COVID-19 Roundup: Surge Overwhelms Lodi Hospital; San Mateo Co. New Shutdown Threat; Haircut Housecalls Could Be New Norm
SAN FRANCISCO (CBS SF) -- The tsunami of news about the current coronavirus outbreak and now the reopenings can be overwhelming. To help you navigate through what you need to know here's a news roundup of the top coronavirus and reopening-related stories from the last 24 hours.
Hair Stylists, Barbers Appeal to Governor to Allow Outdoor Operations
SAN JOSE -- Hairdressers and barbers hope they can convince Gov. Gavin Newsom to waive a state law that prohibits them from working outdoors. Assemblyman Jim Patterson (R-Fresno) and the Professional Beauty Federation of California held a virtual news conference Thursday announcing their intent to send a letter appealing to Newsom to allow hair salons and barbershops to operate outside, much like restaurants have been permitted to do. Despite strict guidelines for reopening, most of the industry has been shuttered since the stay-at-home began in March. Erica Martin, a hairdresser for Embellish Hair Lounge in Campbell, was among the stylists in Santa Clara county who worked for 48 hours before the state ordered salons and barbershops to shut down amid a rise in COVID-19 hospitalizations. Read More
San Mateo County on Verge of New Indoor-Business Shutdowns, Supervisor Says
BURLINGAME -- San Mateo County is on the verge of being put on California's "watch list," which could lead to the shutdown of hair and nail salons and houses of worship, among other indoor businesses, according to San Mateo supervisor David Canepa. "Today's the first day, Friday's the second day and they'll probably shut us down on Saturday," said Canepa, who noted that the leading indicator for watch list placement is the county's numbers of new COVID-19 cases. "Out of 100,000, we're at 124. The number to beat is to be below 100," Canepa said. San Mateo and San Francisco counties are the only ones from the Bay Area not already on the watch list. Even if San Francisco gets placed on the list, it won't have much of an impact because the city has not opened indoor businesses. Read More
Air Force Mobilizes Medical Team to Hard-Hit Lodi Hospital as COVID-19 Cases Surge
SACRAMENTO -- Teams of military doctors, nurses and other health care specialists are being deployed to eight California hospitals facing staffing shortages amid a record-breaking surge of coronavirus cases across the state. The Air Force, at California's request, assigned 160 people to increase capacity in intensive care units. Some teams arrived this week, including 20 people each to the Adventist Health Lodi Memorial Hospital in San Joaquin County on Wednesday; and Eisenhower Health Hospital in Southern California's Riverside County on Thursday. Both hospitals had beds available for extra patients, but they did not have the staff to care for them — highlighting a growing problem across the state as coronavirus hospitalizations reach record levels. Read More
San Jose Unified Schools Will Start Academic Year Learning Remotely
SAN JOSE -- A surge in new COVID-19 cases and the results of a survey of teachers and parents has convinced San Jose Unified School District officials to begin the upcoming academic year on Aug. 12 with students learning remotely. In a letter to district parents released Thursday, Superintendent Nancy Albarran said it was a difficult decision to make, but the only prudent course of action given the current situation. "We believe that in person instruction, even in a limited capacity, is the best way to serve our students," she wrote. "We are gravely concerned about the widening opportunity gap, with our most vulnerable students disproportionately affected by not being able to attend school in person." Read More
Battle Brewing Over Keeping San Mateo County Beaches Open
HALF MOON BAY -- A battle is brewing on the San Mateo County coast over whether cities should close their beaches indefinitely because of the pandemic. This month, the beaches were closed for the 4th of July, but they're open again, and that doesn't make any sense to Half Moon Bay resident Brent Turner, who's calling for a shutdown of city beaches in San Mateo County as soon as this weekend. "If we have to stop the party this weekend so be it, so that we avoid a super-spread situation," Turner said. "If it goes on longer than that, so be it." Turner supported the closure of beaches for 4th of July, but worries that busy beaches and nearly full parking lots will only help spread the disease. Read More
40 More Inmates Test Positive For COVID-19 At Santa Rita Jail In Dublin
DUBLIN -- Forty Santa Rita Jail inmates have tested positive for the COVID-19 coronavirus since Wednesday, sheriff's officials said Thursday. That brings the total to 46, sheriff's Sgt. J.D. Nelson said. None of the inmates at the jail in Dublin has had to be sent to a hospital. All the inmates who tested positive are in the same housing unit, separated from other inmates, Nelson said. Low-level offenders in Alameda County and in other counties have been released following the start of the pandemic to limit or try to stop the spread of the virus in jails. Read More
Napa Valley BottleRock Music Festival Postponed to 2021
NAPA -- The organizers of the BottleRock Napa Valley music festival announced Thursday that the event will be postponed to 2021 due to the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic. The three-day music, food, wine and beer festival was originally scheduled for Oct. 2-4 at the Napa Valley Expo. Festival organizers said the postponed festival -- now scheduled for May 28-30 - will feature headliners Dave Matthews Band, the Red Hot Chili Peppers and Stevie Nicks. "This decision was made prioritizing the health and safety of our patrons, artists, vendors, staff, Napa Valley and surrounding communities," the festival organizers said in a statement on Twitter. In addition to the headliners, organizers said they are making every effort to keep as many artists scheduled for the 2020 festival in the postponed lineup as possible. Read More
At Least 123 Visitors To Nevada Test Positive For COVID-19 In Recent Weeks; 46% From California
