COVID-19 Updates from April Until Now

COVID-19 Updates from April Until Now

In the wake of the COVID-19 (Coronavirus) pandemic that began in 2019, Breathe California Sacramento Region sought to share public health and air quality-related news and studies about the pandemic. We’ll be updating this blog on a regular basis with a selection of stories in which they offer comments and context.

Notice: Some COVID-19 information shared below is from past Breathe newsletters and may be out-of-date. Please refer to the World Health Organization (WHO) and Centers for Disease Control (CDC) for regularly updated information.

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September 17th

• Eating Out is Among Riskiest Activities During COVID-19 Pandemic, CDC Says (The Sacramento Bee)
  In a new study with 314 adults who were tested for COVID-19, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found that adults who tested positive for the coronavirus are twice as likely to have eaten at a restaurant in the two weeks prior to becoming sick.

• Kids Caught the Coronavirus at Child Care Centers and Infected Family Members, CDC Report Says (CNBC)
  The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released a new study indicating that young children in daycare or who attend day camp can contract the coronavirus and spread it to their relatives, underscoring that kids can bring the virus home and infect others.

• New Research Shows Disproportionate Rate of Coronavirus Deaths in Polluted Areas (ProPublica)
  New research conducted by ProPublica indicates that industrial air pollution may explain the disproportionate rate of coronavirus deaths in West Baton Rouge and other counties in the state’s chemical corridor.

• The Hidden Dangers of a Negative Coronavirus Test (AARP)
  A recent study by John Hopkins University found that patients who were tested with the most common coronavirus test (RT-PCR test) soon after becoming infected with the virus were more likely to receive a false-negative result compared with those who were tested when visible symptoms of COVID-19 appeared.

• Exercise and Diet are More Important Than Ever with Virus at Large (Kaiser Health News)
  A recent study by John Hopkins University found that patients who were tested with the most common coronavirus test (RT-PCR test) soon after becoming infected with the virus were more likely to receive a false-negative result compared with those who were tested when visible symptoms of COVID-19 appeared.

• “Unprecedented”: What’s Behind the California, Oregon, and Washington Wildfires
  (VOX)
  The size, speed, and timing of the wildfires, coupled with the COVID-19 pandemic, have created a unique disaster. The National Interagency Fire Center reports that across 12 states, 100 large wildfires have burned 4.6 million acres and have put a strain on state resources already impacted by the coronavirus pandemic.

September 2nd

• California’s Deadliness Month of the COVID-19 Pandemic is August
  (The Los Angeles Times)
  August was California’s deadliest month of the pandemic. According to the LA Times, California reported 3,745 COVID-19 deaths in August, an 18% increase since July. With 700,000 coronavirus cases, California had the most in the country.

• COVID + Influenza: This is a Good Year to Get a Flu Shot, Experts Advise (Kaiser Health News)
  The flu kills tens of thousands of people in the U.S. each year among the very young, elderly, and those with underlying conditions. Coupled with the effects of COVID-19, public health experts say it is more important than ever to get a flu shot.

• Rethinking Indoor Air to Stop the Spread of COVID-19 (Marketplace Tech)
  An important approach to lowering the concentration of indoor air pollutants and contaminants, including the coronavirus, is to increase ventilation. For buildings with less ventilation, hear from an expert on ways to manage ventilation, and read this article on the importance of proper filtration during unhealthy air quality days. Also, visit the EPA’s “Ventilation and Coronavirus (COVID-19)” page to learn more.

• The Debate Over COVID-19 Distancing: How Far is Enough? (Undark)
  An important approach to lowering the concentration of indoor air pollutants and contaminants, including the coronavirus, is to increase ventilation. For buildings with less ventilation, hear from an expert on ways to manage ventilation, and read this article on the importance of proper filtration during unhealthy air quality days. Also, visit the EPA’s “Ventilation and Coronavirus (COVID-19)” page to learn more.

August 20th

• As Wildfires Burn, Smoke Makes it Easier to Get COVID-19, Experts Say, How to be Safe (The Sacramento Bee)
  As wildfires rage across the western U.S, health experts warn that usual preparations needed to stay safe may veer from the norm as the coronavirus pandemic continues to burden millions in the country. Learn how Red Cross is providing shelter to evacuees impacted by the LNU Fire Complex, here.

