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Reopening California Reopening California
(14 days later)
Good morning.Good morning.
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On Tuesday, state leaders unveiled the most detailed timeline yet for how the state plans to reopen schools, businesses and public spaces.On Tuesday, state leaders unveiled the most detailed timeline yet for how the state plans to reopen schools, businesses and public spaces.
“We’re beginning to have much more public conversations about opening up, with modifications,” Gov. Gavin Newsom told Californians in his daily briefing. “The virus has not gone away.”“We’re beginning to have much more public conversations about opening up, with modifications,” Gov. Gavin Newsom told Californians in his daily briefing. “The virus has not gone away.”
Schools, he said, could reopen for the new academic year as early as “July or August.”Schools, he said, could reopen for the new academic year as early as “July or August.”
And some loosening of restrictions could be weeks, not months, away, Mr. Newsom said, once again warning that any easing of stay-at-home orders is contingent on officials’ ability to quickly put them back into place if case counts start to rise.And some loosening of restrictions could be weeks, not months, away, Mr. Newsom said, once again warning that any easing of stay-at-home orders is contingent on officials’ ability to quickly put them back into place if case counts start to rise.
“If our behavior radically changes, we risk the framework we’re advancing,” he said.“If our behavior radically changes, we risk the framework we’re advancing,” he said.
But we still don’t have specific dates.But we still don’t have specific dates.
[Read about the six indicators state leaders are watching to decide when to reopen.][Read about the six indicators state leaders are watching to decide when to reopen.]
So what do we have? A framework that lays out how the state will slowly return to something approaching normal, and cautious optimism over mostly flattening hospitalization and intensive care admission rates.So what do we have? A framework that lays out how the state will slowly return to something approaching normal, and cautious optimism over mostly flattening hospitalization and intensive care admission rates.
Here’s what else you need to know:Here’s what else you need to know:
The process of reopening will take place in four phases.The process of reopening will take place in four phases.
We’re still in Stage 1, said Dr. Sonia Angell, the state’s head of public health. That means government and private organizations are working to make it more consistently safe for essential workers, like grocery store employees or nurses. Those workers need more protective equipment and a more robust testing and tracing system.We’re still in Stage 1, said Dr. Sonia Angell, the state’s head of public health. That means government and private organizations are working to make it more consistently safe for essential workers, like grocery store employees or nurses. Those workers need more protective equipment and a more robust testing and tracing system.
Stage 2 will be when some lower-risk businesses and public spaces can reopen, also with modifications to allow for distancing. Those include workplaces like factories, with more spaced-out work stations, or nongrocery retail stores, but with curbside pickup. Schools and child care facilities would also be reopened during this phase. Dr. Angell added that workers must have enough of a financial safety net — including paid sick days — to take time off if they have Covid-19.Stage 2 will be when some lower-risk businesses and public spaces can reopen, also with modifications to allow for distancing. Those include workplaces like factories, with more spaced-out work stations, or nongrocery retail stores, but with curbside pickup. Schools and child care facilities would also be reopened during this phase. Dr. Angell added that workers must have enough of a financial safety net — including paid sick days — to take time off if they have Covid-19.
Stage 3 will be when higher-risk businesses will be able to reopen — again, with modifications. This includes nail and hair salons, gyms, movie theaters and sports without live audiences, as well as in-person religious services.Stage 3 will be when higher-risk businesses will be able to reopen — again, with modifications. This includes nail and hair salons, gyms, movie theaters and sports without live audiences, as well as in-person religious services.
And Stage 4 will be the end of the state’s stay-at-home order. That will be when concerts, conventions and sports with a live crowd will be allowed to reopen.And Stage 4 will be the end of the state’s stay-at-home order. That will be when concerts, conventions and sports with a live crowd will be allowed to reopen.
[See our map of coronavirus cases in California by county.][See our map of coronavirus cases in California by county.]
Conventions, sports with spectators, and big concerts are still a long way from coming back.Conventions, sports with spectators, and big concerts are still a long way from coming back.
Mr. Newsom said Stage 2 was weeks away. The third and fourth phases, he said, are months away.Mr. Newsom said Stage 2 was weeks away. The third and fourth phases, he said, are months away.
But unlike in any of the other phases, Stage 4 will be allowed only once treatments or a vaccine have been developed.But unlike in any of the other phases, Stage 4 will be allowed only once treatments or a vaccine have been developed.
