LOS ANGELES, Calif. Aug 26 – With many school districts countywide now reopening, Los Angeles County Department of Public Health (Public Health), School Technical Assistance (STAT) teams are reaching out to schools proactively to assess COVID-19 preventive readiness and advise on options for improvement.
During recent visits, STAT educators found that schools with significant safety enhancements have broad support within the school community for promoting/implementing masking guidance. They also have symptom pre-screening tools that allow for early detection of sick students, consistent COVID-19 screening testing programs, and signage campus-wide to remind staff and students about safety, masking, distancing, and sanitation. Meanwhile, areas for improvement at many schools included preventing crowded situations, creating safety compliance teams, identifying space to use as isolation rooms, and implementing mealtime-specific prevention strategies. Additionally, teams noted the potential for improved communication with parents and faculty about testing and vaccination opportunities and case identification and contact tracing requirements. Many schools would also benefit from more signage, updated reopening protocols and sharing those with the entire school community, and increased disinfection in shared spaces.
Public Health teams plan to add additional support to schools to assist with contact tracing and appropriate quarantining of students and staff. As a reminder, fully vaccinated students and staff at K-12 schools are not required to quarantine as long as they remain asymptomatic during the 14-day quarantine period. Public Health will be sending County staff to schools that identify large numbers of exposed students to help manage quarantining of students and staff, recognizing how stressful and disruptive quarantining is to a stable learning environment and to parents/caregivers.
Participating in contact tracing is critical for ensuring that close contacts get notified that they may have been exposed and need to quarantine to prevent infecting other people if they become infected. This week, Los Angeles County will update the County Health Officer Order to require everyone who receives an isolation order to call Public Health within 24 hours of receiving the order to participate in a case investigation and contact tracing interview, unless they have already been interviewed by Public Health.
It is important to note that identifying close contacts of a confirmed case is always required in all settings, including workplaces, social gatherings, and places of worship, to try to identify and inform those who may be at risk of infection and of spreading COVID-19. Isolation and quarantine are very effective at reducing transmission if implemented in a timely manner.
In K-12 school settings countywide over the week of August 16 through 22, 3,186 new cases were reported, many from LAUSD, where everyone is tested weekly, with the second highest number coming from other K-12 schools in L.A. County. The overwhelming majority of school sites with cases reported only one case. However, 15 LAUSD and 48 other school sites reported 2 cases, and 84 LAUSD and 39 other school sites reported 3 or more cases.
It is worth noting that of the 14 school outbreaks that opened in August, half were associated with school sports. Because youth sports programs are high-risk environments for COVID-19 transmission, Public Health has issued requirements and best practices for youth sports leagues. L.A. County’s current youth sports guidance attempts to align with CDC while not precluding those not vaccinated from engaging in high-risk sports or extracurricular activities and instead adding in layers of protection.
Today, Public Health confirms 31 new deaths and 3,226 new cases of COVID-19. Due to the increased volume of testing in L.A. County, there have been recent delays in the processing of lab results into our data systems. Recent days have been underreported and today’s counts include backlogged data from prior days that were processed into the system yesterday. Public Health is working on increasing the processing speed and capacity and expect processing will soon keep up with the increased testing volume.
Of the 31 new deaths reported today, five people who passed away were over the age of 80, seven people who died were between the ages of 65 and 79, 12 people who died were between the ages of 50 and 64, four people who died were between the ages of 30 and 49, and one person who died was between the ages of 18 and 29. Two deaths were reported by the City of Long Beach. To date, Public Health identified 1,394,488 positive cases of COVID-19 across all areas of L.A. County and a total of 25,181 deaths.
There are 1,731 people with COVID-19 currently hospitalized and 27% of these people are in the ICU. Testing results are available for nearly 8,012,000 individuals with 16% of people testing positive. Today’s test positivity rate is 2.7%, a decrease from last week’s same-day rate of 3.7%.
“To everyone who has lost friends and family during this difficult time, we are wishing you peace and comfort, and our prayers are with you,” said Barbara Ferrer, PhD, MPH, MEd, Director of Public Health. “Staying away from others when you are sick or have been exposed means you’re less likely to spread infection to others – and that makes it less likely that the other people will need to quarantine themselves. Participating in case investigations and contact tracing and following isolation and quarantine orders can make the difference between having a handful of kids or hundreds of kids out of school. For kids in middle school and high school, the best way to keep your school open is to get vaccinated if you are eligible. When you’re vaccinated, you’re less likely to catch COVID-19, even if you’re exposed. That means that even if you’re exposed, you do not need to quarantine. And you’re less likely to get really sick if you do get infected, which means a quicker return to life as usual once an infection resolves.”
