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.
12月18日华盛顿报道，美国总统特朗普今天签署了一项行政命令，指示联邦机构重新对大麻进行分类，放宽了长期以来对该药物的限制，标志着美国大麻政策半个多世纪以来影响最为深远的转变。 该命令一旦由美国缉毒局（DEA）最终确认，将把大麻从《管制物质法》中与海洛因和摇脚丸（LSD）并列的最严格类别一级管制药物——移至三级管制药物。三级管制药物涵盖了具有公认医疗用途且滥用可能性较低的物质，例如氯胺酮和含可待因的泰诺。 特朗普总统今天在白宫椭圆形办公室表示。这项行动是应遭受剧烈疼痛、不治之症、侵袭性癌症、癫痫、神经系统疾病等折磨的美国患者的要求而提出的，其中包括众多因服役受伤的退伍军人，以及患有严重影响生活质量的慢性疾病的老年人。” 由梅赫迈特·奥兹（Mehmet Oz）领导的美国医疗保险和医疗补助服务中心（CMS）预计将于4月启动一项试点项目，允许部分享受联邦医疗保险（Medicare）的老年人免费获得医生推荐的大麻二酚（CBD）产品。 据白宫高级官员透露，这些产品必须符合所有地方和州关于质量和安全的法律法规。此外，这些产品必须来自合法渠道，并经过第三方检测，以确保其大麻二酚含量和不含污染物。 消息公布后，各大麻公司股价涨跌互现。许多分析师认为，此次重新分类是为大麻行业注入的一剂强心针。此举使相关公司免受美国国税局（IRS）第280E条的约束，首次允许他们扣除租金和工资等标准支出。此外，这也为此前因合规担忧而受阻的银行贷款和机构资本敞开了大门。 华尔街许多人士也预计，这些变化以及联邦医疗保险试点项目将吸引大型制药公司进入该领域，以追逐联邦政府的保险收入。 尽管近年来大麻二酚的受欢迎程度飙升，从气泡水到护肤品，各种消费品都添加了大麻二酚成分，但美国食品药品监督管理局尚未给予该化合物完全的支持。 有报道称，研究发现大麻二酚对特定疾病的疗效“并不稳定”，而美国食品药品监督管理局（FDA）资助的研究则警告称，长期使用大麻二酚会导致肝毒性，并干扰其他救命药物的疗效。目前，美国仅批准了一种大麻二酚药物 Epidiolex 用于治疗罕见类型的癫痫。 特朗普总统指出：“我想强调的是，这项行政命令……绝不以任何方式、任何形式使大麻合法化，也绝不认可将其用作娱乐性药物。”
12月18日佛州萨拉索塔报道，特朗普媒体与科技集团（TMTG）今天宣布将与聚变能源公司TAE合并，交易金额超过60亿美元，旨在利用这项新兴技术为耗能巨大的人工智能数据中心提供动力。该合并消息今天上午公布后，总部位于佛罗里达州萨拉索塔的特朗普媒体与科技集团股价上涨3.37美元，涨幅高达32%，至13.84美元。 TAE是一家私营科技公司，致力于开发通过原子核聚变产生能量的技术。特朗普媒体与科技公司旗下拥有特朗普总统的社交媒体平台“真实社交”(Truth Social）。 此次合并正值特朗普媒体与科技集团的股价艰难的一年，其股票代码为DJT，与特朗普总统的姓名首字母相同。截至12月17日，该公司股票今年以来已下跌69%，而同期标普500指数上涨了14%。 对于特朗普媒体与科技集团而言，此次合并标志着该公司战略的又一次转型，该公司于2021年成立，专注于保守派社交媒体领域。 近年来，该公司已转型超越其科技企业的根基。今年早些时候，该公司达成协议，筹集25亿美元用于购买比特币，建立加密货币储备。此外，该公司还推出了奉行“美国优先”战略的投资基金。 特朗普传媒与科技集团首席执行官、前加州议员努内斯（Devin Nunes）在今天与投资者的电话会议上表示，与TAE的合并是公司“美国优先”原则的延续。 努内斯在电话会议上说：“聚变能将降低能源价格，增强国防实力，并确保美国在人工智能技术领域的主导地位所需的能源供应。” 努内斯补充道：“此次合并将使合并后的公司能够引领全球人工智能革命，并开启美国能源复兴。” 努内斯表示，公司合并完成后，将“迅速寻求审批，以选址并建造公司首个公用事业规模的发电厂”。“我们预计将于2026年底前开始选址，这将使我们走上建设未来350兆瓦至500兆瓦发电厂的道路。” 据国际四大会计事务所之一的德勤（Deloitte）今年早些时候发布的一份报告显示，随着科技公司在美国各地建设人工智能数据中心，其电力需求正“呈指数级增长”。该会计事务所指出，到2035年，人工智能数据中心的电力需求可能增长30多倍，从去年的4吉瓦增至123吉瓦。 努内斯在一份声明中表示，聚变能将被证明是“自20世纪50年代商业核能出现以来最引人注目的能源突破”。 根据两家公司今天发布的声明，努内斯将与TAE科技公司首席执行官宾德鲍尔（Michl Binderbauer）共同担任新公司的首席执行官。
