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Trump Disputes Health Officials, Sees Mass Vaccinations Soon

WASHINGTON (AP) — Openly contradicting the government's top health experts, President Donald Trump predicted Wednesday that a safe and effective vaccine against the coronavirus could be ready as early as next month and in mass distribution soon after, undermining the director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and calling him "confused” in projecting a longer time frame. Trump also disagreed with Dr. Robert Redfield about the effectiveness of protective masks — which the president recommends but almost never wears — and said he'd telephoned Redfield to tell him so. Earlier in the day, the CDC sent all 50 states a “playbook” for distribution of a vaccine to all Americans free of cost when one is proven safe and effective — which is not yet the case. Redfield told a congressional hearing that health care workers, first responders and others at high risk would get the vaccine first, perhaps in January or even late this year, but it was unlikely to be available more broadly, again assuming approval, before late spring or summer. After Trump's comments, CDC officials said Wednesday night that the director had thought he was answering a question about when vaccination of all Americans might be completed. Redfield, masked at times in a Senate hearing room, also spoke emphatically of the importance of everyone wearing protective masks to stop the pandemic, which has killed nearly 200,000 Americans. He floated the possibility that a vaccine might be 70% effective in inducing immunity, and said, "I might even go so far as to say that this face mask is more guaranteed to protect me against COVID than when I take a COVID vaccine.” Trump would have none of that from the CDC director. “Vaccine is much more effective than the mask," he declared. As for vaccinating Americans, Trump said Wednesday, “We think we can start sometime in October." One of his recently added advisers, Dr. Scott Atlas, said as many as 700 million doses could be available by the end of March. Trump made the prediction even though the vaccine is still being tested in human subjects, and some health experts have said they believe a safe and highly effective vaccine is several months way, if not much longer. CDC sent a planning document on Wednesday to U.S. states, territories and some big cities. Adding to logistical complications, vaccines likely will have to be given in two doses spaced weeks apart and will have to be refrigerated. Redfield said states are not ready to deal with the demand for such a distribution and some $6 billion in new funding would be needed to get the nation prepared. Unswayed, Trump said, “We’re ready to move, and I think it will be full distribution." Redfield said any vaccine available in November or December would be in “very limited supply,” and reserved for first responders and people most vulnerable to COVID-19. The shot wouldn’t be broadly available until the spring or summer 2021, he estimated. The entire vaccine enterprise faces continued public skepticism. Only about half of Americans said they’d get vaccinated in an Associated Press-NORC poll taken in May. Since then, questions have only mounted about whether the government is trying to rush treatments and vaccines to help Trump’s reelection chances. The Health and Human Services Department announced Wednesday that political appointee Michael Caputo would take a leave of absence to "focus on his health and the well-being of his family.” The news followed revelations that Caputo had tried to gain editorial control over the CDC's scientific publications on COVID-19, which he contended were hurting the Trump administration. Redfield said the “scientific integrity” of his agency’s reports “has not been compromised and it will not be compromised under my watch.” He also rejected questions about whether the CDC's timeline for states to be ready for a vaccine by Nov. 1 was politically motivated. “The worst thing that could happen is if we have a vaccine delivered and we’re still not ready to distribute,” Redfield told Senate lawmakers. “There was absolutely no political thinking about it.” Sen. Patty Murray of Washington, the committee’s top Democrat, said political interference from HHS had damaged public trust in the government’s health information. “The Trump administration needs to leave the science to the scientists immediately,” Murray said. Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden said while campaigning that he trusts what scientists say about a potential vaccine — but not Trump. Biden has said he would take a vaccine “tomorrow” if it were available but he would want to “see what the scientists said” first. As for the planned vaccine campaign, Redfield said his agency will be working with state health officials to implement the preparations in coming days. Among the highlights of the plan: — For most vaccines, people will need two doses, 21 to 28 days apart. Double-dose vaccines will have to come from the same drugmaker. There could be several vaccines from different manufacturers approved and available. — Vaccination of the U.S. population won't be a sprint but a marathon. Initially there may be a limited supply of vaccines, and the focus will be on protecting health workers, other essential employees and people in vulnerable groups. A second and third phase would expand vaccination to the entire population. — The vaccine itself will be free of charge, thanks to billions of dollars in taxpayer funding approved by Congress and allocated by the Trump administration. The goal is that patients won’t be separately charged for administration of their shots, and officials say they are working to ensure that’s the case for all Medicare recipients and uninsured people as well those covered by insurance at their jobs. — States and local communities will need to devise precise plans for receiving and locally distributing vaccines, some of which will require special handling such as refrigeration or freezing. States and cities have a month to submit plans. — A massive information technology effort will be needed to track who is getting which vaccines and when, and the key challenge involves getting multiple public and private databases to link with each other. Some of the broad components of the federal plan have already been discussed, but Wednesday's reports attempt to put the key details into a comprehensive framework. Distribution is under the umbrella of Operation Warp Speed, a White House-backed initiative to have vaccines ready to ship in 24 hours from when a version is given emergency use approval by the Food and Drug Administration. ___ Stobbe reported from Atlanta. AP Writer Alexandra Jaffe contributed to this report.

