News

City of Irvine and MemorialCare Partnered to Provide COVID-19 Vaccination Clinic

Friday, February 19, 2021

Through the leadership of Mayor Farrah N. Khan, the City of Irvine and MemorialCare partnered together to offer a COVID-19 small trial vaccine clinic for Irvine’s most vulnerable seniors. “I’m thrilled to be able to provide vaccines to our City’s most vulnerable residents,” said Mayor Khan. “The City Council and I have listened to residents’ requests and needs to bring vaccines to the City, and this is just the beginning of the great work my COVID-19 Task Force is capable of achieving through our partnerships.” The small trial clinic took place Friday, Feb. 19 at Lakeview Senior Center. Seniors vaccinated include the City’s most vulnerable populatio...

Orange County’s Coronavirus Metrics Improve Again, Putting Red Tier Within Reach

Tuesday, February 16, 2021

(Orange County Register) Marking a fifth week of improving pandemic metrics from a rough start to the new year, Orange County has dipped one toe into the next, less restrictive tier of the state’s four-tier tracking system, which governs which businesses and public spaces can reopen. The county’s testing positivity – that’s the share of swab and spit tests coming back positive and is one of three critical metrics used to determine how strict pandemic rules should be – this week fell to 7.8%, barely making it over the 8% threshold into red tier territory, according to a state Department of Publi...

California Restaurant Jobs: Is The Industry Recovering?

Monday, February 15, 2021

(Patch) Restaurant workers are among the Golden State residents who have been most at risk of unemployment since the coronavirus pandemic began almost 11 months ago. California is one of the 46 states that have seen overall losses in restaurant industry employment from the beginning of the pandemic to the end of 2020. Only Indiana, Mississippi and Oklahoma ended 2020 with more people employed in the industry than in February of that year. Idaho saw no change. The trends are not going in the right direction nationally, however. A net 19,400 restaurant industry jobs were lost in January, according to early data from the Bureau o...

Federal COVID-19 Response Taps UCI Health as a Model for Delivering Monoclonal Antibody Therapy

Thursday, February 11, 2021

Monoclonal antibodies are showing promise for improving outcomes for COVID-19 patients, but when a hospital is already beyond capacity, administering them can be a challenge. As hospitalizations soared across California, clinicians with UCI Health created a system for delivering monoclonal antibodies that is keeping hospital beds available for patients with the greatest need. “The hospital bed is one of the most valuable resources that we have, which has been stretched thin by the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Dr. Daniel S. Chow, an assistant professor in residence in radiological sciences and co-director for the Center for Artificial Intelligence in Diagnostic Medicine as well as th...

Port Activity Surges as Pandemic Drives E-Commerce Imports

Sunday, February 07, 2021

(The Grunion) When 2020 dawned, the major concern at the Port of Long Beach centered around a burgeoning trade war with China. But then the global coronavirus pandemic quickly changed that, posing challenges the port had never before faced. The fallout from the pandemic was the focus of Executive Director Mario Cordero’s annual State of the Port address on Feb. 4, during which he touched on how the port marshaled resources to keep operations going, chronicled the year’s wildly inconsistent cargo numbers — which flatlined in the first half of 2020 and then boomed to record levels ahead of the holidays — an...

COVID-19 Shots Speed Up In Orange County As Health Networks Join the Race

Saturday, February 06, 2021

(Orange County Register) The Orange County government’s mass coronavirus vaccination drive is no longer the main option in town as traditional health networks ramp up immunizing their own elderly patients. Together, county representatives and health care providers – including large players such as Kaiser Permanente, Providence, and UCI Health – had administered about 265,000 first and second doses to 221,000 people by Jan. 31, according to the OC Health Care Agency’s latest figures. The shots are speeding up. Administrators have more than doubled the average number of shots given daily since mid-January to about 12,000 per day. The county Health Care Agency’s vaccination networ...

