San Bernardino County Declares Racism a 'Public Health Crisis'

San Bernardino County declares racism a ‘public health crisis’ | KTLA

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LOCAL NEWS San Bernardino County declares racism a ‘public health crisis’

https://ktla.com/news/local-news/san-bernardino-county-declares-racism-a-public-health-crisis/[6/24/2020 11:11:31 AM] San Bernardino County declares racism a ‘public health crisis’ | KTLA

4th District Supervisor Curt Hagman speaks during a news conference on March 25, 2020. (KTLA)

by: Los Angeles Times Posted: Jun 23, 2020 / 08:39 PM PDT / Updated: Jun 23, 2020 / 08:39 PM PDT

While the COVID-19 pandemic has topped more than 10,000 confirmed cases in San Bernardino County, the Board of Supervisors on Tuesday declared it was the first California county to actively recognize another public health crisis: racism.

By a 5-0 vote Tuesday, the board adopted a resolution “affirming that racism [is] a public health crisis that results in disparities in family stability, health and mental wellness, education, employment, economic development, public safety, criminal justice and housing.”

“This is historic for San Bernardino County in taking the first step,” said Board Chairman Curt Hagman. “We’re probably the only county we have in California, so far, doing this, and this is the beginning of what we’re doing. This is not the end result.”

The resolution identified racism resulting in the “structuring of opportunity and assigning of value based solely on skin color and other physical characteristics, which creates unfair disadvantages to some individuals and communities and unfair advantages to other individuals and communities, therefore preventing societies as a whole from achieving their full potential.”

https://ktla.com/news/local-news/san-bernardino-county-declares-racism-a-public-health-crisis/[6/24/2020 11:11:31 AM] San Bernardino County declares racism a public health crisis - Los Angeles Times

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San Bernardino County declares racism a ‘public health crisis’

In a 5-0 vote Tuesday morning, the San Bernardino County Board of Supervisors adopted a resolution “affirming that racism [is] a public health crisis.” (Los Angeles Times)

https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2020-06-23/san-bernardino-county-declares-racism-public-health-crisis[6/24/2020 10:37:28 AM] San Bernardino County declares racism a public health crisis - Los Angeles Times

By ANDREW J. CAMPA | STAFF WRITER

JUNE 23, 2020 | 8:04 PM

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The resolution recognizes several problems San Bernardino County’s Black community faces, including an infant mortality rate more than double the county’s average.

The U.S. Census lists the Black population at 9.4% in the county, but according to the resolution, about 19% of the county’s prison population is Black, along with 38% of those booked at juvenile detention centers and more than 21% of the county‘s homeless population.

The resolution says the county will dismantle racism by several means, including enhancing diversity in the county workforce, and studying existing policies and practices “through a lens of racial equality” to promote and support efforts that prioritize health for people of color.

There are also plans for more collaboration between the county’s law enforcement and justice agencies to boost public confidence, along with the creation of an “Equity Element Group” to identify and research public concerns related to law enforcement.

The group is expected to include county experts in such fields as education and health along with members of the community.

“You have begun the process of reconciliation and restoration,” said Samuel Casey, senior pastor of the New Life Christian Church of Fontana. “That’s just the first step.”

He added, in regards to the Equity Element Group, “It is vitally important that we’re at the table lifting our voices and speaking for ourselves and claiming for ourselves.”

Hagman thanked fellow Supervisor Josie Gonzales for spearheading much of the work in crafting the resolution.

Gonzales, for her part, encouraged the county’s residents to think big.

“I want to thank everyone who has been a part of this moment in time,” she said. “We all want to do something different, something good, something that will be remembered. That’s part of who we are and what we work for.”

Mabel Morris-Dugbartey of Fontana was one of several speakers during the public comment period. She said she looked forward to a world where she didn’t have to worry about being harassed by a racist person while doing errands by herself or be concerned about her brother being racially profiled because they are both Black.

“It’s a beautiful thing to feel change happening in full effect, meaning there is hope for humanity and for the future, where my peers and I won’t fear bringing our children into such a dangerous world that will just dehumanize them,” she said.

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LOCAL NEWS • News San Bernardino County declares racism a public health crisis

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https://www.sbsun.com/...c-health-crisis/?utm_content=tw-sbsun&utm_campaign=socialflow&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter.com[6/23/2020 3:03:38 PM] San Bernardino County declares racism a public health crisis – San Bernardino Sun

Demonstrators gather at the steps of the San Bernardino Justice Center to protest the death of George Floyd at in San Bernardino on Sunday, May 31, 2020. (File photo by Watchara Phomicinda, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG)

By SANDRA EMERSON | [email protected] |  PUBLISHED: June 23, 2020 at 2:57 p.m. | UPDATED: June 23, 2020 at 3:01 p.m.

Racism has been declared a public health crisis in San Bernardino County.

The board of supervisors made the declaration Tuesday, June 23 after two meetings of discussions and comments from faith leaders, activists and members of the Black community.

“I urge everyone involved in this monumental opportunity for change to think big,” Supervisor Josie Gonzales said. “I want to enable you all to bring the 24 cities, bring the mayors on board. Find new leaders within your community who will run for office in the future. Let’s get everything we’ve got on the table and let’s make this new opportunity work.” S

On June 10, supervisors voted to add “equity” as the 11th element of its Countywide Vision, a

blueprint for the county’s future. They also voted to form a group of community members and experts to identify policies and programs to address the effects of racism in health care, law and justice and economic opportunity in the county.

The move was sparked by nationwide civil unrest and protests over police brutality and systemic racism after the death of George Floyd, 46, on May 25. Floyd, a Black man, died after a Minneapolis police officer knelt on his neck for 8 minutes and 46 seconds.

San Bernardino County’s declaration acknowledges that racism results in disparities in family stability, health and mental wellness, education, employment, economic development, public safety, criminal justice and housing among the Black community and communities of color.

Racism causes physical and behavioral health conditions as well as geographic segregation disproportionately exposing people of color to lead poisoning, poor air quality, inadequate nutrition and under-resourced recreational health care facilities, according to the resolution. F

While the county’s Black population is about 9%, members of that community account for a By disproportionate number of jail bookings and of the homeless population. Black students also face lower math and English proficiency rates as well as career and college readiness compared to all students, according to the resolution. M In a statement after the meeting, Board Chairman Curt Hagman called the declaration an important first step.

“Thanks to the partnership and support of several community members and organizations, my

colleagues and I became the first county in California to declare racism as a public health crisis, and I sincerely hope we are not the last,” he said. “Through today’s action, we built a foundation for positive change throughout the county and encourage our 24 cities to join us.”

Speakers returned to the board chambers Tuesday to urge supervisors to make the declaration.

“It’s a beautiful thing to feel change happening in full effect, RELATED LINKS meaning there is hope for humanity and the future, where

my peers and I won’t fear bringing out children into such a San Bernardino County to consider dangerous world that will just dehumanize them,” said declaring racism a public health crisis Mabel Morris-Dugbartey, a Fontana resident and college New San Bernardino County group to advisor with the Blu Educational Foundation in San tackle impacts of racism in law, healthcare Bernardino. “Where as the beautiful Black woman I am, I and business won’t fear running errands by myself because a racist terrorist group runs the streets freely, where my family and I Cal State San Bernardino honors George Floyd in virtual memorial won’t fear my brother and his friends going out to the mall

without being racially profiled.” Black Lives Matter mural finds home in downtown San Bernardino Social injustice is all around us, Dugbartey said. Juneteenth celebrated in Inland region “If you say it’s not, you must not have eyes,” Dugbartey said. “It’s time for change. In fact, it’s been time for change, but now we’re fed up. Steps are being made. Progress is in full effect and we’ll continue to fight until we’re treated as the amazing human beings we are.”

Gonzales asked the community to have an open mind and to support law enforcement.

“This is not a time to put each other down,” Gonzales said. “This is a time to look and see where can we improve, where can we change, where can we re-mold, where can we re-direct.”

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Tags: George Floyd, government, Top Stories IVDB, Top Stories PE, Top Stories RDF, https://www.sbsun.com/...c-health-crisis/?utm_content=tw-sbsun&utm_campaign=socialflow&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter.com[6/23/2020 3:03:38 PM] San Bernardino County coronavirus cases set one-day record, pass 10,000 – Redlands Daily Facts

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LOCAL NEWS • News San Bernardino County coronavirus cases set one-day record, pass 10,000

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By SANDRA EMERSON | [email protected] |  PUBLISHED: June 23, 2020 at 4:04 p.m. | UPDATED: June 23, 2020 at 4:05 p.m.

This critical coverage is being provided free to all readers. Support reporting like this with a subscription to Redlands Daily Facts. Only 99¢ for a 4-week trial.

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The number of novel coronavirus cases in San Bernardino County passed 10,000 Tuesday, June 23, as the county reported its highest one-day case increase yet.

https://www.redlandsdailyfacts.com/...ampaign=socialflow&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter.com&utm_content=tw-RedlandsNews[6/23/2020 4:05:55 PM] San Bernardino County coronavirus cases set one-day record, pass 10,000 – Redlands Daily Facts

An additional 649 cases were announced Tuesday, bringing the total number of residents infected with COVID-19, the disease caused by the novel coronavirus, to 10,010, according to the county’s online dashboard.That’s a 6.9% increase from Monday, June 22.

Deaths remained at 234, the county’s dashboard shows.

Like the rest of the state, the county is seeing increases in cases among younger populations. Tuesday’s record of new cases follows two set last week in San Bernardino County.

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READ MORE The consequences of anti free market regulations on

1 of 3 A screenshot of San Bernardino County’s COVID-19 dashboard Tuesday, June 23, 2020. (Courtesy of San Bernardino County) 

On Tuesday, the county returned to the state public health department’s watch list of counties that have seen case and hospitalization increases. The county first appeared on the list June 9, but was later removed.

The county’s positivity rate, the percentage of all tests that come back positive, has been 8.6% cumulatively, but has been higher than 9% in recent days, Gary McBride, the county’s chief executive officer, told the San Bernardino County Board of Supervisors Tuesday. The state requires an 8% positivity rate averaged over a 7-day period.

Case increases are being tied to gatherings held over Mother’s Day and Memorial Day weekends, reopenings and protests over police brutality that drew crowds, McBride said.

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“I think we’re starting to see all these different events that have caused gatherings start to result in some of our overall higher positivity rates,” he said.

Since the beginning of June, McBride said they have seen a surge in cases among residents between 20 and 29 years old.

As health officials are seeing across California, more younger people are testing positive for COVID- 19 recently in San Bernardino County. One-third of the new cases diagnosed in the past month were in county residents under age 30, according to figures from the public health department. There are now more confirmed cases in people under 30 than those over 60.

Across the entire age spectrum, from children to people in their 90s, younger age ranges are adding cases at faster rates than older age ranges, an analysis of county data shows.

That’s dropped the median age for everyone who’s tested positive so far to 42 years old. A month ago, it was 48.

However, no county residents under 30 have died so far. People 60 and older continue to make up about 80% of deaths in San Bernardino County.

Six people have died over the past seven days, which is down from the peak of 40 deaths over a seven-day period in May, McBride said.

A projected 5,666 people have recovered from the disease, according to the county.

The time it takes for the virus to double in the community continues to increase at 19.1 days.

Testing was up 2.3% from Monday, with an additional 2,529 people getting tested for the disease. In the county of 2.1 million residents, 111,590 have been tested, of which 9% were positive.

The county has given 16,451 serology tests, of which RELATED LINKS 1.17% were positive for coronavirus antibodies.

Why are Inland Empire coronavirus cases On Monday, June 22, 301 COVID-19 positive patients and climbing? 84 suspected patients were in county hospitals, up from 270 and 74 the day before, according to the state’s data. Fontana becomes 3rd San Bernardino There were 109 positive patients and 14 suspected patients County city with 1K coronavirus cases in intensive care, up from 97 and 11 Monday, the state’s San Bernardino County reopens libraries data show. in 7 communities

While hospitalizations have risen, McBride said there is still Coronavirus testing up in Riverside, San ample space. Bernardino counties

As of Sunday, June 21, 31 of the 1,136 beds available for a Coronavirus state tracker: California surge of patients were in use and 159 intensive care beds passes 5,500 deaths as of June 21 were still available, according to the dashboard.

There were 266 ventilators in use and 543 still available on Sunday, the dashboard shows.

See a list of community-by-community cases here.

Staff Writer Nikie Johnson contributed to this report.

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https://www.redlandsdailyfacts.com/...ampaign=socialflow&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter.com&utm_content=tw-RedlandsNews[6/23/2020 4:05:55 PM] https://www.fontanaheraldnews.com/news/lewis-library-in-fontana-has-reopened-on-a-limited- basis/article_54f68cc6-b579-11ea-9a47-b76991722a98.html Lewis Library in Fontana has reopened on a limited basis

Jun 23, 2020

The Lewis Library and Technology Center in Fontana has reopened to the public.

