On Monday, it was announced that JPMorgan Chase Bank has acquired First Republic Bank from the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC), with the vast majority of its assets and assumed deposits and other liabilities.
As part of the purchase, JPMorgan Chase is assuming all deposits, insured and uninsured.
“Our government invited us and others to step forward, and we did,” said Jamie Dimon, chairman and chief executive of JPMorgan Chase. “Our financial strength, capabilities and business model allowed us to develop an offer to execute the transaction in a manner that minimized costs to the Deposit Insurance Fund.”
Dimon added that the acquisition is modestly beneficial to JPMorgan Chase overall, “is beneficial to shareholders, helps further advance our wealth strategy and is complementary to our existing franchise.”
Key elements of the transaction following the FDIC's competitive bidding process include the acquisition of the vast majority of First Republic Bank's assets, including approximately $173 billion in loans and approximately $30 billion in securities.
Also assuming approximately $92 billion in deposits, including $30 billion of large bank deposits, which will be repaid after closing or eliminated in consolidation.
The FDIC will provide loss-sharing agreements covering acquired single-family residential mortgage loans and commercial loans, as well as $50 billion in five-year, fixed-rate term financing.
It is worth noting that JPMorgan Chase will not assume First Republic's corporate debt or preferred stock.
While San Francisco-based First Republic Bank was closed Monday by the California Department of Financial Protection and Innovation, branches opened Monday, May 1, as usual, and customers continued to receive uninterrupted service, including digital and mobile banking capabilities. However, they now serve as just another JPMorgan Chase branch.
As a result of this transaction, JPMorgan Chase said in a statement that it expects to recognize a one-time upfront after-tax gain of approximately $2.6 billion, which does not reflect the approximately $2 billion of anticipated after-tax restructuring costs over the next 18 months.
The bank also expects the transaction to be modestly accretive to earnings per share and generate more than $500 million in incremental net income per year, not including approximately $2.6 billion in one-time after-tax gains or approximately $2 billion in after-tax restructuring costs expected over the course of 2023 and 2024.
The acquired First Republic businesses will be overseen by JPMorgan Chase's Community and Consumer Banking (CCB) co-CEOs Marianne Lake and Jennifer Piepszak.
“First Republic has built a strong reputation for serving customers with integrity and exceptional service,” Lake and Piepszak said. “We look forward to welcoming First Republic employees back. As always, we are committed to treating employees with respect, care and transparency.”
The Redwood City Police Department RCPD is searching for a suspect in a fatal hit-and-run in Redwood City on March 31 on Veterans Boulevard.
In response, authorities have called on residents to come clean about the incident that occurred in the 1100 block of Veteran's Boulevard, near the intersection with Walnut, at 9:23 p.m. on March 31.
RCPD has very limited information on the suspect. They said they only know the suspect vehicle is a late 1990s Toyota or Honda Sedan that is gold or white in color. There is no description of the driver.
If you or anyone who knows information about this case is asked to contact Detective James Schneider at 650-780-7607.
For information on any Redwood City case, call the tip line at 650-780-7110.
The Orion alternative school in Redwood City has a full agenda this May, which among other events has prepared an exhibition to celebrate AAPI Heritage Month - Asian American and Pacific Islanders - in which participating students can win gift cards.
Orion students are invited to participate in the AAPI Heritage Month Student Exhibition, where they will be asked to write about an Asian American or Pacific Islander individual of their choice, whether it be a famous person or someone who means a lot to them.
Acceptance of proposals will be from May 1 to 18 and is optional.
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All participating students will have their name entered into a drawing for prizes—gift cards to support local AAPI businesses—and the student’s work will be displayed during an open house on May 24 in the school’s former administration building.
This event includes a virtual cooking class to raise funds for Mother's Day.
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This will take place on Sunday, May 7 at 4:00 p.m., and will be taught by chef Shushu Xie, who specializes in French pastries.
Attendees will be able to learn how to make profiteroles, and the class will be held in both English and Mandarin, at a cost of $35 per person. Proceeds will benefit Redwood City Mandarin Immersion Scholars.
