COVID PM: California could ease its mask guidance soon, CDC recommends kids as young as 12 be vaccinated

By Mark Conley

Source: Lookout Santa Cruz

Hello everybody,

It was another busy day on the pandemic beat. Here are your COVID PM storylines for Wednesday, May 12 ...

Before we get to the headlines, an update for our readers: We’ve completed our user technology migration here at Lookout. You can now sign back into our website using the email connected to your membership or registration account, and, in some cases, might need to refresh your browser beforehand. If you’ve forgotten your password, you can reset it — or request a “magic link.” Thanks so much for reading and supporting Lookout — and for your understanding during this process.

Now to the news of the day ...

On the masking front

People wearing masks in Santa Cruz County

California could lift most COVID-19 mask requirements by June 15, Newsom says: Gov. Gavin Newsom said Wednesday that California could significantly ease its mandatory mask mandates in the coming weeks as COVID-19 cases continued to decline and vaccinations increased. State health officials have not offered guidance, but Newsom said it could come soon. More from our LA Times content partner here.

On the vaccine front

CDC panel recommends Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine for children as young as 12: Children as young as 12 should receive the Pfizer-BioNTech coronavirus vaccine to protect them from COVID-19 and help end the pandemic, a panel of advisors to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommended Wednesday. More from the Times here.

Latino and Black Californians less likely to have received COVID-19 vaccine: Only about one-third of Latino and Black Californians have received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, while majorities of white and Asian American Pacific Islander Californians have, according to a Times analysis. More from them on that here.

How vaccine ‘passports’ became a battle cry for COVID-19 conspiracies, ‘anti-vaxx’ forces: So-called vaccine passports have faced an unexpected backlash in some corners of America, where distrust of government and wild social media claims during the pandemic have sparked anger and protests. In some cases, the opposition has been led by people who last year battled against mandatory mask wearing and other COVID-19 restrictions imposed by the government. More from the Times here.

Doctors fear COVID-19 vaccines are messing with mammograms: Radiologists have discovered a new side effect of COVID-19 vaccines: They make it more difficult to interpret mammogram results. More from the Times here.

On the pandemic life front

People are still dying from COVID in California despite huge progress. Here’s who they are: Despite a statewide mood of optimism, about 52 Californians are still succumbing to the novel coronavirus each day. More perspective from the Times on that here.

Can California make the post-COVID economy more equal? In a CalMatters and Milken Institute event, experts explored the economic disparities highlighted by the pandemic and how state policies can foster a more equitable post-COVID future of work. CalMatters digs into that here.

More from here & elsewhere

➤ ‘You cannot do anything’: Indian American doctors struggle with COVID-19 crisis back home (LA Times)
➤ Mixing COVID-19 vaccines tied to more side effects, early UK data suggests (CNN)
➤ WeWork CEO trash-talks working from home in Wall Street Journal interview (SF Gate)
➤ Get vaccinated in Ohio and get a shot at $1 million, Gov. Mike DeWine announces (NBC News)
➤ No, You Are Not Imagining It. Prices For A Lot Of Things Did Jump In April (NPR)
➤ The Case for Letting People Work From Home Forever (Wired)
➤ I Tell My Patients Not to Mask Their Kids Outside (The Atlantic)
➤ ‘Black fungus’ is appearing more frequently among COVID-19 patients in India. What to know about the deadly infection (USA Today)

Last but not least ...

#BOLO: Santa Cruz County health officials will hold a news conference at 2 p.m. Thursday to talk about recent COVID-19 and vaccine developments. Be On The Lookout for a link on how to watch live.

Over the hump we go — see you tomorrow!

Mark Conley
Deputy Managing Editor