COVID-19

STUDENT COVID VACCINATIONS: CALIFORNIA BECOMES FIRST STATE TO REQUIRE THEM FOR KIDS 12 AND UP

By Joe Hong, CalMatters

CalMatters is a public interest journalism venture committed to explaining how California’s state Capitol works and why it matters

October 3, 2021 (San Diego) - In another aggressive effort to stop the spread of COVID-19 and ensure schools remain open, Gov. Gavin Newsom today announced a vaccine mandate for students ages 12 and older, making California the first state in the nation to require students to be fully vaccinated for in-person instruction.


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HEALTH AND SCIENCE HIGHLIGHTS


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RAPID COVID-19 TESTS IN SHORT SUPPLY IN CALIFORNIA

By Kristen Hwang, CalMatters

CalMatters is a public interest journalism venture committed to explaining how California’s state Capitol works and why it matters

Photo:  Maria Jimenez swabs her daughter, Glendy Perez, 7, for a COVID-19 test at Canal Alliance in San Rafael on Sept. 25, 2021.

September 27, 2021 (San Diego) - Sarah Voit likes to keep 10 to 15 rapid test kits on hand in case any of the residents of the Family Emergency Shelter Coalition in Hayward need to be tested for COVID-19. They’ve had some infection scares, and the antigen tests — which return results in minutes — have been crucial to curbing the virus in the family shelter.


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NOT VACCINATED? NEW SURVEY FINDS YOU MAY HAVE TROUBLE GETTING HIRED

National survey by ResumeBuilder finds 63% of hiring managers prefer candidates who list vaccine status—and many reject unvaccinated applicants

Source:  ResumeBuilder.com

September 22, 2021 (Seattle, Wash.) – If you’re looking for a job, you may want to roll up your sleeve and get the “jab” first.  A nationwide survey of 1,250 conducted by  ResumeBuilder.com, a resource for professional resume templates, found that one-third of hiring manages will ignore resumes without a COVID-19 vaccine status – and 63% say they prefer candidates who list vaccine status on their resumes.  A growing number of companies are now requiring vaccines and/or giving first preference in hiring to those job-seekers who are fully vaccinated.


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CALIFORNIA HAS NATION’S LOWEST COVID-19 RATE: CDC CREDITS VACCINES

San Diego’s rate is substantially lower than state – and County has even higher vaccination rates

By Miriam Raftery

September 21, 2021 (San Diego) – California has the lowest rate of COVID-19 cases of any U.S. state, according to new data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control – and San Diego County is faring even better. Both have high vaccination rates, a fact the CDC credits for the dramatic difference between COVID spread in California and other states.


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COVID TESTS DOUBLE OVER PAST WEEK; NEARLY ALL HOSPITALIZATION AND DEATHS LOCALLY ARE UNVACCINATED PEOPLE

77.2% of County residents over age 12 are now fully vaccinated; 87.1% are fully vaccinated

East County News Service

 

September 15, 2021 (San Diego) – Deaths from COVID-19 tripled over the past week (Sept. 8-14) to 59, the highest number during the current surge. Since March, over 96% of hospitalizations were unvaccinated patients and nearly 89% of deaths were people who had not been vaccinated.


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FACT-CHECKING RECALL CLAIMS: MASKS, VACCINES, CLIMATE CHANGE AND MORE

By Sameea Kamal, CalMatters

CalMatters is a public interest journalism venture committed to explaining how California’s state Capitol works and why it matters

Photo:  John Cox showed off Tag the bear on Harbor Island during his campaign. Photo by Chris Stone

September 12, 2021 (San Diego) - Everyone’s entitled to their own opinions, but not to their own facts.

That holds true for politicians, including the candidates in California’s Sept. 14 recall election and Gov. Gavin Newsom. Campaigning during a resurgent COVID-19 pandemic and deadly, unprecedented wildfires, their approaches to the state’s problems can vary.

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SUPERVISORS DECLARE MEDICAL MISINFORMATION A “HEALTH CRISIS”; STATE ASSEMBLY PASSES SIMILAR MEASURE

By Miriam Raftery

September 3, 2021 (San Diego) – After more than 14 hours of heated testimony, San Diego County Supervisors voted 3-2 late Tuesday night to declare medical misinformation a public health crisis. 


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COVID-19 DEATHS IN COUNTY NEARLY DOUBLE IN ONE WEEK

Source: County News Service

September 3, 2021 (San Diego) – COVID-19 deaths countywide nearly doubled in the past week, with 49 deaths Aug. 25-31, up from 25 the week before, the County Health and Human Services Agency announced on Sept. 1.


