MARIJUANA
41 people arrested then released as sheriff's officials seize drugs, guns, vehicles in High Desert cannabis raids Charlie McGee Victorville Daily Press Published 9:55 a.m. PT Sep. 11, 2021
In nearly two dozen raids on illegal cannabis farms across the High Desert this week, the sheriff's department said it arrested dozens of people and seized a volume of drugs, guns and stolen property that total out to a significant value on the black market.
Yet, no one is seeing jail time. Instead, a ticket was all the arrestees received before being released back into the public.
The San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department's Marijuana Enforcement Team, along with deputies from various patrol stations, arrested 41 people at 23 cannabis-cultivation sites between Monday and Friday, according to a sheriff's statement. They served search warrants at each of the illegal grows in Hesperia, Phelan, Twentynine Palms, Newberry Springs and Lucerne Valley.
Sheriff's investigators "eradicated" 113 greenhouses at the grows and "mitigated one electrical bypass and one THC extraction lab," sheriff's officials said. They also nabbed an array of illicit items, citing seizures across all 23 locations that total out to:
21,002 marijuana plants 5,628.5 pounds of processed marijuana 6.2 ounces of psilocybin mushrooms 1.7 ounces of cocaine Nine guns More than $9,000 in cash A stolen motorcycle Three stolen RV trailers A stolen, trailer-mounted generator
A complicated crackdown
The wave of search warrants is a result of "Operation Hammer Strike," which just completed its second week.
The operation — in line with other efforts, like a county Board of Supervisors vote last month to beef up civil fines — is an effort to crack down on illegal cannabis growth in mostly rural High Desert communities that are considered ripe for cultivation. Sheriff's officials have said the presence of these farms has rapidly expanded, bringing with it escalating water theft, environmental damage and violence.
However, all of the individuals arrested in these raids were cited and released, meaning none were booked into jail. Why?
"Due to the cultivation of marijuana being a misdemeanor in (California)," a sheriff's spokesperson told the Daily Press.
Law enforcement, many Republican officials and some local leaders blame California law for a surge in illegal cannabis farming across the High Desert. Proposition 64, which took effect in January 2018 after passing in a referendum on the November 2016 ballot, reduced California's penalty for illegal cultivation of more than six cannabis plants.
Previously a felony in all cases, illegal cultivation is now a misdemeanor in California that carries up to six months in jail and up to $500 in fines for most adults — whether a grow consists of seven or 600 plants.
With enforcement reduced to a degree that officials say is far less strict than what's seen in other U.S. states that have legal cultivation, individuals who get busted can quickly restart their illegal-grow operations with little inconvenience from the law.
The sheriff's statement on this week's raids referenced not just California's misdemeanor for cultivation over six plants, but also other crimes allegedly associated with at least some of the 41 arrests, including:
Possession of a dangerous drug Manufacturing a controlled substance Possession of a stolen vehicle Electrical theft Possession for sales of marijuana Possession of a dangerous drug while armed
Growers from all over
The recent cannabis-farm arrests, according to the sheriff's Friday statement, occurred at 11 different locations in Phelan, four in Newberry Springs, three in Hesperia, three in Twentynine Palms and two in Lucerne Valley.
Six of the search warrants were served at parcels of land with no address. The sheriff's department approximated addresses for the rest.
Most of the 41 arrestees were named as High Desert residents, but not all of them are locals.
Seven of the arrested individuals are Sacramento residents, all of whom were cited at the 45900 block of Cisco Road in Newberry Springs, according to sheriff's officials.
Another arrestee, identified as 30-year-old Leonardo Flores-Correa, lives in Buena Park, a city in Orange County. The statement said he was arrested at a Lucerne Valley grow in the 30300 block of Clark.
A resident of Phoenix, Arizona, identified as 30-year-old Michael Jamshidi, was arrested at a Phelan grow in the 6400 block of Bonanza Road.
The High Desert-based arrestees included seven who reside in Lucerne Valley, according to the statement. All, except for one, are in their 20s:
Qiang Jie, 22 Xin Lin, 22 Zen Yong, 25 Zhangtan Linfeng, 26 Ye Yejinhu, 27 Sam Liu, 28 Zao Shefeng, 48
Seven other arrestees reside in Newberry Springs. One of them, 67-year-old Stephen Thomas, was the lone individual cited for a grow at the 45300 block of Whetrock Road.
The other six were arrested at 3300 Mountain View Road in Newberry Springs, according to the sheriff's department:
Levangkham Douangnaly, 76 Khammenh Sithirath, 69 Chantaly Sithirath, 65 Dino Souliya, 50 Southed Sonekiao, 50 Tida Souliya, 42
The full list of arrestees and locations can be found at the online page for the sheriff's Friday statement.
Charlie McGee covers the city of Barstow and its surrounding communities for the Daily Press. He is also a Report for America corps member with the GroundTruth Project, an independent, nonpartisan, nonprofit news organization dedicated to supporting the next generation of journalists in the U.S. and around the world. McGee may be reached at 760-955-5341 or cmcgee@gannett.com. Follow him on Twitter @bycharliemcgee.
By Christina Gonzalez
Exclusive look at San Bernardino County Sheriff's push to stop illegal marijuana grow houses
SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY, Calif. - FOX 11 got an exclusive look at how San Bernardino Sheri stops drug cartels in the area.
Can San Bernardino County Sheri hit drug cartels with project Hammerstrike?  
We begin before dawn, FOX 11 joined San Bernardino County deputies from the Gang and Drug Enforcement Bureau, along with ocers from Fish and Game, Probation, and even Code Enforcement, for Operation Hammer Strike.
Deputies began serving search warrants at illegal marijuana grow houses in the remote community of Newbury Springs. The desert areas around Barstow have seen a huge growth in illegal grows. 
Cartels are taking advantage of Prop 64, passed by voters in California, that decriminalized the illegal cultivation of marijuana. What was supposed to stop targeting minorities for personal drug use, has turned into a nancial
Published 3 days ago| San Bernardino County| FOX 11|
Exclusive look at San Bernardino County's push to stop illegal marijuana grow houses
FOX 11 got an exclusive look at how San Bernardino Sheri is stopping drug cartels in the area.
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opportunity for organizations setting up large grow houses in remote areas, hoping they will blend in with the legal grows.
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"Ocially, I can show you 1,205 illegal ones" says Sgt Rich Debevec, who works with the Special Operations units dealing with gangs and narcotics. "But I am sure there’s at least, another thousand."  
Residents in the communities aected are angry and scared. Many tell us that men armed with shotguns and semi-automatic weapons have taken to patrolling the dirt roads where the grow houses are located.
Farmers are losing elds of legal crops, from lack of water, which is being stolen by the grow house operators, who dig illegal wells and tap into the local water sources. Every location we saw had dangerous-looking illegal electrical setups tapping into (and stealing) electricity from power poles or other properties.
San Bernardino County Sheri Shannon Dicus is working with the county to add more personnel to the drug enforcement eorts, is also working with the county on a per plant fee for illegal grow houses. 
That would hit the owners in the pocketbook even further and perhaps make a dierence. Right now, paying misdemeanor citations for the people tending to the crops that are the ones being detained by deputies amounts to little more than the cost of doing business.  
The cartels, say investigators, bring in workers illegally across the border from countries like Mexico, Central America, Laos, Cambodia and China. Fourteen people were arrested by ocers today, at four locations. All received misdemeanor citations. 
The task force destroyed hundreds of plants that had not owered yet, conscated close to four thousand with viable buds, plus 1,022 pounds of processed marijuana. 
The total street value for all 1,022 pounds of the conscated marijuana? Almost $3 million.   
This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. ©2021 FOX Television Stations
f t
By By BRIAN WHITEHEADBRIAN WHITEHEAD | | bwhitehead@scng.combwhitehead@scng.com | The Sun | The Sun PUBLISHED: PUBLISHED: September 10, 2021 at 6:14 p.m.September 10, 2021 at 6:14 p.m. | UPDATED: | UPDATED: September 10, 2021 atSeptember 10, 2021 at 7:00 p.m.7:00 p.m.
Daniel and Davy Macias, seen here in this family photo, were admitted to theDaniel and Davy Macias, seen here in this family photo, were admitted to the emergency room with COVID-19 days apart in August. Davy Macias died Aug. 26. Sheemergency room with COVID-19 days apart in August. Davy Macias died Aug. 26. She was 37. (Courtesy photo)was 37. (Courtesy photo)
NEWSNEWS
Yucaipa father of 5 dies ofYucaipa father of 5 dies of COVID-19 weeks after his wife’sCOVID-19 weeks after his wife’s deathdeath Daniel and Davy Macias leave behind childrenDaniel and Davy Macias leave behind children ages 7 and under, including a newbornages 7 and under, including a newborn
Daniel Macias, a Yucaipa father of five whose wife, Davy, a nurse, Daniel Macias, a Yucaipa father of five whose wife, Davy, a nurse, died ofdied of complications from COVID-19complications from COVID-19 late last month, has died after battling the disease late last month, has died after battling the disease himself, according to himself, according to a GoFundMe accounta GoFundMe account set up by family members. set up by family members.