On Friday, May 12, from 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m., Orion will host the Dragon Boat Festival cultural celebration on the school campus, where students and their families can learn how to make zongzi, a traditional Chinese rice dish, build a dragon boat, and participate in cultural games and activities.
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To register for this event, those interested can click here.
Finally, on Sunday, May 21, the Julia Robinson Mathematics Festival will take place from 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.
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At this event, students can explore math in a collaborative environment by choosing a table with a puzzle or game and solving it before moving on to the next table. The deadline to register is Friday, May 12.
This Monday, the Redwood City Police Department invites the community to join an in-person or webinar session on progress on security initiatives in Redwood City, including the Annual Report on the Use of Military Equipment and the City’s proposed Automated License Plate Reader Program.
Those interested in attending the question-and-answer session with officials should visit the downtown library, located at 1044 Middlefield Road in Redwood City. The meeting will take place from 7:00 to 9:00 p.m.
While those who prefer to participate online will be able to join the meeting through the Zoom platform by visiting RedwoodCity.Zoom.us and using the meeting ID: 915 9521 4528.
For the in-person event, Spanish interpretation, childcare, and refreshments will be provided.
According to the established agenda, at 7:00 p.m. the Annual Report on the Use of Military Equipment will be presented, where residents will be able to learn about and ask questions about the policies that govern the use of said equipment, how it has been used during the last year and the associated costs.
At 8:00 p.m., the proposed Automatic License Plate Reading Program will be presented, which will address the public safety value of license plate readers and how license plate information is used in criminal investigations, assisting in the recovery of stolen vehicles, and finding the location of vehicles flagged as associated with criminal activity in real time.
A motorcycle driver died after a fatal motorcycle crash in Redwood City collided with a Toyota sedan on US Highway 101 Saturday night, prompting northbound lane closures.
The crash occurred on northbound U.S. Highway 101 just south of State Highway 92 at about 11:59 p.m., according to California Highway Patrol spokesman Art Montiel.
The driver of the sedan remained at the scene and cooperated with investigating CHP officers.
All northbound lanes were closed after the collision, and drivers were diverted onto State Highway 92. All northbound lanes remained closed as of 1 a.m.
A woman died after being struck by a vehicle in a fatal collision in San Jose this Monday morning.
La policía de San José respondió a Tully Road y Lanai Avenue a las 4:32 horas después de recibir informes de que un peatón resultó herido en una colisión. La víctima fue llevada a un hospital, donde sucumbió a sus heridas, dijo la policía.
El conductor permaneció en la escena y estaba cooperando con la investigación. Las carreteras en el área se cerraron mientras se investigaba la escena y se instó a los conductores a usar rutas alternativas.
Este accidente marca la decimotercera muerte de tráfico de San José y la décima muerte de peatones este año.
De acuerdo con el Sistema Integrado de Registros de Tránsito Estatal ‒SWITRS, por sus siglas en inglés‒, cada año, más de 3 mil de estos accidentes resultan en la muerte en California, lo que lo convierte en uno de los tres estados con mayor número de muertes por accidentes de tráfico en la nación.
Se cree que la mayoría de las muertes por accidentes de tránsito podrían evitarse si los errores del conductor, como la mala toma de decisiones, la falta de concentración, el uso inadecuado o nulo del equipo de seguridad y la conducción cansada, no fueran un factor.
Hay casi 200 mil accidentes automovilísticos que resultan en lesiones en California cada año. Si agrega todos los accidentes menores en los que no se producen lesiones, la cantidad estimada de incidentes totales, tanto informados como no informados, aumentaría a más de medio millón.
California se encuentra entre los cinco primeros estados a nivel nacional en cuanto a accidentes fatales, junto con Texas y Florida. Alrededor de 3 mil muertes por accidentes de tránsito ocurren en cada uno de esos estados cada año.