“Being back at concerts and convention halls with tens of thousands of fans will take some time,” Mr. Newsom said.“Being back at concerts and convention halls with tens of thousands of fans will take some time,” Mr. Newsom said.
[See Dr. Angell’s full presentation with more details here.][See Dr. Angell’s full presentation with more details here.]
Schools may reopen sooner than expected, but they will be very different.Schools may reopen sooner than expected, but they will be very different.
Mr. Newsom emphasized that reopening schools and child care facilities is not only critical for students, who have suffered “learning loss” in recent months, but also for getting parents back to work.Mr. Newsom emphasized that reopening schools and child care facilities is not only critical for students, who have suffered “learning loss” in recent months, but also for getting parents back to work.
But state officials have said that, barring a vaccine or herd immunity, schools won’t be able to open to students until everyone — kids, teachers and staff — can be safe.But state officials have said that, barring a vaccine or herd immunity, schools won’t be able to open to students until everyone — kids, teachers and staff — can be safe.
There may be staggered classes, with one day on and one day off, my colleagues reported. In Los Angeles, home to the nation’s second-largest public school system, Austin Beutner, the superintendent, said there would have to be “robust” testing and contact tracing in place for schools to reopen.There may be staggered classes, with one day on and one day off, my colleagues reported. In Los Angeles, home to the nation’s second-largest public school system, Austin Beutner, the superintendent, said there would have to be “robust” testing and contact tracing in place for schools to reopen.
[Read more about what schools may look like this fall.][Read more about what schools may look like this fall.]
The state’s stay-at-home order is a floor, not a ceiling.The state’s stay-at-home order is a floor, not a ceiling.
Mr. Newsom has fielded calls from local leaders, particularly in smaller rural counties where the virus has taken less of a toll, to allow them to ease restrictions more quickly.Mr. Newsom has fielded calls from local leaders, particularly in smaller rural counties where the virus has taken less of a toll, to allow them to ease restrictions more quickly.
On Tuesday, he acknowledged the varying needs of communities across California, and said that as the state as a whole gets closer to reopening, there may be ways for individual counties or cities to move more quickly — but on a case-by-case basis in coordination with the state.On Tuesday, he acknowledged the varying needs of communities across California, and said that as the state as a whole gets closer to reopening, there may be ways for individual counties or cities to move more quickly — but on a case-by-case basis in coordination with the state.
“We’re not going to just blithely do that,” he said, adding that there needs to be more capacity for surveillance testing to monitor for outbreaks before some communities are allowed to reopen.“We’re not going to just blithely do that,” he said, adding that there needs to be more capacity for surveillance testing to monitor for outbreaks before some communities are allowed to reopen.
On the other hand, if regions — like Los Angeles or the Bay Area, where there have been more cases — keep in place stricter measures than the state’s, the state’s order won’t pre-empt them.On the other hand, if regions — like Los Angeles or the Bay Area, where there have been more cases — keep in place stricter measures than the state’s, the state’s order won’t pre-empt them.
[Read more about the state’s efforts to expand testing.][Read more about the state’s efforts to expand testing.]
We often link to sites that limit access for nonsubscribers. We appreciate your reading Times coverage, but we also encourage you to support local news if you can.We often link to sites that limit access for nonsubscribers. We appreciate your reading Times coverage, but we also encourage you to support local news if you can.