The Macias children are ages 7 and under, including a newborn delivered a weekThe Macias children are ages 7 and under, including a newborn delivered a week before Davy Macias death.before Davy Macias death.
“There arent words to explain the loss of both him and Davy,” Terri Serey, a“There arent words to explain the loss of both him and Davy,” Terri Serey, a member of the GoFundMe fundraising team, wrote on the page Friday, Sept. 10.member of the GoFundMe fundraising team, wrote on the page Friday, Sept. 10. “Keep the kids in your thoughts and prayers. They gained two angels but still have“Keep the kids in your thoughts and prayers. They gained two angels but still have a long road ahead of them.”a long road ahead of them.”
Daniel Macias, 38, was a 15-year educator in the Rialto Unified School District,Daniel Macias, 38, was a 15-year educator in the Rialto Unified School District, where he was the AVID coordinator and chair of the math department at Jehuewhere he was the AVID coordinator and chair of the math department at Jehue Middle School, according to district spokesperson Syeda Jafri. Daniel MaciasMiddle School, according to district spokesperson Syeda Jafri. Daniel Macias graduated from Rialto High School, his wife from Eisenhower High.graduated from Rialto High School, his wife from Eisenhower High.
He is “remembered as a compassionate, kind-hearted, fun-loving and generousHe is “remembered as a compassionate, kind-hearted, fun-loving and generous teacher at Jehue Middle School but he was also a devoted family man,” ateacher at Jehue Middle School but he was also a devoted family man,” a statement from RUSD reads.statement from RUSD reads.
Jafri said Jehues staff is collaborating with staff at Morris Elementary School,Jafri said Jehues staff is collaborating with staff at Morris Elementary School, where Daniel Macias mother worked before her recent retirement, to raise fundswhere Daniel Macias mother worked before her recent retirement, to raise funds for the family.for the family.
“On behalf of the Board of Education and Superintendent, Dr. Avila, we share the“On behalf of the Board of Education and Superintendent, Dr. Avila, we share the grief with his families and Jehue staff. It is a challenging time but Mr. Macias left agrief with his families and Jehue staff. It is a challenging time but Mr. Macias left a legacy of education excellence for countless students,” the district s statementlegacy of education excellence for countless students,” the district s statement reads. “Our thoughts and condolences are with the Macias family.”reads. “Our thoughts and condolences are with the Macias family.”
Daniel and Davy Macias, a registered nurse in the labor and delivery ward atDaniel and Davy Macias, a registered nurse in the labor and delivery ward at Kaiser Fontana Medical Center, took their family on a beach vacation toward theKaiser Fontana Medical Center, took their family on a beach vacation toward the end of July, concluding the trip at an indoor water park in Orange County, familyend of July, concluding the trip at an indoor water park in Orange County, family said. Shortly thereafter, Davy Macias, who was pregnant at the time, was admittedsaid. Shortly thereafter, Davy Macias, who was pregnant at the time, was admitted to the emergency room with to the emergency room with COVID-19COVID-19..
Her husband started his battle with the disease a few days later.Her husband started his battle with the disease a few days later.
A doctor delivered the Macias child six weeks before her due date. The couple didA doctor delivered the Macias child six weeks before her due date. The couple did not get an opportunity to name the baby girl, who is in good health at thenot get an opportunity to name the baby girl, who is in good health at the moment, according to family.moment, according to family.
Davy Macias died eight days after the baby s delivery, on Aug. 26. She was 37.Davy Macias died eight days after the baby s delivery, on Aug. 26. She was 37.
Macias brother, Vong Serey, said in an interview last month that his sister was notMacias brother, Vong Serey, said in an interview last month that his sister was not vaccinated, and was hesitant to get the shot because she was pregnant. Serey didvaccinated, and was hesitant to get the shot because she was pregnant. Serey did not know whether Daniel Macias had been inoculated.not know whether Daniel Macias had been inoculated.
“Incredibly sad news,” Terri Serey wrote Friday on the GoFundMe page. “Daniel“Incredibly sad news,” Terri Serey wrote Friday on the GoFundMe page. “Daniel lost his fight with COVID yesterday afternoon.”lost his fight with COVID yesterday afternoon.”
More than $157,000 had been raised as of Friday evening.More than $157,000 had been raised as of Friday evening.
“I am overwhelmed and humbled by the donations,” Serey wrote Sept. 6. “I have“I am overwhelmed and humbled by the donations,” Serey wrote Sept. 6. “I have to keep my emotions in check as groceries, toys, baby items, gift cards andto keep my emotions in check as groceries, toys, baby items, gift cards and furniture is dropped off for the kids. … Thank you again for everyones kind wordsfurniture is dropped off for the kids. … Thank you again for everyones kind words during this tragic time.”during this tragic time.”
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Brian WhiteheadBrian Whitehead | Reporter| Reporter Brian Whitehead is a reporter for The San Bernardino Sun, covering Colton,Brian Whitehead is a reporter for The San Bernardino Sun, covering Colton, Fontana, Grand Terrace, Rialto and San Bernardino. He previously covered prepFontana, Grand Terrace, Rialto and San Bernardino. He previously covered prep sports and the cities of Buena Park, Fullerton and La Palma for The Orangesports and the cities of Buena Park, Fullerton and La Palma for The Orange County Register. A Grand Terrace native and Riverside Notre Dame alumnus, heCounty Register. A Grand Terrace native and Riverside Notre Dame alumnus, he earned his journalism degree from Cal State Fullerton in 2010. Since joining Theearned his journalism degree from Cal State Fullerton in 2010. Since joining The Sun in late 2017, he has reported on development, education, homelessness,Sun in late 2017, he has reported on development, education, homelessness,
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Serey)
SEP. 12, 2021 6:02 PM PT
The family photo of Mom, Dad and four smiling kids, relaxing on the beach in Big Sur in
July, gave no hint of the heartbreak that lay ahead.
Davy Macias, a 37-year-old registered nurse from Yucaipa, would succumb to COVID-19
on Aug. 26, eight days after delivering a baby girl she never got to hold because she was
on a ventilator.
Her husband Daniel, 39, a middle school teacher, also was stricken by the coronavirus
and spent his last days in a hospital intensive care unit. He died Thursday, leaving
behind the couple’s five children, ages 7 and younger.
“Incredibly sad news. Daniel lost his fight with COVID yesterday afternoon,” his sister-
in-law Terri Serey posted Friday on a GoFundMe page set up for the family when both
parents fell ill.
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“There aren’t words to explain the loss of both him and Davy,” she wrote. “Keep the kids
in your thoughts and prayers. They gained two angels but still have a long road ahead of
them.”
Davy Macias had not been vaccinated because of her concerns about her pregnancy,
Serey said. Family members think that Daniel also was unvaccinated, but they are not
certain.
The couple and their four children all contracted the coronavirus after a trip to Big Sur
in July, which included a stop on the way back at an indoor water park in Orange
County, Serey said. Davy was seven months pregnant when she got sick.
“She had it the worst because they couldn’t give her all of the medication because of the
pregnancy,” Serey said. “The kids recovered quickly, but Davy wound up in the hospital.
Daniel went days later — they had to call an ambulance because he couldn’t breathe.”
Serey remembered the couple as loving parents who were great at their jobs. Davy was a
labor and delivery nurse at Kaiser Permanente Fontana Medical Center. Daniel taught
math and AVID, a college preparatory course for struggling students, at Jehue Middle
School in the Rialto Unified School District.
“I was always impressed with both of them,” Serey said. “They had their act together….
They worked like a well-oiled machine together. The kids always had what they needed
and never doubted at any point that they were loved.”
The children are being cared for by their paternal grandparents, Serey said.
“They seem like they’re doing really well,” she said. “They’re still asking for Mommy and
Daddy and don’t fully understand that they’re not coming back. I’m sure the realization
will kick in at some point, but right now they’re playing together and it’s nice to see
them happy for a little bit.”
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By late Sunday afternoon, the family’s GoFundMe campaign had raised more than
$197,000. Serey said the family is grateful for all of the donations, including groceries,
toys, baby items and gift cards that have poured in for the children, the youngest of
whom has yet to be named.
“When we talked to Daniel after the baby was born, he said he wanted to wait for Davy
to name her,” Serey said. “He said, ‘I have an idea, but I want Davy to choose.’ He kind
of took it with him, which just goes to show you that they did not expect it to get as bad
as it did.”