Pictured: Ignacio Yepez listens to interpreter Rosa Cardenas through an audio transmitter during a special meeting of the Lodi City Council at the Loel Senior Center in Lodi, California, on March 29, 2023. The meeting was called to fill a vacant seat in the 4th District, following the resignation of Shakir Khan. (Harika Maddala/Bay City News/Catchlight Local)
This article is part of “More Than Words,” an initiative by Report for America that brought together newsrooms covering Latino communities in eight states to examine the impact of language barriers on the economic, social and educational advancement of Latinos and local efforts to remedy this situation.
In February, Griselda Juarez left work early at Premier Finishings, a company that specializes in painting auto parts for various automakers, and rushed to prepare a meal for her family so she could attend a quarterly community meeting with the Stockton Police Department.
Juarez, 50, of Weston Ranch in Stockton, never misses a single one of these meetings, hoping to get a response to a request for more grocery stores in the area and to discuss crime and safety issues in his neighborhood. But more often than not, he returns home without having been able to voice his concerns.
Griselda Juarez washes dishes after cooking a meal at her home in the Weston Ranch neighborhood of Stockton, California, on April 11, 2023. (Harika Maddala/Bay City News/Catchlight Local)
Juarez does not speak English and there are often no translation services available to understand what information is being shared and to allow him to ask questions.
“At the last meeting we had with the police, the officer said there was no one to interpret, no one to help us, so I got nothing out of it,” Juarez said. “I felt like I wasted my time… I went to sit and warm the seat, as people say,” he added.
Nearly 45 percent of Stockton residents are Latino, and nearly 40 percent of people living in San Joaquin County speak a language other than English at home, according to the census. Many who only speak Spanish, like Juarez, are frustrated that language barriers prevent them from getting public safety information.
Griselda Juarez waits in her car after dropping her son off at his boxing class in Stockton, California, on April 13, 2023. (Harika Maddala/Bay City News/Catchlight Local)
Now, they are calling on city officials to step in, offer solutions and create a real connection with Spanish speakers in the area.
The problems extend beyond meetings. Residents point to a lack of communication and support in their language as a major obstacle to building trust between the community and police, which increases the risk of limiting public safety information for an already vulnerable population and reducing opportunities for them to contribute to community improvement and increase their representation at all levels.
A killer on the loose, a gap in communication
Last October, the potentially dangerous consequences of the language barrier were on display when Stockton officials held a town hall meeting to discuss the danger posed by a series of murders that had been occurring in the city since April 2021. At that time, seven people had been killed or injured by gunfire. Five of them were Hispanic men.
Luis Magaña, wearing a pin on his shirt that reads “No Human Being is Illegal” on March 16, 2023. (Harika Maddala/Bay City News/Catchlight Local)
During the meeting, city officials told community members about the killings, sharing tips on how to stay safe, especially in the early morning hours. However, several Spanish speakers present that day left the meeting disappointed and frustrated because they were left out of the conversation after translation services failed.
This was particularly worrying for the farm workers present, who are some of the most vulnerable, as they leave for work in the morning, before dawn and often alone.
"Remember our people who work in the fields. What time do they get up?" said Luz Sauceda, a health educator from the council, a non-profit organization that offers a multitude of services, primarily to the Hispanic population of the Central Valley.
Luis Magaña eats breakfast menudo alongside Hilario Perez, a farmworker whose leg had to be amputated after an accident in the fields, at Taqueria Dos Hermanos in Stockton, Calif., on March 18, 2023. Part of Magaña's job is to go to the taco shop at 5 a.m. to talk to workers who are eating breakfast before they head out to work. (Harika Maddala/Bay City News/Catchlight Local)
Mayor Kevin Lincoln said after the meeting that another meeting was held specifically for the Spanish-speaking community and that he invited other community members as well.
“I hear you, your city hears you,” Lincoln said in English, responding to those who felt excluded. “We are here to serve you and do the best we can to meet you where you are, at the point of your needs.”
Translation challenges
Stockton police say when they organize a meeting they rely on members of the Chief's Community Advisory Board, a group created in 2012 to improve communication between Stockton residents and police, to help translate for these meetings.
But at the quarterly meeting on Feb. 14 there was no one to translate.