After being closed for three months, the Lewis Library and Technology Center in Fontana is now back open -- but on a limited basis.

The Lewis Library is one of seven branches of the San Bernardino County Library System that reopened on June 23.

Temporary hours are Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. The library will be closed on Sundays, Mondays, and Fridays. Capacity will be limited to 300 people at a time. The library was shut down in March due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Erika Ellis and her children Emily and George were enthusiastic about visiting the facility on the day it reopened.

"We're happy to be here," Erika Ellis said. "We go to all of the library events."

The library will not be hosting any special one-day events in the near future because of the health restrictions. However, a modied Summer Reading Program will be starting on July 6.

To prevent the spread of the coronavirus, visitors at the library are required to wear face coverings.

Library ofcials also urged visitors to:

• Maintain a social distance of six feet;

• Keep their visit to one hour or less;

• Return items in bookdrops;

• Limit their computer access to one hour per day;

• Stay home if they are feeling sick or showing any symptoms.

The library is located at 8437 Sierra Avenue. For more information, call (909) 574-4500. San Bernardino plans to use savings to rescue ailing budget – Press Enterprise

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LOCAL NEWS • News San Bernardino plans to use savings to rescue ailing budget City officials seek permission to withdraw $2.9 million from reserves

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https://www.pe.com/...-budget/?utm_content=tw-pressenterprise&utm_campaign=socialflow&utm_source=twitter.com&utm_medium=social[6/23/2020 3:33:27 PM] San Bernardino plans to use savings to rescue ailing budget – Press Enterprise

San Bernardino has started searching for its next city manager. (Photo by Brian Whitehead, The Sun/SCNG)

By BRIAN WHITEHEAD | [email protected] | San Bernardino Sun  PUBLISHED: June 23, 2020 at 11:21 a.m. | UPDATED: June 23, 2020 at 11:42 a.m.

San Bernardino is expected to draw $2.9 million from its reserves this week to marry revenues and expenditures in the fiscal year beginning July 1, further depleting a break-in-case-of-emergency savings account that has been tapped for $14.8 million the past two budget cycles.

Pitched as a stop-gap measure until officials can bargain concessions from city employee groups, calling upon the rainy-day fund for assistance would be the final step toward eliminating the $10.3 million budget deficit looming over fiscal 2020-21.

City leaders could approve the plan Wednesday, June 24.

While San Bernardino faces its second substantial budget deficit since emerging from bankruptcy three years ago, the latest shortfall can be linked directly to the coronavirus pandemic and subsequentS lockdowns that ravaged spending plans up and down the state.

Since learning of the impending $10.3 million deficit in May, city leaders have approved a number of cost-cutting moves to avoid fiscal calamity this fiscal year and beyond.

First, city leaders authorized the use of $5.1 million in reserves to compensate for tax revenue lost these past four months due to the statewide lockdown. Then, policymakers green lit $7.3 million in budget-balancing measures. M Later, elected officials proposed cutting $28,000 from what they are given each year to attend By meetings and conferences; $25,000 from part-time salaries in the council office; $20,000 in costs to put on the annual State of the City address; and $12,200 from the mayor’s travel budget, a proposal that drew the ire of Mayor John Valdivia when first broached earlier this month. R Though Valdivia vetoed the council-initiated measures at RELATED LINKS first, they are up for reconsideration this week.

San Bernardino will not review Lastly and most recently, the City Council amended a lease performance of city manager agreement with Vanir Tower to save about $130,000 on office space in fiscal 2020-21. ‘Go to h—,’ San Bernardino councilman tells colleague after vote on moving offices

San Bernardino commits $18,000 more for investigation of mayor’s alleged misbehavior

San Bernardino to increase cap on commercial cannabis business licenses

Proposed cut to San Bernardino mayor’s travel budget to be reconsidered

Even with the aforementioned initiatives, a nearly $3 million shortfall looms as summer approaches.

Should policymakers choose to again dip into reserves to balance the books, staffers will return at a later date with a plan to replenish the cash-strapped city’s savings account. San Bernardino would be left with $23.1 million in reserves if the City Council approves the $2.9 million transfer.

The council meets at 6 p.m. Wednesday via web conference.

https://www.pe.com/...-budget/?utm_content=tw-pressenterprise&utm_campaign=socialflow&utm_source=twitter.com&utm_medium=social[6/23/2020 3:33:27 PM] Upland adopts new budget that may need additional cuts if revenues fall further – Daily Bulletin

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LOCAL NEWS • News Upland adopts new budget that may need additional cuts if revenues fall further City preparing for worst-case scenarios that could include furloughs

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https://www.dailybulletin.com/...m_medium=social&utm_source=twitter.com&utm_campaign=socialflow&utm_content=tw-ivdailybulletin[6/24/2020 11:10:43 AM] Upland adopts new budget that may need additional cuts if revenues fall further – Daily Bulletin

Upland City Hall at 460 N. Euclid Ave. as seen on July 1, 2019. The Upland City Council adopted a fiscal year 2020-21 budget on S Monday, June 22, 2020. More cuts may come in October. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)

By STEVE SCAUZILLO | [email protected] | San Gabriel Valley Tribune  PUBLISHED: June 24, 2020 at 7:00 a.m. | UPDATED: June 24, 2020 at 7:01 a.m.

Reduced library hours, freezing five police positions, and elimination of staff training and after-school programs are part of a trimmed down fiscal year 2020-21 budget adopted by the Upland City Council Monday, June 22.

But the austerity budget — shaped by $2.1 million in revenue losses projected for the coming fiscal year from an economy badly battered by the novel coronavirus pandemic — could be a precursor to more severe reductions in the fall.

In this file photo, Ahlaam Mahmood shops at the Friends of the Library bookstore at the Upland Public Library. Reduced library hours and programs were part of the trimmed 2020-21 fiscal year budget adopted by the City Council on June 22, 2020. (Photo by David Allen/SCNG)

As an addendum to the budget that takes effect July 1, the Upland City Council was presented with worse-case scenarios should the trajectory of sales taxes and other fees fall by 35% from projections.

Right now, the city finance staff sees a drop of $1.7 million in sales tax revenues from a slow recovery from the coronavirus shut down and a decrease of $810,000 in license and permit fees in 2020-21 as

compared to the fiscal year ending June 30.

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READ MORE Will Disneyland suspend FastPasses single rider lines The General Fund is projected to receive $41.5 million in revenues in 2020-21, a decrease of $1.4 million over the previous year.

Property taxes are expected to increase by $913,380 due to jumps in assessed values and property sales, according to the staff report. But general fund spending is up, mostly due to salaries and benefits increasing by just over $2 million, the report said.

The city projects it would end the 2020-21 fiscal year with a 20% operating reserve, a threshold met for the first time, the staff report said.

Some models, however, show sales and other crucial fund generators dropping even lower, which could mean the city cannot keep up its present level of services, Stephen Parker, assistant city

manager, explained.

Even after instituting mostly minor service reductions, “unless conditions change, cuts in basic services including police staffing, 9-1-1 emergency response times, the maintenance of streets, parks and public facilities, as well as programs for youth and seniors may be necessary in the future,” City Manager Rosemary Hoerning wrote in a letter to the Council.

As a contingency plan, the city is preparing to talk with staff and union representatives about an 80- hour furlough across all departments for every full-time employee. That would save the city $600,000.

“If revenues don’t come in as expected, we would want to have those conversations with them (staff),” said Hoerning.

Another option would be layoffs, explained Parker. “There are no easy answers in identifying positions to cut,” he said.

A third option would be to eliminate entire programs, such as the senior center services, which costs about $350,000 a year, staff explained.

These options would be considered at a quarterly budgetary review in October and are not part of the newly approved budget, Hoerning said.

Still, making deeper cuts could affect city services, which RELATED LINKS could lower property values and decrease property tax

revenues that flow to city coffers, said Councilman Bill Here’s what $1 million in cuts in Upland Velto, whose expertise is in real estate. city services would look like

“There is only so much to cut from the budget before Upland poised to make $1M in cuts service drop. We can’t just keep cutting and cutting and affecting library, recreation and payroll

cutting,” Velto said. Upland wrestles with revenue losses, may consider furloughs, pay cuts Hoerning said her staff will monitor city finances through

summer and early fall and report back to the council. Sell part of Upland park to hospital for a parking lot? Voters may decide “We will continue to pace it. If we don’t do anything after it shows a downward trend (in revenues), we’ll have to look Rancho Cucamonga lays off 10 full-time for additional revenues or cuts,” she said. employees due to coronavirus shutdown

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Steve Scauzillo | reporter Steve Scauzillo covers environment, public health and transportation for the Southern California News Group. He has won two journalist of the year awards from the Angeles Chapter of the Sierra Club and is a recipient of the Aldo Leopold Award for Distinguished Editorial Writing on environmental issues. Steve studied biology/chemistry when attending East Meadow High School and Nassau College in

https://www.dailybulletin.com/...m_medium=social&utm_source=twitter.com&utm_campaign=socialflow&utm_content=tw-ivdailybulletin[6/24/2020 11:10:43 AM] Volunteer posts drone video to YouTube in search for man missing from Sky Forest – San Bernardino Sun

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NEWSCRIME + PUBLIC SAFETY • News Volunteer posts drone video to YouTube in search for man missing from Sky Forest

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Christopher Booker, 35, of Twin Peaks, went missing and his vehicle was found near the area of Kuffel Canyon Road and Highway 18 in the Sky Forest community. (Photo courtesy of the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department)

https://www.sbsun.com/2020/06/23/volunteer-posts-drone-video-to-youtube-in-search-for-man-missing-from-sky-forest/[6/24/2020 10:37:23 AM] Volunteer posts drone video to YouTube in search for man missing from Sky Forest – San Bernardino Sun

By ROBERT GUNDRAN | [email protected] |  PUBLISHED: June 23, 2020 at 9:19 p.m. | UPDATED: June 23, 2020 at 10:13 p.m.

A local man in the Sky Forest community near Twin Peaks has posted a series of videos on YouTube in hopes of assisting in the search for a man who went missing this month.

The San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department is asking for the public’s help in finding Christopher Booker, 35, of Twin Peaks, after his unlocked vehicle was found in the area in the San Bernardino Mountains, with all his belongings still in it.

David Alan Arnold, a 48-year-old Sky Forest resident, has been making YouTube videos about Booker’s disappearance over the past few weeks. He has also been searching the forest for any sign of him. His videos feature him walking the area around where Booker went missing alongside drone footage of the forest from above. S “I just wanted to help raise awareness that someone disappeared, and if anyone had seen him they should get that information to authorities so family could know he’s alright,” Arnold said. “I’m hoping he’s sitting on the beach and doesn’t want to be bothered. There’s just so little information, it is a puzzle.”

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READ MORE Having a fireworks show at home? Here’s how to get Booker, a 6-foot-3-inch, 200 pound man, went missing sometime around June 9, according to the Sheriff’s Department. His unlocked vehicle was found that day near Kuffel Canyon Road and Highway 18 in the Sky Forest community.

Booker was last seen wearing a black long-sleeve shirt, a black t-shirt over the long-sleeve shirt, dark gray pants, tan work boots, a dark gray or green beanie and a black neckerchief covering his face, according to the Sheriff’s Department.

“Mr. Booker’s cellphone and other personal belongings were found inside the vehicle; however, there was no sign of him,” the Sheriff’s Department said in a statement.

Rescue teams with the Sheriff’s Department searched the area where his vehicle was found, as well as the surrounding mountainside, on June 11 and 12.

Information wasn’t immediately available on if any foul play was suspected in Booker’s disappearance. Jodi Miller, spokeswoman for the Sheriff’s Department, said the investigation into Booker’s whereabouts is ongoing.

Arnold said he doesn’t know Booker personally, but he just found his disappearance curious and wanted to help find him.

Arnold has assisted as a volunteer in search-and-rescue efforts to locate Booker. The Sheriff’s Department said 13 members of the search-and-rescue team looked again for Booker on Saturday. Arnold said he saw roughly 30 people total out helping.

“How does a 6-foot-3-inch, 200 pound man just disappear,” Arnold said.

One of Arnold’s videos features him walking around the forest near Sky Forest, looking for any sign of Booker.

Drone footage in the video shows vast swaths of very dense forest and vegetation. At points Arnold even has difficulty traversing the terrain.

“A lot of people I talked to are afraid Chris Booker ended up in these woods, so today we’re flying a drone to carefully look at any place he might have gone,” Arnold said in the video.

“This is some of the most challenging terrain I’ve ever tried to walk through,” he said. “Hopefully this footage will help people concerned about Chris Booker to see the geography around the place where his car was found.”

