California coronavirus updates: California lawmakers extend pandemic eviction ban for some renters

9:48 a.m.: Los Angeles City Council may drop vaccine verification for businesses

The Los Angeles City Council is scheduled to vote on whether to end the requirement for many indoor businesses and large outdoor events to verify that customers have been vaccinated against COVID-19.

The motion under consideration would make vaccination verifications voluntary at establishments like restaurants, bars, gyms and personal care businesses, as reported by the Associated Press.

The measure needs at least 12 votes for it to meet an urgent threshold and go into effect quickly. The city council held a first vote on the measure last week, which required a unanimous vote for it to pass. The council voted 13-1 in favor, so a second vote is required.

9:33 a.m.: White House COVID-19 website launches and Biden says he will take a second booster shot

The Biden administration is launching what it says is a one-stop website that’ll help people in the United States access COVID-19 tests, vaccines and treatments, masks and more.

As reported by the Associated Press, President Joe Biden planned remarks Wednesday afternoon to announce the rollout of the covid.gov website.

“Now, with a click of a button, people will be able to find where to access all of these tools,” the White House said. People will also be able to find the latest data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on COVID-19 in their community.

Biden is also expected to receive a second booster shot, in accordance with the recommendation from the Food and Drug Administration. The additional booster dose will be administered by a member of the White House Medical Unit.

COVID-19 has killed more than 975,000 people in the U.S.

9:23 a.m.: Scientists are tracking animals to test them for COVID-19

Wildlife experts are searching for the virus that causes COVID-19 in deer, bears, moose and wolves in Minnesota’s north woods.

According to the Associated Press, these experts are among researchers worldwide trying to figure out how and where wildlife is spreading the coronavirus when international health agencies are calling for greater tracking of infected animals.

Scientists are deeply concerned that the virus could evolve within animal populations — potentially spawning dangerous viral mutants that could jump back to people, spread among the population and reignite what seems like a waning pandemic.

The virus has previously leaped from humans to animals and back again.

10 a.m.: Funding for free COVID-19 tests for uninsured has run out

The first real-world consequences of dwindling federal COVID-19 funds have started to be felt in recent days.

Coronavirus tests for uninsured patients are no longer free in some places, according to NPR. That’s because the program that reimbursed clinics and hospitals for the testing, and treating of uninsured patients with COVID-19, stopped accepting claims last week “due to lack of sufficient funds.”

Some clinics have even found themselves turning away people without insurance who come and get tested but can’t afford to pay for it.

Free vaccines for uninsured people are next, and it’s expected that that funding will run out by next week. After that, the vaccines themselves will still be covered by the government — for now — but the costs of administering them will no longer be billed to the federal program.

9:15 a.m.: FDA approves second booster shot for people 50 and over

U.S. regulators are allowing people 50 and older to get another booster dose of the Pfizer or Moderna COVID-19 vaccine, as reported by the Associated Press.

The Food and Drug Administration's decision aims to offer extra protection to the most vulnerable in case the virus rebounds.

On Tuesday, the FDA said that this age group could get the fourth dose at least four months after their previous dose. But with COVID-19 cases being currently low in the U.S., it's not clear if they should rush out and get one.

There's also limited evidence to tell how much benefit another booster could offer right now. The FDA ruled without input from its independent advisers.

8:58 a.m.: Shanghai goes into full lockdown mode, testing limits of China’s ‘zero-COVID’ strategy

A two-phase lockdown of Shanghai’s 26 million people is testing the limits of China’s hard-line “zero-COVID” strategy, whose effects are being felt beyond the country’s borders.

According to the Associated Press, the city entered the second day of the first phase of a lockdown, including the Pudong financial district and adjacent areas.

The measures, which confine residents to their homes and close nonessential businesses, are to be lifted on Friday. Once that phase is over, the Puxi area on the opposite side of the river dividing the city will go under lockdown.

Authorities are working to ensure food supplies and have converted gymnasiums and exhibition centers to house patients, most of whom show no symptoms.

10:17 a.m.: The FDA is expected to authorize a second booster shot for people 50 years and older

Anyone 50 years and older could soon be eligible for a second booster dose of the Moderna or Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine, as reported by NPR.

The Food and Drug Administration is expected to authorize the additional booster shots without holding a meeting of its independent vaccine advisors.

This plan comes as evidence that protection from three shots is fading, and a fourth one could help boost immunity back up. Omicron variant BA.2 is even more contagious and continues to spread in the U.S., and concern is mounting over another possible surge.

But others question the plan. Vaccines are still doing a good job of protecting people from getting seriously ill. Critics say there just isn’t enough evidence just yet to show that another shot is needed and that it would provide stronger protection that would last.

