Transcripts For KGO ABC7 News 500PM 20240712 : comparemela.c

And good evening. Thank you for joining us. Im dan ashley. And im dion lim. We begin tonight with the first real signs of reopening santa clara county, and it is clearly designed with the knowledge that covid19 will be here for a long time. Abc7 News Reporter chris nguyen has the update from san jose. Reporter departing from the sectors specific plan that has been used in recent months in santa clara county, Health Officer dr. Sarah cody offered a longterm containment strategy for covid19. We need to adapt to a new way of being, a new way of living that keeps us all safe and that allows us to do some of the things that we miss and that we cherish and that we find most meaningful. Reporter multiple activities that were previously restricted ca resume, including gyms, hair and nail salons and small gatherings. However, the mandatory use of Face Coverings, strict social distancing protocols and significant capacity limits will be in place. It will come back with a vengeance if you let your guard down. Reporter indoor activities that would require the removal of a Face Covering such as Indoor Dining or indoor swimming pools will continue to be offlimits. Places that encourage large crowds like theaters, nightclubs and arenas will also stay closed under the new order. Infectious disease experts say the countys approach makes sense. The more airflow you have access to, the better. Weve got to really kind of double down and keep reminding ourselves that what were doing is literally for the lives and wellbeing of our community and our nation. Reporter employers must also alert the Public Health department of any cases of coronavirus that are directly tied to their workplaces. I want to say just one big thank you to all of you who have been sheltering in place. All of you who have been wearing your masks, and to say to everybody else, join us. This is the only way were going to fight this if we do it together. Reporter the order goes into effect july 13th, or two days after the state approves the plan, whichever date comes later. In san jose, chris nguyen, abc7 news. More warnings from Governor Newsom tonight to avoid crowds this fourth of july weekend and wear a mask. State hospitalizations are up 56 in the last two weeks. The number of patients in intensive care beds has gone up 49 . More than 350,000 businesses have received notifications about following Public Health mandates to protect customers and employees. But enforcement measures across the state are still in question. Were not going to everybodys backyard and enforcing. You know that, and they know that. Were just encouraging people to be safe, to be thoughtful about themselves and others. The Governor Also Announced a new Public Awareness campaign youll see to encourage people to wear masks. There will be ads on radio, television, and billboards as well. Reduce the risk of exposure according to health officials, but getting people to wear them not always easy. Today napa county along with its cities and towns established a covid19 task force, and part of its job will be dealing with complaints about people who arent wearing Face Coverings or maintaining physical distancing. Abc7 News Reporter Wayne Freedman has more. Reporter in communities across california, places like napa, the change has been slow and steady, from never trusting people in masks, its the other way around now. Its a little irresponsible to be Walking Around and being in places without a mask, considering the infection rates and the advice were getting from Public Health officials a nd the gornor. Unties now face a loss of state funding if they dont get masking and social distancing under control. That is why napa countys Health Director and board of supervisors met this morning. Theyre talking about taking those measures to the next level. And education and outreach is not enough, then its going to get to the point where we have to really have more enforcement for noncompliance. Reporter right there you just heard the two new e words, education and enforcement. Now add another, at least for local business owner, elation. It is not our job, no. Its really challenging to make the host at a restaurant be the enforcer of mask wearing. Reporter as in many communities, napa Restaurant Owners have been through three excruciating months without income while investing for reopening. At oenotri, the owner has put in plastic barriers and still not opened inside to protect his staff. It is tough being tough he says. If somebody comes in and theyre not willing to wear a mask or get their temperature taken, we wont serve them, period full stop. Reporter it remains unclear what penalty measures napa county might take or how it might enforce them. Fines . Citations . If Public Health officials cant change behavior, if the governor cant change someones behavior, the data cant change someones behavior, i dont know how effective a fine is going to be to change someones behavior. Reporter but we may soon find out, and not just here. In napa, Wayne Freedman, abc7 news. Another day of waiting for hours to get tested at cal state east bay. The drivethrough location in hayward has seen such a surge, theyve had to cut off the line every day this week. The site hapz a capacity of 500 tests per day. The spike in demand comes with the expansion of tracking and tracing. The chief is considering adding an Evening Shift so people can get tested after work. A site will be closed tomorrow ahead of