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Los Angeles Times
3 days ago
- Health
- Los Angeles Times
COVID rising in California. How bad will this summer be?
COVID-19 is once again on the rise in California. It remains to be seen whether this latest uptick foreshadows the sort of misery seen last year — when the state was walloped by its worst summertime surge since 2022 — or proves fleeting. But officials and experts say it's nevertheless a reminder of the seasonal potency of the still-circulating virus. 'We definitely are seeing an uptick in the summer,' Dr. Erica Pan, director of the California Department of Public Health and the state health officer, said during a recent webinar. As has often been the case with COVID, the latest increase in infections is not playing out uniformly across the state. The uptick was first registered in Northern California and only started being seen in Southern California more recently. Dr. Elizabeth Hudson, regional physician chief of infectious diseases for Kaiser Permanente Southern California, said she expects an uptick in cases in the Southland over the next two to three weeks, based on the level of coronavirus being detected in wastewater. 'My colleagues at Northern California Kaiser Permanente have already noticed this trend, so I suspect it will be coming to Los Angeles soon,' Hudson said. However, COVID activity remains well below the level seen last summer at this point — and it's too soon to say how bad this season will be. While last summer saw a particularly potent spike in infections, this past winter was the mildest of the COVID era. 'We'll know over the next couple of weeks which direction things are going,' Hudson said. It remains possible that COVID could end up being as active as last year, if not worse, according to Dr. Peter Chin-Hong, an infectious disease expert at UC San Francisco. 'It's been a longer time since a lot of people got infected,' Chin-Hong said, noting California's last busy COVID season was about a year ago, and immunity has waned since then. 'And just like last year, there are new variants afoot.' Chin-Hong said he's been hearing more people ask for advice about COVID recently. Doctors suggest taking common-sense steps to avoid getting sick, such as avoiding people who are ill, and getting up-to-date vaccines. 'Just because you had an easy case the last time doesn't mean that you'll have an easy case this time,' Chin-Hong said. 'A lot of people I've talked to who've gotten COVID this year, it was a pretty vicious case that lasted a long time.' According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the part of the country with the highest coronavirus wastewater activity level at the moment is the West. On the state level, the CDC says California has 'moderate' coronavirus activity level in its sewage, as does Nevada, Texas, Mississippi, Kentucky and South Carolina. Florida has 'high' activity and Louisiana, 'very high' activity, federal data show. Viral levels in wastewater have still been rising in many parts of the country, Chin-Hong said. A possible silver lining is that Chin-Hong expects the rate of infected people who need hospitalization will continue to drop. As of early July, the rate at which lab tests were coming back positive for coronavirus infection in California was 5.5%. That's higher than at any point since last winter, but still relatively low, Pan said. On Thursday, the California Department of Public Health said viral levels in wastewater are 66% lower than they were at this time last year. At this point last year, the COVID test positivity rate was 8.2%, and peaked at around 12% in August. Coronavirus levels are considered high in the sewershed of San Jose and Palo Alto, according to the Santa Clara County Public Health Department. 'We're seeing an increase in COVID transmission in some parts of the county over the past several weeks,' the agency said. In San Francisco, coronavirus wastewater levels have also been rising — but remain lower than last summer's surge, according to the local Department of Public Health. In Los Angeles County, the rate at which coronavirus tests are coming back positive is rising. For the week ending July 12, the most recent for which complete data are available, 6.4% of specimens tested by labs were positive, up from 4.8% the prior week. Coronavirus levels in L.A. County wastewater have been roughly flat in recent weeks, and are lower than the levels seen the past few summers. 'Overall, the data suggest a slight increase in COVID-19 activity in L.A. County, but nothing yet consistent with a significant summer 'surge,'' the local Department of Public Health said. The story is much the same in Orange County, where the COVID test positivity rate is at 6.3% and increasing, but 'still below recent years for this time of the year,' according to Dr. Christopher Zimmerman, deputy medical director of the Orange County Health Care Agency. COVID-related visits to the emergency room in Orange County remain stable, accounting for 1.1% of all ER visits, compared with around 4% in August 2024, Zimmerman said. COVID-related admissions remain flat, comprising only 0.6% of hospitalized patients in the county. That metric hasn't exceeded 1% since the winter, and is down from the 1.8% recorded at this time last year. The California Department of Public Health's medium-term forecast predicts a minor summer COVID wave that is expected to peak in late August, Pan said. State scientists do expect that California will see either a stronger summer COVID wave or a more significant winter wave. They do not expect the state will see the one-two punch of seasonal surges that were typical during the COVID emergency era, Pan said. The most dominant circulating subvariant now is NB.1.8.1, which has been dubbed 'Nimbus.' But the fastest-growing strain nationwide is XFG, nicknamed after another type of cloud, 'Stratus.' Both are highly contagious, officials say — and Nimbus