California Turns a Page on the Pandemic, Lifting Most COVID Restrictions
Wednesday, June 16 (NBC Los Angeles) โ At midnight, most COVID-19 restrictions were lifted in California. Billed as the stateโs โGrand Reopeningโ, Tuesday marked the end of state rules on social distancing and limits on capacity at restaurants, bars, gyms, stadiums, and other locations. However, some measures will remain in place for large indoor concerts, sporting events, and gatherings of over 5,000 people. Masks are also no longer mandated for vaccinated people in most settings, marking the first time the economy is fully reopened in 15 months. The event was also marked by the largest vaccine incentive in the nation, with $116 million in lottery jackpots and cash card giveaways.
At least 3.8 million people have tested positive for the coronavirus in California and 63,000+ died, the most of any state. Now, it has one of the lowest rates of infection and over 70% of adults have had at least one dose of the vaccine. While unvaccinated people are expected to still wear masks, it is up to businesses to require mask wearing, see proof of vaccination, or operate on an honor system, a policy that the California Nurses Association criticizes. Masks will still be required at airports, in public transit, and indoor classes.
Some people are still expressing caution; many business owners applauded the reopening, while others expressed concern over shifting mask rules.
Novavax: Large Study Finds COVID-19 Shot About 90% Effective
Monday, June 14 (NBC Los Angeles) โ On Monday, vaccine maker Novavax said its COVID-19 shot is 90% effective overall, and protects against variants, based on preliminary data of a large study in the U.S. and Mexico. Plagued by raw material shortages, the company plans to produce up to 100 million doses a month by the end of September. Stanley Erck, CEO of Novavax, said many doses are planned to go to low- and middle-income countries and the company will supply 110 million doses to the U.S. over the next year plus 1.1 billion to developing countries.
The study involved nearly 30,000 people ages 18 and up; two-thirds of them got two doses about three weeks apart. Other participants got dummy shots. In all, 77 cases of COVID-19 were reported, including 14 who were vaccinated (the rest were those who got dummy shots). Mostly mild side effects were reported. A study in Britain is evaluating whether Novavaxโs vaccine is suited as a booster shot for those who received a different shot.
This vaccine uses lab-grown copies of the spike protein coating the coronavirus. Other vaccines supply genetic instructions, so the protein is produced by the body.
โGone Girlโ Actor Lisa Banes Dies After Hit-and-Run Scooter Crash in NYC
Tuesday, June 15 (NBC Los Angeles) โ Actor Lisa Banes, 65, was killed after being struck by an electric scooter in New York City on June 4. The โGone Girlโ and โCocktailโ actor sustained critical injuries in the hit-and-run accident, her manager confirmed on Tuesday. She was struck near Lincoln Center while crossing Amsterdam Avenue, and taken to Mount Sinai Morningside Hospital with a traumatic brain injury. No arrests have been made so far in connection with the crash.
Suspect Arrested in Hit-and-Run Crash That Killed a Long Beach Security Guard in His Guard Shack
Tuesday, June 15 (NBC Los Angeles) โ On Monday, a Quentin Darnell Black, 31, of Moreno Valley, was arrested in connection with a crash on Saturday that killed security guard Derrick Smith, 54. Smith was known for his kind greetings and warm smile by residents of Century Villages in Long Beach. He was killed when the hit-and-run driver crashed into his guard shack. The suspect was booked on suspicion of vehicular manslaughter with gross negligence, plus one count of felony hit-and-run resulting in death or injury. Bail was set at $100,000; the shack was destroyed in the crash and authorities said the driver ran from the scene.
Donovan Williams Killed In Motorcycle Accident on Sierra Highway
Tuesday, June 15 (LA Weekly) โ On Thursday, Donovan Williams, 23, was identified as the victim of a crash on Sierra Highway, who died at the scene. The crash occurred just north of Via Princessa around 10:00 p.m. when, according to reports, a motorcycle and car collided on the roadway. The motorcycle was then engulfed in flames and at least one person was transported to a local hospital. The events leading up to the accident are unknown.
Seven-Year-Old Girl Killed in Thousand Palms Crash
Monday, June 14 (NBC Palm Springs) โ Natalie Tellez, 7, was identified Monday as the person killed in a vehicular crash on the I-10 Freeway in Thousand Palms. An hour after the crash on the Sonny Bono Memorial Freeway, she was pronounced dead at Eisenhower Medical Center in Rancho Mirage. According to the California Highway Patrol, the accident was reported at 1:52 a.m. Sunday as a vehicle with a blown-out tire on the eastbound lanes, near the Monterey Avenue off-ramp. Another passenger in the vehicle required medical assistance for a hand injury.
California Elections Chief: Recall Candidates Must Share Tax Returns
Tuesday, June 15 (Politico.com) โ On Tuesday, California Secretary of State Shirley Weber said recall candidates seeking to replace Governor Gavin Newsom must provide five years of tax returns. Weber concluded the law applies to recall elections after some legal experts argued that it doesnโt. Prominent Republicans running the recall said candidates would release their taxes. A representative for celebrity Caitlyn Jennerโs campaign said her campaign would meet all requirements but made no comment on sharing taxes.
Since Governor Newsom isnโt technically a candidate this fall (itโs more of an initiative, or ballot question, than an election), Weberโs advisory didnโt reveal whether Newsom would provide his taxes. Last month, he gave reporters 90 minutes to review his 2019 tax returns. However, it included only one year of tax data and wasnโt posted online.
COVID Variant: California Scientists Concerned About Delta Strain as State Gears Up for Reopening
Monday, June 14 (ABC 7) โ Ahead of the stateโs reopening this week, scientists in California expressed concern over the coronavirus Delta variant, first detected in India, and which has mutations that make it more transmissible. The impact of the variant in that country has been studied by Dr. Deepak Srivastava of bio medical research organization Gladstone Institutes, who said itโs safe to reopen where vaccination rates are high, but unvaccinated people are at risk of getting the rapidly spreading variant. The Delta variant currently includes 6% of cases in the U.S.
Dr. Nevan Krogan of the Quantitative Biosciences Institute at the University of California San Francisco said getting vaccinated means the virus has less of an opportunity to mutate and that new details about the U.K. variant can help understand the Delta variant. The danger, Dr. Srivastava said, is that a variant may someday evade the vaccines. Both agree that quickly vaccinating the rest of the population in the U.S. and abroad should be the main focus.