California Today: The unequal toll of Covid-19

During Día de Muertos, or Day of the Dead, we remember those who have been lost.

View in browser|nytimes.com Continue reading the main story November 2, 2021 By Soumya Karlamangla California Today, Writer Nicole Flores, 10, at a Día de Muertos celebration in Fresno on Saturday.Tomas Ovalle for The New York Times Because of a technical error, this newsletter did not go out on time this morning. We apologize for the delay. ENCINITAS, Calif. — The celebratory chords of a mariachi band filled the community center. On seemingly every surface fresh marigold blossoms glowed a bright orange. And, in this town just north of San Diego, two types of masks were present at its recent Día de Muertos event: faces painted white and black to resemble skulls as well as the more familiar kind — cloth coverings to prevent the spread of the coronavirus. The virus we've been living alongside for nearly two years has left us grappling with a staggering, unfathomable level of loss. On Monday, the official worldwide death toll from Covid-19 hit five million. In California, the pandemic has imbued Día de Muertos, the annual tradition also known as Day of the Dead, with particular, painful significance. Covid-19 has killed more than 32,000 Latinos in California, giving the group the highest death rate of any race or ethnicity in the state. Naimeh Woodward, president of Encinitas Friends of the Arts, which hosted this weekend's Día de Muertos celebration, told me, "This year, it's really relevant more than ever." Danza Azteca Misión San Luis Rey performing in Encinitas.Ariana Drehsler for The New York Times From Left: Ariana Drehsler for The New York Times; Tomas Ovalle for The New York Times Día de Muertos ceremonies remember and honor the dead, typically around Nov. 1 and 2 — All Saints' Day and All Souls' Day on the Catholic calendar. The holiday, widely celebrated in Mexico, has been gaining popularity across the world and the United States in recent decades, with an extra boost from the 2017 Pixar movie "Coco." At the event in Encinitas, colorful candles, painted skulls, fresh and paper flowers, and framed photographs of smiling faces lined tables. These altars, or ofrendas, are meant to entice departed loved ones to briefly return to the land of the living. Continue reading the main story ADVERTISEMENT I saw ofrendas adorned with mangos, sweetbreads, cans of Tecate and glass bottles of Coca-Cola. Garlands and bouquets of brilliant marigolds further help attract the spirits. "If you don't put that picture there that means you forget about them, so that's why every year you have to remember them so they can come and bless you," said Beatriz Villarreal, who grew up in Mexico City and M.C.s the Encinitas event. "My father loved whiskey and chocolate, so I put a little bottle of whiskey and chocolate." Latinos make up the largest ethnic group in California (they are 39 percent of the population) but their share of Covid-19 deaths (45 percent) is even higher, particularly among younger age groups. The same is true nationwide. Performers waiting outside the Encinitas event.Ariana Drehsler for The New York Times Ariana Drehsler for The New York Times Sixty-six percent of 18- to 34-year-olds who have died from Covid-19 in California were Latino, though Latinos account for just 45 percent of the population in that age group, according to The Los Angeles Times. By contrast, white Californians make up 30 percent of that age group but 12 percent of its deaths. Continue reading the main story ADVERTISEMENT There are several reasons: Latinos are more likely to have poor access to medical care, work essential jobs that can't be done remotely and live in crowded, multigenerational homes where the virus can easily spread. The mortality gap is likely to persist as long as the pandemic does, and may even widen. In recent months, a lower rate of Covid-19 vaccination has emerged among Latinos. For all communities in California, the toll of the pandemic has been extraordinary, and far more than we could have imagined back in March 2020. Last month, California surpassed 70,000 deaths from Covid-19. This is a scale of devastation typical in wars and the most horrific of natural disasters. The pandemic has left us with a grief so enormous we will process it for years to come, perhaps on Día de Muertos. Continue reading the main story ADVERTISEMENT Mariachi Centinela performing in Fresno.Tomas Ovalle for The New York Times For more: What exactly is Day of the Dead? Who's Los Angeles's most admired altar maker? The Los Angeles Times reports. Subscribe Today We hope you've enjoyed this