Tuesday, January 12, 2021

CoViD-19 SD County New Board of Supes, Who Dis? | DOJ & FBI Break Silence on Capitol Insurrection | Concerts In The Fall? Fauci Thinks So | EDD Info | Ramping Up Vaccinations |

Another Gorilla Shot From San Diego Zoo Safari Park (Taken 3.6.2020)


Today was a super busy day of news. To avoid a repeat of Sunday, last night I popped a couple melatonin, put my phone away, and let myself sleep. Which means I was up by the time Nova got up for school, which almost never happens. It was kinda fun though, I had a morning coffee (which isn't a usual habit for me) sat outside while the sun came up, and then spent the morning watching the County Board of Supervisors meeting. I took a lot of notes and it was fun to watch because there's never been a democratic majority on the Board and so the victory was a rare feeling. I know the City has a dem majority, too, but some of them are for sure DINOs and I can't remember a mayor I've ever liked. It was just a nice feeling to hear Fletch rebuff Desmond, especially on his COVID nonsense (see quotes below). 
After that, I watched the Department of Justice/FBI briefing, went back to the Supes meeting, then caught a little bit of a UK briefing, which I took a quick note on just because their enforcement is so.much.better. than ours, already issuing 45,000 "fixed penalty notices" to non compliant people and businesses. I know part of the reason enforcement sucks so bad here is because our courts have been all over the place from lawsuit to lawsuit and the jurisdictions have to protect their asses but it is really frustrating to see pics of Gaslamp or Little Italy or Carlsbad night after night just raging on.
After all that, we sat outside for 'orange ball in the sky' time, then there's my afternoon news block and now I'm ready to call it a day. I'm obsessed, I know, but it keeps me busy and makes me feel useful. 
I posted more information on the Safari Park gorillas, notices and news from the FDA, CDC, WHO, DOJ, EDD, and even snuck in some music news including the clip of Al Howard on the Kelly Clarkson show. 
I hope everyone is having a good week so far, enjoying the weather in the best and safest way you can, and I guess we'll see where this impeachment goes tomorrow. 

  • COVID-19:

  • Politics/News:

    • QAnon Woke Up the Real Deep State An open letter to QAnon, “stop the steal,” and other communities involved in the Capitol attack - Arc Digital Media (1.11.2021)
    • Department of Justice/FBI Briefing:
      • 170 cases opened so far 
      • 70 charged: violations include trespass, theft of mail, theft of technology, national security information, civil rights excessive force, firearms, assault and battery, felonious possession, the 'zip-ties guys', rifling through Pelosi's office, mail fraud/theft, Sedition (can carry 20 years), assault on law enforcement officers, open-handed combat between officers and rioters, assault on media.
      • Can only act on direct, not general threats.
      • Try to open with the easiest charge to make arrests. This is just the beginning. Then they can be indicted on more significant charges. 
      • Will track communications, travel, connections
      • $50k reward for information on pipe bombs
      • Looking at all angles to ascertain true purpose and goal of people that day
      • Officer Sicknick death is an ongoing investigation
      • Norfolk thread on message board was not attributable to a specific person.
    • The dam breaks (A look at corporate giving to insurrection supporting Congresspeople) - Popular.Info (1.12.2021) 
    • American Attitudes toward Extremist Threats: A Survey Following the Events at the U.S. Capitol - ADL (1.12.2021)

  • Other Reading:

  • EDD Information:

    • More federally extended benefits rolling out in California - EDD (1.8.2021)
    • Federal Provisions for Unemployment - EDD (1.6.2021)
    • From January 6 - January 14, ID verification messages are going out to suspended claimants. Watch your email for further instructions on how to verify your identity. Continue to certify for benefit weeks available while your verification issue is being resolved. - EDD Twitter (1.10.2021)
    • This seems to be the consensus on messages to reopen claim: Ok all, just wanted to put my experience in here to help others. After trying for 2.5 hours yesterday, I finally got through to the EDD this morning on my first try. Was only on hold for about 25 minutes. I was on PEUC and got the “reopen claim” button like a lot of others. I reopened it and got the “check back after 1/24 to certify”. When I talked to the rep, she told me that they are still implementing whatever program they need to implement and it’ll be automatically fixed when they are done putting the new program in place. - Twitter User @_callmejayda_ 

  • Global COVID-19 Stats (JHU 1/12/2021 5:21pm):

    • 91,539,016 Known Cases
    • 1,959,734 Known Deaths

  • US COVID-19 Stats 

    • (JHU)
      • 22,832,420 Cases
      • 380,540 Deaths
    • (COVID Tracking Project):
      • 213,885 New Cases/22,538,426 Known Cases (8.2%+ Change over 7 Days)
      • 4,056 New Deaths/371,449 Known Deaths
      • 131,326 Current COVID-19 Hospitalizations
      • 23,881 Currently COVID-19 patients in ICU
      • 7,879 COVID-19 patients currently on ventilator