September 16, 2020

Latinos Make Up Nearly Half Of Alameda County's COVID Cases

The Latino and Black communities have been disproportionately impacted by the coronavirus pandemic. Dr. Michael Stacey, Physician Consultant for the Alameda County Public Health Department told KCBS Radio that the pandemic is highlighting inequalities that have existed for some time."There are equity issues that have existed based on policies and structures that have existed for decades. There are things that we need to do to address that,” Dr. Stacey said on KCBS Radio’s "Ask An Expert" Wednesday.In Alameda County, the Latino community has made up nearly 50% of the overall cases, despite being just under 23% of the overall population.Dr. Stacey said these issues go far beyond Alameda County or this pandemic, and need to be addressed at a local, state and national level."Certainly now, COVID has shined a light on those inequities, and so there’s an opportunity right now for us to, at least as it relates to COVID, to try to make sure that we’re not making those things worse, that we’re actually dedicating our resources specifically to those communities," he said.That includes partnering with community-based organizations on testing and contact tracing efforts."Being able to be there on the ground with trusted partners is important, and even having the communities organize their own testing," said Dr. Stacey.While it is not yet clear if those efforts are enough to reduce the pandemic’s outsized impact on the Latino community, Alameda County is making progress on fighting the virus overall. The county has brought its testing positivity rate down to 3.4% and is experiencing six new cases for every 100,000 people each day. If those metrics hold up for two weeks, the county will from the state’s "widespread" risk tier down to the "substantial" tier.

September 16, 2020

Middle Ground on Second Stimulus Check? Why New Proposal Could Be ‘Very Meaningful’

After weeks of delays and lengthy negotiations, a new proposal may have brought Americans closer than ever to a second stimulus check. A plan for a new major COVID-19 relief package has been put forth by the bipartisan Problem Solvers Caucus in the House of Representatives. The plan, which was unveiled on Tuesday, allocates funding for several measures included in March’s CARES Act, including unemployment and another round of $1,200 stimulus checks, reports Newsweek. The plan calls for $100 billion for testing and health care, $240 billion for the Paycheck Protection Program, and $145 billion for schools and child care. While the proposed also includes about $500 billion for state and local aid, that exact amount may be the “biggest obstacle,” according to White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows. On Wednesday, Meadows said the proposal is “very thoughtful” and “very meaningful” for its bipartisan effort, being put forth by both House Democrats and Republicans. On Tuesday, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said that the House would remain in session until agreement could be reached on a plan that “meets the needs of the American people.” While Meadows referred to Pelosi steadfastness as “another encouraging sign,” he still maintained some reservations about prospects, saying, “promises on air don’t necessarily provide real fruit behind closed doors.” When asked about the possibility of a new check last week, Pelosi told CNN, “I’m completely optimistic.” The House reconvened from a summer recess on Monday. The new bipartisan proposal comes after a “skinny stimulus” package that was put forth by Senate Republicans. The bill did not include a second proposal, and did not receive enough votes when put to vote in the chamber. LISTEN NOW on the RADIO.COM AppFollow RADIO.COMFacebook | Twitter | Instagram