newsletter, which is made possible through subscriber support. Subscribe to The New York Times with this special offer. Xavier Becerra, the secretary of health and human services, discussed the enrollment period for California's state-run health insurance marketplace, Covered California, on Monday.Rich Pedroncelli/Associated Press The rest of the news Covered California opens: Open enrollment for the nation's largest state-run health insurance marketplace began on Monday, The Associated Press reports. American Airlines attack: A flight attendant on a plane bound for California was struck by a passenger, leaving her with a concussion and a facial injury. Transgender rights lawsuit: The Supreme Court on Monday declined to wade into a case involving a transgender man and Mercy San Juan Medical Center near Sacramento, The Associated Press reports. Vaccine harassment law: A federal judge has thrown out California's new 30-foot buffer zone designed to restrict protests at coronavirus vaccination sites, The Associated Press reports. SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA Garcetti aide returns: Ana Guerrero returned to Los Angeles City Hall after being placed on leave for comments she made in a Facebook group, The Los Angeles Times reports. New Chargers headquarters: The Los Angeles Chargers are planning to construct a headquarters and training facility in El Segundo, The Los Angeles Times reports. CENTRAL CALIFORNIA Catalytic converter theft: The number of catalytic converters stolen from cars in Fresno County has spiked this year, The Fresno Bee reports. NORTHERN CALIFORNIA PG&E faces inquiry: Federal investigators are seeking records from Pacific Gas and Electric in connection with the Dixie fire. The utility also faces about $1.15 billion in losses from liability. Tech office expansions: Facebook and TikTok are seeking significantly more office space in the Bay Area, The San Francisco Chronicle reports. Oakland tiny homes: The city is turning to tiny home villages in an effort to provide housing for unhoused residents, The San Francisco Chronicle reports. What you get When a California pit stop became permanent, they scrambled for a place to buy. Which home would you choose? Jason Henry for The New York Times What we're eating This pasta with eggplant and zucchini is at once elegant and easy, and no trouble to put together on a weeknight. A winery in Sebastopol.Drew Kelly for The New York Times Where we're traveling Today's tip is from Vicki Rae, a reader who lives in Sonoma. Vicki recommends nearby Sebastopol and Bodega Bay: In Sebastopol, stock up on handcrafted chocolate truffles at Sonoma Chocolatiers, then meander down Florence Avenue, where whimsical metal sculptures by the artist Patrick Amiot line the street. On to Walker Apples in Graton, a family-owned apple orchard that gives a glimpse of Sonoma County 50 or 100 years ago. Continue over a forested hill to Occidental and then take Coleman Valley Road to Bodega for breathtaking views of the Pacific Ocean. Quickly stop at Spud Point Crab Company for crab cocktail to go and catch the sunset at Bodega Head. Perfect day. Tell us about your favorite places to visit in California. Email your suggestions to CAtoday@nytimes.com. We'll be sharing more in upcoming editions of the newsletter. What we're recommending These 12 titles before they leave Netflix in November. Robert Norman Photography And before you go, some good news When Gabi Conti went on a date with Daren Johnson at a bar in West Hollywood, she did something pretty unusual for Angelenos: said exactly what she was thinking. "I excused myself to the bathroom and said, 'If you don't start asking me things to let me know you're interested in me, I'm leaving,'" Conti told The Times. Johnson found the directness attractive, and upped his game. Later that night, in September 2019, they shared a kiss. This month, they got married. Thanks for reading. I'll be back tomorrow. — Soumya P.S. Here's today's Mini Crossword, and a clue: ___ Mahal (3 letters). Mariel Wamsley and Shelby Knowles contributed to California Today. You can reach the team at CAtoday@nytimes.com. Sign up here to get this newsletter in your inbox. Continue reading the main story Need help? Review our newsletter help page or contact us for assistance. You received this email because you signed up for California Today from The New York Times. To stop receiving these emails, unsubscribe or manage your email preferences. Subscribe to The TimesGet The New York Times app Connect with us on: Change Your EmailPrivacy PolicyContact UsCalifornia Notices The New York Times Company. 620 Eighth Avenue New York, NY 10018

