The rallies were part of U.S. Rep. Jackie Speier's bus tour, which stopped in Daly City, San Mateo and Redwood City.
Photo: Noah Braunstein
She was joined by State Senator Josh Becker, State Representative Kevin Mullin, numerous councilmembers, other civic leaders and the community, all encouraging people to return their ballot and "vote NO on the recall" in the upcoming gubernatorial election.
Photo: Noah Braunstein
Speier's tour highlights the upcoming recall election to determine whether or not current California Governor Gavin Newsom will be recalled in the coming weeks.
Photo: Noah Braunstein
Both "YES" and "NO" recall advocates clashed with opposing views at Sequoia Station, the third stop on Rep. Speier's bus tour in support of Governor Newsom.
Photo: Noah Braunstein
Reps. Kevin Mullin and Mark Berman flank Rep. Jackie Speier in her "Vote NO on recall" campaign, while some disagree, holding signs in favor.
Photo: Noah Braunstein
State Sen. Josh Becker is leading the "Vote No" campaign, while others who favor recall hold signs against it in the back of Sequoia Station in Redwood City.
Photo: Noah Braunstein
Dorie Paniza, head of the Daly City Arts and Culture Commission, rallies in support of Gov. Gavin Newsom, holding a "Vote NO" to recall sign.
Photo: Noah Braunstein
East Palo Alto Councilwoman Lisa Yarbrough-Gauthier speaks outside Hillsdale Mall, encouraging voters to return their ballots and to remember their family members.
"We need more than ever for people to return their ballots. Exercise your rights and vote. No matter what side you're on, exercise your right to vote," Gauthier said.
Cheers, chants, and horn honking kept the atmosphere lively and at times, chaotic, throughout the Peninsula on Friday morning.
Rallies took place as part of U.S. Rep. Jackie Speier’s bus tour that stopped in Daly City, San Mateo, and Redwood City. She was joined by state Sen. Josh Becker, state Rep. Kevin Mullin, numerous city councilmembers, other civic leaders, and community, all encouraging people to return their ballot and “Vote NO on the Recall” in the upcoming gubernatorial recall election.
U.S. Rep. Jackie Speier toured the Peninsula by bus, stressing the importance of the recall election. Photo: Noah Braunstein.
Speier emphasized how critical this election is for the state of California. She criticized the recall process that is costing about 270 million dollars, and praised Governor Newsom.
“GOVERNOR NEWSOM HAS DONE AN EXCELLENT JOB. CALIFORNIA IS RECOVERING VERY WELL. IT IS TIME FOR US TO RECONSIDER THE WHOLE CONCEPT OF THE RECALL. VOTE NO ON THE RECALL. VOTE NOW AND PUT IT IN THE MAILBOX AND LET’S MAKE SURE WE CAN CONTINUE THIS GREAT ADMINISTRATION,” SAID SPEIER.
Speier’s concerns were echoed by Mullin, who called this recall election, “an abuse of the recall provisions in the state constitution.”
Speier’s bus rally highlights the upcoming recall election to determine whether or not current California Governor Gavin Newsom will be recalled in the next few weeks. This effort allows voters to first choose whether to recall Newsom from office, “Yes,” or “No.” If recalled, voters then have the choice of forty-six candidates on the ballot to choose from.
This effort to promote the “Vote NO on the recall” campaign began quietly just after 8 am in Daly City, with early morning commuters honking support for the crowd in the parking lot of Westlake Shopping Center.
Supporters traveled by bus down El Camino to the second stop at Hillsdale Mall in San Mateo, where civic leaders delivered impassioned speeches. State Representative Marc Berman and State Senator Josh Becker praised Governor Newsom and stressed the importance of getting out to vote.
“VOTING WILL TAKE THIRTY SECONDS OF YOUR TIME, THAT’S REALLY HOW TO SAVE THE FUTURE OF THIS STATE” SAID BERMAN.
“This governor has done a tremendous job during a very difficult time,” said Becker.
