California Coronavirus Updates: Pharma Giant Pfizer To Discuss Booster Shots With US Health Officials

10:40 a.m.: Pharma giant Pfizer to discuss booster shots with US health officials

Pfizer says it plans to meet with top U.S. health officials to discuss the drugmaker’s request for federal authorization of a third dose of its COVID-19 vaccine, according to the Associated Press.

President Joe Biden’s chief medical adviser acknowledges “it is entirely conceivable, maybe likely” that booster shots will be needed in the coming months. Last week, Pfizer assured booster shots would be needed within 12 months.

This has drawn a rebuttal from U.S. health officials who’ve said that booster shots were not needed “at this time.” While Dr. Anthony Fauci isn’t ruling out the possibility, he says it’s too soon for the government to recommend another shot.

10:30 a.m.: WHO says rich countries should donate vaccines, booster shots

Top officials at the World Health Organization say there’s not enough evidence to show that an additional dose post-full vaccination is needed.

According to the Associated Press, the WHO appealed on Monday for the scarce shots to be shared with developing countries who have yet to immunize their people instead of being used by rich countries as boosters.

At a press briefing, WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said the world’s grotesque vaccine disparity was driven by greed. He called on drugmakers to prioritize supplying their COVId-19 vaccines to less wealthy countries instead of lobbying rich countries to use even more doses as boosters.

10:24 a.m.: Delta now the dominant coronavirus variant in the US

The highly contagious delta variant now accounts for more than 51% of COVID-19 cases in the U.S., according to new estimates released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The variant, also known as B.1.617.2, was first detected in India and is spreading quickly across the globe.

In parts of the U.S., the delta strain accounts for more than 80% of new infections, including some Midwestern states like Missouri, Kansas and Iowa.

The delta variant is already causing 74.3% of infections in Western states, including Utah and Colorado, and 58.8% of infections in Southern states like Texas, Louisiana, Arkansas, Oklahoma and more.

The good news is that the vaccines being used in the U.S. all appear to be highly effective at protecting against severe disease, hospitalization and death by the delta variant. However, public health officials are still concerned and are encouraging the roughly 140 million to 150 million people who remain unvaccinated to get their shots.

10:21 a.m.: CDC says vaccinated teachers, students don’t need masks in school buildings

U.S. health officials say vaccinated teachers and students don’t need to wear masks inside school buildings, according to the Associated Press.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced the new guidelines on Friday. These changes come after a growing national vaccination campaign in which children as young as 12 are eligible to get shots, as well as a general decline in COVID-19 hospitalizations and deaths.

The guidance generally leaves it to local officials to determine how to ensure the unvaccinated are using precautions while letting those who are fully immunized go mask-free. The biggest questions will be at middle schools where some students are eligible for shots and others aren’t yet.

9:45 a.m.: Pandemic garbage overflow has people questioning waste-to-energy processing

As people hunkered down at home during the pandemic, households produced up to 25% more trash than usual. The U.S. still remains awash in refuse, even as COVID-19 cases decline and the economy slowly rolls back, according to the Associated Press.

All of this garbage has people questioning the sustainability of waste-to-energy processing plans. They make up only about half a percent of the electricity generated in the country, but they have long sparked opposition from environmentalists and local residents who decry the facilities as polluters and eyesores.

Members of the industry say they see the increase in garbage production in recent months as a chance to play a bigger role in creating energy and fighting climate change.

President Joe Biden has put a premium on reducing carbon dioxide emissions and creating more renewable energy. And while that push has focused on wind and solar power, the administration has also acknowledged a place for waste-to-energy conversion.

However, any attempt to build more plants in the U.S. will be met with resistance, says Energy Justice Network Director Mike Ewall. He said the plants represent a threat to human and environmental health because they emit chemicals such as mercury and dioxin. Communities have also opposed waste-to-energy plants because of concerns about airborne particulate matter that can have negative health consequences.

10:16 a.m.: Do I need to take precautions at hotels if I’m vaccinated? Health experts say it’s not really needed.

Most fully vaccinated people won’t need to take special precautions at hotels, but what you’re comfortable with will depend on your situation.

According to the Associated Press, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says vaccinated people can resume indoor and outdoor activities without wearing a mask or social distancing. However, people with health issues should talk to their doctors about the need for keeping up precautions like wearing a mask.

Others might not be letting their guards down yet if they’re traveling with children who aren’t yet vaccinated. The guidance could vary by country, too, depending on local vaccination infection rates.

9:14 a.m.: Tokyo Olympics will no longer have fans

Fans are banned from the Tokyo Olympics following a state of emergency to contain rising COVID-19 infections in Japan’s capital.

According to the Associated Press, Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga announced the emergency, and the International Olympic Committee and Japanese organizers followed by banning fans from the Olympics.

Fans from abroad were banned months ago. These new measures will instead clear venues all around Tokyo of any fans attending the games at all.