CALIFORNIA
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Kim Christensen
Hesperia teacher dies of COVID-19; school districts report case numbers Rene Ray De La Cruz Victorville Daily Press Published 4:28 p.m. PT Sep. 11, 2021
Students and fellow teachers are mourning the death of teacher Aaron Todd Carr, who worked at Mission Crest Elementary School in Hesperia and died last month of COVID-19 complications.
Hesperia Unified School District officials last month said they could not disclose any information on COVID-19 related deaths or hospitalizations in the district due to confidentiality rules.
However, several current and former employees of the district contacted the Daily Press with information on the death of Carr on Aug. 25.
Carr’s wife, Danna, confirmed with the Daily Press on Friday that her 58-year-old husband was at the Kaiser Permanente hospital in Ontario on Aug. 25 when he died of complications brought on by the coronavirus.
“Right now, I feel numb all over and my heart is breaking,” Danna Carr said. “Aaron was such a wonderful man who loved his family, his friends and his students.”
Aaron Carr received his first dose of the Pfizer vaccine in July and was diagnosed with COVID-19 on Aug. 10, just about the same time he was due for his second injection, his wife said.
Soon after his diagnosis, Aaron Carr’s oxygen began to drop and he was admitted to Providence St. Mary Medical Center in Apple Valley before being transported to Kaiser Ontario, where he later died.
Danna Carr said she would not disclose details about her husband’s death but told the Daily Press that her husband shared with her the name of the COVID-19 infected person he came in contact with and the location of that meeting.
“After Aaron caught COVID, it began working on him fast,” Danna Carr said. “Before we knew it, he grew more ill and was finally taken from us.”
Danna Carr said her husband began working for the HUSD more than 15 years ago.
A GoFundMe page “Help with Funeral cost for Aaron Todd Carr,” which was created by his family, said the late teacher was “reunited with the Lord” after he battled COVID-19 complications “until he could not fight anymore.”
The page said Carr leaves behind his wife, children, grandchildren and extended family. He was a member ofThe Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
Carr was laid to rest on Saturday, Sept. 11 at Westminster Memorial Park and Mortuary in Westminster, Danna Carr said.
In a student-produced news video posted to Facebook on Aug. 30, Mission Crest Principal Ryan Plescia spoke of Carr’s death but made no mention of how he died.
Plescia told students the death of Carr could result in them possibly experiencing moments of crying, sadness and anger, which is normal. He encouraged students to visit the school's wellness center or counselor.
“Remember, we do care about you and although it’s a tough time, we’ll get through it together," he added.
State orders
Last month, as schools opened across the region, the California Department of Public Health sent orders to school districts that mandate staff to verify vaccination status or be tested weekly beginning Oct. 15.
Gov. Gavin Newsom’s Aug. 11 public health order called for all school employees to show proof of full vaccination against COVID-19 or submit to weekly testing to prove the employee is not positive for coronavirus.
Hesperia Unified
HUSD officials told the Daily Press that out of approximately 24,00 staff and students, there have been 94 positive cases of COVID-19 since school started.
The positive case number at HUSD equates to less than 0.39% of the total district population, the district reported Tuesday.
Also, of the district’s 2,232 total staff employees, 0.36% have tested positive for the virus.
District officials said if staff or students have been exposed to a case of COVID-19, the district will conduct contact tracing and make the appropriate notifications.
"We have and will continue to follow all CDPH recommendations to ensure the health and welfare of our students and staff," said HUSD Superintendent David Olney.
On Saturday, the HUSD online COVID-19 dashboard showed 21 confirmed cases among students or staff members who were in quarantine.
Adelanto Elementary 
The Adelanto Elementary School District dashboard on Saturday showed seven confirmed current cases among students and four among staff. However, there were many more suspected cases — 156 among students and 23 among staff. And 126 staff were under quarantine, as were 15 students. Mesa Linda Middle School had 34 quarantined staff members, the highest in the district.
The number of cases has not affected school operations, with AESD spokesman Stephen Quintero saying the district is on a normal class schedule and classroom configurations have remained largely the same.
“The most notable change to see in many classrooms is the addition of desk shields,” Quintero said.
Apple Valley Unified
During an Apple Valley Unified School District Board of Trustees meeting on Thursday, Superintendent Trenae Nelson said in the first 22 days of school, approximately 180 students had tested positive for COVID-19.
The AVUSD has just over 13,700 students, according to district spokeswoman Zoee Widener.
“In settings where we have students who quarantine at home, we offer a short-term independent study configuration for that time period,” Widener told the Daily Press.
During the meeting Nelson said last December one student in the district died of COVID-19
Lucerne Valley Unified
Lucerne Valley Unified School District Superintendent Peter Livingston said during the week of Aug. 9, the district had one positive case of COVID-19 among its teacher/staff population of about 1,213.
That positive number of cases rose on Aug. 23 to five, according to Livingston, who said the case counts will continue to rise and fall based on the spread of the delta variant.
“We conducted close to 50 rapid COVID tests and all came back negative on those students who were deemed close contacts last week,” Livingston said. “We continue to work closely with San Bernardino County Public Health to ensure we are following the most current guidelines."
If a masked individual comes in “close contact” with another individual with COVID-19 in a room, they may continue attending school as long as they are tested twice a week for two weeks and remain symptom-free, the district said.
The LVUSD has made rapid COVID-19 tests available for students.
As of Aug. 30, the LVUSD COVID-19 dashboard showed a total of one student or staff member confirmed with the virus.
Barstow
Barstow Unified School District spokesman Marseilles Chavez said that as of Aug. 30, the BUSD online COVID-19 dashboard showed nine confirmed employee cases of COVID-19 out of nearly 800 District employees.
Also, there were 27 confirmed student cases out of a student population of 6,646 students in 11 schools.
As of March, more than two-thirds of BUSD staff had been vaccinated, Chavez said.
“At this time, we have no reports of any teachers in Barstow Unified School District who have died from complications brought on by COVID-19, according to Chavez, who said there were no reports of teachers/staff/students being severely ill or requiring hospitalization.
Skyline North Elementary School and Barstow High School each recorded five confirmed student cases of COVID-19 and Henderson Elementary School had two confirmed employee cases.
No class schedules or classroom configurations have been changed at any school because of the positive COVID-19 cases.
Victor Valley Union High 
Kris Reilly, the spokesman for the Victor Valley Union High School District, said this school year, the district had no teacher die due to COVID-19.
“Sadly, we lost a few staff members during lockdown last school year, but those deaths were not definitively linked to COVID-19,” Reilly said. “There have been many non-fatal COVID cases in our schools so far this school year.”
Those who test positive for COVID-19 are quarantined, said Reilly, who added the district uses contact tracing to notify those who came in direct contact with any affected person.
“Those who were in direct contact may also be required to quarantine, depending on their vaccination status and the presence of symptoms,” Reilly said.
Reilly told the Daily Press that he would respond after gathered data regarding the number of students and staff affected by COVID-19.
The VVUHSD's website showed no district-focused COVID-19 dashboard.
Daily Press reporter Rene Ray De La Cruz may be reached at 760-951-6227 or RDeLaCruz@VVDailyPress.com. Follow him on Twitter @DP_ReneDeLaCruz.
LOCAL NEWS
Orange County reports its youngest child COVID death
Orange County reported its rst COVID-19 death of a child under the age of 5 on
Friday, marking the second pediatric death related to the virus in the county.
The child, who had unspecied underlying health conditions, died in August of
complications related to a coronavirus infection, O.C. Health Care Agency ofcials
said in a news release.
“My heart goes out to this family who has lost a precious young life. This is an urgent
reminder that we must do everything we can to protect our little ones, the children
and infants in our community who are not yet eligible for a vaccination,” County
Health Ofcer Dr. Clayton Chau said in a statement.
Ofcials did not release specics on the child’s age and city of residence.
It’s the second conrmed coronavirus-related pediatric death reported in Orange
County, after a teenage girl with signicant underlying medical conditions died of
COVID-19 in August last year, an O.C. Health Care Agency spokesperson told KTLA.
by: Nouran Salahieh
Posted: Sep 10, 2021 / 12:22 PM PDT / Updated: Sep 10, 2021 / 01:35 PM PDT
KTLA 5 News at 1LIVE NOW /
There are 4 areas under alert. Click for alert details.WEATHER ALERTS /
As of Wednesday, California had reported nine deaths associated with COVID-19
among children under 5 years old, and 24 deaths among children between the ages
of 5 and 17, according to data from the California Department of Public Health.
A recent study from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found that
weekly coronavirus-related hospitalization rates among children and teenagers rose
nearly vefold during late June to mid-August this year.
The study says the spike in pediatric hospitalizations coincides with increased
circulation of the highly transmissible delta coronavirus variant.
So far in Orange County, 2,454 cases of the delta variant have been identied —
including 175 among children younger than 12, according to county data.