The Sheriff’s Department asked anyone with information about Booker to call its Twin Peaks station at 909-336-0600. Those who want to remain anonymous can call We Tip at 1-800-782-7463.

https://www.sbsun.com/2020/06/23/volunteer-posts-drone-video-to-youtube-in-search-for-man-missing-from-sky-forest/[6/24/2020 10:37:23 AM] 4 California counties behind spike in COVID hospitalizations - Los Angeles Times

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4 suburban California counties behind dangerous rise in COVID-19 hospitalizations

Corona del Mar State Beach in Newport Beach draws a crowd on Monday. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)

https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2020-06-24/4-suburban-california-counties-behind-dangerous-spike-in-covid-19-hospitalizations[6/24/2020 11:10:25 AM] 4 California counties behind spike in COVID hospitalizations - Los Angeles Times

By RONG-GONG LIN II, IRIS LEE, SEAN GREENE

JUNE 24, 2020 | 9:56 AM

SAN FRANCISCO — Four suburban Southern California counties are primarily responsible for a dangerous rise in California’s coronavirus hospitalizations, according to a Los Angeles Times data analysis. The four counties have seen significant upticks in hospitalized COVID-19 patients in recent weeks.

Increases in Ventura, Orange, San Bernardino and Riverside counties have contributed to an overall rise in hospitalizations recorded statewide that began after Memorial Day, just as officials were rapidly reopening the economy.

The causes for the spikes are not fully known, but some health officials are blaming social gatherings. A barbecue at a mobile home park in Oxnard recently resulted in 19 people testing positive for the virus, and authorities are now monitoring an additional 40 people who are close contacts of those who are infected.

Ventura County health officials have urged residents to enjoy reopened restaurants, which are governed by strict safety and social distancing rules, rather than having parties and other private events.

“It’s like we’re cheating on our diet, and angry or baffled that we can’t lose weight,” said Dr. Robert Levin, the Ventura County health officer, on Tuesday. “There’s all those times that we’re not cheating. But [in] the few times we do, all that effort is for naught. So what is the price we pay? Where are we headed? More cases of COVID-19. More people hospitalized. More people in our ICUs. More people dead.”

While L.A. County saw an average of 62 fewer hospitalized patients daily for confirmed or suspected cases of COVID-19 between the week of Memorial Day and last week, Riverside County saw an average daily increase of 85 patients; San Bernardino, 70; Ventura, 33; and Orange, 32, according to The Times’ analysis.

In Ventura County, there was a daily average of 85 people hospitalized with illnesses related to COVID-19 last week; four weeks ago, it was 52.

During the week of May 25, California recorded a new low in weekly coronavirus hospitalizations since the start of the pandemic, with an average daily count of 4,385 patients. Last week, that number climbed to 4,603 — an increase of 218 patients.

California coronavirus hospitalizations The state has seen an increase in hospitalized patients with confirmed or suspected infections in recent weeks.

Daily average by week Source: California Health and Human Services Agency Los Angeles Times

The eight-county San Joaquin Valley is also an area of concern, recording 160 additional patients over the same period, as is Santa Barbara County, with 25 more patients.

And there are other signs of trouble in the state: Orange County recently recorded its deadliest week in the pandemic, with 48 deaths reported in the seven-day period that ended Sunday. The county has seen three consecutive weeks in which the death toll has been higher than the previous week’s.

Orange County COVID-19 deaths By week Times reporting Los Angeles Times

The Bay Area’s third most populous county, Contra Costa County, saw its weekly death toll shoot up to 18 last week, its worst since the week of April 13, when nine people were reported to have died.

Contra Costa County COVID-19 deaths By week Times reporting Los Angeles Times

The pandemic also continues to ravage rural counties, which are critical for the nation’s food supply.

Imperial County recorded 21 deaths last week, its highest weekly death toll, and more than double the previous week’s fatality number of 10. Kings County, where severe coronavirus outbreak occurred at a meatpacking plant, recorded 10 deaths among its residents last week, more than doubling its previous cumulative death toll.

San Quentin State Prison in Marin County is now the site of an outbreak that has infected 365 people — more than all of the residents of Santa Cruz County who have been diagnosed with the virus.

The outbreak occurred after 121 inmates were transferred from the California Institution for Men in Chino.

“The fact that 121 men were transferred to San Quentin from Chino without being tested is stunning,” state Sen. Scott Wiener (D-San Francisco) said in a statement.

Double-digit increases in coronavirus hospitalizations A Times analysis found 11 California counties with double-digit increases in average daily hospitalizations between the weeks of May 25 and June 15. *Hospitalizations include patients with confirmed or suspected coronavirus infections Los Angeles Times

There also are troubling signs that hospitalizations may be starting to rise again in both L.A. County and Northern California’s most populous county, centered in Silicon Valley. L.A. County on June 13 logged its lowest daily coronavirus hospitalization numbers since April — 1,768 for patients with confirmed or suspected infections — following weeks of consecutive declines. But by Monday, there were 2,090 hospitalized, an 18% increase.

Some of that rise might be caused by more widespread testing. But officials say the jump in the number of cases is also caused by greater transmission of the disease in recent weeks, in part caused by the wider reopening of the economy and increased gatherings, whether they be social or a result of political protests.

“The numbers do tell us that we’re seeing an increase in community transmission,” L.A. County’s public health director, Barbara Ferrer, said this week. Nearly two weeks ago, only 5.8% of coronavirus tests were coming back positive over the previous week in L.A. County. But on Monday, that number had risen to 8.4%.

CALIFORNIA Alarming spike in coronavirus sparks fears California is ‘starting to lose this battle’

June 24, 2020

The latest projections from the University of Washington’s Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation say that California may see more than 15,100 deaths by Oct. 1, a 170% increase from the current death toll, which was more than 5,600 as of Tuesday night. Nationwide, the institute projects more than 201,000 deaths by that same date, a 65% increase from the current death toll of more than 121,000.

Santa Clara County has done much better in controlling the spread of the virus than L.A. County. Santa Clara County has eight coronavirus deaths per 100,000 residents, while L.A. County has 31 deaths per 100,000 residents. Part of that success is related to the earlier implementation of a regional stay-at-home order that is credited with saving many lives.

Yet even Santa Clara County is starting to see a rebound in cases as the economy reopens.

Santa Clara County coronavirus cases Times reporting Los Angeles Times

On Tuesday, Santa Clara County recorded its highest number of cases amid the pandemic — 121 — after spending much of last month with a seven-day average of new daily cases hovering around 25.

“Now, we’re going back up at a pattern similar to the rest of the state,” Dr. Jeffrey Smith, the county executive officer, said. “We’re at our highest peak at this point.”

The root of the problem is that Californians are gradually returning to old habits, with mobility rates starting to increase and a projected return to normal by October, said Smith, citing forecasts posted on the website Covid Act Now.

Dr. Sara Cody, the health officer for Santa Clara County, said the increase in cases is “worrisome.”

“This increase may be accelerating. This increase reflects both widespread testing — we’re

finding more of the cases that do exist — but it also reflects an increase in cases because the virus continues to spread. It’s a bit early to tell if this will translate to a significant increase in hospitalizations and deaths going forward,” Cody said.

While there are fewer cases associated with nursing homes and other long-term care facilities since May, there are now more outbreaks associated with workplaces or in the community, Cody said.

Workplace outbreaks started being detected a week after the county allowed construction firms to get back to work, according to Cody.

Of 89 worksites that have reported at least one coronavirus infection, 34 of them have been in construction, 10 in food service or restaurants, eight in retail stores and businesses and six in food processing plants.

In outbreaks with three or more cases with exposures in the workplace, 54% of them have occurred at construction work sites; but the largest outbreaks have occurred at food processing centers.

The coronavirus pandemic is like a wildfire, Cody said. “If you contain it when it’s small, you can keep it under control. But once COVID transmission begins to accelerate, it is very, very difficult to contain and to slow down,” she said.

It’s important to ensure that as society gets back to work, that people adhere to strategies to reduce the risk to the virus, she added.

“None of us want to be forced to return to a full shelter-in-place. So it’s critical that we have strong protocols and risk reduction strategies firmly in place as we continue to reopen,” Cody said.

In Ventura County, officials are increasingly worried about gatherings as hospitalization numbers rise to record levels. Levin, the health officer, said he was dismayed over the weekend seeing people packed, shoulder-to-shoulder, watching a skateboard competition.

Besides additional infections in long-term care facilities, “we believe that there’s also

increased community transmission going on in the community, causing individuals to get sick enough that they warrant being admitted to the hospital for acute care, and that is very concerning,” said Rigoberto Vargas, the Ventura County public health director.

If people don’t improve on social distancing, Levin said he’s worried about Ventura County’s hospitals eventually becoming so overwhelmed with coronavirus patients that those with other illnesses, such as those suffering a heart attack, could “die needlessly for lack of a hospital bed.”

Levin said Ventura County can avoid this future — and a re-implementation of stricter stay-at-home orders — if the public rededicates itself to keeping distance from other people.

“We should avoid gatherings. I think we should stop going out to do frivolous and unnecessary things,” Levin said. “We deserve our freedom. But the reality is we just can’t have it yet. This is a classic case of deferring our reward, deferring our reward until this damn situation lets up and allows us to have our freedom again.”

CALIFORNIA Getting a coronavirus test is becoming harder, frustrating anxious protesters

June 24, 2020

Younger adults are becoming a pathway for the virus to spread. In L.A. County, 40% of coronavirus cases are occurring among those 18 to 40.

That matches the experience in Japan, where a study published by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found that the people probably spreading the coronavirus in more than 60 clusters were mostly young adults, age 20 to 39. Most were asymptomatic or presymptomatic when they transmitted the virus, and almost none had a cough.

Transmission likely happened at places like restaurants, bars, workplaces, healthcare facilities, gyms and music events. Many clusters were associated with heavy breathing in

close proximity to others, such as singing at karaoke parties, cheering at a concert, chatting in a bar or exercising at a gym.

Lin reported from San Francisco, Lee from Los Angeles and Greene from Thousand Oaks.

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Rong-Gong Lin II

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Rong-Gong Lin II is a metro reporter, specializing in covering statewide earthquake safety issues. The Bay Area native is a graduate of UC Berkeley and started at the Los Angeles Times in 2004.

Iris Lee

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Iris Lee is a data journalist on the Los Angeles Times Data Desk. She previously reported for the San Fernando Valley Business Journal, covering healthcare and law. She graduated from the University of Southern California with a master’s in journalism and holds chemistry and international studies degrees from UC Irvine.

Sean Greene

https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2020-06-24/4-suburban-california-counties-behind-dangerous-spike-in-covid-19-hospitalizations[6/24/2020 11:10:25 AM] Coronavirus recession to end this summer and fall, Chapman predicts – Daily Bulletin

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BUSINESS • News Coronavirus recession to end this summer and fall, Chapman predicts Declines in gross domestic product and employment will end this month, but this year's economic output still will be well below 2019, economists predict.

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https://www.dailybulletin.com/...utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter.com&utm_campaign=socialflow&utm_content=tw-ivdailybulletin[6/23/2020 3:35:01 PM] Coronavirus recession to end this summer and fall, Chapman predicts – Daily Bulletin

The U.S. economy entered a recession in February as the coronavirus struck the nation, a group of economists declared Monday, June 8, ending the longest expansion on record. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson) S

By JEFF COLLINS | [email protected] | Orange County Register  PUBLISHED: June 23, 2020 at 3:00 p.m. | UPDATED: June 23, 2020 at 3:00 p.m.

Assuming the spread of the coronavirus has been tamed, the recession of 2020 may be in the rear- view mirror, with the economy growing again in the second half of the year, Chapman University economists forecast Tuesday, June 23.

But the V-shaped recovery envisioned by the Chapman school of business doesn’t mean the economy will emerge unscathed.

This year will end in worse shape than when it began, with higher unemployment, a lower gross domestic product and decreased personal income and sales, forecast numbers show.

Among the highlights:

GDP will end the year down 3.8%, following a record-setting decade of steady expansion. The U.S. unemployment rate will be at 8.8%, higher than any pre-COVID rate since the fall of 2011.F

Total non-farm employment will be down 6.2% from the end of 2019. By Existing home sales will experience an 11% drop compared with 2019, and housing starts will decline 4.3%. Job levels next April will be down 14.5% from April 2020 in Los Angeles County, with drops of 15.4%M forecast for Orange County and 9.7% in the Inland Empire.

But barring a rebound in COVID-19 cases, an economic recovery is expected to start next month.

“A recovery does not mean that the economy has fully recovered from all the losses of the recession,” said Jim Doti, Chapman president emeritus and economics professor, in a phone interview. “All a recovery means is a pickup.”

Bankruptcies, business closures and changes in consumer preferences and lifestyles will keep spending from getting back to pre-COVID levels, the forecast said.

And even after rebounding 75% this summer and fall, there still will be 6.3 million fewer U.S. jobs at the end of the year — including 804,000 fewer in California — compared with the winter of 2020 before stay-at-home lockdowns began.

The rebound is predicted to move far swifter than that of the Great Recession 12 years ago. While

employment drops were steeper during the pandemic lockdown, “the comeback we are forecasting points to a rapid recovery. … In sharp contrast, the Great Recession dragged on for seven quarters.”