  • California COVID-19 Media Briefing with Dr. Ghaly:

    • Surge
      • State has taken steps to ease stress on hospitals
      • Case growth is slowing allow for less 
      • Redirecting ambulances to hospitals with capacity
      • Moving to discharge over 400 patients to lower and more appropriate levels of care
      • Deployed US Army Corps of Engineers & OSHPD to help increase hospital oxygen flow
      • Deploying 1k+ medical professionals across the state
      • Deploying another 1k medical professionals in days ahead
      • Stood up alternate care facilities for less critically ill patients
      • 10 residential alternate care sites to support older vulnerable Californians in assisted living facilities
      • Rate of rise is encouraging but we're not out of the woods
    • Vaccines
      • Goal of 1 million more vaccinated by this weekend
      • All hands on deck
      • Focus on healthcare workers and residents of long-term care settings
      • Vaccinate the vaccinators
      • Large-scale vaccination efforts will focus on highest priority individuals
      • Governor asked Federal government to release more vaccine
      • Drafting Guidelines Workgroup and Community Vaccine Advisory Committee will meet today to evaluate new flexible federal guidance
      • Large-scale vax sites: Dodger Stadium, Petco Park, Cal-Expo, Disneyland
    • Regional Stay-At-Home Order
      • Based on ICU capacity 4-week projections
      • Today's transmissions are 4-week out hospitalization
      • Currently all 4 regions will remain in stay-at-home order
      • Original Blueprint is based on transmission, case rate, testing rate, equity 
    • Media Questions:
      • More vaccine will make distribution easier. As seniors get vaccinated, CDC is recommending they stop being included in some closure statistics. That's why the workgroup and committee are convening to make sure that we still follow California guidelines and equity.
      • State is concerned about wasting vaccine. Flagrant violators of tiers, trying to get profit will be enforced, but clinics are urged not to waste vaccine and use them as best they can for people in top tiers.
      • Community vaccinations are a tool to get kids back to school, but there aren't currently any vaccinations for children, so implementation of school plans share hope that schools will be back in line with Biden's goal of 100 days, but can't be sure or definitive. 
      • 99k have received both shots in series
      • California has focused on Risk, exposure, equity for vaccinations, which has caused delay, but hoping more vaccine will make things move more quickly
      • LA County is recommending that first responders, essential workers, etc, should also wear masks at home if they live with mixed generations, vulnerable people, crowded living in home. Ghaly says this is based in science and people in high spread areas should consider.
      • State has 38 confirmed cases of B.1.1.7. Still looking at genomics. It is very concerning. Things that were okay 6-8 weeks ago are more dangerous today. If it becomes more widespread, we'll see more danger than we see now. But same non-pharmaceutical interventions work for all variants. Vaccine still appears to be protective against B.1.1.7. 
      • Encouraging to see not as significant an increase, but too soon to 'declare victory'. Have had high days of cased. Fewer people tested around holidays. Still expecting a bump up as the month moves forward. 
      • Adding vaccinators, including pharmacists who've expired, are on the table 

  • California Data

    • Aggregate California ICU Bed Availability: 0.0%
    • 36,487 New Cases/2,747,288 Total Cases (+1.3% increase)
    • 42,136 7-day average
    • 548 New Deaths/30,513 Total Deaths (+1.8% increase)
    • 13.5% 14-day test positivity rate/13.5% 7-Day Positivity
    • 12/29-1/12 7.1% increase (lower rate of rise)
    • 22,665 COVID-19 Hospitalizations (+36 patients, +0.2% from prior day, +5.5% over 14 days)
    • 4,962 COVID-19 ICU hospitalized in CA (-9 patients, -0.2% from prior day +10.6% over 14 days)
    • Rate of hospital admissions declining from 3,500 per day to 2,500 per day over last two days 
    • 1,229 ICU beds available (-13 from prior day)

