One in three Los Angeles County residents have been infected with the coronavirus since the beginning of the pandemic, according to new estimates by county scientists, an astonishing sign of how rapidly the virus is spreading in the hard-hit region.
The estimate, based on scientific modeling, means officials believe more than 3 million of L.A. Countys 10 million residents have been infected with the coronavirus, including nearly 13,000 who have died.
Thats more than triple the cumulative number of coronavirus cases that have been confirmed by testing. Officials have long believed that testing only captures a certain percentage of those who are infected because many with the virus dont show symptoms or suffer only mild symptoms.
The rising number of those infected has actually slowed the pace of coronavirus transmission, as the virus is increasingly coming into contact with people who have survived the infection and likely developed immunity.
Unfortunately, we are still engaging in behaviors that facilitate spread of the virus, so it is still able to find plenty of susceptible people to infect, said Dr. Roger Lewis, director of COVID-19 hospital demand modeling for the L.A. County Department of Health Services.
About 75% of L.A. Countys population will need to be immune to the virus through widespread vaccinations to dramatically slow its spread, Lewis estimated. Even if half of L.A. Countys population were immune, and yet we decide to just pretend that we dont have to take precautions, we will still have a very, very devastating pandemic.
L.A. County averaged more than 15,000 new coronavirus cases a day over the past week one of the highest such rates seen so far in the pandemic.
Surpassing 15,000 new coronavirus cases a day takes the county to a level that officials have warned may tip L.A. Countys overwhelmed hospitals into a worse catastrophe, straining resources and stretching staffing to a point that healthcare officials may have to choose which patients receive the attention of critical care nurses and respiratory therapists and access to ventilators and which patients receive palliative care.
Because of this, there has been some talk in L.A. County of adding more teeth to the stay-at-home order, including possible new restrictions on some retail and gyms.
A decision hasnt been made on whether closures or further restrictions on capacity are needed. But settings that may be scrutinized could include outdoor gyms which have been allowed to be open at 50% capacity and indoor malls and retail, which are supposed to be open at up to only 20% of capacity, Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti said.
The mayor added he would back possible new health orders if experts thought it would help stem the spread of the coronavirus.
Officials have been urging residents to take even more precautions to avoid getting sick.
When leaving home to access essential services, L.A. County Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer said, people should bring sanitizing wipes to disinfect their cellphones, car keys, work stations and door handles anything they might touch that others also have touched. Health officials also suggested avoiding eating or drinking with anyone not in your household, washing or sanitizing your hands every hour if youre around others, and taking a break from shopping.
They also issued a new recommendation: People who live with elderly residents or with residents who have an underlying medical condition and must go out of their households should wear a mask at home.
More than 1,600 people in Los Angeles County have died from COVID-19 in the last week a toll Ferrer called tragic, upsetting and, frankly, overwhelming and a sign of extraordinary danger as the possibly more contagious variant of the virus begins to spread in California.
Follow virus precautions as if your life or the life of a loved one depends on it, she said during a briefing Wednesday. Because it just may.
Over the weeklong period ending Wednesday, an average of 232 people died daily from COVID-19 countywide, according to data compiled by The Times. By comparison, the confirmed death toll in the Northridge earthquake which struck the Southland almost exactly 27 years ago was 57.
Just in the past seven days, the county set, then tied, its daily record for new coronavirus-related deaths, with 318.
The last week represents an acceleration, though not an aberration. A total of 2,904 L.A. County residents have died from COVID-19 over the last 14 days a number that represents nearly one-fourth of the countys cumulative death toll, which is just short of 13,000.
Your infection could lead to dozens of other infections in just a matter of a few days, and someone along that path of transmission could very well die from COVID-19, Ferrer said. These are just not normal times, and so we cant go out and just continue to act like nothing is going on.
Ferrer did not rule out issuing additional restrictions.
We are considering all options at this point, she said Wednesday, without elaborating on what new orders might look like.
We are very, very worried about the continued high number of cases here, Ferrer said, and I feel like there really is not a huge window here to try to get the surge under control.
In L.A. County, new COVID-19 hospitalizations have leveled off for now, with even hints of a slight decline. But hospitals are still overstretched and hospitalizations are extraordinarily high; the ICU at Memorial Hospital of Gardena, for instance, is at 320% occupancy.