10:03 a.m.: Biden spokesperson tests positive for COVID-19 after trip to Europe

White House spokeswoman Karine Jean-Pierre said she has tested positive for COVID-19 after having returned from Europe with President Joe Biden, according to the Associated Press.

It’s the latest reported infiltration of the coronavirus into the West Wing’s protective bubble around the 79-year-old president.

The principal deputy press secretary, Jean-Pierre, said she last saw Biden during a “socially distanced meeting” on Saturday.

Because he is fully vaccinated, Biden is not considered a “close contact” under the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines. Jean-Pierre traveled to Belgium and Poland with Biden after press secretary Jen Psaki tested positive for the virus last week.

9:58 a.m.: Shanghai starts China’s biggest COVID-19 lockdown in 2 years

China has begun its most extensive lockdown in two years to conduct mass testing and control a growing outbreak in Shanghai.

According to the Associated Press, China’s largest city with 26 million people had handled previous outbreaks with limited lockdowns of housing compounds or workplaces. The citywide lockdown that started today will be the biggest in the country since the 76-day lockdown of Wuhan in early 2020.

Residents must stay home and deliveries will be left at checkpoints. All unessential businesses will be closed and public transport suspended.

The lockdown will be done in two phases of five days each while the population is tested for the virus. Most of Shanghai’s cases are in asymptomatic people, though they can still pass the virus to others.

9:25 a.m.: Nevada National Guard wraps up COVID-19 response

Nevada’s National Guard is wrapping up its largest, longest state activation in response to a domestic emergency as the state surpassed 10,000 deaths from COVID-19 since the first case was confirmed two years ago.

First Lt. Emerson Marcus said the Guard will close its mission in support of the state’s coronavirus response on April 1, exactly two years after it began.

More than 1,400 Nevada Guardsmembers contributed to the effort, with a peak of 1,139 members on orders to assist in April 2020.

The state activation lasted more than 700 days, the longest for any activation for any reason in state history.

9:21 a.m.: Experts are worried we’ll miss signs of the next COVID-19 wave in the US

Experts are watching for a potential new COVID-19 surge in the U.S. — and wondering how long it’ll take to detect.

They say recent changes could hurt the nation’s ability to see the beginning of a new wave, as reported by the Associated Press.

Those changes include how Americans are getting tests and a decision by federal officials to reduce the number of labs hunting variants. Health officials are increasingly focusing on hospital admissions, which rise only after a surge has arrived.

There’s also a wastewater surveillance framework that remains patchwork across the country. Experts say findings cannot yet be counted on to fully understand coming surges.

9:13 a.m.: Biden administration to decide on COVID-19 asylum restrictions

COVID-19 rates are plunging among migrants moving across the U.S.-Mexico border as the Biden administration faces a decision to end or extend sweeping asylum restrictions based on limiting the virus’ spread.

According to the Associated Press, lower rates raise more questions about scientific grounds for a public health order that has caused migrants to be expelled from the U.S. more than 1.7 million times since March 2020 without a chance to request asylum.

While there’s no aggregate rate for migrants, test results from several major corridors for illegal border crossings suggest it’s well below levels that have triggered concerns among U.S. officials.

9:55 a.m.: Teachers strike in Sacramento highlights staffing issues affecting schools across the country

Thousands of teachers and other school workers have walked out in Sacramento — making this the second major U.S. school district this month to see a work stoppage over pay and staffing shortages.

The other strike is happening in Minneapolis, where teachers are in their third week of a strike, according to the Associated Press.

The walkouts come as schools across the country deal with the fallout from the pandemic, plus the limited resources for granting the demands of education and support staff.

Members of the Sacramento City Teachers Association and SEIU Local 1021 — which represents roughly 4,600 educators and classified staff — walked out over personal shortages creating what they describe as overcrowded classrooms and compromising consistent instruction.

It's the teachers union's second strike since 2019.

"We have a major staffing problem in this district," Shana Just, a biology teacher at Luther Burbank High School, said. "So that's what we're fighting for — we're fighting for our students."

9:41 a.m.: States flush with cash seek to give out direct payments to residents

Governors and state lawmakers throughout the U.S. are floating proposals to send checks to help residents cope with soaring inflation at a time when state budgets are bursting with cash.

As reported by the Associated Press, the relief ideas come at a time when many states actually have too much money on their hands because of billions of dollars of federal pandemic aid and ballooning tax revenue.

All of this is also happening as the war in Ukraine has compounded soaring prices for fuel and other essentials. According to the Wharton Business School, at the University of Pennsylvania, the average family had to spend $3,500 more last year to buy the same amount of goods and services as they purchased in previous years.