However, by the third stop at the Sequoia Station Shopping Center in Redwood City, it was clear that not all voices agreed with the “No on the Recall” advocates. Equipped with flags, signs, microphones and bullhorns, protesters met the bus with criticism of Newsom and his policies.
Those in favor of the recall vote expressed that they are ready to recall and replace Governor Newsom. Photo: Noah Braunstein.Advocates for both “YES” and “Vote NO” on the Recall clashed with opposing viewpoints at Sequoia Station, the third stop on Rep. Speier’s bus tour to support Governor Newsom. Photo: Noah Braunstein.
The effort by both sides turned into a raucous showdown, with advocates on both sides dancing, chanting and cheering the crowd to vote "Yes" or "No" on the recall.
“DO YOU REALLY WANT TO BE WEARING THOSE MASKS STRAPPED ONTO YOUR FACE FOREVER?” CHANTED THE PROTESTORS FAVORING THE RECALL.
The recall election reflects tensions over new mask and pandemic orders which have caused dissension throughout the country. State administrations have been in the spotlight over their policies about the enforcement of masks, and over following of pandemic protocols in schools.
Some protesters focused on criticism of Governor Newsom's dinner at the French Laundry in Yountville, California. The Governor had attended this dinner on November 6, after having established strict COVID-19 protocols for the state doing the opposite.
However, supporters of Newsom maintain that he has excelled in swiftly moving on climate resiliency, the pandemic, and stressed the importance of insuring that his recently signed $123.9 billion education package goes forward. Concern was expressed that recalling the governor and changing administration will halt progress on proposed legislation.
State Reps. Kevin Mullin and Mark Berman flank U.S. Rep. Jackie Speier in their “Vote NO on the Recall” campaign, while some disagreed, holding signs in favor of the recall. Photo: Noah Braunstein.State Sen. Josh Becker leads “Vote No” effort, while others who favor the recall hold opposing signs in the background at Sequoia Station in Redwood City. Photo: Noah Braunstein.Dorie Paniza rallies for Gov. Gavin Newsom, holding a "Vote NO" to recall sign. Photo: Noah Braunstein
Dorie Paniza, Commissioner of Daly City’s Arts and Culture Commission, explained her point of view as an immigrant to the United States who is now a citizen. She is a passionate supporter of Newsom — highlighting his long- standing support for minorities and all disenfranchised groups.
“AS A FILIPINO AND SOMEONE WHO HAS HAD TO WORK HARD, WE NEED TO SHOW PEOPLE THAT WE CAN WORK TOGETHER,” SAID PANIZA. “NOW IS THE TIME.”
While the rally didn’t reveal the outcome of the recall election of California Governor Gavin Newsom, it was clear that many people were eager to come out and make their voices heard.
East Palo Alto Lisa Yarbrough-Gauthier speaks outside Hillsdale Mall, encouraging voters to return their ballots and to remind their family members to do so. Photo: Noah Braunstein.
East Palo Alto City Councilwoman Lisa Yarbrough-Gauthier reminds all of the importance and impact that people can have in this recall election.
“We need more than ever for people to return their ballots. Exercise your rights and vote. No matter what side you’re on, exercise your right to vote,” said Gauthier.
Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, the way many people work has changed radically: millions of workers around the world have had to move their offices to their homes, with all the challenges that this implies, including access to the Internet.
Remote work still presents many challenges, one of which is isolation, plus meetings and brainstorming just aren't the same remotely.
This is how Facebook's virtual reality division,Oculuslaunched on Thursday the test version of "Horizon Workrooms", a small, but very metaverse where people can collaborate in new ways, and which will be available for free to users of their "Quest 2" viewers.
"Workrooms is designed to collaborate, communicate and connect remotely, whether it's to meet to brainstorm, write an idea on the whiteboard, work on a document or listen to team updates, hang out, socialize or just have conversations that flow more naturally."