Over the past few weeks, an average of 700 to 850 new patients a day with coronavirus infections have been admitted to hospitals in L.A. County a number that has pushed hospitals to prepare for the need to ration care.
Thats three times higher than what was seen earlier in the pandemic, said Dr. Christina Ghaly, the L.A. County director of health services.
Although the stable numbers are welcome news, they likely represent a stabilization in transmission that took place after Thanksgiving as L.A. County and California officials issued stay-at-home orders but before Christmas, Ghaly said.
It will take more time to see the effect of Christmas and New Years gatherings on hospitalizations, Ghaly said: We just dont have the information available at this point in time to determine whether or not that surge happened and, if so, how steep those numbers will climb.
If there was a large increase in virus transmission over the holidays, this would be absolutely devastating to our hospitals, she said. Just sustaining the current levels of COVID-19 hospitalizations jeopardizes care for future COVID-19 patients and others who are experiencing non-COVID illnesses and emergencies such as strokes and heart attacks.
For there to be any meaningful relief for healthcare providers, we need a swift and significant decline in hospitalizations for a period of one to two months at a minimum, Ghaly said. Please do not let the current number of daily hospitalizations feel normal to you just because its plateaued. ... It is unprecedented in the course of this pandemic in Los Angeles County, and everyone should continue to be concerned about what could happen if hospitalizations again start to increase.
Even if transmission was relatively controlled over Christmas and New Years, with on average every infected person passing on the virus to one other person, Ghaly said, we would still expect to see very high continued demand for hospital-based services with a continued limited supply of hospital beds as well as in particular ICU beds over the next four weeks.
Across Southern California, hospitals are overcrowded to an extent not seen in modern history. In Ventura County on Tuesday, there was a total of 1,002 hospitalized patients 448 of them infected with the coronavirus. I dont know that weve ever had that many patients hospitalized at the same time in our county, said Steve Carroll, Ventura County emergency medical services administrator.
It does not seem to be getting better, unfortunately, Carroll told the Ventura County Board of Supervisors. All hospitals are overloaded at all times.
The slight decrease in COVID-19 hospitalizations noted by state officials hasnt happened in Ventura County, where theyre at all-time highs, said Dr. Robert Levin, Ventura County health officer. This week is critical. And I think we will know over the next five days or so by watching our hospital census where were headed with this.
Some hospital morgues are full, and hospitals are seeing delays of up to three days in getting the dead out of their crypts and into a mortuary. In some cases, a mortuary can handle only four embalmings a day and quickly face a backup if more than four bodies a day are received. One mortuary said it normally dealt with seven to eight families a week; its now dealing with 50, Carroll said.
Ventura County has recorded a cumulative 388 COVID-19 deaths; nearly half of them, 189, were reported since mid-December.
Many of us watched what happened in New York and Italy and saw horrific scenes. And were getting close, said Ventura County Supervisor Carmen Ramirez.
In Riverside County, there have been days when 10 of its hospitals are using 100%, or more than its total licensed capacity, of beds, said Bruce Barton, Riverside County director of emergency management.
In Orange County, COVID-19 is ravaging families. Dr. Clayton Chau, director of the Orange County Health Care Agency, recounted the story of grandparents who were in the process of adopting their granddaughter, in the eighth grade, whose mother died of cancer a few years ago.
They just died from COVID. Both of them, Chau said at a Board of Supervisors meeting Tuesday, his voice breaking. We need to do something fast in our community. It is not about just reopening our economy that is important. But it is about taking care of our vulnerable community. Our seniors are dying.
Good morning, L.A.
Its not news at this point that the rollout of the COVID-19 vaccine hasnt been as smooth or nearly as fast as state and local officials first hoped.
L.A. County doesnt have enough doses to reach the number of healthcare workers officials planned to inoculate by the end of January, and Gov. Gavin Newsom acknowledged that the speed of distribution in California so far is not good enough.
So if youre wondering where, amid the confusion, you stand in the vaccine line, youre not alone. Fortunately, theres a website (and a newsletter!) for that.