Even in California, residents who own cars could get up to $800 from the state to help offset record-high gas prices. Gov. Newsom’s plan calls for registered owners to get $400 per vehicle, including those who own electric cars.

Newsom wants the state to pay for their bus or train fare for three months for people who don't have cars. In total, the proposal would cost $11 billion.

9:23 a.m.: UN’s COVAX program facing more shipment delays

The company behind a COVID-19 vaccine touted as a key tool for the developing world will miss a target for giving doses to the U.N.-backed effort to deliver shots to less wealthy countries, according to the Associated Press.

COVAX planned to make available 250 million doses from Novavax by March, but the U.N. agency in charge of deliveries said the first shipments likely won’t be made until April or May.

Still, tens of millions of vaccine doses have already gone to rich countries, including Australia and the Netherlands.

The delay is the latest setback for COVAX, which has been repeatedly hit by supply problems and has missed numerous targets to share doses.

9:54 a.m.: Moderna says its low-dose COVID-19 vaccine works for children younger than 6

Modern says its COVID-19 vaccine works in babies, toddlers and preschoolers, as reported by the Associated Press.

The company announced early findings on Wednesday from a study of children younger than 6. If regulators agree that small doses are safe and effective enough, it could mean a chance to finally start vaccinating the littlest kids by summer.

Moderna says it will submit the data to regulators in the U.S. and Europe in the coming weeks. While other countries allow Moderna vaccinations for older children, the U.S. currently limits them to adults.

Moderna also says it’ll push to vaccinate teens and school-age children.

9:32 a.m.: Scientists worry that latest coronavirus variant will cause another surge

Scientists worry that a contagious coronavirus variant may soon push cases up in the United States just as it has in Europe and Asia.

One reason? After about two months of falling cases in the U.S., COVID-19 restrictions have been lifted across the nation.

According to the Associated Press, while people are taking off their masks and returning to indoor spaces, immunity from vaccines is waning, and the latest variant, BA.2, is rising in the U.S.

Experts are also monitoring another variant: a rare delta-omicron hybrid that they say is not posing much of a threat at this point.

9:27 a.m.: Pandemic funds were spent on building prisons, hotels and baseball parks

An Associated Press review finds that state and local governments have spent nearly $1 billion worth of federal coronavirus aid on projects that have little to do with combating the pandemic.

The spending runs the gamut. In Broward County, Florida, $140 million went to help build an upscale hotel. In Dutchess County, New York, $12 million is being used to renovate a minor league ballpark. Alabama plans to spend $400 million building new prisons.

When congressional Democrats passed their $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan a year ago, they characterized it as “emergency funding” that would keep front-line workers on the job, open schools and ramp up vaccinations.

9:51 a.m.: Sacramento City Unified teachers may go on strike tomorrow

The Sacramento City Unified School District faces a potential strike on Wednesday, while negotiations with two of its unions continue.

The unions say they’ll walk off the job because of what they describe as “persistent staffing shortages.”

“We’ve been trying for well over a year to work with the district to resolve those issues, to work together to recruit, retain staff and to improve our student learning conditions … so that we can really address our student needs this year, as they have come back from the pandemic,” Nikki Milevsky with the Sacramento City Teachers Association said.

For the first time, the teachers are being joined by another group threatening to strike — the local Service Employees International Union.

District Superintendent Jorge Aguilar said the budget complicates hiring, but last year some one-time funds were spent on hiring 125 new staff members.

"That includes school psychologists, it includes social workers, it includes counselors, it includes behavior specialists, it includes more nurses,” Aguilar said. "So I think that we’ve demonstrated this commitment to make sure that we provide greater services to our students,"

If Wednesday’s strike goes ahead as planned, the district said all of its campuses will close.

9:34 a.m.: Omicron cases in the UK have risen, leading experts to worry about a US uptick soon soon

U.S. health officials are concerned about the climb in COVID-19 case numbers in the U.K.

NPR reports that daily case counts have more than doubled, and hospitalizations are on the upswing.

“Over the last year or so, what happens in the U.K. usually happens here a few weeks later,” Dr. Anthony Fauci, the president’s chief medical advisor said. “And right now, the U.K. is seeing somewhat of a rebound in cases.”

Officials in the U.K. attribute the increase to the quick-spreading BA.2 omicron subvariant, the widespread removal of COVID-19 restrictions and waning immunity from vaccinations and infections.

The CDC’s COVID-19 tracker shows that daily cases have dropped to their lowest levels since July 2021 — however, the rate of decline in cases has slowed significantly and may be on track to level off.

Wastewater surveillance also points to an uptick in viral activity at sites around the country. Experts caution that this data is new and untested but consider it another potential sign that the U.S. could see new case growth.