    • COVID-19 Case Update 
      • 55% cases are between ages of 20 and 49 years
      • B.1.1.7. 
        • As of 1/11, 38 confirmed, 14 probable
        • 40-70% more contagious
        • San Diego has sequenced 1.5%/around 3,000 specimens
        • San Diego hopes to use increase sequencing
      • Regional Stay-At-Home Order will be lifted if 4-week projection shows regional ICU at more than 15%
      • Crisis Care Continuum Guidelines For San Diego County Hospitals
        • All local hospitals have submitted a Crisis Care plan
        • No local hospitals have had to activate Crisis Care
      • "No true economic recovery until the virus is gone." -Dr Wooten
    • Vaccine Update
      • All Phase 1A (all tiers) may now be vaccinated
      • 3200 vaccinations given on 1st day of VaccinationSuperstationSD.com (ramping up to 5,000 by end of week)
      • Phase 1B will be next (anticipate in several weeks)
      • Phase 1C will follow (anticipate in months)
      • Ramping up workforce/vaccinators, 
      • Attempting to collate Data
      • Community Engagement & Customer Portal with information
    • Compliance Update
      • Established August 4th
      • To date 17k complaints. 9k since 12/7.
      • Call center staffed 24/7, also available via email.
      • Compliance Team Scope only included: address egregious cases, outbreaks, operation prohibited under health order
      • Expanded Compliance 11/23 to include compliance officers, Sheriff's dept, DA, ABC
      • Existing Program focuses on egregious cases, outbreaks, operations prohibited under Public Health Order
      • 335 cease & desist order as of 1/11
      • Usually within 2 weeks of C&D, 2/3 come into compliance
      • 1/3 remaining non-compliant are referred to District Attorney
    • Spending Estimates Update
      • $431.3 COVID-19 Funding including $390.7M CARES; $40.6M County Fund Balance
      • $422.9M Total Costs through 12/31; $17.9M One-Time Remaining Costs; Total $440.8M ($9.5M over) 
      • $9.8M/week ongoing weekly costs-County Response, T2, Emergency Income Stipends, Great Plates (discretionary)
      • Continue to look for State and Federal/FEMA 
      • Ongoing costs DOES NOT include Vaccination costs
      • Superstation could cost $1M a week; counts on volunteers. Hopeful of efficiency. 

  • San Diego COVID-19 Board of Supervisors Meeting Continued
    • Motion to Approve Staff Items 1-5. 
      • "Adopt 5 staff recommendation, add the continuation of Great Plates and income stipend, increase enforcement, to the extent possible restrict County assistance/grants for egregious violators, with open data available, " 
      • Motion: Businesses who receive multiple C&D and egregious violations will not be eligible for County assistance/grants (to the extent legally possible)
      • Motion: Enforcement should be consistent and data showing how the virus spreads should be public
      • Desmond asking for "Easy Button" on County site so people can create an account, login, get notification when their tier is available for vaccination and how to get vaccine when their time is up. Nick Machione responds that a customer portal as described is in development.
      • Desmond can approve motion to approve staff recommendations 1-5 but not motion to increase enforcement. "If you treat people like adults, they'll act like it." 
      • MOTION PASSES 4-1 with Desmond only Nay. 
    • Approved No Place Like Home (5-0)
    • Item 9: Framework For Our Future: Ensuring Transparency and Open Government in San Diego County. Desmond is pissed that COVID Task Force was sharing information in media briefings before reporting to the Board. Committee meetings should be subject to Brown Act so they're public, notices of agenda, minutes, data, etc. "I have to say, on an item about transparency, that committees would still meet behind close doors is abhorrent." Anderson is countering that committees would be bogged down with full-time daily sessions and all committee discussions come back to the Board anyway. Motion Passes 5-0 with 'disappointment' noted by Desmond.
    • Item 10: Framework for the Future: A Collaborative, Data-Driven, and Equitable Response to COVID-19.
      • Stop politicization of pandemic
      • Equity minded distribution of resources
      • Caller would like Filipino data separated from Asian/Pacific-Islander population. Cases, language access, T3, other data.
      • RECOMMENDATION(S) SUPERVISOR NATHAN FLETCHER AND SUPERVISOR NORA VARGAS
        • Adopt the attached resolution entitled: A COLLABORATIVE, DATA-DRIVEN, AND EQUITABLE RESPONSE TO COVID-19 IN SAN DIEGO COUNTY, which outlines the science-based and equitable approach the County will pursue working in collaboration with State officials in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
        • Find that the policy statements contained in the attached resolution supersede any contradictory policy statement contained in past Board of Supervisors initiated resolutions and letters related to COVID-19.
        • Direct the Chief Administrative Officer to prioritize, when appropriate, the distribution of future COVID-19 response and recovery-related federal, state, and local funding based on a data-driven approach that identifies communities requiring the highest need of support based on positive COVID-19 cases and takes into account health equity tools that measure degree of disparities.
      • Desmond argues that County Board has not been combative or antagonistic with the state, was just asking for local control. Resents being called "irresponsible". "Cancel culture has arrived." Appreciates "data-driven approach". "I didn't run for this job to be a rubber stamp...noone has all the answers." Glad that resources will be given to where they are most needed. Says court cases cited no data given for closures. Says Dr. Ghaly said outdoor dining was closed to keep people home, nothing to do with relative safety of outdoor dining. "To me, that's discrimination against a business. And since we've been keeping home, our cases have gone from the hundreds per day to the thousands per day." Goes into 1A tirade. "I will not be silenced."
      • Fletcher rebuffs Desmond. "Every member of this Board is entitled to have their own opinion, to have their own approach, and to ask questions when they will. And again, every Board member is accountable for the actions that they take. We have had the unfortunate and incredibly awkward situations, Supervisor Desmond, of having to send public health doctors out in the media to fact-check false statements you've made which puts us at a great disadvantage. You've misrepresented underlying health conditions and what you consider 'pure COVID deaths'. And you have attacked the public health orders and the underlying science around the spread of COVID-19 surrounding it. I think what Dr. Ghaly outlined was the slowing of the spread by stopping the mixing of people when you have such high concentration of cases in our region and I don't think we can continually have someone undercut the public health orders in such an effective way and then complain that perhaps they're not working as well as intended when you're against them..."
        Desmond: "in many of your statements here, you're calling it 'irresponsible behavior' to question anyone..."
        Fletcher: "I disagree with the premise of your statement. I do believe things you have done have been irresponsible. I don't believe it is irresponsible to ask questions..."
      • Motion Passes Unanimously 5-0
    • Item 8: Framework For Our Future: Declaring Racism a Public Health Crisis
      • Motion Passes Unanimously 5-0
    • Item 11: Framework For Our Future: Realigning Policies That Govern County Resources And Contracting
      • Callers SEIU 221 support item and want outsourcing prohibited, especially in jails/prisons, approve additional staffing for mental/behavioral health, ttop mandatory overtime and holiday working for nurses and clinicians. "Cheaper is never better."
      • Contacting is inefficient, creates backlogs, should only be used with companies must serve the common good, not profit driven. 
      • Lawson-Reimer: county business should reflect community values. 
      • Motion Passes Unanimously 5-0
    • Item 12: Framework For Out Future: Reforming The County Legislative Agenda
      • Streamlining, directing CAO to work with the Office of Strategy and Intergovernmental Affairs with guiding principles and priorities for advocacy to local, state, and federal legislation and related actions.
      • Desmond wants to include specific public safety, nuclear storage, road funding. Fletcher wants it more general and streamlined for document that comes back on January 26. 
      • Adding ensuring safe communities and pursuing State and Federal funding as priorities "our fair share" 
      • Motion passes unanimously 5-0

