monday. “We will do our own independently reviewed process with our world-class experts that just happen to live here in the state of California.”

Vaccines, like many other aspects of the nation’s response to the pandemic, have become increasingly politicized. Newsom’s insistence on a state review of any vaccines approved by the federal government comes amid concerns about whether the Trump administration will attempt to rush the approval process.

Today’s Renance Rates

15-YR FIXED 30-YR FIXED 2.13% 2.28% APR | $300,000 APR | $300,000

Calculate Payment

Terms & Conditions apply. NMLS#1136

Newsom’s announcement also raised new uncertainty about COVID-19 vaccines just days after Dr. Anthony Fauci said he felt “strong confidence” in the safety of those approved by the Food and Drug Administration.

Fauci, the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, told CBS Evening News that he expects to know in November or December if some potential COVID-19 vaccines are safe and effective.

He said that if all six vaccine candidates currently undergoing clinical trials are proven to be safe and effective, they could be widely available by next April.

But the governor on Monday said mid-2021 is a realistic projection for when a vaccine would be distributed to the public. Newsom acknowledged the “political polarization” around vaccines and said the state needs to monitor the safety, distribution and health effects.

“So, no matter who the next president is, we’re going to maintain our vigilance,” Newsom said. “We are going to do what California is well known to do and that is to make sure that we have a redundancy and that we maintain our vigilance to have a second set of eyes on the things that are being asserted and the information that’s being provided.” https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2020-10-19/newsom-california-statewide-plan-covid-19-vaccine-availability-review 2/7 10/19/2020 Newsom says California will review FDA-approved COVID-19 vaccines - Los Angeles Times State public health officials last spring started having early discussions about how vaccines and therapeutic medicines to treat people with the coronavirus would be distributed in California once developed and approved.

Among the priorities would be to provide the vaccines to people considered most at risk from the virus, along with ensuringequitable distribution to people across the state, regardless of income or geography. In May, a top Newsom administration official said that this sort of planning is done whenever a new vaccine or medicine in great need to protect the public health is developed.

Those efforts came together in an 84-page draft proposal of a plan to distribute and administer vaccines that the California Department of Public Health submitted last week to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The broad outline, dated Friday, includes goals to prioritize vaccines while doses are limited for healthcare personnel at risk of contracting the virus, those at risk of severe illness or death from COVID-19, and essential workers . When vaccines become more widely available, the population of eligible recipients will grow to nonessential workers and the general public.

As states begin formalizing plans for vaccine distribution, governors are also calling for the federal government to provide more detailed guidelines and oversight.

New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo published a list of questions about vaccine distribution on Sunday that he said the National Governors Assn. sent to the Trump administration.

The association, which includes Republican and Democratic governors, asked the federal government about federal funding, insurance coverage, prioritization, monitoring health effects and other critical issues related to the distribution and implementation of future vaccines.

Times staff writer Phil Willon contributed to this report.

CALIFORNIA POLITICS CALIFORNIA LAW & POLITICS COVID-19 PANDEMIC

The stories shaping California Get up to speed with our Essential California newsletter, sent six days a week.

Enter Email Address

https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2020-10-19/newsom-california-statewide-plan-covid-19-vaccine-availability-review 3/7 10/20/2020 Maskless California voters can cast ballots on Election Day - Los Angeles Times

CALIFORNIA

No mask, no problem. In California, maskless voters can cast ballots on election day

An Orange County election worker demonstrates casting a ballot at the Honda Center in Anaheim, where voters can opt to walk in or drive through starting Oct. 30. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)

By STEPHANIE LAI

OCT. 20, 2020 | 5 AM

https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2020-10-20/maskless-california-voters-ballots-election-day 1/18 10/20/2020 Maskless California voters can cast ballots on Election Day - Los Angeles Times Voters who show up in Los Angeles County without a face mask will be escorted to an outdoor area, where a poll worker will hand them a ballot.

In Orange County, they will be put in a booth away from other voters.

San Bernardino and Riverside counties will offer face shields to the voters around an unmasked person.

Nowhere in California will a voter who refuses to wear a mask be turned away, election officials said.

ADVERTISING

Replay

In the final weeks before one of the most contentious presidential elections in recent history, as the country grapples with a once-in-a-lifetime pandemic, more than a million Californians have already voted by mail.

