News Of The Day

Newsom Issues Urgent Call For Doctors, Nurses To Enroll In Newly Created California Health Corps: In a bid to dramatically boost the number of health care workers fighting the deadly coronavirus spreading across the Bay Area and beyond, Gov. Gavin Newsom on Monday announced a plan to temporarily bring both recently retired health care workers and students who are about to graduate as doctors and nurses into the workforce. "We need you," Newsom repeatedly said, aiming his comments at healthcare workers. "We'll help you with your relicensing, we'll help you with the protocol and processes to get you up and running and get you out the door so that you can support the needs of people in California. The urgent need for healthcare workers comes as the death toll from the coronavirus in California rose to 142 and the number of confirmed cases surged to more than 6,800. Read more from Emily DeRuy and Maggie Angst of the Bay Area News Group and Melody Gutierrez of the Los Angeles Times.

Officials Investigate Sharp Increase In Nursing Home Outbreaks In Los Angeles: Los Angeles County officials are investigating coronavirus outbreaks at 11 area nursing homes, where elderly residents with underlying health conditions are among the most vulnerable to the deadly new pathogen. That's nearly quadruple the number of nursing home outbreaks county officials had announced on Friday. Meanwhile, in San Francisco, officials are begging for state and federal aid to help in averting a looming disaster at the city's Laguna Honda hospital 780-bed nursing home, where a coronavirus outbreak is growing. On Monday, city officials admitted San Francisco is not equipped to handle a surge of cases there. Since March 26, 158 staff members and 54 residents have been tested for the virus. Dozens of tests are still pending. The city has requested over 100 additional staff and more equipment from the state and federal governments. Read more from Jack Dolan, Marisa Gerber and Harriet Ryan of the Los Angeles Times, and Cynthia Dizikes, Jason Fagone and Trisha Thadani of the San Francisco Chronicle.

Doctors, State Leaders Cautiously Optimistic That Social Distancing Measures Have Helped Flatten Curve: Six Bay Area counties were first in the country to adopt aggressive shut-down tactics with an enforceable March 16 order requiring residents to stay at home. Gov. Gavin Newsom quickly followed with a statewide order three days later restricting the state's 40 million residents from all but essential activities. After 14 days — the outermost period at which symptoms are believed to emerge post-infection — doctors at area hospitals are now reporting fewer cases than they expected to see at this point, and officials credit the lockdown with stemming the tide of patients they feared would flood into emergency rooms. Read more from John Woofolk of the Bay Area News Group; Debra Kahn and Carla Marinucci of Politico; and Dan Simon and Stephanie Becker of CNN.

Below, check out the full round-up of California Healthline original stories, state coverage and the best of the rest of the national news for the day.

More News From Across The State

Coronavirus

San Francisco Chronicle: Bay Area Hospitals Face Huge Challenge: Stopping Spread Of Coronavirus Within Their Own Walls
As California hospitals brace for a surge of patients sickened by the new coronavirus, they must confront one of their biggest challenges: stopping the spread of the virus within their own walls. If history is any guide, however, it will not be easy.In recent years, even some of the state's best hospitals have faced difficulties curbing infections in their facilities. (Dizikes and Palomino, 3/30)

San Francisco Chronicle: California-Coronavirus: Gov. Newsom Will Be Face Of The State's Response
Gov. Gavin Newsom's decision to start holding daily briefings about the coronavirus crisis in California is a sign the state is about to go prime time in its fight against the pandemic — and that Newsom will be the face of its response. With Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti predicting his city will soon be inundated with COVID-19 cases like New York is now, the national spotlight is likely to be pointing at Newsom. The leader of the world's fifth-largest economy — the "nation-state," as Newsom likes to call it — must become a reliable source of information, direction, foresight and comfort to 40 million Californians. (Garofoli, 3/30)

San Francisco Chronicle: Number Of Californians In ICU With Virus Nearly Triples Over Weekend, Hospitalizations Double
The number of Californians being treated in intensive care for COVID-19 has nearly tripled since Friday, and hospitalizations in the state nearly doubled. While testing lags, experts say these numbers are a key marker for understanding the state's outbreak. California Gov. Gavin Newsom said Monday that the number of people hospitalized across the state with the new virus was 1,432. That number nearly doubled since Friday, when there were 746 people in the hospital. (Bauman, 3/30)

Fresno Bee: Pace Of California COVID-19 Deaths Compared To Other States
The number of Californians dying from COVID-19 is growing at a much slower pace than in some other states. At the moment, California COVID-19 deaths are doubling every three to four days. In New York, New Jersey and Michigan, the number of deaths doubles about every one to two days. (Reese, 3/30)

San Francisco Chronicle: Bay Area Researchers In Race To Develop Coronavirus Antibodies Test To Understand Immunity
In a new frontier to fight COVID-19, Bay Area researchers are racing to develop new blood tests that can not only help diagnose the disease, but could help determine whether people become immune after catching it and lay the groundwork for a vaccine. Scientists at UCSF and the San Francisco Vitalant Research Institute are among several across the country developing tests. UCSF hopes to start using its test as early as this week, although it won't be widely available to the public. (Moench, 3/30)

Fresno Bee: What Could Coronavirus Mean For California's Uninsured?
Norma Duarte, a 46-year-old stay-at-home mother of three in Mendota, does not have health insurance. Neither does her oldest son, 19, nor her 42-year-old husband. Duarte's husband used to work for a pesticide company and made around $40,000 a year – just "enough to pay the bills," she said. He lost his job a little more than a month ago. She worries about what might happen if someone in the family falls sick. The Duartes are not alone. (Amaro and Dasgupta, 3/30)