• Safety is Top of Mind: How Officials are Balancing Heat Danger, COVID-19 at Cooling Centers (The Sacramento Bee)
  As wildfires rage across the western U.S, health experts warn that usual preparations needed to stay safe may veer from the norm as the coronavirus pandemic continues to burden millions in the country. Learn how Red Cross is providing shelter to evacuees impacted by the LNU Fire Complex, here.

• How Community-Based Contact Tracing Can Help Reduce California’s Coronavirus Numbers (Cap Radio)
  Gov. Gavin Newsom announced last week $81.8 million in philanthropic aid to bolster contract tracing and quarantine efforts. The bulk of funding–a $63 million grant from Kaiser Permanente–will go to Oakland-based Public Health Institute to provide targeted contact tracing in areas hit hard by the virus.

• Vaping Links to COVID-19 Risk in Teens and Young Adults (UCSF Center for Tobacco Control Research and Education)
  According to a new study led by researchers at the Stanford University School of Medicine, vaping is linked to a substantially increased risk of COVID-19 among teenagers and young adults. Teens and young adults who vape are up to seven times more likely to be infected with COVID-19 than peers who don’t use e-cigarettes.

• Winter is Coming: Why America’s Window of Opportunity to Beat Back COVID-19 is Closing (STAT)
  Amid the pandemic, winter could bring a whole host of new challenges–and public health experts say now is the time to prepare. Experts express concern about pandemic-weary Americans who are more focused on pre-COVID lifestyles than in suppressing the virus so the nation can avoid more lockdowns.

• Chronic Stress is an Underestimated Pandemic Risk Factor (Elemental)
  Amid the pandemic, winter could bring a whole host of new challenges–and public health experts say now is the time to prepare. Experts express concern about pandemic-weary Americans who are more focused on pre-COVID lifestyles than in suppressing the virus so the nation can avoid more lockdowns.

August 6th

• Latino and African American Workers in Sacramento Region Face High Economic Hardship, Job Concerns as Pandemic Continues (Cap Radio)
  According to county data, Latinos and African Americans make up over a third of the coronavirus cases in Sacramento, though they are just under a quarter of the region’s population. Additionally, other statistics show that Latinos and African Americans are much less likely to be able to work from home than their White or Asian counterparts.

• Nearly All California Schools Ordered to Shut Down. Online Classes Mandatory. (Cal Matters)
  More than 5.5 million California students will not be allowed to attend school for in-person education this fall. Instead, all education for at least 90% of the state’s children must be held online. Learn more about this shift in this informative article. Find more resources for school closures here.

• Growing Understanding of Airborne Coronavirus Puts Focus on Air Conditioning (WGBH)
  As more people head back to work, start shopping in malls, and doing other things in public, indoor spaces, the airborne virus is a real concern — especially as it gets hotter and we rely more on air conditioning. The virus can float through the air and be inhaled by someone, even if they’re diligently practicing social distancing. For a look at how coronavirus spread on the Diamond Princess cruise line via aerosol droplets, read this article from The New York Times.

• A Surprise Surge in Air Pollution May be Causing More Coronavirus Complications (Elemental)
  Spikes in pollution caused by a federal relaxation of air quality standards in March led to increases in COVID-19 cases in the most industrialized areas of the United States, new research suggests.
  
• Coronavirus Vaccine Tracker (The New York Times)
  Researchers around the world are developing more than 165 vaccines against the coronavirus, and 27 vaccines are in human trials. Read this informative article for the background on ongoing vaccine research and what it will take to disseminate a viable vaccine to the public. For more information on vaccine types, read this.

July 16th

• The COVID-19 Resilience Poll (2020) (Valley Vision)
  The COVID-19 Resilience Poll tracks the experiences, perceptions, concerns, and hopes of people in the Capital Region through the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic including the health impacts and fears, the experiences through the shelter in place order, and the economic fallout from the pandemic.