12月17日华盛顿报道，美国总统特朗普今晚黄金时段在白宫向全美发表讲话，重点介绍了他在2025年外交、经济、国防、移民和边境政府诸多领域所取得的杰出成就，以及未来三年任期的目标。此次讲话时长约20分钟。 特朗普总统在讲话中宣布，美国政府将在圣诞节前向美军每人发放1776美元的“战士分红”。 特朗普总统在讲话中指出，他将很快提名一位新的美联储主席，并承诺这位人选“坚信应该大幅降低利率”。 特朗普总统在讲话中谈到医疗保健费用问题时表示，由于一系列增强版《平价医疗法案》税收抵免措施将于今年年底到期，这个问题已成为许多美国人日益关注的焦点。特朗普总统强调，用于保险补贴的资金应该“直接惠及民众”，而不是流向保险公司。
12月17日加州安大略市报道，安大略国际机场（ONT）官方正为冬季假期预计创纪录的客流高峰做准备，以节日气氛欢迎各位旅客。据该机场预测，在为期 18 天的冬季假期出行期，旅客人数将超过 36.2 万，比去年增长 2.2%，创下该机场历史新高。 该机场出行期将从12月18日周四持续至1月4日周日，其中最繁忙的日期预计为12月21日周日22804人次，12月19日周五22353人次，以及12月28日周日 22167人次。 根据当前时刻表，各航空公司将在该机场提供超过 46.5 万个座位、2808 个抵达和出发航班，以满足假期出行需求。 安大略国际机场管理局首席执行官阿提夫·埃尔卡迪（Atif…
AMTV/Los Angeles, Dec 17 - JCOD closed out the year with a historic milestone as…
12月17日华盛顿报道，美国参议院今天最终通过了一项年度军事政策法案，该法案将授权9010亿美元用于国防项目，同时要求美国战争部长赫格塞斯（Pete Hegseth）向美国国会议员提供在委内瑞拉附近国际水域袭击疑似毒品走私船的视频。 这项年度《国防授权法案》(NDAA）将美军士兵薪资提高3.8%，在美国国会审议过程中获得了两党支持，白宫也表示该法案符合美国总统特朗普的国家安全优先事项。 这项长达3000多页的法案揭示了国会和五角大楼之间的一些摩擦点，因为特朗普政府正在将安全重点从欧洲转向中美洲和南美洲。 这项法案还反制了五角大楼最近的一些举措。它要求提供更多关于加勒比海船只袭击事件的信息，要求美国维持在欧洲的驻军规模，并向乌克兰提供部分军事援助。但总体而言，这项法案是两党妥协的产物。它落实了特朗普政府关于取消军队多元化和包容性措施的许多行政命令和提案，并赋予美国与墨西哥边境的军事部门紧急权力。 该法案还加强了美国国会对五角大楼的监督，废除了几项已实施多年的战争授权，并试图改革五角大楼的武器采购方式，以帮助美国在下一代军事技术发展方面超越中国。 美国参议院军事委员会共和党主席罗杰·威克（Roger Wicker）表示：“我们即将通过这项法案，总统也将欣然签署，这将是60年来对国防部运作方式进行的最全面的改革。” 然而，这项内容广泛的法案也遭到了美国参议院商务委员会民主党和共和党领导人的反对。这是因为该法案允许军用飞机获得豁免，无需广播其精确位置，而此前一架陆军直升机在华盛顿特区与一架客机相撞，造成67人死亡，事故发生前该直升机就未广播其精确位置。 美国参议院商务委员会共和党主席特德·克鲁兹（Ted Cruz）本周在一次新闻发布会上表示：“正是这种特殊豁免导致了1月29日的坠机事故，造成67人死亡。” 克鲁兹表示，他正在寻求在下个月就一项两党立法进行投票，该立法将要求军用飞机使用精确位置共享工具，并改善商业飞机和军用飞机在繁忙空域的协调。 美国共和党和民主党就该国防法案中的一项条款达成一致，该条款威胁要扣留赫格塞斯四分之一的差旅预算，除非他向美国众议院和参议院军事委员会提供未经剪辑的袭击视频以及授权这些袭击的命令。 赫格塞斯12月16日在该法案通过前，在美国国会简报会上向两党议员们简要介绍了美国在委内瑞拉附近国际水域的军事行动。此次简报会引起了许多议员的不同反应，共和党人大多支持此次行动，而民主党人则对此表示担忧，并表示他们没有获得足够的信息。 美国众议院委员会正在调查美军于9月2日打击贩毒船只造成两人死亡的一次袭击，而这两名遇难者此前已在对他们船只的首次袭击中幸存下来。下令进行“二次打击”的海军上将弗兰克·布拉德利（Frank…