Another distinction is the unprecedented crisis response by Congress and the Federal Reserve, approving more than $2 trillion in stimulus spending in weeks, Doti said. The Fed followed up by swiftly buying up federal debt, “monetizing” the increased deficit.

This year’s quick response is a key reason economic declines will reverse themselves in the second half of the year.

“The fact that happened so soon, as an economist, to me that was surprising,” Doti said. “The Federal Reserve is very effectively greasing the wheels now.”

The flip side of increased deficit spending, however, is inflation likely will increase next year. Doti examined three other periods showing that inflation picked up 1 ½ to 2 ½ years after a big jump in deficit spending.

“Whenever we had a resurgence in money supply, we have a renewal of inflation,” Doti said.

Similar economic rebounds are predicted for California and Orange County.

The hardest-hit sector in California will be leisure and hospitality, with a year-end loss of 335,000 jobs, or a drop of nearly 17% from the start of the year, forecast numbers show.

Other service industries will see employment drop 8% or 46,000 jobs, with retail employment statewide falling 6.1% or 100,000 jobs.

“Many of the job losses incurred in the second quarter will be restored in the third and fourth quarters as the lockdown ends,” the forecast said. “Although many lost jobs, particularly in retail trade, will be

permanently lost, most will return.”][======-

Another reason for a swifter rebound this year is more high-paying jobs were lost in the last recession. The Great Recession was caused mainly by an unprecedented decline in the construction jobs, which pay an average $71,300 a year, compared with an average $30,400 paid for jobs in leisure and hospitality, the forecast said.

Another cushion is the information services industry, with an average salary of $187,200 a year, continued to see job growth this year.

The forecast sees some mixed signals for housing nationally with falling home sales but rising home prices.

In Orange County, overall employment is projected to fall 8% from the end of last year to 1.5 million jobs, with total taxable sales dropping 12.1% and existing home sales falling 9.4%. House prices, likewise, are expected to fall, but just 0.5%.

Total personal income is projected to fall 1.6% vs. a 3% drop statewide.

All bets are off if there’s a big increase in coronavirus cases. Doti doesn’t think there will be further lockdowns this summer, but worries persist about a potential jump in cases and deaths next October, as happened during the Spanish flu pandemic of 1918.

Such an increase “obviously will change the trajectory of our forecast,” Doti said.

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https://www.dailybulletin.com/...utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter.com&utm_campaign=socialflow&utm_content=tw-ivdailybulletin[6/23/2020 3:35:01 PM] Riverside County coronavirus cases, hospitalizations, ICU use break records – Daily Bulletin

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NEWS • News Riverside County coronavirus cases, hospitalizations, ICU use break records

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By RYAN HAGEN | [email protected] | The Press-Enterprise  PUBLISHED: June 23, 2020 at 6:12 p.m. | UPDATED: June 24, 2020 at 7:43 a.m.

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Riverside County on Tuesday, June 23, reported the most new coronavirus cases in a day and also set records for the total number of people hospitalized with COVID-19 and those in intensive-care

https://www.dailybulletin.com/...m_medium=social&utm_source=twitter.com&utm_campaign=socialflow&utm_content=tw-ivdailybulletin[6/24/2020 11:09:52 AM] Riverside County coronavirus cases, hospitalizations, ICU use break records – Daily Bulletin

units with the disease.

The 631 cases since Monday, June 22, are the most confirmed in a single day — excluding numbers input on Mondays, which include people whose cases were confirmed on Saturday and Sunday — since the county began testing for COVID-19.

There have now been 14,431 confirmed cases of the virus and 431 deaths attributed to COVID-19 in Riverside County, according to the public health department’s website. That’s seven new deaths since Monday. S

County hospitals have 315 people with coronavirus, including 90 people in intensive care. Coronavirus hospitalizations hit records for three straight days last week, hitting a previous peak of 311 on Friday. H

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READ MORE Will Disneyland suspend FastPasses single rider lines The website states that 7,009 people have recovered from COVID-19.

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The county has processed 193,954 tests, including people who took the test more than once.

As the county has pushed for more younger people to be RELATED ARTICLES tested, more cases have been confirmed in those age

Travelers to N.Y., New Jersey, groups — 217 people under age 5 and 842 people between Connecticut are told to isolate 5 and 17 and 5,421 people aged 18-39 have tested positive in the county. The virus has been found in 5,438 people Multiple positive coronavirus tests at aged 40-64, 1,344 people aged 65 to 79 and 615 people Santa Anita, SoFi Stadium over 80. Coronavirus state tracker: California had 6,524 new cases and 60 new deaths as of Multiple one-day records for new cases have been broken June 23 in the past week — including seven days ago, when a then- record 409 cases were confirmed. Since June 16, the Some states break virus records as U.S. county has confirmed 2,737 cases — a 23% increase. caseload grows anew Thirty-six county residents have died of COVID-19 since Will Disneyland suspend FastPasses, then.

single rider lines and park hopping? Neighboring San Bernardino County also recorded its highest one-day total Tuesday, with the increase attributed to gatherings held over Mother’s Day and Memorial Day weekends, reopenings and protests over police brutality that drew crowds.

See a list of community-by-community cases here.

Staff Writer Nikie Johnson contributed to this report.

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Tags: All Readers, Coronavirus, Health, public health, Top Stories PE

https://www.dailybulletin.com/...m_medium=social&utm_source=twitter.com&utm_campaign=socialflow&utm_content=tw-ivdailybulletin[6/24/2020 11:09:52 AM] Fairplex and LA County extend use of Pomona hotel for coronavirus patients – Daily Bulletin

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NEWS • News Fairplex and LA County extend use of Pomona hotel for coronavirus patients

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https://www.dailybulletin.com/...utm_content=tw-ivdailybulletin&utm_source=twitter.com&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=socialflow[6/23/2020 3:32:58 PM] Fairplex and LA County extend use of Pomona hotel for coronavirus patients – Daily Bulletin

The Sheraton Fairplex Hotel & Conference Center in Pomona prepares for coronavirus patients Monday afternoon, March 23, 2020. The hotel will use its 244 rooms to quarantine those who show symptoms and those awaiting test results. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)

By JAVIER ROJAS | [email protected] |  PUBLISHED: June 23, 2020 at 2:55 p.m. | UPDATED: June 23, 2020 at 2:57 p.m.

Los Angeles County has secured a six-month lease extension to continue using the Sheraton Fairplex Hotel in Pomona as a temporary quarantine facility for patients who may have been ordered to isolate by the Department of Public Health due to the novel coronavirus.

The extension runs through the end of the year. The previous agreement, signed in mid-March, ended in May with an option to extend into June. At the time of that agreement, the 224-room Sheraton was the first in the county to be entirely reserved for assistance with COVID-19, the potentially fatal

disease caused by the virus.

The county also will continue to pay the city of Pomona the Transient Occupancy Tax, also known as F a bed tax, that the city normally collects from hotels. The city will receive about $530,000, based on its current tax rate, for the remainder of the lease. The tax will be paid on a monthly basis, according to By Miguel Santana, Fairplex CEO.

Back in April, the city received a $300,000 payment that was equivalent to what the city would have M received from the hotel at full occupancy in April and May.

Santana said talks of the lease extension have been in the works for about a month and terms were settled recently. The work the Fairplex has done in the last few months, he said, “may be the most important community service role Fairplex has played in its 98-year history.”

Los Angeles County First District Supervisor Hilda L. Solis praised the new extension as the number of coronavirus cases in the county have continued to rise in recent days. The county reported more than 2,000 new cases for the third time in the past week, putting the county total at 85,942 cases and 3,137 deaths.

“Fairplex and the Sheraton have responded to this emergency with courage and compassion by providing LA County residents who may have been exposed to COVID-19 a safe space where they can recuperate and recover, keeping hospital beds open for more acute patients,” Solis said said in a prepared statement Monday. “LA County stands in solidarity with the Fairplex as we work together to limit the rate of infection. I thank elected officials from the City of Pomona for their leadership, and the https://www.dailybulletin.com/...utm_content=tw-ivdailybulletin&utm_source=twitter.com&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=socialflow[6/23/2020 3:32:58 PM] Fairplex and LA County extend use of Pomona hotel for coronavirus patients – Daily Bulletin

community for its support of this important site.”

Since mid-March, the Fairplex, which would typically be RELATED LINKS preparing to host Los Angeles County Fair, which has been

canceled due to the ongoing pandemic, has devoted a Pomona gets $300,000 for coronavirus majority of its resources to help with local coronavirus quarantine center at Sheraton Fairplex response efforts. Sheraton Fairplex in Pomona will soon These efforts includes hosting a county drive-thru open 244 rooms for coronavirus patients coronavirus testing site that has tested more than 17,100 Fairplex opens drive-up food pantry in individuals as of June 17 and a drive-thru food pantry, in Pomona amid coronavirus outbreak partnership with La Verne-based Sowing Seeds for Life, that as of June 17, has served over 13,857 vehicles since Fairplex calls off 2020 LA County Fair opening on April 1. Other services include offering free childcare for the children of health care workers, first responders and essential workers at its Child Development Center.

“As a community benefit organization, we understand the need to provide regional accommodations for individuals who must be separated from their loved ones who have been medically directed to self- isolate,” Santana said. “This is just one element of a much broader effort Fairplex has undertaken to help our community slow the spread of COVID-19.”

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https://www.dailybulletin.com/...utm_content=tw-ivdailybulletin&utm_source=twitter.com&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=socialflow[6/23/2020 3:32:58 PM] L.A. coronavirus testing gets more challenging - Los Angeles Times

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Getting a coronavirus test is becoming harder, frustrating anxious protesters

Protesters with Black Future Project occupy a Boyle Heights intersection June 23. (Gabriella Angotti-Jones / Los Angeles Times)

https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2020-06-24/why-is-it-still-so-hard-to-get-a-coronavirus-test[6/24/2020 11:10:04 AM] L.A. coronavirus testing gets more challenging - Los Angeles Times

By SOUMYA KARLAMANGLA | STAFF WRITER

JUNE 24, 2020 | 5 AM

As tens of thousands of people took to the streets to protest police brutality earlier this month, health officials hammered home a single message: Get tested for the coronavirus. The massive demonstrations could become hotbeds for transmission, officials warned.

Widespread testing might allow detection of those cases before they spread further. But in the weeks since the protests, Los Angeles County residents say they have struggled to secure testing appointments, even as officials report a troubling surge in people infected with COVID-19.

“The fact that we are having these huge public congregations and if we want to go get tested, we can’t — it’s disturbing,” said Tannaz Sassooni, 42. “I don’t know if it’s a glitch, or if [the website] is truly just not taking anyone right now, but it’s pretty bad.”

Sassooni, who lives in Atwater Village, has tried unsuccessfully to make an appointment for COVID-19 testing multiple times after attending an anti-police-brutality demonstration last week. She and others say they fear that the window to learn whether they contracted COVID at a protest is narrowing quickly.

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On Tuesday, L.A. County officials confirmed that there were no appointments available at the more than 40 sites run by the city, county and state. Some sites were temporarily closed and the number of open slots at available sites had been reduced, though in the late afternoon they added some to accommodate demand, they said.

The announcement about the testing shortfalls was widely criticized, in part due to the timing. Over the weekend, President Trump declared at a rally that he ordered testing to be slowed down nationally so that fewer cases would be detected.

The testing issues come as Los Angeles County and California is seeing a major jump in people sick with the virus on Monday. California shattered a daily record for new coronavirus cases with more than 6,000 infections reported Monday — the largest single- day count in the state since the pandemic hit the U.S.

“Testing is the only way to truly know where the infection is, and where it’s going,” said UCLA epidemiologist Dr. Tim Brewer. “So if you ultimately want to be able to contain and control it, you’re going to have to have testing as a major component of that strategy.”

L.A. struggled with testing enough people early in the pandemic, but was then lauded for greatly expanding its capacity and becoming the first major city to provide testing to people who don’t have symptoms of the virus.

But officials faced criticism for closing many testing sites during the protests, which resulted in a 20% drop in the number of people tested in the first week of June. Then Angelenos began having problems scheduling appointments on the website.

When a reporter asked L.A. County health officials on June 17 why there were no available appointments, officials said the problems were due to adjusting the criteria for who could

https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2020-06-24/why-is-it-still-so-hard-to-get-a-coronavirus-test[6/24/2020 11:10:04 AM] L.A. coronavirus testing gets more challenging - Los Angeles Times

get tested and where, and would be fixed soon. But they weren’t.

On Monday morning, Sandra Medina decided she needed a COVID test. She’d had a sore throat for a few days and wanted to make sure she wasn’t infected with the virus.

She clicked a link for the testing website and got a message saying no appointments were available. She tried again, and again. The same message appeared.

“Then I tried for the fourth time, and the fourth time when I did it again, the message popped up immediately, so I didn’t make the appointment,” said Medina, 25.