Juarez and Ernestina Barrios, another Stockton resident, said Zoyla Moreno, a Weston Ranch neighborhood watch captain, has tried to translate for them.
However, that has only created a more stressful environment for them.
Dialogue is good, forums are good, but work has to be done beforehand and people's trust has to be developed.
Luis Magana, A farmworker rights advocate in the Central Valley
Their complaints focused on the quality of the translation and the lack of headphones to listen to it.
Barrios says that at one particular meeting, an English speaker said they couldn't hear what was being said or pay attention because of the translation going on right next to them, which made Barrios feel uncomfortable.
“I think that’s the problem,” Barrios said. “Because the woman is translating, but she’s not going to be right next to me, right? Instead she has to speak louder, she can’t whisper in my ear. So, I think, it interrupts the hearing of the people who are close to me.”
He added that it was difficult for Moreno to interpret during the meeting because he also had to pay attention to what was being said.
Although Moreno offered to translate for the two women, she is not certified as a translator, nor does she have the necessary qualifications to translate during the meetings.
Zoyla Moreno, left, provides Spanish interpretation for Griselda Juarez during a community meeting with Stockton police. (Harika Maddala/Bay City News/Catchlight Local)
Both women say they would like to see the Stockton Police Department return to using earpieces that were previously used to allow Spanish speakers to hear a translation of meetings.
Stockton Police Department spokesman Joseph Silva said in March that the department had recently purchased headsets that would be used at upcoming meetings.
In the adjacent city of Lodi, Stockton, hearing aids were helpful in overcoming language problems during meetings and hearings.
Rosa Trevizo, a California-certified court interpreter, attends every city council meeting to make sure Spanish speakers understand what is going on by helping them speak during public comment periods.
She says she has worked as a translator for the city for eight years, attending meetings even if people have not requested the service in advance.
Rosa Trevizo, right, translates former council member Doug Kuehne's remarks into Spanish during a special meeting of the Lodi City Council at the Loel Senior Center in Lodi, Calif., on March 29, 2023. The meeting was called to fill a vacant seat in the 4th District, following the resignation of Shakir Khan. Trevizo is a certified Spanish court interpreter. (Harika Maddala/Bay City News/Catchlight Local)
At a special city council meeting in March, Trevizo gave more than 20 people headphones through which they could hear his translation during the more than three-hour meeting, which discussed who would be selected to fill a vacancy in the 4th Ward on Lodi’s east side after a council member was accused of voter fraud.
Members of the Hispanic community who were upset about potential voter fraud and wanted a voice in the decision were able to address the council with Trevizo's help.
The City of Stockton also said it is working on other alternatives to help its residents, including a website that will offer a translation option through Google services and a translation service through Amazon, which will give residents bilingual options to access information and updates on the site.
Yina Yepez, left, makes public comment during the Lodi City Council special meeting to elect a new representative for the 4th District at the Loel Senior Center in Lodi, Calif., on March 29, 2023. Rosa Trevizo, right, is a certified Spanish court interpreter who helps interpret Yepez's comment. (Harika Maddala/Bay City News/Catchlight Local)
Beyond translation
Despite the translation of these sites, Barrios says she feels that more meetings should be held in Spanish or with translation services.
"I don't think it's fair, I want the voice of Latinos to count, the voice of one as a Hispanic," he said.
Spanish speakers in the community believe another way to begin bridging the gap is for city officials and police to connect with the community to build trust.
"Dialogue is good, forums are good, but you have to do the work beforehand and build people's trust," said Luis Magaña, a farmworker rights advocate in the Central Valley.
Luis Magaña at the "San Joaquin County Fairgrounds Flea Market" on March 16, 2023 in Stockton. (Harika Maddala/Bay City News/Catchlight Local)
Magaña has already seen the benefits of this strategy. He recalls a former police chief in San Joaquin County who did not speak Spanish but made inroads with the Hispanic community by showing he cared about the problems they faced.
For Magaña, knowing that authorities care enough to reach out and engage with the community, even if they don't speak the language, can open many doors.
