Coronavirus Reopening Roundup: Alleged Doggie Diaper Face Masks At Oakland McDonald's; Zoos Facing Dire Fiscal Conditions
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 and reopening-related stories from the last 24 hours so you can start your day with the latest updated developments.
Oakland McDonald's Workers File Lawsuit Over Working Conditions During COVID-19 Outbreak
OAKLAND -- Workers at an Oakland McDonald's who allege that they were forced to use a doggie diapers as a safety face masks for protection against the coronavirus filed a lawsuit Tuesday. According to the attorney representing the employees, 25 cases of COVID-19 stems from this store, due to unsafe working conditions. "This is the McDonald's restaurant that has gained some noteriety for making people use masks made of doggie diapers," said Michael Rubin, the attorney representing the workers. Employees were pictured on social media wearing the doggie diapers along with the coffee filters they say they used as masks as well. Read More
Bay Area Zoos Struggling To Feed Animals, Pay Workers Due To COVID-19 Closures
OAKLAND -- After shutting down for months during the COVID-19 stay at home order, Bay Area zoos are now in financial dire straits and forced to dip into their dwindling reserves to feed and care for their animals and pay employees. "Our reserves have been keeping us afloat. But at some point, that's going to run out," says Dr. Joel Parrot, the president of the Oakland Zoo. Dr. Parrot says federal money from the Payroll Protection Program has helped offset some of the losses from visitors and admissions. But he says being allowed to reopen is critical to the zoo's long-term financial well-being. Parrott says the zoo has trimmed its monthly budget to roughly $1.3 a month for the care and feeding of its 750 animals. Read More
San Jose Dismantles Trailer Park Built To House Elderly Homeless People During Pandemic
SAN JOSE -- Just a month after its long-awaited opening, a makeshift trailer park for the homeless is being dismantled in the parking lot of the Happy Hollow Park and Zoo. "I was a bit upset about it, because I had just moved in. I still hadn't gotten situated in there yet, but hey, what can you do?" asked Darriel Trotter, a former park resident. Trotter says the Abode, a homeless services contractor found him a hotel room to move into. "It's the Holiday Inn in Sunnyvale, it's a nice place. It was a nice place here too," he said. Read More
Workers Union Accuses Napa Queen of the Valley Hospital Of Violating COVID Safety Protocols
NAPA -- The National Union of Healthcare Workers accused a Napa hospital Tuesday of violating COVID-19 coronavirus safety protocols and failing to test hospital workers who may have been exposed to the virus. According to the union, more than two dozen workers at Queen of the Valley Medical Center have been unable to obtain a coronavirus test after caring for a patient last week that later tested positive for the virus. The patient was admitted June 8 without being testing for COVID-19, according to the union. Health care workers caring for the patient allegedly did not receive protective equipment like N95 masks. At least seven union members and another 20 workers came into contact with the patient, according to the union. Read More
Activists, Inmates Call For Action Amid San Quentin COVID-19 Outbreak
SAN QUENTIN -- Activists, prisoners and their families on Tuesday were demanding action to stop what they are calling a brewing public health crisis at San Quentin State Prison due to COVID-19. During a virtual press conference Tuesday morning, activists with Oakland's Ella Baker Center for Human Rights said the coronavirus started rapidly spreading through the prison last week. There have been 26 confirmed cases so far. Prison staff are being tested, but those inside say robust testing of inmates has not occurred. Activists and prisoners are now asking for Governor Newsom to release more inmates at a faster pace and keep the prison population down. Read More
San Mateo Health Officer: 'Up To You' To Avoid 2nd COVID-19 Wave
SAN MATEO COUNTY -- The health officer in San Mateo County urged residents to continue wearing face coverings and take other precautions to avoid a potential second wave of COVID-19 infections later this year. Dr. Scott Morrow, the county's health officer, said in his latest statement to residents that the case rate remains high in the county, hospitalizations were worsening until recently, and models predict a second wave could come in August. "You all are now the most important variable in how our future will develop. Follow the key behaviors well, including extensive use of facial coverings, and that will bode well for all of us," Morrow said. "Don't, and our future will be dim." Read More
Zoom Now Worth More Than Nearly 85% Of The S&P 500 Stocks
SAN JOSE -- Zoom Video Communications of San Jose has arguably been the biggest beneficiary of the remote work and virtual home schooling reality that many Americans now live in as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. The stock has soared more than 250% so far this year. Zoom is now worth more than $67 billion. To put that in perspective, Zoom is a more valuable company than 417 of the firms in the S&P 500 -- nearly 85% of the members in the blue chip index. Zoom has a bigger market cap than the once mighty General Electric and is worth more than Dow 30 components Caterpillar, Walgreens, Dow and Travelers. Not bad for a company that's only a little more than nine years old, just went public in April 2019 and is expected to generate less than $2 billion in annual sales this fiscal year. Read More
