CoViD-19 San Diego Community Outbreaks| Dr. Fauci Speaks | White House Plot To Destroy USPS To Interfere With Elections

Sea Lions challenging each other above La Jolla Cove (Taken 8.3.2020)

I've always had really messed up sleep patterns. As a teenager when I couldn't sleep, I'd rearrange the furniture in my bedroom until I was exhausted enough to pass out, my mom waking me in the morning surprised at how my room was transformed. In adulthood, it results in what I refer to as leapfrog; Darren wakes up and I sleep, I wake up and he takes a nap. But sometimes our schedules actually line up, as they did on Sunday night, and we had a fun night of drinks on our redecorated patio. 

Of course, that means kind of a slow moving Monday. I didn't watch the Governor's briefing, but I did watch the County as well as Dr. Fauci's Connecticut Q&A. And being a Monday, Nova had soccer so we hit La Jolla Cove, which seems to have chilled a little bit since many people returned to school. Still, I wish our Tourism Board or City Parks & Rec would post signs about facial coverings being mandatory in the County and State because a lot of the tourists just seem to not know. Locals have no excuse and clearly just don't care. 

We also made a Costco run and they seem to have an abundance of disposable masks as well as 4-packs of polyester/spandex reusable ones, though after buying I don't really think are adequate protection but I think they're more specifically for wearing while doing sports. I'm in between watching Get Even with Nova and The Twelve when everyone else is asleep...both on Netflix. Today's updates and reading after the jump.  

• Today the San Diego Public Library shared a video that shows how to navigate to get FREE access to the New York Times with your library card. I didn't know this and for me, it is a game-changer. 
• COVID-19
• Dr. Fauci Connecticut Media Briefing highlights
• Reiterated that COVID-19 is transmitted through mucosal surfaces, so it would certainly be beneficial for people interacting with other people (i.e. schools, restaurants, grocery, etc.) to also cover eyes via goggles or face shields, though as yet it is not the firm recommendation or required. 
• We never got the national baseline low enough before reopening which is why we are where we are
• Inherent community spread is difficult to contain because of the prevalence of asymptomatic people and the difficulty in contact tracing and isolating positive people. This is the "new phase" Dr. Birx was referring to over the weekend. Not that we're in a good phase, but contrarily in an out of control phase.  
• CALIFORNIA STATS: 
• 5,739 New Cases/514,901 Total Cases (Up 1.1%)
• 7% 14-Day Positivity Rate
• 32 New Deaths/9,388 Total Deaths (.3% Increase)
• SAN DIEGO STATS:
• 343 New Cases/30,226 Total Cases
• Investigations are up to 48% (should be back over 70% by end of the week or next week, according to Dr. Wooten)
• No New Deaths Reported
• 118.2/100k of population (this is moving down, but needs to get under 100)
• Community Outbreaks: 1,152 Total/10 Deaths
• 39 Community Outbreaks in last 7 days
• 15 Restaurant/Bar
• 7 Business
• 4 Restaurant
• the rest are gyms/salons/grocery/government/etc. 
• 94 Community Outbreaks in July (resulting in 499 Cases)
• 4 Community Outbreaks so far in August (resulting in 14 Cases)
• 4 New community outbreaks reported today (2 business/1 government/1 higher ed)
• 2 testing site updates
• SDCCU Stadium moving to SDSU Lot 17B
• New drive-up testing at PB Library 
• Reporter Hunter Sowards from KUSI is a total fucking idiot (as is her entire fucking network)
• NO, we cannot reopen or "reward" businesses because they're complying with rules
• Compare San Diego to anywhere in the WORLD and we're still fucked
• I cannot believe this imbecile has a media credential
• If I was Dr. Wooten, I would ban KUSI for their stupid questions
• Two COVID-19 Triggers Improving; Community Outbreaks Continue to Increase - County News Center (8.3.2020)
• In light of what I wrote yesterday about my cousin flying in from Indiana, I came across this Johns Hopkins travel update.
• Southwest reducing cleaning between flights - One Mile At A Time
  Southwest Airlines is no longer cleaning all surfaces between flights, and is now just focusing on lavatories and tray tables. In fairness, this wasn’t an industry-standard practice. This really only eliminates a competitive cleaning advantage of Southwest, rather than being a situation where Southwest is doing worse than competitors.
• How the Pandemic Defeated America: A virus has brought the world’s most powerful country to its knees. - The Atlantic (September Issue) 
• CDC predicts up to 11,000 people will die every week this month from coronavirus - CBS News (8.2.2020)
• Hongkongers send more pets for coronavirus testing amid worsening outbreak: The best way to protect pets is for owners to stay safe and avoid infection, says veterinary school dean - South China Morning Post (8.2.2020)
• In Other News:
• SDPD Is Punishing Speech Using a 102-Year-Old City Law: Since 2013, SDPD officers have issued 83 tickets for seditious language. One man says he was cited for singing rap lyrics; another was ticketed inside his own home. - Voice of San Diego (8.3.2020)
• Trump is attacking the USPS in an effort to skew the election
• Trump goes postal - Popular.info (8.3.2020)
• Letters From An American - Heather Cox Richardston (7.30.2020)
• How Changes to the USPS Might Affect Voting by Mail - New York Mag Intelligencer (8.3.2020)
• Meanwhile in Hong Kong: Hong Kong leader delays legislative elections, asks Beijing to resolve legal questions, citing coronavirus pandemic dangers - South China Morning Post (7.31.2020)