window.__IS_SSR__=true
window.__INITIAL_STATE__={
"attachmentsReducer": {
"audio_0": {
"type": "attachments",
"id": "audio_0",
"imgSizes": {
"kqedFullSize": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/news/wp-content/themes/KQED-unified/img/audio_bgs/background0.jpg"
}
}
},
"audio_1": {
"type": "attachments",
"id": "audio_1",
"imgSizes": {
"kqedFullSize": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/news/wp-content/themes/KQED-unified/img/audio_bgs/background1.jpg"
}
}
},
"audio_2": {
"type": "attachments",
"id": "audio_2",
"imgSizes": {
"kqedFullSize": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/news/wp-content/themes/KQED-unified/img/audio_bgs/background2.jpg"
}
}
},
"audio_3": {
"type": "attachments",
"id": "audio_3",
"imgSizes": {
"kqedFullSize": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/news/wp-content/themes/KQED-unified/img/audio_bgs/background3.jpg"
}
}
},
"audio_4": {
"type": "attachments",
"id": "audio_4",
"imgSizes": {
"kqedFullSize": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/news/wp-content/themes/KQED-unified/img/audio_bgs/background4.jpg"
}
}
},
"placeholder": {
"type": "attachments",
"id": "placeholder",
"imgSizes": {
"thumbnail": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/KQED-Default-Image-816638274-2000x1333-1-160x107.jpg",
"width": 160,
"height": 107,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"medium": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/KQED-Default-Image-816638274-2000x1333-1-800x533.jpg",
"width": 800,
"height": 533,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"medium_large": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/KQED-Default-Image-816638274-2000x1333-1-768x512.jpg",
"width": 768,
"height": 512,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"large": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/KQED-Default-Image-816638274-2000x1333-1-1020x680.jpg",
"width": 1020,
"height": 680,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"1536x1536": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/KQED-Default-Image-816638274-2000x1333-1-1536x1024.jpg",
"width": 1536,
"height": 1024,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"fd-lrg": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/KQED-Default-Image-816638274-2000x1333-1-1536x1024.jpg",
"width": 1536,
"height": 1024,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"fd-med": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/KQED-Default-Image-816638274-2000x1333-1-1020x680.jpg",
"width": 1020,
"height": 680,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"fd-sm": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/KQED-Default-Image-816638274-2000x1333-1-800x533.jpg",
"width": 800,
"height": 533,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"post-thumbnail": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/KQED-Default-Image-816638274-2000x1333-1-672x372.jpg",
"width": 672,
"height": 372,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"twentyfourteen-full-width": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/KQED-Default-Image-816638274-2000x1333-1-1038x576.jpg",
"width": 1038,
"height": 576,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"xxsmall": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/KQED-Default-Image-816638274-2000x1333-1-160x107.jpg",
"width": 160,
"height": 107,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"xsmall": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/KQED-Default-Image-816638274-2000x1333-1-672x372.jpg",
"width": 672,
"height": 372,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"small": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/KQED-Default-Image-816638274-2000x1333-1-672x372.jpg",
"width": 672,
"height": 372,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"xlarge": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/KQED-Default-Image-816638274-2000x1333-1-1020x680.jpg",
"width": 1020,
"height": 680,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"full-width": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/KQED-Default-Image-816638274-2000x1333-1-1920x1280.jpg",
"width": 1920,
"height": 1280,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"guest-author-32": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/KQED-Default-Image-816638274-1333x1333-1-160x160.jpg",
"width": 32,
"height": 32,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"guest-author-50": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/KQED-Default-Image-816638274-1333x1333-1-160x160.jpg",
"width": 50,
"height": 50,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"guest-author-64": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/KQED-Default-Image-816638274-1333x1333-1-160x160.jpg",
"width": 64,
"height": 64,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"guest-author-96": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/KQED-Default-Image-816638274-1333x1333-1-160x160.jpg",