Women are less likely to become acutely ill and less likely to die from the coronavirus than men. So doctors, including at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, are racing to figure out if sex hormones like estrogen could help save men’s lives. [The New York Times]Women are less likely to become acutely ill and less likely to die from the coronavirus than men. So doctors, including at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, are racing to figure out if sex hormones like estrogen could help save men’s lives. [The New York Times]
Hospitals have been forced to cancel physical therapy and other nonemergency procedures and services. Now, some Bay Area hospitals are slashing workers’ pay. [The San Francisco Chronicle]Hospitals have been forced to cancel physical therapy and other nonemergency procedures and services. Now, some Bay Area hospitals are slashing workers’ pay. [The San Francisco Chronicle]
Two Inland Empire men have been accused of trying to sell a stockpile of face masks for $4 million — except the masks didn’t exist. [The New York Times]Two Inland Empire men have been accused of trying to sell a stockpile of face masks for $4 million — except the masks didn’t exist. [The New York Times]
A Vallejo planning commissioner resigned after throwing his cat on camera during a Zoom meeting. He was also heard using an epithet. [The New York Times]A Vallejo planning commissioner resigned after throwing his cat on camera during a Zoom meeting. He was also heard using an epithet. [The New York Times]
As movie theaters across the world remain closed, the motion picture academy announced that for the first — and maybe only — time, a film can skip a theatrical release entirely and still be eligible for the Oscars. [The New York Times]As movie theaters across the world remain closed, the motion picture academy announced that for the first — and maybe only — time, a film can skip a theatrical release entirely and still be eligible for the Oscars. [The New York Times]
See pictures of the neon blue waves, sometimes known as sea sparkle, lighting up Southern California’s darkened coastline. [The Los Angeles Times]See pictures of the neon blue waves, sometimes known as sea sparkle, lighting up Southern California’s darkened coastline. [The Los Angeles Times]
Updated July 7, 2020
The coronavirus can stay aloft for hours in tiny droplets in stagnant air, infecting people as they inhale, mounting scientific evidence suggests. This risk is highest in crowded indoor spaces with poor ventilation, and may help explain super-spreading events reported in meatpacking plants, churches and restaurants. It’s unclear how often the virus is spread via these tiny droplets, or aerosols, compared with larger droplets that are expelled when a sick person coughs or sneezes, or transmitted through contact with contaminated surfaces, said Linsey Marr, an aerosol expert at Virginia Tech. Aerosols are released even when a person without symptoms exhales, talks or sings, according to Dr. Marr and more than 200 other experts, who have outlined the evidence in an open letter to the World Health Organization.
Common symptoms include fever, a dry cough, fatigue and difficulty breathing or shortness of breath. Some of these symptoms overlap with those of the flu, making detection difficult, but runny noses and stuffy sinuses are less common. The C.D.C. has also added chills, muscle pain, sore throat, headache and a new loss of the sense of taste or smell as symptoms to look out for. Most people fall ill five to seven days after exposure, but symptoms may appear in as few as two days or as many as 14 days.
Scientists around the country have tried to identify everyday materials that do a good job of filtering microscopic particles. In recent tests, HEPA furnace filters scored high, as did vacuum cleaner bags, fabric similar to flannel pajamas and those of 600-count pillowcases. Other materials tested included layered coffee filters and scarves and bandannas. These scored lower, but still captured a small percentage of particles.
A commentary published this month on the website of the British Journal of Sports Medicine points out that covering your face during exercise “comes with issues of potential breathing restriction and discomfort” and requires “balancing benefits versus possible adverse events.” Masks do alter exercise, says Cedric X. Bryant, the president and chief science officer of the American Council on Exercise, a nonprofit organization that funds exercise research and certifies fitness professionals. “In my personal experience,” he says, “heart rates are higher at the same relative intensity when you wear a mask.” Some people also could experience lightheadedness during familiar workouts while masked, says Len Kravitz, a professor of exercise science at the University of New Mexico.
The steroid, dexamethasone, is the first treatment shown to reduce mortality in severely ill patients, according to scientists in Britain. The drug appears to reduce inflammation caused by the immune system, protecting the tissues. In the study, dexamethasone reduced deaths of patients on ventilators by one-third, and deaths of patients on oxygen by one-fifth.
The coronavirus emergency relief package gives many American workers paid leave if they need to take time off because of the virus. It gives qualified workers two weeks of paid sick leave if they are ill, quarantined or seeking diagnosis or preventive care for coronavirus, or if they are caring for sick family members. It gives 12 weeks of paid leave to people caring for children whose schools are closed or whose child care provider is unavailable because of the coronavirus. It is the first time the United States has had widespread federally mandated paid leave, and includes people who don’t typically get such benefits, like part-time and gig economy workers. But the measure excludes at least half of private-sector workers, including those at the country’s largest employers, and gives small employers significant leeway to deny leave.
So far, the evidence seems to show it does. A widely cited paper published in April suggests that people are most infectious about two days before the onset of coronavirus symptoms and estimated that 44 percent of new infections were a result of transmission from people who were not yet showing symptoms. Recently, a top expert at the World Health Organization stated that transmission of the coronavirus by people who did not have symptoms was “very rare,” but she later walked back that statement.