“COVID-19 will be present in Orange County for the foreseeable future, and there is
always the possibility of new versions of the virus emerging, like the Delta and Mu
variants,” Deputy County Health Ofcer Dr. Matthew Zahn said in a statement.
“Those facts do not change the things we can do to prevent this disease.”
Zahn said vaccination remains the most effective way to prevent serious illness or
dying from COVID-19.
“In Orange County, someone who is not fully vaccinated is almost six times more
likely to get COVID-19 than a person who is fully vaccinated,” Zahn said. “Even with
slightly declining cases in Orange County, you should get vaccinated.”
The younger child's death comes just two weeks after Riverside County reported that a 4-year-old became its youngest coronavirus-related death confirmed since the start of the pandemic.
BY GREGORY YEE | STAFF WRITER
SEP. 10, 2021 6:49 PM PT
Andrew Do, chairman of the Orange County Board of Supervisors, confirmed on Friday
that he tested positive for the coronavirus and would be self-isolating at his home for 10
days.
Do said he was fully vaccinated and was experiencing mild symptoms of COVID-19. He
planned to continue monitoring his condition and said he’d notify those he’d been in
contact with.
Do, in public statements and social media posts, has promoted vaccination clinics
across the county. In July, he was heckled and faced anti-Asian comments during a
meeting when he celebrated the county reaching 1.2 million COVID-19 vaccine doses.
He recently faced criticism over a move that some said stymied the flow of accurate
information about coronavirus activity in Orange County.
On Sept. 2, Do and Doug Chaffee, the board’s vice chair, ordered county officials to stop
participating in press briefings held by another county supervisor — Katrina Foley.
Andrew Do @joinandrewdo
Although I received both doses of the Moderna vaccine earlier this year, today I was notified I tested positive for COVID-19 after learning I was exposed. Following CDPH’s safety protocols, I started quarantining at home since yesterday and will continue for 10 days. 3:28 PM · Sep 10, 2021
46 See the latest COVID-19 information on Twitter
California’s third-most populous county after the Board of Supervisors stopped
providing updates by its top health official at its meetings and suspended press briefings
by health officials for several months.
Foley launched her series of regular COVID-19 news conferences on Aug. 9.
Do, in a statement, said the news conferences were political stunts that provided
information that was already available.
Foley said the updates were needed to combat misinformation and sound the alarm
about the Delta variant and its effect on hospitals.
CALIFORNIA COVID-19 PANDEMIC
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Gregory Yee
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Gregory Yee is a reporter for the Los Angeles Times. Before joining the newsroom in
2021, he spent five years covering criminal justice and breaking news for the Post and
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LIVE Coronavirus Updates
In a new review, some F.D.A. scientists and others say boosters arent needed for the general population.
By Apoorva Mandavilli
Sept. 13, 2021 Updated 10:17 a.m. ET
None of the data on coronavirus vaccines so far provides credible evidence in support of boosters for the general population, according to a review published on Monday by an international group of scientists, including some at the Food and Drug Administration and the World Health Organization.
The 18 authors include Dr. Philip Krause and Dr. Marion Gruber, F.D.A. scientists who announced last month that they will be leaving the agency, at least in part because they disagreed with the Biden administration’s push for boosters before federal scientists could review the evidence and make recommendations.
The Biden administration has proposed administering vaccine boosters eight months after the initial shots. But many scientists have opposed the plan, saying the vaccines continue to be powerfully protective against severe illness and hospitalization. A committee of advisers to the F.D.A. is scheduled to meet on Friday to review the data.
In the new review, published in The Lancet, experts said that whatever advantage boosters provide would not outweigh the benefit of using those doses to protect the billions of people who remain unvaccinated worldwide. Boosters may be useful in some people with weak immune systems, they said, but are not yet needed for the general population.
Several studies published by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, including three on Friday, suggest that while efficacy against infection with the Delta variant seems to wane slightly over time, the vaccines hold steady against severe illness in all age groups. Only in older adults over 75 do the vaccines show some weakening in protection against hospitalization.
Immunity conferred by vaccines relies on protection both from antibodies and from immune cells. Although the levels of antibodies may wane over time — and raise the risk of infection — the body’s memory of the virus is long-lived.
The vaccines are slightly less effective against infection with the Delta variant than with the Alpha variant, but the virus has not yet evolved to evade the sustained responses from immune cells, the experts said. Boosters may eventually be needed even for the general population if a variant emerges that sidesteps the immune response.
The experts cautioned that promoting boosters before they are needed, as well as any reports of side effects from booster shots such as heart problems or Guillain-Barre syndrome, may undermine confidence in the primary vaccination.
Data from Israel suggest that booster doses enhance protection against infection. But that evidence was collected just a week or so after the third dose and may not hold up over time, the experts said.
https://www.wsj.com/articles/covid-19-deaths-in-delta-surge-hit-younger-unvaccinated-people-11631525400
U.S.
Covid-19 Deaths in Delta Surge Trend Younger in Unvaccinated People Vaccines have shielded older people from the worst outcomes, leaving younger people who haven’t
gotten shots at risk
Unvaccinated Americans were 10 times as likely to be hospitalized and 11 times as likely to die, according to studies released by the CDC. PHOTO: KYLE GREENASSOCIATED PRESS
By and Sept. 13, 2021 530 am ET
Jon Kamp Paul Overberg
A surge in Covid-19 deaths caused by the highly contagious Delta variant is hitting working-age people hard while highlighting the risks for people who remain unvaccinated.
Federal data show Covid-19 deaths among people under 55 have roughly matched highs near 1,800 a week set during last winter’s surge. These data show weekly tallies for overall Covid-19 deaths, meanwhile, remain well under half of the pandemic peak near 26,000 reached in January.
“We don’t want anyone to die from a vaccine-preventable disease,” said Samuel Scarpino, managing director of Pathogen Surveillance at the Rockefeller Foundation’s Pandemic Prevention Institute.
The seven-day average for newly reported Covid-19 deaths each day recently eclipsed 1,600, up from an average that briefly moved below 220 a day in early July. With roughly 660,000 known Covid-19 deaths to date, the U.S. is on track to soon top the estimated 675,000 deaths that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has linked to the 1918- 19 flu pandemic.
U.S. Covid-19 Death Toll After falling this spring, the Covid-19 death toll is rising due to the spread of the Delta variant.
Daily death toll (7-day moving average)
Source: Johns Hopkins University
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Deaths have been concentrated among the unvaccinated, federal data show. The CDC released studies on Friday showing that unvaccinated Americans were 4.6 times as likely to be infected, 10 times as likely to be hospitalized and 11 times as likely to die.
At Tampa General Hospital, about 90% of recent Covid-19 patients were unvaccinated, said Peggy Duggan, chief medical officer at the facility, which is one of Florida’s largest hospitals with more than 1,000 beds. Many patients who did get the shots have compromised immune systems due to organ transplants or cancer treatment, Dr. Duggan said.
Tampa General’s recent Covid-19 patients in intensive care were 46 years old on average, far below the average during prior surges when vulnerable seniors were often hospitalized, Dr. Duggan said. The hospital’s death rate for Covid-19 patients hasn’t changed, sticking around 7%.
“These are working people, they’re people with families and children they’re still raising,” Dr. Duggan said.
Generational Shift As most older people in the U.S. have gotten vaccinated, a growing share of the deaths are occurring among the young and middle-aged.
Share of Covid-19 deaths, ages 054
Source: CDC
Younger age groups have represented a growing share of deaths since vaccines became available, a trend that has continued into the summer’s Delta surge.
Age is a major risk factor for people with Covid-19. People in their 30s are four times as likely to die from infections as people ages 18 to 29, according to the CDC. For people ages 75 to 84, the risk of death is 220 times as high.
Older Americans still account for the most Covid-19 deaths, but their higher vaccination rates have helped hold down the numbers. About 54% of the overall U.S. population and 63% of eligible people ages 12 and above are fully vaccinated, while the average among nursing homes is 84% for their residents, federal data show.
This is yielding benefits in places hit hardest by deadly Covid-19 waves earlier in the pandemic. While the Delta surge set off nursing-home outbreaks again, and workers who chose not to get the vaccine prompted employers and officials to issue mandates for these facilities, residents’ deaths haven’t reached the levels seen earlier in the pandemic.
Rising Toll The number of working-age adults dying of Covid-19 has returned to peaks reached during last winter's surge.
Weekly Covid-19 deaths, by age group
Source: CDC
Despite gains in protecting seniors, the Delta surge has presented major risks to other groups. CDC data continue to show that, compared with non-Hispanic whites, Black and Hispanic people face almost three times the risk of hospitalization and more than twice the risk of death. The rates among Native Americans are even higher. Rates among Asian people are comparable to those of non-Hispanic whites. The disparities stem from factors including pre-existing health conditions, access to healthcare and occupational exposure, public-health experts say.