As of August 22, 90% of L.A. County residents 65 and over have received at least one dose of the vaccine, 75% of residents 16 and over and 74% of residents 12 and over. Sixty-four percent of residents 12 and over have been fully vaccinated. Of L.A. County teens between the ages of 12 and 17, 61% have received at least one dose and 53% are fully vaccinated. Out of the nearly 10.3 million L.A. County residents, including those who are not yet eligible for the vaccine, 63% have received at least one dose, and 55% are fully vaccinated. Countywide, 17,364 third doses have been administered to immunocompromised people.
Among the more than 5.2 million fully vaccinated people in L.A. County, Public Health identified 32,678 people fully vaccinated who tested positive for COVID-19 as of August 24. While this is an increase of 20% from last week, less than 1% of all those vaccinated have become infected with COVID-19. Of those who tested positive, 881 were hospitalized, up from 742 the week prior. This translates to 0.017% of all fully vaccinated people. Deaths in this group over this interval increased, from 68 to 95, to 0.0018%. In these incremental increases, we see the reality that vaccines do not provide 100% protection from infection. When the community transmission is high, more fully vaccinated people are likely to get infected. However, we also see in these numbers the reality that fully vaccinated people continue to be extraordinarily well protected from hospitalization, and continue to be very unlikely to die from COVID-19.
Teens 12 and over can receive Pfizer vaccine at any County and city sites without an appointment. Additionally, many school districts and individual schools, including Los Nietos Middle School, Whittier Union, and Wilsona, are offering vaccinations over the next few weeks. LAUSD, which has over 45 standing school sites, will be rolling out a mobile vaccine campaign administering vaccines at every middle and high school in its district. You can ask your school site for a vaccination schedule.
