Today on AirTalk, we update you on the latest COVID-19 news and answer your questions. Also on the show, we discuss Pasadena's decision to not follow California's guidelines for restaurants closing; talk about what lengths Duke University went to in order to reopen its campus; and more.
COVID-19: What We Can Learn About COVID Patients’ Recovery From Damaged Sense Of Smell Virus Causes
In our continuing series looking at the latest medical research and news on COVID-19, Larry Mantle speaks with Dr. Shruti Gohil, professor of medicine and associate medical director for epidemiology and infection prevention at UC Irvine’s School of Medicine.
Today’s topics include:
- LAT: California shatters records as surge worsens
- Pasadena says it will not follow L.A. County order to suspend outdoor dining
- NYT: Evidence Builds That an Early Mutation Made the Pandemic Harder to Stop
- WSJ: Damaged Sense of Smell in COVID Patients Holds Clues to How Recovery Might Work
- Washington Post: Vaccines Face Trust Gap in Black, Latino Communities
Guest:
Shruti Gohil, M.D., professor of medicine and associate medical director for epidemiology and infection prevention at UC Irvine’s School of Medicine
SoCal’s Varying Dining Public Health Rules, And What They Mean For Restaurants
As of 10 p.m. on Wednesday, November 25, restaurants and bars in Los Angeles County will have to stop all dine-in service (most of which is outdoors these days) for at least three weeks. During that period, they'll only be able to offer takeout, drive-through and delivery.
These are the most stringent restrictions imposed on local dining and drinking establishments since the start of the coronavirus pandemic. Many have been hanging on by a thread and for some, the new public health order will likely be a death blow. Read more on LAist.
The city of Pasadena will continue to allow outdoor dining, while Long Beach is falling more in line with LA County’s approach. We check in on the different approaches, plus we want to hear from you. If you own a restaurant or brewery, or work in the industry, how are you dealing? Call us at 866-893-5722.
With files from LAist.
Guests:
Kelly Colopy, director of the Health and Human Services Department for the city of Long Beach
Jot Condie, president & CEO of the California Restaurant Association, an advocacy organization for the restaurant industry
Shruti Gohil, M.D., professor of medicine and associate medical director for epidemiology and infection prevention at UC Irvine’s School of Medicine
Politics: GSA Moves Forward With Formal Transition Of Power, Biden’s National Security Picks And More
The federal government recognized President-elect Joe Biden as the “apparent winner” of the Nov. 3 election, formally starting the transition of power after President Donald Trump spent weeks testing the boundaries of American democracy. Trump relented after suffering yet more legal and procedural defeats in his seemingly futile effort to overturn the election with baseless claims of fraud.
Trump still refused to concede and vowed to continue to fight in court after General Services Administrator Emily Murphy gave the green light Monday for Biden to coordinate with federal agencies ahead of his Jan. 20 inauguration. But Trump did tweet that he was directing his team to cooperate on the transition. Biden is set to formally introduce his national security team to the nation, building out a team of Obama administration alumni that signals his shift away from the Trump administration’s “America First” policies and a return to U.S. engagement on the global stage. The picks for national security and foreign policy posts include former Secretary of State John Kerry, who will take the lead on combating climate change. They’re slated to join Biden and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris at an in-person event in Wilmington, Delaware, Tuesday afternoon, where they’ll each deliver their first remarks as Biden’s nominees. Today on AirTalk, we get the latest updates on the transition process and take a look at the president-elect’s growing number of selections for his administration. Do you have questions? Call us at 866-893-5722.
With files from the Associated Press
Guests:
Anna Edgerton, politics editor for Bloomberg; she tweets
How Two Major Universities Reopened For In-Person Classes In The Pandemic... And Stayed Open
In the weeks and months since colleges and universities returned to campuses for the fall semester, numerous institutions have reverted back to online classes after COVID-19 outbreaks forced them to shut their doors.
But not Duke University. The school brought back freshmen, sophomores, some upperclassmen and all of its graduate students to its campus in Durham, North Carolina, for in-person classes. And it seems to have done so safely. Since August 2, the school has implemented a thorough testing, tracking and surveillance program for more than 10,000 students. It has also invested in pooled testing, an innovative approach that stretches limited resources without sacrificing accuracy. But still, the feat is impressive— Duke students live in communal dorms, play sports, even throw parties. The university appears to have avoided the nightmare that many colleges have been forced to confront this year. And they're not alone. Other schools like Cornell University, an Ivy League campus in the small town of Ithaca, New York, have used mathematical virus modeling to develop their own plan, which included frequent testing and required students to sign a compact, agreeing to follow rules like wearing a mask while on campus and submitting to regular testing.
How has Duke University managed to keep its students, faculty and workers safe? And might we see similar safety precautions rolled out in colleges and universities in California? We’re learning more now. Questions? Give us a call at 866-893-5722.
Guests:
Michael Schoenfeld, Vice President for Public Affairs & Government Relations at Duke University
Christopher Marsicano, director of the College Crisis Initiative at Davidson College; he tweets
Peter Frazier, associate professor of operations research and information engineering at Cornell University who helped design a program allowing students to return to the school’s campus for the Fall 2020 semester
With The UC App Deadline Coming Up, We Check In On What Students Need To Know
With the 2021 Fall application coming for UCs on November 30, many college seniors will be spending their Thanksgiving break filling out their college applications and frantically writing essays.
And in a year when so much has been disrupted and so many kids have spent their time at home, it might be challenging to figure out what to put in a college essay or how to make it stand out.
We check in on what’s going on with the UCs and we get tips on app and essay writing from an expert. If you’re a student or parent and you have questions, call us at 866-893-5722.
Guests:
Dale Leaman, Executive Director of the Office of Undergraduate Admission at University of California, Irvine
Arun Ponnusamy, chief academic officer and college counselor for Collegewise, an educational consulting company