has been particularly associated with what patients describe as 'razor blade throat,' feeling like their throats are studded with razor blades. However, current available vaccines are expected to cover these subvariants. The California Department of Public Health recommends that everyone age 6 months and up 'should have access and the choice to receive currently authorized COVID-19 vaccines, with an emphasis on protecting higher-risk individuals, such as infants and toddlers, pregnant individuals and others with risks for serious disease,' Pan said. That's stronger than the latest federal guidance, which reflects recent recommendations issued by the Trump administration. The Trump administration dropped the recommendation that healthy children and healthy pregnant women be vaccinated for COVID-19. In formal documents, health officials offer 'no guidance' as to whether pregnant women should get the vaccine, and ask that parents talk with a healthcare provider before getting the vaccine for their children. 'Last year, the Biden administration urged healthy children to get yet another COVID shot despite the lack of any clinical data to support the repeat booster strategy in children,' Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said in a social media video announcing the changes. Kennedy, who has denigrated vaccines over the years, did not elaborate on the rationale for altering the recommendation for pregnant women in the 58-second video. Pan said there were some contradictions in the latest federal guidance, given that the Trump administration was recommending the COVID-19 vaccine for people at serious risk of severe illness — a group that includes pregnant women — 'but then it was stated the COVID-19 vaccine is not recommended for pregnant women.' A number of health groups, including the American Academy of Pediatrics and American Public Health Assn., have sued Kennedy in federal court, alleging he violated federal law by changing COVID-19 vaccine recommendations without scientific evidence. In California, an estimated 37% of seniors have received at least one dose of the latest version of the COVID-19 vaccine, which was released in September. The rate is around 50% for much of the San Francisco Bay Area. Senior vaccine coverage is roughly 40% in San Diego, Ventura, Santa Barbara and Sacramento counties, and around 30% in Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside and San Bernardino counties. 'Insurance coverage for COVID-19 vaccines is still in place,' Pan said. A number of medical professional and scientific organizations are aligning to support scientific-based vaccine recommendations, Pan said, including the American Academy of Pediatrics, the American Medical Assn. and AHIP, an association of health insurance plans. Alarmed at the Trump administration's changes around vaccine policy, the Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy at the University of Minnesota has launched a 'vaccine integrity project,' which aims 'to make recommendations for how vaccine use can remain grounded in the best available science, free from external influence,' according to a university statement. California health officials are also warning that the proposed federal budget threatens to cut deep into public health. The federal government is proposing to halve the budget for the CDC, Pan said this month, from $9.2 billion to $4.3 billion. About 80% of the CDC's funding goes to state and local health agencies, Pan said. Nearly half of the budget for the California Department of Public Health comes from the federal government, and about two-thirds of the state's public health department budget is given to local health agencies. The proposed federal budget would eliminate key centers and programs, such as the National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, as well as grants for hospital preparedness and preventive health and health services, Pan said. The proposal also suggests reducing by more than half funding for public health emergency preparedness, from $735 million to $350 million, Pan said. In June, a COVID-19 immunization grant was not extended to California and expired, according to the state Department of Public Health. 'These federal funding cuts mean everyone in Los Angeles County will be at increased risk for transmitting and contracting infectious diseases,' the L.A. County Department of Public Health said in a statement to The Times. The agency said it not only works to prevent and control infectious diseases, but also inspects more than 57,000 food facilities and restaurants, tests and issues alerts about beach water quality, looks over safety issues at healthcare facilities and responds to public health emergencies, such as the region's recent wildfires. 'The President's proposed budget ... would continue a dismantling of core public health activities and severely reduce funding for federal public health grant programs, including a 55% cut to the CDC, our main source of federal grant funds,' the L.A. County Department of Public Health said. L.A. County could lose more than $200 million in annual public health funding under the budget proposal, the agency added, which would eliminate or significantly cut funding for public health emergency preparedness, chronic disease prevention, vaccination efforts and worker safety programs. Among the concerns is the sudden termination of more than $45 million in previously awarded federal grant funds that support infectious disease control efforts and lab capacity, vaccination campaigns and substance use prevention. A federal court has temporarily paused the Trump administration's efforts to claw back those federal funds, the county said. 'But if we do not win this case, that funding will be abruptly terminated, leading to layoffs of dozens of contract employees, terminated purchase orders, and reductions in funding for [community-based organizations] supported by these funds,' the county said.