Why US Hiring Could Rebound Faster Than You Might Expect

Saturday, February 06, 2021

(Associated Press) Hiring has weakened for six straight months. Nearly 10 million jobs remain lost since the coronavirus struck. And this week, the Congressional Budget Office forecast that employment won’t regain its pre-pandemic level until 2024. And yet a hopeful view is gaining steam that as vaccinations reach a critical mass, perhaps around midyear, and the government provides further stimulus, the economy and the job market will strengthen much faster than they did after previous recessions. “I am not often optimistic,” said Heidi Shierholz, an economist at the Economic Policy Institute. “But I am optimistic now.” The brighter outlook rests on three premises. The first is tha...

MemorialCare Participating in I-SPY COVID Trial to Evaluate Treatments for Severely-Ill COVID-19 Patients

Friday, February 05, 2021

MemorialCare Long Beach Medical Center continues its fight against COVID-19 as a participant in the I-SPY COVID Trial (Investigation of Serial Studies to Predict Your COVID Therapeutic Response with Biomarker Integration and Adaptive Learning). The focus of the trial is to improve outcomes for severely-ill COVID-19 patients. The I-SPY COVID Trial is an adaptive platform trial that incorporates a single-study structure to evaluate multiple treatments independently within the same trial. This method allows for the rapid assessment of potentially impactful therapies. All patients admitted to the hospital with COVID-19 requiring high flow oxygen or mechanical ventilation are screened for potential participation in thi...

Destination Irvine Earns Global Hospitality Award: Irvine, USA’s Best Emerging Leisure & Recreation Travel Destination

Tuesday, February 02, 2021

LUXlife has awarded its 5th annual Hospitality Award to Destination Irvine for its work to market Irvine’s well-deserved status as “USA’s Best Emerging Leisure & Recreation Travel Destination.” “To be globally recognized with this award, during a truly challenging year, is quite an honor,” said Wendy Haase, vice president, Destination Irvine. “Irvine being recognized as the best U.S. destination for leisure and recreation will further our marketing efforts that highlight the city’s safe and responsible COVID-19 recovery.” LUXlife Magazine, one of AI Global Media’s most popular standalone publications, recognized that many firms whose work is vital to the industry were not bein...

COVID-19 Dominates California’s Latest Workplace Regulations

Sunday, January 31, 2021

(The Press-Enterprise) In response to the coronavirus pandemic, California lawmakers and regulatory agencies spent much of 2020 passing legislation and issuing regulations to prevent and address the spread of COVID-19 in the workplace. Many of these laws and regulations went into effect Jan. 1 and will continue impacting California businesses well beyond 2021. New Measures in Workplaces California’s Division of Occupational Safety and Health approved sweeping emergency temporary standards on COVID-19 infection prevention in November for all employees not covered by Cal/OSHA’s Aerosol Transmissible Diseases standard. The state’s ATD regulations commonly apply to workers in health care facilities, laboratories, public health as wel...

In Case You Missed It: Greater Irvine Chamber Business Outlook Presentation and Slides Available Online

Friday, January 29, 2021

Whether you missed the Jan. 28 live-streamed presentation of the 2021 Greater Irvine Chamber Business Outlook event, would like to revisit it, or share it with others, the complete presentation, program booklet, and Chris Schwarz’s slide deck can be accessed here: Business Outlook 2021.

Irvine Company is Nation’s First Commercial Real Estate Co. to Partner with Environmental Quality Testing Leader to Confirm Ventilation, Filtration Systems Effectiveness

Friday, January 29, 2021

A healthy workplace environment starts with healthy air. The Irvine Company is the first commercial real estate company in the nation to partner with SafeTraces, an indoor environmental quality testing leader, to confirm the effectiveness of our ventilation and filtration systems. The Irvine Company also continues to proactively evaluate our building systems and wellness protocols: UL Verified Healthy Building Mark - Indoor Air. Irvine Company is the first commercial real estate provider in the United States to receive the UL Verified Healthy Building Mark for Indoor Air. Learn more about the comprehensive testing process and results. UCI Health - Workplace Wellness Protocols. Top epidemiologist...

