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COVID-19 AMA: After A Bad Winter, LA County COVID Numbers Decline. Are Medical Experts Expecting A Spring Surge?

LONDON, ENGLAND - FEBRUARY 02: A woman takes a coronavirus test at a temporary testing facility in West Ealing on February 2, 2021 in London, United Kingdom. Health authorities have found more than 100 cases of a coronavirus variant first identified in South Africa,  prompting a scramble to deploy new testing initiatives across eight areas in England. It is thought the variant is more contagious, but not more deadly, than the variant that has predominated in England throughout the covid-19 pandemic. (Photo by Hollie Adams/Getty Images)
A woman takes a coronavirus test at a temporary testing facility in West Ealing on February 2, 2021 in London, United Kingdom.
(
Hollie Adams/Getty Images
)
Listen 1:42:54
Today on AirTalk, we update you on the latest COVID-19 news and answer your questions. Also on the show, we discuss Los Angeles County's method of counting unhoused people and its effectiveness; KPCC film critics Tim Cogshell and Amy Nicholson review this weekend’s new movie releases; and more.
Today on AirTalk, we update you on the latest COVID-19 news and answer your questions. Also on the show, we discuss Los Angeles County's method of counting unhoused people and its effectiveness; KPCC film critics Tim Cogshell and Amy Nicholson review this weekend’s new movie releases; and more.

Today on AirTalk, we update you on the latest COVID-19 news and answer your questions. Also on the show, we discuss Los Angeles County's method of counting unhoused people and its effectiveness; KPCC film critics Tim Cogshell and Amy Nicholson review this weekend’s new movie releases; and more.

COVID-19 AMA: After A Bad Winter, LA County COVID Numbers Decline. Are Medical Experts Expecting A Spring Surge?

Listen 33:23
COVID-19 AMA: After A Bad Winter, LA County COVID Numbers Decline. Are Medical Experts Expecting A Spring Surge?

In our continuing series looking at the latest medical research and news on COVID-19, Larry Mantle speaks with Dr. Dean Blumberg, professor of medicine and chief of Pediatric Infectious Diseases at UC Davis Children’s Hospital.

Topics today include:

  • What’s the difference between a variant and a strain?

  • What are the effects of delayed scheduled surgeries?

  • COVID-19 finally declining in L.A. County

  • Getting a vaccine appointment is...complicated

  • J&J seeking approval for one shot vaccine 

  • In trial, AstraZeneca vaccine 75 percent effective against U.K. COVID variant

Guest:

Dean Blumberg, M.D., professor of medicine and chief of Pediatric Infectious Diseases at UC Davis Children’s Hospital

Should LA County Rethink The Annual Homeless Count?

Listen 17:54
Should LA County Rethink The Annual Homeless Count?

L.A.’s annual homeless count was cancelled this year due to the pandemic, and its cancellation has left room to reimagine the process. 

As reported by the L.A. Times, there are folks involved in the count who have critiqued it as providing very limited data at best - data that ends up being the basis for how funds and resources are allocated. 

What are the benefits and drawbacks of the annual homelessness count? Is there a better way of determining the number of unhoused people in the county? 

Guests:

Heidi Marston, executive director of the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority (LAHSA), the lead agency coordinating housing and services for homeless families and individuals in Los Angeles County; she tweets

Jennifer Hark-Dietz, executive director of PATH, a statewide homeless housing and services agency

FilmWeek: 'Little Fish,' 'Malcolm & Marie,' 'Two of Us' & More

Listen 30:12
FilmWeek: 'Little Fish,' 'Malcolm & Marie,' 'Two of Us' & More

Larry Mantle and KPCC film critics Tim Cogshell and Amy Nicholson review this weekend’s new movie releases.

Our FilmWeek critics have been curating personal lists of their favorite TV shows and movies to binge-watch during self-quarantine. You can see recommendations from each of the critics and where you can watch them here.

Guests: 

Amy Nicholson, film critic for KPCC, film writer for The New York Times and host of the podcasts ‘Unspooled’ and the podcast miniseries “Zoom”; she tweets

Tim Cogshell, film critic for KPCC, Alt-Film Guide and CineGods.com; he tweets

John Horn Breaks Down 2021’s Virtual Sundance Film Festival And A Look At Some Of The Standouts

Listen 19:15
John Horn Breaks Down 2021’s Virtual Sundance Film Festival And A Look At Some Of The Standouts

This year’s Sundance Film Festival largely went virtual due to the coronavirus pandemic. The festival is usually held in Park City, Utah. 

More than 70 films were slated to premiere on a custom-made platform during the virtual festival, which wrapped up this week. KPCC’s John Horn joins Larry to discuss the changes to this year’s festival and how they played out and review some of the standout  films that premiered. 

Guest: 

John Horn, host of KPCC’s arts and entertainment show “The Frame”; he tweets