Similarly, this space brings together new technologies such as mixed reality desktop and keyboard tracking, hand tracking, remote desktop streaming, video conferencing integration, spatial audio and new avatars to create a different experience that drives productivity.
Horizon Workrooms, a space to foster creativity
As a mixed reality experience, the space allows users to bring their physical desk and keyboard into the Horizon Workrooms virtual room, so employees can feel like they have all their work tools at their fingertips.
Combined with the Oculus Remote Desktop companion application, they will have one-click access to their entire computer from virtual reality, to take notes during their meetings, bring their files into virtual reality, and even share their screen with colleagues if they wish.
With the new avatars launched earlier this year, a wide range of much more expressive and natural customization options are offered, which will help people communicate with their colleagues.
Conversations will also sound more realistic due to the special high-quality, low-latency audio, which allows you to hear people based on where they are sitting, just as they would sound in a real room, making conversations flow smoothly.
While on the infinite virtual whiteboard you can draw ideas in real time by writing on it with the help of a virtual pen, you can anchor images from your computer, save them as long as you need or export them as images.
And since not everyone has a virtual reality viewer, they can also join a room from their computer, via a video call. For now, Workrooms' capacity is 16 people in virtual reality and up to 50 people total on a call, including video participants.
Officials from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said only 23 percent of pregnant women in the United States have received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, while doctors have reported an increased number of pregnant women infected with the virus.
In view of this, the CDC strongly recommended that pregnant and breastfeeding women get the COVID-19 vaccine after new research shows it does not increase the risk of miscarriage, the New York Times reported.
According to the agency, the risks of serious illness from coronavirus infection during pregnancy are high.
CDC officials also hope the new safety data will sway the many who have resisted despite mounting evidence that the coronavirus can pose serious health risks and increase the chances of premature birth.
"CDC encourages all women who are pregnant or thinking about becoming pregnant and those who are breastfeeding to get the vaccine to protect against Covid-19," said CDC Director Rochelle Walensky, M.D. "Vaccines are safe and effective, and there has never been a greater urgency to increase vaccination."
Of note, the CDC noted that in addition to pregnant people, the new guidance will also apply to pregnant people of any sexual orientation; however, the surveillance data it reviewed is based on participants who presented as women.
The new CDC guidance supports vaccination during pregnancy as does the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists and other medical groups.
Pregnancy is on the list of "health problems" that increase the risk of serious illness for people infected with the coronavirus because, he said, they are significantly more likely than non-pregnant patients to require intensive care, to be on a heart-lung machine and to require mechanical ventilation, in addition to facing a 70 percent higher risk of death.
To this, he added that, by acquiring COVID, the risk of pregnant women developing dangerous conditions such as preeclampsia increases, in addition to increasing the risk of premature births or stillbirths.
As if that weren't enough, severe COVID has been linked to gestational diabetes and low birth weight. In rare cases, the virus can be transmitted to the fetus during gestation.
According to the NYT, Dr. Walensky pointed out that, according to the new safety data, the results come from a study of nearly 2,500 pregnant people who were immunized with one of the mRNA vaccines - the Moderna or Pfizer and BioNTech injections - during the first 20 weeks of gestation.
However, previous research has found equally reassuring data for pregnant women who were vaccinated after that number of weeks of pregnancy.
Doubts invade the taking of the vaccine among pregnant women
"I'm seriously considering getting vaccinated, I feel it's the responsible thing to do," said Raeshel Contreras, 29, who lives in the Bay Area. She is 28 weeks pregnant and is concerned that the vaccine could disrupt fetal development, although there is no scientific evidence of this.
"I don't know what I would do if I got vaccinated and something happened to the baby," she told the NYT.
He has given himself two weeks to make a decision, but the timing of the new CDC directive, during a surge, worried him.
"Why wasn't this recommended before?" she asked. "Now there's this new variant, and now the CDC is jumping in, but it wasn't recommended, I'm like 'Why is that?'
The announcement comes amid an increasing number of infections of COVID-19, largely due to the rise of the Delta variant.