  • San Diego County COVID-19 Data

    • Free Testing Sites and Schedule in San Diego
    • State Data:
      • Southern California ICU Bed Availability: 0%
      • 2,907 New Cases/194,793 Total Cases
      • 0 Deaths/1,857 Total Deaths
      • 89.8 cases/100k population (Assessed on 1/12. Unadjusted Case Rate)
      • 16.4% Test Positivity (Assessed on 1/12)
      • 22.8% Health Equity Positivity (Assessed on 1/12)
      • 1,786 COVID-19 hospitalized patients (+31 patients, +1.8% from prior day)
      • 441 COVID-19 ICU hospitalized patients (+11 patients, +2.6% from prior day)
      • 150 ICU beds available (0 from prior day)
    • County Data:
      • Board Receives Update on County’s COVID-19 Response - County News Center 
      • San Diego County COVID Watch 1.12.2021
        • Last 2 weeks Potential Community Exposure Setting (9,961 Interviewed)
          • 349 Bars and Restaurants 
          • 470 Group Gatherings
          • 196 Places of Worship
          • 1,285 Retail Locations
          • 255 Education-Related
          • 1,139 Travel-Related
          • 5,734/ 57.6% Reported no potential community exposures
      • 3,524 New Cases/198,319 Total Cases 
      • 41 New Daily Deaths/1,898 Total Deaths
      • 19% Daily Test Positivity/16.2% (7-day avg after 7-day lag)/13.8% Test Positivity (14-day average)
      • 69.7 cases/100k population (Assessed on 1/12. Adjusted case rate per 100,000 excluding prisons.) 
      • 41% Case Investigation (under 70% goal)
      • 1.4% Increasing Day Over Day COVID-19 Hospitalizations (1,723 patients. 74% increase over 30 days)
      • 14% ICU Capacity 413 patients. 40% increase over 30 days)
      • 33 Staffed ICU rooms available in San Diego County
      • 6 New/48 Community Outbreaks (7-day) *3 previously reported outbreaks were removed or moved to a different date
        • Business 21
        • Faith-based Setting 5
        • Government 4
        • Daycare/preschool 2
        • Healthcare 10
        • Emergency Services 2
        • Food/Bev Processing 1
        • Warehouse/Distribution 4
        • Private Residences 1

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