State, Businesses Attack 'Digital Divide' for Housebound Students

During his Monday press conference, Gov. Gavin Newsom said Californians are beginning to flatten the viral curve, but clarified that “we’re not seeing that downward trend that we need” to begin easing physical-distancing orders.

With 42 deaths in the past 24 hours, he said California has lost 1,208 lives since the pandemic began. Hospitalizations increased by 1.9% and the state saw a 2.8% increase in ICU intakes in the last day reported.

In response to protests that have been taking place demanding the state be reopened, Newsom said he understands the anxieties of all Californians but the state “must have a health-first focus if we’re gonna come back economically.”

“We share exactly the same desires and goals to reopen the economy,” said Newsom. But “science, health must be the determination,” rather than politics.

Newsom said he would provide more clarity about how Californians could begin to exit isolation during his briefing on Wednesday, with a particular focus on testing progress, tracing and tracking the virus and isolation and quarantine.

Disparities in Care

To address disparities, particularly along racial and ethnic lines, Director of the Department of Public Health Dr. Sonia Angell said that the state is working closely with urban areas to understand the impact.

“We know that these communities have a higher burden of illness," said Angell. "That’s a reflection of poverty and racism and other things that we know have resulted in an inequitable distribution of disease."

Angell said the state is looking closely at every step — from testing to care — to determine where the disparities lie.

The governor said he will be meeting with the Black Caucus and the African-American advisory committee this afternoon to discuss the issue and find more strategies to address it.

Digital Divide

First partner Jennifer Siebel Newsom also announced that 70,000 students across the state will receive laptops and tablets starting this week to help bridge the "digital divide." Those tools are a result of business partnerships that help parents across the state address challenges with distance learning.

“We all know that education is fundamental to opportunity. And so our mission will not end until every child in California has what they need to continue learning while physically distanced,” said Siebel Newsom.

Gov. Newsom also announced that $25 million would be provided to create wifi hotspots to support digital learning. State Superintendent Tony Thurmond announced a new statewide task force aimed at closing the digital divide would meet soon. Meanwhile the city of Sacramento will be equipping seven school buses as mobile hotspots to provide more widespread access. Newsom said if that program is successful, it could be rolled out statewide.

Read more on the digital divide from KQED's Julia McEvoy.