Los Angeles Times
5 days ago
- Health
- Los Angeles Times
Criminalization or support? President Trump's executive order on homelessness gets mixed reaction
An executive order signed by President Trump purporting to protect Americans from 'endemic vagrancy, disorderly behavior, sudden confrontations, and violent attacks' attributed to homelessness has left local officials and homeless advocates outraged over its harsh tone while also grasping for a hopeful message in its fine print. The order Trump signed Thursday would require federal agencies to reverse precedents or consent decrees that impede U.S. policy 'encouraging civil commitment of individuals with mental illness who pose risks to themselves or the public or are living on the streets and cannot care for themselves.' It ordered those agencies to 'ensure the availability of funds to support encampment removal efforts.' Depending on how that edict is carried out, it could extend a lifeline for Mayor Karen Bass' Inside Safe program, which has eliminated dozens of the city's most notable encampments but faces budget challenges to maintain the hotel and motel beds that allow people to move indoors. Responding to the order Friday, Bass said she was troubled that it called for ending street homelessness and moving people into rehabilitation facilities at the same time as the administration's cuts to Medicaid have affected funding 'streams for facilities for people to stay in, especially people who are disabled.' 'Of course I'm concerned about any punitive measures,' Bass said. 'But first and foremost, if you want to end street homelessness, then you have got to have housing and services for people who are on the street.' Kevin Murray, president and chief executive of the Weingart Center homeless services and housing agency, saw ambiguity in the language. 'I couldn't tell whether he is offering money for people who want to do it his way or taking money away from people who don't do it his way,' Murray said. Others took their cue from the order's provocative tone set in a preamble declaring that the overwhelming majority of the 274,224 people reported living on the street in 2024 'are addicted to drugs, have a mental health condition, or both.' The order contradicted a growing body of research finding that substance use and mental illness, while significant, are not overriding factors in homelessness. 'Nearly two-thirds of homeless individuals report having regularly used hard drugs like methamphetamines, cocaine, or opioids in their lifetimes. An equally large share of homeless individuals reported suffering from mental health conditions.' A February study by the Benioff Homeless and Housing Initiative at UC San Francisco found that only about 37% of more than 3,000 homeless people surveyed in California were using illicit drugs regularly, but just over 65% reported having regularly used at some point in their lives. More than a third said their drug use had decreased after they became homeless and one in five interviewed in depth said they were seeking treatment but couldn't get it. 'As with most executive orders, it doesn't have much effect on its own,' said Steve Berg, chief policy officer for the National Alliance to End Homelessness. 'It tells the federal agencies to do different things. Depending on how the federal agencies do those things, that's what will have the impact.' In concrete terms, the order seeks to divert funding from two pillars of mainstream homelessness practice, 'housing first,' the prioritization of permanent housing over temporary shelter, and 'harm reduction,' the rejection of abstinence as a condition of receiving services and housing. According to the order, grants issued under the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration should 'not fund programs that fail to achieve adequate outcomes, including so-called 'harm reduction' or 'safe consumption' efforts that only facilitate illegal drug use and its attendant harm.' And the Secretary of Health and Human Services and the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development should, to the extent permitted by law, end support for 'housing first' policies that 'deprioritize accountability and fail to promote treatment, recovery, and self-sufficiency.' To some extent, those themes reflect shifts that have been underway in the state and local response to homelessness. Under pressure from Gov. Gavin Newsom, the California legislature established rules allowing relatives and service providers to refer people to court for treatment and expanded the definition of gravely disabled to include substance use. Locally, Bass' Inside Safe program and the county's counterpart, Pathway Home, have prioritized expanding interim housing to get people off the streets immediately. Trump's order goes farther, though, wading into the controversial issue of how much coercion is justified in eliminating encampments. The Attorney General and the other federal agencies, it said, should take steps to ensure that grants go to states and cities that enforce prohibitions on open illicit drug use, urban camping and loitering and squatting. Homeless advocacy organizations saw those edicts as a push for criminalization of homelessness and mental illness. 'We'll be back to the days of 'One Flew Over the Cuckcoo's Nest,' 'Berg said, referring to the 1962 novel and subsequent movie dramatizing oppressive conditions in mental health institutions. Defending Housing First as a proven strategy that is the most cost-effective way to get people off the street, Berg said the order encourages agencies to use the money in less cost-effective ways. 'What we want to do is reduce homelessness,' he said. 'I'm not sure that is the goal of the Trump administration.' The National Homelessness Law Center said in a statement saying, 'This Executive Order is rooted in outdated, racist myths about homelessness and will undoubtedly make homelessness worse.... Trump's actions will force more people into homelessness, divert taxpayer money away from people in need, and make it harder for local communities to solve homelessness.' Murray, who describes himself as not a fan of Housing First, noted that key policies pressed in the order—civil commitment, encampment removal and substance use treatment—are already gaining prominence in the state and local response to homelessness. 'We all think if it came from Trump it is horrible,' Murray said. 'It is certainly overbearing. It certainly misses some nuances of what real people with mental illness and substance use are like. But we've started down the path of most of this stuff.' His main concern was that the order might be interpreted to apply to Section 8, the primary federal financial tool for getting homeless people into housing. What would happen, he asked, if someone with a voucher refused treatment? 'It might encourage more people to stay on the streets,' he said. 'Getting people into treatment isn't easy.'