UCI Alum Appointed COVID Data Director, White House COVID-19 Response

Tuesday, January 26, 2021

University of California, Irvine alum Dr. Cyrus Shahpar has been appointed to the Biden administration in the role of COVID data director. Dr. Shahpar has focused on infectious disease and public health throughout his career, and previously led rapid response for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. He departs a role as vice president for Epidemic Intelligence at the Resolve to Save Lives Initiative to join the Biden administration, having previously served on the incoming administration’s Agency Review Team for the Department of Health and Human Services. Dr. Shahpar earned his medical degree and MBA at UC Irvine and his master’s i...

Stay-At-Home Order Lifted for Orange County Businesses

Monday, January 25, 2021

(Orange County Register) Owners and staff in some Orange County business sectors, including restaurants, gyms, and hair and nail salons, welcomed the surprising news on Jan. 25, that they could immediately reopen – at least outdoors in some cases – after state health officials lifted the latest stay-at-home order, which all Southern California counties had been under since Dec. 6. Restaurants and gyms can open outdoors and nail and hair salons can reopen indoors at limited capacity – but everyone must wear a mask, said Gov. Gavin Newsom during a news conference on Jan. 25. Certain youth sports competitions can resume, he said. However, Orange Count...

COVID Vaccine Given at Soka University, OC’s Second Mass Vaccination Site

Saturday, January 23, 2021

(Orange County Register) The county opened its second Super Point-of-Dispensing, or POD, vaccination site on Jan. 23 at Soka University in Aliso Viejo. With 1,500 doses of the Pfizer vaccine on hand, the inoculations began. Eventually, officials hope to ramp up to delivering 3,000 to 4,000 doses a day at the site, seven days a week, as long as supplies are available. Currently, the county has about 66,000 doses of vaccine, which are being delivered at the super PODs and smaller mobile sites. Disneyland was the first large site to open. The county receives only about 20% of the overall supply designated for Orang...

UCI Coronavirus Vaccine Could Protect Against All COVID Strains

Friday, January 22, 2021

(Patch) UC Irvine scientists are developing a vaccine to attack all strains of coronavirus, the university reported on Jan. 21. Along with the vaccine, scientists say they have identified a potential breakthrough that —if it works—would solve many of the problems related to distributing the medicine to patients across the world, a UCI professor on the project says. Lbachir BenMohamed— a UCI School of Medicine professor of immunology and the founder of the Laboratory of Cellular and Molecular Immunology at the University of California, Irvine—says that his team is developing what they envision will be a vaccine that could work on al...

City of Irvine Cares Campaign

Thursday, January 21, 2021

The City of Irvine launched Irvine Cares, the first initiative of Mayor Farrah N. Khan’s newly assembled COVID-19 Task Force. The campaign invites the public to slow the spread of COVID-19 by pledging support of mitigation measures which includes acting as an advocate to ensure the health and safety of Irvine’s most vulnerable. Through Irvine Cares, community members pledge to protect one another by wearing a mask, washing their hands frequently, practicing social distancing, and staying home when sick. They commit to practicing kindness and good judgment by being respectful of others, especially those who are at increased risk for severe illness, and to be an advocate by promoting best practices in preventing COVID-19. Community members can take the pledge online at cityofirvine.org/irvinecares or download a pledge card and mai...

COVID-19 Vaccine: Can It Be Required?

Tuesday, January 19, 2021

(CalChamber) In this episode of The Workplace podcast, CalChamber Executive Vice President and General Counsel Erika Frank and employment law expert Jennifer Shaw discuss what employers need to consider before mandating that their employees get the COVID-19 vaccine. *This podcast was recorded on January 12. Listeners should be aware that given the unpredictability of the COVID-19 pandemic, information shared on this podcast episode may change at any time. The recent distribution of the COVID-19 vaccine has sparked a lot of questions from employers and many of them are asking whether employees can be required to get the vaccine, Frank tells podcast listeners. Because th...

