san diego: dialed in: CoViD-19: 1 in 500 Americans Died Of COVID-19 | US Reports 2000 Daily Deaths | Newsom Win Gets Late Night Treatment | Sexually Abused US Gymnasts Testify At Judiciary Committee |

Kianga and her calf born 8.22.21 at San Diego Zoo Safari Park (Taken 9.15.21)

I woke up in such a good mood. The recall is behind us, SD Bytes called to tell me my other laptop will be good as new in a few days, and it was the first day we didn't have to blast the air conditioner around the house. I had a productive morning, partially did listings, got some Casbah work done, caught some news and media briefings. But then I watched the US gymnasts opening statements at the judiciary committee and it just made me so sick about what was allowed to happen to these women when they children. It's a tough watch but worth the watch nonetheless.

So after getting most of my work behind me, I convinced Darren to go to the San Diego Zoo Safari Park. They're only open until 5 right now, but getting there around 3:30 was plenty of time to walk around and then spend about an hour at Kilima Point where it was pure magic. First time mom Kianga was sharing her as yet unnamed calf. There's this thing that animals do...and maybe I'm imagining it because I'm certainly not a zoologist...but new moms will kind of 'present' their babies. The giraffes, okapi, tapir and others will kind of protect their babies from view from the public when they're brand new, but at some point they let go a little and show them off. I didn't realize that Kianga is an older daughter of Casey, who gave birth to Alice last year, but that means that I've been taking pics of her since she was little, too. It just felt like pure magic for her to nudge her calf over closer to where I was with the docent, and the calf let us know she saw us and was being super cute and playful, challenging us and then trotting away, only to come back. Puppies and kittens do the same thing. I watched them for quite some time until the "The Safari Park Is Now Closed" recording seemed a little more insistent and we were on our way.

The San Diego Zoo Safari Park isn't a close drive, but if you take the HOV lane and exit at Del Lago, it isn't usually too bad. Weekdays are nice and empty with lots of space for social distancing and getting in your steps or just sitting by the lagoon or the Watering Hole and taking in the sights. I kinda can't wait to go back.

As for news, I'll let the headlines speak for themselves, but LA County is expanding vax requirements for all staff and patrons of indoor bars, restaurants, venues, etc, similar to what San Francisco did. It feels like our numbers are trending down, but I had a feeling more measures would come down once the recall was behind us. I welcome them all.

Stay safe out there.

COVID-19:

1 in every 500 US residents have died of Covid-19 - CNN (9.15.21)
Infectious SARS-CoV-2 in Exhaled Aerosols and Efficacy of Masks During Early Mild Infection - Oxford Academic (9.14.21)
An Epidemiologist Says At-Home Testing Is Key To Stopping COVID - nor/kpbs (9.14.21)
For public health, [rapid tests] work very well. And what I mean by that is if the question is "Am I infectious right now?" then these tests are very accurate. They have very high sensitivity to detect people who are currently infectious. The PCR test is the gold standard, but as a medical diagnostic.
A Boy Went to a COVID-Swamped ER. He Waited for Hours. Then His Appendix Burst. - ProPublica (9.15.21)
Public Health to Modify Health Officer Order Adding Vaccination Verification Requirements at Select High-Risk Settings - 37 New Deaths and 1,930 New Confirmed Cases of COVID-19 in Los Angeles County - County of Los Angeles Public Health (9.15.21)

The modified Health Officer Order would require customers and employees at bars, breweries, wineries, night clubs and lounges to have at least one dose of the vaccine by October 7 and both doses by November 4.

Politics:

The January 6 attack never ended - Popular.Info (9.15.21)
Justice Department limits use of chokeholds and 'no-knock' warrants - CNN (9.14.21)
Biden's COVID Plan Offers a Path Out of the Pandemic — The layered approach is bold and unequivocally legal - Medpage Today (9.14.2021)
Prove it, hospital asks unvaccinated employees claiming religious exemption - Becker's Hospital Review (9.15.21)

White House:

Statement by President Joe Biden on California Governor Gavin Newsom’s Recall Election Victory

This vote is a resounding win for the approach that he and I share to beating the pandemic: strong vaccine requirements, strong steps to reopen schools safely, and strong plans to distribute real medicines—not fake treatments—to help those who get sick.
Statement by Vice President Kamala Harris on California Governor Gavin Newsom’s Recall Election Victory

Press Briefing by Press Secretary Jen Psaki, September 15, 2021
Remarks by President Biden at a Meeting with Business Leaders and CEOs on the COVID-⁠19 Response
Joint Leaders Statement on AUKUS

Background Press Call on AUKUS
Remarks by President Biden, Prime Minister Morrison of Australia, and Prime Minister Johnson of the United Kingdom Announcing the Creation of AUKUS

Notice on the Continuation of the National Emergency with Respect to Persons who Commit, or Support Terrorism

Letter to the Speaker and the President of the Senate on the Continuation of the National Emergency with Respect to Persons Who Commit, Threaten to Commit, or Support Terrorism