Time of India
23-07-2025
- Health
- Time of India
Do human lungs make blood? Here's what a popular study says
It is a basic principle in biology- blood is made in the bone marrow. It's where the cells(hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs))responsible for generating red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets reside. But a striking study from researchers at UC San Francisco (UCSF) is rewriting that narrative. According to new findings published in Blood, the lungs also contain active blood-forming stem cells, capable of producing not only red blood cells but also platelets and key immune cells. The discovery could have direct implications for stem cell therapies and transplant medicine. The UCSF research team, backed by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), first made this groundbreaking discovery in 2017when they found that mouse lungs were generating up to half of the animal's platelets, a surprising contribution for an organ never thought to be involved in hematopoiesis. These cells, structurally and functionally similar to bone marrow HSCs, weren't merely circulating through the lungs, but seemed to be living in there. To test how capable these cells actually were, scientists isolated HSCs from both lung and bone marrow tissue, grew them in laboratory conditions, and observed what they produced. 'Both types of HSCs thrived in our gold-standard stem cell experiment, but the lung HSC colonies made more red blood cells and megakaryocytes, while the bone marrow colonies tended to make more immune cells,' explained Mark Looney, MD, professor of medicine and laboratory medicine at UCSF and senior author of the study. Rethinking the bone marrow transplant Bone marrow transplants have long been used to treat cancers like leukemia and other blood-related conditions. They involve harvesting stem cells from a donor, often via a blood draw, and using them to rebuild a patient's blood system. But the UCSF team found that nearly 1 in 5 stem cells isolated in bone marrow transplants actually carried markers specific to lung-derived HSCs, suggesting that current stem cell harvests may be drawing from more than just the bone marrow. 'For decades, bone marrow transplants have been a lynchpin in the treatment of cancers like leukemia,' Looney said. 'The lung HSCs could prove to be a second and significant reservoir of these precious stem cells.' The team also demonstrated that human lung HSCs could restore bone marrow function in mice, a powerful indication that these cells aren't just present, they are fully operational. Why would lungs make blood? That question remains unanswered, but there are theories. 'The lungs are critical to blood circulation, so it's tantalizing to see the lung HSCs as an emergency reservoir for red blood cell and platelet production,' said Looney. One possibility is that these cells activate during times of stress or injury, when the body's demand for oxygen-carrying red cells or clot-forming platelets spikes. The lungs, always at the center of the oxygen exchange process, could provide a rapid-response supply.