Coronavirus: Shots for kids soon

The C.D.C. endorsed the use of Covid-19 shots in children ages 5 through 11.

View in browser|nytimes.com November 2, 2021 An informed guide to the pandemic, with the latest developments and expert advice about prevention and treatment. (Was this email forwarded to you? Sign up here.) Daily reported coronavirus cases in the United States, seven-day average.The New York Times By Jonathan Wolfe Pfizer said its Covid-19 vaccine is expected to break sales records again next year. China urged families to stock up on food to prepare for winter lockdowns. Russia hit a daily record for coronavirus deaths. Get the latest updates here, as well as maps and a vaccine tracker. Getting ready to vaccinate kids In a move that could significantly shore up the country's ability to fight the pandemic, the federal government cleared the last big hurdle before the Pfizer vaccine can be offered to children in the U.S. Scientific advisers to the C.D.C. today voted unanimously to endorse the use of Covid-19 shots in children ages 5 through 11. The agency's director is now expected to accept the recommendation and children could start getting shots this week. To prepare, the Biden administration has enlisted more than 20,000 pediatricians, family doctors and pharmacies to administer the shots. About 15 million doses are being packed and shipped to vaccination sites across the country. My colleague Apoorva Mandavilli said the endorsement is timely, as Americans begin to plan for the winter holidays. "Although cases in the U.S. have been falling steadily for weeks, experts have warned that once you start gathering for the holidays, the numbers can easily go up again, even if they might not be as bad as they were last year," Apoorva said. "We are not anywhere near the percentage of the population that we need to vaccinate, so the more unvaccinated people we can protect, including children, the better off we'll be." The big question now is whether hesitant parents will immunize their children. About three in 10 parents say they will definitely not get the vaccine for their 5- to 11-year-old children, according to a poll by the Kaiser Family Foundation. A similar percentage of parents said that they would immunize their children "right away," a figure that has barely budged since similar polls in July and September. Still, the rollout of the vaccine should lessen the headaches of parents and administrators frustrated by frequent school shutdowns — there have been about 2,300 between early August and October, affecting more than 1.2 million kids — and it should make life a bit more manageable for families with young children. Apoorva, for one, was already setting up an appointment for her 9-year-old daughter. "It's going to be such a welcome change for parents trying to navigate having only part of their family vaccinated," Apoorva said. Side effects: Apoorva looked into the latest research on Covid vaccines and heart problems in children and found the data to be reassuring. Few exemptions in the military The U.S. military has fully vaccinated roughly 87 percent of active-duty troops since it announced its vaccine mandate two months ago. How did it achieve such a high number? By rejecting requests for religious exemptions, my colleague Jennifer Steinhauer reports. Military officials say that no one is actively discouraging members of the military from seeking an exemption based on religious beliefs. But most leaders of major religious organizations have recommended that people get the vaccine, and for anyone seeking a religious exemption from the military or the Department of Veterans Affairs, officials said they would likely have to establish a history of adherence to a religion that prohibits vaccines, among other things. The Defense Department has granted a smattering of exemptions for other reasons — such as for people who are already leaving the military or who have certain medical issues — though some of these exemptions may soon be reversed. It isn't clear how many service members have requested exemptions from the vaccine — officials would not provide those numbers — but they did say the numbers were not large. "I don't see the courts interfering with the vaccines in any other context than possibly religious exemptions," said Dorit Rubinstein Reiss, a law professor and expert on vaccine mandates at the University of California, San Francisco. "But I don't know if courts will be wiling to second-guess the military." Your reunion plans November is shaping up to be an emotional month. On Nov. 8, after more than a year and half of restrictions, vaccinated international travelers will finally be allowed back into the U.S. — including at land borders with Canada and Mexico. The end of the ban on international visitors has kicked off a surge of travelers booking trips to the U.S. Cue the tearful reunions. As the U.S. opens up to international travel, we'd like to know: What are your reunion plans? If you're planning to reunite with friends or relatives from abroad in the coming months, tell us what you're planning and what this moment means to you. We may use your response in upcoming Times coverage. If you'd like to participate, you can fill out this form here. What else we're following A new study found that hundreds of white-tailed deer in Iowa have been infected with the coronavirus, worrying experts about a wild reservoir for mutations that could spill back over to humans. Wealthy countries have given out more booster shots in the last 90 days than poor countries have administered all year, The Financial Times reports. In Opinion, a professor of medical ethics explores the unsolved mystery of why more men die of Covid-19. Wired looked into the race to create a universal vaccine that could protect against the entire coronavirus viral family. The Atlantic argues that the U.S. is avoiding the most difficult questions about how we live with an endemic version of the virus — forever. Kristy Swanson, an actress and vaccine skeptic, was hospitalized with Covid. What you're doing Four neighbor ladies began visiting during the dark days of the pandemic. Everyone started by bringing their own silverware, food and drink and we ate outside on my deck, sometimes when it was cold, sometimes when it was lovely. We progressed over the last 18 months through the scary parts, through vaccinations, and on Friday we all gathered for a "spooky supper" dinner at my home, inside, with no masks. — Marcia Telthorster, Doylestown, Pa. Let us know how you're dealing with the pandemic. Send us a response here, and we may feature it in an upcoming newsletter. Email your thoughts to briefing@nytimes.com. Did a friend forward you the briefing? Sign up here. Need help? Review our newsletter help page or contact us for assistance. You received this email because you signed up for Coronavirus Briefing from The New York Times. To stop receiving these emails, unsubscribe or manage your email preferences. Subscribe to The TimesGet The New York Times app Connect with us on: Change Your EmailPrivacy PolicyContact UsCalifornia Notices The New York Times Company. 620 Eighth Avenue New York, NY 10018