September 16, 2020

Marin Moves Into 'Red' Tier, Bringing Modified Business Reopenings

Marin County is out of the purple and into the red.It’s a move in the right direction for Marin, Inyo, and Tehama counties. If the trend continues, more of the three dozen counties still in the purple tier are expected to move down next week. Red is the second lowest of the state’s four-tier reopening system. State health officials are crediting continued social distancing, face masks and overall cleanliness.Marin will immediately open indoor fitness, movie theaters, museums, personal care services like skin care and nail services, restaurants and places of worship, but on a limited scale. Indoor retail and malls will be expanded from 25% to 50% capacity.Under state guidelines, Marin would be allowed to reopen modified in-classroom learning if the county is able to maintain "Tier 2" data for two straight weeks.“We’ve made a lot of progress, and this gives us more choices as residents,” Marin County Public Health Officer Dr. Matt Willis said in a news release about the changes Tuesday. "But more freedom also brings more risk. Our challenge is to move forward without increasing transmission. We’re at a critical juncture."Congratulations, Marin! Your efforts to flatten the curve has helped us move into Tier 2 on the @CAPublicHealth's Blueprint for a Safer Economy monitoring list. This means new reopenings for our businesses (and you, the customers)! More details: https://t.co/4ztItwofyD pic.twitter.com/BllT6yODjw— Marin County (@maringov) September 15, 2020 Trick-or-treating, however, is a different story."We’re really urging people to be prepared for a different type of Halloween," California Secretary of Health and Human Services Dr. Mark Ghaly explained during a Tuesday media briefing.The rules aren't set just yet."Trick-or-treating, that type of mixing that comes in our traditional trick-or-treating festivities is really not advised under COVID," Dr. Ghaly said. "We’re going to be working to put out some headlines that are about how we can still celebrate the Halloween festivities."Statewide, 30 counties are in the purple tier, 17 are in the red tier, nine are in the orange tier and just two are listed in the yellow tier.See Tuesday's COVID-19 briefing below.

September 15, 2020

How To Navigate Shifting Social Norms Around Wearing Masks

Six months into the pandemic, social norms around wearing masks continue to shift and take shape. "Clearly you need to wear a mask...we know that masks are incredibly important in stopping the spread of the disease, both to protect yourself and also to protect others," said Dr. Robert Klitzman, professor of psychiatry and director of the bioethics master’s program at Columbia University. "But you know, they’re uncomfortable, you have to remember to wear them, they make it hard to communicate with other people, they make you hot, they steam up your glasses. So people don’t like them. And of course they’ve become politicized now."Each new social situation can present a dilemma. If you attend a wedding with dozens of other people, public health guidance says you should wear a mask as much as possible. But when you are eating dinner, having drinks, taking photos and dancing all night, it can be easy to let your guard down and remove it.Dr. Klitzman told KCBS Radio's "Ask An Expert" he faced the same problem when he attended an outdoor birthday party and was the only person wearing a mask."People then came over and felt guilty or looked at me kinda hesitantly or looked at me like, was I judging them? It raised a whole set of issues, showing me how socially awkward it can be in different groups when the norm is to wear or not wear a mask," he explained.While most public health guidance says people should wear a mask whenever they are in contact with someone who they do not live with, following through with that is more complicated."We’re having to make these very small decisions about who’s safe," he said. For example, if you live with your children who are attending school, should you wear a mask in the home anytime you are around them? "There’s a lot of small micro decisions that we each are having to make every day, and these are hard and mistakes will be made."While some people in your social circle will view your mask as a courtesy to them, others might take it as a sign that they are not a part of your trusted "social bubble," or that you are worried about their behavior. Dr. Klitzman said that these awkward encounters are to be expected at a time of uncertainty where there are no established norms and compared it to smoking. Decades ago, smoking in public and in close contact with others was commonplace. Now, it is the opposite. But in between, before it was publicly accepted that secondhand smoke is hazardous, people had to create and enforce their own personal boundaries around smoke.The best strategy is to gently push back if someone questions your decision or refuses to wear a mask. "I think explaining the reasons carefully is helpful," he said, adding that education and empathy are always more effective than shame when it comes to changing behaviors.

September 15, 2020

LAUSD Is 1st School District in US to Test All Students, Families, and Staff for Coronavirus

