How California went from a leader in the Covid fight to a state in despair

[marmar]

(Guardian UK) At the San Joaquin hospital in California’s Central Valley, nurses cover infectious Covid-19 patients with clear, tent-like barriers – or, when those aren’t available, white sheets – as they are wheeled through the ICU.

“It’s for everybody’s protection,” said Jessica Vasquez, an ICU nurse at the hospital – the sheets ensure that infection doesn’t spread to other patients and medical staff. But like so many of the protocols that the hospital has implemented since the coronavirus pandemic struck, it feels uncanny.

....(snip)....

When the virus first hit California, Vasquez was relieved to see the state implement a lockdown – it was the first American state to do so. Back in March, personal protective gear for medical staff was in short supply and hospitals were scrambling to understand the best practices to treat an illness they had never encountered before, but at least, “people understood this was serious. They stayed inside, if they could – and California avoided the fate of New York and Louisiana.

....(snip)....

California is a large, decentralized state, in a very large, decentralized country, Gandhi said. “And that sort of system is just not the most effective during a respiratory pandemic.”

In this latest, winter stretch of the pandemic, “it’s the inconsistencies that have really agitated residents,” said Fernando Guerra, a political scientist at Loyola Marymount University. The governor, as well as local mayors, tried to at once pacify rightwing sheriffs who openly flouted public health measures, address the needs and demands of stretched school boards and teachers unions nervous about restarting classes, and help out small businesses facing economic disaster – while trying to contain the spread of disease, Guerra said. The result was a policy mess. ............(more)

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2020/dec/28/how-california-went-from-leader-covid-fight-despair

[BigmanPigman]

1. Yup, the "My mask, my freedom" asses

protested in the state capital as well at every other two bit town. They pressured local political leaders to cave. The "I have to go to the beach and a bar or I will die" maskholes are the reason we are here now. The maskholes are still doing it and restaurants and gyms are bitching and calling it a hoax...STILL! So is a local TV news station. There is no bottom to their level of hatred and selfishness. Basically, they are greedy and don't give a shit about anyone but themselves. Even if a relative dies they are just as stupid. I hate them!!!

Also, in LA there are a ton of infections since many people live in a single household in minority areas of the city. Household spread is a BIG problem. The local news mentioned this.

[Silver Gaia]

2. Yeah, the worst of this is in Southern Cailfornia.

You're in the LA area, right? I'm in Northern California near Sac. It's not great here, but it's not as bad as it is down south. We have the same maskholes, hoaxers, and covid deniers, though. The foothills are crawling with them. I hate them, too! They are the reason WHY this is happening, and they STILL don't get it. Idiots!

[BigmanPigman]

4. I'm in San Diego but we are in the same "group"

as LA. We may be blue but the GOP maskholes are loud and upstage everyone. The news should stop showing their protests...feeding their fury. But the news is a business and ratings are $$$.

If I had my way no maskholes would get Covid related healthcare if they are infected. Also, I would be issuing fines to businesses and individuals like you have never seen before. If the GOP loving sheriffs don't enforce the rules, they would get fined as well. You have to hit them where they live...their almighty pocketbooks. I would have no problem doing that. I ran a 1st grade classroom so I know how to deal with immature people.

[FreeState]

6. The County Board has been a joke

So glad the Dems are finally taking over. Maybe they will actually enforce the orders.

[uponit7771]

3. "tried to at once pacify rightwing sheriffs who openly flouted public health measures" don't coddle

[kimbutgar]

5. Except for certain parts northern California has been more mask compliant than so Cal

I rarely see people without masks.

[Raine]

8. I'm in Los Los Angeles County and I never see people without masks

even when they're outside.

[kimbutgar]

9. Living in the Bay area with a large Asian population I saw an increase in masks in late January

And then we heard of the virus and have worn a mask religiously. My cousin lives in Huntington Beach and said she sees a lot of non mask wears who complain when they are not admitted into grocery stores or other stores. She left a store once when she saw at least 5 people without them.

[Bluesaph]

7. Inland empire border with Orange County

We have a lot of Asians where I live and masks are part of the culture. We could learn a lot from them. I pulled my son out of high school before the lock down because I was hearing about an Asian flu and a lot of the Asian kids were wearing masks. Did some research and out he went.

I feel sorry for people who live in the MAGAt pockets. My sister says she is surrounded by mask holes in apple valley, including her school district superintendent. She got Covid early. Got good treatment. If she had it now, there would be no hospital space.