Officials said Tuesday that the testing shortfall is in part due to paring down of testing sites and slots, a move that they had been discussing for weeks because of a large number of unfilled appointments.

In the second week of June, the most recent week for which data is available, 90,863 people were tested for COVID-19 at government-run sites, while 38,417 slots were either unfilled or no-shows.

On Tuesday morning, the testing website was only offering appointments through Friday, all of which had filled up. So in the afternoon, officials added appointments for Saturday through Monday so people could continue to sign up, they said. The county will also open an additional dozen testing sites on Monday, they said.

Any drop in testing would likely complicate efforts to combat a recent rise in COVID-19 cases in California and in L.A. County, which have both seen record-breaking numbers of cases reported in the past week.

L.A. County public health department director Barbara Ferrer said Monday that it is “highly

https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2020-06-24/why-is-it-still-so-hard-to-get-a-coronavirus-test[6/24/2020 11:10:04 AM] L.A. coronavirus testing gets more challenging - Los Angeles Times

likely” the local surge is linked in part to protests, but also probably to social gatherings and other events. Officials from other counties, including San Diego and Contra Costa, told The Times that while some people who attended protests have been diagnosed with COVID-19, they don’t seem to be a major group driving outbreaks.

The limited coronavirus transmission that has been documented as a result of the protests suggests that being outdoors and wearing masks can greatly reduce spread of the coronavirus. The same numbers of people indoors, without masks, could have easily been a disaster, said UCSF epidemiologist Dr. George Rutherford.

But knowing definitively what has caused the recent spike in cases would require careful analysis, and it may never be possible to disentangle whether it was the protests, the reopening of the economy, or something else entirely, said UCLA’s Brewer.

He said that regardless, the virus remains a threat and people need to stay vigilant. California has become a state where case numbers have continued a troubling rise, he said.

“Clearly, we’re not where we need to be right now,” he said.

Coronavirus infections among Los Angeles police officers have spiked in recent weeks, and officials are trying to determine whether the protest might be a source of the infections.

Police officials have said that officers were exposed on skirmish lines as they worked to disperse screaming crowds. Protesters say officers recklessly arrested people en masse without wearing masks, exposing not just themselves but others.

In the last week, positive cases within the LAPD workforce jumped from 170 to 206, Chief Michel Moore told the civilian Police Commission on Tuesday. https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2020-06-24/why-is-it-still-so-hard-to-get-a-coronavirus-test[6/24/2020 11:10:04 AM] L.A. coronavirus testing gets more challenging - Los Angeles Times

“Officers in many instances attempted to wear face coverings but were challenged in effectively communicating with each other or over the radio, given the conditions,” Moore said.

Protesters and their supporters, meanwhile, have lambasted the LAPD and individual officers for weeks for not wearing masks during the protests, which they said put them at risk. Multiple lawsuits over the LAPD’s protest response cite the lack of masks on officers and the crowding of arrested protesters into packed buses during a pandemic.

During a public comment portion of the Police Commission’s online meeting Tuesday, multiple callers ripped into Moore over the issue, saying he should not be surprised that officers had contracted the virus, given that many of them had dismissed public safety concerns and refused to wear masks amid the protest crackdowns.

Times staff writers Kevin Rector and Colleen Shalby contributed to this report.

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Soumya Karlamangla

Twitter https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2020-06-24/why-is-it-still-so-hard-to-get-a-coronavirus-test[6/24/2020 11:10:04 AM] LA County extends rent, mortgage moratoriums for residents hit hard by pandemic – Daily Bulletin

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NEWS LA County extends rent, mortgage moratoriums for residents hit hard by pandemic The Board of Supervisors extended the moratorium for the second time, but concern looms for residential and commercial tenants and their property owners, who also have mortgages.

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By RYAN CARTER | [email protected] | Daily News  PUBLISHED: June 23, 2020 at 2:45 p.m. | UPDATED: June 23, 2020 at 2:46 p.m.

The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday, June 23, extended a moratorium on rents and mortgages for residents hit hard by the coronavirus-spurred recession. The moratorium was due to run out at the end of the month.

The board’s action includes residential and commercial properties, and is extended until July 31.

What emerged Tuesday was a sense that the county is not out of the woods when it comes to the coronavirus, which after forcing the shutdown of most business has also kept their workers home, with livelihoods threatened. But a parallel concern was for property owners, who also have to pay their mortgages — a fact that didn’t go unnoticed during the supervisors’ discussion.

“We also have to recognize that there are people who own that property who have loans, as well, due,” said Kathryn Barger, who voted unanimously on motions to extend residential and commercial https://www.dailybulletin.com/...utm_content=tw-ivdailybulletin&utm_campaign=socialflow&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter.com[6/23/2020 3:34:32 PM] LA County extends rent, mortgage moratoriums for residents hit hard by pandemic – Daily Bulletin

tenant rent and mortgage extensions.

Such moratoriums are in place in cities across the region. RELATED LINKS The county’s puts priority on unincorporated areas and

smaller cities. L.A. County supervisors approve up to S $30 million for rent relief Established on March 19 and extended once before on May 12, they cover all jurisdictions countywide “unless they Advocates demand overhaul of have already adopted their own moratorium and included governments’ response to homeless issue mobile-home parks who rent space. LA homeless officials: ‘Nobody … should return to the street’ after coronavirus crisis Tenants are protected for the following reasons: ebbs

Nonpayment of rent, late charges, or any other fees. Judge orders homeless living under L.A. Landlords will not be able to evict a tenant if the tenant canfreeways to be relocated show an inability to pay rent and/or related charges due to financial losses related to: A presumed or confirmed diagnosis of COVID-19 or caring for a household or family member who is presumed or diagnosed with COVID-19; Layoff, loss of hours, or other income reduction resulting from a business closure or other economic or employer losses due to COVID-19; Compliance with a recommendation from the county’s health officer to stay home, self-quarantine, or avoid congregation with others during the state of emergency; F Huge out-of-pocket medical expenses related to diagnosis and testing for and/or treatment of COVID-19; or, By Childcare needs arising from school closures related to COVID-19. The state of emergency regarding COVID-19; or Following government-recommended COVID-19 precautions. M A no-fault eviction reason, unless necessary for health or safety reasons COVID-19 related violations for temporarily housing unauthorized occupants or pets or causing a nuisance.

The extensions come as supervisors approved up to $30 RELATED ARTICLES million from affordable housing budget programs to be

$800 million needed to transition 15,000 spent on rent assistance. Officials are particuarly most vulnerable homeless into housing, concerned that tenants owing backpayments could break

https://www.dailybulletin.com/...utm_content=tw-ivdailybulletin&utm_campaign=socialflow&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter.com[6/23/2020 3:34:32 PM] LA County extends rent, mortgage moratoriums for residents hit hard by pandemic – Daily Bulletin

LA County officials say their back, forcing them into the homeless population.

Fairplex and LA County extend use of Officials cite a May report by the UCLA Luskin Institute on Pomona hotel for coronavirus patients Inequality and Democracy that predicts that as many as

LAX is using thermal body cameras to 120,000 households with 184,000 children could find look for possible coronavirus carriers themselves unable to pay rent and evicted as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. LA sports group wants to open arenas and stadiums ASAP. Here’s what they are doing about it.

Black Californians’ housing crisis, by the numbers

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Tags: Affordable Housing, Coronavirus, LA County Board of Supervisors, Top Stories Breeze, Top Stories IVDB, Top Stories LADN, Top Stories LBPT, Top Stories PSN, Top Stories SGVT, Top Stories WDN

https://www.dailybulletin.com/...utm_content=tw-ivdailybulletin&utm_campaign=socialflow&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter.com[6/23/2020 3:34:32 PM] LA County leaders will study shifting millions away from jail system – Daily Bulletin

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NEWS • News LA County leaders will study shifting millions away from jail system With the Board of Supervisors' vote on Tuesday, the county will explore how it allocates AB 109 incarceration funds.

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https://www.dailybulletin.com/...m_campaign=socialflow&utm_source=twitter.com&utm_medium=social&utm_content=tw-ivdailybulletin[6/24/2020 11:09:45 AM] LA County leaders will study shifting millions away from jail system – Daily Bulletin

National Alliance against racist and political repression protest in front of the men???s central jail after a night of protests and riots as demonstrators protested of the death of George Floyd, a black man who was in police custody in Minneapolis during National Day of Protest in Los Angeles on Saturday, May 30, 2020. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG) S

By RYAN CARTER | [email protected] | Daily News  PUBLISHED: June 23, 2020 at 7:35 p.m. | UPDATED: June 23, 2020 at 7:36 p.m. H

The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday signed off on a push to consider redirecting tens of millions of dollars away from the county’s jail system. M

Supervisors unanimously approved a motion by Supervisor Janice Hahn, seeking a reset in the way AB 109 funding is allocated, shifting its traditional flow to the Sheriff’s Department or probation. Instead, the board will explore how it can go to more treatment-related services, including rehabilitation for people with drug and alcohol problems and mental health issues.

Los Angeles County is faced with declining revenue because of the coronavirus pandemic.

The county’s share of state funding to supervise people out of jail early via the state’s realignment program is already taking a $66.6 million hit this year. But officials say that in light of a seismic push

for criminal justice reform, it might be a chance to reset where that funding goes.

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READ MORE Will Disneyland suspend FastPasses single rider lines “We haven’t taken a l time to really look at the way we spend these funds,” Hahn said Tuesday. “Now is our moment.”

In 2011, California’s Legislature approved AB 109, an RELATED LINKS attempt to decrease the state’s prison population. But it put

the burden on counties’ sheriff and probation departments LA County leaders: Jails only a ‘last to house inmates in their facilities and to also supervise resort’ released low-level offenders. With the responsibility came Under new executive order, LA County jail some cash from the state, this year expected to be around inmate population could be further $400 million. reduced

But the pandemic has changed things. State and county https://www.dailybulletin.com/...m_campaign=socialflow&utm_source=twitter.com&utm_medium=social&utm_content=tw-ivdailybulletin[6/24/2020 11:09:45 AM] LA County leaders will study shifting millions away from jail system – Daily Bulletin

LA County poised to consider swarm of budgets are taking huge financial hits from lost sales tax criminal justice reform measures revenue because of business shutdowns to halt the spread Stretched thin, L.A. County’s mental of COVID-19. health teams struggle to get patients out L.A. County Sheriff Alex Villanueva began releasing of jails and into hospitals

inmates at the county’s jails to help contain the spread of Here’s what the healthcare revamp looks the virus. In a matter of months, the inmate population went like at L.A. County jails from 17,000 pre-COVID-19 to less than 12,000 now.

“It is time to rethink at the way the County spends AB 109 Community Corrections revenue and think about whether the spending breakdown aligns with the future vision that we have for the county,” reads Hahn’s motion, which set forth a renewed examination among several county departments of how the county uses AB 109 funding.

Such a move might not have been doable this time last year, and certainly not when the the legislation was approved.

AB 109 became law amid a different-looking Board of Supervisors, with different political incentives. Since then, the county has slowly reimagined its criminal justice system.

In 2015, the board created the Office of Diversion and RELATED ARTICLES Reentry, to divert people with mental illness. Four years

LA County leaders to study closure of later, the Board started the Alternatives to Incarceration Men’s Central Jail within a year Workgroup, which included representatives from county departments and the community. They spent nearly a year An alternative 911 for some crisis calls? hammering out recommendations for a countywide system LA County is considering it of care that goes beyond just locking someone up. The

San Bernardino County declares racism a idea now is to offer treatment. public health crisis In March, before the toll of the virus and the shutdown had LA County leaders hold off on motion to taken root, when the board heard hundreds of personal urge sheriff, 46 police departments to accounts in favor of “Care First, Jails Last,” a county plan reform use-of-force tactics that seeks to make incarceration “a last resort” and Mourners bid farewell to Rayshard Brooks treatment a first priority. at historic church Officials point to studies that show serious disparities in the county’s incarcertation system.

About 9% of the population is Black, but African Americans comprise 29% of people in county jails. Latino people make up 49% of the population, but they are 52% of the county’s incarcerated population. Black and Latina women are 49% of the county’s population. But they make up 75% of the women in the county’s jails.

“This is a long time coming,” said Supervisor Sheila Kuehl. “The way AB 109 funds are spent now, does not reflect the the board’s priorities.”

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Tags: George Floyd, LA County Board of Supervisors, Top Stories Breeze, Top Stories IVDB, Top Stories LADN, Top Stories LBPT, Top Stories PSN, Top Stories SGVT, Top Stories WDN

https://www.dailybulletin.com/...m_campaign=socialflow&utm_source=twitter.com&utm_medium=social&utm_content=tw-ivdailybulletin[6/24/2020 11:09:45 AM] LA County reports nearly 5,000 new coronavirus cases in two days – Daily Bulletin

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NEWS • News LA County reports nearly 5,000 new coronavirus cases in two days The two-day case count is the highest yet since the pandemic began.