For her part, the epidemiologist who heads the Emergency Preparedness Response Team in the CDC's division of reproductive health, Sascha R. Ellington, said data on birth outcomes are limited, considering that the vaccine has only been available since December, but the small number of pregnancies of immunized obstetric patients followed to term have not identified any safety issues.
"At this time, the benefits of vaccination and the known risks of COVID during pregnancy and the high rates of transmission at this time outweigh any theoretical risks of the vaccine," Ellington said.
In June, the World Health Organization (WHO) recommended the COVID-19 vaccine "when the benefits to pregnant women outweigh the potential risks". The examples given were women who are at high risk of being exposed to the virus and those with chronic health conditions, such as obesity or diabetes, that put them at increased risk of serious illness.
After the weather improved, Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) announced that it has restored power to nearly 55 percent of customers affected by outages that began Tuesday due to high winds that combined with a lack of rain and extremely dry vegetation to increase the risk of wildfires.
In a statement issued Wednesday night, the company said it expects services to be fully restored by 22:00 Thursday.
The utility has 25 community resource centers in 11 counties that remain open from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. to assist customers who may be affected by this event.
The counties affected were: Butte and Shasta, Humboldt, Tehama, Glenn, Trinity, Lake, Lassen, Sierra, Plumas, Yolo, Yuba, Mendocino, Napa, Solano and Sonoma.
PG&E said its meteorologists continue to monitor weather conditions from the utility's Emergency Operations Center in San Francisco and will provide updates as they become available.
The American Cancer Society predicts that, by the end of this year, about 14,480 new cases of invasive cervical cancer will be diagnosed, while 4,290 women will die from it in the United States.
Despite the fact that the mortality rate of cervical cancer decreased significantly thanks to the Papanicolaou test, since in the past this condition was one of the most frequent causes of death.
In recent years, the test of the HPV -The human papillomavirus (HPV) has been approved as a screening tool for cervical cancer because almost all cases are due to HPV.
HPV testing looks for infection with the high-risk viruses most likely to develop into cervical precancer and cervical cancer. The HPV test can be done alone - primary HPV testing - or at the same time as the cervical cancer test. Pap smear -joint test.
Cervical cancer is most commonly diagnosed in women between the ages of 35 and 44, but the average age at diagnosis is 50. It rarely develops in women younger than 20.
Many older women are unaware that the risk of cervical cancer still exists as they age, with more than 20 percent of cervical cancer cases detected among those over 65.
It should be noted that these cancers rarely occur in women who have been getting regular cervical cancer screening before age 65.
In the United States, Hispanic women are more likely to get cervical cancer, followed by African American women, Native American women, Alaskan women, and Caucasian women.
On the other hand, Asian and Pacific Islander women are at the lowest risk in this country.
Types of Cervical Cancer
Cervical cancer can grow from the surface seen in the vagina, called the ectocervix, or from the canal leading from the vagina to the uterus, called the endocervix. There are two main types of cervical cancer that are named for the type of cell where the cancer started: squamous cell carcinoma and adenocarcinoma.
Squamous cell carcinoma makes up about 80 to 90 percent of all cervical cancers.
Dr. Antonio Nateras, associate medical director of Oncology at MSD Pharmaceuticals. Antonio Nateras, associate medical director of Oncology at MSD Pharmaceuticals, points out that generally cervical cancer does not produce signs or symptoms in early stages, these begin until the cancer enlarges and grows in nearby tissues. When this happens, the most common symptoms are:
Spotting or light bleeding between or after periods
Menstrual bleeding that is longer and heavier than usual.
Bleeding after sex or douching.
Increased vaginal discharge
Pain during sexual intercourse.
Bleeding after menopause.
Pelvic pain
Most cervical cancers are caused by the human papillomavirus, a common virus that can be passed from one person to another during sex. However, there are other factors that can increase the risk of developing cervical cancer:
Sexual history: Early onset, multiple partners, partners who have HPV infection or who have multiple sexual partners.