A polling station, with its potentially long lines, indoor setting and voting booths occupied by one person after another, poses a health risk, despite workers constantly wiping down surfaces and offering masks to anyone who forgot theirs. https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2020-10-20/maskless-california-voters-ballots-election-day 2/18 10/20/2020 Maskless California voters can cast ballots on Election Day - Los Angeles Times

Your guide to the 2020 election in California

But some people will still show up on Nov. 3, whether to witness the historic moment or to ensure their votes are cast amid worries about mail delivery and ballot counting delays. Poll workers have been instructed to help everyone cast a ballot — even those who insist on proceeding without a mask.

SPONSORED CONTENT Insights That Make a Dierence  By Merrill Get instant access to expert insight on topics affecting the lives of many women today.

Like so much else this year, mask-wearing has become politically hazardous terrain, a mandatory public safety measure to some and an offensive government overreach to others.

Anxious to avoid dramas like those involving irate, maskless supermarket customers that have been shared countless times on social media, state election officials have issued detailed guidelines for keeping voters safe while minimizing confrontation.

https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2020-10-20/maskless-california-voters-ballots-election-day 3/18 10/20/2020 Maskless California voters can cast ballots on Election Day - Los Angeles Times

In Orange County, voting centers will be open for an extra day beyond the state-recommended four days. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)

In the absence of masks, social distancing is the primary way to avoid coronavirus spread, note the guidelines from Secretary of State Alex Padilla’s office to county election officials, last revised on Aug. 27. The maskless person should be assured that he or she will still be allowed to cast a ballot and taken to a booth with plenty of space around it.

Poll workers should be trained in de-escalation techniques such as using a calm voice and body language that convey respect for the person’s right to vote. “Intense conversation and shouting” could further endanger others by spraying droplets, the guidelines note.

“The right to vote is of utmost importance,” the guidelines say. “Even voters neglectful of important health and safety precautions must be allowed to vote if they enter a voting https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2020-10-20/maskless-california-voters-ballots-election-day 4/18 10/20/2020 Maskless California voters can cast ballots on Election Day - Los Angeles Times location.”

What you need to know about voting by mail, voting in person and more

Welcoming unmasked people into polling stations is a notable departure from state rules requiring face coverings in all indoor public spaces, such as stores, buses and hospitals. Those rules can be superseded by guidelines such as the ones from the secretary of state.

The constitutional right to vote is not absolute. In some states, felons are prohibited from voting. The U.S. Supreme Court has recently upheld legislation in some states requiring a photo ID to vote — arguably a more onerous hurdle than wearing a mask, said Jonathan Adler, a law professor at Case Western Reserve University.

Restricting in-person voting for public health reasons would probably be legal, as long as other options, such as mail-in ballots, are available, Adler said.

Turning away unmasked voters would be analogous to other polling place bans like those on guns or campaign advertising, said Rick Hasen, a UC Irvine law professor.

But California election officials have decided not to tangle with voting rights, despite the risk that unmasked people could transmit the coronavirus to poll workers and fellow voters.

Sam Mahood, a spokesman for the secretary of state’s office, said the guidelines for county election officials are intended to ensure safety while allowing everyone to vote in-person.

https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2020-10-20/maskless-california-voters-ballots-election-day 5/18 10/20/2020 Maskless California voters can cast ballots on Election Day - Los Angeles Times “The Secretary of State’s office views voting as a foundational constitutional right for citizens,” Mahood said in a statement.

In Orange County, as elsewhere in the state, voters who refuse to wear a mask will still be able to cast a ballot. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)

Annabelle de St. Maurice, co-chief infection prevention officer at UCLA Health, said the riskiest part of voting will be the time spent in line. She recommends that people consider alternative methods like mail-in or early voting.

“The highest risk will be waiting in line because you’ll potentially be clustered around people for a long time,” De St. Maurice said. “The average time someone spends at a voting booth is pretty short, so that would be a brief interaction and should be low risk.”

Problems could occur if many unmasked voters show up at once and there are not enough poll workers to assist them, she said. https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2020-10-20/maskless-california-voters-ballots-election-day 6/18 10/20/2020 Maskless California voters can cast ballots on Election Day - Los Angeles Times When voters go to the polls on Nov. 3, they will probably see tape on the ground for social distancing, booths with ample space between them and hand sanitizer at every turn. In addition to neighborhood polling stations, they can vote at sports arenas such as Dodger Stadium and Staples Center. The Honda Center in Anaheim will have a drive- through voting option.

Read about the 12 propositions on the ballot and see more coverage

County election officials have come up with various plans for dealing with unmasked voters, whether it is helping them cast their ballots outdoors or providing extra protective gear for people nearby.

In San Diego County, voters who refuse to wear a mask will be moved to a socially distanced outdoor booth reserved for nonmask wearers, said Registrar of Voters Michael Vu.

