Thursday, January 28, 2021

COVID-19: Cases Decline But Deaths Still High | SD Resumes Parking Enforcement | County Attempts To Improve Vaccine Distribution | Stop Saying Schools Can Reopen |

Monkey Puzzle Tree (Taken 1.28.2021)

It is safe to assume that everyone wants kids back in school. The differences of opinions have been about how and when it is safe to do so. So the other day, the CDC shared a study saying that schools can reopen with specific safety precautions. The problem is that this was not a guidance or recommendation or even an endorsement, but every single media outlet took it as such. That's why it was so refreshing today to hear Press Secretary Jen Psaki emphasized this point and also the fact that the study was based on one school in rural Wisconsin. What they also aren't talking about is that the actual age of a school matters. If ventilation is one of the highest determinants of spread, newer modern buildings have a clear advantage. Are my nieces safe to go back to High Tech High sooner than students who go to my alma mater Hilltop High which was build decades ago? Probably. But even then, the time isn't here yet. Especially since teachers aren't getting vaccinated until the next tier (after the 1.2 million health care workers and 65+) and students under 16 can't even get vaccinated until the studies are done and vaccines approved for kids. The news channels love to get people riled up and make them think opening is in the near future and then show the outrage when they are reality checked and told that it is not. It is incredibly frustrating. 

I've been thinking of questions I would ask at media briefings and would hope that I would come off better than some of the idiots who get the privilege of calling in. I would ask Dr. Ghaly if the 4 week ICU projections include hospital rooms at normal function or are they including the surge beds, where non-traditional spaces have been converted to hospital beds and ERs turned into additional ICU capacity. Does it also include the waivers so that staff can be more thinly ratioed from 1 nurse to 2 patients to 1 nurse to 3 patients. 

I would ask Nathan Fletcher if there is a plan for homebound seniors like my dad, or the people receiving the 92,000 daily meal deliveries through the Great Plates program to be vaccinated and if so, how they can sign up for such a program. 

I would ask Governor Newsom to speak about the issues with EDD and when the "reopen claim" glitch will be fixed on all accounts, and I would also ask him to speak about filing for Covered California when people have been on unemployment for nearly a year and their income is likely to have dramatically changed from prior years. 

Today's briefings were pretty interesting so there are a lot of notes if you're interested what is coming from the president's office and San Diego County Board with regard to vaccines and variants and all that stuff, check the notes below. 

Nothing really new around here. Apparently my trees will be coming down this weekend or by Monday and we'll have a new fence by the end of next week. I'll believe it when I see it. It was a really beautiful day today, so we did spend a lot of time in the backyard enjoying the trees while we still have them and I took dozens of photos so I could have them forever. We talked to my parents and Nova will be staying with them on Sunday so she doesn't have to do distance school with all the construction noise while they break up the asphalt currently covering the lot. We continue to stay home, but I am getting more and more excited about our San Diego Zoo and Safari Park reservations next week. 

Quote of the Day: "In terms of executive actions, he also ran with a commitment to take steps immediately to address the pain and suffering that the American people were feeling, and that includes overturning some of the detrimental, harmful, and at times immoral policies and actions of the prior administration." - Jen Psaki (when the 5th or 6th reporter asked about Biden's executive orders being contrary to his claims of 'unity')