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COUNTY ENCOURAGES INDOOR MASK WEARING, REGARDLESS OF VACCINATION STATUS

By Katie Cadiao, County of San Diego Communications Office

August 26, 2021 (San Diego) - Amid a sharp increase in COVID-19 cases due to the spread of the more contagious Delta variant of the virus, the County of San Diego Health and Human Services Agency is recommending all San Diegans wear facial coverings in indoor public settings.


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FDA APPROVES FIRST COVID-19 VACCINE FOLLOWING EIGHT MONTHS OF EMERGENCY AUTHORIZATION

By Miriam Raftery
 
August 25, 2021 (Washington, D.C.) - On Monday, August 23, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved the first COVID-19 vaccine, which was previously authorized under emergency use authorization standards since December 2020. Listen to FDA media call regarding the announcement.

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NEWSOM MAKES CALIFORNIA THE FIRST STATE TO REQUIRE TEACHER VACCINES OR COVID TESTS

By Joe Hong, CalMatters

CalMatters is a public interest journalism venture committed to explaining how California’s state Capitol works and why it matters

Photo:  Gov. Gavin Newsom announces all school teachers and employees will be required to be vaccinated or undergo weekly COVID-19 testing at a press conference at Carl B. Munck school in Oakland on Aug. 11, 2021. Photo by Anne Wernikoff, CalMatters

August 24, 2021 (Sacramento) - After months of reluctance, Gov. Gavin Newsom on Wednesday mandated that all California school employees be vaccinated for COVID-19 or be tested weekly.


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FIRE CHIEF SHARES COVID-19 TREATMENT SUCCESS STORY

 

By Anita Lightfoot, County of San Diego Communications Office

Video by Suzanne Bartole

August 24, 2021 (National City) - There’s a cost-free COVID-19 treatment that can limit the duration and severity of COVID symptoms, but many San Diegans are not aware it’s an option. Monoclonal antibody treatment is available to anyone in the early stages of COVID-19 regardless of whether or not they’ve been vaccinated.


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COVID HOSPITALIZATIONS BREAK RECORDS IN SIX CALIFORNIA COUNTIES

By Kristen Hwang, CalMatters

CalMatters is a public interest journalism venture committed to explaining how California’s state Capitol works and why it matters

August 23, 2021 (Del Norte/Tuolomne/Lake/Humboldt/Nevada/Mendocino Counties) - Hospitals in six rural California counties — all in remote, northern parts of the state  — are now treating more COVID-19 patients than ever, breaking records by exceeding their winter surges.


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COVID-19 VACCINATION EVENT AUG. 24 IN EL CAJON INCLUDES GIVAWAYS OF FOOD, DIAPERS AND GIFT CARDS

East County News Service

August 23, 2021 (El Cajon) – The Ihsan Health Initiative will be hosting a free COVID-19 vaccination event this Tuesday, August 24 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at 299 North Magnolia Avenue in El Cajon.


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FDA WARNS AGAINST USING IVERMECTIN MEANT FOR LIVESTOCK AFTER FLOOD OF CALLS TO POISON CONTROL CENTERS

Fox News hosts falsely touted drug as COVID treatment. FDA says it is not anti-viral, is used mainly to deworm horses, and can be dangerous for humans.

By Miriam Raftery

August 21, 2021 (Washington D.C.) – A Mississippi Poison Control Center reports that 70% of recent calls are from people who ingested Ivermectin purchased at livestock supply stores which they mistakenly believed could treat or prevent COVID-19, a view falsely touted by multiple Fox News hosts. Seeking to protect the public from harm, The U.S. Food and Drug Association (FDA) has issued a statement titled “Why you should not use Ivermectin to treat or prevent COVID-19.”


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COVID-19 BOOSTER SHOTS AVAILABLE FOR IMMUNOCOMPROMISED

By José A. Álvarez, County of San Diego Communications Office

August 19, 2021 (San Diego) - San Diegans with moderately to severely compromised immune systems can get a booster shot of the COVID-19 vaccine to fight waning immunity.


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COUNTY OFFICIALS ENCOURAGE BUSINESSES TO REQUIRE EMPLOYEE VACCINATION OR FREQUENT COVID TESTING

By Katie Cadiao, County of San Diego Communications Office

Video by James Kecskes

August 18, 2021 (San Diego) - County officials Monday encouraged local businesses and employers to implement stricter COVID-19 measures amid a spike in new virus cases. Officials recommended businesses implement a requirement for employees to either show proof of vaccination, or subject themselves to regular testing.


