The Governor of California announced that the more contagious strain of COVID-19 has been found in California.
“Just an hour or so ago we were informed that this new variant, this new strain that we have identified obviously from the U.K. and some other parts of the globe, identified in Colorado yesterday has been identified here in the state of California, in southern California,” Newsom said.
The new strain is not believed to be more deadly but is said to be 70% more contagious. Daily Wire reported
“Today we discovered Colorado’s first case of the COVID-19 variant B.1.1.7, the same variant discovered in the UK,” Democratic Colorado Gov. Jared Polis wrote Tuesday on Twitter. “The health and safety of Coloradans is our top priority and we will monitor this case, as well as all COVID-19 indicators, very closely.”
According to news sources, the strain was found in a man in his 20s who is in now isolation southeast of Denver in Elbert County and has no travel history, state health officials told The Associated Press.
“There is a lot we don’t know about this new COVID-19 variant, but scientists in the United Kingdom are warning the world that it is significantly more contagious,” Polis said. “The health and safety of Coloradans is our top priority and we will closely monitor this case, as well as all COVID-19 indicators, very closely. We are working to prevent spread and contain the virus at all levels.”
California medical workers refuse to take refused to take the vaccine
“So many frontline workers in Riverside County have refused the vaccine – an estimated 50% – that hospital and public officials met to strategize how best to distribute the unused doses, Public Health Director Kim Saruwatari said, according to The Los Angeles Times.
“Between 20% to 40% of frontline workers in Los Angeles County did not take the vaccine when it was first offered. More than half of the 700 eligible employees at a hospital in Tehama County made the same decision, resulting in the facility returning 200 doses to the health department.” Daily Wire reported.
“They gave us those vaccines back, and we quickly started moving it out and using it,” said Dr. Richard Wickenheiser, the Tehama County health officer.
California governor asked to bring back navy hospital ship to relieve health workers
“Our SEIU healthcare workers are exhausted and our hospitals are overwhelmed. They need backup,” Supervisor Hahn said.
In the letter, dated Dec. 29, Hahn asked Gov. Newsom to “call on our federal partners to bring back the USNS Mercy with accompanying medical staff.” Daily Wire reported.
“Emergency departments throughout LA County are overwhelmed and cannot take in all patients in need of urgent care,” she wrote. “The USNS Mercy can add more emergency care capacity for patients not suffering from COVID-19 related health complications. This will in turn alleviate the burden on hospitals, so they can focus on severely ill COVID-19 patients.”