According to Dr. Paul Simon, the L.A. County Department of Public Health's chief science officer, the department will work with the media, healthcare providers, and organizations like the AARP to let civilians know when its their turn. Plus, he added, residents can sign up for an email alert.
Keep reading for more on whats happening in L.A. today, and stay safe out there.
What Else You Need To Know Today
Weekend ReadsThere's a lot going on in the world right now, and its hard enough to keep up with our day-to-day lives, let alone to stay current on the news. But if you have some time this weekend, heres what you may have missed:
Biddy Mason, a formerly enslaved woman, went on to become one of the most important and wealthiest landowners, midwives and philanthropists in 19th Century Los Angeles. (LAist)
College students whose financial aid packages are based on higher, pre-pandemic income are potentially losing out on millions of dollars in grants, loans and scholarships. (LAist)
Regardless of what you may have heard, Los Angeles has had good pizza for a very long time. We created a Pizzapedia to help you find it. (LAist)
As a mob of Donald Trump supporters stormed the Capitol in Washington, D.C., another group took to the streets of downtown L.A. in solidarity, holding "Stop the Steal" signs. Heres what it looked like. (LAist)
Black physicians are getting vaccinated against COVID-19 in order to build trust in a community thats long faced systemic injustice at the hands of the medical system. (L.A. Sentinel)
Artist Lalo Garcias most recent work, a mural in the City of San Fernando, addresses children forced to live in cages by the Trump administration. (San Fernando Sun)
James YAPO Valenzuela, a victim of the pandemic, was a legend in the San Gabriel Valley hardcore punk scene. (L.A. Taco)
The third-largest home in America has been revealed, in Bel Air. (L.A. Mag)
Before You Go How To Order In N Out Fries
We love In-N-Out Burger. We discuss it on the radio. We cover its political donations. We'll fight you if you talk smack about it. On the 5 freeway, we'll drive past dozens of other fast food joints so we can eat at the outpost in Kettleman City, even when it means waiting in a 30-minute line on Thanksgiving weekend. But as much as we love the sinner, we hate the sin and In-N-Out's original sin is their fries.
The fries at In-N-Out are pale, limp, undersalted potato tubes that begin congealing into a soggy, oily mass the moment they emerge from the fryer. God help you if you wait until you're done with your burger to eat your fries. By that time, they're hot garbage except that they're cold.
Which brings us to the workaround.
Help Us Cover Your Community
The news cycle moves fast. Some stories don't pan out. Others get added. Consider this today's first draft, and check LAist.com for updates on these stories and more. Follow us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.
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Coronavirus case numbers slowed this week, and other key metrics showed signs of improvement.
Since Saturday, the state averaged 881 cases per day down from 1,031 cases per day in a six-day period after New Years Day.
Fridays bottom line: The state and its health districts are reporting 154,663 confirmed or probable coronavirus cases statewide, a 4 percent increase over the past week.
Other key numbers:
In other coronavirus headlines from the week:
Vaccinations for K-12 employees. In a big development, the state of Idaho reworked its vaccination schedule, opening the door to the states K-12 teachers and employees. The health of our teachers is paramount to ensuring students can learn in the classroom where they deserve to be, Gov. Brad Little said Tuesday, as he announced the move.
Summer reading program? In his State of the State address Monday, Little laid out an ambitious plan for tax cuts and transportation funding. His education proposals didnt break a lot of new ground. But he did propose $20 million for summer reading programs to help students who have fallen behind during the pandemic.
Back to school in Boise. The Boise School District will reopen schools next week, with students alternating between in-person and online school days. Schools in the states second-largest district have been closed since November.
Here are this weeks numbers, and comparisons with the previous week:
Weekly positive test rate, as reported by the state: 11.4 percent for week ending Jan. 9; 15.7 percent for the week ending Jan. 2. Decrease: 4.3 percentage points.
Senior reporter and blogger Kevin Richert specializes in education politics and education policy. He has more than 30 years of experience in Idaho journalism. He is a frequent guest on KIVI 6 On Your Side; "Idaho Reports" on Idaho Public Television; and "Idaho Matters" on Boise State Public Radio. Follow Kevin on Twitter: @KevinRichert. He can be reached at [emailprotected]
Still, for those who succeeded in getting a shot, the shifting vaccination plans were thrilling a first step, some said, toward getting back to normal life. Maureen Kelly, 73, of Lawrenceville, Ga., walked into her local public health department on Monday and received her first dose within 30 minutes.
