August 18, 2021 Media Brief
Orange County
Voice of OC: Orange County’s rising Coronavirus trends start to mirror last summer’s surge
OC Health Officer Dr. Clayton Chau said he thinks the daily new virus cases have peaked and might start dropping in the coming days. “So I think we’re pretty stable now,” Chau said during Tuesday’s news conference. “I am confident to say that [we’re] probably reaching our peak now — that plateau — and hopefully we’ll begin to drop.”
OC Register: Coronavirus: Vaccination and test positivity rates in Orange County as of Aug. 18
The average daily number of new cases in Orange County has slowly increased over the last two weeks – on July 18 it was 287 cases per day, then it rose to 724 per day on Aug. 9. Last year, on Aug. 9, it was 322. The peak for the rate was 3,497 on Jan. 8.
Daily Pilot: Orange County officials call on community for help to defend against recent COVID-19 surge
Following a recent rise in the number of COVID-19 infections, Orange County officials are doubling down on their efforts to educate the community on best practices in the fight against the virus.
City of Santa Ana: COVID-19 Vaccination will be required for City of Santa Ana employees
City employees who are unable to get vaccinated for health or religious reasons will be provided reasonable accommodations, such as regular COVID-19 testing. Unvaccinated City employees are already required to wear facemasks while at work and vaccinated employees are encouraged to wear masks when in close proximity to others indoors.
Orange County Dept. of Ed: OCDE hires countywide network of mental health coordinators
With funding from the Mental Health Student Services Act, and in partnership with the Orange County Health Care Agency and local school districts, OCDE recently hired seven regional mental health coordinators, creating a countywide network to strengthen mental health procedures and protocols.
Voice of OC: Irvine residents demand city council action on asphalt near homes
After nearly two years, residents in northern Irvine are still deadlocked with the city council on how to deal with an asphalt factory less than a mile away from homes, with the council members saying there’s nothing more they can do.
Nation
Associated Press: US health officials call for booster shots against COVID-19
The plan, as outlined by the chief of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and other top health authorities, calls for an extra dose eight months after people get their second shot of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine. The doses could begin the week of Sept. 20.
Bloombert: Landlords across U.S. jacking up rents at record pace
Landlords from Tampa, Florida, to Memphis, Tennessee, and Riverside, California, are jacking up rents at record speeds. For each listing, multiple people apply. Some renters are forced to check into hotels while they hunt after losing out too many times.
Publication Date: August 18, 2021