San Bernardino County Registrar Bob Page said poll workers will focus on the safety of voters near an unmasked voter by social distancing and providing face shields.

“If there’s an ability to spread out more, we’ll take advantage of that,” Page said.

Riverside County will follow a similar plan, registrar Rebecca Spencer said.

In Orange County, where mask debates and defiance of lockdown orders have ballooned during the pandemic, voting centers will be open for an extra day beyond the state- recommended four days, Registrar of Voters Neal Kelley said.

The county has prepared 300,000 each of disposable masks and pens for polling stations, in addition to adding more ballot drop boxes, prioritizing larger polling sites https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2020-10-20/maskless-california-voters-ballots-election-day 7/18 10/20/2020 Maskless California voters can cast ballots on Election Day - Los Angeles Times and placing unmasked voters in socially distanced booths.

But Kelley expects in-person turnout to be low. He said that in the March primary, 80% of Orange County voters turned in a ballot they had received in the mail.

“I don’t think there’s any reason to believe we won’t see 8 or 9 out of 10 voters do the same for the November election,” Kelley said.

The polling place at the Honda Center in Anaheim, which opens Oct. 30, includes a drive-through option. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)

Still, some voters, like Christian Rothery of Anaheim, plan to cast their ballots in person.

Rothery enjoys the “whole ceremony” of going to the polls on election day and is worried about recent mail delivery issues.

https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2020-10-20/maskless-california-voters-ballots-election-day 8/18 10/20/2020 Maskless California voters can cast ballots on Election Day - Los Angeles Times He views in-person voting as no riskier than running errands during the pandemic. He said he will wear a mask and expects that most people will wear masks, as they do at the grocery store, and believes election officials will take precautions.

After months of staying at home during the coronavirus lockdown, Rothery said that voting in person will be especially meaningful this year.

“It’s a bit of normalcy,” said Rothery, 46, a finance manager who will vote for the Democratic presidential candidate, Joe Biden.

Find voting centers and drop-off boxes in our interactive map

Anna Timm, a 31-year-old from Orange who works at Disneyland, said she will deposit her ballot in a county drop box.

“It’s the best of both worlds,” said Timm, who will vote for Biden. “You can take your time and you can vote in your pajamas.”

Besides, Timm will be busy on election day. She volunteered to be a poll worker after hearing there was a shortage.

She is not concerned about dealing with unmasked voters.

“I already have a lot of customer service experience, including stressful situations and even responding to various emergencies, from years of working in theme parks, so between that and our … training, I feel pretty prepared,” she said.

Temple City resident Carrie Chan, 44, said she planned on wearing a mask to vote in person. The paralegal planned on voting for President Trump at a polling center out of https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2020-10-20/maskless-california-voters-ballots-election-day 9/18 10/20/2020 Maskless California voters can cast ballots on Election Day - Los Angeles Times her distrust for mail-in voting.

“We live in America where we have the freedom of choice. I don’t think we should mandate what people do,” Chan said. “I’ll wear my mask and keep my distance, but that’s not something we can force others to do.”

https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2020-10-20/maskless-california-voters-ballots-election-day 10/18 Newsom plans to issue theme park opening rules Tuesday

By Victoria Colliver

10/19/2020 06:07 PM EDT

Gov. Gavin Newsom said Monday that the state will explain Tuesday how California’s theme parks can reopen under much-anticipated rules, hinting that the state will treat the parks differently based on their size and possibly other characteristics.

“We are going to break up the theme parks,” the governor said during a press briefing. “Not just one or two brands, it is many different parts of the theme park industry.”

The governor also noted that the state is working on rules that would allow team sports to resume. The state has already issued reopening guidance for professional sports without audiences and for youth teams to practice in cohorts without competition.

The background: California theme parks have been frustrated at being forced to stay closed throughout the pandemic while the state has allowed zoos, aquariums and museums to reopen.

Earlier this month, the state was poised to release new guidelines, but pulled back after theme park industry officials raised objections to the modifications they would have impose and the community infection reductions that would have to occur beforehand.

Newsom later said the state was in "no hurry" to reopen the parks, but acknowledged he had sent a team to The Walt Disney Company's Florida theme park to examine its procedures.

"Amusement parks aren't just Disney," Newsom said during an Oct. 7 briefing, in which he likened major theme parks to "small cities." "You've got all kinds of amusement parks, including smaller parks that are out there in the piers, like down in Santa Cruz, and others that may be impacted. And so we're trying to work through all of those things."

