COVID-19

COVID-19 VACCINES FOR PEOPLE AGE 16 AND UP WITH SERIOUS HEALTH CONDITIONS OR DISABILITIES STARTING MARCH 15

East County News Service
 
February 13, 2021 (San Diego) – Starting Monday, March 15, new California guidelines allow COVID-19 vaccines to be given to people age 16 and up with the following serious underlying health conditions or disabilities that would put them at high risk of hospitalization or death from the novel coronavirus:

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SAN DIEGO COUNTY 2-3 WEEKS AWAY FROM VACCINATING TEACHERS, OTHER ESSENTIAL WORKERS

By Chris Jennewein, Times of San Diego, a member of the San Diego Online News Association

Photo:  Supervisor Nathan Fletcher briefs the media on the coronavirus pandemic. Image from live stream

February 11, 2021 (San Diego) - San Diego County health officials said Thursday that vaccinations of teachers, law enforcement and other essential workers will likely begin within two to three weeks.


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WINNERS OF LOCAL DECAMERON STORY COMPETITION ON PANDEMIC TO BE PRESENTED FEB. 26

East County News Service

February 11, 2021 (San Diego) --  Write Out LoudSan Diego Public LibraryLa Jolla Historical Society and San Diego Writers, Ink present the San Diego Decameron Project. Community members countywide were invited to submit unpublished fiction or nonfiction narratives of 1,000 words or less based loosely around the theme of the current pandemic. The top 10 most compelling stories will be read by Write Out Loud actors and presented in a virtual presentation on February 26 along with a panel discussion with the top authorsSign up to receive free access to the ceremony at https://writeoutloud.ticketspice.com/san-diego-decameron-project-celebration. 


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SUPERVISORS SHOOT DOWN ANDERSON PROPOSAL TO VACCINATE POLICE OFFICERS IMMEDIATELY

By Miriam Raftery
 
Photo: CC by SA
 
February 10, 2021 (San Diego) – By a 3-2 vote yesterday, San Diego County Supervisors shot down a proposal by Supervisor Joel Anderson that would have given law enforcement officers priority to receive COVID-19 vaccines.

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COUNTY REPORTS FIRST DEATH OF A CHILD FROM COVID-19

By Miriam Raftery

February 9, 2021 (San Diego’s East County) – San Diego County health officials last week reported the death of a 10-year-old child from COVID-19, the first minor to succumb to the virus locally. 


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SENATOR BRIAN JONES COAUTHORS "LET THEM PLAY" RESOLUTION TO REOPEN YOUTH SPORTS

East County News Service
 
Photo: CC via Bing
 
February 8, 2021 (Sacramento) --  “It’s time to get our kids off the bench and into the game,” says State Senator Brian Jones (R-Santee).  Jones has signed on as a coauthor of the “Let Them Play” resolution, which calls on the  Newsom administration to reopen youth sports.

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COUNTY OPENS NEW VACCINE SITE AT TUBMAN CHAVEZ COMMUNITY CENTER

By Katie Cadiao, County of San Diego Communications Office

Photo:  The COVID-19 vaccine is now available for health care professionals and people 65 and older at multiple sites in the region.

February 8, 2021 (San Diego) - The County’s expanding COVID-19 vaccination efforts now include the opening of a site at Tubman Chavez Community Center. Starting today, the site will offer COVID-19 vaccinations from 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. every Friday and Saturday.


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SUPREME COURT BACKS LOCAL CHURCH’S FIGHT TO WORSHIP INDOORS AMID PANDEMIC, BUT ALLOWS CAPACITY LIMITS AND BAN ON SINGING

Reprinted from Times of San Diego, a member of the San Diego Online News Association

 

Photo: Congregants worship at South Bay Pentecostal Church in Chula Vista in June 2019 photo. Image via foursquare.com

 

February 6, 2021 (San Diego) -- The Supreme Court on Friday overturned judges who supported California’s pandemic-driven ban on indoor church services, ruling that the state’s health orders violate the Constitution’s religious protections.


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COUNTY URGES RESIDENTS TO HAVE A COVID-SAFE SUPER BOWL SUNDAY

Source: San Diego Communications Office
 
February 4, 2021 (San Diego) -- With Sunday’s big game on the horizon, the County is asking for the public’s help to prevent Super Bowl parties from becoming super spreader events.