A measure of daily Covid-19 deaths divided into new hospitalizations from two weeks earlier—covering a gap that clinicians say captures the time it takes for many deaths to occur—shows some turbulence since Delta began driving up cases this summer. This metric counts all Covid-19 deaths, including the roughly one-third that occur outside hospitals, meaning it doesn’t precisely reflect the rate at which hospitalized patients die.
Protecting the Vulnerable Once mass vaccination began, the share of Covid-19 deaths linked to nursing homes fell sharply.
Share of Covid-19 deaths occurring among nursing home residents
Source: Johns Hopkins University, Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
June
Measuring deaths against hospitalizations shows a decline in deaths after the mass vaccination effort began, reflecting what some health-experts say is more exposure among younger people and improvements in care, but that decline stopped in the spring.
Estimating the overall share of Covid-19 cases that become deadly is difficult, because testing captures only a portion of actual cases. A measure known as the case-fatality ratio, which looks at the number of known cases that become known deaths, appears to be heading lower, some public-experts said.
But because deaths tend to lag three to five weeks behind cases, the death toll may yet grow even as new cases are leveling off. The concentration of those fatalities among unvaccinated people demonstrates how important the shots are to ending the pandemic, said Jodie Guest, vice chair of the epidemiology department at Emory University’s Rollins School of Public Health.
“We cannot accept this as our endemic level, and we have the tools to keep this from being our endemic level,” Dr. Guest said.
Surviving Severe Covid-19 Although not all Covid-19 deaths occur in hospitals, a comparison suggests that the odds of surviving hospitalization have plateaued.
Covid-19 deaths as a percentage of Covid-19 hospitalizations two weeks earlier
Source: CDC Note: Some deaths occur outside hospitals.
Sept
By By ALEXI COHANALEXI COHAN | | alexi.cohan@bostonherald.comalexi.cohan@bostonherald.com | Boston Herald | Boston Herald PUBLISHED: PUBLISHED: September 10, 2021 at 12:05 p.m.September 10, 2021 at 12:05 p.m. | UPDATED: | UPDATED: September 10, 2021 at 12:05 p.m.September 10, 2021 at 12:05 p.m.
The exterior of the Moderna facility on May 12, 2021 in Norwood, MA. The exterior of the Moderna facility on May 12, 2021 in Norwood, MA. (Staff Photo By Nancy Lane/MediaNews Group/Boston Herald)(Staff Photo By Nancy Lane/MediaNews Group/Boston Herald)
An annualAn annual research and development research and development day hosted by Cambridge biotech company Moderna revealed several advancements in mRNA day hosted by Cambridge biotech company Moderna revealed several advancements in mRNA vaccine technology, including a combination coronavirus and flu booster that s in the works.vaccine technology, including a combination coronavirus and flu booster that s in the works.
“We believe our mRNA platform can solve the worlds greatest health challenges, from diseases impacting millions, to ultra-rare diseases“We believe our mRNA platform can solve the worlds greatest health challenges, from diseases impacting millions, to ultra-rare diseases impacting dozens, to medicines personalized down to the individual level,” said Stephane Bancel, CEO of Moderna.impacting dozens, to medicines personalized down to the individual level,” said Stephane Bancel, CEO of Moderna.
Bancel on Thursday announced the development of a single-dose vaccine that combines a booster against the coronavirus and a boosterBancel on Thursday announced the development of a single-dose vaccine that combines a booster against the coronavirus and a booster against the flu.against the flu.
The combo vaccine encodes for COVIDs spike protein and influenzas proteins as well. The shot isnt the only thing coming down theThe combo vaccine encodes for COVIDs spike protein and influenzas proteins as well. The shot isnt the only thing coming down the pipeline for Moderna though.pipeline for Moderna though.
The company is also developing a combination vaccine for use in kids that targets respiratory syncytial virus and humanThe company is also developing a combination vaccine for use in kids that targets respiratory syncytial virus and human metapneumovirus, which is another disease that causes colds that can be particularly severe in babies.metapneumovirus, which is another disease that causes colds that can be particularly severe in babies.
Phase one data from a separate RSV vaccine candidate in older adults significantly boosted antibodies above a baseline level, more goodPhase one data from a separate RSV vaccine candidate in older adults significantly boosted antibodies above a baseline level, more good news for tackling the virus that s the leading cause of severe respiratory illness in young children and seniors.news for tackling the virus that s the leading cause of severe respiratory illness in young children and seniors.
The company is preparing for a global study with about 34,000 participants of the RSV vaccine candidate, which is expected to begin by theThe company is preparing for a global study with about 34,000 participants of the RSV vaccine candidate, which is expected to begin by the end of this year.end of this year.
NEWSNEWSNATIONAL NEWSNATIONAL NEWS
Moderna became a worldwide household name with its coronavirus vaccine, which has maintained excellent effectiveness in recipientsModerna became a worldwide household name with its coronavirus vaccine, which has maintained excellent effectiveness in recipients throughout the pandemic.throughout the pandemic.
“I am proud of the progress that the Moderna team has made in advancing our best-in-class mRNA pipeline while addressing the global“I am proud of the progress that the Moderna team has made in advancing our best-in-class mRNA pipeline while addressing the global COVID-19 pandemic,” Bancel said.COVID-19 pandemic,” Bancel said.
The company is continuing to scale 37 programs, including 22 in ongoing clinical trials. Some of the programs include novel respiratoryThe company is continuing to scale 37 programs, including 22 in ongoing clinical trials. Some of the programs include novel respiratory vaccines, rare disease, cancer vaccines and prophylactic vaccines.vaccines, rare disease, cancer vaccines and prophylactic vaccines.
Thursday marked Modernas fifth annual research and development day.Thursday marked Modernas fifth annual research and development day.
Moderna stock is currently worth $455.92 a share, which was up nearly 8% on Thursday. Before the pandemic, Moderna stock was sellingModerna stock is currently worth $455.92 a share, which was up nearly 8% on Thursday. Before the pandemic, Moderna stock was selling for less than $100 a share.for less than $100 a share.
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Alexi CohanAlexi Cohan | Reporter| Reporter Alexi Cohan is a general assignment reporter covering local news and government as well as health and medicineAlexi Cohan is a general assignment reporter covering local news and government as well as health and medicine stories. Alexi is from Springeld, Massachusetts and attended college at Hofstra University in New York where shestories. Alexi is from Springeld, Massachusetts and attended college at Hofstra University in New York where she majored in journalism and Spanish. Alexi's professional experience encompasses print, television and radio at NY1,majored in journalism and Spanish. Alexi's professional experience encompasses print, television and radio at NY1, CNN en Español, 88.7FM WRHU and The Republican newspaper. She enjoys making connections with the communityCNN en Español, 88.7FM WRHU and The Republican newspaper. She enjoys making connections with the community
she covers and imploring others to use journalism as a tool to stay informed and engaged.she covers and imploring others to use journalism as a tool to stay informed and engaged.
alexi.cohan@bostonherald.comalexi.cohan@bostonherald.com
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BY EMILY ALPERT REYES | STAFF WRITER
SEP. 12, 2021 6 AM PT
Los Angeles County has continued to struggle to reach people infected with the
coronavirus as the pandemic drags on, with contract tracers interviewing only around
40% of the people they were tasked with reaching during the last week of August.
That number has slumped since last summer, when contact tracers were interviewing as
many as 70% of the infected residents whose cases they were assigned per week.
The contact tracing system — considered a key tool in slowing the spread of the virus —
has faced obstacles from the start of the pandemic, when it repeatedly faltered in
containing workplace outbreaks.
Now contact tracers, who are tasked with ensuring that infected people isolate
themselves, notifying others who may have been exposed and offering county resources,
are finding it increasingly difficult to reach people and get them to agree to an interview.
Public health officials worry that younger people — who now make up a larger share of
coronavirus infections since seniors have gotten vaccinated at higher rates — may be
less likely to answer a phone call from an unfamiliar number.
Contact tracers have started texting people as well, but sometimes “we call them three
times in a row. We leave messages. We text them. And they call us back and tell us,
‘Take me off your list and stop texting me,’” said Gema Morales-Meyer, who directed the
case and contact interview branch of the L.A. County Department of Public Health until
earlier this summer.
“COVID fatigue” could also be a factor, officials say. Early in the pandemic, “even if they
were reluctant, they did the interview because it was so new. It was novel. People didn’t
know what was going on,” said True Beck, a COVID-19 response manager. Now that
much of L.A. has reopened and people are spending more time outside their homes,
they seem less likely to pick up the phone, Beck said.
Los Angeles County Department of Public Health
Contact tracing in L.A. County Contact tracers have struggled to reach and interview people who test positive for COVID-19 in L.A. County.
