Coronavirus Roundup: Newsom Promises 'Meaningful' Reopening Soon; UCSF Mapping Virus' Deadly Cellular Attack
SAN FRANCISCO (CBS SF) -- The tsunami of news about the current coronavirus outbreak and now the shelter-in-place can be overwhelming. To help you navigate through what you need to know -- KPIX.com/KPIX 5 News/CBSN Bay Area -- will be publishing a news roundup each morning of the top coronavirus-related stories from the last 24 hours so you can start your day with the latest updated developments.
Good News -- Neighbors Helping Neighbors
San Jose Volunteers Organize Food Drive for Salinas Valley Farm Workers
SAN JOSE -- Some San Jose volunteers are making sure that one group of essential workers is not overlooked in the coronavirus crisis. "Thousands of farm workers have not been hunkered down at home during the pandemic, they have been working in the fields and packing houses to put food on our tables," said Darlene Tenes, a San Jose event planner and Latin lifestyle entrepreneur who organized a drive to collect and deliver supplies to farm workers in the Salinas Valley. "It's great to be helpful, because when I was a kid, someone helped my parents," said Ira Dearing while dropping off supplies at the San Jose Women's Club. Read More
For Uplifting Stories Of Neighbors Helping Neighbors Visit Our Better Together Section
Reopening California
Gov. Newsom Announces Record Unemployment Numbers, Promises Progress Toward Reopening
SACRAMENTO -- Gov. Gavin Newsom on Friday said a record of almost four million residents in the state have filed for unemployment since the beginning of the coronavirus emergency in March while promising California he would soon be making important moves toward reducing shelter order restrictions. Newsom started off his daily update of the state's response to the coronavirus crisis by acknowledging the May Day holiday and offered thanks to frontline and essential workers who have helped keep California going. He went on to outline the record number of people currently seeking help after losing their jobs during the COVID-19 pandemic. 3.9 million Californians have filed for unemployment since March 12, with the state distributing $7.5 billion in benefits to those in need. Read More
Most Enlistees Not Eligible To Join California Health Corps
SACRAMENTO -- For days after Gov. Gavin Newsom announced the all-volunteer California Health Corps, he provided updates on how many retired medical workers had signed up and marveled at the numbers — 34,000 in the first 48 hours, 82,000 a week later. Newsom said the state would move quickly to get them to assist with the expected crush of coronavirus cases. The sign-ups reached 93,000, but the wave Newsom worried would overwhelm hospitals hasn't arrived. And the ranks of those in line to join the corps have fallen precipitously. Read More
Modoc County In Far Northern California Defies Newsom's Coronavirus Shutdown Order
MODOC COUNTY -- A rural Northern California county allowed nonessential businesses to reopen and diners to eat in restaurants on Friday, becoming the first to defy Gov. Gavin Newsom's statewide orders barring such moves during the coronavirus pandemic. Modoc County is "moving forward with our reopening plan," Modoc County Deputy Director of Emergency Services Heather Hadwick said in an email to The Associated Press. She said the county of about 9,000 in the state's far northeast corner next to Oregon has had no COVID-19 cases. Read More
Bay Area Nurses Join May Day Protests Over Protective Gear
OAKLAND -- Bay Area nurses are joining nationwide May Day actions Friday, demanding COVID-19 protections for all health care workers. They want their employers and the government to step up when it comes to providing sufficient protective equipment. Outside of Kaiser Oakland Friday morning, nurses were demanding the highest level of protections, including powered air-purifying respirators, and single use of N95 masks and coveralls that incorporate head coverings, shoe coverings and gloves. They say their demands are underscored by the fact that more than 60 nurses across the country have died of COVID-19, although they say that because of a lack of testing, the number is surely higher. Read More
Coronavirus Shelter In Place
Homeless Women, Activists Attempt To Occupy Vacant Castro District Home
SAN FRANCISCO -- Two homeless women and a group of community activists attempted to move into a vacant home in San Francisco's Castro District Friday in protest against the city not using available housing during the coronavirus pandemic before SFPD officers took swift action to stop them. At least three individuals were led away by police from the home they claimed has been vacant for years. Video shot by Chopper 5 showed one of them in handcuffs. Earlier Friday, activists with the group ReclaimSF moved to occupy the home at 4555 19th Street in the Castro in protest as they demanded housing for all people and the right to shelter in place during the global pandemic. Read More
Santa Cruz Co. Limits Beach Hours To Discourage Overcrowding During COVID-19 Stay Home Order
SANTA CRUZ -- In an effort to prevent beach overcrowding which could spread the coronavirus, Santa Cruz County is closing its beaches between 11 a.m. and 5 p.m. every day. It's a policy, Sheriff Jim Hart says, that is designed to discourage day trips to the beach in violation of the California's stay-at-home order. "There were a lot of community members concerned that there were too many people coming to our beaches and possibly bringing the virus into our community," Sheriff Hart said on a conference call with reporters Friday. Read More
High Schools Send Hundreds Of Personalized 'Congratulations' Signs To Class Of 2020 In Alameda
ALAMEDA -- Even though there are no actual high school graduation ceremonies for the Class of 2020 in Alameda, people were still honoring these grads in a special way. Pardon the cliché but it's a sign of the times, lots of signs, all over Alameda. "Every student in Alameda Unified School District, every senior student, received a sign and the sign had their name on it, and their school, and their school colors on it," says Encinal High School teacher Kevin Gorham, who helped organize the celebration. More than 700 congratulatory signs were distributed. Encinal senior Jaden Taylor, is happy to get the attention. Read More
Coronavirus Testing And Medical News
UCSF Leads Team Mapping Blueprint For How Coronavirus Attacks Human Cells
SAN FRANCISCO -- An international team led by UCSF scientists have discovered how a range of existing drugs may fight the coronavirus on a cellular level. Without a human body, the virus can't thrive, replicate or infect anyone else. A pair of Bay Area scientists have added their brain power to a concerted international effort to figure out how the virus attacks the human body on a cellular level in order to determine what drugs might help fight back. "We took a different tact, all right? We went with the biology first," said UCSF Quantitative Biosciences Institute Director Dr. Nevan Krogan. Read More
FDA Gives Gilead's Coronavirus Drug Approval For Emergency Use
FOSTER CITY -- Foster City-based Gilead Sciences' experimental drug -- remdesivir -- has been granted FDA approval for emergency use to help coronavirus patients make quicker recovery from infections. It is the first drug shown to help fight COVID-19, which has killed more than 230,000 people worldwide. The Food and Drug Administration acted after preliminary results from a government-sponsored study showed that Gilead Sciences's remdesivir shortened the time to recovery by 31%, or about four days on average, for hospitalized COVID-19 patients.
