By Miriam Raftery

Photo: County Public Health Officer Dr. Wilima Wooten urges everyone to wear masks in public to prevent spread of COVID-19.

April 22, 2020 (San Diego’s East County) – The growth curve for new  COVID-19 cases is showing signs of slowing locally, even as San Diego County reported 15 new deaths, bringing the total  deaths to 87. Meanwhile officials offered insights on what it will take to begin lifting local restrictions.

East County News Service

April 21, 2020 (Pasadena) -- A new clinical trial is being announced today that could significantly increase the rate of recovery for COVID-19 patients with underlying health conditions and save lives. Circularity Healthcare’s trial will help some of the most at-risk patients suffering from complications due to diabetes, poor circulation, hypertension, cardiovascular disease and high blood pressure. The trial will involve the use of Circularity’s already FDA-approved drug and IDE device D’OXYVA® (deoxyhemoglobin vasodilator) - a non-toxic, non-invasive microcirculation transdermal device. 

By Miriam Raftery

Photo courtesy of Times of San Diego

April 20, 2020 (San Diego) – Over the weekend, hundreds of people held protests locally to call for reopening of parks, beaches and businesses shut down due to county and state health orders to prevent spread of COVID-19.   The protesters gathered in defiance of a county ban on all gatherings and failed even to provide social distancing or wear mask, putting themselves and anyone they come in contact with at risk of catching the highly contagious virus.

Today, the San Diego Sheriff and San Diego Police Department issued a statement which warns, “Although the protests were allowed to take place, we must not forget the public health orders were put in place to protect our communities from the spread of COVID-19. While no citations were issued at the protests, that does not mean prosecution will not be sought, especially to the organizers of these events.”

By Miriam Raftery

April 18, 2020 (Sacramento) --  With many businesses closed or having employees work at home, California Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara has found that risks of losses are reduced. So on April 13, the Commissioner ordered insurance companies to issue refunds or credits within 120 days to policyholders adversely affected by COVID-19 including:

• Private passenger and commercial automobile insurance
• Workers’ compensation insurance
• Commercial liability insurance
• Commercial multiple peril insurance
• Medical malpractice insurance
• Any other lines of coverage where risks have dropped due to the pandemic.
  

By Suzanne Potter, Public News Service

Photo:  Creative Commons via Bing

April 17, 2020 (Sacramento) - Consumer groups want insurance companies to help prop up the restaurant industry, which has taken a massive hit in the COVID-19 crisis. Tens of thousands of restaurants have been forced to close their dining rooms, and many have closed entirely, resulting in massive layoffs.

By Mei Ling Nazar

 April 16, 2020 (San Diego) -- Nick Warner and his family of four are contributing their volunteer efforts to help healthcare workers on the front lines. Warner, who is a part of the Jesus Geeks Computer Services Ministry at the Rock Church in San Diego,  along with his wife Stephanie, and their children Ryley, 10, and Mason, 8, are utilizing their 3D printers to print face shields for local hospital staff that are in desperate need of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) to guard them from the novel Coronavirus. 

East County News Service

April 16, 2020 (Sacramento) – Governor Gavin Newsom today announced that effective last Sunday, California workers who are receiving unemployment benefits will begin receiving an extra $600 on top of their weekly amount, as part of the new Pandemic Additional Compensation (PAC) initiated by the CARES Act. This comes as record numbers of unemployment claims are being filed on a weekly basis in the state.

By Miriam Raftery

April 14, 2020 (Sa Diego’s East County) – The federal government this week has begun distributing stimulus funds to help Americans during the COVID-19 crisis under the Coronavirus Aid Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act. Below are details on who qualifies and how to receive your money, as well as additional resources to get information on additional help available if you're economically impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.

San Diego-based Falcon Valley Group joins Gray Public Relations in launching “Back to Business” initiative with complimentary strategy sessions

East County News Service

April 15, 2020 (San Diego) -- The disruption to businesses from the coronavirus pandemic is staggering. According to a Goldman Sachs survey of 1,500 business owners, 96 percent say they have been impacted by the outbreak. Only 13 percent feel confident about their contingency plans to maintain business. Fifty-three percent say their employees do not have the ability to telecommute, and 51 percent say their business cannot operate beyond three months.

Public relations and communications professionals from across the U.S. including San Diego have joined forces to offer support through a new initiative, “Back to Business.” Business owners will be matched with an agency volunteering a complimentary strategy session to assist them in addressing their most pressing challenges both during and after the pandemic.

Among the participants is San Diego base strategic communication consultant Gayle Lynn Falkenthal, APR, Fellow PRSA, owner of Falcon Valley Group. “This is not the time for businesses and organizations to run silent,” said Falkenthal. “This is the time to work on new ways to communicate with customers and reposition their organization for a comeback in the post COVID-19 era. Only the prepared will survive. A smart communication strategy is a must.”

At least $71 million will be distributed to displaced students   

Source: Congresswoman Susan Davis

April 14, 2020 (San Diego) -- Congresswoman Susan Davis (D-CA-53), Chairwoman of the Subcommittee on Higher Education and Workforce Development, announced that colleges and universities in San Diego County will receive more than $137 million in emergency funding as a result of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, which Congress passed on March 27. At least $71 million of the funding each institution receives will be distributed to students in the form of emergency cash assistance grants to help pay for housing, food, and other basic essentials.

Rev. Shane Harris, local advocate for foster children, calls on Governor to extend foster care 180 days for youths aging out of the system

By Miriam Raftery

File photos:  Gov. Gavin Newsom and Rev. Shane Harris

April 13, 2020 (San Diego) – Today, Governor Gavin Newsom announced a $42 million investment to protect foster youths and foster families impacted by COVID-19over the next three months, including $40.6 million in state general fund money and $1.4 million in federal funds.

The Governor is making more than $27 million available to help families stay together, nearly $7 million to support social workers and $3 million to support Family Resource Centers, among other expenditures.