California issued shelter in-place orders on Tue Mar 17, 2020. I have been logging the highlights and lowlights. The XBB.1.16 or Arcturus is the latest variant from the media headlines. Apr started fast which slowed down towards the end.
Sat Apr 1. Watched the Florida Atlantic and San Diego State Final Four basketball game.
Mon Apr 3. Santa Clara County announced the county follows CA state guidelines on COVID-19. Masks are no longer required in health care facilities, jails, homeless shelters, and long-term care homes. Health care workers no longer need to be vaccinated. People who tested positive for COVID-19 isolate for five days. Any facility can set their own masking requirements. John Muir Health mandates masks for vulnerable patients. Kaiser Permanente no mask mandates for patients and visitors.
Santa Clara County data reported 33% of eligible residents received the updated bivalent COVID-19 booster. 12% didn't complete the initial COVID-19 vaccine series. The county wastewater samples were medium level.
25% of eligible residents in the State Of CA received the bivalent booster.
Watched most of the NCAA Men's Basketball Championship game University Of Connecticut and San Diego State.
Tue Apr 4. Former President Donald Trump arrested for fraud.
The Food And Drug Administration (FDA) gave emergency authorization use to Gohibic which is an injection made by Infla Rx NV. The treatment is given to patients hospitalized with COVID-19. Gohibic lowers the risk of death between the 28th day and the 60th day.
Fri Apr 7. Ran errands at Safeway and filled up my car with gas.
Sun Apr 9. A Chinese scientist claimed the COVID-19 virus originated from humans. The genetic sequences of viral samples taken from the Huanan Seafood Market in Wuhan, China were identical to infected patients. There was insufficient evidence to prove racoon dogs originated the COVID-19 virus. The World Health Organization (WHO) said the claim lacked data from China about the beginnings of the virus.
Mon Apr 10. President Joe Biden signed the bill to end the national emergency. The signed bill didn't affect the public health emergency ending on May 11. The COVID-19 national emergency was declared on Mar 13, 2020 retroactive to Mar 1, 2020. Some emergency measures ended. Other emergency measures are being phased out. The administration expedited preparations for normal operations when Congress worked to end the emergency early.
Wed Apr 12. The US government is spending $5 billion for new COVID-19 vaccines and treatments project named "Project Next Gen." The project accelerates and streamlines rapid development of the next generation of vaccines and treatments. The Department Of Health And Human Services coordinates the project with the private sector.
Thur Apr 13. The Calvary Chapel San Jose is ordered to pay $1.2 million in fines accumulated during the global pandemic. The church violated the Santa Clara County public health order. The battle between the church and the county lasted years. Multiple judges issued multiple rulings.
Fri Apr 14. A new COVID-19 variant XBB.1.16 or Arcturus was identified in India. Cases surged. Arcturus is confirmed in 20 countries including the US. The transmissibility rate is high. A new symptom appears causing conjunctivitis or red eye or pink eye. The Center For Disease Control (CDC) reported Arcturus is responsible for 7.2% of US COVID-19 cases. It was 3.9% last week. XBB.1.5 or Kraken is the most common strain.
Tue Apr 18. The FDA authorized the Pfizer and Moderna bivalent vaccines for people age 65 and older and immunocompromised people to receive an additional dose at least four months after their first dose. Immunocompromised people can receive an additional dose at least two months after their first dose. Unvaccinated people may receive a single dose of the bivalent vaccine instead of the multiple doses of the original single-strain vaccine.
Unvaccinated children between the ages of 6 months and 5 years may receive a two dose Moderna bivalent vaccine. Unvaccinated children between the ages of 6 months and 4 years may receive a three dose Pfizer bivalent vaccine.
The CDC said 16.7% of eligible Americans received the bivalent. The CDC also said the bivalent vaccine effectiveness protecting Americans has weaken.
Wed Apr 19. The CDC authorized the additional bivalent vaccines for people age 65 and older and immunocompromised people.
Fri Apr 21. Shopped at Safeway first thing in the morning.
Kaiser Permanente-Santa Rosa reinstated mask mandates due to a COVID-19 outbreak. Dozens of staff and patients tested positive for COVID-19.
Los Angeles County identified cases with the XBB.1.16 or Arcturus variant.
The CDC announced 1,160 Americans died in the last seven days which was the lowest number since Mar 2020. The number of positive cases declined under 100,000; however, the number was an underestimation because of at-home testing. Arcturus represented 10% of positive cases.
Sun Apr 23. Watched the last 42 seconds of the Golden State Warriors at Sacramento Kings Game 5 of the first round NBA playoffs.
Mon Apr 24. Shopped at Target and the Nike Factory Outlet store.
Thur Apr 27. First spare the air day in 2023.
Fri Apr 28. The CDC said international travelers visiting the US must still be vaccinated. The travelers must be fully vaccinated two weeks after getting the Pfizer or Moderna mRNA bivalent vaccine after Aug 16, 2022. Previously, foreign travelers were fully vaccinated two weeks after receiving the second dosage for vaccines requiring two shots or the first dosage for vaccines requiring one shot.
The CDC stopped its color coded COVID-19 Community Levels tracker soon. The exact date was unannounced. The CDC tracks COVID-19 from hospitalizations in some areas thereafter. Hospitalization rates are a lagging indicator because a person who tested positive takes 7 to 10 days to be hospitalized. Wastewater testing continues in communities and air travelers.
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