“We are seeing evidence of increases in some communities across the country,” said Amy Kirby, program lead for CDC’s National Wastewater Surveillance System, which detects virus fragments from feces flushed into sewage systems at select wastewater treatment facilities around the country.

8:33 a.m.: Biden aides to Congress: fund COVID-19 programs, but don’t cut spending elsewhere

Senior administration officials say Congress should provide the $22.5 billion President Joe Biden wants for continuing the battle against COVID-19 without cutting other programs to pay for it.

According to the Associated Press, officials told reporters that if Republicans continue insisting that additional federal efforts to combat the pandemic must be paid for by culling spending elsewhere, the GOP should specify what they want to cut.

The remarks came nearly two weeks after a new round of COVID-19 funding was pulled out of a $1.5 trillion government-wide measure after rank-and-file Democrats rejected cuts that party leaders had negotiated to pay for it.

10:49 a.m.: US Health Secretary Xavier Becerra says that White House needs more COVID-19 funds

With COVID-19 restrictions lifting in multiple states, U.S. Health Secretary Xavier Becerra is warning that vaccines, tests and treatments will be “stuck on the ground” unless Congress provides additional funds that the White House has asked for.

In a wide-ranging interview with the Associated Press, Becerra also expressed concerns about cases rising among children as schools lift mask requirements. Schools have become a flashpoint in the COVID response, with some parents objecting to mask requirements as an infringement on personal liberty and others reluctant to put their children near any potential risks.

He also said that his Department of Health and Human Services is trying to prepare so millions of people don’t lose health insurance once their eligibility for Medicaid lapses when the government ends the official COVID-19 public health emergency.

Currently, less than half of the eligible population is boosted.

10:25 a.m.: Doctors are racing to get new COVID-19 pills to patients but face delivery hurdles

COVID-19 patients now have new treatments they can take at home to stay out of the hospital, but only if doctors can get those pills to them fast enough.

As reported by the Associated Press, health systems around the country are rushing out same-day prescription deliveries.

Some clinics also have started testing and treating patients in one visit. The goal is to get patients started on either Pfizer’s tablets or Merck’s capsules within five days of symptoms appearing. However, the tight deadline highlights the immense challenges in getting the medication on time.

Often, patients delay testing, thinking they just had a cold, or are unwilling or unable to try the new drugs.

10:20 a.m.: China may soon loosen COVID-19 restrictions

Even as authorities lock down cities in China’s worst outbreak in two years, they are looking for an exit from what has been a successful but complex COVID-19 prevention strategy.

According to the Associated Press, public health experts caution that any plan to ease zero COVID-19 measures are still sporadic and preliminary with no timeline set.

However, public messaging, plus a new study, has officials in China indicating that the government is exploring a possible relaxation of some of its restrictions.

Change does not appear imminent, with more than 15,000 new cases this month in multiple outbreaks across the country. For now, the government is sticking with its tried-and-true policy of lockdowns, mass testing and quarantining travelers.

6:38 a.m.: Temporary 'Ice Pac' exhibit in Sacramento helps support local artists 

After two years of the pandemic, people taking in an art exhibit might sound a bit foreign.

Like others around the world, Sacramento artists have struggled during the pandemic. As the latest COVID-19 surge appears to wane, a new temporary exhibit has given some of the region’s top artists a chance to tear down walls and make art, but just as important: a paycheck. 

The Coordinates: Ice Pac exhibit in Midtown, Sacramento opened March 4. For a month, 35 of Sacramento’s top artists have turned a cable broadcast center set for demolition into an immersive art experience.

“They have torn up carpets. Torn into the walls," said Molly Stroud, one of the curators. "Gone up into the ceiling and really just experimented with this space and also their practices to create truly unique installations.”

You can smell redwood as you're in a room with log cuts standing four or five feet high, which gives viewers a the sense of the forest

Faith McKinnie was the first artist contacted about using the space. She spoke to Insight host Vicki Gonzalez.

"That was the most moving thing for me. Just to know that we were able to put some money in these artists’ pockets again and do something that has changed so many people's lives,” she said.

The exhibit is expected to close March 26 and demolition of the space to follow shortly after. More information and tickets are available on the exhibit's website.

6:30 a.m.: L.A. Unified to keep indoor mask mandate for now

Los Angeles Unified is working with labor partners and stakeholders to transition away from its indoor mask mandate, the district announced Friday. LAUSD met Friday with United Teachers Los Angeles to negotiate health and safety protocols. Per UTLA’s agreement with the district, any changes to the indoor mask mandate must be negotiated between both the district and UTLA. 