LAUSD says it will be the first school district in the nation to test all students and staff for coronavirus infection. LAUSD announced today that it has successfully completed the trial phase of its COVID-19 testing and contact-tracing program. LAUSD is now testing all staff members currently working at school sites and their children, who will be in a childcare program at schools. “Extraordinary circumstances call for extraordinary actions, and while school-based testing and contact-tracing efforts are unprecedented, they are necessary and appropriate,” Superintendent Austin Beutner said. “This will provide a public health benefit to the school community, as well as the greater Los Angeles area.” Beutner said “With close to 700,000 students and 75,000 staff members at schools, an operation of this scale has implications beyond schools. We will be testing both symptomatic and asymptomatic individuals and the results will be of value to researchers and policy makers as they develop plans to combat the virus and provide additional support to schools." “This program will allow testing for students, their families and school staff,” Board President Dr. Richard Vladovic said in a press release. “It is the first step in allowing a safe and secure return to school. With state-of-the-art health practices, technology and our amazing partners, Los Angeles Unified is a national leader in testing and contact tracing for our school community.” "Following the initial, baseline testing of all staff and students there will be periodic testing based on advice from epidemiologists at Stanford, UCLA and The Johns Hopkins University. Their models will take into account the results of prior testing, learnings from the latest research and information about the health impacts of COVID-19 in the communities Los Angeles Unified serves. Testing will also be provided for household members of students or staff who test positive for the virus or those who show symptoms," LAUSD said in a press release. COVID-19 testing for students, staff and family members is part of LAUSD’s three-part return-to-school plan, which includes health practices at schools and the ability to notify and isolate any members of the school community who may have come in contact with the virus. For example, classrooms and facilities already are being electrostatically cleaned top to bottom; air-filtration systems have been upgraded with the equivalent of N-95 membranes; PPE is provided to all at a campus, and classrooms and facilities have been reconfigured to keep everyone at a school a safer distance apart. "When students do return to schools, they will be kept in small cohorts to reduce the risk of spreading the virus," the press release said. Earlier this month, the county’s health officer says it will be November at the earliest before K-12 students return to campuses. But they’re going to start right away with bringing back some special needs kids and kids learning English to help those who are in dire need of in-person instruction. LA County Supervisor Janice Hahn has said they can study the data to see where they go from there. She thinks there could be as many as 100,000 special needs kids back in classrooms during this pilot program. A new survey finds that across the country, school districts with a majority of white students are more than three times as likely to reopen classroom instruction as districts with a majority of students of color. Last month, the Los Angeles Unified School Board voted unanimously to approve the distance learning labor deal made between Superintendent Austin Beutner and United Teachers Los Angeles. News release: Los Angeles Unified Begins COVID-19 Testing Program - https://t.co/GbP0E94zte— L.A. Unified (@LASchools) September 14, 2020LISTEN NOW on the RADIO.COM App Follow RADIO.COMFacebook | Twitter | Instagram

September 14, 2020

Storied Winchester Mystery House Reopens In San Jose

San Jose’s storied Winchester Mystery House is open to the public once again, with its reopening selling out of tickets Saturday afternoon.The many mysteries of the Winchester House were closed off since the coronavirus lockdown first began, but Santa Clara County said it is moving forward on the state’s reopening track. And as a result, visitors of the popular mystery house have been welcomed back in to explore the mansion’s twisting hallways and corridors.But because of the ongoing pandemic, tours will look slightly different than they had before.Rather than tour groups, visitors will be following their own curiosity on self-guided tours, aided with new pre- recorded audio guides.San Jose’s Winchester Mystery House reopens for self-guided mansion tours after months on lockdown. For visitors to this local icon, it’s a return to normalcy of sorts. “You know within the bounds of science fiction kind of normal,” one guest told me. pic.twitter.com/FWTFvpR6eb— Keith Menconi (@KeithMenconi) September 12, 2020 The opening was met with quite a bit of excitement as visitors poured in.“Winchester Mystery House is a real testament to Sarah Winchester in her 38 years of constructing this incredible home,” said General Manager Walter Magnuson. “And the fact that it’s still here 98 years after we’ve been open for tours.”It may be a century-old mansion supposedly built to throw off angry ghosts, but in its own way, Magnuson said the reopening is bringing some sense of normalcy to visitors.“I think nostalgia in history can be very soothing, especially in times of great strife,” Magnuson said.