Smoking
Weakened immune system
Chlamydia infection
Long-term use of oral contraceptives (birth control pills)
Having many full-term pregnancies
Early age at first pregnancy
A diet low in fruits and vegetables
The most common types of treatments include surgery, radiation therapy, chemotherapy, therapy, and immunotherapy.
In San Mateo County, nearly 5 out of every 100,000 women have experienced it, the vast majority of them in the Latino community.
Learn how much you know about cervical cancer through this test issued by the CDC by clicking here. here.
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Michael Regan came to Redwood City Tuesday to announce three loans totaling $168 million for water infrastructure on the Peninsula and in the East Bay.
Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act (WIFIA) loans seek to improve water infrastructure across the country to make it safe and sustainable.
"I've seen firsthand the urgency of modernizing it to ensure it can withstand the impacts of climate change," Regan said. "Investing in this is one of the best decisions we can make to improve the health of our communities and the health of our economy."
Two of the loans are earmarked for Silicon Valley Clean Water (SVCW), a joint powers authority that recycles and treats wastewater for 220,000 residents and businesses in southern San Mateo County.
The most recent loans, totaling $143 million, will help fund its RESCU program, 11 projects that constitute the total replacement and rehabilitation of SVCW's conveyance system, including the Gravity Pipeline, among other improvements to its treatment plant.
"This is a fantastic project for our residents," said Silicon Valley Clean Water Commission Chair Alicia Aguirre.
Aguirre said this project will ensure that residents have clean recycled water without having to pay extra.
"That's why loans like this are so important - we now have state-of-the-art infrastructure to save costs," Aguirre said.
"The most exciting thing to me is the jobs it brings and helping the economy ... especially during COVID," said Teresa Herrera, manager of Silicon Valley Clean Water. "That and the sustainability and innovative technologies we use."
Improvements to the treatment facility, which was built in 1980, will create more than 2,300 jobs and are expected to be completed in 2023.
The remaining $25 million loan is allocated to the Oro Loma Sanitation District in Alameda County to help finance improvements to the sewer collection system.
There are 273 miles of clay pipes, originally built in the 1940s and 1950s, that have been deteriorating and will be rebuilt with WIFIA loans.
"We're very excited," said Oro Loma board president Rita Duncan. "The other great thing is that we serve one of the disadvantaged communities, so it was really wonderful to receive this money to help our community."
Regan said this latest round of WIFIA loans is an example of what is to come if the infrastructure bill being considered by Congress passes the House.
Under the Senate-passed version of the bill, the EPA is set to get $50 billion to accelerate progress on "much-needed water infrastructure improvements," including lead service lines and lead pipes, as well as upgrading drinking water, wastewater and stormwater infrastructure across the country, Regan said.
"Importantly, we will also be able to create good-paying jobs and support the foundation for the future economic vitality of all of our communities," Regan concluded.
The nearly year-and-a-half-long pandemic of COVID-19 has exacerbated the food crisis in Los Angeles County, where a large percentage are first and second generation Latino and immigrant communities, as well as low-income women between the ages of 18 and 50.
This was announced by Dr. Kayla de la Haye, a professor of preventive medicine at the University of Southern California (USC), who, in a media briefing organized by Ethnic Media ServicesThe information was the result of a survey of nearly 2,000 Angelenos, he said.
Nearly 1.2 million families in Los Angeles County experienced a food crisis between April and December 2020, which meant that one in three families were food insecure.
Meanwhile, he estimated that 40 percent of Latinos and African-Americans had trouble accessing food, and those between the ages of 41 and 50 were at greater risk of food insecurity because of job loss, coupled with other financial obligations.
The specialist pointed out that people with small networks of friends and family members experienced the lack of access to food the most, as did those who contracted COVID at the beginning of the pandemic.
In addition, he explained that according to the results of the study, one in four residents live in places where they do not have easy access to food.