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SELECT CVS PHARMACIES IN SAN DIEGO TO BEGIN COVID-19 VACCINATIONS ON FEB. 11

By Ken Stone, Times of San Diego, a member of the San Diego Online News Association

February 3, 2021 (San Diego) - CVS Health will begin giving COVID-19 vaccinations to eligible people Feb. 11 at 100 CVS Pharmacy locations across California, the company announced Tuesday.


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OVERCOMING “PANDEMIC FATIGUE” AND BURNOUT DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC

By Ashley Halsey

 

February 3, 2021 (San Diego’s East County) -- COVID-19 has spread across the world in the last year, forcing many people into a lifestyle to which they are unaccustomed. With most people confined to their homes indefinitely due to public health restrictions, the effects of the pandemic are potent and lasting, causing formerly productive, active individuals to succumb to burnout--a quarantine phenomenon known as “pandemic fatigue."


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COVID VACCINE SUPER STATION OPEN AT GROSSMONT CENTER IN LA MESA

East County News Service

February 2, 2021 (La Mesa) – A COVID-19 vaccination super station opened today at Grossmont Center in La Mesa. Operated by Sharp Healthcare, the The new walk-up clinic is vaccinating people from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday. Up to 1,000 doses will be administered daily, but the site’s capacity can be expanded to provide up to 5,000 vaccinations every day.

The clinic is located in the shopping mall at 5500 Grossmont Center Drive, between Wetzel’s Pretzels and the Ceramic Café.

This location will replace and expand the site Sharp HealthCare had been operating on Wakarusa St. Appointments made for that site transfer to the super station at the mall.


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SAN DIEGO REPORTS FEWEST COVID-19 INFECTIONS IN MORE THAN A MONTH

By Elizabeth Ireland, Times of San Diego, a member of the San Diego Online News Association

Photo:  Hospitalman Apprentice Jewel Guese, a sailor assigned to Naval Medical Center San Diego’s Naval Branch Health Clinic, Marine Corps Recruit Depot San Diego, prepares vaccines at the clinic. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist Seaman Luke Cunningham

February 1, 2021 (San Diego) - San Diego County public health officials Monday logged 1,082 COVID-19 infections — the fewest new cases in more than a month — and no additional fatalities.


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MIDDLE-AGE CALIFORNIANS WILL BE NEXT IN LINE FOR CORONAVIRUS VACCINES

By Barbara Feder Ostrov, CalMatters

CalMatters is an independent public interest journalism venture covering California state politics and government.

February 1, 2021 (San Diego) - Educators, childcare workers, food and farm workers and first responders joined Californians aged 65 and over this week to qualify for the coronavirus vaccine.


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SAN DIEGO SUPERIOR COURT TO RESUME JURY TRIALS IN FEBRUARY

Source: Superior Court of California, County of San Diego

January 28, 2021 (San Diego) – San Diego Superior Court jury trials were suspended throughout most of 2020, though a few trials were held in October and November. Jury trials were again suspended in December and January; however, the Court now aims to resume jury trials in February 2021.

Jury duty summonses were mailed to members of the public starting in September 2020. Beginning in late November summonsed individuals were advised they did not need to report for duty when they called the telephone standby phone number while trials were paused. Individuals with summons for dates in February and beyond should follow the instructions on their summons to call in for telephone standby jury duty. Small groups will be instructed to report in person for jury duty. Those not called in on the first day of their telephone standby service will need to call in the next day for further instructions until their service is complete.


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CAL FIRE WILL ADMINISTER COVID VACCINATIONS TO RESIDENTS IN BORREGO SPRINGS THIS SATURDAY AND SUNDAY, JANUARY 30 AND 31

Source:  Borrego Springs Chamber of Commerce

January 28, 2021 (Borrego Springs) - This Saturday and Sunday (January 30th and 31st) between 9:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. CalFire will vaccinate people at the Borrego Springs Library.