UCI Researchers Developing Vaccine Designed to Prevent Future Coronavirus Outbreaks

Tuesday, January 19, 2021

(KABC) Remember the SARS and MERS outbreaks? Those were both coronaviruses. Could another deadly outbreak occur in the next few years? If there's anything we've learned is that we need to be prepared. Scientists at UC Irvine are developing a vaccine designed to prevent future coronavirus outbreaks. In December 2019, a novel coronavirus appeared in Wuhan, China. Shortly after, Chinese scientists released the virus's full genome sequence. With that, researchers were able to develop COVID-19 vaccines in record time. But even with unprecedented speed, the virus has killed nearly 2 million people worldwide. UCI professor Lbachir BenMohamed, Ph.D. said it's not a matter of i...

City of Hope’s COVID-19 Vaccine Research Receives Boost from Broadcom

Saturday, January 16, 2021

Tech innovator Broadcom Inc. has recognized the promise of City of Hope’s pioneering research, by donating to its preclinical coronavirus research and development efforts. The investigational research for the vaccine, known as COH04S1, is in phase 1 clinical trials. Research is being led by City of Hope Professor Don J. Diamond, Ph.D., a viral immunologist, and assistant research professors Felix Wussow, Ph.D. and Flavia Chiuppesi, Ph.D., scientists with vast expertise in studying the immune system’s abilities to fight viral infections—a common concern for immune-compromised cancer patients during treatment. The vaccine has the potential for delivery in a freeze-dried form that would eliminate cold-chain requirements. All o...

Disneyland, OC's First Large-Scale Vaccination Center Opens To Lines

Wednesday, January 13, 2021

(Patch) If you are trying to get a handle on how to get vaccinated in Orange County, you are not alone. On Jan. 13, Cars lined up on the streets near Disneyland Resort of hopefuls awaiting their dose of coronavirus vaccine. As of Jan. 13, only those who fall in Phase 1A of the vaccination plan, and those 65-years-old or older, can register. Still, the application designed to handle the registry was not working as of 10:30 a.m. Wednesday. Orange County officials planned to open a guest parking area off Katella, transforming that into a coronavirus vaccination center—one of five planned fo...

Disneyland to be Orange County’s First Large-Scale Vaccination Site

Tuesday, January 12, 2021

(Orange County Register) On the day the coronavirus death toll in California reached 30,000, Disneyland and other locations such as Dodger Stadium were established as vaccination super sites. Newly confirmed infections are rising at a dizzying rate of more than a quarter-million a week and during the weekend a record 1,163 deaths were reported – Orange County surpassed 2,000 reported deaths. Bereft of visitors for months because of the pandemic, Disneyland will soon see thousands of guests when it serves as one of Orange County’s five planned mass vaccination sites. County officials announced the deal Monday, Jan. 11, to use the theme park i...

Newsom’s Budget Offers Tax Breaks to Businesses, Job Training to Spur California Economy

Monday, January 11, 2021

(The Sacramento Bee) Californians struggling to get back to work during the coronavirus pandemic could get help from more than a billion dollars earmarked for job creation and workforce training in Gov. Gavin Newsom’s new budget proposal. If approved, more than $750 million would go toward a so-called California Jobs Initiative that would provide a combination of tax credits, micro-grants, and loans aimed at boosting job creation. Newsom is also proposing $353 million for job training and apprenticeship programs, in sectors ranging from construction to cybersecurity. The money would come on top of $575 million in grants Newsom is asking the Legislature to be distribute...

SBA and Treasury Re-Open PPP with New Guidance

Monday, January 11, 2021

The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA), in consultation with the Treasury Department, reopens the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) for new borrowers and certain existing PPP borrowers. To promote access to capital, initially only community financial institutions will be able to make First Draw PPP Loans on Monday, Jan. 11, and Second Draw PPP Loans on Wednesday, Jan. 13. The PPP will open to all participating lenders shortly thereafter. Updated PPP guidance outlining Program changes to enhance its effectiveness and accessibility was released on Jan. 6 in accordance with the Economic Aid to Hard-Hit Small Businesses, Non-Profits, and Venues Act. This round of the PPP continue...