The emergency declaration made for a rude arrival in Japan for IOC President Thomas Bach, who landed in Tokyo on Thursday just hours before the new measures were announced. He is to spend three days in self-isolation at the five-star hotel that lodges IOC members.

10:08 a.m.: Las Vegas bounces back, but COVID-19 bounces back too

Fifteen months after the pandemic transformed Las Vegas from flashy spectacle to ghost town, Sin City is back in action.

Tourists are streaming in again, and gambling revenue has hit an all-time high. Plexiglass panels installed to separate gamblers at the poker and blackjack tables have been largely removed, the world-famous buffets are reopening and nightclub dance floors are packed.

But, according to the Associated Press, that progress is under threat — Nevada saw the highest rate of new COVID-19 cases nationally this week. The spike is adding urgency to the campaign to get more people vaccinated.

Still, in a place where the economy runs on crowds and uninhibited behavior, a return to pandemic-related restrictions and mask requirements seems to be off the table. Inside casinos, guests are not required to wear masks if they’re fully vaccinated, but employers don’t appear to be asking visitors for proof.

Las Vegas fully reopened and lifted restrictions on most businesses on June 1, though many casino resorts had already returned to 100% capacity before that with approval from state regulators. While not at their pre-pandemic highs, visitor numbers have grown by double digits four months in a row.

9:32 a.m.: As the economy reopens, clothing purges, thrifting surges

A wardrobe purge is on for some as vaccinations have taken hold, restrictions have lifted and offices reopen or finalize plans to do so.

According to the Associated Press, the main beneficiaries are secondhand clothing marketplaces and brick-and-mortar donation spots. This latest purge continues a trend that’s been building for the last several years.

The second hand clothing business is expected to more than double from $36 billion to $77 billion in 2025, according to a recent report commissioned by second hand marketplace ThredUP and research firm GlobalData.

The growth is driven by an influx of new sellers putting high-quality clothing into the market. Even before COVID, buying and selling second hand clothing was popular, but the pandemic made thrifting even more appealing.

The post-pandemic shopper is more environmentally conscious and is showing a greater appetite for clothes that have good resale value, rather than disposable fast fashion, according to ThredUP co-founder and CEO James Reinhart.

10:07 a.m.: Biden says US may be ‘coming back together,’ but that COVID-19 pandemic isn’t over yet

President Joe Biden celebrated the second July Fourth holiday of the coronavirus pandemic by declaring that “America is coming back together,” according to the Associated Press.

Service members and first responders were among more than 1,000 guests at a White House event on Sunday, marking the nation’s founding. Biden highlighted the success of the vaccination campaign he has championed but also warned that the fight against COVID-19 isn’t over.

To the millions yet to be vaccinated, the president said getting your shots “is the most patriotic thing you can do.” More than 200 Americans still die each day from COVID-19, and the more infectious variant of the virus, the delta variant, is spreading rapidly through the nation and globally.

9:44 a.m.: Airlines hint at difficult summer for travelers

If you’re planning to fly this summer, you may want to bring plenty of patience.

According to the Associated Press, airlines are already struggling to keep up with the rising number of Americans flying, as passengers are at a pandemic-era high.

Travelers are posting pictures of crowded airports, recounting horror stories about long delays and more. The industry is quickly bouncing back after claiming to struggle from the pandemic, despite receiving $25 billion in federal aid through the CARES Act, then promptly laying off thousands of workers.

Now the industry is struggling with the lack of pilots and flight attendants. At the same time, just under 2.2 million travelers were screened at U.S. airports on Friday, the highest number since early March 2020.

Southwest Airlines, in particular, has struggled with thousands of delays and hundreds of canceled flights in the past three weeks because of computer problems, staffing shortages and bad weather. According to the pilots’ union, American Airlines is also grappling with a surge in delays and has trimmed its schedule through mid-July at least in part because it doesn’t have enough pilots.

9:14 a.m.: Tokyo Olympics facing mounting pressure from hosting games during pandemic

The pressure of hosting an Olympics during a pandemic is becoming evident in Japan. According to the Associated Press, the games will begin July 23, by the sheer determination of the organizers, even with no spectators attending.

While Japan has made remarkable progress in vaccinating its population against CVOID-19, the drive is losing steam because of supply shortages. Tens of thousands of visitors are coming to a country that’s only 13.8% fully vaccinated.

Gaps in border controls have also emerged, highlighted by two Ugandan team members who’ve tested positive for the contagious delta variant. Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga says the country “must stay on high alert.”

5:02 p.m.: COVID-19 mutual aid groups continue to serve in Nevada

As public officials in Nevada struggled to deal with the initial impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, mutual aid efforts popped up around the state. 

Jennifer Elliott runs a food bank out of her house north of Reno, called the Sun Valley Karma Porch. 

She says she started helping feed her community before COVID-19 arrived, but when it did, she got busier than ever.