Remarks by Vice President Harris on the Administration’s Proposed Investments in Childcare
FACT SHEET: Biden-⁠Harris Administration Whole-of-Government Effort to Ensure Child Tax Credit Reaches All Eligible Families
Statement by President Biden on 2.8 Million Americans Gaining Health Care in the 2021 Special Enrollment Period
A Memorandum for the Secretary of State on Presidential Determination on Major Drug Transit or Major Illicit Drug Producing Countries for Fiscal Year 2022
Statement by President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. on the International Day of Democracy
Statement by President Biden on Yom Kippur
Readout of the Sixth National Climate Task Force Meeting

President Biden to Host Leader-Level Meeting of the Major Economies Forum on Energy and Climate

President Biden Appoints Members to National Cancer Advisory Board
President Biden Announces Members of the Community Development Advisory Board
State Dept.

Dept of Defense

Long-Term U.S., Australian Relationship Will Ensure Free, Open Indo-Pacific Region

USINDOPACOM Statement on DPRK Missile Launch

News:

$12 Million in Federal Funding Goes to Housing Programs - County News Center (9.15.21)
Newsom Administration Awards Nearly $138 Million in Fire Prevention Grants to Build Resilience in Local Communities
Governor Newsom Highlights New In-Person Student Rates, Nation-Leading School Safety & Prevention Efforts
Late Night Shows Cover California Recall

Biles: FBI turned ‘blind eye’ to reports of gymnasts’ abuse - AP News (9.15.21)

Global COVID-19 Stats (JHU 9.15.21 9:21pm):

226,356,635 Known Cases/17,186,364 28-Day New Cases
4,659,411 Known Deaths/266,936 28-Day New Deaths

US COVID-19 Stats

CDC COVID-19 Vaccination Data Tracker
American Academy of Pediatrics Children and COVID-19 Dashboard
JHU

41,536,511 Cases/4,309,217 28-Day New Cases
666,607 Deaths/40,209 28-Day New Deaths

CDC Data Tracker:

+141,644 New Cases/41,426,425 Known Cases
+2,000 New Deaths/662,620 Known Deaths
461,117,525 Doses Delivered
382,294,795 Doses Administered
210,361,099 Partially Vaccinated
179,695,287 Fully Vaccinated

54.1% of Total Population
63.3% of Population ≥ 12 Years of Age
65.2% of Population ≥ 18 Years of Age

California COVID-19 Stats:

State of California Safe Schools For All Hub
Vaccination progress dashboard
Coronavirus: Resources for Californians
R-effective: 0.86
55,810,405 Doses Delivered/48,160,068 Doses Administered
3,353,352 Partially Vaccinated/22,231,375 Fully Vaccinated
8,170 New Cases/4,380,566 Total Cases (20.2 new cases/100k)
85 New Deaths/67,001 Total Deaths (0.2 new deaths/100k)
3.5% 7-day test positivity rate
7,056 COVID-19 Hospitalizations (-167 patients, -2.3% from prior day)
1,941 COVID-19 ICU hospitalized in CA (+46 patients, +2.4% from prior day)
1,649 ICU beds available (-47 from prior day)

San Diego County

Free Testing Sites and Schedule in San Diego
Vaccination Locations San Diego
Vaccination Dashboard
COVID ActNow Daily Updates for San Diego Metro
San Diego Unified School District COVID Dashboard
CDC Data:

1,606,322 Fully Vaccinated

48.1% of Total Population
56.1% of Population ≥ 12 Years of Age
56.6% of Population ≥ 18 Years of Age

State Data:

R-effective: 0.84
557 New Cases/346,204 Total Cases
4.4% (7-day avg after 7-day lag)
5 Deaths/3,966 Total Deaths
516 COVID-19 hospitalized patients (-21 patients, -3.9% from prior day)
173 COVID-19 ICU hospitalized patients (-3 patients, -1.7% from prior day)
201 ICU beds available (-1 from prior day)

County Data:

San Diego County COVID-19 Watch
High Number of COVID-19 Deaths Continues to Be Reported
742 New Cases/346,934 Total Cases

Case rate: 33.6 per 100,000 residents overall
13.9 for fully vaccinated people
59.3 for not fully vaccinated San Diegans.

17 New Daily Deaths/3,983 Total Deaths
5,043,205 Doses Received/4,669,252 Doses Administered
2,441,228 Partially Vaccinated/2,162,892 Fully Vaccinated
+29,023 Newly Fully Vaccinated Since Last Week
77.2% 12+ Population Fully Vaccinated/64.6% Total Population Fully Vaccinated
4.2% Daily Test Positivity/4.4% 7-day average/5.6% 7-day average after 7-day lag/4.5% Test Positivity (14-day average)
63.3% Case Investigation
+50 Day Over Day COVID-19 Hospitalizations
+4 Day Over Day COVID-19 ICU Patients
-6.8%% Day Over Day COVID-19 Hospitalizations (495 patients. -10% over 30 days)
28% ICU Capacity (173 patients. +33% over 30 days)
41 Staffed ICU Beds Available
56 Community Outbreaks (7-day)