It was like clockwork, she said. Ms. Kelly posted her news on social media and was immediately flooded with messages and calls from friends asking how she had done it. The need is great out there, she said.
Her husband,who is 75, still has no appointment. The website froze amid all the people trying to register at once. By the time Ms. Kelly refreshed the page, all the slots were full.
In Cumming, Ga., Vicki Johnson has found the past year to be a frightening and isolating one.
On her granddaughters birthday in November, Ms. Johnson, 72, and her relatives sat at tables spaced six feet apart in the garage, with the door open despite the cold.
I couldnt hug her, Ms. Johnson said. We didnt share food. We each brought our own sandwich. It was just surreal.
The prospect of getting the shot soon has left her thinking about returning to church and hugging her friends again.
As an older person, I dont mean to be maudlin, but you do hear the clock ticking, she said. She swiftly signed up for a shot. Her appointment is next Tuesday.
Jill Cowan, Shawn Hubler, Sharon Otterman, Alison Saldanha, Alex Leeds Matthews, Barbara Harvey, Kristine White, Alex Lemonides, Jordan Allen, Benjamin Guggenheim, Natasha Rodriguez, Cierra S. Queen, Brandon Dupr, Laney Pope and Lauryn Higgins contributed reporting.
Ochsner Health System, Louisiana's largest, said it will delay vaccine appointments for thousands of patients after receiving zero new doses in its regular shipment this week, complicating the health systems mass vaccination plan that has more than 100,000 appointments on the books.
After receiving tens of thousands of doses through the first four weeks of the states vaccination effort, Ochsner didnt get any new doses for patients earlier this week, when shipments typically come in, the Louisiana Department of Health and top officials at Ochsner confirmed Friday. Second doses are still flowing in, meaning patients will still be able to get the required second shot, officials said.
Ochsner will continue to use the doses it has on hand to vaccinate people between now and Wednesday. From Thursday until the following Monday, Ochsner CEO Warner Thomas said patients scheduled for vaccinations will be told their appointments are postponed. Hospital officials declined to say how many appointments are affected, but said the number is in the thousands.
After Ochsner told the Louisiana Department of Health about the high volume of appointments it had booked, the agency said it decided to re-route about 2,000 doses originally allocated to other providers but not being used that were at the states distributing warehouse in Shreveport. Health Department spokesperson Aly Neel said after Ochsner told the department about the volume of appointments it had, the agency on Thursday shipped out 780 doses, and on Friday made the decision to send another 1,280 to the health system. It was unclear if any had arrived as of Friday.
Still, thats a fraction of the 9,450 doses Ochsner received the previous week. To date, Ochsner has administered 67,000 doses, Chief Medical Officer Robert Hart said, and had scheduled roughly 113,000 appointments for vaccinations. An Ochsner spokesperson said the new doses re-routed by the state dont change the health systems plan to delay appointments.
Thomas said Ochsner hopes to get an influx of doses in future weeks, but said appointments beyond those dates may also have to be delayed. He said the system is working to try to find doses going unused at other providers that could be used to inoculate Ochsner patients.
The Health Department makes decisions on where to have federal shipments delivered each Thursday, Neel said. Last week, as the agency was making that decision, officials saw Ochsner had significant remaining inventory.
While we have very limited vaccine made available to us ... its really important that were able to get vaccine where its needed most, she said.
We certainly cant redirect or distribute vaccine thats already allocated to another provider, Neel added. But if there is vaccine that becomes available we want to do what we could to help. She said the roughly 2,000 doses re-routed to Ochsner were originally slated for providers who could no longer use them.
Thomas, of Ochsner, said the state felt like there was going to be a much larger allocation of vaccine from the federal government than it actually received. This week, Louisiana was allocated 55,775 doses, nearly 19,000 of which were diverted to a federal program to immunize nursing home residents and staff. The Louisiana Department of Health said Friday it expects about 58,000 doses next week, and none of them are being diverted to the federal partnership.