Mayor Farrah N. Khan’s COVID-19 Task Force Launches First Initiative

Saturday, January 09, 2021

James M. Cox Foundation Donates $75,000 To Feed Families Across Southern California During Pandemic

Thursday, January 07, 2021

Cox Communications is helping feed families throughout Cox’s California markets with $25,000 donations to Second Harvest Food Bank, Foodbank of Santa Barbara County, and the Jacobs & Cushman San Diego Food Bank. The grants, totaling $75,000 from the James M. Cox Foundation, will support local families in need during the COVID-19 pandemic. “Cox has always supported the communities we serve,” said Sam Attisha, senior vice president and region manager for Cox Communications in California. “Now, more than ever, supporting our food banks and enabling access to nutritious food for families and children who need our help is so important. We’re committed to doing our part and will continue t...

UCI Health Infectious Disease Experts Answer questions About COVID-19 Vaccines

Thursday, January 07, 2021

We all want this pandemic to end. By mid-December 2020, the coronavirus has caused 75 million confirmed infections and 1.7 million deaths worldwide. More than 310,000 Americans have died due to COVID-19-related illnesses, which now exceeds heart disease as the leading cause of U.S. deaths. During the current winter surge, the virus is claiming about 2,500 U.S. lives every day. But safe and effective vaccines can end the pandemic if, as experts believe, at least 70% of people are vaccinated. Two COVID-19 vaccines have received emergency approval for frontline healthcare workers and residents of long-term care homes. UCI Health infectious disease expert...

Governor Newsom Plans $4 Billion for Economic Recovery

Wednesday, January 06, 2021

(NBCLA) California Gov. Gavin Newsom on Jan. 5 proposed a $4 billion spending plan he says will create jobs and help small businesses recover from the economic downturn brought on by the coronavirus pandemic. Close to half of that money — $1.5 billion — would help people purchase electric cars and build the charging stations necessary for drivers to use them. That proposal is part of Newsom's goal to ban the sale of new gas-powered cars in California by 2035. Small businesses would get $575 million. The money would pay for grants of up to $25,000 each to small business owners, with priorit...

Legislative Lifeline for Small Business Deemed Urgent

Wednesday, January 06, 2021

Assemblywoman Cottie Petrie-Norris (D-Laguna Beach), Senator Andreas Borgeas (R-Fresno), and Senator Anna Caballero (D-Salinas) unveiled new coalition support and legislative details of the Keep California Working Act during a Jan. 6 virtual press conference. The Keep California Working Act, otherwise known as Senate Bill 74, is a bipartisan small business relief package spearheaded by Senators Andreas Borgeas and Anna Caballero, and Assembly Member Cottie Petrie-Norris. The bill invests $2.6 billion (or 10% of California's projected windfall) in grants for small businesses and nonprofits impacted by COVID-19. "SB 74 may be an essential lifeline for California businesses that are struggling to maintain jobs an...

Deadline Extended for First Round of Small Business COVID-19 Relief Grant Program Applications

Monday, January 04, 2021

California’s Office of the Small Business Advocate (CalOSBA), part of the Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development (GO-Biz), announced that the deadline for the first round of applications for the Small Business COVID-19 Relief Grant Program will be extended to Jan. 13, 2021. The program, which officially opened Dec. 30, experienced high traffic—receiving thousands of completed applications. However, due to the high traffic, some businesses may have had trouble accessing the application. Adjustments to the program’s website have been made and the application period has been extended to ensure that all interested applicants have the opportunity to apply. The Round ...

California’s New Series of COVID-19 Reporting Requirements

Monday, December 21, 2020

(CalChamber) During the 2020 California legislative session, COVID-19 forced lawmakers to pivot from their routine business to addressing the growing pandemic, and answering the question: "One of my employees just reported that they tested positive for COVID-19. Do I have to report this positive case?" In response, the Legislature enacted SB 1159 and AB 685 that created certain reporting requirements for employers when learning of a positive case. Following up, Cal/OSHA recently approved and implemented COVID-19 emergency regulations that also create a set of reporting requirements. Outline of Requirements To help readers sort out these varied requirements, we have created the table below outlining th...