September 12, 2020

Oxford, AstraZeneca Resumes Coronavirus Vaccine Trial

LONDON (AP) — Oxford University announced Saturday it was resuming a trial for a coronavirus vaccine it is developing with pharmaceutical company AstraZeneca, a move that comes days after the study was suspended following a reported side-effect in a U.K. patient. In a statement, the university confirmed the restart across all of its U.K. clinical trial sites after regulators gave the go-ahead following the pause on Sunday. “The independent review process has concluded and following the recommendations of both the independent safety review committee and the U.K. regulator, the MHRA, the trials will recommence in the U.K.,” it said. The vaccine being developed by Oxford and AstraZeneca is widely perceived to be one of the strongest contenders among the dozens of coronavirus vaccines in various stages of testing around the world. British Health Secretary Matt Hancock welcomed the restart, saying in a tweet that it was “good news for everyone” that the trial is “back up and running.” The university said in large trials such as this “it is expected that some participants will become unwell and every case must be carefully evaluated to ensure careful assessment of safety.” It said globally some 18,000 people have received its vaccine so far in Britain, Brazil and South Africa. Around 30,000 volunteers are being recruited in the U.S. Although Oxford would not disclose information about the patient's illness due to participant confidentiality, an AstraZeneca spokesman said earlier this week that a woman had developed severe neurological symptoms that prompted the pause. Specifically, the woman is said to have developed symptoms consistent with transverse myelitis, a rare inflammation of the spinal cord. The university insisted that it is “committed to the safety of our participants and the highest standards of conduct in our studies and will continue to monitor safety closely.” Pauses in drug trials are commonplace and the temporary hold led to a sharp fall in AstraZeneca's share price following the announcement Tuesday. The Oxford-AstraZeneca study had been previously stopped in July for several days after a participant developed neurological symptoms that turned out to be an undiagnosed case of multiple sclerosis that researchers said was unrelated to the vaccine. During the third and final stage of testing, researchers look for any signs of possible side effects that may have gone undetected in earlier patient research. Because of their large size, the studies are considered the most important study phase for picking up less common side effects and establishing safety. The trials also assess effectiveness by tracking who gets sick and who doesn’t between patients getting the vaccine and those receiving a dummy shot. Dr. Charlotte Summers, a lecturer in intensive care medicine at the University of Cambridge, said the pause was a sign that the Oxford team was putting safety issues first, but that it led to “much unhelpful speculation.” “To tackle the global COVID-19 pandemic, we need to develop vaccines and therapies that people feel comfortable using, therefore it is vital to maintaining public trust that we stick to the evidence and do not draw conclusions before information is available,” she said. Scientists and others around the world, including experts at the World Health Organization, have sought to keep a lid on expectations of an imminent breakthrough for coronavirus vaccines, stressing that vaccine trials are rarely straightforward. Italy’s health minister, Roberto Speranza, welcomed the resumption of the vaccine trial, but warned that prudence was still necessary. “Science is at work to give the world efficient and secure treatments and vaccines,” he said. “In the meantime, the key continues to be our behavior.” Italy, which was ground zero for Europe's outbreak, is one of the main countries investing in the AstraZeneca vaccine. Two other vaccines are in huge, final-stage tests in the United States, one made by Moderna Inc. and the other by Pfizer and Germany’s BioNTech. ___ Nicole Winfield in Rome contributed. ___ Follow AP’s pandemic coverage at http://apnews.com/VirusOutbreak and https://apnews.com/UnderstandingtheOutbreak

September 12, 2020

Red Cross And Warriors Team Up With Blood Drives Amid Donation Shortage

The American Red Cross is in desperate need of blood donations to help those with sickle cell disease, which has driven the organization to team up with the Golden State Warriors to host community blood drives throughout the month of September.One of the main reasons why blood supply is so low is because there simply not enough people around to donate.If you're looking for someone after a disaster, try these tips to reach them:--See if they're listed on Safe & Well: https://t.co/xVbF1IvgpS--Call during off-peak hours or send a text.--Check their social media for any safety updates. pic.twitter.com/AMi7AHsc0p— American Red Cross (@RedCross) September 11, 2020 Rob Finley with the American Red Cross said the organization has lost 50% of its diverse donor base this year, and that it needs more to help those with sickle cell disease.“There are a lot of antigens that are attached to different blood types and those have to pretty much match for a person in need to use that blood,” Finley said. “So if there’s not a match, that’s a problem.”The Red Cross said it will also test for plasma donations for COVID-19 antibodies.“The COVID antibody testing will happen to the blood donations (anyway),” Finley said. “So a lot of people are interested to know whether they have had COVID, and our technology will tell them that.The Red Cross now has a partnership with the Warriors to host blood drives this month, wrapping up next Saturday, September 19. All blood types are welcome. To schedule an appointment, visit redcrossblood.org.

September 12, 2020

Kezar Pub Rushes To Open Outdoors For 49ers Season Opener

The sports bar business has become one very visible victim of the pandemic shutdown. But one pub in San Francisco is racing to open outdoors in time for this Sunday's 49ers season kickoff.The Kezar Pub, across the street from Kezar Stadium in San Francisco, is now under last-minute construction so that football fans can enjoy the game in an outdoor setting.“It’s exciting to get back to work for the NFL,” said Santos Chi, the pub’s manager. We vow to always be there for the community that's always been there for us, San Francisco. pic.twitter.com/k967nsB1VI— The Kezar Pub (@kezarpub) August 28, 2020 While Kezar Pub usually attracts large crowds, Chi said the coronavirus health protocols will keep the number of sit-in customers reduced.“We would like to have a lot of people, but we really can’t at the moment,” Chi said. “We expect a few regulars to come in and watch the game.”The pub is installing four television sets outdoors, which Niner fans will be able to enjoy come Sunday. The Niners are set to play the Arizona Cardinals in their season opener, with kickoff at 1:25 p.m.

September 11, 2020

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