Percentage of cases assigned per week
April 2020
Cases that completed the interviewCases that completed the interview
Some cases were not assigned, either because they were sent to specialized teams or because they were past the isolation period. Cases were initiated within 24 hours by either making a phone call or visit.
Thomas Suh Lauder LOS ANGELES TIMES
Week of Aug. 25, 2021: Week of Aug. 25, 2021: Week of Aug. 25, 2021: Week of Aug. 25, 2021: Week of Aug. 25, 2021: Week of Aug. 25, 2021: Week of Aug. 25, 2021: Week of Aug. 25, 2021: Week of Aug. 25, 2021: Week of Aug. 25, 2021: Week of Aug. 25, 2021: Week of Aug. 25, 2021: Week of Aug. 25, 2021: Week of Aug. 25, 2021: Week of Aug. 25, 2021: Week of Aug. 25, 2021: Week of Aug. 25, 2021: Week of Aug. 25, 2021: Week of Aug. 25, 2021: Week of Aug. 25, 2021: Week of Aug. 25, 2021: Week of Aug. 25, 2021: Week of Aug. 25, 2021: Week of Aug. 25, 2021: 40.1%40.1%40.1%40.1%40.1%40.1%40.1%40.1%40.1%40.1%40.1%40.1%40.1%40.1%40.1%40.1%40.1%40.1%40.1%40.1%40.1%40.1%40.1%40.1%
Week of Aug. 25, 2021: 40.1%
Week of June 17,Week of June 17,Week of June 17,Week of June 17,Week of June 17,Week of June 17,Week of June 17,Week of June 17,Week of June 17,Week of June 17,Week of June 17,Week of June 17,Week of June 17,Week of June 17,Week of June 17,Week of June 17,Week of June 17,Week of June 17,Week of June 17,Week of June 17,Week of June 17,Week of June 17,Week of June 17,Week of June 17, 2020: 2020: 2020: 2020: 2020: 2020: 2020: 2020: 2020: 2020: 2020: 2020: 2020: 2020: 2020: 2020: 2020: 2020: 2020: 2020: 2020: 2020: 2020: 2020: 70.5%70.5%70.5%70.5%70.5%70.5%70.5%70.5%70.5%70.5%70.5%70.5%70.5%70.5%70.5%70.5%70.5%70.5%70.5%70.5%70.5%70.5%70.5%70.5%
Week of June 17, 2020: 70.5%
Aiming to bring the numbers back up, public health officials launched a door-to-door
effort to reach people this summer, which they hope will prove more fruitful. But door-
knocking can take more time for workers who have to battle traffic and hunt for parking
as they drive from address to address.
Vishia Tolcidas, who started working as a contact tracer in the spring, said some
residents have been upset when she shows up in person. One woman told her: “It’s so
inappropriate. You’re coming to the homes uninvited.”
“I said, ‘I’m just coming in to provide help,’” Tolcidas said. The woman replied, “I don’t
need your help."
Overall, more than half the people whose cases were assigned to L.A. County contact
tracers between April 2020 and August 2021 were not interviewed, according to county
data.
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The weekly interview rate sunk below 25% at one point during the winter, when contact
tracers were overwhelmed by a crush of new cases. After rebounding somewhat early
this year, it has continued to sag this spring and summer, a Times analysis found.
The overwhelming majority of cases are now being “initiated” within 24 hours, which
means someone has made a phone call or visited the person’s home, county data show.
But “sometimes they would be so inundated with calls from friends or family that we
couldn’t leave a message because the voicemail was full,” said Maureen Calderon, an
L.A. County contact tracer.
When people do answer, Calderon said, some have been suspicious. She tries to put
people at ease by handing over her number and extension, talking about assistance the
county can offer and telling them an interview is voluntary.
“I don’t think people like to feel forced to do anything,” she said.
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Fear, language barriers hinder coronavirus contact tracing in immigrant communities Aug. 15, 2020
The effort to track down and talk to those infected with the coronavirus has been a huge
undertaking for the county, which had deployed roughly 2,800 contact tracers at the
height of the pandemic, Beck said. (The number dropped as cases fell and was around
1,000 at the end of August, Beck said.) It sought out contract workers and interns,
turned to volunteers from universities and reassigned county employees from other
departments and divisions, pulling them from other work.
For every person they reach and interview, contact tracers could theoretically end up
following the trail of many other contacts. But in L.A. County, only 43% of people
interviewed had provided one or more contacts to tracers as of late August, according to
the Public Health Department.
Los Angeles County Department of Public Health
Reaching contacts About 43% of people with COVID-19 have provided information on one or more of their contacts. Contact tracers then try to reach and interview those individuals.
Percentage of contacts identified per week
July 2020
Contacts that completed the interviewContacts that completed the interview
Thomas Suh Lauder LOS ANGELES TIMES
Week of Aug. 25, 2021: Week of Aug. 25, 2021: Week of Aug. 25, 2021: Week of Aug. 25, 2021: Week of Aug. 25, 2021: Week of Aug. 25, 2021: Week of Aug. 25, 2021: Week of Aug. 25, 2021: Week of Aug. 25, 2021: Week of Aug. 25, 2021: Week of Aug. 25, 2021: Week of Aug. 25, 2021: Week of Aug. 25, 2021: Week of Aug. 25, 2021: Week of Aug. 25, 2021: Week of Aug. 25, 2021: Week of Aug. 25, 2021: Week of Aug. 25, 2021: Week of Aug. 25, 2021: Week of Aug. 25, 2021: Week of Aug. 25, 2021: Week of Aug. 25, 2021: Week of Aug. 25, 2021: Week of Aug. 25, 2021: 70.5%70.5%70.5%70.5%70.5%70.5%70.5%70.5%70.5%70.5%70.5%70.5%70.5%70.5%70.5%70.5%70.5%70.5%70.5%70.5%70.5%70.5%70.5%70.5%
Week of Aug. 25, 2021: 70.5%
Morales-Meyer said some people may have shied from admitting that they had been
mingling with other people. Some don’t want those contacts to know they have the
coronavirus, she said, even though county tracers don’t tell people who might have
exposed them.
The Times also found a sharp increase in March in the percentage of coronavirus cases
that weren’t assigned to L.A. County’s main set of contact tracers. Morales-Meyer said
that was largely due to a backlog of winter cases that had languished so long that the
people infected were no longer supposed to isolate themselves.
In Echo Park, Madalyn Rofer-Choate said that last winter she didn’t hear from an L.A.
County contact tracer until nearly a month after she had tested positive at Dodger
Stadium. The call finally came after she was retested in late January and again turned
up positive, she said.
“I was kind of dismayed that it took so long,” Rofer-Choate said. She added that there
was no apparent call to her husband, who had tested positive nearly two weeks before
her.
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WORLD & NATION
Contact tracing in the U.S. takes a back seat during latest COVID surge Aug. 29, 2021
In another attempt to boost tracing, L.A. and California officials last year started
promoting apps that can alert people through their smartphones when they have been
near the phone of an infected person. The California app, CA Notify, has been used to
alert contacts in roughly 88,000 cases, according to the California Department of Public
Health.
That number equates to roughly 3% of the more than 2.75 million coronavirus cases
reported in California since the app was launched, a Times analysis found. One hurdle
has been that when app users test positive, they have to get and use a code to alert
others, which some fail to do, said Christopher Longhurst, chief information officer for
UC San Diego Health, which is helping assess its results.
But the app is now alerting an average of nearly five contacts per positive case — a much
higher rate than has been typical for manual tracing in Los Angeles, Longhurst said.
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“We believe that we’ve helped to avoid tens of thousands of infections and helped to
avoid hundreds of deaths,” he said.
The quest to slow the spread of COVID-19 through contact tracing has been a difficult
one across the United States. The sluggish turnaround for test results early in the
many health departments to intercept positive cases and help stop more infections, said
Adriane Casalotti, chief of public and government affairs for the National Assn. of
County and City Health Officials.
Many communities reopened in the spring before setting up rigorous programs for
contact tracing, she said. And as the virus spread, it became harder for public health
agencies to keep up with the sheer volume of cases.
Despite the challenges, contact tracing is still seen as a crucial way to thwart infections.
One analysis performed for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimated
that when combined with measures such as masking, contact tracing averted anywhere
from 4% to 97% of additional coronavirus cases that would otherwise be expected.
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Times staff writers Thomas Suh Lauder and Sean Greene contributed to this report.
CALIFORNIA COVID-19 PANDEMIC
Number of outpatient ivermectin prescriptions dispensed from U.S. retail pharmacies, according to the Centers from Disease Control and Prevention. (U.S. Centers from Disease Control and Prevention )
BY MELISSA HERNANDEZ
Tracey Savich, owner of Rolling Hills General Store, said she couldn’t tell if a customer
was joking when he came into her store asking for over-the-counter ivermectin for
animals as a preventative against COVID-19.