Negotiation comes as California ends its indoor mask mandate for K-12 schools across the state Saturday and follows LAUSD’s end to outdoor masking requirements last month —  the first major decision made under Superintendent Alberto Carvalho since starting his new position.

Since February, Carvalho has indicated that the district would continue to adhere to the advice of medical experts over Covid-19 protocols. In an interview with EdSource last month, he said he expected masking requirements to loosen “going into the summer” and said the district would come forward with thresholds and indicators by which future Covid-19 protocols would be based.

“We ought to maintain nimbleness — the ability of our district to pivot quickly … which is what are the best indicators, the best thresholds and the best data that we follow,” he told EdSource in late February.

—Kate Sequeira, EdSource

10:13 a.m.: San Francisco and Los Angeles to drop proof of vaccination requirements in certain instances

Los Angeles and San Francisco are moving toward ending requirements that certain businesses require patrons to show proof of vaccination as new cases of COVID-19 and hospitalizations fall.

According to the Associated Press, the Los Angeles City Council ordered the city attorney on Wednesday to craft an ordinance that makes vaccine verification voluntary for indoor locations such as bars, restaurants and gyms and eliminates proof of vaccination for large outdoor events.

A final will be required when the ordinance is ready. San Francisco on Friday will stop requiring proof of vaccination to enter those businesses.

Vaccination verifications will still be required to enter indoor events with 1,000 or more people in both cities.

9:38 a.m.: Two years into the pandemic and Americans take cautious steps forward

On the two-year anniversary of the start of the pandemic, people are shedding their masks and getting back to normal as COVID-19 deaths and cases plummet, as reported by the Associated Press.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, hospitalizations from COVID-19 in the U.S. have dropped 80% in the last six weeks, since a mid-January pandemic peak down to the lowest levels since July 2021.

Case counts have followed the same trend line, and even the death tally, which typically lags, has slowed significantly in the last month.

People are headed back to gyms, bars, restaurants and even crowded concerts — things that seemed too risky just last month.

8:53 a.m.: Chinese city of 9 million goes back into lockdown as new cases crop up

China has ordered a lockdown of the 9 million residents of the northeastern city of Changchun amid a new spike in COVID-19 cases attributed to the highly contagious omicron variant, according to the Associated Press.

Residents are required to remain home with one family member permitted to venture out to buy food and other necessities every two days. All have to undergo three rounds of massive testing.

The latest lockdowns also include Yucheng, with 500,000 people in the eastern province of Shandong.

Despite some earlier indications that authorities would be implementing more targeted measures, the latest happenings show that China seems to be planning to stick to its strict approach to the pandemic.

China reported 397 cases nationwide on Friday, with just two cases being detected within Changchun.

9:56 a.m.: National mask mandate on public transportation has been extended to April 18

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is developing guidance that will ease the nationwide mask mandate for public transit next month, according to the Associated Press.

But the existing face-covering requirement will be extended through April 18.

The masking requirement had been set to expire on March 18 but is being extended by a month to allow the public health agency time to develop new, more targeted policies.

Currently, the requirement extends to planes, buses, trains and transit hubs.

9:31 a.m.: Experts look to the past to predict how COVID-19 will end

Two years into the COVID-19 pandemic and most of the world has seen a dramatic improvement in infections, hospitalizations and death rates in recent weeks, signaling the crisis appears to be winding down — but how will it end?

Experts believe past epidemics may provide clues, according to the Associated Press.

One thing experts have learned is that it can be a long-drawn-out process. This includes different types of endings that may not all occur at the same time.

Generally, there are three types of “endings,” including a “medical end,” when disease recedes, the “political end,” when government disease prevention measures cease, and the “social end,” when people move on. These ends may happen in any order.

9:19 a.m.: Here’s how the pandemic has evolved since it started in late 2019

Two years after the pandemic began, more countries are shifting towards a return to pre-pandemic life and are attempting to adapt to living with the virus.

Safe and effective vaccines have been developed at record speeds. As reported by the Associated Press, as of early March, 10 vaccines have been cleared for emergency use by the World Health Organization.

Experts have learned a lot more about keeping the coronavirus under control since it emerged in late 2019.

“The world has watched us learn in real-time how to treat COVID-19,” says Neil J. Sehgal, an assistant professor of health policy and management at the University of Maryland School of Public Health.

Still, the distribution of vaccines has been unequal despite an international effort to deliver shots more fairly, and misinformation has fueled hesitancy about the shots.

However, there are still some questions experts have about the virus. Studies are underway to better understand how long COVID-19 affects the body months after an initial infection.

And with all of this new information, scientists are still on the lookout for the next fast-spreading variant.

10 a.m.: Nevada's Clark County School District loosens remaining masking requirements

Nevada’s largest school district is loosening some of its COVID-19 restrictions, effective Wednesday.