Time of India
21-06-2025
- Health
- Time of India
Experts suggest that THIS common habit could be making kids depressed
Alarming rates of youth depression prompt urgent questions from parents. A UCSF study reveals a link between increased social media use in preteens and a rise in depressive symptoms. Researchers found that as children's social media time increased, so did their depression. Cyberbullying and disrupted sleep are potential contributing factors. 'Why is my child depressed?' - Most parents today are asking themselves this question. As the rates of depression and related suicide among youth are rising at an alarming pace, many parents are left grappling for answers. Is it academic pressure? Bullying? Hormonal changes? New research suggests that there might be something more insidious at play, something that's hidden in plain sight. A new study by researchers at the UC San Francisco has found the answers to it. The experts looked at whether social media was making kids depressed or if the depressed kids simply spent more time on social media. The findings published in JAMA Network Open were shocking. Causes of depression in kids The researchers found that as preteens used more social media, their symptoms of depression increased. However, what was surprising was that it isn't true that kids who became more depressed didn't start using social media more later. In the study, which took over three years, the researchers found that children's social media use rose from seven to 73 minutes per day. This also led to a 35% increase in their depressive symptoms. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Buy Brass Idols - Handmade Brass Statues for Home & Gifting Luxeartisanship Buy Now Undo The researchers examined data of tracked nearly 12,000 children, starting when they were 9 to 10 years old and following up three years later at ages 12 to 13. 'There has been ongoing debate about whether social media contributes to depression or simply reflects underlying depressive symptoms. These findings provide evidence that social media may be contributing to the development of depressive symptoms,' Jason Nagata, MD, MSc, who led the study and is an associate professor in UCSF's Department of Pediatrics, said, in a statement. Findings Though it is unclear why social media increases depressive symptoms, previous research has suggested that cyberbullying and disrupted sleep could be some of the contributing factors. The same researchers have recently published a separate study in The Lancet Regional Health on the effects of cyberbullying. That study suggested that kids aged between 11 to 12 years who were cyberbullied were 2.62 times more likely to report suicidal ideation or a suicide attempt one year later. Also, those children were 2.31 times more likely to be involved in substance abuse (4.65 times more likely with marijuana, 3.37 with nicotine, and 1.92 with alcohol) in the following year. Early signs of myopia seen in kids What can be done So, how can depression in children be addressed effectively? The American Academy of Pediatrics suggested using the tools in its Family Media Plan to create healthier digital habits for both kids and parents. 'As a father of two young kids, I know that simply telling children to 'get off your phone' doesn't really work. Parents can lead by example with open, nonjudgmental conversations about screen use. Setting screen-free times for the whole family, such as during meals or before bed, can help build healthier digital habits for everyone, including adults,' Nagata added. One step to a healthier you—join Times Health+ Yoga and feel the change
Hindustan Times
20-06-2025
- Health
- Hindustan Times
New COVID variant ‘Nimbus' spreading in California, causes ‘razor blade throat'
COVID-19 rages on as a new threat to the state of California. According to recent reports, a deadly subvariant, NB1.8.1 or 'Nimbus,' is on the rise and carries symptoms of razor blade throats, which implies that those affected experience throat pain equivalent to having shards of glass stuck. The spread of this subvariant in other countries as well has raised concerns among the medical community and the general public. ALSO READ| What we know about Covid variant 'Nimbus' known for 'razor blade throat' amid surge in cases According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, this new subvariant is a part of the Omicron family and is now almost parallel in effect to that of the last most dominant subvariant: the LP 8.1. The nimbus is now responsible for 37% of all coronavirus samples detected. California has been under threat by this subvariant ever since May and now comprises 55% of cases detected in the state as per the state Department of Public Health. 'Before Omicron, I think most people presented with the usual loss of taste and smell as the predominant symptom and shortness of breath,' said Dr. Peter Chin-Hong, a UC San Francisco infectious-disease expert to the LA Times. But due to the 'razor blade throat' effect of the Nimbus subvariant, attention has now been diverted to 'other aspects of these symptoms'. Elevated levels of coronavirus have been detected in the state's wastewater as per noted professionals and may be contributing to the spike in cases. Dr. Elizabeth Hudson, regional chief of infectious diseases for Kaiser Permanente Southern California, wrote in an email to The Times, 'Wastewater surveillance across Southern California shows variability: Santa Barbara watersheds are reporting moderate-to-high levels, Ventura and Los Angeles counties are seeing low-to-moderate levels, Riverside is reporting low levels, while San Bernardino is experiencing high activity.' The state Department of Public Health says that viral levels in wastewater have risen by 13% for the ten-day period concluded on May 30 which proves why more positive cases of the virus have started to appear in the city. As per its official website, coronavirus levels across California continue to remain at a 'medium' scale. Coronavirus levels in Santa Clara County have started to rise over the summer while the levels in the sewershed of San José are considered to be high. Palo Alto records 'medium' levels and Sunnyvale reports 'low'. San Francisco, on the other hand, still has a relatively lower number of cases being reported. ALSO READ| What is razor blade throat? New Covid variant 'Nimbus' causing very painful symptom, know about prevention This uptick in cases is happening at a time when the US Department of Health and Human Services, led by vaccine critic Robert F Kennedy Jr, is making the intake of COVID-19 vaccines substantially difficult. An open letter by 30 notable medical organizations has tried to criticize this call of the government and urges people to rely on scientific facts and get themselves vaccinated during a time of dire need.