Economic Recovery Assistance: OC Allocates $10 Million for Small Businesses

Friday, December 18, 2020

Small businesses in Orange County will soon be able to tap into a $10 million economic recovery program. During its Dec. 15 Board meeting, the Orange County Board of Supervisors unanimously supported Vice Chairman Andrew Do’s $10 million small business economic support program to provide immediate relief to local businesses who have been adversely affected by the pandemic. “We are nine months into the pandemic and small business owners don’t know how much longer they can remain open,” said Vice Chairman Do. Vice Chairman Do’s directive calls for the allocation of $10 million from County reserves for economic support initiatives for small businesses, spli...

TIME Names Best Innovations of 2020

Friday, December 18, 2020

Some good things came out of 2020. Among them, were 100 Best Innovations changing how we live as named by TIME. The list includes Virti, a training platform that drops workers into high-stress augmented and virtual reality scenarios, where they can practice responding and receive feedback. Trauma surgeon Dr. Alex Young launched the U.K.-based Virti in 2018 to help medical professionals train for difficult situations, such as what to do when an artery is nicked during surgery. This year, the company found an important new use case: the pandemic. Virti’s COVID-19 modules teach frontline workers around the world skills like the proper wa...

UCI Health Receives COVID-19 Vaccine, First Batch of 3,000 to be Given to Frontline Healthcare Employees

Wednesday, December 16, 2020

UCI Health on Dec. 16 received an initial shipment of the COVID-19 vaccine at the UCI Medical Center and will begin providing the first round of injections to its front-line healthcare workers. UCI Health was allotted some 3,000 units of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine. It will begin offering vaccinations to frontline healthcare workers today and continue with a full roll out tomorrow to its frontline clinical co-workers who care for patients in high-risk settings or patients with unknown COVID-19 status. UCI Health officials say they plan to vaccinate 2,000 people in this group, known as Group A, by Sunday and then begin t...

CalChamber Joins California’s Community Vaccine Advisory Committee

Tuesday, December 15, 2020

(CalChamber) The California Chamber of Commerce will be joining a broad coalition of community stakeholders to serve on the state’s Community Vaccine Advisory Committee. The committee will help guide the state’s decision making about COVID-19 vaccine distribution and allocation. As the first doses of a COVID-19 vaccine arrive in California, state officials plan to leverage a well-established existing immunization framework and emergency response infrastructure to coordinate efforts between state, local, and territorial authorities to distribute and administer the vaccine. The Community Vaccine Advisory Committee will build on the work of the Scientific Safety Review Work Group and the Drafting Guidelines Work Group. The Committe...

California Governor Extends Small Business Tax Deadlines

Tuesday, December 15, 2020

(AP News) California small businesses will have more time to file their tax returns in 2021. Gov. Gavin Newsom signed an executive order Monday giving small businesses until the end of July to file their first-quarter tax returns. More broadly, the order gives a 90-day extension on returns and payments for all businesses with returns of less than $1 million. It comes as California prepares to enter 2021 still in the throes of the coronavirus pandemic, which has led Newsom to implement restrictions that have shuttered businesses. In most of the state, restaurants are closed for indoor dining, hair and nail salons can’...

Mayor Farrah N. Khan Announces COVID-19 and Business Reopening Task Forces

Tuesday, December 15, 2020

In response to the coronavirus pandemic, Irvine Mayor Farrah N. Khan has announced the formation of COVID-19 and Business Reopening task forces to guide the city in 2021 and beyond. The City, in partnership with key business leaders, will coordinate establishment of the Business Reopening Task Force to assist the Mayor in her efforts to help promote small business growth, support local entrepreneurship, target industry relocation within City boundaries, and assist the City in remaining responsive to the business community. Additionally, it advises the Mayor on topics where the City has the ability to shape issues affecting the business community. The Taskforce provides a foru...