As reported by the Associated Press, the Clark County School District no longer requires wearing masks on school buses and employees don’t have to participate in mandatory weekly COVID-19 testing.

The district took these steps as the numbers of COVID-19 cases dropped in the previous week. Last month, the district lifted its requirements for masking indoors at schools and other facilities immediately after Gov. Steve Sisolak lifted the state’s mask mandate.

Sisolak said school districts could set their own policies. CCSD measures remaining in place include a mandate that parents or guardians ensure children are free of symptoms when going to school.

9:32 a.m.: Minor league baseball and hockey teams turn to COVID-19 relief funds to stay afloat

Over 100 minor league baseball and more than a dozen minor league hockey teams are hoping to get COVID-19 relief from the U.S. government to offset millions of dollars of losses from the pandemic.

According to the Associated Press, minor league sports teams and their facilities were left out of the first round of small business subsidies. Most had to rely on Paycheck Protection Program loans to keep their staff together.

Unlike major league teams, minor league teams are very reliant on in-person attendance to stay afloat due to a lack of TV and streaming ad revenue. A Minor League Baseball survey found that the average team lost over 91% of revenue from pre-pandemic levels — a result of the entire 2020 season being canceled — while the American Hockey League reported revenues are down 85-95% from its last full seasons in 2018-2019.

An influx of funds from a bill that could go through Congress as soon as next week would allow teams to hire more people, payback debts and dig out of the hole they’ve been in for the past two years.

9:23 a.m.: WHO says globally COVID-19 cases and deaths have fallen

The World Health Organization said the number of new coronavirus cases and deaths globally have continued to fall in the past week, as reported by the Associated Press.

Only the Western Pacific is reporting an increase in COVID-19.

According to the latest report from the health agency, the WHO said new COVID-19 infections dropped by 5% in the last week, continuing a declining trend that first started more than a month ago.

Deaths were also down by 8% and have been falling globally for the last two weeks.

10:02 a.m.: Black-owned businesses dropped 41% during the start of the pandemic, study shows

Recent research from UC Santa Cruz shows a dramatic drop in small businesses early in the pandemic, especially those owned by people of color.

In particular,  there was a loss of about 450,000 Black-owned businesses, a 41% drop.

The Inclusivity Project aims to raise $100 million to help 1,000 Black entrepreneurs in California.

Jay King, president and CEO of the California Black Chamber of Commerce,, is involved in this effort.

“My hope is that what it does is, it starts to build those micro and mini-micro businesses into a small business that can house two to four employees and then scale it up,” King said on CapRadio’s Insight.

He said the goal of the Inclusivity Project is to provide mentorship and business development expertise.

9:56 a.m.: WHO says booster shots are now needed, in reverse from last year’s stance

An expert group convened by the World Health Organization said it “strongly supports urgent and broad access” to coronavirus vaccines, including booster doses, according to the Associated Press.

The call caps a reversal from the U.N. health agency’s previous insistence that booster doses weren’t necessary and contributing to vaccine inequity.

In a statement on Tuesday, WHO said its expert group concluded that immunization with authorized COVID-19 vaccines provide high levels of protection against severe disease and death amid the global circulation of the hugely contagious omicron variant.

Last year, WHO’s director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus called for a moratorium on booster doses, pleading with rich countries to donate their vaccines instead.

9:32 a.m.: Hong Kong experiences COVID-19 surge, could lead to lockdowns again

Hong Kong has reported more than 34,000 new coronavirus infections on Monday — a record — as authorities assess the possibilities of locking down the city.

According to the Associated Press, Hong Kong is grappling with a coronavirus surge driven primarily by the omicron variant. Daily cases have more than quadrupled from a week ago.

Health authorities say the government could implement measures that may involve “asking people to stay at home.”

Several supermarkets' shelves were wiped bare as residents stockpiled daily necessities after rumors of a lockdown circulated on social media. Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam has called for calm, saying that food supplies were normal.

9:47 a.m.: Global COVID-19 death toll surpasses 6 million

The death toll from COVID-19 has surpassed 6 million, according to the Associated Press.

The tragic number confirmed on Monday is believed to be a vast undercount and shows that the pandemic in its third year is far from done. It’s also a reminder of the unrelenting nature of the pandemic, even as people are shedding masks, traveling and moving around the globe.

The last million deaths of the tally compiled by Johns Hopkins University were recorded over the previous four months.

That’s slightly slower than the previous million but highlights that many countries are still struggling with the coronavirus. Overall, some 450 million cases of COVID-19 have been recorded.