• Scientists Warn About Airborne Coronavirus Infection (Harvard T.H. School of Public Health)
  Mounting evidence suggests that tiny viral particles that linger in the air in indoor spaces are a significant source of Coronavirus infection, according to 239 experts who wrote an open letter to the World Health Organization.

• HGHI Releases Guidance for COVID Suppression (Harvard Global Health Institute)
  This map gives the most recent levels of Coronavirus cases across the country. Check your county and cities from across the U.S. for how they are doing amid the pandemic.

• The Fullest Look Yet at the Racial Inequity of Coronavirus (The New York Times)
  This map gives the most recent levels of Coronavirus cases across the country. Check your county and cities from across the U.S. for how they are doing amid the pandemic.

• ‘We Have Been Through This Before.’ Why Anti-Asian Hate Crimes are Rising Amid Coronavirus (PBS News Hour)
  The U.S. Commission on Civil Rights said last month it was concerned about how the pandemic was contributing to anti-Asian racism, noting in a list of recommendations for federal agencies that this kind of discrimination can not only lead to hate crimes, but also to discrimination in education, housing, and employment, among other areas.

• How Wildfires Make COVID More Dangerous (The New York Times)
  From the article: There are several ways that smoke exposure could make the pandemic worse, Dr. Henderson said. “When your immune system is overwhelmed by particles, it’s not going to do such a good job fighting other things, like viruses,” she said.

July 2nd

• COVID-19’s Long-Term Effects on Climate Change–For Better or Worse (Phys.Org)
  Though we have seen emissions levels plummet, we have also seen backward movement all over the world. From the weakening of climate policies to continued deforestation in the Rain Forest, the pandemic has created a mixed bag of outcomes.

• Coronavirus: A Wake-Up Call to Strengthen the Global Food System (Phys.Org)
  Today’s globalized food system consists of highly interconnected subsystems. It is characterized by increasingly complex trade networks and an efficient supply chain, with market power located in the hands of few. A shock to the food system can lead to ripple effects in political and social systems.

• Non-Allergic Asthma Linked with Increased Risk of Severe COVID-19 (Harvard T.H. School of Public Health)
  Adults with asthma who became infected with COVID-19 were at a higher risk of developing severe illness compared with adults who did not have asthma, according to a new study led by researchers at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.

• As COVID Cases Spike, California Shifts Its Strategy (Kaiser Health News)
  Predictions of a summer lull have evaporated. Public health officials now fear that a persistent summer upswing could unwind gains made early in the pandemic, taxing hospitals and health care workers, and leading to a thousand more Coronavirus cases even before a fall resurgence.

June 18th

• Disparities In Outcomes Among COVID-19 Patients in a Large Health Care System in California (Health Affairs)  
  This study of 1,052 COVID-19 patients treated at Sutter Health hospitals in California found that Black patients had 2.7 times the odds of hospitalization as non-Hispanic white patients, indicating more severe disease. 

• Firefighters Will Attack Blazes Quickly to Avoid Coronavirus (Scientific American) 
  Although fire fighters occasionally let wildfires burn to improve forest health in the long term, they will be more aggressive in fighting fires this year because a fast fire response will limit the need for mass evacuations and encampments. 

• Summer Presents Dangerous Choice: Swelter in Quarantine or Risk Contagion (Scientific American)  
  Extreme heat is deadly to many of the same populations that are most vulnerable to COVID-19. Now, with heat wave season swiftly approaching, public health experts are urging cities to think carefully about how to protect vulnerable populations as the pandemic continues. 

• Coronavirus Disease 2019 Case Surveillance (The Center for Disease Control)  
  This article examines January-May 2020 data on COVID-19 from across the U.S. Findings include hospitalizations were six times higher and deaths twelve times higher among patients with reported underlying conditions, the most common being cardiovascular disease (32%), diabetes (30%), and chronic lung disease (8%). 

June 4th

• COVID-19 and Health Equity—A New Kind of “Herd Immunity” (American Medical Association) 
  This study highlights that health care quality and access have a huge effect on whether people in certain communities are more or less likely to have severe symptoms from COVID-19. It highlights the need, and opportunity, to redouble efforts in the US to develop strategies that would enable society to slow and ultimately eliminate the spread of inequities in health. 

