CoViD-19 International Cases Rise | California In Flames With 367 Known Fires | Sector Reopenings Not Likely For At Least 5 Weeks | President Obama & Senator Harris Slay DNC

August 19 International Orangutan Day (Taken 2.3.2020)

When I said I don't function during the heat dome, I was not exaggerating. Besides picking Nova up from Derby United, I haven't left the house since Monday. We took advantage of her skating by getting a pizza (she doesn't eat pizza sauce) and it was delightful eating out on our deck. There was kind of a lot of news today, but the biggest thing was we got a nugget of information from Governor Newsom, who indicated that sector reopening guidelines would likely be ready next week, but basically said that after counties come off the monitoring list, they have to go 14 days before schools can reopen (which we already knew). But from there, he hinted that counties will have to have under 5% test positivity for 2-3 weeks before any other openings can happen, while also keeping an eye on schools and subsequent outbreaks within those schools and districts. So suck it up, buttercups, we should've just listened in the beginning when experts told us we wouldn't see any normalcy for a year or two, if ever. Today's goods after the jump.  

 

• State of California Governor Newsom Media Briefing:
• Fires:
• Heat dome continues with lightning strikes and wildfires. This year there have been 6,754 fires to date, compared to 4,007 at the same time last year.
• State has declared a State of Emergency as of Tuesday
• 367 known fires/23 major fires/complexes (fires within a geographic area)
• Energy Conservation Actions:
• Heat Emergency Proclamation to shift energy consumption
• Signed Executive Order so energy users & utilities could temporarily use backup sources
• Worked with major consumers to reduce usage
• Began information into what happened between ISO, PUC, Energy Commission
• California COVID-19 Stats:
• 6,164 New Cases/638,831 Total Cases (1% increase)
• 181 New Deaths/11,523 Total Deaths (1.6% increase)
• 6.6% 14-day test positivity rate/6.3% 7-day positivity
• 17% decrease in hospitalization over 14 days
• 13% decrease in ICU over 14 days
• If State can get below 5% positivity for 14-21 days, State will modify stay-at-home orders and address businesses reopening
• We are preparing for a second wave this fall 
• New framework/criteria/guidelines for reopening will be released next week 
• Once schools can reopen, there will be a lag to monitor before opening other sectors
• San Diego County Media Briefing
• COUNTY OF SAN DIEGO COVID-19 STATS:
• State Data:
• 4,734 New Cases (Last 14 Days)/34,962 Total Cases
• 61 Deaths (Last 14 Days)/626 Total Deaths
• 140.5 cases/100k population 
• 7.3% Test Positivity (Last 14 Days)
• County Data:
• 214 New Cases/35,376 Total Cases 
• 5 New Daily Deaths/638 Total Deaths
• 84.4 cases (85.2 State Reporting)/100k population 
• 3% Daily Test Positivity/4% Test Positivity (14-day average)
• Case Investigation is 96%
• 2 New/15 Community Outbreaks (7-day)/57 Active Outbreaks
• Priority Tier Testing
1. High-risk symptomatic individuals and Public Health Investigations
2. Other Symptomatic Individuals and Hospital and Procedure Testing
3. Asymptomatic Individuals from High-Risk Settings and Close Contacts
4. Asymptomatic High-Risk Individuals
5. Public Health Surveillance
• CDPH (California Dept of Public Health) has ongoing dialogue with County health officers to give feedback on state metrics and guidance 
• San Diego has some very, very dumb reporters. FOUR different people asked when we'll have State guidance to reopen even though the GOVERNOR already said it wouldn't be before next week. And if they bothered listening to him, there must be 14-days off the monitor list, then at least an additional 14-21 days and consistently under 5% positivity rate before other openings can happen. 
• Dr Wooten's strategy: treat everyone like they have COVID-19. Releasing outbreak information gives false security and encourages complacency.
• How San Diegans Can Help Keep COVID-19 Case Rate Down - County News Center (8.19.2020)
• COVID-19 Reading:
• Coronavirus lockdowns loom from Germany to South Korea with uptick in new cases: Coronavirus lockdowns loom from Germany to South Korea with uptick in new cases.
  “We are at a serious crossroad for COVID-19 quarantine measures,” said Kwon Jun Wook, deputy director-general of South Korea's disease control center. - NBC News (8.19.2020)
• New Data on How Many Kids Got That Covid Mystery Illness: A few young patients also develop strange inflammatory symptoms. A CDC report sheds light on how widespread this syndrome is, and what it could mean for vaccines. - Wired (8.19.2020)
• A New Study Suggests a Possible Disease Vector: Germy Dust: Since the pandemic’s beginning, scientists have argued over how respiratory viruses can spread. Now an experiment with guinea pigs and influenza is adding a new wrinkle. - Wired (8.18.2020)
• Interim Framework for COVID-19 Vaccine Allocation and Distribution in the United States - Johns Hopkins Center For Health (8.19.2020)
• Plastic face shields seem to make masks better: They made a big difference for people meeting with families of the infected. ARS Technica (8.18.2020)
  Note: Face Shields should be used in addition to, not instead of cloth masks. Why Plastic Face Shields Aren’t a Safe Alternative to Cloth Masks - Healthline (8.18,2020) ---We bought these ones from InstaShield that attach to a regular hat.

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