These people "don't have access to a supermarket so they had difficulty getting food, either because there are no stores nearby, they were closed, they had limited hours, or they didn't have personal transportation," she said.
De la Haye called on local governments to continue investing in food assistance programmes, as well as to boost and diversify existing programmes so that the most vulnerable have access to food.
Giving Hope in this food crisis
Supervisor Hilda L. Solis, chairwoman of the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors, expressed fears of a larger food crisis as many have been unable to return to work in the face of high infection rates driven by the Delta variant.
"Our children may have to stay home longer. We're not sure what that means, but we need to help vulnerable families," she said, adding that one way to do that is with an emergency feeding kit to feed a family for a week.
However, she said, by applying for CalFresh or WIC, the latter of which is especially for low-income women, infants and children up to age 5, people could receive free food year-round.
Nearly two million people in LA County are eligible for monthly food assistance, but only 1.3 million are receiving that benefit.
"Part of the problem is that many undocumented families are afraid, but I want to tell them that we never ask for immigration status," he said.
Solis recalled that the county has distributed millions of pounds of food, nearly seven million meals and $1 million in baby formula. "I like to think we're providing hope as well as food," he said.
Access to programs in Los Angeles
Kiran Saluja, director of the federal WIC program, reported that there are at least 40,000 women, pregnant women, new mothers and children up to age five, in Los Angeles County, who are eligible for support but have not enrolled, despite the simple application forms and the 24- to 48-hour approval process.
He explained that all those who receive CalFresh, CalWorks or Medical automatically meet WIC eligibility requirements, as do those who earn $4,000 or less per month.
He also noted that undocumented people can qualify for support as long as they are under 5 years old, pregnant or breastfeeding women and are within the income guidelines of up to $ 4,86 for a family of 4 people.
Applicants are not questioned about their immigration status. "But there is such fear, we have found families who need food, but they don't want to be part of the program, despite all our efforts so that they can have the benefit of nutritious food."
The Economic Rescue Plan 2021 has been a great support for the program, as it has been able to provide an additional $35 in fruits and vegetables for each person, a situation that will remain until September, he said.
Individuals interested in learning more or qualifying for the WIC program can call 888 942 2229; or text 91997. In addition to being able to access the www.phfewic.org/apply
LaShonda Diggs, of the LA County Department of Public Social Services, said CalFresh currently helps 1.3 million people and is "one of the most effective anti-poverty programs in the county.
The head of the CalFresh program in LA County estimated that there are more than 1.5 million people who are potentially eligible but not receiving benefits.
"Some CalFresh participants can use their benefits at restaurants and farmers markets. The American Rescue Plan is increasing benefits by 15 percent through September," Diggs said, so a family of three making less than $3,620 a month can qualify for up to $660 a month.
"During the pandemic, for the first time, many residents applied for CalFresh as a result of losing their jobs. That's why it's important to spread the word that this program helps low-income families access healthy food," she said.
However, this program only applies to U.S. citizens or residents with low or no income documents, even if they own property.
Also, for families with mixed status, and for those who are undocumented but have citizen children, because the family can apply for CalFresh for their children.
"For those who aren't sure if they qualify, we prefer that they apply and not eliminate themselves."
To apply for CalFresh, you can go to calfresh.org or call 866-613-3777 Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
In addition, more information about CalFresh and other county programs can be found on the department's website: https://dpss.lacounty.gov/ .
Rigo Reyes, Director of the Los Angeles County Office of Immigrant Affairs, emphasized that immigrants can apply for food support programs without fear of negative repercussions from policies such as "public charge".
The final rule defines "public charge" as an alien receiving one or more public benefits for more than 12 months in total within any 36-month period - for example, receipt of two benefits in one month counts as two months.
"It will take us a long time to undo the damage that has been done with the anti-immigrant rhetoric that went on for years," Reyes said, but he encouraged people to at least check their eligibility for benefits.
Although parents and students are experiencing moments of fear and uncertainty as they head back to school amidst the increase in COVID-19 and Delta variant cases, safety and mitigation measures may make it possible for millions of California students to return to school safely.