• Is Your Neighborhood Raising Your Coronavirus Risk? Redlining Decades Ago Set Communities Up for Greater Danger (The Conversation) 
  This article examines a Denver neighborhood and why it had the highest rate of hospitalization due to Coronavirus. Its location, with highways and industrial areas on all sides, has higher rates of air pollution that can increase the risk of serious respiratory problems. Read this article for more information on the connection between city planning, air pollution and Coronavirus risk. 

• Coronavirus Lockdowns May Raise Exposure to Indoor Air Pollution (Scientific American)  
  Between early March and early May, levels of carbon dioxide and volatile organic compounds increased indoors by 15-30% in more than 1,000 homes across several European countries. This article seeks to explain the spike and share advice on how to improve your indoor air quality. 

May 28th

• This Year’s Forest Fire Season Could Be Even Deadlier (Foreign Policy in Focus)  
  Governments grappling with public health and safety during COVID-19 are rolling back enforcement of environmental protections that are crucial for preventing wildfires, protecting lives, and limiting deforestation. Environmental enforcement has continued to drop during the pandemic, with preliminary estimates of rain forest loss up by 50% in 2020 compared with last year, according to government data in Brazil. 

• The Color of Coronavirus: COVID-19 Deaths By Race and Ethnicity in the U.S. (American Public Media Research Lab)   
  While we have an incomplete picture of the toll of COVID-19, the existing data reveals deep inequities by race, most dramatically for Black Americans. Data from this study reveals that “the latest overall COVID-19 mortality rate for Black Americans is 2.4 times as high as the rate for whites and 2.2 times as high as the rate for Asians and Latinos.” 

• ‘Crazy Bike Boom’: Coronavirus Pandemic Creates Sharp Rise in Bicycle Demand Across US (The Sacramento Bee) 
  The bicycle business is booming across the country as Americans look for new ways to exercise and get out of the house while adhering to stay-at-home orders. Cycling provides a safe way to run errands, get to work, exercise or de-stress. Especially in Sacramento cycling is becoming a way to abide by social distancing, breathe fresh air and support local business. 

May 21st

• Free Food Resources in California (Los Angeles Office of the Controller)  
  If you or someone you know is struggling to put food on the table during the pandemic, because of limited access to grocery stores or loss of income, this map includes 1,800+ food banks, food pantries and food distribution centers across the state of California. Enter your zip code and find where you, your family or friends can receive help. 

• ‘Big Tobacco’ Using COVID-19 Messaging and Influences to Market Product (PR Week)  
  An analysis from the Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids on social media and influencer posts found evidence of tobacco companies using #StayAtHome and giveaways, including branded masks, to market e-cigarettes, vapes and other heated tobacco products. 

• Temporary Reduction in Daily Global CO2 Emissions During the COVID-19 Forced Confinement (Nature Journal)  
  Government policies during the pandemic have drastically altered patterns of energy demand around the world. Closing international borders and shelter-in-place orders have reduced transport and changed consumption patterns. This report compiles government policies and activity data to estimate the decrease in CO2 emissions during the pandemic. 
• For more: Rob Jackson, Professor of Earth System Science at Stanford University, explains the drop of CO2 here. 

May 14th

• The Dual Risks of Natural Disasters and COVID-19 (Science X) 
  What happens when crises occur simultaneously? This article examines emergency responses for many natural disasters, like wildfires, and how they pose risks to public health during a pandemic. 

• Including the True Value of Nature When Rebuilding Economics After Coronavirus (Nature Journal)  
  Financial institutions are becoming more aware of the grave importance of ecological stability during these uncertain times. This article reflects on how economies can prioritize sustainability as they rebuild. 

• Smoking Makes COVID-19 Worse: UCSF Analysis Finds a Near Doubling in Risk of Disease Progression (UCSF Center for Tobacco Control Research and Education)  
  This article highlights the truth of how smoking doubles your risk for severe COVID- 19 symptoms. Stanton Glantz PhD, debunks myths around smoking and explains why smoking increases risk for the virus. 

• How Climate Change is Contributing to Skyrocketing Rates of Infectious Disease (ProPublica)  
  From the article, ‘A catastrophic loss in biodiversity, reckless destruction of wildland and warming temperatures have allowed disease to explode. Ignoring the connection between climate change and pandemics would be “dangerous delusion,” one scientist said.’ 

• WHO Statement: Tobacco Use and COVID-19 (World Health Organization)  
  From the statement, “A review of studies by public health experts convened by WHO on April 29, 2020 found that smokers are more likely to develop severe disease with COVID-19, compared to non-smokers.” 

• For Native Americans, COVID-19 is ‘The Worst of Both Worlds at the Same Time’ (Harvard Gazette)  
  From the article, “With tribal businesses halted and their services in peril, the economic impact of COVID-19 on Native American communities could be devastating.” Native American communities are losing their only source of income in order to protect their people and land during pandemic. 

May 7th

• Global Energy Review 2020 (International Energy Agency) 
  The uncertainty surrounding public health, the economy, and energy over the rest of 2020, is greatly affecting the way we plan for the future. This energy analysis not only charts a possible path for energy use and CO2 emissions in 2020 but also highlights the many factors that could lead to a variety of outcomes. 

• Stopping Deforestation Can Prevent Pandemics (Scientific American) 
  Destroying habitats makes viruses and other pathogens more likely to infect humans. Three quarters of the emerging pathogens that infect humans leaped from animals indigenous to the forest habitats that are being slashed and burned to create land for crops, including biofuel plants, for mining and housing.

• Green Recovery Can Revive Virus-Hit Economic and Tackle Climate Change (Reuters)  
  Top U.S. and British economists say that green public investment would be the most cost-effective way both to revive virus-hit economies and strike a decisive blow against climate change. Read this study for an in-depth look into the goal to “build back better.” 

• How a Warming Climate Could Affect the Spread of Diseases Similar to COVID-19 (Scientific American)  
  A hotter planet could change the relationship among infectious agents, their hosts and the human body’s defense mechanisms. These changes could include the adaptation of microbes to a warming world, changes in how viruses and bacteria interact with their animal hosts, and a weakened human immune response. 

April 30th

• Promoting Food Donation During COVID-19 (Center for Health Law and Policy Innovation at Harvard Law School) 
  COVID-19 has placed additional stress on food systems and exacerbated hunger in the US. Food banks and other food recovery organizations that rescue safe, surplus food and redirect it to those in need are crucial during a crisis. 

• When Confronting a Pandemic, We Must Save Nature to Save Ourselves (Center for American Progress) 
  Alongside investments in epidemiological research and healthcare, we need to address the problem at its root: the destruction of nature. Halting the destruction of natural areas and creating more parks and open space near communities are just two ways to address the nature crisis. Read this well-researched article for more. 

• COVID-19 Exacerbating Inequalities in the US (The Lancet)  
  COVID-19 does not affect everyone equally. In the US, it is exposing inequities in the health system. Read this in-depth report on the disparities between different people in urban areas and how lower income leads to severe COVID-19 symptoms. 

April 23rd

• Reduce Your Risk of Serious Lung Disease Caused by Coronavirus by Quitting Smoking and Vaping (UCSF Center for Tobacco Control Research and Education) 
  Director for Tobacco Research Control & Education at UCSF, Stanton A. Glantz PhD, shares valuable information on how vaping and smoking significantly increases risk for severe coronavirus symptoms. 

• People Need to be Informed, But Not Afraid (American Public Health Association)  
  To help counteract the pervasive misinformation and confusion surrounding COVID-19, APHA has been giving expert commentary and background. 

• Analysis: Coronavirus Set to Cause Largest Ever Annual Fall in CO2 Emissions (Carbon Brief)  
  UK-based Carbon Brief estimates that a 5.5% drop in global emissions due to COVID-19. Read this study to see what that means for lung health, the economy and the long-term fight against climate change. 

April 16th

• Smoking is Associated with Doubling of COVID-19 Progression Risk (UCSF Center for Tobacco Control Research and Education)  

• Air Pollution Linked with Higher COVID-19 Death Rates (Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health)  

• COVID-19 and African Americans (The American Medical Association) 

• California Smokers’ Helpline Offers Free Nicotine Patches (UC Davis Health) 

Photo by Anshu A on Unsplash