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Friday, November 20, 2020
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends canceling Thanksgiving gatherings.
Yesterday, L.A. County reported a new coronavirus record: 5,031 new cases in one day. — The Signal, LAist
Infections among staff and students spiked last week at L.A. County schools that had partially reopened. — KTLA
While 80% of those who contract COVID-19 experience mild or no symptoms, others suffer long-term health effects. One L.A. artist who caught the virus reports still experiencing brain fog eight months later. — LAist
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that everyone cancel their Thanksgiving plans as hospitals nationwide hit their capacity. — KCRW
Two L.A.-area State Assembly members — Blanca Rubio and Wendy Carrillo — are coming under fire for flying to a Hawaii conference with lobbyists this week. — LAist
Thursday, November 19, 2020
L.A. County Prepares for Stay-at-Home Order if Spike Continues
Low-income neighborhoods and communities of color would benefit from prioritization in vaccine distribution, according to UCLA researchers.
Outdoor dining in L.A. has been restricted to 50%, but if daily cases exceed 4,000 or hospitalizations exceed 1,750 per day, all outdoor dining will close. A full stay-at-home order will return if cases exceed 4,500 per day. Officials are predicting that over the next month, we will see the highest hospitalization rates ever since the pandemic began. — Eater Los Angeles, KTLA
Health officials are unsure what led to L.A.’s recent surge in cases. According to the county’s chief medical officer, contact tracing interviews don’t reveal any significant changes in residents’ lifestyle habits compared to October, when cases were at a low. — KTLA
A number of nearby workplaces — run by L.A. County, Kaiser Permanente, Smithfield Foods and CitiStaff Solutions — have been served with $191,380 in COVID-19 safety violation fines. — Los Angeles Daily News
UCLA public health researchers have developed a model to identify the L.A. neighborhoods that should be prioritized for vaccine distribution based on the risk of spread and the number of essential workers. — Patch Los Angeles
Wednesday, November 18, 2020
All Key Metrics Show COVID-19 Spiking in L.A.
Pfizer’s vaccine trials are showing successful results, with efficacy rates over 90%.
According to key metrics, the coronavirus is spreading in L.A. At 13.7%, this week’s average daily case rate is nearly double that of last week. The average daily rate of positive test results has also increased from 3.8% to 5.3%, and the number of hospitalizations has surpassed 1,000 people for the first time in months. — ABC Los Angeles
An Echo Park church has resumed in-person services despite state and county bans on indoor gatherings. — The Eastsider
California hospital workers report feeling overwhelmed as the number of incoming patients drastically increases. — CBS Los Angeles
L.A. County officials are considering implementing a new stay-at-home order if cases continue to spike. The number of coronavirus hospitalizations over the past month has increased by 60%. — L.A. Times
Pharmaceutical companies Pfizer and BioNTech have announced a 95% efficacy rate for their COVID-19 vaccines. — CNN
Curative, the company that runs L.A.’s COVID-19 testing sites, is preparing to transition its facilities into vaccine distribution centers. — NBC Los Angeles
Tuesday, November 17, 2020
L.A. County Announces New Restrictions on Gatherings, Business
Southern California landlord group’s bid to reverse L.A.’s eviction ban and rent freeze unsuccessful.
Restaurants, breweries, wineries and non-essential retail businesses must close from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. as part of a slew of new regulations announced for L.A. County. The rules also place a cap on the number of households that may gather for any event. — Los Angeles Daily News
Although young people are the primary transmitters of the coronavirus, older people in L.A. are the ones experiencing significant illness and death. — KTLA
A judge has denied an attempt by the largest landlord organization in Southern California to reverse the city’s eviction ban and rent freeze. — NBC Los Angeles
Wearing masks while outdoors is now mandatory in California, and Gov. Gavin Newsom is considering enacting a business curfew to prevent nonessential gatherings. — NBC Los Angeles, CBS Los Angeles
Monday, November 16, 2020
California’s New COVID-19 Cases Surge by 44%
The state government announced urgent limits on reopenings and indoor operations for most counties.
California is experiencing its fastest spread of COVID-19 since the pandemic began: New cases have surged by 44.3%. Gov. Gavin Newsom announced that he is pulling the “emergency brake,” shifting multiple counties to the most restrictive reopening tier. — POLITICO
Although California issued a 14-day quarantine advisory for travelers, a lack of enforcement leaves its efficacy up in the air. — ABC Los Angeles
Local officials in L.A. County are considering a curfew to cut down on nonessential gatherings and transmissions from people going out for nighttime drinks. At the same time, business leaders are pushing back on the idea that public places are transmission hotspots, as opposed to private social gatherings in homes. — Los Angeles Magazine, Eater Los Angeles
Gov. Newsom is facing some backlash after attending a birthday party at an upscale restaurant in Napa Valley earlier this month. — KCRW