Everyone was going on certain guidance and assumptions of what we thought was going to come from the federal government, Thomas said in an interview. The state was making those assumptions, we were making those assumptions, and thats not what happened. So weve had to adjust.
Once the state opened up vaccinations to people 70 years and older and an expanded list of health care workers, Ochsner set out on an ambitious vaccination schedule, putting roughly 113,000 appointments on the books, officials said. Meanwhile, demand exploded, with elderly patients flooding phone lines of pharmacies, many of which started waiting lists.
Louisianas vaccine program is administered by hundreds of providers, many of them pharmacies who have received about 200 doses so far. The Health Department said all of the 210 pharmacies and other providers getting doses for elderly patients and health workers will be resupplied next week, if they arent still working through their current inventory.
The Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady Health System, which includes Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center in Baton Rouge, took a different tack than Ochsner. Instead of opening up the online scheduling system to its 60,000 patients who meet the criteria, Dr. Jimmy Craven, president of the systems physician practice, said staffers are manually calling patients to schedule appointments because of the limited supply from the state.
Our concern is an inability to access the vaccine, he said in an interview Thursday. How do you schedule someone for something not knowing if you have it to deliver on what youre scheduled for?
Baton Rouge General said Friday it was doubling its capacity to administer vaccines to about 1,500 per week. The hospital has opened up its scheduling system to the public via phone or website. Spokesperson Katie Johnston said the hospital is filling additional appointment slots with people on a standby list who meet the current criteria.
Hart said Ochsner will immunize thousands more patients between now and Wednesday. The hospital would not immediately schedule a new appointment date for those patients.
Were not giving them a new date right now, Hart said. Not knowing what our vaccine supply will be, what we dont want to be doing is cancelling and rescheduling over and over for the same patient.
Thomas added Ochsner is evaluating whether to change how it handles appointments given the lack of doses this week.
The zero shipment of doses to us this week was definitely a surprise, Thomas said. We did not anticipate that.
Staff writers Andrea Gallo, Ben Myers, and Emily Woodruff contributed to this report.
SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO) Fifteen more COVID-19 deaths were reported, as active cases in the state remain below 5,000. The last time South Dakota had fewer than 5,000 active cases was on October 8.
On Friday, 425 new total coronavirus cases were announced bringing the states total case count to 104,937, up from Thursday (104,512). Total recovered cases are now at 98,576, 406 from Thursday (98,170).
The death toll is now at 1,629. New deaths reported on Friday were six men and nine women in the following age ranges: 50-59 (1), 60-69 (2), 70-79 (6) and 80+ (6).
Active cases are now at 4,732, up from Thursday (4,728).
Current hospitalizations are at 227, down from Thursday (247). Total hospitalizations are at 6,023, up from Thursday (5,998).
Total persons negative is now at 284,571, up from Thursday (283,660).
There were 1,336 new persons tested reported on Friday. Fridays new person tested positivity rate is 31.8%.
The latest seven-day all test positivity rate reported by the DOH is 10.8%. The DOH calculates that based on the results of the PCR test results but doesnt release total numbers for how many PCR tests are done daily. The latest one-day PCR test positivity rate is 11.1%.
40 South Dakota counties are listed as having substantial community spread, while 17 South Dakota counties are listed as moderate community spread and 9 South Dakota counties are listed as minimal community spread.
Vaccine tracking is now being reported by the state. As of Friday, 27,997 doses of the Pfizer vaccine and 25,778 doses of the Moderna vaccine have been administered to 41,755 total persons. Theres been 9,605 persons completed two doses of the Pfizer vaccine and no one has completed two doses of the Moderna vaccine. Vaccine data does not include vaccine given to South Dakota Indian Reservations because that is federally allocated.
After COVID-19 has devastated his family, Karl-Anthony Towns announced on Friday night that he had contracted the coronavirus himself.
The Minnesota Timberwolves star who already lost his mom and six other family members to the coronavirus revealed he had contracted the coronavirus just hours before they were supposed to host the Memphis Grizzlies in Minneapolis.
That game was postponed by the league, marking the 13th postponement so far this season. All but one of those has come in the last week.
Towns, he wrote on Twitter, is now isolating.