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Los Angeles County Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer gives an update on confirmed cases and deaths in Los Angeles County on May 18. https://www.dailybulletin.com/...utm_campaign=socialflow&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter.com&utm_content=tw-ivdailybulletin[6/23/2020 3:33:06 PM] LA County reports nearly 5,000 new coronavirus cases in two days – Daily Bulletin

By DAVID ROSENFELD | [email protected] | The Daily Breeze  PUBLISHED: June 23, 2020 at 3:21 p.m. | UPDATED: June 23, 2020 at 3:24 p.m. S

This critical coverage is being provided free to all readers. Support reporting like this with a subscription to Daily Bulletin. Only 99¢ for a 4-week trial.

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Los Angeles County public health officials reported another 2,364 cases of the coronavirus Tuesday, June 23, which, when added with Monday’s tally, contributed to the county’s biggest two-day total since the pandemic began — a sign, officials said, that the virus is still spreading.

The county has confirmed nearly 5,000 additional cases over Monday and Tuesday.

Public health officials on Tuesday also reported that another 34 people had died from coronavirus- related causes, bringing the countywide death toll to 3,171 people.

So far, 82,262 people have tested positive for COVID-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus. F

“To the family and friends of people who have passed away from COVID-19, we wish you healing and By peace during this sad and difficult time,” Barbara Ferrer, the county’s director of Public Health, said in a press release. “The recent increase in daily cases and rates of positive test results indicates that

there is more community spread of COVID-19 in LA County.” M

Tuesday’s totals follow a series of high case counts in recent days, though officials were still hesitant to say it amounted to a surge they should be worried about — even as more and more businesses reopen after months of being shuttered to stem the spread of the coronavirus. The number of new cases are often reflective of an increase in test results reported to the county, though the total average testing has not changed much in weeks.

On Monday, the county reported 2,571 new cases, the RELATED ARTICLES highest daily case count since the pandemic began. On

$800 million needed to transition 15,000 Saturday, the county reported its second-highest daily new most vulnerable homeless into housing, case count, at 2,056. When reported by the date of first LA County officials say https://www.dailybulletin.com/...utm_campaign=socialflow&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter.com&utm_content=tw-ivdailybulletin[6/23/2020 3:33:06 PM] LA County reports nearly 5,000 new coronavirus cases in two days – Daily Bulletin

symptoms — a better way, officials say, to measure the trends — the highest number of cases in a day was 1,772 Fairplex and LA County extend use of Pomona hotel for coronavirus patients positive results, which occurred on June 8.

LA County extends rent, mortgage As for deaths and hospitalizations, the metrics public health moratoriums for residents hit hard by officials watch most closely, the county is still in fairly good pandemic shape, though numbers have ticked upward. As of Tuesday, 1,515 people were hospitalized for the virus, LAX is using thermal body cameras to look for possible coronavirus carriers down from a high of nearly 2,000 on April 28. Deaths were averaging 30 a day over a seven-day period, down from a LA sports group wants to open arenas daily average of 50 in April. and stadiums ASAP. Here’s what they are doing about it. Ferrer, who’s office recently began limiting its press briefings to three times per week, said Monday that staffers have received death threats since March.

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https://www.dailybulletin.com/...utm_campaign=socialflow&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter.com&utm_content=tw-ivdailybulletin[6/23/2020 3:33:06 PM] LA County reports nearly 5,000 new coronavirus cases in two days – Daily Bulletin

Nearly 1 million people have been tested for the coronavirus in L.A. County. The daily average number of tests, however, has changed little over the past six weeks. The seven-day average for daily tests administered reached more than 21,000 as of Saturday, June 21, and has dropped a little since then. Average tests were last that high in the first week of May.

Tuesday’s numbers did not include Tuesday updates from Long Beach or Pasadena, both of which have their own health departments.

Long Beach on Tuesday reported one death, bringing the citywide total to 121. Long Beach also confirmed an additional 231 cases, from Sunday and Monday, bringing that total to 3,273.

Pasadena had not update its coronavirus numbers as of 3:15 p.m. Tuesday. But as of Monday, the city had confirmed 88 deaths related to the coronavirus and 1,177 cases.

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https://www.dailybulletin.com/...utm_campaign=socialflow&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter.com&utm_content=tw-ivdailybulletin[6/23/2020 3:33:06 PM] Reopening California amid coronavirus a challenge for Newsom - Los Angeles Times

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CALIFORNIA

Shutting down California was a challenge for Newsom. Reopening could prove even trickier

Gov. Gavin Newsom on Thursday ordered all Californians to wear face coverings while in public. (Mel Melcon / Los Angeles Times)

https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2020-06-24/california-stay-home-order-three-month-mark-gavin-newsom-coronavirus[6/24/2020 11:10:12 AM] Reopening California amid coronavirus a challenge for Newsom - Los Angeles Times

By TARYN LUNA | STAFF WRITER

JUNE 24, 2020 | 5 AM

SACRAMENTO — Gov. Gavin Newsom stood in the state’s emergency operations center March 19 and announced an executive order that would change the course of California history, requiring residents to remain in their homes as the coronavirus spread around the world.

California became the first state to tell all residents to stay at home amid the pandemic. Newsom’s decision sparked some controversy and a few lawsuits but has been credited with slowing the spread of the coronavirus and allowing California to avoid larger death tolls seen in states with early outbreaks, such as New York and New Jersey.

Now, three months later, the governor is in the middle of a test that could prove even more challenging than closing California: reopening it.

Newsom has given counties the green light to open their business districts again, with high-risk places such as hair and nail salons, gyms and bars opening their doors with myriad safety rules.

1/50 Jair Guido, 36, a veterinarian visiting from Durango, Mexico, right, wearing a sombrero with an American flag draped over his shoulders, walks with other pedestrians along Hollywood Boulevard in Hollywood. Guido said that he wore this outfit to show people that he is proud to be a Mexican and that he loves America. Gov. Gavin Newsom on Thursday ordered all Californians to wear face coverings while in public. (Mel Melcon / Los Angeles Times)

The pace of reopening has drawn criticism from some. But even as COVID-19 case numbers and hospitalizations soar, the Democratic governor and his health team insist that the data are in line with their expectations and the state is equipped to handle new cases.

“We’ve always walked into this with our eyes wide open. We’ve always prepared for a surge,” Newsom said Monday. “We’re in that band where I feel like we anticipated the likelihood as we’ve reopened of the numbers increasing, and they have.”

In a sign that Newsom and his health advisors are worried that residents aren’t carefully stepping back into the world, the administration ordered all Californians to wear face

coverings while in public or high-risk settings.

The move underscores the fluid nature of reopening and is a sign that the governor will need to constantly monitor — and may need to refine — California’s coronavirus strategy as metrics change and if new outbreaks occur.

With many of the restrictions loosened, the state is at another inflection point in the crisis, with more difficult decisions ahead.

“It absolutely worked, there’s no question,” Dr. Karen Smith, an infectious disease specialist and former director of the California Department of Public Health, said of the governor’s stay-at-home order. “Unfortunately and predictably, as we release people to go back to more of a normal life, you’re starting to see increases in cases.”

Newsom held fast to his executive order for seven weeks as the economy faltered and political pressure mounted for him to end what critics described as a draconian rule. But after weeks of stable hospitalizations and growing pushback against restrictions, the governor altered his approach in May — issuing more than a dozen changes to his stay- at-home order and guidance allowing businesses to reopen with safety modifications and county approval.

Newsom’s original two-page executive order from March required state residents to heed the directives of the California Department of Public Health and stay home unless they worked in one of 16 critical sectors outlined by the federal government. Californians were allowed to go out for food, prescriptions and healthcare but were told to maintain a distance of at least six feet from one another.

“The California Department of Public Health looks to establish consistency across the state in order to ensure that we mitigate the impact of COVID-19,” the order said. “Our goal is https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2020-06-24/california-stay-home-order-three-month-mark-gavin-newsom-coronavirus[6/24/2020 11:10:12 AM] Reopening California amid coronavirus a challenge for Newsom - Los Angeles Times

simple, we want to bend the curve and disrupt the spread of the virus.”

At the time, Newsom expressed confidence that Californians would “meet the moment” and stay home to protect public health.

Health experts say the order succeeded in allowing the state to avoid an immediate surge of COVID-19 patients, buying enough time to purchase more personal protective equipment and prepare the healthcare system.

But that success came with an economic cost: More than 5.5 million Californians have filed for unemployment benefits, and the most recent state data show a jobless rate of 16.3% in May.

As political pressure grew, the Newsom administration on April 14 introduced six indicators that the state would need to meet before beginning to loosen the order. Two weeks later, on April 28, the governor unveiled a four-stage reopening plan, that would allow certain businesses deemed a lower risk for transmission to open first.

Then, on May 8, without a detailed accounting of how the administration’s criteria had been met, the governor began implementing his plan and easing the restrictions. Bookstores, music stores, toy stores, florists, sporting-goods stores and other retailers opened for pickup, and retail manufacturing and logistics were allowed to resume operations statewide.

Amid protests in Orange County and the state Capitol and open revolt in several rural communities, the governor also gave more power back to counties, allowing areas that had met certain guidelines for testing capacity and slower growth in positive cases to reopen more quickly.

The decision to allow counties to move at their own pace once they met benchmarks set by the state rapidly sped up the reopening process in May. Ten days after implementing the original criteria for counties to reopen, the governor loosened the rules to let most counties in the state qualify to open restaurant dining rooms, shopping malls and other businesses.

By the end of May, at least 47 of 58 California counties had met the state’s standards and began transitioning to the third stage of the governor’s reopening plans, with the return of hair salons, barbershops and church services, Newsom said. In the second week of June, gyms, day camps, bars and some professional sports were reopening across California.

When Newsom adopted the stay-at-home order in March, the state health department reported 675 positive cases and 16 deaths from the coronavirus in California. On Monday, state officials reported more than 178,000 confirmed cases and 5,500 deaths.

Newsom last week offered a full-throated defense of his decision-making.

“Localism is determinative,” Newsom reiterated, a line frequently used at his news conferences on the coronavirus to emphasize his position that counties — and not the state — should determine when it’s safe to reopen.

“We have to recognize you can’t be in a permanent state where people are locked away — for months and months and months and months on end — to see lives and livelihoods completely destroyed, without considering the health impact of those decisions as well,” Newsom said.

Newsom has frequently compared reopening businesses to gradually lighting a room with a dimmer switch. He has also talked about how the state may need to “toggle back” but has not provided details on what would happen if problems persisted in particular counties.

Dr. Mark Ghaly, secretary of California’s Health and Human Services Agency, said Monday that the Newsom administration is working with Los Angeles and 10 other counties that are experiencing increases in cases, running low on intensive care unit beds or otherwise failing to meet some of the regional criteria set by the state to reopen businesses and address the pandemic. Ghaly said the administration is offering state support, such as additional healthcare workers or ventilators.

During an appearance last week on “The Late Late Show with James Corden,” Newsom was asked what it would take for him to consider reinstating his stay-at-home order. He pointed to spikes in the state’s data.

“I think to start seeing a sharp increase in the positivity rates, the percentage of people that are testing positive, to see a big spike in hospitalizations and in ICUs,” Newsom said. “California is very well prepared at the moment. But again, if we start to see spikes over a consistent period of time, that’s when we’ll start putting that dimmer switch [on] and start pulling back.”

As Newsom has shifted responsibility for reopening to local leaders, state Sen. Steve Glazer (D-Orinda) said he believes it’s the state’s responsibility to improve its data to quickly and accurately pinpoint outbreaks and stop the spread of the virus.

“I don’t believe you can count on positivity rates based on just counting tests,” Glazer said. “The state should know the rate of infection and changes, and the state should know where the spread is coming from. Today, 90 days in, a positivity rate on a test that one chooses to take is not community surveillance by any means.”

The Bay Area lawmaker also said hospitalization data do not help officials take action to immediately contain outbreaks because patients are sometimes hospitalized weeks after https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2020-06-24/california-stay-home-order-three-month-mark-gavin-newsom-coronavirus[6/24/2020 11:10:12 AM] Reopening California amid coronavirus a challenge for Newsom - Los Angeles Times

being infected. Glazer commended the governor’s work but said the lack of data at the state level makes him worried that California could be reopening too quickly.

Smith, the former California Department of Public Health director, questioned whether residents will abide by stay-at-home orders again if cases spike, or if local leaders will have the political willpower to force people indoors again without Newsom leading the way. Protesters have targeted local health officials, sometimes rallying outside their homes, in an effort to push back against coronavirus restrictions.

“In the next couple of weeks, things are either going to start to get better or we’re going to reach a tipping point,” Smith said. “If we do need to reinstitute, even at county levels, we need that strong leadership, that consistent message coming from the governor. He can’t just not be present.”