OC Hospitals Ready to Distribute Vaccine

Tuesday, December 15, 2020

(Orange County Business Journal) OC healthcare workers could receive their first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine as soon as the week of Dec 14. The OC Health Care Agency said it expects to receive 25,350 doses of Pfizer’s vaccine as soon as Dec. 15 and will begin distributing the vaccine to the area’s 31 hospitals the same day. “News of a vaccine is a sign of the virus’ last deep breath—a long, deep breath that will take time,” Chad Lefteris, chief executive of UCI Health, told the Business Journal. “It does create a sense of a light at the end of the tunnel.” News o...

New Assembly Bill Would Prioritize Food Sector Workers For COVID-19 Vaccinations

Friday, December 11, 2020

(California Globe) A bill that would prioritize food supply industry workers, such as supermarket workers and farmworkers, for COVID-19 vaccinations was introduced in the Assembly this week. Assembly Bill 93, authored by Assemblyman Eduardo Garcia (D-Coachella), would specifically prioritize those workers for testing and vaccination. AB 93 has yet to be fleshed out in more detail, including where in line with other prioritized people would get testing and vaccinations, as well as if certain factors, such as immigration status or employment status, would play a role in prioritization. Assemblyman Garcia, who introduced the bill earlier this week along with Assemblyman Robert Rivas (D-Hollister), said that he ha...

Businesses Struggling with Stay at Home Orders: Your Chambers Are Here For You

Wednesday, December 09, 2020

New Stay at Home Orders for Southern California include Orange County. Orange County is once again subject to stay-at-home orders in response to surging COVID-19 levels and a regionally impacted ICU and hospital system. The business community has been a staunch advocate that Good Health is Good Business, maintaining a commitment to masks, social distancing, widespread testing, and the myriad of suggested public safety measures recommended by health leaders. With good protocols in place, local businesses have for the most part implemented recommended safety measures to protect workers and customers. The recent announcement of lockdowns have once again placed businesses of all sizes i...

UCI Researchers Develop At-Home Coronavirus Saliva Test

Wednesday, December 09, 2020

Researchers in the Henry Samueli School of Engineering at the University of California, Irvine announced promising results in the development of a noninvasive at-home antigen test to detect the spike of SARS-CoV-2 proteins in saliva. The team, led by Michelle Khine, professor of biomedical engineering, posted their findings on the preprint server medRxiv.org. Khine is proposing a point-of-care platform that uses saliva, an electrochemical reaction and the children’s toy Shrinky Dinks to create the low-cost electrodes. “A rapid, population-scale diagnostic and screening device is our goal, and we think our electrochemical aptamer-based assay could be an ideal candidate,” Khine said. Working with Khine...

UCI Researchers Develop Rapid Antibody Generation Technology to Target SARS-CoV-2 Virus

Monday, December 07, 2020

Using the same strain of yeast that ferments wine and makes dough rise, a team led by University of California, Irvine and Harvard Medical School researchers has developed an in vitro technology that can rapidly hypermutate antibodies. The new technology generates antibodies faster than animal immune systems and better than current synthetic methods, giving researchers the tools for evolving exceptionally potent agents, including therapeutic candidates that target SARS-CoV-2. In the research, posted as a preprint on BioRxiv.org, the UCI/HMS team created the synthetic antibody generation system called autonomous hypermutation yeast surface display, nicknamed AHEAD. They demonstrated the power of their system in a number of experiments. “Ou...

City of Hope Initiates Phase 1 Clinical Trial to Test its First SARS-CoV-2 Investigational Vaccine

Friday, December 04, 2020

City of Hope has initiated a phase 1 clinical trial that will test one of its investigational SARS-CoV-2 vaccines in healthy volunteers between the ages of 18 and 55 who have not had COVID-19. The investigational vaccine, known as COH04S1, aims to stimulate the immune system to produce antibodies, which can block the virus from entering cells, and also spur abundant T cells that are thought to provide the elusive long-term protection that could protect against future outbreaks. “Based on preclinical research, we are hopeful that the vaccine will protect against SARS-CoV-2 infection that can lead to COVID-19 disease, helping t...