I don't think it's fair, I want the voice of Latinos to count, the voice of one as a Hispanic.
Ernestina Barrios, Stockton resident
"He spoke to us and Spanish is not necessary when people can feel the trust and willingness," he said.
Magaña said that while some city officials do communicate with the community, he feels it needs to happen on an ongoing basis and would like to see more follow-up from city leaders.
Juarez said that although she and her Latino community continue to face language barriers in matters of public safety, she will continue to attend every meeting with police because she wants them to know that Spanish speakers matter and deserve representation, in the hopes that increased visibility will lead to lasting change.
Griselda Juarez eats ice cream with her son Derick Juarez, 12, after his boxing class at United Paleteria & Neveria in Stockton, Calif., on April 11, 2023. (Harika Maddala/Bay City News/Catchlight Local)
“I think that even if we don’t understand (we should go), so that they see us and see that people are interested,” Juarez said. “…a lot of people don’t go to the meetings and I tell them ‘we have to go, even if we don’t understand, they have to see us, make them see that we are interested, that we want to change our neighborhood and do new things.’”
This article was translated into Spanish thanks to RFA. You can read the English versionhere.
Bans on books written by people of color or LGBTQIA authors in southern states are an unprecedented number (Photo by Suad Kamardeen, Unsplash via Ethnic Media Services)
“Public school libraries have always been essential features of our democracy. But what we are seeing now is a real polarization of what should and should not be available, driven by a few” – Kasey Meehan, director of PEN America’s Freedom to Read Program.
The culture wars are raging, especially in public school libraries in the South, with an unprecedented number of bans on books written by people of color or LGBTQIA authors.
“Public schools and their school libraries have always been essential elements of our democracy. And there have been times in history where this has been challenged and there have been pressures around what is and isn’t offered in public schools,” said Kasey Meehan, director of PEN America’s Freedom to Read Program, in an April 24 interview with Ethnic Media Services.
"But what we're seeing now is a real polarization and a real escalation of what should and shouldn't be available, according to some. Of course, it's never according to the many. It's run by the few," he said.
Banning the classics
Many of the books now banned are timeless classics, such as Pulitzer Prize-winning novelist Toni Morrison's "The Bluest Eye," published in 1970, and Judy Blume's "Forever," published in 1975.
During the first half of the 2022-2023 school year, 1,477 cases of individual books were banned, affecting 874 unique titles, according to the Report «Banned in the USA» ‒Banned in the U.S.‒, published April 20 by PEN America. More than 130 books were removed from library shelves each month during that six-month period, the report noted.
Book bans were most prevalent in Texas, Florida, Missouri, Utah and South Carolina, driven by a confluence of local actors and state-level policies, PEN noted.
Book bans in California and New York
But even progressive states have banned one or more books. Some New York school districts have banned Layla Saad’s “Me and White Supremacy” and Maia Kobabe’s “Gender Queer: a Memoir.” Juno Dawson’s “This Book is Gay” is banned in California’s William S. Hart Union High School District. The full list of PEN America books from the past six months can be found at: consult here, indexed by states.
In March, the American Library Association (ALA) published new data documenting 1,269 challenges to censor books and library resources in 2022, the highest number of book ban attempts since the ALA began collecting data on library censorship two decades ago. The 2022 data was nearly double the 729 challenges recorded in 2021.
Depopulation of library shelves
A record 2,571 unique titles were subject to censorship, an increase of 38 percent from the 1,858 unique titles subject to censorship in 2021, the ALA noted in its report.
In an interview with Jeffrey Brown for PBS NewsHour, Deborah Caldwell-Stone, director of the American Library Association's Office for Intellectual Freedom, noted that advocacy groups like Moms for Liberty and No Left Turn in Education go to board meetings and demand the removal of up to 100 books at a time.
"This has led to a real depopulation of the shelves of many libraries, especially in states like Florida and Texas," he said.
National Library Week is celebrated from April 23-29. This year’s theme is “There’s More to the Story.”