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Taryn Luna covers Gov. Gavin Newsom and California politics in Sacramento for the Los

https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2020-06-24/california-stay-home-order-three-month-mark-gavin-newsom-coronavirus[6/24/2020 11:10:12 AM] Black Lives Matter protests have not led to a spike in coronavirus cases, research says - CNN

US Crime + Justice BlackEnergy Lives + Environment Matter protests have not led to a spike in coronavirus cases, researchExtreme Weather says By LeahSpace Asmelash, + Science CNN  Updated 4:10 AM ET, Wed June 24, 2020

Play

Black Lives Matter Protests Around the World 03:56

(CNN) — Despite warnings from public health officials, new research suggests Black Lives Matter protests across the country have not led to a jump in coronavirus cases.

A new study, published this month by the National Bureau of Economic Research, used data on protests from more than 300 of the largest US cities, and found no evidence that coronavirus

https://www.cnn.com/2020/06/24/us/coronavirus-cases-protests-black-lives-matter-trnd/index.html[6/24/2020 11:10:51 AM] Black Lives Matter protests have not led to a spike in coronavirus cases, research says - CNN

cases grew in the weeks following the beginning of the protests.

In fact, researchers determined that social distancing behaviors actually went up after the protests -- as people tried to avoid the protests altogether. But obviously, these demonstrations ivecaused TV a decrease in social distancing among actual protesters.

"OurU.S. findings suggest that any direct decrease in social distancing among the subset of the populationInternational participating in the protests is more than offset by increasing social distancing beh among others who may choose to shelter-at-home and circumvent public places while the protests are underway," the report reads.

UserIt's Accountstill possible that protests may have caused an increase in the spread of the virus among those who attended protests, according to the report.

ResearchersEnergy + Environment also noted that the effect of protests on social distancing and stay-at-home orders mayExtreme fade as Weather the violence and scope of protests decline. As the protests begin to lessen or become less intense, non-protesters will feel safer leaving their homes. Search "There are other possible explanations for our findings as well, such as avoiding travel outside the home due to additional traffic congestion or street closures, or due to lack of available activities from businesses closures near protest sites," the study reads.

Coronavirus continues to spread in the US

The study comes as new data shows that more and more young people are testing positive for coronavirus, particularly in states that have opened back up.

On Monday, Florida surpassed 100,000 total coronavirus cases, according to the the Florida Department of Health.

In California, more than 35% of confirmed cases have been recorded in just the past two weeks, Gov. Gavin Newsom said in a news conference Monday.

In Texas, people under 30 make up a majority of new coronavirus cases in several counties, said Gov. Greg Abbott last week. That increase in young infected people could be related to Memorial Day parties, visits to bars or other gatherings, he said.

Unlike Europe and Asia, the US has not been able to control the pandemic -- as cases continue to surge amid debates over wearing face masks and the need for social distancing.

CNN's Christina Maxouris and Eric Levenson contributed to this report.

PAID CONTENT

https://www.cnn.com/2020/06/24/us/coronavirus-cases-protests-black-lives-matter-trnd/index.html[6/24/2020 11:10:51 AM] LAPD says it's trying to step back from mental health calls - Los Angeles Times

Sections Los Angeles Times

CALIFORNIA

Reformers want police to step back from mental health calls. The LAPD says it’s been trying

https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2020-06-24/protests-spur-bid-for-lapd-to-move-back-from-mental-health-calls[6/24/2020 11:10:32 AM] LAPD says it's trying to step back from mental health calls - Los Angeles Times

LAPD officer Stacy Pierce-Rogers works in the department’s mental evaluation unit. (Dania Maxwell / Los Angeles Times)

By LEILA MILLER | STAFF WRITER

JUNE 24, 2020 | 6 AM

The young woman was walking along the ledge of a parking structure downtown when Los Angeles police officer Stacy Pierce-Rogers arrived.

For more than an hour that night, Pierce-Rogers and the woman, who appeared to be in her 20s, talked about Taylor Swift, church, tarot cards and horoscopes. At one point, the woman wanted to pray, so the officer held her hand.

“I started praying with her, not really knowing what I was saying but just trying to make her feel better,” said Pierce-Rogers of the 2017 incident.

The episode ended with officers pulling the woman to safety. It was among thousands of mental health calls the LAPD responds to annually. Officers in 2018 were dispatched to more than 6,000 calls of actual and possible suicide attempts.

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That may soon change. Protests over police brutality following the killing of George Floyd have spurred a movement to redirect law enforcement funding to community services and reduce police contact with the public in areas such as mental health calls and involvement with the homeless.

Los Angeles City Council members have introduced a motion to develop a new emergency response that uses trained specialists, rather than LAPD officers, to render aid to homeless people and those suffering from mental health and substance abuse issues.

The LAPD, in fact, had already been moving in this direction, with a plan to divert some 911 suicide calls to a phone line run by Didi Hirsch Mental Health Services, a county- contracted provider.

In light of calls to defund the police and re-imagine public safety, LAPD Chief Michel Moore has spoken of the burden of officers filling gaps in social services.

“We have taken on task after task after task,” he said during a virtual community forum. “I believe when you take those other tasks away from us and give them to people who can handle that work more effectively and efficiently, it will allow us as a police department to provide for public safety with our core functions.”

While officers sometimes manage high-risk situations, like coaxing a jumper off a ledge, often they simply talk and provide resources to someone going through a mental health crisis. Those types of calls may be better served without police intervention, said Lt. Brian Bixler, who runs the department’s crisis response support section.

“We get, by default, dispatched to things we have to care for because no one else is coming,” said Bixler. “Sometimes the mere presence of a police officer can increase [a person’s] agitation or increase their resolve. … A person on a suicide hotline can talk to an individual for hours and link them to resources, and that’s preferable.”

The intrusion of the COVID-19 pandemic has stymied efforts to move forward with the change quickly.

Miriam Brown, deputy director of the emergency outreach and triage division at the county’s Department of Mental Health, said a proposal for her agency to fund an initiative “was put on hold because of COVID-19.”

Bixler, though, said he’s searching for other financial support.

The calls to remove police from social welfare tasks come as police departments across the country report a growing number of mental health calls and search for better ways to respond. In 2019, the LAPD’s mental health triage desk received 20,758 calls.

“People are calling because the police are a 24-hour service,” said Chuck Wexler, executive director of the Police Executive Research Forum, a Washington think tank. “You get all these calls coming to the dispatch center, and the question is, who is the most appropriate agency to deal with it?”

Protesters against police violence stop at the site where Charly “Africa” Keunang was killed on skid row in 2015.

(Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times)

Under current protocols, an LAPD patrol unit dispatched to a suicide call will stabilize the scene, handcuff the individual and, in some cases, determine if they meet the criteria for a 5150 hold, a detention of up to 72 hours for those deemed a threat to themselves or others, or for those gravely disabled due to a mental illness.

The LAPD’s 24-hour triage desk for mental evaluation pairs officers and county mental health specialists and will assess whether to dispatch a Systemwide Mental Assessment Response Team, or SMART.

Pierce-Rogers, a SMART officer and former emergency medical technician, tries to calm people by reiterating that they are not in trouble.

But it can be difficult to spare a person from the discomfort of being seen by neighbors in handcuffs or having police cars show up at their home. Officers may try to cover someone with a jacket or lead them out through a back route.

“I understand how they feel; I can see it in them,” said Pierce-Rogers. “They’re telling us we’re making it worse, but we have to follow our protocol and our policies. ... Sometimes

they just want to talk, and they’re like, ‘I feel better now.’”

Under a new scheme, the dispatcher could hand off a call from a suicidal person or third party to Didi Hirsch counselors. A call wouldn’t be diverted if a person was threatening to jump off a structure or run into traffic, needed emergency medical attention, had a weapon in a public place or with people present or posed another public safety risk. Didi Hirsch could also transfer the call back to 911.

Such a system aims to minimize instances where people might avoid seeking help in the future because they were put in handcuffs or involuntarily hospitalized, said Sandri Kramer, the project and grants manager for Didi Hirsch’s Suicide Prevention Center.

“There’ll be sirens involved and flashing lights — it’s definitely not a quiet way to get somebody some help,” said Kramer. “You can imagine a person in high emotional distress — that’s the last thing they would need.”

In 2018, less than 3% of mental health calls, or about 550 incidents, involved use of force by LAPD officers. But several high-profile officer-involved shootings of people appearing to be in a mental health crisis have sparked outcries. In 2018, for example, a jury found two officers liable in the 2015 fatal shooting of Charly “Africa” Keunang, a 43-year-old homeless man. The incident set off days of protest and prompted fierce criticism of how police deal with mentally unstable people in downtown’s skid row.

Bixler hopes fewer encounters will decrease “suicide by cop” attempts, instances in which a person tries to provoke officers to use deadly force. LAPD officers reported responding to 105 such episodes in 2019 — down from 163 in 2015. They identified the incidents by the person’s actions or by verbal statements, such as an individual asking an officer to kill them.

“By us not even going,” said Bixler, “we are reducing the potential lethality of that event.”

It’s a grave concern for police departments. In a 2009 study of more than 700 officer- involved shootings nationwide, 36% of incidents were people attempting to provoke police force. But a 2019 study of Los Angeles police, co-authored by the LAPD and Cal State Fullerton, reported a low rate of fatalities stemming from these encounters. In 419 cases examined between 2010 and 2015, officers used lethal force in a small number of

incidents, killing four people. About 80 percent of the cases didn’t involve force.

The Houston Police Department is among a number of cities that divert some 911 calls to mental health professionals. It might take two hours for patrol officers to respond to a mental health call, while the average phone conversation for diverted calls is about 12 minutes, said Lt. Patrick Plourde of the department’s mental health division.

Amid the protests over Floyd’s death, San Francisco Mayor London Breed announced that police officers will be replaced with trained, unarmed professionals to respond to calls for help on noncriminal matters, including mental health, the homeless and school discipline. That change and others are part of a plan by the mayor to try to reduce police confrontations with the community.

Brown, who oversees L.A. County’s mental health hotline, said a lack of resources has hindered efforts to connect the 911 system more directly to the hotline and embed clinicians with 911 dispatchers.

“It’s not an easy fix,” she said.

Randy Estrada, a SMART officer who worked as an emergency room technician before joining the LAPD, has responded to calls he believes would have been better suited for a hotline.

In February, he responded to a 911 call from someone in a relationship with a woman who was playing with a knife in her home. The caller knew that the woman had attempted suicide before and struggled with depression.

The woman was taken to a station by officers, where she sat handcuffed in an interview room and spoke with Estrada.

“She was bawling; she wasn’t really listening to us,” he said. “She wasn’t being forthright — she was minimizing the whole incident.”

After several hours, he determined there was no threat of suicide. But the encounter might have been avoided if the caller had been connected with a mental health professional, who may have helped to defuse the situation, Estrada said.

“It definitely would have calmed her nerves,” he said of the caller. “I think the person reporting didn’t know what to do with that situation.”

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Leila Miller is a reporter for the Los Angeles Times. Before joining the newspaper in 2018, she was a reporting fellow at PBS’s “Frontline.” Originally from Los Angeles, Miller is a graduate of Oberlin College and Columbia University’s School of Journalism. She is fluent in Spanish.

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https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2020-06-24/protests-spur-bid-for-lapd-to-move-back-from-mental-health-calls[6/24/2020 11:10:32 AM] Black Californians’ housing crisis, by the numbers – San Bernardino Sun

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BUSINESSHOUSING • Analysis, News Black Californians’ housing crisis, by the numbers

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https://www.sbsun.com/...-the-numbers/?utm_campaign=socialflow&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter.com&utm_content=tw-sbsun[6/23/2020 3:33:53 PM] Black Californians’ housing crisis, by the numbers – San Bernardino Sun

Groups like Moms 4 Housing, pictured here in an occupied house in January 2020, are advocating for more housing for mothers and those experiencing homelessness, among others. (Photo by Jane Tyska, Bay Area News Group)

By MATT LEVIN | CALmatters  PUBLISHED: June 23, 2020 at 1:18 p.m. | UPDATED: June 23, 2020 at 1:19 p.m.

California’s housing crisis is nothing new for many black Californians. Systemic racism in public policy and the private housing market has long made finding a safe, stable and affordable home in the Golden State a more difficult prospect for its roughly 2.2 million black residents than for white people.

The legacy of New Deal-era redlining — which deemed black neighborhoods undesirable for federally-backed mortgages — is demonstrably visible not only where black Californians live now but where gentrification and displacement pressures across the state are most acute.

Article 34, a still unrepealed clause in the state Constitution that requires local referendums before S lower-income housing can be built in a California city, kept subsidized housing disproportionately utilized by black and brown residents out of affluent, predominantly white communities for decades.

And while state leaders champion the strides the state has made toward diversity and equality relative By to other parts of the country, evidence of overt racial bias in California’s housing market persists, including in its progressive coastal bastions. A home in a black-majority part of the Bay Area is worth about $164,000 less than an equivalent home — same size, same quality of school system, same M access to parks and other neighborhood amenities — in a neighborhood with very few black people.