I pray every day that this nightmare of a virus will subside and I beg everyone to continue to take it seriously by taking all of the necessary precautions, Towns wrote on Twitter. We cannot stop the spread of this virus alone, it must be a group effort by all of us. It breaks my heart that my family, and particularly my father and sister continue to suffer from the anxiety that comes along with this diagnosis as we know all too well what the end result could be.
Towns, Timberwolves president of basketball operations Gersson Rosas said, is one of two people who returned positive tests within the organization in the past two days.
For him to have to go through this its heartbreaking, Rosas said, via Chris Hine of the Minneapolis Star Tribune. It hurt. Karl is the most important part of this organization. For what hes gone through and Karl Sr. has gone through, its heartbreaking.
Towns suffered perhaps more than anyone else in the sports world last year.
The 25-year-olds mom, Jacqueline, died in April due to the coronavirus. Jacqueline, a nurse, was placed into a medically induced coma something that first prompted Towns to urge Americans to start taking the pandemic seriously.
Story continues
He later revealed that six other family members, including his uncle and his grandma, had also died due to the coronavirus.
Naturally, basketball didnt seem very important to him after that.
I dont even recognize most of my other games and years Ive played and how I felt those days, Towns said last month after dropping a double-double in their season-opener. If I can be honest with yall for a second, I mean, I dont really recall or really care. I only understand what happened from April 13th on.
Because you may see me smiling and stuff, but that Karl died on April 13. Hes never coming back, I dont remember that man. Youre talking to the physical me, but my soul has been killed off a long time ago.
Towns, who is in his sixth year in the league, has played in just four games this season for Minnesota while dealing with a lingering wrist injury. The former No. 1 overall pick averaged 26.5 points and 10.8 rebounds per game last season.
The NBA postponed three more games on Friday due to the pandemic, bringing the grand total up to 13 less than a month into the 2020-21 season. All but one of those postponements came within the last week which prompted the league to introduce new health and safety protocols.
Despite Towns and others pleas, the pandemic is raging throughout the United States like never before. The country recorded more than 238,000 new cases on Thursday alone, according to The New York Times, and nearly had 4,000 new deaths. More than 4,400 people died on Tuesday, an all-time record.
Its a lesson for all of us, Rosas said, via ESPNs Malika Andrews. Basketball is a microcosm of society right now ... This virus is powerful.
Towns then ended his post with a pledge to his family.
To my niece and nephew, Jolani and Max, I promise you I will not end up in a box next to grandma and I will beat this, he wrote.
More from Yahoo Sports:
Docket Number: FDA-2020-D-1138 Issued by:
Guidance Issuing Office
Center for Devices and Radiological Health
FDA plays a critical role in protecting the United States from threats such as emerging infectious diseases, including the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. FDA is committed to providing timely guidance to support response efforts to this pandemic.
FDA is issuing this guidance to provide a policy to help expand the availability of coagulation systems for measurement of whole blood viscoelastic properties that are used to assess hemostasis, for the duration of the COVID-19 public health emergency.
This policy is intended to remain in effect only for the duration of the public health emergency related to COVID-19 declared by the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) on January 31, 2020, effective January 27, 2020, including any renewals made by the HHS Secretary in accordance with section 319(a)(2) of the Public Health Service Act (PHS Act) (42 U.S.C. 247d(a)(2)).
Given this public health emergency, and as discussed in the Notice in the Federal Register of March 25, 2020, titled "Process for Making Available Guidance Documents Related to Coronavirus Disease 2019,"this guidance is being implemented without prior public comment because FDA has determined that prior public participation for this guidance is not feasible or appropriate (see section 701(h)(1)(C) of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FD&C Act) (21 U.S.C. 371(h)(1)(C)) and 21 CFR 10.115(g)(2)). This guidance document is being implemented immediately, but it remains subject to comment in accordance with the Agencys good guidance practices.
You can submit online or written comments on any guidance at any time (see 21 CFR 10.115(g)(5))
If unable to submit comments online, please mail written comments to:
Dockets ManagementFood and Drug Administration5630 Fishers Lane, Rm 1061Rockville, MD 20852
All written comments should be identified with this document's docket number: FDA-2020-D-1138.
01/14/2021
Update: The Wizards next two games, both against the Cavaliers, have been postponed.
