It's Thursday. The first Omicron case in the United States was detected in San Francisco. Plus, state officials warn that mandatory water restrictions could be coming. |
 | | Cyclists and pedestrians near San Francisco City Hall.Mike Kai Chen for The New York Times |
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As soon as the first U.S. case of the Omicron variant of the coronavirus was reported in San Francisco, California officials began sounding the same message: Don't panic. |
"We are not surprised by this. This was predictable. This was predicted," Gov. Gavin Newsom said in a news conference yesterday. "We should assume that it's in other states as well." |
It's most likely a similar situation in San Francisco. The city is one of the most vaccinated places in the country — with 77 percent of residents fully immunized against Covid-19 — so it's not particularly susceptible to coronavirus outbreaks. |
But its popularity with global travelers does make it vulnerable to contagion imported from elsewhere. |
Indeed, the San Franciscan infected with Omicron had returned from a trip to South Africa on Nov. 22. The patient's symptoms began three days later. |
That set off a rapid chain of events. The infected person, who is between the ages of 18 and 49, was tested on Sunday and got a positive result on Monday. In less than 24 hours, scientists at the University of California, San Francisco, had determined that it was Omicron. |
Newsom chalked up the diagnosis to California having "the most robust testing program and protocols in the nation" as well as strong collaborations with major academic centers such as U.C.S.F. |
Compared with the nation overall, California does perform genetic sequencing on a higher percentage of coronavirus samples — roughly one in five. (Since August, those tests have shown that at least 98 percent of Californians with Covid-19 have been infected with the Delta variant.) |
Dr. Mark Ghaly, the state's secretary of health and human services, said that the San Francisco patient was self-isolating and had mild symptoms that were improving, and that no close contacts had tested positive — what he called "a testimony to the importance of vaccinations." The patient had received two doses of the Moderna vaccine but no booster. |
In light of Omicron's arrival in the United States, Dr. Anthony S. Fauci, the president's top medical adviser, said that Americans should not wait for pharmaceutical companies to develop a booster shot designed for the new variant and that the available doses would provide extra protection. |
"Get boosted now," he said. "We may not need a variant-specific boost." |
 | | Protesters addressed the Torrance City Council after Christopher De'Andre Mitchell was killed by the police in 2019. A prosecutor is reopening an investigation into whether the shooting was justified.Axel Koester |
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If you read one story today |
 | | Players for the Overtime Elite league warming up before their first game.Victor Llorente for The New York Times |
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- A better path to the N.B.A.?: These teenagers are getting six figures to leave their high schools for basketball.
- Severe drought: State officials say that major water agencies won't get any of the water they've requested and that mandatory restrictions could be coming, The Associated Press reports.
- Poor abortion access: About 40 percent of California counties have no clinics that provide abortions, KQED reports.
- Prosecuting shoplifters: Gov. Gavin Newsom said that shoplifters should be prosecuted under existing state laws, The Associated Press reports.
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- "Ghost gun" ban: The Los Angeles City Council unanimously passed a ban on untraceable guns made from build-it-yourself kits, The Associated Press reports.
- Jacqueline Avant: The philanthropist and wife of the music producer Clarence Avant was fatally shot in her Beverly Hills home.
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- High-speed rail: An appeals court ruled that building high-speed rail in the San Joaquin Valley was permitted under the State Constitution, The Fresno Bee reports.
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- Record high temperatures: Several Bay Area cities, including San Francisco, recorded their warmest start to December yet, The San Francisco Chronicle reports.
- Student vaccine mandate: Most students in the Sacramento City Unified School District failed to meet the district's Nov. 30 vaccination deadline, The Sacramento Bee reports.
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 | | Julia Gartland for The New York Times |
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Today's travel tip comes from Barry Naiditch: |
"A four- or five-day trip from San Diego to the Central Coast is a favorite for this household. The beaches are clean and uncrowded, with wine tasting venues nearby." |
Tell us about your favorite places to visit in California. Email your suggestions to CAtoday@nytimes.com. We'll be sharing more in upcoming editions of the newsletter. |
Has your child been vaccinated against Covid-19? |
Share stories of your children receiving their coronavirus shots and how it has affected your holiday plans. Please include your child's name, age and city of residence — and even a photograph, if you'd like. |
And before you go, some good news |
"The Hare With Amber Eyes." "The Dangerous Book for Boys." "Heart of Darkness." |
Those books and others are prized possessions for Tiffany Bey, but she doesn't have a safe place to store them. So Bey, who lives in a tent in downtown Los Angeles, signed up for the Bin, a storage facility for homeless people in the city. |
Each bin is a repurposed 60-gallon trash can where individuals can keep whatever they treasure most. |
"I'm happy I found it because it really helped me out when I needed it," she told Spectrum News 1 as she unloaded her books. "I store the items that are most valuable to me in here." |
Thanks for reading. I'll be back tomorrow. — Soumya |
Steven Moity and Mariel Wamsley contributed to California Today. You can reach the team at CAtoday@nytimes.com. |
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