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COUNTY PERMIT REFUNDS PROVIDE MORE PANDEMIC ASSISTANCE TO RESTAURANTS

By County News Center, County of San Diego Communications Office

East County Magazine file photo

August 13, 2021 (San Diego) - The County will begin notifying restaurants today of $4.5 million in permit fee refunds for the period of March 16, 2020 through June 15, 2021. The amount, which is the result of a recent settlement in a lawsuit brought by a local restaurant group, is in addition to $118.9 million already provided to restaurants by the San Diego County Board of Supervisors to help offset the impact of California’s stay-at-home and local public health orders.

More information on the 640 Tenth LP v. County of San Diego, et al. case and settlement can be found here.


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OVER TWO MILLION SAN DIEGANS NOW FULLY VACCINATED

By José A. Álvarez, County of San Diego Communications Office

August 9, 2021 (San Diego) - More than 2 million San Diegans are now fully vaccinated against COVID-19, placing the County closer to achieving its vaccination goal.


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STATE SUPERINTENDENT TONY THURMOND HOSTS VIRTUAL VACCINE TOWN HALL AUG. 11 TO SUPPORT SAFE BACK-TO-SCHOOL WITH FREE GIFT CARDS, NBA STAR KAREEM ABDUL-JABBAR, TOP DOCTORS AND EDUCATORS IN POWER GUEST LINEUP

East County News Service

August 9, 2021 (Sacramento) -- On Wednesday, State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond and a lineup of public health experts, legendary guests and youth leaders will promote vaccine effectiveness in a Virtual Vaccine Town Hall. The event is designed to capture the interest and engagement of individuals of all ages and across demographic, geographic, and social groups and inform the important conversations around a safe return to in-person learning. The goal of the event is to reach at least one million Californians and have an impact on boosting vaccination rates for the benefit of schools and communities. The Virtual Vaccine Town Hall will include Spanish language and American Sign Language interpretation service and be accessible by teleconference and viewable by Zoom webinar and on the California Department of Education (CDE) Facebook Live.


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HEALTH AND SCIENCE HIGHLIGHTS


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SAN DIEGANS NOW PRIMARILY VACCINATED AT PHARMACIES, COMMUNITY CLINICS

By José A. Álvarez, County of San Diego Communications Office

San Diegans have largely turned to traditional vaccination clinics to get immunized against COVID-19

August 1, 2021 (San Diego) - Retail pharmacies are now the primary provider of vaccines, administering over 100,000 doses from July 1 through July 28. They were followed, in order, by community clinics (nearly 20,000 doses), private medical providers (almost 17,000 doses), County sites (about 13,000 doses) and hospitals (just under 9,000 doses) during the same time frame.

“I want to thank every San Diegan who has been vaccinated and the many partners working daily with the County to ensure vaccines are readily available in every part of our region,” said Wilma J. Wooten (photo, right), M.D., M.P.H., County public health officer. “Masking and other public health guidance are additional measures to help us safely navigate the COVID-19 pandemic. Vaccinations are our key for getting out of it.”

The County has been working with its vaccination partners to get the word out to San Diegans who are hesitant about getting immunized.


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SAN DIEGO COUNTY ADVISES RESIDENTS TO WEAR MASKS INDOORS IN PUBLIC PLACES AS CASES OF NEW VARIANT SURGE

East County News Service

July 27, 2021 (San DIego) --  With cases of the Delta variant of COVID-19 surging, San Diego County today announced its recommendations for everyone to wear masks in indoor public places. The recommendation is in line with the latest Centers for Disease Control federal guidelines.

Below is the full County statement:


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FEDERAL GOVERNMENT CLARIFIES DISABILITY RIGHTS FOR LONG-HAUL COVID SURVIVORS

Source: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
 
July 26, 2021 (Washington D.C.) -- Today, as we commemorate the 31st anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) are jointly publishing guidance on how “long COVID” can be a disability under the ADA, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, and Section 1557 of the Affordable Care Act.  The guidance is on the HHS website at https://www.hhs.gov/civil-rights/for-providers/civil-rights-covid19/index.html and on the DOJ website at https://www.ada.gov/long_covid_joint_guidance.pdf.

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COVID-19 CASES IN COUNTY RISE 82% IN ONE WEEK AS THOUSANDS OF UNVACCINATED RESIDENTS FALL ILL

Source: County Communications Office

July 21, 2021 (San Diego) -- The number of COVID-19 cases in San Diego has spiked  in the past week, prompting County health officials to urge residents to continue getting vaccinated. In the past seven days, 3,465 COVID-19 cases were reported in San Diego County. That’s 1,566 or 82% more cases than the previous seven-day period.


