October 12, 2023 (San Diego's East County) -- Our Health and Science Highlights provide cutting edge news that could impact your health and our future.

HEALTH

• Paxlovid may reduce the chance of long Covid. Why don’t doctors prescribe it more? (NBC)
• A gene variant raises the risk of Parkinson's for some people of African descent (NPR)
• A reproduction revolution is on the horizon: vitro gametogenesis or IVG  (NPR)
• It’s one of the world’s toughest anti-smoking laws: The Maori see a major flaw (NPR)

SCIENCE AND TECH

• Chipmaker Qualcomm to lay off over 1200 California workers (CNN)
• EU launches probe into disinformation campaigns as X says ‘hundreds’ of Hamas-affiliated accounts removed (CNN)
• To cheers, NASA asteroid sample capsule safely touches down in Utah (NPR)

For excerpts and links to full stories, click “read more” and scroll down.

By Miriam Raftery

September 30, 2020 (San Diego) – Yesterday, the State of California’s Department of Public Health approved reopening public outdoor playgrounds and other outdoor public recreational facilities, with new health and safety rules due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

East County's public officials reacted promptly to the news.

• San Diego Supervisor Dianne Jacob called the announcement “Awesome news for families,” adding that starting today, around 100 county play areas will be reopened.
• Poway Mayor Steve Vaus  posted a photo on Facebook yesterday of a reopened park in his city, stating, “Loved pulling down the caution tape and barricades.”
• Santee announced on Facebook that all of its playgrounds were opened at 5 p.m. yesterday.
• La Mesa is in process of reopening its parks, the city clerk’s office confirmed,  following inspections being done over the next day or two. 
• El Cajon Councilman Gary Kendrick advised ECM that El Cajon is also in the process of reopening playgrounds this week. 
• Lemon Grove’s staff was not immediately available for comment.

The new state guidelines, which do not apply to any indoor facilities nor to for-profit facilities, can be viewed in full here:  https://www.cdph.ca.gov/Programs/CID/DCDC/Pages/COVID-19/Outdoor%20Playgrounds%20and%20other%20Outdoor%20Recreational%20Facilities.aspx

Below are highlights: