Once a model, California now struggles to tame COVID-19

[pstokely]

Source: AP

In March, during the early days of the pandemic, Newsom was hailed for issuing the nation’s first state stay-home order.

The Democrat eased business restrictions in May, and when a broader restart led to another surge, imposed more rules. In early December, with cases out of control, he issued a looser stay-home order. He also closed businesses such as barbershops and salons, halted restaurant dining and limited capacity in retail stores. The latest restrictions apply everywhere except in rural Northern California.

But Dr. Lee Riley, an infectious diseases professor at the University of California at Berkeley, said that while the state managed to flatten the curve of rising cases, it never effectively bent the curve downward to the point infections would die out.

When cases rose in June and July, California was never able to do enough contact tracing to isolate infected people and those they may have exposed before they spread the disease — often unwittingly — to others, he said. And public health directives were never adequately enforced.

Read more: https://apnews.com/article/travel-pandemics-los-angeles-thanksgiving-coronavirus-pandemic-d21fdd1e5395812e6155258c70896eba

[BigmanPigman]

1. This happened due to the maskholes who protested for

their freedumb to get a haircut, a beer and a tan. The self absorbed RWNJ (aka Karens)were all over the state and the many greedy business owners joined them. Ads were on TV, the media showed their protests as a ratings grabber, and GOP groups were loud in voice but not in actual numbers. Maskholes are very proud to show others exactly how idiotic they are.

The state caved and we are paying for it...thanks a lot maskholes. I wonder if the political leaders learned anything and won't repeat their deadly mistake.

The rules were not enforced at a local level. Very stupid idea! Why should people follow the rules if there is no consequence for breaking them? Duh! This is still going on. We got a Dem mayor in San Diego (finally) and he has been telling residents that the rules will be enforced now. The GOP leaders fucked up big time...typical.

[MichMan]

2. Does anyone know what the enforcement is in LA and SF areas?

Are there any numbers on how many people have been arrested or fined for disobeying stay at home and mask orders?

[BigmanPigman]

4. I'd like to know that too.

[Sympthsical]

9. Barely at all.

People keep saying this is all right-wingers. It’s not. I live in the Bay Area. Social distancing is a distant memory. Go to any store. People are on top of each other. I see people without masks. Stores stopped caring. Plenty of people managed holiday parties. People pull their masks down to talk with each other.

Americans, in general, got fatigued and stopped trying as hard as they were in March and April.

It’s a big problem. Saying it’s all right-wing lunatics is letting a large part of the population off the hook.

[Johonny]

11. Pretty much none

I think the problem isn't people with "mask" fatigue, an increase in lack of social distancing or lax enforcement of the rules because the rules were never really enforced all year. However, most people in stores in my neighborhood wear masks. Some badly, but I rarely seen someone with no mask at all. If anything the last month I've seen another uptick in people masking up just when outside the home. Mostly though, people are behaving as they have all years (for good or bad). It's just that most were "lucky" until this wave with their poor behavior or the poor behavior of one member of the household. Many of my most ignorant to following the rules friends have still avoided covid for what it is worth. There really is a random luck of the draw to all this.

I think California's main problem is that, like the flu, Covid has a longer life time active outside the body in droplets during the winter months and it's also flu season when its the time of year when most of the family gatherings are. Covid typically transmits very easily within the home (where almost no one is masked up and close contact is unavoidable). What your seeing is a result of California's generally mild weather which probably helped last Springs and summer surges, and housing conditions where multigenerational families all live within a small space due to the cost of housing. Once one member of the family gets it, it spreads rapidly to everyone. The hospitals where I am are filled mostly with multigenerational victims where one member (usually an "essential" worker brought it home). In this way, it's just how the flu spreads only much more contagious with virtually no immunity.)

For the record, the governors actions seem to be working as we flatten the curve case wise since first week of December if you look at cases (we'll have to wait for the post New Years party numbers the next two week to be 100 % sure). It's just that this wave was bound to be worse than the last summer wave because the winter conditions (people staying indoors (It's 50 degrees outside!), longer lifetimes, more family gatherings) always spike these illnesses that transmit person to person through droplets. My guess is by late January we will see case numbers drop, with the death toll trailing off in mid-March. By the time the vaccine arrives, it will be too late for most people. It's going to be a brutal winter.

Why didn't more people listen to the warnings by the governor, CDC etc... My guess is because of the lack of clear united messaging since ... well you know, the beginning. People decided early on how they were going to act and haven't really changed behavior.

As for essential workers like me. It's basically Russian roulette. You either lose your job, or "work" from home with no work to do, or you take your chances. 600 bucks does nothing to keep people home. That much I know.

[NYC Liberal]

3. South Korea started fining maskholes $90 per incident.

I am strongly in favor of similar enforcement here.

[BigmanPigman]

5. Hell, yes!

I'd love to see that. Maybe it would help to pay for the losses due to Covid. If you fined a few and word spread that the local leaders are serious and won't be intimidated by protests, then maybe a few may actually think before pulling such selfish and dangerous nonsense in the future.

[MichMan]

6. Not nearly high enough

Needs to be at least $300.

Governors need to order the police to target specific areas and anyone seen in public not wearing one gets charged with no exceptions. And no reminders for people to put one on first.

[Vivienne235729]

10. We absolutely need to do the same here. If there was actual ENFORCEMENT, there would be actual compl

[Hugin]

7. I seem to recall a whole lot of pushback on the restrictions by Elon Musk...

and others. Mostly Republicans.

Now that Issa is heading back to DC, it looks like the 'recall' train is moving again.

[Iggo]

8. but,bbut,but .. White people wanted to go to the beach.

Get your priorities straight, man!