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SAN DIEGO REPORTS 1,434 COVID CASES, 46 DEATHS AS POSITIVE TESTING RATE TRENDS DOWN

By Chris Jennewein, Times of San Diego, a member of the San Diego Online News Association

Photo:  A man is tested for coronavirus at a drive-up site. Courtesy County News Center

January 27, 2021 (San Diego) - San Diego County public health officials reported 1,434 new COVID-19 cases and 46 more deaths Tuesday as the positive-test rate continue to trend down.


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BIDEN BOOSTS COVID VACCINE PRODUCTION, WILL REOPEN ACA ENROLLMENT

By Miriam Raftery

January 27, 2021 (Washington D.C.) – President Joe Biden’s national strategy to combat COVID-19, includes orders to purchase 200 million more vaccine doses from Pfizer and Moderna, boosting supply to 600 million. He also announced ramped up distribution of vaccines by next week to states and tribal governments.

This week he also plans to sign an executive order to reopen open enrollment for the Affordable Care Act health insurance policies, since so many out of work Americans have lost healthcare during the pandemic. Biden also plans to make it easier for low-income people to join Medicaid by rolling back certain restrictions imposed by the Trump administration, CNN reports.

In addition, Biden has ordered increased production of the vaccines  with the expectation that all of the 368 million Americans who want to be vaccinated will have vaccines available this spring, a pace dramatically accelerated over the prior administration both in numbers of vaccines available and pace of distribution.


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GOING UNDERGROUND: CALIFORNIA BUSINESS OPERATES IN SECRET AMID PANDEMIC RESTRICTIONS

By Kate Cimini, CalMatters

CalMatters is an independent public interest journalism venture covering California state politics and government.

Photo:  John adjusts the covers on his massage table. Photo by Ayrton Ostly, The Salinas Californian

January 25, 2021 (Salinas) - When the COVID-19 pandemic shut down his Bay Area region massage business, John went 93 days without income.  

In March, John and his business partner, Dee, packed away their massage tables and locked up their office. (Both John and Dee are going by pseudonyms for fear of legal repercussions.) 

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STATE LIFTS STAY-HOME ORDER: SOME BUSINESSES CAN REOPEN

By Miriam Raftery

Photo: Creative Commons via Bing

January 25, 2021 (San Diego) – At a press conference this afternoon, San Diego County leaders announced changes to allow some businesses to reopen after the state lifted a regional stay-home order. The change comes due to a four-week regional projection that ICU capacity will rise above 15%.  Our County is now back in the purple tier, but with some modifications.


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HEALTH AND SCIENCE HIGHLIGHTS


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PASSAGES: GOODWILL EXECUTIVE FROM LA MESA DIES OF COVID-19

East County News Service

January 16, 2021 (La Mesa) – Bob Kruse, 62, a La Mesa resident who oversaw over 50 local Goodwill sites as Director of Facilities, has died of COVID-19.


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COUNTY TO SPEND $100 MILLION TO PROVIDE 24,000 COVID VACCINATIONS DAILY

By Chris Jennewein, Times of San Diego, a member of the San Diego Online News Association 

Photo:  A man is vaccinated while in his car at the “super station” downtown. Courtesy County News Center

January 15, 2021 (San Diego) - San Diego County officials announced plans Wednesday to spend up to $100 million on a mass vaccination program that will target 24,000 people a day beginning Feb. 1.


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NEW VACCINE STRATEGY EXPOSES BIG CHALLENGES

Some counties low on doses

By Emily Hoeven, CalMatters

CalMatters is an independent public interest journalism venture covering California state politics and government.

Image via iStock

January 15, 2021 (Sacramento) - Six million Californians 65 and older are now eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine — a major shift in strategy that could help accelerate the Golden State’s sluggish vaccine rollout even as some counties say they’re unprepared to handle increased demand.


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CONGRESSWOMAN SARA JACOBS TO HOST INFORMATION SESSION ON COVID-19 VACCINES THURSAY AT 2 PM

 

Source: Congresswoman Sara Jacobs

January 14, 2021 (Washington D.C.) -- Today,, East County's newly elected Congresswoman Sara Jacobs (D-A-53) will host an informational session on the COVID-19 vaccine featuring local public health experts. The virtual event, entitled “Learn the Facts: COVID-19 Vaccine Truths with Congresswoman Sara Jacobs,” will take place on Thursday, January 14 at 2:00 PM Pacific Time. Members of the public can register to attend the virtual event here.

