From FAIR WARNING: President Donald Trump left Walter Reed Hospital last week after treatment for COVID-19. So far, more than a dozen people associated with the Presidnet have tested positive for coronavirus Toluse Olorunnipa and Josh Dawsey report for The Washington Post. According to his medical team, Trump’s oxygen levels dropped twice on Friday and Saturday, and he suffered from symptoms including a cough, a fever and fatigue. The president is being treated with dexamethasone, a steroid normally reserved for severely ill coronavirus patients, and remdesivir, an antiviral that has been approved for emergency use for those with severe Covid-19 symptoms.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has updated its coronavirus information page to say that tiny particles that linger in the air can spread the virus—just a few weeks after the health agency posted and then abruptly removed new language that acknowledged that very thing, Caitlin McCabe and Betsy McKay report for The Wall Street Journal.
Anyone who was in close contact with a person who is positive for COVID-19 from 48 hours before that person was diagnosed will need to quarantine away from all other people for 14 days. Just because you test negative for the virus after your exposure does not mean that you weren’t infected because the virus can take up to 14 days to incubate in your body. And again, as an exposed person, you can transmit the virus to others for at least 48 hours before your test comes back positive. You are only able to resume interactions with others after the complete 14-day incubation period has passed and you remained symptom free and test results were negative.
Two other tools that help slow the spread are isolating when positive and quarantining when exposed. As a reminder, anyone who tests positive needs to isolate from others for at least 10 days, until symptoms have improved, and they are fever free for at least 24 hours. Any person that tests positive for COVID-19 may be able to infect others for up to 10 days after being diagnosed, even if the person never had symptoms or their symptoms have subsided. And anyone who tests positive for COVID-19 may have been able to infect others for at least 48 hours before they tested positive or before they showed any symptoms.
Protecting ourselves and other people requires every person be diligent, and it is this diligence that prevents transmission of the virus and saves lives.
U.S.:
Fron The Wall Street Journal: The daily total of new coronavirus cases continued to climb in the U.S., prompting some states to impose new measures to counter rising levels of infections. New cases in the U.S. topped 50,000 for the first time in five days on Wednesday, according to data compiled by Johns Hopkins University. More than 7.5 million cases have been reported in the U.S. since the beginning of the pandemic, and the nation’s death toll is now approaching 212,000.
On Friday, the U.S. reported more than 56,000 new coronavirus infections, the largest single-day total in nearly two months, reports CNN.
New case numbers are rising in 28 states, staying steady in 20 others and decreasing in only two. According to the Johns Hopkins University coronavirus tracker, 10 states, all in the Midwest and West, saw their highest seven-day averages of new infections: Alaska, Colorado, Indiana, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, Utah and Wyoming.
“Instead of going into the fall and the winter on a sharp decline down to a low baseline, we’re actually going into the fall and the winter with some parts of the country ticking up, which will ultimately lead to not only more infections, but more hospitalizations” and deaths, Dr. Anthony Fauci, the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, told students at American University this week.
- Also: Worldwide there have been about 36.6 million reported Covid-19 cases, and more than one million deaths. In the U.S., more than 7.6 million people have been infected and about 213,000 have died, according to the Johns Hopkins University tracker.
The U.S. seven-day moving average of new confirmed cases was larger than the 14-day moving average on Tuesday for the second straight day, suggesting cases are growing more quickly.
CALIFORNIA:
The California Department of Public Health reported 2,764 new detected COVID-19 infections and 51 new deaths on Wednesday, raising the statewide totals to 831,225 cases of the virus and 16,228 fatalities.
The state’s average positivity rate over the prior seven days decreased to 2.4 percent. The 14-day average was at 2.6 percent, according to a CDPH statement.
An aide in Gov. Gavin Newsom’s office tested positive for the coronavirus, the Democratic governor confirmed in a briefing Wednesday. A state employee who works alongside the governor’s staff also tested positive, Mr. Newsom said, and the administration was using contact tracing to determine whether any other members of his staff had been exposed.
LA COUNTY:
Los Angeles County public health officials on Wednesday announced the largest single-day increase in COVID-19 infections since late August with 1,645 newly detected cases. An additional 30 deaths were reported, according to the L.A. County Department of Public Health.
For the fourth day in a row, the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health reported more than 1,200 new confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus on Saturday, in an unexpected spike officials last week vowed to keep close watch on as more business sectors reopened amid the enduring pandemic. County health officials on Saturday, Oct. 10, posted 28 new deaths and 1,285 new cases.
After a series of increases, hospitalizations inched downward Saturday. The county listed 701 people currently hospitalized, with 26% of them in intensive care units. As of Friday, there were 724 people hospitalized in the county due to the virus, a increase from 709 on Thursday, 696 on Wednesday, 685 on Tuesday and 674 on Monday.
Health officials said last week they would be closely monitoring the case numbers, but said the elevated numbers should be a reminder that the virus is still spreading in the community. Saturday’s update increased the total cases reported in the count to 281,165 and 6,768 deaths.
Los Angeles County will let wineries and breweries reopen, but customers and businesses alike will have to abide by some new restrictions. Namely, customers will have to make reservations at least one day in advance before imbibing.
The move comes the same day the county began allowing schools to apply for waivers to reopen, a twofer for parents who have been trying to manage their children's virtual schooling since March. The reopening of breweries and wineries appears to be endorsed by the County Board of Supervisors rather than public health officials.