So said California Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond, who in a media session held by the California Department of Public Instruction, said in a statement that Ethnic Media ServicesThe Los Angeles Unified School District, he recalled that under those parameters, 97 percent of all students in the Los Angeles Unified School District returned to school Monday for the fall semester.
"We have learned that our students need face-to-face instruction, that they have suffered from lack of access to teachers and peers. We know that mental health needs have grown and that gaps have been exacerbated. And so as we continue to tackle COVID-19 and the Delta variant, we know that we can deliver and provide a great education for our students," she said.
However, he explained that distance education will continue for those students who have a medical need or need to have some alternative to in-person instruction.
"I think it's okay to be afraid. But let's let that fear translate into action that ensures that our kids can get an education, and then we can keep them, their families and their educators safe with vaccines. I just want to keep reminding everyone that it's not too late to get vaccinated," she said.
The superintendent acknowledged that Californians have been vaccinated more than residents of any other state. "That's a great job, but let's not stop there. There are still many who can and should be vaccinated," especially for those under 12 who still can't get vaccinated until FDA approval. Maybe later this year.
Meanwhile, he noted that "this is becoming a crisis of the unvaccinated. What we're seeing is that 99 percent of the people who are experiencing serious complications from COVID, including hospitalizations and deaths, are those who have not been vaccinated.
Thurmond said he shares the concerns of parents being one of them, however, he said a return to the classroom in California is possible as long as safety guidelines such as vaccinations, masks, hand washing, social distancing and ongoing testing for both students and school staff are followed.
In this regard, he explained that the tests are an essential point for the return to school, because in addition to the results are obtained in 15 minutes, it is possible to detect who is infected to be sent to quarantine, as well as take the necessary precautions to protect the school community.
In that sense, he said that with the help of the state government, five million rapid tests will be available for this back to school.
He also recalled that in California, the state legislature, Governor Gavin Newsom and the superintendent's office are working together to make a record amount of resources available to all students for counseling.
He explained that many students have experienced the trauma of the pandemic, which is why more than $4 billion has been allocated for mental health services for young people from birth to age 25.
Plus more than $3 billion for community schools, plus school meals are now universal, regardless of students' background and income.
Mitigation measures key to back-to-school season
Superintendent Thurmond noted that money has been given to schools to upgrade classrooms, air purification systems and ventilation.
"We are working on everything to support our students' mental well-being, their physical safety, and of course, what we call the acceleration of learning."
At the beginning of the pandemic, he said, there were more than a million students in the state who didn't have access to a computer, and there are still a million without access to high-speed Internet, so to offset those barriers, schools now have money for programs like literacy, increased tutoring, hiring one-on-one professional development to work with students, and after-school special education.
"This is the most thoughtful and robust budget we've seen for education in decades in California - more than $120 billion to support all aspects of our school communities."
"We recognize that this has been a difficult time, but we can rebuild and build a better education system than we had before, especially for low-income students and students of color. This is our opportunity to build the systems that will help push students, making sure they all have access to tools like computer science, to prepare them for the jobs of tomorrow."
He added that the state budget has billions of dollars to invest in broadband so that students in rural, urban, or border communities have access to the Internet.
At the time, he acknowledged the great effort on the part of parents, educators, classified staff, administrators and volunteers to support students in these difficult times.
On the other hand, he said his office is already working with school districts in all counties that have been severely affected by the fires to support families and students.
A different look at education
Mitigation measures will not be the only changes this back-to-school season, the superintendent said, as there will be a new component in education with an anti-racial focus.
"We have seen, what I call, the pandemic of racism. Certainly beginning with the murder of George Floyd on national television before our very eyes. That's why, during the pandemic I have launched a new initiative called 'Education to End Hate,' which provides implicit bias training to educators in our schools."
This, he explained, following the rise of hatred against Asian-American and Pacific Islander families, as well as the mistreatment of immigrant children.