During the event, Congresswoman Jacobs will talk about her experience receiving the first dose of the Pfizer/BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine as part of the President Policy Directive to maintain continuity of government. She will then be joined by community and public health leaders who will discuss the science behind COVID-19 vaccines, their safety and efficacy, and offer an update on when members of the public can expect to be vaccinated.


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ELECTIVE SURGERIES ORDERED CANCELLED FOR REGION; SAN DIEGO REPORTS RECORD NUMBERS OF COVID CASES AND DEATHS

By Miriam Raftery

Photo: Creative Commons by ND

January 9, 2021 (San Diego) – Faced with the grim reality of hospitals turning away ambulances and critically ill patients due to staggering numbers of COVID-19 cases, the state of California has ordered all elective and non-life saving surgeries cancelled for at least three weeks in 14 counties including San Diego. 

The state’s order does not impact surgeries for life-threatening conditions such as cancerous tumors or heart bypass procedures, but does require cancellations ranging from cosmetic surgeries to pain relief procedures.

Locally, 16% of people tested were positive for COVID-19, or about one in every eight people, according to the most recent San Diego county data. In Los Angeles, a staggering 20% - one in every five people – are testing positive.


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READER’S EDITORIAL: COVID TESTS SHOULD NOT BE FASTER FOR THOSE WHO PAY MORE

By Spencer Powell
 
January 7, 2021 (San Diego) - So I decided to test the COVID-19 testing system here in East County. I require my employees to test often in order for them to work. Yesterday I went and got a rapid test at great expense, I was in and out in no time. Today I’m here trying to get a free rapid test and I’m still here in a parking lot waiting to be tested let alone results. 

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THE PRACTICE OF TELLING THE TRUTH STARTS AT AN EARLY AGE

 

The Twins Say…Always Always Keep Your Promises, by Dr. Keesha Karriem (Christian Faith Publishing, Inc., Meadville, PA, 2020, 26 pages).

Book Review by Dennis Moore

  • Ephesians 4:25 – Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbor: for we are members one of another.

January 6, 2021 (San Diego) - Dr. Keesha Karriem, executive director of a family-owned business that provides quality residential care to persons with intellectual disabilities, as well as having an MBA from Roosevelt University in Chicago, has written a thought provoking children’s book that every parent should have and read to their young children; The Twins Say…Always Always Keep Your Promises.The Twins Say…Always, Always Keep Your Promises was actually inspired by the author’s two beautiful twin nieces pictured on the back book cover, Kyanna and Kylila. If it is true that “a picture is worth a thousand words”, surely the picture of Dr. Karriem and her nieces says it all for this heartwarming book.


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VACCINATIONS BEGIN AT LOCAL NURSING HOMES

By Miriam Raftery
 
January 5, 2021 (Santee) – COVID-19 vaccines for nursing home patients and staff have arrived in our region. Yesterday, vaccinations were provided at Edgemoor Skilled Nursing Facility in Santee.
 
Edgemoor, run by the County Health and Human Services Agency, was recently named best facility of its kind in California and San Diego by Newsweek magazine for the second year in a row, out of over 15,000 nursing homes in the U.S. 
 
The pandemic lockdown has been particularly difficult on seniors and disabled individuals in nursing homes, who have been barred from having visitors for months.

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TASHA WILLIAMSON, EX-MAYOR HOPEFUL, AT HOME AFTER COVID BOUT: THANKS ICU

By Ken Stone, Times of San Diego, a member of the San Diego Online News Association

Photo:  At a La Mesa press conference in June, Tasha Williamson called for the firing of Matt Dages, the arresting officer of Amaurie Johnson “because he lied on his report.” On Monday, the District Attorney’s Office charged him. Photo by Chris Stone

January 4, 2021 (San Diego) - Tasha Williamson, the social justice activist who ran for San Diego mayor and who also organized racial justice protests in La Mesa, San Diego and other communities, was recovering at home Monday after a frightening bout of coronavirus that saw her thanking ICU staff.


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