The anti-parasitic drug, commonly used to deworm horses, cows and other livestock,
has been controversially touted as a preventative and treatment for COVID, particularly
among those who remain skeptical about the vaccine. While its efficacy against COVID
has been debunked, some Californians have managed to acquire prescriptions from
their healthcare providers.
But others who were turned away are flocking to tack and feed stores in search of the
over-the-counter version of the drug intended for farm animals.
“They’re seeking us out, and they know that we have it for horses,” Savich said. “It’s just
sad that it’s gotten to this now.”
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Sammy Weiss, assistant store manager, said that while she doesn’t explicitly ask
customers if they’re purchasing ivermectin solely for their animals, it’s been easy to
identify those who may be intending to use it for personal consumption.
“Everybody that comes in here, we’re very familiar [with],” Weiss said. “We know who’s
a horse person and who’s not.”
In Agoura Hills, David Manhan, owner of West Valley Horse Center, said small spikes in
ivermectin sales are common during the horse and cattle deworming season, which runs
from June to July and then December to January. But in recent weeks, his store is
averaging two or three phone calls a day from people claiming to have horses and asking
if he has ivermectin products in stock.
On Aug. 31, the Food and Drug Administration’s Center for Veterinary Medicine said in
a statement to retailers and veterinarians that there were “continued concerns that
there are people using animal formulations of ivermectin to treat or prevent COVID-19
in humans.”
“Even if animal drugs have the same active ingredient as an approved human drug,
animal drugs have not been evaluated for safety or effectiveness in humans. Treating
human medical conditions with veterinary drugs can be very dangerous,” the statement
read.
While ivermectin is prescribed to humans in much smaller doses for the treatment of
scabies, lice, river blindness and other parasitic infections, the FDA has warned against
consuming ivermectin products found in tack and feed stores, which contains a much
higher dosage of the drug and can lead to poisoning.
Steve Lyle, director of public affairs for the California Department of Food and
Agriculture, said certain retailers, including feed stores, that sell restricted livestock
drugs such as ivermectin must be licensed by the department and keep a detailed log of
sales, including the customer’s name, address and what species the product will be used
on.
But that requirement only applies to ivermectin products labeled by the manufacturer
for use in cows and sheep, not horses, Lyle said. This can serve as a loophole for those
who might want to take the drug as a medical treatment for themselves without needing
to disclose their purchase.
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Weiss said she and Savich have attempted to discourage customers from buying the
horse dewormer for themselves, putting up signs in their store reminding customers
that taking veterinary ivermectin can be harmful, and potentially lethal. But some
customers are insistent, she said, even bringing along printouts of reports of its
supposed effectiveness.
“The bottom line is, if they really want it, they’re going to get it,” Weiss said. “You can
ask all these questions and you can tell them everything about why they shouldn’t do
this, but at the end of the day, they’re going to do what they’re going to do.”
Savich said suppliers have already begun to sell out of ivermectin, which she says is a
sign that, as products fly off of the shelves elsewhere, a surge in sales could soon hit her
store. After trying to place an order last week from seven different distributors, she was
able to find only five tubes of topical ivermectin paste for horses.
“I looked at the supply list and everything was zero,” she said. “It’s going to be bad, and
there’s nothing we’re going to be able to do.”
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Savich said she worries about customers potentially hurting themselves if they attempt
to self-medicate with a product intended for a 2,500-pound animal. A normal dose of
ivermectin prescribed for a human with lice or scabies, for example, is approximately 68
micrograms per pound of body weight, according to the Mayo Clinic. The average
dosage of ivermectin in a tube of over-the-counter horse dewormer is 91 micrograms
per pound.
Stuart Herd, executive director of the California Poison Control System, said the center
has received about 30 calls from people who have ingested some form of ivermectin and
gotten sick with nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, dizziness and confusion. But in high
enough doses, like those found in various horse and cattle dewormers, Herd said the
drug can cause serious side effects, including hallucinations and seizures.
“We certainly advise people every time: Do not use this for COVID,” Herd said. “It is
ineffective and it’ll just make you feel ill. It does not help COVID.”
Herd says using an anti-parasitic drug such as ivermectin to treat a viral infection like
COVID-19 is worthless, regardless of the dosage. Yet some physicians across California
and the nation continue to write prescriptions for patients upon request. According to
the CDC, more than 88,000 ivermectin prescriptions were written in the U.S. in the
week ended Aug. 13, compared with an average of about 3,600 per week before the
pandemic.
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Weiss and Savich, who both have horses of their own, said the sudden shortage in
ivermectin in other states has them and other horse owners in the community worried
about how they’ll be able to treat their animals, if needed, especially in the upcoming
winter deworming season.
“It’s stressful to think about. What if I can’t deworm my horses?” Weiss said. “If I can’t
deworm my two horses — and there’s a shortage — what am I going to do?”
CALIFORNIA
The view from Sacramento For reporting and exclusive analysis from bureau chief John Myers, get our California Politics newsletter.
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Other Calif. school districts are in no rush to follow Los Angeles COVID vaccine mandate Joe Hong CalMatters Published 1:08 p.m. PT Sep. 12, 2021
Fourteen-year-old Allison Cunningham rushed to get her vaccine as soon as she became eligible for her shots.
But when she started classes last month at Venice High School in the Los Angeles Unified School District, she found that many of her classmates had not been so eager.
“People we don’t know will sometimes sit and eat lunch with us,” Cunningham said. “And it’s kinda awkward to ask, ‘Are you vaccinated?’”
Cunningham can interact with new classmates with more confidence now that the Los Angeles Unified school board voted last week to require all eligible students ages 12 and older to be vaccinated by Dec. 19.
“I’m pretty excited about it. I’m glad we’re taking this step,” she said. “I feel more comfortable hanging out with people who are vaccinated.”
Los Angeles Unified is the first major school district in the nation to require vaccines for students. But the move from California’s largest school district won’t have an immediate ripple effect. While some California districts have already started considering a vaccine mandate for students, the conversation hasn’t started at others.
“We have so many kids in our district,” Cunningham said. “I think it’s our job to make it safe to come to school.”
No statewide momentum yet
Los Angeles Unified’s mandate requires that all students 12 and older receive their first dose by Nov. 3 and their second dose by Dec. 19, with earlier deadlines for students participating
in in-person extracurricular activities. Younger students must be fully vaccinated within eight weeks of their 12th birthdays.
Los Angeles Unified isn’t the first district to require vaccines for students.
Neighboring Culver City Unified issued a vaccine mandate in mid-August. Less than a week later, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration granted full approval to the Pfizer vaccine for those 16 and older.
But as schools reopened statewide, no other districts in the state required vaccines for students.
“Some districts may hesitate because they feel it’s intrusive,” said Troy Flint, spokesperson for the California School Boards Association. “Some may feel that it’s too politically charged. Others may feel they’ve been able to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 through other measures.”
Many schools have been offering voluntary vaccine clinics.
A clinic was set for Monday at Victor Valley High School, 16500 Mojave Dr., Victorville. Another clinic is set for Tuesday at Silverado High School, 14048 Cobalt Rd., Victorville.
Appointments for both clinics were available from 4 p.m.-7 p.m. for all individuals 12+ who live or work in San Bernardino County. The clinics will offer first dose and second doses of the Pfizer vaccine. For people 18 and over who live or work in San Bernardino County, the one-dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine will also be available. Appointments are available via MyTurn.ca.gov.
Other clinics are set for Thursday at Hook Junior High School, 15000 Hook Blvd., Victorville, with appointments 4 p.m.- 7 p.m. and Saturday, Sept. 18, at Adelanto High School, 15620 Joshua Rd., Adelanto, with appointments 10 a.m.-2 p.m.
While health experts hope California’s largest district can be a guiding light for others across the state, Flint said there’s been no immediate rush to issue similar mandates.
“I’m sure there will be some other districts that take this step,” he said. “But I don’t get the feeling that this will become a huge trend in the short term.”
Alex Stack, a spokesperson for Gov. Gavin Newsom, said there is currently no conversation about a statewide vaccine mandate for students.
Even at neighboring districts like Newport-Mesa Unified in Orange County and Duarte Unified School District 20 miles east of Los Angeles, school leaders have not started considering a vaccine requirement for students.
Public health experts like Monica Gandhi from UC San Francisco and Andrew Noymer from UC Irvine support a vaccine mandate for all eligible students but said all students and staff should continue wearing masks indoors.
While children are less likely to have severe cases of COVID-19, those same experts say vaccinating children will help protect their families and the other adults in their lives. Vaccinations would reduce the number of quarantines for students and tilt the school year toward normalcy.