In that regard, he noted that a new guide has been created so that school districts can create their own ethnic curriculum and so that students of color can learn about the contributions of their ancestors in the growth of the state of California.
Meanwhile, he explained, legislation is still being considered that would create an ethnic studies requirement for graduation.
Health over politics
The use of masks remains a contentious issue despite nearly a year and a half into the pandemic and a spike in cases due to the Delta variant, which now accounts for more than 90 percent of the nation's sequenced cases.
In response, Thurmond said there is a state mandate from the California Department of Public Health that requires anyone in education facilities to wear a facemask, and if they don't have one, the school will provide one.
But he called on people not to politicize the use of face masks and to put health first under any circumstances.
"It's not just about a mandate, it's about saving lives. I know there are debates going on. People are politicizing it... But at the end of the day it's one of the things that has been proven to save a lot of lives. And that's why we want to encourage everybody to wear a mask."
"We don't want its use to be about law enforcement. We want this to be about keeping people safe, so they can get an education. And yes, wearing a mask means schools, restaurants and public places can stay open. We can be with our loved ones and I encourage everyone to wear them."
By Joshua Karim. With information from Eduardo Paz and Paola Ricaurte. Peninsula 360 Press [P360P]
There are many people who still do not believe in SARS-CoV-2 or in the effectiveness of COVID-19 vaccines and, without thinking about the consequences, use social networks to spread false rumors without scientific support or evidence.
It was last August 11 when different media reported that Mexican actress and singer Paty Navidad had been admitted to the hospital, due to complications from the COVID-19.
According to a quantitative analysis of the social network Twitter, it was observed that from August 8 to 13, 2021, both the newspaper El Universal and El Heraldo de México were the main centers for the dissemination of news on this social network.
The Peninsula 360 Press investigation, in which journalists and data scientists Eduardo Paz -Mexico- and Paola Ricaurte -Ecuadorian with studies at Harvard- collaborated, identified that almost immediately, mainly on Twitter, different users noted that throughout the pandemic the actress had made statements undermining vaccination.
Paty Navidad is in the hospital for Covid, she had previously claimed that she didn't like to wear masks because it removed her makeup. https://t.co/6y1JYWY0XD
In addition, since the last U.S. elections, the host had already made false statements about the then presidential candidate Joe Biden, and even assured that members of the Democratic Party, including former President Barack Obama, participated in satanic cults that included pedophilia among their practices.
Once the pandemic caused by COVID-19 began, the presenter made controversial statements such as that the "supposed virus" was a fraud, or that the vaccine was intended to decrease the population, sterilize it and enhance diseases.
All this, as part of a plan aligned to a globalist, communist and satanic agenda, led by investor George Soros, billionaire Bill Gates, and joined by the president of Mexico, Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, he assured.
Through her Twitter account, Paty Navidad also expressed that the serious illness caused by COVID-19 could be easily cured with "guava tea and aspirin," which earned her the suspension of her account.
Disbelief about COVID-19: a boomerang effect
Thus, from the moment the news of his hospitalization due to severe complications from the coronavirus broke, Twitter users recalled his statements and disbelief about COVID-19 and began to mock him.
Of all these messages the most popular on this social network was generated by a user who retweeted a video with the following comment: "I hope you can send it to our friend Paty Navidad and to all those who could get vaccinated but don't get vaccinated".
In the video, a middle-aged man can be seen claiming that his wife was unable to receive treatment for a chronic illness due to hospital overcrowding with COVID-19 patients.
The person questions why so many people don't believe in the virus or still have disbelief about the protection provided by COVID-19 vaccines as a preventative measure, but do trust that doctors can cure them when it's too late.
It is noteworthy that so far, the video has more than 23 thousand 600 retweets, six thousand 500 quotes, more than two thousand comments and 76 thousand 500 likes.
Meanwhile, recently, the actress posted through a story on Instagram that she was already recovering from the disease. "I've been trying to get rid of the virus for a while now," she said.