Concerns: State officials have considered California theme parks in a different category of risk in part because the biggest attractions such as Disneyland draw visitors from across the nation and world, including other states where coronavirus spread is worse at the moment. Newsom has reopened other sectors where local visitors predominate.

Newsom said Monday he has no plans right now to restrict visitors from hard-hit states the way that New York and Hawaii did earlier this year.

What this means: It's unclear how the theme park industry will respond to state guidance. Erin Guerrero, executive director of the California Attractions and Parks Association, said she couldn't comment because she had not yet seen the details on how the state is differentiating between the parks. What's next: Health and Human Services Secretary Mark Ghaly is expected to release the guidance on the theme parks on Tuesday, the same day the state updates the status for individual counties. The state in late August unveiled a four-colored reopening framework that ranges from purple, the most restrictive tier, to yellow, which is the least restrictive.

To view online: https://subscriber.politicopro.com/states/california/whiteboard/2020/10/19/newsom-plans-to- issue-theme-park-opening-rules-tuesday-9424485 10/20/2020 Remdesivir Fails to Prevent Covid-19 Deaths in Huge Trial - The New York Times

https://nyti.ms/3lSacZL

Remdesivir Fails to Prevent Covid-19 Deaths in Huge Trial Critics said the study, sponsored by the W.H.O., was too poorly conducted to be deﬁnitive.

By Katherine J. Wu and Gina Kolata

Published Oct. 15, 2020 Updated Oct. 19, 2020

Follow our live coverage of the coronavirus pandemic here.

Remdesivir, the only antiviral drug authorized for treatment of Covid-19 in the United States, fails to prevent deaths among patients, according to a study of more than 11,000 people in 30 countries sponsored by the World Health Organization.

The drug was granted emergency authorization by the Food and Drug Administration on May 1 after a trial by the National Institutes of Health found that remdesivir modestly reduced the time to recovery in hospitalized patients. President Trump received the antiviral after he began showing symptoms earlier this month.

“This puts the issue to rest — there is certainly no mortality beneﬁt,” said Dr. Ilan Schwartz, an infectious disease physician at the University of Alberta in Canada.

But other scientists said the design of the W.H.O.’s sprawling clinical trial, which collected data from hundreds of hospitals, meant the conclusions were not deﬁnitive.

Conducted in dozens of countries with various health care systems and inconsistent treatment protocols, the data are difﬁcult to analyze and compare, said Dr. Peter Chin-Hong, an infectious disease expert at the University of California, San Francisco.

The ﬁndings, which were posted online on Thursday, have not yet been peer-reviewed or published in a scientiﬁc journal.

Remdesivir, which was originally developed as a treatment for Ebola and hepatitis C, interferes with the reproduction of viruses by jamming itself into new viral genes.

Latest Updates: The Coronavirus Outbreak ›

2h ago Saying that the pandemic worsens racial inequities, San Diego schools change how they grade.

3h ago A human challenge trial will begin in January, in which volunteers are deliberately exposed to the virus.

4h ago 1.5 million New Yorkers canʼt afford food. Pantries are their lifeline.

More live coverage: Markets

The N.I.H. study also did not ﬁnd that remdesivir prevented deaths in patients with Covid-19. Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, acknowledged in the spring that remdesivir was not a “knockout” drug.

A ﬁnal analysis, published in The New England Journal of Medicine on Oct. 8, suggested “a trend toward reduced mortality” in certain patients receiving remdesivir, according to the drug’s maker, Gilead.

Gilead disputed the conclusions of the W.H.O. study on Thursday, noting that a variety of drugs and drug combinations had been evaluated under a wide range of circumstances and that more rigorous studies had found a beneﬁt.

“Consequently, it is unclear if any conclusive ﬁndings can be drawn from the study results,” the company said in a prepared statement.

Dr. Andre Kalil, a principal investigator of the federal study of remdesivir and an infectious disease expert at the University of Nebraska Medical Center, faulted the W.H.O. trial for not having a placebo group, and for allowing patients and doctors to know which treatments were administered. So-called open-label trials can skew the reporting of results.

There was “a large amount of missing data” on the patients, he added, which “cannot be ﬁxed by a large sample size, no matter how large it is.”

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/10/15/health/coronavirus-remdesivir-who.html?surface=home-discovery-vi-prg&fellback=false&req_id=497231735&alg… 1/2 10/20/2020 Remdesivir Fails to Prevent Covid-19 Deaths in Huge Trial - The New York Times

CORONAVIRUS SCHOOLS BRIEFING: It’s back to school — or is it? Sign Up

The antiviral has been administered to thousands of patients since its emergency authorization. The drug costs $3,120 per treatment course for patients with private insurance in the United States.