the long Holiday Weekend. And while Governor Newsom has ordered certain beaches and parking lots closed this fourth of july weekend because of surging covid19 cases weve been talking about, one of the bay areas most popular in the county with the highest number of cases is actually wide open. Abc7 News Reporter Laura Anthony is live from alamedas crown beach with the story there. Laura . Reporter well, hi, dan. This beach will be wide open this weekend, and this day happens to coincide with the highest number of new positive cases here in Alameda County since the pandemic began. Still, this weekend were expecting this beach to be largely full of people. Th the hiday weekendas apoaching, this beach alameda may be the only viable option for many in the bay area. In the wake of Governor Newsoms tightened coronavirus restrictions that closed beach access and or parking lots up and down the state. It has kept me totally sane and fit. Reporter beachgoers are aware of the ongoing risk, but grateful they still have access to crown beach, despite a recent surge in coronavirus cases in Alameda County. I come here every day to swim. And i never sit on the beach. So i just get out of my car, go in the water, do my swimming, and go home again. Reporter for many here, the primary precaution is staying away from others and taking advantage of the relatively light trfi before the expected crowds this weekend. Were out here today because we thought we could still get out here and be far enough away from people before the crowds hit tomorrow. As long as people follow the rules no alcohol, no fireworks remain distanced and wear masks when necessary, parks police will go with the flow, and so will those who love coming here. Especially now. Its amazing. The water is terrific and the sun is out, and im just so grateful to have it here available to me. And were back live here at crown beach. The wind has picked up. And if you want to find a way to sociallybeheayo do it with this kite surfing. Of course, youd have to know how to do it, dan and dion. You can see there is just a few people out here now. Thats because its cool. Its windy. But the parking lots are open and the expectation is as it warms up this weekend, there will be a lot of people out here given the limited options elsewhere. Live in alameda, Laura Anthony, abc7 news. It does look so nice out there. Thank you so much. Multiple beach parking lots in the bay area will be closed for the Holiday Weekend to discourage people from crowding them. Governor newsom ordered the closure of state beach parking lots in san mateo ten beach, thornton and ono nouveau, gray whale cove, montara, half moon bay, pelican point, san gregorio. In Sonoma County fo kruse rhododendron state reserve, Fort Ross State Historic Park and sonoma coast state beach will be closed as well. Now over to marin county. Only lots for tomales bay and Mount Tamalpais state park will close. And in Santa Cruz County parking lots will be closed for natural bridges, lighthouse, twin lakes, seacliff, manresa and sunset state beaches. In San Francisco, the closed parking lots include baker beach, china beach, crissy field, fort funston, fort point, lands end, marina green and ocean beach. Parking lots all closed. The headon crash in Discovery Bay this afternoon. The man in one car was killed while the driver in the other car walked way with minor injuries. The chp says it all happened on highway 4 just west of Discovery Bay boulevard. Witnesses told police that the pontiac was driving on the right shoulder at speeds close to 100 miles an hour when it lost control and veered into the jeeb. Officers are investigating whether alcohol or drugs were a factor in the collision. Well, being temporarily closed is turning into a longterm nightmare. Business owners detail the real cost of being shut down. Ive just been using credit cards and savings and my business still isnt able to open. So, yeah, i really dont know what to do next. State legislators are furious. Thats next. Plus the sinister nature of coronavirus, but local researchers say they may be able to exploit it to find a drug to treat the disease. We have a fascinateling report for you knew to the unemployment numbers released today. The nations jobless rate fell to just over 11 in june as states reopened their economies. It was 13. 3 in may. 11 still at depression era levels. And state lawmakers, they say too many people are using up their life savings, waiting for benefits. Theyre calling for Californias Employment Development Department to change the way it handles claims immediately. Here is abc7 News Reporter melanie woodrow. Californias Employment Development Department Says it is working around the clock, seven days a week, processing Unemployment Benefits during the pandemic, but despite paying more than 37. 