Touching contaminated objects and then infecting ourselves with the germs is not typically how the virus spreads. But it can happen. A number of studies of flu, rhinovirus, coronavirus and other microbes have shown that respiratory illnesses, including the new coronavirus, can spread by touching contaminated surfaces, particularly in places like day care centers, offices and hospitals. But a long chain of events has to happen for the disease to spread that way. The best way to protect yourself from coronavirus — whether it’s surface transmission or close human contact — is still social distancing, washing your hands, not touching your face and wearing masks.
A study by European scientists is the first to document a strong statistical link between genetic variations and Covid-19, the illness caused by the coronavirus. Having Type A blood was linked to a 50 percent increase in the likelihood that a patient would need to get oxygen or to go on a ventilator, according to the new study.
If air travel is unavoidable, there are some steps you can take to protect yourself. Most important: Wash your hands often, and stop touching your face. If possible, choose a window seat. A study from Emory University found that during flu season, the safest place to sit on a plane is by a window, as people sitting in window seats had less contact with potentially sick people. Disinfect hard surfaces. When you get to your seat and your hands are clean, use disinfecting wipes to clean the hard surfaces at your seat like the head and arm rest, the seatbelt buckle, the remote, screen, seat back pocket and the tray table. If the seat is hard and nonporous or leather or pleather, you can wipe that down, too. (Using wipes on upholstered seats could lead to a wet seat and spreading of germs rather than killing them.)
If you’ve been exposed to the coronavirus or think you have, and have a fever or symptoms like a cough or difficulty breathing, call a doctor. They should give you advice on whether you should be tested, how to get tested, and how to seek medical treatment without potentially infecting or exposing others.
I started the week mourning the loss of meals shared among friends and strangers at places like the historic Noriega Hotel in Bakersfield, whose owners recently announced the restaurant wouldn’t reopen.I started the week mourning the loss of meals shared among friends and strangers at places like the historic Noriega Hotel in Bakersfield, whose owners recently announced the restaurant wouldn’t reopen.
But as the lockdowns wear on, people continue to come up with creative ways to gather.But as the lockdowns wear on, people continue to come up with creative ways to gather.
Samin Nosrat, the Bay Area-based chef and author, wrote for The Times about how much she misses the satisfaction of throwing an intimate, unpretentious dinner party. So, instead, she’s inviting anyone and everyone to join her for a grand lasagna dinner on Sunday — online. Make a vegan version, make it for yourself and save the rest; it’s adaptable.Samin Nosrat, the Bay Area-based chef and author, wrote for The Times about how much she misses the satisfaction of throwing an intimate, unpretentious dinner party. So, instead, she’s inviting anyone and everyone to join her for a grand lasagna dinner on Sunday — online. Make a vegan version, make it for yourself and save the rest; it’s adaptable.
For the millions around the world celebrating Ramadan, there will be, as Wajahat Ali wrote in an Opinion piece, some amount of improvisation in figuring out how to break fasts — perhaps socially distanced potluck iftars with food left on doorsteps.For the millions around the world celebrating Ramadan, there will be, as Wajahat Ali wrote in an Opinion piece, some amount of improvisation in figuring out how to break fasts — perhaps socially distanced potluck iftars with food left on doorsteps.
In Los Angeles, the Muslim-Jewish interfaith group NewGround is hosting its annual community iftar Thursday night on Facebook live.In Los Angeles, the Muslim-Jewish interfaith group NewGround is hosting its annual community iftar Thursday night on Facebook live.
California Today goes live at 6:30 a.m. Pacific time weekdays. Tell us what you want to see: CAtoday@nytimes.com. Were you forwarded this email? Sign up for California Today here and read every edition online here.California Today goes live at 6:30 a.m. Pacific time weekdays. Tell us what you want to see: CAtoday@nytimes.com. Were you forwarded this email? Sign up for California Today here and read every edition online here.
Jill Cowan grew up in Orange County, graduated from U.C. Berkeley and has reported all over the state, including the Bay Area, Bakersfield and Los Angeles — but she always wants to see more. Follow along here or on Twitter.Jill Cowan grew up in Orange County, graduated from U.C. Berkeley and has reported all over the state, including the Bay Area, Bakersfield and Los Angeles — but she always wants to see more. Follow along here or on Twitter.
California Today is edited by Julie Bloom, who grew up in Los Angeles and graduated from U.C. Berkeley.California Today is edited by Julie Bloom, who grew up in Los Angeles and graduated from U.C. Berkeley.