Read More
San Francisco Health Officials Order COVID-19 Testing For All Skilled Care Facility Staffers And Residents
SAN FRANCISCO -- Heath officials announced Friday they were launching a program that will require and provide COVID-19 testing for all residents and staff at the 21 skilled nursing facilities located within San Francisco. Across the state and in the San Francisco Bay Area there have been deadly outbreaks of the virus at the senior care facilities. According to the state public health dashboard, of the 254 skilled nursing facilities that have reported data, there have been 4,711 confirmed COVID-19 cases among residents with 663 deaths. Among the staffs at those facilities, there have been 2,697 confirmed cases and 11 deaths. Read More
Supervisor Wants San Francisco Testing Sites Relocated To 'Underserved Neighborhoods'
SAN FRANCISCO -- City Supervisor Shamann Walton is calling for city testing for COVID-19 to be relocated into San Francisco's underserved neighborhoods, and he wants that to happen now. "We need action," Walton said. "Action is asymptomatic testing in as many vulnerable communities as possible, and do it starting yesterday." Walton, who represents the Bayview and Hunters Point districts in Southeast San Francisco, said he would like to see a program like the one UCSF is performing in the Mission District, testing thousands and accommodating anyone who shows up and asks for the test. Read More
Former A's Minor Leaguer Miguel Marte Dies From COVID-19 Complications
OAKLAND -- Miguel Marte, a former minor league player with the Oakland A's organization, has died from complications from COVID-19. According to a tweet from the team, Marte died earlier this week. A prospect from the Dominican Republic, Marte played in the A's farm system from 2008 through 2012. He was 30 years old and is survived by wife, Jasmin, and his two children. "Our thoughts and prayers are with his family and friends," the team said. Read More
Coronavirus And Transportation
Santa Clara VTA To Begin Requiring Face Coverings
SAN JOSE -- Starting Monday, all passengers must wear a covering that covers their nose and mouth while riding on Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority buses and trains, the transit authority announced Thursday. The mandate is part of the extended shelter-in-place order issued this week by the Santa Clara County health officer. The shelter-in-place order has been extended to May 31. Passengers must also maintain social distancing to the extent possible while on buses and trains. Drivers and operators are also required to wear a face covering that covers their nose and mouth. Read More
Coronavirus Economic Impact
Apple iOS Update Will Fix Face Recognition Issue For COVID-19 Masks, Debut Contact Tracing
CUPERTINO -- Apple's next iOS update will help users wearing masks who can't log onto their iPhones using facial recognition and enable contact tracing notifications during the COVID-19 pandemic. In beta versions of the upcoming iOS 13.5, the phone will present users with a passcode screen if it detects a mask, according to Business Insider. The passcode will appear sooner than it does under the current operating system, or users can just swipe up to reach the screen. Read More
Flood Of Applicants Bogs Down California EDD Pandemic Unemployment Assistance
SAN FRANCISCO -- Financial help is finally supposed to be available this week for millions of Californians who couldn't apply for regular unemployment benefits. But we're getting flooded with emails from viewers who say they can't get through to apply. Natalie is one of them: "I was kind of looking forward to some light at the end of the tunnel," she said. Natalie, who preferred to use only her first name, logged onto the Employment Development Department's website first thing on April 28th, the day the state launched the new Pandemic Unemployment Assistance Program. She's in the fashion industry and got laid off last month. But she already had collected unemployment between jobs last year and exhausted her benefits. Read More
Chevron Turns Profit, Warns Of Pain Ahead Due To Coronavirus
SAN RAMON -- Chevron turned a profit in the first quarter. But the company warned its financial picture is likely to be depressed in the future because of reduced demand caused by the coronavirus. The San Ramon-based oil producer brought in $3.6 billion in profits, up 36% from the same time last year. CEO Michael Wirth says the growth was driven by margins in its refining business and increased production in the Permian Basin. But the boost was also driven by the sale of upstream assets in the Philippines, favorable tax items and foreign currency effects which together totaled $1.2 billion. Read More
Coronavirus And Education
Santa Rosa Jr. College Extending Remote Instruction Through Fall
SANTA ROSA -- Santa Rosa Junior College will continue remote instruction through the end of the fall 2020 semester because of the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic, the college's president announced Thursday. SRJC president Frank Chong made the announcement in an open letter to the college's students, faculty and staff. Laboratory classes that require in-person instruction will take place using the college's physical distancing protocols. The school will also cancel all mass gatherings on campus for the foreseeable future, including the Summer Repertory Theatre and other summer programs. Read More