NBA release:
The National Basketball Association games scheduled for Sun., Jan. 17 and Mon., Jan. 18 between the Cleveland Cavaliers and Washington Wizards at [in Washington] have been postponed in accordance with the leagues Health and Safety Protocols.
Because of ongoing contact tracing within the Wizards, the team does not have the league-required eight available players to proceed with the scheduled games against the Cavaliers.
Two Wizards tested positive for coronavirus. Rui Hachimura and Moritz Wagner were out due to health-and-safety protocols. Then a third Washington player tested positive.
Now, its up to four and five.
Fred Katz of The Athletic:
This is a number of simultaneous team confirmed coronavirus cases we havent seen.
The Mavericks recently had four positive tests. The Nets had four positive tests, including Kevin Durant, in March. The Suns reportedly had four or five cases, including Ricky Rubio and Aron Baynes, around the time the bubble started in July. A 2020 Western Conference playoff team reportedly had four cases in June but before teams regathered from the hiatus.
Which is a good reminder: These five Wizards didnt necessarily give it to each other. Coronavirus is spreading throughout the surrounding community. Until recently, NBA players were permitted more contact with people not regularly tested.
However, it appears increasingly likely there was intra-team transmission. Washington shouldnt be playing until the situation is under greater control.
The Wizards game against the Pistons, originally scheduled for tonight, has already been postponed. A Sunday-Monday series against the Cavaliers in Washington already appeared to be in jeopardy.
The NBA requires a team have eight players to play. Five Wizards are now out at least 10-14 days with coronavirus cases. Thomas Bryant is out for the year with a torn ACL. Russell Westbrook might return from his quad injury by the time this gets sorted out. But thatd leave just 11 players from Washingtons roster before contact tracing. It doesnt leave much margin for error.
Nurses statewide face long hours and heavy personal risks. Now some hospitals are finding it hard to fill nursing position vacancies.
SEATTLE As the number of COVID-19 hospitalizations remains high, the number of nurses is moving in the opposite direction. Hospitals say staffing shortages are having an impact.
COVID-19's impact on nurses was a focus during Friday's state Senate Health and Long Term Care Committee meeting. Two nurses spoke candidly, telling lawmakers how the ongoing pandemic is leading to burnout and causing some nurses to leave their jobs.
Like so many places, Central Washington is seeing nurses working overtime to keep up with the demand the virus is creating.
"The number of COVID patients we have in the intensive care unit actually remains very high," said Dr. Jason Lake, the Chief Medical Officer at Confluence Health in Wenatchee.
Lake says what's making matters worse is they have 85 open positions throughout their health system, mostly for inpatient nurses. Due to staffing shortages, there have been occasions when the hospital has had to divert COVID patients to other hospitals in Western or Eastern Washington.
In order to deal with the deficit, nurses already working 12-hour shifts have been asked if they can do more.
"The more short we are, the more overtime shifts they're working, and the more stress it places on them," Lake said.
Danielle O'Toole, a registered nurse in Pierce County, also described the physical, mental and emotional stress.
"We have all become so exhausted working shift after shift with no breaks, caring for more patients than is safe with less support staff... that nurses stopped coming in for extra shifts because we were trying to preserve our own health and mental well being," O'Toole told lawmakers at the hearing.
Paul Fuller, a registered nurse in Chelan County, told lawmakers about nurses quitting.
"It has burned out a ton of our nurses. In a smaller hospital like ours, we have lost 12 nurses since the beginning of this pandemic," Fuller said.
The nurses told lawmakers that they want worker protections, like rapid COVID tests for nurses. And if they are exposed to the virus, they don't want to use their paid time off to quarantine.
Jayson Dick, with the Washington State Nurses Association, said that increased pay could help address some of the issues.
"Another thing that we drive for is we need to incentivize the nurses to pick up the additional shifts in recognition of the heroic efforts that they're making," Dick said.
Lake at Confluence Health said that's been a consideration. Lake added that Confluence Health provides counseling services to its staff, including nurses, if they need that during the ongoing crisis.
"We have talked about incentives both financial and non-financial incentives, really to show them how much we appreciate them and, and to try to get them through this crisis," he said. "We really do depend on the care that they deliver."