Although originally cleared only for use in people who were sick enough to need supplemental oxygen or breathing support, remdesivir’s emergency authorization was expanded in August to include all hospitalized patients, regardless of disease severity.

The move was criticized by some experts, who said the F.D.A. had made the shift without sufﬁcient evidence.

The W.H.O.’s study, called the Solidarity trial, enrolled more than 11,300 adults with Covid-19 in 405 hospitals in 30 countries. The participants were given four drugs singly or in combination: remdesivir, hydroxychloroquine, lopinavir, interferon or interferon plus lopinavir. About 4,100 received no drug treatment.

In the end, no drug or combination reduced mortality, the chances that mechanical ventilation would be needed, or time spent in the hospital, compared with the patients without drug treatment.

Several previous studies had pointed to the futility of hydroxychloroquine and lopinavir as treatments against the coronavirus. Less data has been published on interferon, a molecule produced by the immune system in response to viruses.

In their manuscript, the study’s authors called the overall ﬁndings “unpromising” and said they “sufﬁce to refute early hopes” that any of the drugs tested “will substantially reduce inpatient mortality, initiation of ventilation or hospitalization duration.”

[Like the Science Times page on Facebook. | Sign up for the Science Times newsletter.]

The remdesivir ﬁndings aren’t terribly surprising, based on previous research, but they are “still impactful,” especially given the dizzying size of the Solidarity trial, said Dr. Maricar Malinis, an infectious disease specialist at Yale University.

Still, several experts noted that some of the drugs in the trial may beneﬁt people with Covid-19 earlier in the course of their illness.

“All the emerging evidence points to interferon treatment being effective at the early, viral phase of Covid-19,” said Eleanor Fish, an immunologist at the University of Toronto.

Until enough data emerge to group patients by factors like the stage of disease they are in, “it is premature to dismiss some of these repurposed drugs as ʻineffective’ and to suggest they should not be evaluated further,” Dr. Fish said.

As for remdesivir, “I don’t think this study is the nail in the cofﬁn,” said Dr. Taison Bell, a critical care physician at the University of Virginia. “But I do think it shows that we have to be selective about the patient population we use it in.”

Mr. Trump, who was hospitalized on Oct. 2, the day after his diagnosis, may have been well-suited to receive remdesivir, Dr. Bell said.

The president had not been symptomatic for long, and though his oxygen levels dropped on two occasions, his doctors did not need to put the president on a breathing machine. He did receive supplemental oxygen.

Severe Covid-19 is thought to be driven largely by an overly exuberant immune response that starts several days after the virus infects the body. Before that happens, an antiviral might tamp down the virus enough to protect a person from the immune system’s overreaction.

Administering remdesivir after that stage may be pointless, Dr. Schwartz said, adding, “The horse is out of the barn.”

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/10/15/health/coronavirus-remdesivir-who.html?surface=home-discovery-vi-prg&fellback=false&req_id=497231735&alg… 2/2 10/19/2020 San Bernardino tries again for $8.5 million grant to renovate Seccombe Lake Park – San Bernardino Sun

LOCAL NEWS •• News San Bernardino tries again for $8.5 million grant to renovate Seccombe Lake Park Cities can request between $200,000 and $8.5 million for their respective projects

A flock of geese sit along the shore of Seccombe Lake Park in San Bernardino on Thursday, Sept. 3, 2020. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)

By BRIAN WHITEHEAD || [email protected] || TheThe SunSun PUBLISHED: October 19, 2020 at 2:37 p.m. || UPDATED:UPDATED: October 19, 2020 at 2:41 p.m.

San Bernardino intends to re-apply for $8.5 million in state grant funding to renovate beleaguered Seccombe Lake Park.

The cityʼs first application was passed on earlierearlier thisthis year.year. https://www.sbsun.com/2020/10/19/san-bernardino-tries-again-for-8-5-million-grant-to-renovate-seccombe-lake-park/?utm_medium=social&… 1/4 10/19/2020 San Bernardino tries again for $8.5 million grant to renovate Seccombe Lake Park – San Bernardino Sun The California Department of Parks and Recreation Office of Grants and Local Services has put more than $1 billion in grant funding up for new recreation opportunities in critically underserved communities.

Cities can request between $200,000 and $8.5 million for their respective projects.

The deadline to apply is Dec. 14. The San Bernardino City Council is expected toto reviewreview thethe applicationapplication atat itsits meetingmeeting Wednesday,Wednesday, Oct.Oct. 21.21.