4月6日华盛顿报道，美国总统特朗普今天通过视频直播与美国宇航局（NASA）执行阿尔忒弥斯二号（Artemis II）任务的宇航员连线视频通话时说：“今天，您创造了历史，使整个美国感到自豪。人类从未真正看到过像您在载人航天器中所做的那样的事情。这真的很特别。” 特朗普总统认为，宇航员们破纪录绕着月球循环的航程“激发了整个世界”。 今天早些时候，执行任务的3名美国宇航员和1名加拿大宇航员远离地球的最大距离达到252756英里，超过了1970年创下的阿波罗13号距离记录超过4000英里。 他们也成为第一个用肉眼看到月球远处部分的人类。 特朗普总统在大约12分钟的电话中称赞宇航员的“勇气”和“天才” ，并称赞他们的旅行是美国宇航局试图将人类第一次重返月球表面的先驱。 特朗普总统说：“美国是一个边境国家，阿尔忒弥斯二号的4位勇敢的宇航员……确实是现代先驱。”他补充说，美国计划接下来“推向火星”。 特朗普总统在宇宙飞船距地球仅25万英里的地方与宇航员通话时，是美国总统与宇航员的最新通话。这是当年美国总统尼克松（Richard Nixon）与月球上的宇航员阿姆斯特朗（Neil Armstrong）和奥尔德林（Buzz Aldrin）的最著名通话传统。 特朗普总统今天与月球远处旅程中的4名宇航员通话时，电话似乎有几秒钟的延迟。 特朗普总统在通话一度停顿下来时说：“我认为我们可能会被切断。” 美国宇航员、指挥官怀斯曼（Reid…
4月6日华盛顿报道，美国总统特朗普宣布美军救援行动成功救出了4月3日在伊朗境内被击落的一架美军F-15战斗机上的两名机组人员。他称此次任务是美军迄今为止执行过的“规模最大、最为复杂、最为惊心动魄”的任务之一。 美以联军对伊朗的打击行动仍在持续，今天早些时候的以色列袭击已造成伊朗数十人丧生，其中包括伊朗实的革命卫队的一名情报主管哈德米（Majid Khademi）少将。 伊朗革命卫队今天扬言，将为该卫队情报部门负责人哈德米少将之死复仇。伊斯兰革命卫队在其官方网站“赛帕新闻”（Sepah News）上发表声明称：“邪恶且穷途末路的敌人应当明白，伊斯兰革命卫队情报组织已启动代号为‘粉碎性复仇’的行动，针对这一罪行的策划者和实施者，一场大规模的报复性打击正等待着他们。” 以色列国防部长对此次由情报主导、成功刺杀哈德米的空袭行动大加赞赏，称此举是对伊朗政权的一次沉重打击；他指出，哈德米是伊朗战争机器中的一名“关键人物”，曾策划针对以色列及美国目标的袭击行动。 此外，伊朗今天对美军科威特军事基地的一次报复袭击，导致15名美军受伤。据两名美国官员透露，在伊朗昨夜对美军科威特萨利姆空军基地（Ali Al Salem Air Base）发动无人机袭击中，导致15名美军受伤。 据美国中央司令部发言人透露，截至今天已有373名美军人员在伊朗战争中受伤。其中约330人已重返岗位，另有5人目前被列为重伤。 目前，特朗普政府一项旨在结束伊朗战事的外交努力正在进行之中；美国正在考量多项方案，其中包括巴基斯坦方面提出的一项为期45天的停火建议，旨在重新开放霍尔木兹海峡。 然而，在该外交努力的同时是特朗普总统此前发表的一番强硬威胁，若伊朗方面未能在4月7日晚间之前同意达成协议，美方将摧毁伊朗的发电厂及其他民用基础设施。 特朗普总统表示，伊朗方面似乎正在“本着诚意”进行谈判；他同时强调，与伊朗达成的任何协议都必须确保“石油运输的自由畅通”。但据伊朗官方媒体报道的消息，伊朗誓言决不投降，并发誓将继续反击美国。
4月6日华盛顿报道，美国总统特朗普今天在白宫新闻发布会上就就美国正在伊朗展开的军事行动战略发表讲话时表示：“我们必须达成一项我可以接受的协议，该协议的一部分将是我们希望石油及其他的一切自由通行。” 特朗普总统说：“这是一个关键时期……我们给他们的期限是明天东部时间晚上8点——在那之后，他们将失去桥梁。他们将失去发电厂。回到石器时代。” 特朗普总统还说：“我们有一个计划，凭借我军的强大实力，明天午夜12点前，伊朗境内的每座桥梁都将被摧毁，每座发电厂都将停止运转……如果我们愿意，这一切将在4小时内发生。但我们不希望看到这种情况发生。” 特朗普总统表示：“在过去37天里，美国武装部队在伊朗上空执行了超过1万次作战飞行，打击了超过1万3千个目标。这是军事航空作战史上前所未有的纪录。”
4月6日洛杉矶报道，美国总统特朗普已正式背书共和党人史蒂夫·希尔顿（Steve Hilton）竞选加利福尼亚州州长，此举重塑了全美人口最多的加州选战格局。 特朗普总统4月5日周日在社交媒体平台“真实社交”上发文表示，他与希尔顿相识多年，并称这位保守派评论员是一位“真正优秀的人”，有能力扭转该州因臭名昭著的高税收而陷入的困境。特朗普写道，加利福尼亚州“已经彻底沦陷了”。 特朗普总统补充道：“在联邦政府的协助下，再加上像希尔顿这样一位杰出的州长，加利福尼亚州必将变得比以往任何时候都更加美好！” 此次背书在初选之前，邮寄选票即将寄发给选民之际，将有助于希尔顿在这场尚无明确领跑者的选战中凝聚保守派的支持力量。 然而，在民主党势力占据绝对优势的加利福尼亚州，共和党除了在保守派基本盘内部享有支持外，在广大民众中很难受到欢迎；因此，如果希尔顿在11月的大选中遭遇民主党对手，特朗普总统的背书可能起到相反作用。 由于候选人众多，民主党人一直担心加州独特的“前两名晋级”初选制度可能会出现漏洞，导致只有2名共和党人能够进入今年11月的州长大选，希尔顿和他的共和党对手、河滨县警长查德·比安科（Chad Bianco)。 特朗普总统的决定，向尚未决定投票意向的保守派选民发出强烈信号，将降低这种可能性，因为这将有助于希尔顿争取更多支持。 选票上有超过50名候选人，其中包括8名资深民主党人，以及希尔顿和比安科这两位领先的共和党人。在加州，所有候选人都在同一张初选选票上，得票最高的2名候选人才能晋级11月的大选，无论他们属于哪个党派，因此出现共和党独揽大选的情况是有可能的。 一个无党派机构加州公共政策研究所（PPIC）在 2 月初进行的民意调查发现，候选人已经分成了2个截然不同的阵营，比安科、希尔顿和3位民主党人、美国众议员斯瓦尔韦尔（Eric Swalwell)、前众议员波特（Katie Porter）和亿万富翁气候活动家斯泰尔（Tom…