“I don’t keep numbers. I could just say that we handed out like, a couple hundred thousand pounds of food over the last couple years. The numbers are just inconceivable for me,” Elliott said.

Elliott says even though the state has reopened and people are back at work, many of her neighbors are still experiencing food insecurity.

9:45 a.m.: US Airports may see over 3 million travelers this holiday weekend

With the country partially reopened, many people are expected to travel and gather for cookouts and family reunions over the Fourth of July weekend in numbers not seen since pre-pandemic days.

According to the Associated Press, well over 3 million people could pass through the nation’s airports this weekend. However, some lingering restrictions combined with worker shortages and still significant numbers of unvaccinated people may mean that travelers still need to be diligent.

There are fears that the mixing of vaccinated and unvaccinated Americans at a time when the highly contagious delta variant is spreading rapidly in the U.S. could undo some of the progress made against the deadly virus.

While airlines are expecting a banner holiday this weekend, they’ve been struggling to get enough staffing to fly their planes and keep the millions of travelers passing through airports flowing. Pools and beaches have also been experiencing worker shortages, and many restaurants and bars in tourist destinations have had to scale back hours due to a lack of employees.

President Joe Biden has welcomed the July 4 holiday as a historic moment in the nation’s recovery from a crisis that has killed over 600,000 Americans. He plans to host more than 1,000 people at the White House — including  first responders, essential workers, and troops — for a cookout and fireworks celebration to what the administration calls a “summer of freedom.”

The U.S. is averaging about 12,000 new cases and 250 deaths a day thanks to vaccines that have been administered to two-thirds of the nation’s adults. But that’s still short of the goal of 70% vaccination by July 4 that Biden set. Vaccine hesitancy remains stubborn, especially in the Deep South and West, allowing the delta variant to spread throughout the country.

9:39 a.m.: U.S. employers added 850,000 jobs in June

America’s employers added 850,000 jobs in June, well above the average of the previous three months. This may be a sign that companies may be having an easier time finding enough workers to fill open positions.

According to the Associated Press, the latest report from the Labor Department was the latest sign that the reopening of the economy is propelling a powerful rebound from the pandemic recession.

Restaurant traffic across the country is nearly back to pre-pandemic levels, and more people are shopping, traveling and attending sports and other entertainment events. The number of people flying each day has regained about 80% of its pre-COVID-19 levels.

9:17 a.m.: Some fans? No Fans? Tokyo Olympic committee still deciding three weeks before the games start.

The Tokyo Olympic organizing committee president has repeated that banning fans from venues is still an option, with the games opening in just three weeks.

According to the Associated Press, this would be a reversal of a decision spelled out 10 days ago by organizers to allow a limited number of local fans. Previously, fans from abroad were banned months ago.

The possible change of direction is being forced by rising new infections in Tokyo and the appearance of the rapidly spreading delta variant. The Olympics are set to open on July 23. The decision on fans is expected to be announced next week.

The government’s top COVID-19 advisor, Dr. Shigeru Omi, said the safest option is to hold the games without any fans.

1:41 p.m.: Many workers laid off early in pandemic never found work in 2020, report says

A new study from the California Policy Lab at UC Berkeley is sharpening the picture of the economic damage to workers and their families caused by the pandemic.

Around 40% of those who filed for unemployment compensation in the second quarter of 2020 earned no income for the remainder of the year. That 40% represents 800,000 California workers who lost their jobs as the pandemic and stay-at-home orders hit and — at least during calendar 2020 — never got them back, nor did they get new jobs.

“Of the about 60% who did earn income in those last two quarters, the majority of them had been recalled to their prior employer,” said TJ Hedin, a co-author of the report.

CPL’s report also discovered an anomaly that’s causing weekly first-time unemployment numbers to appear 66% higher than they actually are.

“They’re being triggered in situations where people might be late to certify for benefits, or they’re being denied payments for multiple weeks in a row,” Hedin said. “So that some people are having maybe five, six, seven additional claims,  but they’re not actually fluctuating in and out of the unemployment system.”

This means, Hedin said, the employment situation is more stable now than first-time claim numbers indicate.

1:34 p.m.: Anti-Asian hate crimes increased 107% in California last year

The state Justice Department says hate crimes in California are at a 10-year high in 2020, Attorney General Rob Bonta announced Wednesday.

There was a 31% annual increase of overall hate crimes. Anti-Black bias events were up by 87%, and anti-Asian hate crimes increased by 107%.

“We’re in a full-on state of crisis, state of emergency when it comes to hate crimes and hate violence,” Bonta said.

Bonta says the rise in anti-Asian hate crimes can be attributed to harmful rhetoric from public figures trying to connect the Asian community with COVID-19. The Newsom administration is proposing an investment of $300 million to support survivors of hate crimes and to help fund community-based responses to violence.

“The highest number of anti-Asian hate crime events reported to our office occurred in March and April of last year just as we were going into shelter in place and we were in the very beginnings of a long struggle with the pandemic,” he said.