Source:  Re:  Fresh

April 9, 2020 (El Cajon) - Loaning ventilators, aiding stranded cruise ship passengers, and stitching home-made face masks are ways that Grossmont-Cuyamaca Community College District employees are responding to the COVID-19 pandemic.

By Miriam Raftery

April 8, 2020 (Poway) – “We looked different, but got things done as usual,” Poway Mayor Steve Vaus posted on Facebook, with a masked photo, following last night’s city council meeting. The Council met in Council chambers, but without an audience. To comply with social distancing requirements, the public could watch live online, call in or send comments in ahead of time.

By a unanimous vote, the Council approved a moratorium on commercial evictions due to COVID-19 impacts until May 31, provided the commercial tenant notifies the landlord promptly. The documentation may be as simple as a statement signed under penalty of perjury stating that the tenant has suffered financial hardship due to the COVID-19 emergency. Tenants would still owe the rent after May 31, unless they negotiate long-term repayment or other arrangements with their landlord.

April 7, 2020 (San Diego's East County) -- Our Health and Science Highlights provide cutting edge news that could impact your health and our future—including the latest breakthroughs impacting COVID-19.

HEALTH

• FDA eases restrictions on gay blood donors amid ‘urgent need’ (NBC)
• Early Data Shows African Americans Have Contracted and Died of Coronavirus at an Alarming Rate (Pro Publica)
• Despite Ford and GM’s warlike effort to make ventilators, production is expected to come too late and fall short of needs (Washington Post)
• Those hooked up to ventilators for long periods face a difficult recovery (Washington Post)
• Helmet-based ventilation is superior to face mask for patients with respiratory distress Univ. of Chicago Medicine)
• Ignoring Expert Opinion, Trump Again Promotes Use of Hydroxychloroquine (New York TImes
• Dr. Stephen Smith on effectiveness of hydroxychloroquine: 'I think this is the beginning of the end of the pandemic' (Fox)
• Likelihood of survival of coronavirus disease 2019 (Lancet)
• For the first time, researchers use gene-editing to cure mice of HIV (Salon)

SCIENCE

• Everybody seems to be using Zoom. But its security flaws could leave users at risk. (Washington Post)
• Zoom founder responds to safety and privacy concerns (CNN)
• Oceans can be restored to former glory within 30 years, say scientists (Guardian)
• Apple to make millions of face shields for hospitals desperate for gear (San Jose Mercury)

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

By Miriam Raftery

Photos: Creative commons via Bing

April 5, 2020 (San Diego’s East County) - If you’re looking to avoid grocery store lines and support local farmers while enjoying fresh, locally grown foods, there are now dozens of local farms and ranches eager to meet your needs.

The San Diego Sustainable Living Institute has a website listing dozens of local farms, including locations, that provide curbside service,shipping, and/or delivery during the COVID-19 shutdown.  View their site here: https://www.sdsustainable.org/san-diego-farms 

By Miriam Raftery

Images: Public domain via Bing

April 4, 2020 (San Diego’s East County) – On the Next Door discussion forum, a resident asked others staying home due to COVID-19.  “Anyone else getting fat?”  He opined that watching movies while eating Doritos and guzzling root beer was taking a toll on his waistline.

By Jose A. Alvarez, County of San Diego Communications Office

Photo: San Diegans are strongly encouraged to wear a facial covering while in public.

April 2, 2020 (San Diego) - A woman in her late 90s is the 16th COVID-19 death reported in the region, the County Health and Human Services Agency announced today.

To prevent the spread of the virus and potential future deaths, San Diegans who are out in public are strongly encouraged to cover their nose and mouth to flatten the curve, County health officials recommended. Businesses, including grocery stores, convenience stores and restaurants, are required to have employees wear face coverings.

By Miriam Raftery

Photo via Bing: creative commons NA-SC

April 2, 2020 (Washington D.C.) – The U.S. hit a grim milestone this week. With the death toll now at 5,794 COVID-19 deaths, more Americans have died from the coronavirus than the 2,996 people killed in the September 11, 2001 terror attacks.

But that’s just a fraction of the 100,000 to 200,000 U.S. deaths now predicted by the White House, with the peak expected over the next two weeks, authorities announced in a press conference yesterday. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has placed orders for 100,000 body bags

“This is going to be a very painful, painful two weeks,” President Donald Trump stated, adding 100,000 is the minimum number of deaths forecast. As of today, 243,229 cases have been diagnosed in the U.S. and 10,365 have recovered. The U.S. now has a quarter of the more than one million cases worldwide.

But while many nations around the world locked down their supplies of ventilators, respirators, masks and other items needed to keep medical personnel safe and save lives of critically ill patients weeks ago, the U.S. allowed companies to continue profiting off exporting these vital supplies to other countries.

By Miriam Raftery

April 2, 2020 (San Diego) – Over 849 cases of COVID-19 have been confirmed in San Diego County. Of those, 1.4%, or 15 people have died, according to  County health officials. The county has identified several cluster outbreaks, including an outbreak in East County linked to the PalmCare Pharmacy in El Cajon,  NBC-7 reports.

A 25-year-old pharmacy tech who worked there , and who  had hoped to become a doctor, died last week at his family’s home in Riverside County. The pharmacy’s customers included many in East County’s Iraqi Chaldean community.

By Nicole Freeling, UC Newsroom  

April 1, 2020 (San Diego) -- Across California and the nation, students have been forced to adapt as measures to combat COVID-19 have closed schools, cancelled standardized tests and upended every aspect of their education. And many have faced a nagging concern: how will this affect my college prospects?

By Miriam Raftery

April 1, 2020 (San Diego) -- After weeks of warning Californians about the deadly threat the coronavirus poses to nursing home residents, the State of California on March 30th ordered California nursing home operators to bring the virus into their facilities, “knowing full well it is likely to kill many residents,” says Michael Dark, staff attorney at California Advocates for Nursing Home Reform (CANHR).