9:39 a.m.: NFL and NFL Players Association drop face masking rules

The NFL and NFL Players Association recently announced that they have agreed to suspend all COVID-19 protocols going into the 2022 football season, effective immediately.

NPR reports that both the NFL and the player’s association announced the suspension, which means the NFL will no longer conduct mandatory testing for any of its players or staff.

With the change in protocols, players and staff will no longer have to wear face coverings at team facilities, regardless of vaccination status. However, each club can require face coverings “if they elect to do so.”

While no NFL games were canceled during the 2020 and 2021 seasons due to COVID-19, many teams ended up moving games during the 2020 schedule, according to the Associated Press. Nearly 95% of NFL players and about 100% of NFL staff were fully vaccinated.

9:23 a.m.: China sees new COVID-19 cases despite 'zero-tolerance policy'

China is seeing a new surge in COVID-19 cases across the country, despite its “zero tolerance” approach to dealing with outbreaks.

According to the Associated Press, the mainland reported 214 new cases in 24 hours on Monday. The southern province of Guangdong, which borders Hong Kong, reported the most cases at 69.

Hong Kong has been recording tens of thousands of cases per day. No new cases were reported in Beijing, which was essentially back to normal.

In his annual report to the national legislature on Saturday, Premier Li Keqiang said China needs to “constantly refine epidemic containment” but gave no indication that Beijing may switch up its current “zero tolerance” strategy.

10:59 a.m.: UC Davis will no longer require masks in most indoor settings

On March 19, UC Davis will drop their current masking policies and follow the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s guidelines to no longer require masking in most indoor settings.

This change will apply to both the Davis and Sacramento campuses. However, masks will still be required in clinical settings and on public transit, following federal, state and local guidelines.

Despite this change, masks are still strongly recommended by public health officials and by the school for vaccinated and unvaccinated people alike. The school said it will support those who continue to wear masks indoors for any reason.

Employees and students who are not fully vaccinated must continue testing every four days. Davis campus employees and fully vaccinated students must continue testing every 14 days.

As a reminder, people who are up to date on their vaccinations have a much lower risk to their health.

Further updates will be provided in Chancellor Gary S. May’s next letter to the community on March 11.

10:50 a.m.: Senators introduce bill to fund research into long COVID

Nearly two years after getting COVID-19, Virginia Sen. Tim Kaine said he still has mild symptoms, according to the Associated Press.

The Washington Post reports that’s why Kaine joined fellow Democratic senators Edward Markey of Massachusetts and Tammy Duckworth of Illinois in introducing a bill to fund research aimed at better understanding long COVID.

The little-understood phenomenon in which symptoms linger for weeks or months after a coronavirus infection could affect thousands.

The Comprehensive Access to Resources and Education (CARE) for Long COVID Act would centralize data about patient experiences and fund research into the effectiveness of treatments.

It would also expand resources to help those with lingering symptoms.

10:44 a.m.: Here’s why vaccine rates are still low in some countries.

Experts say there are several reasons why COVID-19 vaccination rates are still low in some countries, in addition to limited supplies.

Other challenges now include unpredictable deliveries, weak health care systems and vaccine hesitancy. According to the Associated Press, many countries with low vaccination rates in Africa. Other places include Yemen, Syria and Haiti.

For most of last year, developing nations were struggling with a lack of supplies, but other setbacks have emerged, such as poor infrastructure to distribute the shots and a lack of materials like syringes.

At the same time, rich countries were hoarding doses, while many countries didn’t have the facilities to make their own vaccines. COVAX, the initiative to distribute vaccines equally around the world, faltered in delivering shots to countries that needed them.

Vaccine hesitancy has also contributed to low uptake.

9:43 a.m.: Some of Nevada’s school districts have lowered the bar for substitute teacher hiring during states of emergency

In a move prompted by the pandemic, the state has cleared the way for Nevada’s largest school districts to hire substitute teachers with only a high school diploma during states of emergency.

According to the Associated Press, the Legislative Commission on Monday unanimously approved a permanent rule change covering school districts with over 9,000 students attending district schools or public charter schools within a district’s geographic boundaries.

The covered districts include Las Vegas, Clark and Washoe counties.

The new permanent regulation replaces a temporary measure that expired Nov. 1. It was put in place during the pandemic because of Clark County’s severe staffing shortage.

9:39 a.m.: As demand for COVID-19 vaccines drop, states scramble to figure out what to do with soon-to-expire doses

As demand to get COVID-19 vaccines in the U.S. collapses in many areas, states are scrambling to use stockpiles of doses before they expire.

Millions of doses have already gone to waste across the nation, as reported by the Associated Press.

From the least vaccinated states like Indiana and North Dakota to some of the most vaccinated states like New Jersey and Vermont, public health departments are shuffling doses around their states in hopes of finding providers that can use them.