“We already ask children to get vaccinated for preventable illnesses like measles, mumps and rubella,” said Gandhi, a professor of medicine. “These kinds of mandates that keep society immune have been around a long time.”
The FDA has not fully approved the vaccine for children between the age of 12 and 15, but Gandhi said millions of students in those age groups have already been safely vaccinated under emergency use authorization.
Noymer, a public health professor, said the FDA prioritized approving the COVID-19 vaccine for adults not because the shots are dangerous for kids, but because adults are most at risk of getting sick.
“The idea was never that we need to protect these children from vaccines because vaccines are experimental and dangerous,” he said. “We vaccinate kids all the time.”
Oakland Unified starts the conversation
On Wednesday, less than 24 hours before the Los Angeles Unified school board passed its vaccine mandate for students, Oakland Unified’s board introduced a resolution that tasks the superintendent with coming up with a plan for getting all students vaccinated.
“There’s no date set yet for a vaccine requirement, but it’s definitely gonna be soon,” said Gary Yee, a board member at Oakland Unified.
He added that students could be exempt from the requirement for medical or religious reasons, but might have to provide a note from a doctor to be medically excused.
Megan Bacigalupi, an Oakland Unified parent and the executive director of Open Schools California, said districts should first require all employees to be vaccinated first, as Los Angeles Unified has done.
“The primary burden in schools and society should be on adults getting vaccinated because of their risk of getting sick,” she said. “We’re asking children to shoulder the burden.”
Oakland Unified and most other districts in the state are following the guidelines from the California Department of Public Health, which require teachers and staff to be fully vaccinated or undergo weekly testing.
Yee said a vaccine requirement for all adults and students would be ideal, but he said it would require bargaining with the teacher and staff unions.
“I would personally love that,” he said. “Requiring vaccinations for adults might be the next step, but I wanted to move forward with something that’s cleaner and clearer.”
Many public health experts agree with Bacigalupi.
“In this case, I don’t see the logic in having one set of standards for one school sub- population alongside a different standard for another sub-population,” Noymer said. “Especially given that the students have the stricter standard, while the adults are the ones who are more at risk of symptomatic disease.”
Responding to local needs
San Francisco Unified, another large urban district, will likely not need a vaccine mandate for students, said Board President Gabriela Lopez. According to the city’s COVID-19 vaccination data, 90% of all residents between 12 and 17 have received at least one dose of the vaccine.
“The reason why we’ve been safer in combating the pandemic is because of vaccinations,” Lopez said. “It’s helped our staff get back to school. It’s the one thing that shifted our entire approach to COVID.”
At San Diego Unified, the state’s second-largest district with close to 100,000 students, Board President Richard Barrera said the district is “not quite ready to discuss vaccine mandates for students.”
But Zachary Patterson, a student board member and a senior in the district, said he believes the science is clear behind vaccines.
“I would support any resolution brought forth,” he said. “As we see LAUSD moving in this direction, it definitely paves the way for smaller school districts to consider things like that.”
Joe Hong is the K-12 education reporter for CalMatters. His stories use data to highlight inequities in California’s public schools. Before joining CalMatters in June 2021, he was the education reporter at KPBS in San Diego and before that, at The Desert Sun. Email him at joe@calmatters.org.
CALIFORNIA
With student vaccine mandate, L.A. Unified wins praise, provokes anger
BY HOWARD BLUME, MELISSA GOMEZ
SEP. 13, 2021 5 AM PT
The assertive move last week by the Los Angeles Unified School District to mandate
COVID-19 vaccinations for students — the first large school system in the nation to do
so — has thrust the issue before education policymakers, especially those who support
vaccines as essential to curb the pandemic.
If L.A. did it, should they?
The immediate answer for many school districts is probably not — at least not right
away, amid concerns about parent opposition, litigation and the challenge of one more
complication at a time when academic recovery and mental health support are
imperative.
“Every district is looking at its resources, looking at its capacity and evaluating the
health situation in the local community, as well as the views its community holds —
trying to take all those factors into account when deciding on COVID mitigation
measures,” said Troy Flint, chief information officer for the California School Boards
Assn.
Many school districts are likely to adopt a wait-and-see approach — while also closely
tracking how the mandate plays out in L.A. Unified, officials and experts said.
SCIENCE
Should the FDA move faster on COVID-19 vaccines for young children? Sep. 11, 2021
like requiring vaccinations for eligible students, that gets people’s attention.”
L.A. Unified on Thursday, with support from all school board members, approved a
plan under which students 12 and older must provide proof of full vaccination by Jan.
10, the start of the spring semester. Students who don’t will be denied access to campus
and must transfer to independent study or find an education option outside the school
system.
Families must act sooner if their child is to remain involved in school-associated
extracurricular activities, including sports, chorus, drama and band. Their deadline for
full vaccination is Oct. 31.
Both major statewide teachers unions back the mandate, as do United Teachers Los
Angeles and other local school employee unions. A California Teachers Assn.
spokesperson said the union “supports LAUSD and any local community that works
with educators and parents to put a vaccine mandate in place for students and staff.”
Many higher education institutions, including the UC and Cal State systems, already
have mandates for students, noted Jeff Freitas, president of CFT, a union representing
employees in K-12 districts and colleges.
“I think that there will be more districts that follow L.A. Unified, but I don’t think it will
be a vast majority,” Freitas said. “School districts are just trying to get open — and
trying to figure out how to do that safely. For some of them, adding the debate about
mandated vaccines might be too much to handle.”
COVID-19 surges in unvaccinated communities are sending more kids to the hospital Sep. 4, 2021
He added that 90% of his union’s members were vaccinated and that “a vast majority of
members do support mandates.”
Larger districts in politically liberal urban areas might be more tempted, several people
said. Oakland Unified School District introduced a mandate resolution last week and
could vote on it Wednesday.
Megan Bacigalupi, an activist Oakland parent, said she would prefer that school
districts, including her own, impose a mandate on employees first.
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“But a majority of California parents just want their kids’ lives to return to normal,
eliminating the need for masks and any type of quarantine,” said Bacigalupi, a leader of
the parent push to reopen campuses last school year. “If vaccinating children is what
gets us there, I will accept it, but not because I see COVID as a material threat to my
children.”
Culver City Unified, a small district adjacent to L.A. Unified, approved a student
mandate ahead of its behemoth neighbor before its school year started. Like L.A.
Unified, Culver City also has an employee mandate.
Opposing voices are “coming mostly from outside,” Culver City schools Supt. Quoc Tran
said.
But one Culver City parent told The Times he was thinking of leaving the school system
because of the mandate.
Steve, who did not want his last name used, said he and his wife were both vaccinated,
and their child is vaccinated against other diseases. But, he said, a COVID-19 vaccine for
children is a step too far.
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“There are so many other safeguards against COVID that can happen,” he said. “I just
wish we didn’t have to be extreme.”
But one indication is pediatric vaccination numbers. Interim Supt. Megan Reilly
estimated that 80,000 of the district’s 250,000 students in grades six through 12
needed to be vaccinated.
SCIENCE
How kids can stay safer at school despite Delta variant threat Aug. 17, 2021
“Hugely disappointed in this decision,” said the parent of a seventh-grader at Girls
Academic Leadership Academy in Mid-Wilshire. “We will stay in school as long as we
can, and then transition to home-schooling. Our daughter has said she is unwilling to be
vaccinated, and in our family, we support young people’s body autonomy.”
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He added: “We are not right-wing. We voted for Joe Biden. Our children have taken
every other vaccine. But given how rushed this is, given how little we know long term,
we are clear we will end our family’s relationship with public schools first.”
That sort of sentiment — if enough parents share it — is more worrisome to many school
officials than the outbursts of hostility against COVID-19 safety measures, although
they’re a concern as well.
The state’s school-masking mandate — a less invasive measure than vaccines — has
provoked intense anger among a relatively small group of parents. On Thursday, a
meeting of the Poway Unified school board in San Diego County was shut down on the
advice of police after anti-mask protesters forced their way inside and refused to leave.
Mask opponents have filed litigation against both the state and L.A. Unified. Litigation
over vaccines is anticipated.
Demonstrators opposed to masking and mandatory vaccination for students gather outside the Los Angeles Unified School District headquarters on Thursday. (Jason Armond / Los Angeles Times)
Still, the Beverly Hills school board has discussed a COVID-19 vaccine mandate for
students and its legal implications, Supt. Michael Bregy said. He plans to present
updated information to his board Tuesday.
“The decision by LAUSD and further guidance from local, state and federal officials in
recent days will undoubtedly impact this discussion,” Bregy said.
Pasadena Unified has not adopted an absolute student mandate but will require
students 12 and older either to be vaccinated or submit to weekly coronavirus testing.
Children under age 12 — who are too young to be vaccinated — will have weekly testing.
L.A. Unified requires all stud