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EARLY TREATMENT FOR COVID-19 AT MONOCLONAL ANTIBODY REGIONAL CENTERS (MARC)

Source: County of San Diego Health & Human Services Agency (HHSA)

Photo: Twitter @SanDiegoCounty

July 19, 2021 (San Diego) -- Monoclonal antibodies are proteins made in a lab that help boost the immune system to fight viruses. The monoclonal antibody combination treatments of monoclonal antibody combination treatment  from Regeneron has been authorized for emergency use to treat mild to moderate COVID-19 in adults and pediatric patients (12 years of age and older weighing at least 40 kg / 88 lbs.) with positive results of direct SARS-CoV-2 (the virus that causes COVID-19) viral testing, and who are at high risk for progressing to severe COVID-19 and/or hospitalization. Monoclonal antibodies have been shown in clinical trials to reduce COVID-19-related hospitalization and emergency room visits.


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COUNTY BOARD ACCEPTS $24 MILLION FOR COVID-19 RESPONSE IN HIGH-RISK POPULATIONS, RECEIVES VACCINE SURVEY RESULTS

Source: County News Service

July 16, 2021 (San Diego) -- The County Board of Supervisors received the results of a new local survey on July 13 with details about why some are still hesitant to get vaccinated. Supervisors also approved an investment of $24 million in federal funds to support COVID-19 response in high-risk communities.

First, the Board received an update on COVID-19 rates in San Diego County.

The number of local COVID-19 cases has been rising the past few weeks, increasing the case rate from 1.9 cases per 100,000 residents on June 15 to 3.7 cases per 100,000 residents now. The daily case count increased to 355 on July 12 and has been at or above 200 for the last seven days.

“We are now seeing about double the number of cases that were being reported a month ago,” said Wilma Wooten, M.D., M.P.H., County public health officer. “This has led to a 46% increase in hospitalizations and 10% uptake in intensive care unit admissions in the past few weeks. We expect further increases in ICU admissions since they lag behind the trend in cases and hospitalizations.”


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WITH CHALLENGE COMES CHANGE: FIRST PRIZE IN EAST COUNTY LEADERSHIP COUNCIL'S COVID-19 ESSAY CONTEST

This essay won first prize ($1,000) in the East County Leadership Council (ECLC) 2021 COVID-19 essay contest. Prize money has been provided through the generosity of ECLC donors and a grant from the Foundation for Economic Justice.

By Anonymous Grossmont Union High School District (GUHSD) student in East County Leadership Council’s (ECLC) COVID-19 Essay Contest (First Prize)

“The struggle you’re in today is developing the strength you need for tomorrow.” —Robert Tew.

July 15, 2021 (San Diego's East County) -- Throughout our lifetime, we pass through so many different situations, some that make us smile and others that make us cry. We get rewarded by some, and we get challenged by others. What is interesting though is that we get to pick the way we react. We get to choose our life and shape it the way we want, despite our struggles, and if we do that right, we develop our strengths. When the COVID-19 pandemic broke out in the United States, it was a struggle for everyone, and only the people who overcame their struggles came out of it stronger than ever. Personally, I had to overcome challenges academically since online school was extremely difficult, physically since my health was deteriorating as my weight increased, and mentally, since my mental health was worsening as well. However, although there were many challenges and struggles that came with COVID-19, there were also gains.  


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FAMILY LIFE DURING COVID'S YEAR-AND-A-HALF: SECOND PRIZE IN EAST COUNTY LEADERSHIP COUNCIL'S ESSAY CONTEST

This essay won second prize in the East County Leadership Council (ECLC) 2021 COVID-19 essay contest. Prize money has been provided through the generosity of ECLC donors and a grant from the Foundation for Economic Justice.

By Anonymous Grossmont Union High School District (GUHSD) student in East County Leadership Council’s (ECLC) COVID-19 Essay Contest (Second Prize)

July 14, 2021 (San Diego's East County) -- Every single one of us has been affected by the current COVID-19 virus whether it was in a positive or negative way. However, the pandemic has affected people differently depending on our social status and our income. While some are adapting to school online and staying home for quarantine others are adapting to losing their jobs. COVID-19 has caused many businesses to go out of business, resulting in an overall of 25% of U.S. adults being laid off or losing their job. This doesn’t only have an effect on the adults but even on the children. From personal experience, I constantly think and stress about bills being paid because the idea of being homeless again is terrifying. The COVID-19 outbreak has caused low-income families to struggle to put food on the table and struggle with paying household bills as well as medical bills. It has been proven that the pandemic has hit low-income families the hardest, specifically African American and Hispanic households. 


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