Plans are judged on assorted criteria, including the projectʼs impact on a communityʼs recreational, social, cultural, education, environmental and economic conditions; breadth of community involvement; and income and poverty levels of the surrounding area.

In the spring, close to $255 million was distributed across 24 counties.

San Bernardino County received two awards.

As they proposed last summer, San Bernardino city leaders intend to use the state grant to repair or replace Seccombe Lake Parkʼs irrigation, electrical and lightinglighting systems,systems, thethe floatingfloating fountainsfountains andand aboutabout 6,2006,200 feetfeet ofof damageddamaged sidewalk; renovate three restrooms, two bridges, the gazebo/amphitheater and all landscaped areas; and, lastly, install perimeter security fencing.

Should San Bernardino be awarded $8.5 million, city staffers say, resources could be preserved and allocated to alternate projects.

Elected officials last month revived aa planplan toto buildbuild houseshouses onon thethe northwestnorthwest portion of the 44-acre park to make the open space safe for recreation after years of deferred maintenance and reduced staff presence there contributed to itsits gradual deterioration..

A stoneʼs throw from City Hall, the Fifth Street park has become a magnet for homeless individuals, city officials have said, and a source of blight, nuisance and crime.

“The park as it stands right now,” Councilman Theodore Sanchez said last month, “is a remnant of an old city of San Bernardino.”

Newsroom Guidelines News Tips Contact Us Report an Error

https://www.sbsun.com/2020/10/19/san-bernardino-tries-again-for-8-5-million-grant-to-renovate-seccombe-lake-park/?utm_medium=social&… 2/4 10/20/2020 Lewis Center for Educational Research celebrates 30th anniversary with documentary, fundraiser

EDUCATION Lewis Center for Educational Research celebrates 30th anniversary with documentary, fundraiser Staff Reports Published 12:01 a.m. PT Oct. 19, 2020

The Lewis Center for Educational Research in Apple Valley is celebrating its 30th anniversary with a documentary and a fundraiser that carries a simple call to action: $30 for 30 years of service to the local and global academic community.

The first half of the two-part documentary captures the story of how Rick Piercy, in 1985, began work to bring a new kind of educational experience to the High Desert based on hands-on science, according to a press release. Piercy’s work paid off five years later when the Lewis Center, then called the Science and Technology Center, was dedicated on Oct. 19, 1990.

Piercy, former president and CEO, returned to serve as the guide through the history of the Lewis Center, which operates the Academy for Academic Excellence in Apple Valley, the Norton Science and Language Academy in San Bernardino and the GAVRT Radio Astronomy Project in the Mojave Desert near Fort Irwin alongside NASA/JPL.

“This is such a nice way to honor all of those who played a part in the history and accomplishments of the Lewis Center,” Piercy said in the release. “It’ll also help young people realize what incredible things you can accomplish when you work together.”

When it opened, the facility boasted a computer center, weather station, telecommunications center, observatory, library, teacher resource center and a T-40 jet flight simulator from the U.S. Air Force, according to Daily Press reports from the time.

Outside, a seven-column memorial stood — and still stands — in honor of the seven crew members who perished when the Challenger space shuttle exploded not long after liftoff on Jan. 28, 1986.

https://www.vvdailypress.com/story/news/education/2020/10/19/lewis-center-educational-research-celebrates-30th-anniversary-documentary-fundrais… 1/3 10/20/2020 Lewis Center for Educational Research celebrates 30th anniversary with documentary, fundraiser

The memorial and Piercy’s work drew national recognition ahead of the 1990 dedication, including when the late Democratic Sen. Edward “Ted” Kennedy selected the center as the model for the Excellence in Mathematics, Science and Engineering Education Act of 1990, the San Bernardino Sun reported.

The bill, which aimed to establish congressional scholarships for science, math and engineering, among other purposes, was signed into law by President George H.W. Bush a month after the Lewis Center opened.

Kennedy described Piercy’s center as “an excellent example of the kind of grassroots innovation in informal math (and) science education” that the bill is trying to foster, the Sun reported.

Built primarily with donations and grants, the Science and Technology Center was staffed by an estimated 250 volunteers 16 hours a day, six days a week those 30 years ago.

Long-time staff members and supporters — ranging from those early volunteers to elected officials — were interviewed for the documentary.

Former Congressman Jerry Lewis, for whom the Lewis Center is named, made an appearance to support the organization he helped establish, according to the release.

Lewis shared advice for today’s youth, saying that “the most important thing is that, together hand-in-hand, we try to affect this changing world ... starting with the youth in Apple Valley and the Inland Empire.”