The winery and brewery reopening comes with restrictions similar to those in effect for restaurants, most notably the requirement that alcohol be purchased in the same transaction as "bona fide meals." The reservation requirement is designed to "ensure there is no gathering and sufficient area for physical distancing of 6 feet or more." All customers must be seated at a table to be served. Operating hours for the breweries and wineries are limited to 11:30 a.m. and midnight.
PASADENA:
The Pasadena Public Health Department has issued guidelines for the upcoming Halloween holiday which preclude trick-or-treating and haunted houses but allows for other activities, such as car parades, Halloween-themed outdoor dining, and outdoor art installations. Here are links to the guidelines: https://www.cityofpasadena.net/public-health/wp-content/uploads/sites/32/Guidance-Celebrating-Halloween.pdf?v=1602094720463 and https://www.cityofpasadena.net/public-health/wp-content/uploads/sites/32/Car-Line-Celebration-Public-Health-Protocol.pdf?v=1602094720463.
Pasadena reported seven new cases on Saturday, for a total of 2,652; its death toll remained at 129. Protocols do not allow for door-to-door trick-or-treating, or car-to-car “trunk-or-treating” events; haunted houses, gatherings or parties with non-household members, either indoors or outdoors; carnivals; live entertainment; or petting zoos. City officials offered some suggestions of alternative ways to celebrate that are permitted under the existing protocols, such as online events, car parades, drive-in movies, Halloween-themed outdoor dining, outdoor art installations, dressing in costumes, and decorating homes.
WILDFIRES:
The California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection said that the wildfires this year have burned "well over" 4 million acres, more than double the previous record since the department began keeping track in 1987, Tim Stelloh reports for NBC News. More than 30 people have died in the California fires. The largest blaze in the state’s history, the more than one-million acre August Complex fire in Northern California, is just 51 percent contained even though it started in mid-August.
ASSISTANCE AND SUPPORT:
LA County is helping train businesses on the implementation of COVID-19 safety protocols through a no-cost online training course called the COVID-19 Safety Compliance Certification Program (CSCCP). Once completed, business owners receive a certificate, and window seal to display on their storefront, which can reassure employees and customers alike that the business is following COVID-19 infection control and physical distancing requirements.
If you have not yet completed the CSCCP course or want to learn more about it, visit publichealth.lacounty.gov/eh/covid19cert.htm. Help support your employees, customers, and community while on the Road to Recovery.
Grants funded by Los Angeles County:
- • LA Regional COVID Fund: https://www.lacovidfund.org/. Round 6: October 26 – October 30
Grant provided by the County of Los Angeles in partnership with institutional and corporate philanthropy to support Micro-entrepreneurs, small business, and Non-profits across Los Angeles County.
- • Pandemic Compliant Fund-WDACS (1-100 employees): Awards up to $5,000 per business to help businesses offset costs related to compliance with local health orders and recommended safety measures.
- • General EAG Funds-WDACS (1-100 employees): Awards up to $25,000 to businesses that have been impacted by COVID-19 for a variety of eligible uses. Prioritization will be given to businesses based on CalEnviroscreen 3.0 scoring and to those businesses that have not received local CARES Act grants.
- • Social Impact Funds-WDACS: Awards up to $50,000 to support LA County Social Enterprises, Social Community Business Enterprise (CBEs) and B Corporations. Prioritization will be given to Social Enterprises. Others will be prioritized by CalEnviroscreen 3.0 scoring and those that have not received local CARES Act grants.
- • LADCA COVID-19 Childcare Provider Grant: www.childcaregrant.lacda.org The Los Angeles County COVID-19 CARES Act Childcare Grant Program provides grants up to $10,000 or $40,000 to eligible childcare operators in Los Angeles County who have been impacted by COVID-19.
Grants for all types of business:
- • Hello Alice Grant: https://businessforall.helloalice.com/ A collaboration between the public and private sector to assist small businesses severely impacted by COVID 19.
Specific Grants by Industry:
Entertainment Sector (Actors, Actress, Musicians, Etc.)
- • The Actors Fund: https://actorsfund.org/services-and-programs/entertainment-assistance-program With a focus on support and education, the Entertainment Assistance program services include: One-on-one counseling and resources and emergency financial assistance for basic living expenses such as rent or medical expenses.
- • Carnegie Fund for Actors: https://www.carnegiefundforauthors.org/grant-eligibility To assist American authors who have published at least one full length work.
Hair Salons/Nail Professionals:
- • Professional Beauty Association: https://www.probeauty.org/covid-relief-fund-application/covid-19-application
This fund will assist license beauty professional who are unable to work due to COVID19.
- • Virtue: https://www.virtuelabs.com/en/virtue-salon-relief-fund Provides financial assistance to stylists and salon workers in the Virtue community.
Loans for all types of businesses:
- • Jewish Free Loan Association: https://www.jfla.org/ Provides interest free loans up to $10,000.
- • Federal Government Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL) https://covid19relief.sba.gov/#/ The EIDL program is designed to provide economic relief to businesses that are currently experiencing a temporary loss of revenue due to coronavirus (COVID-19)
EDD (Employment Development Department) Pandemic Unemployment Assistance: https://www.edd.ca.gov/about_edd/coronavirus-2019/pandemic-unemployment-assistance.htm Designed to assist unemployed Californians that are not usually eligible for regular Unemployment Insurance. This includes business owners, self-employed workers, independent contractors, and those with a limited work history who are out of business or have significantly