5 billion in benefits over the last few months and processing more than 7 million claims, there are hundreds of californians who have told 7 on your side and state lawmakers that theyve received only one payment or no payments at all. Ive just been using credit cards and savings and my business still isnt able to open. So, yeah, i really dont know what to do next. Ive been paying taxes for m entire life. Good upstanding citizen, and i dont understand why i cant access these benefits. Ive only received one payment in the last 15 weeks that ive been unemployed. Reporter entry member david chu is calling on ded to performance. Edd is failing our state. Reporter in an email, an edd spokesperson writes, quote, we are enhancing our Technology Systems to increase efficiencies and have already hired or have offers extended to more than 4,000 new staff needed. Anna lu has been trying to help her parents whose names were incorrect on their claims. She has been trying to call to fix it. It has not been able to reach anybody. Reporter state senator scott wiener. People are not asking for any kind of special treatment. People simply want to be able to access the Unemployment Benefits to which they are legally entitled. Reporter chu says contractor deloitte is part of the problem. The fact that edd has been relying on a contract theyre has had a history of bungling projects is just mist fight. Reporter in an email statement, deloitte tells abc7 news the system we developed in 2013 and continue to help maintain has paid out more than 30 billion in state and federal Unemployment Benefits and process in order than 6. 3 million claims from californians since midmarch. Melanie woodrow, abc7 news. A Bay Area Research team has unlocked some unnerving secrets about how the covid19 virus works. But at the same time, they could provide a powerful strategy for disrupting it. The covid19 virus isnt just devastating, its devastatingly clever, hijacking the power of our own cells in novel ways to make itself more dangerous. But now a team at ucsf is hoping to turn one of the virus own weapons against it. In my opinion, you really have to respect the virus. But let the virus tell you its secrets. Reporter Research Biologist nevin kroghan and his team began spying on the virus as it infected human cells, paying special attention to how the cells were exploited. Using tools like mass spectrometers they discovered something truly chilling. First, it helps to understand that invading viruses like covid use material in our own cells to make copies of themselves. Eventually, stretching the host cell like a balloon. And when that cell or balloon finally newly to attack surrounding cells. But the covid19 virus it turns out is so devious, it doesnt even need to wait for that burst to actually happen. Microscopic images captured by collaborators in germany and montana showed the cells had grown probelike tentacles and have the ability to pierce the surface of surrounding cells, providing the covid virus with a kind of invasion tunnel, possibly explaining how it spread so quickly. Its just such a brilliant and devious strategy. Reporter but crogan wondered could it have an achilles heel . His team learned the virus is exploiting a specific type of molecule to create the tendrils. Theyre so critical to a cells function that theyve become a popular target for specialized cancer drugs broadly known as kinase inhibitors. The question now, could one of the cancer drugs also be a covid fighter . We narrowed in on about a dozen and highlighted six or seven that look particularly potent in a laboratory setting. And were very, very excited now to try and take these into clinical trials. Reporter the strategy would be to block the virus from creating those tentacles and perhaps slowing its spread, neutralizing one of covids most potent weapons with a goal of eventually defeating it. Isnt that incredibly fascinating work . Now if one of the kinase inhibitors is successful, the professor believes it might also be combined with another drug in a type of cocktail formula to treat the virus. Well, just ahead, get ready for a lovely fourth of july. Abc7 weather every year, you can see spectacular celebrities at aids walk San Francisco. This year they are coming to you join bette midler Gloria Estefan matt bomer stars of queer eye rupauls drag race superstars. For aids walk San Francisco live at home, streaming on july 19 to benefit prc and their covid relief efforts all over the city. Register now at aidswalk. Net a popular Vantage Point for fireworks in the east bay will be closed this fourth of july. The Oakland Fire Department is shutting down grizzly peak boulevard between skyline boulevard and centennial drive. Thats five and a half miles. Its a measure were taking for multiple reasons, one to discourage areas that have been used for congregating with the amey going on. And also due to fire safety. Weve already responded to five fires since june 1 in the grizzly peak area. Some have been determined to have been started by fireworks. Others are suspected of being started by fireworks. Fireworks are illegal in most of Alameda County, and there will be no big fireworks shows in San Francisco or berkeley to watch this year. Now your accuweather forecast with Spencer Christian. Im Spencer Christian with a look at your almost fourth of july weekend weather. Here we are under breezy conditions right now all across the bay area. Weve even got some strong wind gusts. Take a look. 29milesperhour gusts right now at fairfield. 18 in santa rosa. And wind speeds are fairly brisk in other locations as well. 24hour temperature change shows it is quite a bit cooler in most bay area locations than at this time yesterday. Four or five degrees cooler in the north bay. 8 degrees cooler in the inland east bay and concord. A few degrees warmer at oakland, san carlos and half moon bay. Looking across the embarcadero from our rooftop camera at abc7. These are our current temperature readings. 66 no, its 63. The temperature has gone down. 63 degrees in San Francisco. Just a few minutes ago it was 66. Also 66 at pacifica. Gilroy 68. We have low to mid 70s in oakland, Mountain View and san jose. Looking across