California's Newest Small Business Relief Programs Announced

Wednesday, December 02, 2020

California Governor Gavin Newsom announced a New Small Business Relief package of assistance for small businesses impacted by COVID-19, including sales tax relief, $500 million in grants, and an additional $12.5 million added to the California Rebuilding Fund. If you are a small business or nonprofit interested in the $500 million grant program, the California's Office of the Small Business Advocate is working quickly to establish the program; for updates, sign up here. As businesses across the state face challenges brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic, Governor Gavin Newsom today announced the opening of the California Rebuilding Fund to help impacted small businesses rebuild from the economic crisi...

What California Workers Need to Know About the State’s New COVID-19 Workplace Rules

Wednesday, December 02, 2020

(Sacramento Bee) More than eight months into the pandemic, California officially has rules in place aimed at stemming the spread of COVID-19 at workplaces. The emergency rules will be in effect at least until late May. The standards board of Cal-OSHA may extend the period and could also work to make those rules permanent. Here’s what to know about the new rules. WHAT DOES MY EMPLOYER NEED TO DO TO PREVENT THE SPREAD OF THE CORONAVIRUS? Masks: Your employer must provide face coverings and ensure you and your co-workers wear them over the nose and mouth when indoors, or outdoors and less than six feet awa...

Thousands of Top U.S. Hospitals Encourage Everyone to #MaskUp

Thursday, November 19, 2020

One hundred of the nation’s top health care systems, representing thousands of hospitals in communities across the U.S., have come together with an urgent plea for all Americans – mask up, because wearing a facemask is our best chance at slowing the surging COVID-19 pandemic now. More than 11.5 million Americans have tested positive for the virus – including an additional one million in just the past week – leading to nearly 250,000 deaths. The current trends are daunting and frightening. If the nation stays on its current course, hospital leaders are increasingly concerned that more healthcare facilities will be overwhelmed as shortage...

Orange County Restaurants: Outdoor Dining Grants Available

Wednesday, November 18, 2020

(Orange County Patch) Restaurants in Orange County will soon be eligible to apply for a $1,000 outdoor dining grant, according to the Orange County Board of Supervisors. As winter arrives across Orange County towns and the weather turns cooler, outdoor dining could become problematic for restaurants not ready for the conditions. The new OC Restaurant Outdoor Dining Grant program will serve to implement or expand Orange County restaurants' outdoor dining capacity amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. Nowhere has the outdoor dining in Orange County been more successful than with Laguna Beach's Promenade on Forest. Wildly successful since its inception over the summer, th...

Unemployment Drops to 6.9% and US Adds a Solid 638,000 Jobs

Monday, November 09, 2020

Defying fears of another slowdown, U.S. businesses kept hiring at a solid pace in October, yet there are signs they remain cautious about the economy’s future as the pandemic worsens. The Labor Department said that employers added 638,000 jobs and the unemployment rate tumbled a full percentage point to 6.9%, extending what has been a faster recovery than many economists expected in the spring. But the pace of hiring isn’t robust enough to rapidly soak up the millions of Americans who were thrown out of work by the pandemic recession. The job gains were little changed from September’s 672,000 and less than half August’s 1....

Cox Expands Commitment to Bridging the Learning Divide, Provides Additional Support for Kids and Families Learning from Home

Thursday, August 27, 2020

Cox announced on Aug. 25 an expanded commitment to bridging the learning divide as part of its ongoing effort to support kids and families learning and teaching from home during the coronavirus pandemic. Through June 30, 2021, Cox is suspending late fees and extending payment relief offerings for customers in the company’s low-cost internet program Connect2Compete who express an inability to pay due to pandemic hardships. “I would like to thank Cox Communications for their commitment,” said Governor Gavin Newsom. “Now, more than ever, it’s critical that every Californian have the ability to connect to the internet and that every child ha...

Coronavirus Trackers

Saturday, April 25, 2020

Tracking by County State’s Daily Actions Everything You Need to Know About California’s Response to Coronavirus Daily Coronavirus Tracker Coronavirus State by State

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