Today on AirTalk, we discuss the latest COVID-19 news. Also on the show, we analyze how Biden's American Families Plan can benefit California community colleges; learn why some social media users are deleting their accounts for good; and more.
COVID-19: Boosters May Not Be Necessary For At Least A Year, How Californians Celebrated Memorial Day Weekend And More
In our continuing series looking at the latest medical research and news on COVID-19, Larry Mantle speaks with Dr. Kimberly Shriner of Huntington Hospital in Pasadena.
Today's topics include:
COVID boosters may not be needed for at least a year
How Californians celebrated Memorial Day
New COVID-19 variant hitting Vietnam
The possibilities of mRNA post-pandemic
Unseen coronavirus risk for unvaccinated people
Dogs are highly effective in detecting COVID-19
Vaccinations go mobile to reach rural communities
WHO renames COVID variants with Greek letters
Guest:
Kimberly Shriner, M.D., infectious disease specialist at Huntington Hospital in Pasadena
As Biden Proposes Additional Support For Community Colleges, How Will This Impact SoCal Schools?
In his $1.8 trillion American Families Plan proposed back in April, Joe Biden brought forth a plan that would waive two years of community college tuition for students, while also offering additional financial assistance to lower-income students.
This comes at a time where California’s community colleges already offer lower-income students a tuition-free education, an academic constituency that makes up an overwhelming amount of its student population, with over 80% of California community college students having family incomes of lower than $48,000 according to data from the Public Policy Institute of California published in 2017.
With California being ahead of many other states in helping its community college students financially, it begs the question: what can colleges do with these potential extra funds and in what ways can they lobby for them? Today on AirTalk, we dig into the subject and see how local community colleges can use this proposal as a way to help its students during the financial strains that have come from the pandemic.
Guests:
Erika Endrijonas, superintendent and president of Pasadena City College
Larry Galizio, president & CEO of Community College League of California, a non-profit advocacy group with voluntary membership from community colleges across the state
Eloy Ortiz Oakley, chancellor for California Community Colleges
The Significance Of Naomi Osaka’s Withdrawal From The French Open
Naomi Osaka withdrew from the French Open on Monday and
— NaomiOsaka大坂なおみ (@naomiosaka) May 31, 2021
that she would be taking a break from competition, a dramatic turn of events for a four-time Grand Slam champion who said she experiences “huge waves of anxiety” before speaking to the media and revealed she has “suffered long bouts of depression.”
Osaka’s agent, Stuart Duguid, confirmed in an email to The Associated Press that the world’s No. 2-ranked tennis player was pulling out before her second-round match at the clay-court tournament in Paris. The stunning move came a day after Osaka, a 23-year-old who was born in Japan and moved with her family to the U.S. at age 3, was fined $15,000 for skipping the post match news conference after her first-round victory at the French Open. She also was threatened by all four Grand Slam tournaments with possible additional punishment, including disqualification or suspension, if she continued with her intention —
— NaomiOsaka大坂なおみ (@naomiosaka) May 26, 2021
— to not “do any press during Roland Garros.”
She framed the matter as a mental health issue, saying that it can create self-doubt to have to answer questions after a loss. Tennis stars and others offered support to Osaka after she cited anxiety and depression as reasons for bowing out of the competition. Today on AirTalk, we walk through what happened and break down the significance of Osaka’s move. What are your thoughts? Share in the comments or call 866-893-5722.
With files from the Associated Press
Guests:
Patrick McEnroe, ESPN commentator and host of the podcast “Holding Court with Patrick McEnroe,” he’s also a former professional tennis player; he tweets
Kavitha A. Davidson, sports and culture writer for The Athletic, she writes about the intersection of sports and business, culture, race, and gender; she tweets
After An Exhausting Pandemic Year On Social Media, Some People Are Done For Good
In the early days of the pandemic, when lockdowns shut down workplaces and travel, many people turned to their screens for news, reassurance, humor and connection.
Social media—whether it be Facebook, Whats App, TikTok, Twitter, Instagram— offered an outlet when so few existed. Neighbors made Facebook pages to bring groceries to their elderly neighbors while families choreographed TikTok dances to distract themselves and Instagram users showed off home-baked loaves of sourdough. But as the pandemic wore on, social media’s toxic underbelly began to show. Some users clocked record amounts of time on the platforms, which have been linked to depression and loneliness. The daily onslaught of news on COVID-19 and political violence could feel oppressive, especially when it hit close to home. Conspiracy theories like QAnon flourished amidst the isolation, and debates about the November election forced some families to stop speaking for good. For some social media users, it was enough to quit the platforms altogether.
Today on AirTalk, we’re learning more about why some social media users are quitting social media. Are you considering deleting your accounts, or have you already done so? We want to hear from you! Give us a call at 866-893-5722.
Guest:
Karen North, clinical professor of communication at the University of Southern California and an expert in social media and psychology; she tweets