In California, the percentage of wasted doses is only about 1.8%, but in a state that’s received 84 million doses and administered more than 71 million of them, that's about 1.4 million wasted doses.

All this comes only about a year after the vaccines were released, and people such as hospital board members, their trustees and donors jumped the line to get early access before those deemed a higher priority.

9:34 a.m.: Pfizer’s COVID-19 pill treatment takes months to produce

Pfizer’s new COVID-19 treatment came with a catch when it debuted late last year — it can take months to make tablets.

According to the Associated Press, company leaders said they have since expanded production and expect big gains in the next several months. That could help if another wave of cases develops later this year.

The drugmaker uses more than 20 different sites in over 10 countries to produce Paxlovid, however making the complex drug involves chemical reactions that need time to develop. Pfizer said it has reduced production time from nearly nine months to about seven.

9:56 a.m.: California man allegedly stole $1 million in COVID-19 tests

Authorities say they are seeking a Southern California warehouse manager who is accused of stealing more than $1 million worth of COVID-19 tests from his employer’s clinic.

Santa Ana police say 33-year-old Carlitos Peralta had access to his employer’s shipping and delivery system, according to the Associated Press.

His employer has seven warehouses nationwide that are used to store and ship COVDI-19 tests to customers, including clinics, pop-up testing sites, schools, and hotels.

Police say Peralta diverted nearly 100 separate shipments from multiple warehouses to his home.

The police department asked the public on Thursday to contact the agency with information about his whereabouts.

9:51 a.m.: Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccines protect young kids against omicron, report shows

A new government report shows Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine gave children 5 and older strong protection against hospitalization and death even during the omicron surge.

As reported by the Associated Press, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released the new data on Tuesday.

A day earlier, a study from New York raised the question of whether the vaccine is less effective in children ages 5 to 11, especially against milder infections, particularly since younger kids get an even smaller dose than teens.

However, CDC data from additional states doesn’t suggest any age-related issues with the vaccine. While vaccines are generally less effective against omicron, they still protect against severe outcomes.

9:40 a.m.: Los Angeles County set to drop indoor mask mandate this week

Los Angeles County is set to lift its indoor mask mandate this week as coronavirus case rates and hospitalizations plummet, according to the Associated Press.

Public Health Director Dr. Barbara Ferrer said Tuesday that California's most populous county would likely issue a revised health order that would take effect Friday and along with new state guidelines.

Ferrer told the county's Board of Supervisors that it would still be recommended but not required for vaccinated and unvaccinated residents to wear face coverings in public indoor settings.

9:41 a.m.: Sacramento County public health officer to virtually attend State of the Union

Sacramento County Public Health Officer Dr. Olivia Kasirye will be a virtual guest, due to safety protocols, at tonight’s State of the Union address.

Rep. Doris Matsui (D-Sacramento) made the announcement Monday night. The address will cover some of the achievements of the Biden presidency, from the economy to the government's COVID-19 response. 

“I am thrilled to have Dr. Olivia Kasirye join as my virtual guest … and thank her for her guidance, vigilance and service for the Sacramento community,” Matsui said in a press release.

Kasirye said that she’s worked together with Matusi to “provide the people of the Sacramento region with timely and accurate information and the resources they need to stay safe during the battle with COVID-19.”

CapRadio will broadcast the speech live at 6 p.m. You can also watch it live on our website.

9:25 a.m.: Western States are all dropping masking requirements for children in school starting March 12

The governors of California, Oregon and Washington have announced that schoolchildren will no longer be required to wear masks starting March 12, as reported by the Associated Press.

The governors of the three states announced the measure in a joint statement as a part of new indoor mask policies that come as coronavirus case and hospitalization rates decline across the West coast.

The new guidance will make face coverings a recommendation rather than a requirement at schools and most indoor places regardless of vaccination status.

The milestone comes as much of the country relaxes public health orders, including school mask mandates, in an effort to restore normalcy and boost economic recovery.

9:06 a.m.: US Treasury Department says overwhelming amount of federal rental assistance during pandemic went to low-income tenants

The U.S. Treasury Department has concluded that more than 80% of the billions of dollars in federal rental assistance went to low-income tenants during the pandemic.

According to the Associated Press, the Treasury also found that the largest percentage of tenants receiving pandemic aid were Black households, in which many were led by women.

In the fourth quarter of 2021, the Treasury also found that more than 40% of tenants getting help were Black and 20% were Latino, while two-thirds were woman-headed households.

Lawmakers approved $6.5 billion in Emergency Rental Assistance last year, and through 2021, the government body said more than $25 billion has been spent or allocated, representing 3.8 million payments to households.