4月6日华盛顿报道，美国最高法院今天搁置了一项下级法院对特朗普总统前白宫顾问班农（Steve Bannon）的定罪，为驳回班农两项藐视国会罪扫清了道路。 美国最高法院除了驳回对班农定罪的裁决外，最高法院还将他的案件送回华盛顿特区的联邦上诉法院，以执行进一步的诉讼。美国最高法院以简短的命令对班农的上诉进行了处理，没有任何异议。 美国司法部已要求地方法院驳回对班农刑事案的定罪，为特朗普政府驳回对班农的定罪扫清了道路。此前，班农对2024年判处他4个月徒刑提起了上诉。 关于对班农的定罪可以追溯到2021年，即在特朗普总统第一个任期后，美国众议院民主党委员会发出了传票，试图寻求班农与特朗普对扭转2020年美国总统选举结果的有关文件及证据。 班农拒绝遵守该委员会的要求，坚称特朗普总统律师对民主党议员们所寻求的材料行使了总统行政特权，并拒绝提交有关文件。 班农在特朗普总统第一任期的头几个月曾担任特朗普总统的白官首席战略家，但在2017年离职，他在2020年美国大选时是普通选民。 美国众议院委员会在班农拒绝传票后，投票指控班农两项藐视国会罪。班农在2022年审判中拒绝在国会公开听证会上作证，并坚称特朗普总统行使了总统行政特权。但他仍然被陪审团定罪两项罪名，并被判处4个月监禁。 班农提出上诉，2024年5月，由3名法官组成的小组在华盛顿特区的美国上诉法院维持了对他的定罪。 班农律师在向最高法院提交上诉中表示，对他的起诉“构思不当”和“不公正”。 美国代理司法部长绍尔（John Sauer）在向美国最高法院提交文件中表示，驳回班农刑事案件符合美国的“司法利益”
4月5日华盛顿报道，4月3日清晨，一架美军F-15E战斗机在伊朗西南部被击落，导致2名美军飞行员意外坠落至地面。美军飞机深入伊朗崎岖的山区展开搜寻，试图寻找这2名失踪的军人，期间还遭遇了伊朗军警的火力攻击。 据多位知悉此次复杂且险峻救援行动的美国官员透露，这名因座机F-15E战斗机在伊朗西南部上空发生故障而被迫弹射逃生的美国空军上校，在敌后地区顽强生存了近两天；在此期间，他藏身于崎岖山地的岩石缝隙之中，而美军正争分夺秒地展开一场高风险的紧急救援行动，力求赶在伊朗武装部队发现他之前将其救出。 首先，被击落战机的一名美军飞行员在数小时内便获救。一架负责将该飞行员撤往安全地带的救援直升机在飞行途中遭到轻武器射击，机组人员因此受伤，但直升机最终仍安全降落在了友军控制区内。美军另一架A-10“雷电II”疣猪”攻击机被伊朗击中后坠毁，美军飞行员被迫在波斯湾上空弹射跳伞，随后也获救脱险。 至此，另一名F-15E战机的空军武器系统官跳伞后失踪滞留在敌军腹地深处。他孤身一人仅携带了手枪、一套加密通讯设备以及一个定位信标。这位上校的状况被军方标记为军事术语“任务状态：下落不明” （DUSTWUN)。 中央情报局（CIA）特工随即发起了一场心理欺骗行动，在伊朗境内散布假消息，声称美军已找到那位上校，并正通过地面途径将其秘密撤离出境。 在美国华盛顿，特朗普总统整个上午都与战争部长赫格塞斯、国务卿鲁比奥一同待在白宫战情室里，商讨应对之策。随后，特朗普总统又在白宫椭圆形办公室听取了关于事态进展的最新汇报。 中央情报局最终锁定了那名跳伞美军飞行员的确切位置—位于伊斯法罕以南的一处山区地带。随着美军的军事力量，以及总统的全部注意力迅速转向这场战斗救援任务，原定的其他军事行动均被暂时叫停。一有机会，这位武器官便通过无线电发出了一条信息：“上帝是仁慈的。” 据一位美国官员透露，这一措辞起初引发了担忧，令人怀疑这位美国人是否已被伊朗军队俘虏。当得知这并非一起人质解救行动时，特朗普政府的官员们才松了一口气。 特朗普总统叫停了美军针对伊朗的其他既定军事行动，转而调集注意力与资源，推动美国政府全力以赴，展开一场艰巨卓绝的搜寻与撤离行动，以救回这名受困的美军官兵。 数十名特种作战人员及多架航空器被调派参与此次行动，他们锁定受困机组人员的求救信标，并最终于当地时间4月5日周日上午，在光天化日之下将其安全救出。 在美军展示紧急搜救行动的同时，伊朗与美国军队展开了一场争夺战，试图抢先抵达那名受困的上校身边。有人目睹全副武装的伊朗士兵正在该地区展开地毯式搜查，搜寻这名飞行员的下落。伊朗方面甚至悬赏捉拿他。与此同时，美军也调集了更多军事资源投入行动，包括数十名特种作战部队成员及多架军用飞机加入了此次救援任务。 美军战机同时对伊朗车队实施轰炸，以阻滞其向那名跳伞美军军官所在位置推进。美国战争部要求，媒体暂不予公开这位军官的姓名。 伊朗当地时间4月5日周日白天，美国海军“海豹突击队”（Navy SEALs）成功将这名飞行员从山中救出，并将其安全撤离。…