Lewis Center officials initially planned an in-person gala to honor Piercy, Lewis and the 30- year history they created, but the coronavirus pandemic forced a change in plans that resulted in the documentary and fundraiser.

Part two of the documentary has not yet been released, but Lewis Center President/CEO Lisa Lamb told the Daily Press it will focus on the organization’s future, which includes a multipurpose room on the AAE campus and an entirely new school for Norton students and staff that will replace the current campus on East Central Avenue in San Bernardino.

Both construction projects are underway, Lamb said.

“The Lewis Center and our students have always benefited from the amazing support of our families, our communities and countless partners,” Lamb said in the release. “It is humbling to see the impact that a grassroots effort and tireless dedication of staff and volunteers can https://www.vvdailypress.com/story/news/education/2020/10/19/lewis-center-educational-research-celebrates-30th-anniversary-documentary-fundrais… 2/3 10/20/2020 Lewis Center for Educational Research celebrates 30th anniversary with documentary, fundraiser

make on so many students’ lives. Together, we will continue to prepare our students for greatness for many years to come.”

To watch part one of the documentary, and for more information on the fundraiser, visit www.lewiscenter.org.

https://www.vvdailypress.com/story/news/education/2020/10/19/lewis-center-educational-research-celebrates-30th-anniversary-documentary-fundrais… 3/3 10/20/2020 New CSUSB Performing Arts Center plans approved | Schools | highlandnews.net

https://www.highlandnews.net/news/schools/new-csusb-performing-arts-center-plans-approved/article_09b1802e-0f31-11eb-92b5- 7b047e48a7af.html

FEATURED New CSUSB Performing Arts Center plans approved

Oct 15, 2020

Rendering of CSUSB Performing Arts Center Courtesy image

Cal State San Bernardino is one step closer to a new performing arts village at the university, a $111 million construction and renovation project that would add two new buildings to campus, including a new performing arts center and an academic building that would serve as an anchor to the College of Arts and Letters.

The project will also renovate the existing performing arts building for future college expansion.

The schematic design of the village project was approved by the California State University Board of Trustees at its Sept. 23 meeting. The project is scheduled to open during the 2024-25 academic year.

Grow with Google

Get free digital skills training through live and on-demand virtual workshops from Google. Grow with Google OnAir

“The new performing arts center will both redene the entry experience to the university and at the same time, provide state-of-the- art academic experiences to our students. We expect that this will be the premier performing arts facility for our community and the Inland Empire,” said Doug Freer, CSUSB vice president for administration and nance.

https://www.highlandnews.net/news/schools/new-csusb-performing-arts-center-plans-approved/article_09b1802e-0f31-11eb-92b5-7b047e48a7af.html 1/3 10/20/2020 New CSUSB Performing Arts Center plans approved | Schools | highlandnews.net “We are excited to see this project moving forward. The project, and specically the performing arts theater, have been years in the making and will provide state-of-the-art facilities for the College of Arts and Letters that have not been available to our students before,” said Jenny Sorenson, associate vice president of facilities planning and management.

College of Arts and Letters Dean Rueyling Chuang said the performing arts center project has been years in the making.

“I am thrilled that our dream of having a new performing arts center and an academic building that solidies our sense of community is nally becoming a reality. It has been a long journey to nally get the Performing Arts Building Addition Project [i.e., the ‘village’] funded by the chancellor’s ofce and the village’s schematic design approved by the CSU Board of Trustees,” said Chuang. “We hope that the new performing arts center will provide invaluable learning experiences for our students and it will bridge the connection between our campus and local communities. This project exemplies the continuation of our campus master plan, specically with regard to enhancing our campus and connecting communities in the Inland Empire.”

The two new buildings are a 74,817 square-foot performing arts center, with a 500-seat theater and music instruction space to be located south of the performing arts building and a 19,020 square-foot College of Arts and Letters building located to the west of the existing performing arts building. The multi-faceted project includes the renovation of the aging 1970s performing arts building.

The performing arts project will be the rst new state-funded academic building on campus under CSUSB’s master plan. The goals for the College of Arts and Letters expansion include:

• Establishing a physical home for the College of Arts and Letters by co-locating the various college departments, which are currently scattered across campus. This is a signicant step for the continued development of the CSUSB master plan, as it sets the stage for future projects to accommodate anticipated growth. Students will benet from a one-stop shop for advising, instructional support and other services specic to the College of Arts and Letters.

• Providing modern teaching, rehearsal and performance spaces necessary for a modern performing arts program. The existing performing arts building was completed in 1977 and has not kept pace with the changes in contemporary music instruction. Renovation of the existing performing arts building will smartly and efciently re-purpose vacated spaces to support the needs of the college as well as reduce the campus deferred maintenance backlog.