  • Other Reading:
  • Press Secretary Jen Psaki:
    • Executive Orders/Memoranda:
    • Objective is to govern for all Americans with $1.9B rescue package
    • "In terms of executive actions, he also ran with a commitment to take steps immediately to address the pain and suffering that the American people were feeling, and that includes overturning some of the detrimental, harmful, and at times immoral policies and actions of the prior administration."
    • No comment on GameStop beyond Statement from SEC.
    • President is not looking to split his bill/proposal. Administration doesn't want to be in a position where it pits kids going back to school against families having food on the table or getting vaccines in arms. 
    • South Africa flight bans weren't immediate because bans like that require a few days for rollout to get all parties (airlines, regulatory agencies) in place 
    • Vaccine supply will continue to increase but supply isn't the only issue. Supplies, vaccinators, etc. are also hurdles. 
    • Expanding ACA signup from Feb 15-May 15
    • Biden administration has no further comment on BDS Movement (Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement is a Palestinian-led movement promoting boycotts, divestments, and economic sanctions against Israel.)
    • Opening ACA window doesn't increase access for residents, but HHS is looking for more ways to give access to undocumented and immigrants. Vaccines are open to everyone and are part of public education campaign.
    • CDC study on safety of reopening schools was based on one rural Wisconsin school. Doesn't apply across the board to all schools across the country. CDC/HHS will be updating policy soon. Dr. Walensky countered the study on CNN. Recommendations and requirements, guidelines are forthcoming. 
    • Spouses of US citizens and lawful Predeparture testing is for everyone. Students and unmarried people are being reviewed. Travel restrictions are not based on geopolotics. 
  • Global COVID-19 Stats (JHU 1/28/2021 8:21pm):
    • 101,433,989 Known Cases
    • 2,190,464 Known Deaths
  • US COVID-19 Stats 
    • (JHU)
      • 25,761,984 Cases
      • 433,052 Deaths
    • (COVID Tracking Project):
      • 155,333 New Cases/25,385,892 Known Cases (4.5%+ Change over 7 Days)
      • 4,011 New Deaths/423,645 Known Deaths
      • 104,303 Current COVID-19 Hospitalizations
      • 20,113 Currently COVID-19 patients in ICU
      • 6,642 COVID-19 patients currently on ventilator
  • California COVID-19 Stats:
    • State of California Safe Schools For All Hub
    • Vaccination progress dashboard
    • Aggregate California ICU Bed Availability: 0%
    • 16,696 New Cases/3,186,610 Total Cases (0.5% increase)
    • 737 New Deaths/38,961 Total Deaths (+1.9% increase)
    • 8.5% 14-day test positivity rate
    • 17,143 COVID-19 Hospitalizations (-567 patients, -3.3% from prior day)
    • 4,283 COVID-19 ICU hospitalized in CA (-92 patients, -2.1% from prior day)
    • 1,199 ICU beds available (+13 from prior day)
  • San Diego County Media Briefing:
    • Vaccines:
      • County Launches New Vaccination Appointment Map
      • San Diego has given 269,218 vaccine doses
      • Still hoping for more supply 
      • Demand for appointments is exceedingly high 
      • Currently have 7 pods (which can do about 500 people a day) Planning on 6 more in February. 2 superstations right now. North County will open at Cal State San Marcos on Sunday with appointments available starting on Saturday. Hoping to open East County soon, but all are dependent on vaccine supply. 
      • All pods and forthcoming superstations are making appointments through MyTurn. Currently migrating Chula Vista and Petco Park superstations to new system. 
      • Free bus/trolley to get to vaccination centers. Must show proof of appointment. 
    • Stay At Home is lifted, but we still need to significantly reduce transmission and cases, especially because of new strains. Hospitalizations and case rates still drive data and closures.
    • Media Questions:
      • Petco is still trying to catch up. Medical volunteers are needed, but also non-health can help with check-in, traffic control, and other non-medical positions
      • UK B117 Variant 109 confirmed + 44 epidemiologically linked case = 153 cases. Variant is in the community and circulating and people need to strictly adhere to non-pharmaceutical interventions
      • Vaccine Tourism: some documentation is required for appointments to show that people live or work in San Diego County
      • Vaccine appointments are dependent on vaccine supply. 211 staffing is increasing but people need to stop calling who are not over 75. 
      • Petco site believes they have fortified the site for weather. Rain isn't a problem, the wind was the issue which damaged the site. 
      • 1st responders, educators, daycare providers, food & agriculture workers will be next priority tier for vaccinations. This tier is weeks away.
      • Vaccinators are coming from health care partners, health dept staff, paramedics, Medical Corps, EMT waiver program from the state
      • Stay At Home order lifted when ICU 4-week projections were above 15%. People may think it was too soon, people may think it was too late no matter what the state does. 
      • People who got first vaccines at Superstations have had trouble getting appointments for 2nd doses because they are in the process of migrating to MyTurn system.  
      • Fluctuation in traffic can happen at any time. Doing the best they can. 
      • Would rather have infrastructure built out instead of waiting for vaccines to arrive; hoping that supply will keep coming
      • Yet another stupid fucking KUSI reporter asking why cops aren't first priority. County is following established guidance from Federal and State government; cops are next tier. First responders like lifeguards, paramedics, EMTs were included in health care workers. 
      • People who live in Mexico coming across the border to get vaccines are totally legit so long as they work in the County, as are Americans who live in Mexico. 
      • People going for second dose should use same vaccination center. 
      • Since November we have 37,361 cases for people 0-19 years old. Age groups are not especially effected by B117 yet because those numbers are still low in the county, but just because all cases went up, so too did youth numbers. 
      • Vaccination numbers are still low among Latinos, but county is doing everything they can to educate and inform this community. People need to stop lining up without appointments. There are no "extra" vaccinations. When there are, there is a list of who is eligible, they aren't just given away. 
      • MyTurn is a state program for appointments and where to go. SDIR is a vaccination registry for health care providers to share distribution information. 
      • County is registering all providers with distribution and vaccination reconciliation. Some providers were holding back vaccines for second doses (which they've now been told not to do) and some weren't updating SDIR, but only CAIR, and that will be corrected. 
      • 50+ with prior conditions aren't being vaccinated yet because it isn't their turn. The county is following Federal guidelines.  
  • San Diego County Data:
    • Free Testing Sites and Schedule in San Diego
    • VaccinationSuperstationSD
    • Vaccination Dashboard
    • State Data:
      • Southern California ICU Bed Availability: 0%
      • 1,415 New Cases/231,478 Total Cases
      • 44 Deaths/2,465 Total Deaths
      • 67.7 cases/100k population (Assessed on 1/26. Unadjusted Case Rate)
      • 12.6% Test Positivity (Assessed on 1/26)
      • 16.7% Health Equity Positivity (Assessed on 1/26)
      • 1,404 COVID-19 hospitalized patients (-68 patients, -4.6% from prior day)
      • 400 COVID-19 ICU hospitalized patients (-12 patients, -2.9% from prior day)
      • 156 ICU beds available (-1 from prior day)
    • County Data:
      • San Diego County Update - County News Center 
      • 1,489 New Cases/232,970 Total Cases 
      • 69 New Daily Deaths/2,534 Total Deaths
      • 7% Daily Test Positivity/11.6% (7-day avg after 7-day lag)/9.3% Test Positivity (14-day average)
      • 49.6 cases/100k population (Assessed on 1/26. Adjusted case rate per 100,000 excluding prisons.) 
      • 78% Case Investigation
      • -5.1% Increasing Day Over Day COVID-19 Hospitalizations (1,362 patients. -9% over 30 days)
      • 12% ICU Capacity (400 patients. +4% increase over 30 days)
      • 44 Staffed ICU Beds Available
      • 8 New/54 Community Outbreaks (7-day)
        • Business 29
        • Faith-based Setting 2
        • Government 5
        • Daycare/preschool 6
        • Healthcare 2
        • Construction 1
        • Emergency Services 1
        • Food/Bev Processing 5
        • tk-12 school 2
        • Comm-Based Org 1


Posted by Rosemary Bystrak at Thursday, January 28, 2021
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