LAS VEGAS -- At least 123 visitors to Nevada tested positive for the coronavirus while visiting the state in recent weeks or shortly after returning home, according to state health data. The cases jumped in the weeks after Nevada's casinos reopened on June 4 after being shuttered for nearly three months. Gov. Steve Sisolak said the state was ready to welcome people from across the country, saying "We're encouraging visitors to come and enjoy themselves and have a good time." Last week, Sisolak re-imposed restrictions on bars and restaurants to address a spike in cases, including closing bars in counties deemed hot spots. When asked if he'd close casinos again, the governor said he would wait for additional information before deciding whether to implement new restrictions on them. Read More
Mark Zuckerberg Interviews Dr. Anthony Fauci On U.S. Coronavirus Response
SAN FRANCISCO -- Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg on Thursday was set to interview Dr. Anthony Fauci, the nation's top infectious disease expert, on the U.S. response to the coronavirus pandemic. The discussion on Zuckerberg's own Facebook page comes amid rising tensions between Fauci and the Trump administration, which in recent days has sought to discredit the director of the National Institute of Allergy of Infectious Diseases. "I'm grateful for Dr. Fauci's leadership and looking forward to hearing from him," Zuckerberg said in a Facebook post to announce the interview. Read More
Tesla Tries To Assure Workers There's No Big Virus Outbreak At Facilities
FREMONT -- Tesla is trying to assure its 55,000 employees that there hasn't been a big coronavirus outbreak at company facilities worldwide, despite a report by an electric vehicle industry website that over 130 Tesla employees or contractors have tested positive. In an email to workers Wednesday night, the company said that since January it has had fewer than 10 cases of the virus that causes COVID-19 that were transmitted in the workplace. But the email from Laurie Shelby, Tesla's vice president of environmental, safety and health, also confirmed reports that Tesla is looking into more than 130 positive tests among employees, including those who contracted the virus outside of Tesla facilities. She said less than 0.25% of employees worldwide have tested positive for the novel coronavirus, which equals just over 137 workers. Read More
3 Student-Athletes From Liberty Union High School District In Brentwood Test Positive For COVID-19
BRENTWOOD -- Three student-athletes engaged in summer workouts at Brentwood's Liberty Union High School District have tested positive for COVID-19, forcing the district to temporarily shut down preseason conditioning programs. KPIX 5 has learned one of the athletes is a varsity football player at Heritage High School. Principal Carrie Wells said the team had been practicing in groups of 12 - and that all of the other students in his group have been notified. The football player who tested positive has been asymptomatic the entire time, according to Wells. In a letter to parents, Liberty Union High School District Superintendent Eric L. Volta said the three athletes had been taking part in Contra Costa County health approved activities. They have been working out in social-distanced pods with a limited number of students to prevent widespread exposure among teammates. Read More
Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff: Government Should Step In, Fine People Not Wearing Masks
SAN FRANCISCO -- Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff thinks masks — like seatbelts in cars — need to be part of the American way of life if the country is to overcome the coronavirus pandemic. "We need a cultural revolution," Benioff, who heads the San Francisco-based company, told CNN Business. He argued that countries with cultures more accepting of mask wearing have been more successful in fighting the virus. "This whole mask controversy reminds me of when people were first told they have to wear seatbelts and they didn't want to," Benioff said. "People said, 'But if I get injured, it's my body. It's my life.'" "At some point, the government has to step in and say, 'Yes, you have to wear a mask, and if you're not wearing a mask, you're going to get fined,'" he added. "Just like if you don't wear a seat belt, you get a fine." Read More
Marin Officials Recommend Gradual School Reopenings; San Rafael City Schools To Begin Classes Remotely
SAN RAFAEL -- Marin County's Office of Education and its Health Department has jointly recommended a gradual reopening for local schools with new protocols to prevent the spread of COVID-19 including daily screening of students and teachers. In the guidelines released Wednesday, county officials will allow teachers to meet with students individually or in small cohorts, but in-person instruction is barred before September 8. The approach accounts for rising COVID-19 case numbers in Marin and across the region, including among young people, but also aims to prepare students and staff eventually to be in schools full time, the two departments said in a joint statement. Read More
Danville Star Sabrina Ionescu Happy Her WNBA Rookie Season Finally Underway
BRADETON, Fla -- I'm so glad the wait is finally over, Sabrina Ionescu wrote in her online diary. I hadn't been able to play basketball since March when the coronavirus pandemic hit, and now being in Florida with the New York Liberty at my first training camp has been great. You never know how much you miss something until you can't do it anymore, and to be back on the court playing 5-on-5 with my teammates has been wonderful. I felt at home when I walked into the hotel in Florida and saw the WNBA posters and signs. It was at that moment when I was like: 'Wow. I'm actually in the best professional league in the world.' Read More
Del Mar Cancels Racing Until July 24th Due To COVID-19 Outbreak Among Jockeys
SAN DIEGO -- Del Mar canceled racing for the upcoming weekend after 15 jockeys tested positive for COVID-19. All the track's riders and personnel who work in the jockeys' room were tested by San Diego County public health officials at the request of the Del Mar Thoroughbred Club. Of the 15 positive tests, all were believed to be asymptomatic. "Canceling this weekend's races will give us additional time to monitor the situation and give the individuals who tested positive additional time to recover," track CEO Joe Harper said Wednesday. Contact tracing procedures are underway. All but one of the riders who tested positive rode at the recently concluded Los Alamitos meet in Orange County. The mass testing was ordered by the track after jockeys Flavien Prat and Victor Espinoza tested positive. They are both quarantining at home. Read More