• The new performing arts center building will create a new “front door” to the campus that shows a modern and forward-looking face to visitors and the larger community.

• Creating a new 500-seat performing arts theater will allow the university to provide a more equitable educational experience that reects the excellence of the theater arts and music programs at CSUSB. At completion, the theater will be the only one of its size and quality in the Inland Empire, and will allow more of the area’s community to experience the highly acclaimed productions from CSUSB student-performers and student-musicians.

The project’s architect is the Los Angeles ofce of HGA Architects, and the general contractor is the Los Angeles ofce of Rudolph and Sletten.

In September 2017, the CSU Board of Trustees approved the updated CSUSB campus master plan with an enrollment ceiling increase from 20,000 to 25,000 full-time equivalent students. This change recognized the increasing demand for higher education in the Inland Empire, as the fastest growing region in the nation according to the 2010 U.S. census.

https://www.highlandnews.net/news/schools/new-csusb-performing-arts-center-plans-approved/article_09b1802e-0f31-11eb-92b5-7b047e48a7af.html 2/3 10/20/2020 New CSUSB Performing Arts Center plans approved | Schools | highlandnews.net With the support of the board of trustees, CSUSB began implementing the campus master plan rst through the completion of a 400- bed student housing and dining commons in 2018, the Center for Global Innovation classroom building in 2019, and most recently with the Student Union Expansion project, expected to be completed in late 2021.

https://www.highlandnews.net/news/schools/new-csusb-performing-arts-center-plans-approved/article_09b1802e-0f31-11eb-92b5-7b047e48a7af.html 3/3 10/20/2020 1 dead in 3-car crash in Rialto that involves stolen vehicle – San Bernardino Sun

NEWSCRIME AND PUBLIC SAFETY •• News 1 dead in 3-car crash in Rialto that involves stolen vehicle

By JOSH CAIN || [email protected]@scng.com || LosLos AngelesAngeles DailyDaily NewsNews PUBLISHED: October 19, 2020 at 3:01 p.m. || UPDATED:UPDATED: October 19, 2020 at 3:01 p.m.

The driver of a stolen vehicle died after getting into a three-car crash in Rialto Saturday afternoon, Oct. 17, police said.

The crash at Baseline Road and Sycamore Avenue prompted several 911 calls at around 5:35 p.m., Rialto police said, and when officers arrived they found a 1995 Acura Integra had crashed into two other cars.

The driver of the Acura, 35-year-old Eduardo Sandoval of San Bernardino, was foundfound unconsciousunconscious andand criticallycritically injured.injured. HeHe waswas takentaken toto aa nearbynearby hospital,hospital, where he died about an hour later.

The other two drivers were hospitalized with minor injuries.

The Acura had been stolen from the parking lot of a laundromat in the 400 block of West Baseline a few minutes earlier, police said.

How the crash occurred was still under investigation, Rialto police said.

Newsroom Guidelines News Tips Contact Us Report an Error

https://www.sbsun.com/2020/10/19/1-dead-in-3-car-crash-in-rialto-that-involves-stolen-vehicle/?utm_source=twitter.com&utm_medium=soci… 1/3 10/20/2020 Police: Vehicular manslaughter suspect may have been racing before fatal San Bernardino crash – San Bernardino Sun

NEWSCRIME AND PUBLIC SAFETY •• News Police: Vehicular manslaughter suspect may have been racing before fatal San Bernardino crash

By ERIC LICAS || [email protected] || OrangeOrange CountyCounty RegisterRegister PUBLISHED: October 19, 2020 at 7:23 p.m. || UPDATED:UPDATED: October 19, 2020 at 11:43 p.m.

A man arrested in a crash in San Bernardino that left a 25-year-old man dead and sent a woman and two young children to a hospital Friday, Oct. 16, may have been racing another vehicle before the collision, police said Monday.

Luis Angel Gonzales, 21, of San Bernardino, was arrested at Loma Linda University Medical Center a day after the crash and remained in custody Monday, according to inmate records.

He was booked on suspicion of vehicular manslaughter and held in lieu of $250,000 bail.

Investigators believe Gonzales may have been involved in a street race while speeding westbound in a black Scion FR-S on Highland Avenue, San Bernardino Police said in a news release. He allegedly moved into eastbound lanes,lanes, wherewhere policepolice saidsaid hehe collidedcollided head-onhead-on withwith aa NissanNissan SentraSentra nearnear MacyMacy Street and one other vehicle at about 4:02 p.m. Friday.