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READ MORE The consequences of anti free market regulations “When they say real estate is about location, location, location — it’s actually about race,” said Mary M. Lee, former deputy director for the equity-focused research and advocacy group PolicyLink and veteran advocate for fair housing policies in Los Angeles.

“It isn’t the South, it’s not Cleveland, but historically (Los Angeles) has been segregated,” said Lee. “And California — I like to say people live next to each other, not with each other.”

Over the past decade, the astronomical rise in California’s rent and home prices has added a new dimension to the housing crisis experienced by generations of black Californians. Here’s what that looks like.

Over-represented in homeless counts

Overall, California has a relatively small black population compared with other states. While non- Hispanic black residents comprise more than 10% of highly-populated places like New York and Texas, they make up only about 5.5% of Californians, a proportion similar to the black populations of Kansas or Wisconsin.

But of the more than 150,000 Californians who experience homelessness on any given night, nearly 30% are black people. Several Bay Area regions, including San Francisco and Marin County, have some of the highest rates of black homelessness in the country. No major California ethnic group is as over-represented in the state’s homeless count as black people.

Homeless Visualization By Matt on 18 Jun 2020

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While the overrepresentation of black people among the unhoused is a national trend, homeless black Californians are more likely to be sleeping outside than unhoused black residents of other states.

“The public sector, public systems are killing black people everyday in broad daylight when they don’t house them,” said Lee.

A constellation of factors contribute to high rates of black homelessness in California beyond the high cost of living: higher rates of poverty, lack of employment opportunities, and systemic disparities in California’s mental health and criminal justice systems.

But racial disparities are also prevalent in efforts to keep black Californians off the streets once they’ve been rehoused. An analysis of black homelessness in Los Angeles County found that while black people were re-housed at the same rates as other ethnic groups, they were more likely to return to homelessness than any other demographic.

Housing cost burden falls on black Californians

California is an extremely expensive state. More than 40% of its households fit the federal definition of “housing cost burdened,” with rent or mortgage payments eating up more than 30% of residents’ income.

On average, black Californians see a larger chunk of their paychecks going to housing costs than any of the state’s other major demographic groups. Nearly 50% of black Californians lived in households that were cost burdened in 2018; nearly a quarter paid more than 50% of their income towards housing costs.

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Black households pushed to suburbs

When comparing how far apart black, white and other ethnic groups live from one another, California cities are typically less segregated than their counterparts in the Northeast or Midwest. Most parts of the state have also seen improving rates of residential integration over the past half century, mirroring a national trend.

But part of the decline in California racial segregation is driven by gentrification and displacement pressures upon black communities in urban cores.

It’s not just more affluent, younger, white Californians moving into recently redeveloped downtowns that are paradoxically driving down segregation rates. Rapid accelerations in housing costs over the past few decades have driven many black renters out of larger costals cities and into older, formerly predominantly white suburbs. While the black populations of parts of major cities like Los Angeles and Oakland have declined, far-flung suburbs like Palmdale in Southern California and Antioch in the Bay Area have seen rising numbers of black families.

“African Americans and to a lesser extent Latinos are moving to suburban areas at the fastest clip we’ve observed since the civil rights era,” said Michael Stoll, professor of public policy at the UCLA Luskin School of Public Affairs.

While more diverse now than they were in the mid-20th century, these suburbs are not the high- opportunity enclaves associated with high-quality school systems and upward economic mobility. And Stoll stresses that continued patterns of segregation, gentrification and displacement have practical impacts for how white, black and other ethnic groups view one another.

“There are consequences to segregation,” said Stoll. “There are questions around social cohesion, and that can’t be any more important than what we’re observing in the current debates we’re having around racial and social justice. It’s hard to become a socially cohesive place if people are living in different neighborhoods and not being able to communicate and work together around common interests.”

Wealth gap starker than income gap

Income gaps aside, disparities in wealth are even starker — and more consequential.

“Wealth gives a cushion if something unexpected happens. If your car breaks down or something happens to your house, you don’t dip into your income, you dip into your savings” said Esi Hutchful, policy analyst at the California Budget and Policy Center. “It’s your wealth that allows you to invest in yourself, in your business, in the next generation.”

Reliable wealth data is unfortunately severely lacking at the state level. But results from one financial survey of households in the Los Angeles metro area illustrates just how dramatic the wealth gap is for black households.

The key to wealth accumulation for most U.S. households is owning a home. That’s especially true in California, where skyrocketing home values have transformed homes in formerly middle-class neighborhoods into million-dollar nest eggs.

Those wealth gains have largely been accrued by non-black homeowners. While more than 60% of white California households and 58% of Asian California households are homeowners, only 33% of black households own the home they live in.

As predatory lenders disproportionately targeted black would-be homeowners across the country, the late 2000’s foreclosure crisis decimated black homeownership nationally. While homeownership rates have somewhat rebounded for other demographic groups, black homeownership has flatlined (although very recent data suggest some gains).

Lost equity in black homes

You can also see signs of systemic racism in the home values for black households that do own homes

Homes in majority black neighborhoods across the country are undervalued compared to equivalent homes in neighborhoods with few black residents, controlling for factors like the quality of the local school district and access to neighborhood amenities like parks.

The San Francisco Bay Area has the largest equity gap of any major metro area in the country between comparable homes in comparable black and non-black neighborhoods: On average, homes in black-majority neighborhoods are devalued by about $164,000. In the Los Angeles area, homes in black-majority neighborhoods are devalued by about $70,000.

“You have appraisals, you have lending practices, you have real estate agent behavior,” said Andre Perry, researcher at the Brookings Institute. “We clearly see that there is discrimination baked in the practices that come out in the research.”

How the pandemic could exacerbate the housing crisis

The economic fallout from the novel coronavirus pandemic RELATED ARTICLES has added a new, pressing dimension to black Californians’

Coronavirus fallout: San Bernardino housing crisis. County homes sold off 34% in May With black households already disproportionately more Existing U.S. home sales fall to lowest likely to have high rent burdens, tenants’ rights groups fear levels since 2010 a wave of evictions from missed rent payments could be coming as expanded unemployment benefits are scheduled Measure twice, cut once: A retail lease that could have gone south to expire next month. In a Census survey conducted at the beginning of June, less than half of black California renters Southern California pending home sales who responded to the question expressed high confidence rise 8th straight week, just 2% below 2019 they would be able to make next month’s rent.

How to exercise an option in a down real estate market

Lee says the pandemic has laid bare the racial divides the state has long struggled to close.

“These systems aren’t broken, this is how they were designed to work,” she said. “We’re catching up to the reality and understanding of how horrible that really is.”

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https://www.sbsun.com/...-the-numbers/?utm_campaign=socialflow&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter.com&utm_content=tw-sbsun[6/23/2020 3:33:53 PM] HEALTH An increasing number of Colorado coronavirus patients are surviving, and fewer need ventilators The state's coronavirus mortality rate for hospitalized patients dropped to 10.5% compared to 15.1% in March, according to data shared by major hospital systems in Colorado

JUN 23, 2020 4:47PM MDT

Jennifer Brown

ack in March, one of the most pressing problems surrounding coronavirus was the fear that hospitals could run out of ventilators.

DoctorsB were quickly intubating COVID-19 IN COLORADO patients, believing it was the best The latest from the coronavirus outbreak in chance to save their lives from a Colorado: contagious and deadly disease they MAP: Known cases in Colorado. had never seen before. But a lot TESTING: Here’s where to find a has changed in three months community testing site. The state is now encouraging anyone with symptoms to about the treatment protocol for get tested. COVID-19 — use of the antiviral WRITE ON, COLORADO: Tell us your drug remdesivr, injections of coronavirus stories. STORY: Coloradans are moving around at convalescent plasma from nearly pre-pandemic levels. Will a second recovered patients, and even the coronavirus wave follow? simple act of placing hospital >> FULL COVERAGE patients on their stomachs instead of their backs. Now, as Colorado appears to reach the end of the first wave of the virus, new data released Tuesday from a collaborative of Colorado hospital systems shows just how sharply the use of ventilators has declined in this state, and how much patient outcomes have improved since the early days of coronavirus.

The data represent 96% of COVID-19 patients who were admitted to a hospital in Colorado from March 1-May 31. That’s a total of 4,903 patients across the state, all with a positive test for coronavirus.

Just 13.3% of hospitalized patients spent any time on a ventilator in May, compared with 28.7% two months earlier. And the average number of days a patient with coronavirus stayed in the hospital fell to 6.82 days in May, compared with 11.78 days in March.

There was a significant decline in the percentage of COVID-19 patients in Colorado hospitals who were on ventilators for any length of time between March and May. (Hospital System Collaborative)

The overall mortality rate for hospitalized patients — for all age groups combined — dropped to 10.5%, compared with 15.1% in March. And by May, patients also were slightly more likely to leave the hospital and go home instead of going to a rehab center or skilled nursing facility.

The data collaboration is unique nationwide and the result of behind-the- scenes meetings among the chief medical officers of multiple health systems, including Banner Health, Boulder Community Health, Centura Health, Denver Health, HealthONE, UCHealth and SCL Health.

MORE: Colorado doctors now have plenty of experience battling coronavirus — and they’re getting better at it

The study did not offer a conclusive explanation for why ventilator use decreased over the three months, but physicians pointed toward the use of other interventions, including convalescent plasma taken from recovered patients who have COVID-19 antibodies in their blood. Another main reason — physicians learned throughout the past three months that coronavirus patients can tolerate a lower blood-oxygen level than previously thought.

That means doctors are not intubating patients as early in treatment as they were back in March, instead allowing “permissive hypoxemia.”

“What we found is that these patients seem to tolerate a lower oxygen level in their blood and that has helped us to avoid mechanical ventilation,” said Dr. J.P. Valin, chief clinical officer for SCL Health, which includes St. Mary’s Medical Center in Grand Junction and Saint Joseph Hospital in Denver. The overall COVID-19 mortality rate for hospitalized patients in Colorado declined five percentage points from March to May. It declined for every age group except 30-49, which remained at 3.4%. (Hospital System Collaborative)

The reasons to avoid using a ventilator, if possible, are clear. For one, an intubated patient must be sedated and unconscious. There is a risk of lung damage, particularly when the patient needs high-pressure air. And, an intubated patient basically doesn’t move for days or weeks, leading to weak and atrophied muscles and a much more difficult recovery.

The average length of time a patient spends on a ventilator is one to two weeks, Valin said.

The patient data, which the hospital systems shared with the state health department this week, also showed that patients are leaving the hospital sooner — whether they used a ventilator or not. This means that other interventions are improving patient progress, Valin said.

There is no data yet, however, to show how well the antiviral drug remdesivr, which was originally developed to fight Ebola, is working on coronavirus patients. Clinical trials are ongoing. The number of days, on average, a COVID-19 patient was hospitalized in Colorado fell to 6.82 in May compared to 11.78 in March. (Hospital System Collaborative)

The same is true for convalescent plasma, which was first used on a Colorado coronavirus patient in early April. Hospitals using the treatment are required to report their outcomes to a nationwide database.

While the Colorado patient data shows significant improvement in outcomes, Valin cautioned the general public about the takeaway of the study. It doesn’t mean that now is the right time to get coronavirus.

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SIGN UP! “I wouldn’t want to encourage anybody to go out and get COVID to get it over with,” said Valin, who specialized in internal medicine. “We are seeing better outcomes today than we were a couple of months ago. We don’t have a vaccine and we don’t have a miracle cure.”

Physicians and researchers still have a lot to learn about the virus, he said. The study, for example, found that 2% of hospitalized patients under age 30 in Colorado did not survive, and there is no research yet to explain why.

The hospital systems involved in the research plan to dig down another layer to explore patient-level data, looking at other conditions such as obesity, smoking or diseases that might have played a part in patient deaths.

The number of patients hospitalized for coronavirus in Colorado dropped significantly in May. This chart shows the number of patients per hospital system. (Health System Collaborative)

The chief medical officers of Colorado’s major hospital systems began meeting in mid-March, two weeks after the first case of coronavirus was confirmed in the state. They wanted to compare notes, to see how others were preparing for an expected flood of patients. “At that point, very few people had taken care of COVID patients in the country, let alone Colorado,” Valin said. “After the first week, we suddenly realized this was bigger than one physician or one hospital.”

That first conversation quickly evolved into a daily, 8 a.m. call that lasted about an hour. The chief medical officers helped each other digest information rapidly coming from the World Health Organization, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and local public health officials. Scott Bookman, incident commander for coronavirus for the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment, often joined.

Hospitals began reporting coronavirus data to the state health department in March, including patient totals and the number of patients using ventilators. But the data provided this week goes deeper, and will help hospitals statewide prepare for another possible wave of the virus in the fall or winter.

“We know we are at the end of the first wave of COVID,” Valin said. “There have been all kinds of predictions about what could happen in the summer or the fall. We want to be as best prepared as we could be, and we have learned a lot in the first round.”

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