San Francisco Chronicle: Coronavirus Shelter-In-Place Orders Extended To At Least May 1 For Most Of Bay Area
San Francisco Mayor London Breed confirmed Monday that the shelter-in-place orders in effect across the Bay Area will extend until at least May 1. The orders for people to stay at home for all but the most essential errands took effect March 17. Cutting down on person-to-person interactions as much as possible helps to cut down on the spread of coronavirus, according to public health officials. It's a critical step in "flattening the curve" — reducing the number of new cases to prevent hospitals from becoming overwhelmed. (Fracassa, 3/30)

Sacramento Bee: Coronavirus: CA's Small Businesses May Get $48 Billion In Aid
More than 763,000 small businesses in California could be eligible for $48 billion worth of help from the economic aid package that became law last week. The estimates from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce reflect what state businesses could receive from the $350 billion national program aimed at allowing smaller companies to retain employees. The federal government would provide forgivable loans to help them meet payroll and pay the rent and utilities. (Lightman, 3/31)

San Francisco Chronicle: Swanky San Francisco Tennis Club To Become Homeless Shelter During Coronavirus Outbreak
Bay Club San Francisco Tennis, the swanky 24-court tennis facility in San Francisco's South of Market, will become a temporary homeless shelter aimed at getting people off the street during the coronavirus pandemic, the club said Monday. The club, which has 12 indoor courts and another 12 rooftop courts at Fifth and Brannan streets, is slated to be demolished to make way for a new mixed-use development that will include a new headquarters for Pinterest. The property is owned by Alexandria Real Estate Equities and TMG Partners. (Dineen, 3/30)

Bay Area News Group: With Few Details On Coronavirus Cases, Bay Area Homeless Outreach Workers Worry
Every day, while most people hunker down at home in an attempt to stay safely out of reach of the sometimes-deadly coronavirus, others put themselves at risk, donning masks and gloves and venturing deep into the Bay Area's homeless camps to help the region's most vulnerable. But some officials and service providers worry those front-line responders can't adequately protect themselves because they lack one key tool — information. (Kendall, 3/31)

Fresno Bee: Coronavirus Sparks Run On Thermometers
Hand cleaner, toilet paper and basic household supplies are not the only items in short supply in the central San Joaquin Valley due to concerns about the coronavirus pandemic. It's also hard to get hold of a thermometer. A check of Fresno-area pharmacies, including CVS and Walgreens, as well as major retailers Walmart and Target, found the basic health measuring devices missing from shelves. Amazon reported thermometers out of stock to online buyers as well. (Guy, 3/30)

San Francisco Chronicle: Telemedicine Booms As Coronavirus Hits Bay Area: Here's What You Need To Know
Telemedicine is "having a moment," as Dr. Rahul Parikh at Kaiser Permanente Walnut Creek Medical Center put it. As the COVID-19 outbreak escalates around the country, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is urging health care providers to boost telehealth, and encourage patients to avoid in-person treatment unless it's a medical emergency. Experts say virtual doctor visits are critical to reduce the spread of the disease and avoid overwhelming local health care systems with cases of COVID-19 — for which there's no medical cure. (Moench, 3/30)

Sacramento Bee: Coronavirus Spreads In California Prisons: Latest Cases
Four state prison inmates — three of them at California State Prison, Los Angeles County, in Lancaster — have now tested positive for coronavirus, along with 18 corrections workers throughout the prison system, officials said Monday. The fourth inmate is housed at the California Institution for Men in Chino, and the growing numbers of positive tests among prisoners and staffers come as federal judges are preparing for a Thursday hearing over whether an emergency order should be issued releasing some inmates from the overcrowded prisons. (Stanton, 3/30)

Fresno Bee: New COVID-19 Patients In Fresno, Tulare And Madera Counties Bring Valley To 128 Cases, 2 Deaths
Coronavirus cases in the central San Joaquin Valley Fresno County and surrounding Valley counties continued to climb Monday — as health officials in Fresno, Tulare, Merced and Madera counties collectively reported 23 new patients with confirmed positive tests for the contagion. In its first update since Saturday, Fresno County Interim Health Officer Dr. Rais Vohra said 10 new cases cropped up by Monday afternoon, increasing Fresno County's total to 53. (Sheehan, 3/30)

Bay Area News Group: Stanford Asks Students Who Left State To 'Self-Isolate'
Stanford University is asking all students, faculty and staff who left the state over spring break to 'self-isolate for 14 days,' upon returning to campus. The protocols apply to anyone who uses campus buildings or offices for any reason other than health care and anyone living in on-campus student housing. Undergraduates living in on-campus housing were advised not to leave the Bay Area for any reason over spring break. They were also instructed not to leave campus except for essential needs. (Crowley, 3/30)

Bay Area News Group: Worker At San Jose Cardenas Markets Tests Positive For COVID-19
An employee of Cardenas Markets in East San Jose has tested positive for the coronavirus, a spokesman for the supermarket chain confirmed Monday evening. The store, at 1070 S. White Road, will be closed, deep cleaned overnight and restocked. Other employees who have been in direct contact with the infected employee have been sent home for a 14-day quarantine. (DeRuy, 3/30)

Women's Health

Sacramento Bee: California Prisons To Give Light Duty To Pregnant Guards
Female California correctional officers will no longer have to break up inmate fights or carry out other physically demanding tasks while pregnant under a policy change at the state corrections department. The California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation made the change after women filed three separate lawsuits charging they were denied light duty accommodations well into their pregnancies. The women said the department's policy forced them to choose between their babies and their jobs by requiring them to work through pregnancies without relief, lose pay while on leave or risk losing critical certifications during temporary assignments in other positions. (Venteicher, 3/31)