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Kasey Meehan, Director of PEN America’s Freedom to Read Program. (Photo by PEN America via Ethnic Media Services)
The COVID-19 pandemic spurred activism, as parents organized to reopen schools or keep them virtual. That activism then extended to course curricula, the books being taught, as well as book bans, Meehan said.
“There has been a real effort to be more inclusive and more representative in school libraries and in classrooms, to have books with LGBTQ plus characters, books with characters of color. This is the backlash to that effort, to make sure those books are not included,” she said.
“When we think about what the freedom to read means, it means being able to access a diverse range of ideas, stories and knowledge that represent ourselves and also allow us to see and learn about others who may be different from us,” Meehan said. “Books that reflect students who have historically not been able to see themselves represented in school library materials are now subject to bans.”
"It's certainly detrimental not to have that opportunity to see yourself reflected in the characters in books, and in your family, your religion and your culture. All of these things are so important in learning and in reading and free reading," Meehan said.
A broader range of prohibitions
In the six-month period analyzed by the PEN report, 30 percent of the unique banned titles were books about race or racism, or featuring characters of color. Meanwhile, 26 percent of the unique banned titles featured LGBTQIA characters or themes.
The PEN report also reveals that book bans during this school year are affecting an increasing number of titles, including those depicting violence and abuse (44 percent), dealing with health and wellbeing issues (38 percent), and dealing with death and grief (30 percent).
Read the original story in English by clicking click here.
The holder of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of MexicoMarcelo Ebrard announced changes in consular services to protect Mexicans in the US and Canada.
The foreign minister specified that new actions will be added in terms of legal defense in criminal matters; information and assistance to Mexicans abroad; scheduling of appointments; simultaneous translation in indigenous languages; regulation of consular registrations; continuous improvement in customer service; and an increase in salary compensation for staff.
These actions, he said, will take effect in the coming weeks at consular offices in North America.
Ebrard stressed that these actions will be aimed at providing increasingly comprehensive, modern, efficient and inclusive services, under the instruction of the President of Mexico, Andrés Manuel López Obrador, to provide consular protection to Mexicans abroad, a priority in foreign policy.
Photo: Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Mexico
"In the United States, each of these measures has a huge impact," the foreign minister added. "It has to do not only with the daily lives of our fellow citizens, but with us realizing that they are part of the Mexican nation and we have to defend them and give them that support. They are part of the nation and that is why we are very pleased to announce these measures."
For his part, the head of the Unit for North America, Roberto Velasco Álvarez, stressed that "there is no other country in the world that provides such a large number of consular services outside its territory."
The Criminal Defense Program for Mexicans in the United States (PDM) will serve as a complement to the legal mechanisms and services existing in the consular network in the United States. It will provide consular protection to people facing serious criminal legal proceedings, given the complexity of the U.S. system, and will seek to reduce the incidence of Mexican people serving sentences for crimes they did not commit and/or who have been victims of disproportionate sentences.
The PDM will serve Mexicans who face criminal proceedings for: a) serious crimes in which they have not admitted guilt and for which there are sufficient legal elements to presume their innocence; b) who have received disproportionate sentences due to systemic injustices, and c) who belong to vulnerable populations.
Starting in May, the Information and Assistance Centre for Mexican Citizens (CIAM) in Canada will be expanding its services to address queries from Mexican citizens in that country.
CIAM provides a humane and reliable response to the information needs of Mexicans residing in the United States, and now in Canada, as well as their relatives in Mexico, operating 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
The information provided by this center includes the legal status of persons detained for immigration and criminal reasons, the status of minors in the custody of authorities, the location of persons, information about labor rights, immigration news, assistance to victims of fraud or human trafficking, among others.
Meanwhile, the new WhatsApp appointment service will facilitate access to consular services and prevent users from resorting to agents who advertise in a misleading manner. Thus, starting May 22, appointments for all Mexican consulates in the United States and Canada can be scheduled through WhatsApp. This service will be available at the number: 424 309 0009.
Simultaneous translation into indigenous languages will be available starting May 15, which will allow us to serve the population that requires it in any of the five main indigenous languages spoken in Mexico for all our services.
Simultaneous translation will be provided using a telephone service and will be available from 9:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. Central Time.
In addition, the new Consular Registration Regulations will eliminate the restriction on processing the registration at the consular office corresponding to the person's domicile. In other words, it will allow people to obtain this document at any consulate regardless of their place of residence in the United States.
The continuous improvement programme will provide consular staff with tools to provide better service to the public, with sensitivity, kindness and respect for human rights.
The continuous improvement programme will be complementary to the training that the Matías Romero Institute already provides to consulate staff; its implementation will begin in June and will be mandatory for all diplomatic and independent professional services staff.
Finally, the salary increase for Professional Service Providers will allow adequate compensation for staff who serve the public, particularly those who receive lower wages.
In this way, the compensation for Professional Service Providers in all Mexican representations in the United States and Canada will be increased by percentages from 5.9 to 14 percent, taking as a reference the cost of living in the city, inflationary changes and local official salaries.
A tres años de la pandemia por COVID-19, expertos han advertido sobre la presencia de Arcturus, la nueva variante de la enfermedad causada por el virus SARS-CoV2, la cual en Estados Unidos representa al menos 6 por ciento de las nuevas infecciones.
Arcturus o XBB1.16, es la nueva variante de COVID-19 que fue identificada por primera vez en enero de esta año en India. Sin embargo, para mediados de abril ya había surgido en al menos 29 países, por lo que se volvió una «variante de interés» para la Organización Mundial de la Salud –OMS–.
Esta nueva variante XBB1.16 podría ser más infecciosa, según la OMS, pues recientemente la organización señaló que la cepa tiene una mutación más en la proteína espiga, lo cual significa un mayor riesgo de transmisión.
«–La pandemia por– COVID-19 está estable, pero debemos reconocer que en Estados Unidos de 200 a 300 personas aún mueren de esta enfermedad en nuestro país, pero es claro que nuestra inmunidad es mucho más alta de lo que era hace un año, muchas personas han sufrido COVID-19 pero nuestro nivel de protección es muy alto», señaló Willian Schaffner, profesor y presidente del departamento de Medicina Preventiva del Centro Médico de la Universidad de Vanderbilt, en una rueda de prensa organizada por Ethnic Media Services.
Durante la sesión en la que expertos se reunieron para discutir acerca del estado en que se encuentra la enfermedad causada por el virus SARS-CoV2, Schaffner puntualizó que quienes actualmente se encuentran hospitalizados o graves son aquellas personas que no se han vacunado, los adultos mayores o la población inmunocomprometida.
La nueva variante Arcturus tiene como síntoma –además de la fiebre, tos, fatiga, dolor de garganta, dificultad de respiración– la conjuntivitis.
«Esto puede ser una molestia, puede inflamarse, dar picazón, enrojecerse o un poco de pérdida de la visión, pero una semana después se cura y hasta ahora no hemos visto un reporte de consecuencias a largo plazo», explicó Schaffner, al tiempo que advirtió que este síntoma es más común en niños.
En ese sentido, Rober Wachter, profesor y presidente del Departamento de Medicina de la Universidad de California en San Francisco, recomendó que los niños y la población en general, reciban los refuerzos de la vacuna contra COVID-19, para estar protegidos ante las nuevas variantes.
«Hay mucha evidencia de que disminuye las posibilidades de contraer COVID-19 y de que los síntomas sean graves», señaló. Además, recomendó el uso de mascarilla –como la KN95–, para las poblaciones más vulnerables.
«Si yo estuviera inmunocomprometido o estuviera rodeado de gente, me pondría una mascarilla y me aplicaría los refuerzos», puntualizó.
Finalmente, Benjamin Neuman, catedrático de Biología y virólogo jefe del Global Health Research Complex en la Universidad A&M de Texas, recomendó también que la población se vacune incluso si no tienen confianza de que la inoculación los va a proteger de las nuevas variantes y dijo que «esperaba que las vacunas pudieran ofrecer inmunidad a largo plazo pero creo que eso no es algo que va a pasar porque es un virus que constantemente cambia».