"width": 96,
"height": 96,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"guest-author-128": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/KQED-Default-Image-816638274-1333x1333-1-160x160.jpg",
"width": 128,
"height": 128,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"detail": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/KQED-Default-Image-816638274-1333x1333-1-160x160.jpg",
"width": 160,
"height": 160,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"kqedFullSize": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/KQED-Default-Image-816638274-2000x1333-1.jpg",
"width": 2000,
"height": 1333
}
}
},
"news_11906904": {
"type": "attachments",
"id": "news_11906904",
"meta": {
"index": "attachments_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "11906904",
"found": true
},
"parent": 11906868,
"imgSizes": {
"twentyfourteen-full-width": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2022/03/Screen-Shot-2022-03-01-at-11.37.47-AM-1038x576.png",
"width": 1038,
"mimeType": "image/png",
"height": 576
},
"thumbnail": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2022/03/Screen-Shot-2022-03-01-at-11.37.47-AM-160x106.png",
"width": 160,
"mimeType": "image/png",
"height": 106
},
"post-thumbnail": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2022/03/Screen-Shot-2022-03-01-at-11.37.47-AM-672x372.png",
"width": 672,
"mimeType": "image/png",
"height": 372
},
"kqedFullSize": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2022/03/Screen-Shot-2022-03-01-at-11.37.47-AM.png",
"width": 2394,
"height": 1586
},
"2048x2048": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2022/03/Screen-Shot-2022-03-01-at-11.37.47-AM-2048x1357.png",
"width": 2048,
"mimeType": "image/png",
"height": 1357
},
"large": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2022/03/Screen-Shot-2022-03-01-at-11.37.47-AM-1020x676.png",
"width": 1020,
"mimeType": "image/png",
"height": 676
},
"1536x1536": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2022/03/Screen-Shot-2022-03-01-at-11.37.47-AM-1536x1018.png",
"width": 1536,
"mimeType": "image/png",
"height": 1018
},
"full-width": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2022/03/Screen-Shot-2022-03-01-at-11.37.47-AM-1920x1272.png",
"width": 1920,
"mimeType": "image/png",
"height": 1272
},
"medium": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2022/03/Screen-Shot-2022-03-01-at-11.37.47-AM-800x530.png",
"width": 800,
"mimeType": "image/png",
"height": 530
}
},
"publishDate": 1646164208,
"modified": 1646164375,
"caption": "A physician's assistant listens to a patient's heartbeat at a clinic in Bieber.",
"description": null,
"title": "Screen Shot 2022-03-01 at 11.37.47 AM",
"credit": "Anne Wernikoff/CalMatters",
"status": "inherit",
"altTag": "A man wearing a red button down shirt presses an instrument to a man's back.",
"isLoading": false,
"fetchFailed": false
},
"news_11906745": {
"type": "attachments",
"id": "news_11906745",
"meta": {
"index": "attachments_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "11906745",
"found": true
},
"parent": 11906730,
"imgSizes": {
"twentyfourteen-full-width": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2022/02/GettyImages-1310181540-1024x576.jpg",
"width": 1024,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 576
},
"thumbnail": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2022/02/GettyImages-1310181540-160x107.jpg",
"width": 160,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 107
},
"post-thumbnail": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2022/02/GettyImages-1310181540-672x372.jpg",
"width": 672,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 372
},
"kqedFullSize": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2022/02/GettyImages-1310181540.jpg",
"width": 1024,
"height": 683
},
"large": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2022/02/GettyImages-1310181540-1020x680.jpg",
"width": 1020,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 680
},
"medium": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2022/02/GettyImages-1310181540-800x534.jpg",
"width": 800,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 534
}
},
"publishDate": 1646078134,
"modified": 1646094507,
"caption": "Michelle Sharp, 8, wears a mask while sitting in her second grade classroom during the first day of partial in-person instruction at Garfield Elementary School in Oakland, Tuesday, March 30, 2021.",
"description": ", the same day Garfield partially reopened for students in grades kindergarten through second grade",
"title": "SFChronicleSchoolsReOpen",
"credit": "Jessica Christian/The San Francisco Chronicle via Getty Images",
"status": "inherit",
"altTag": "Three children are sitting at desks in a classroom with masks on.",
"isLoading": false,
"fetchFailed": false
},
"news_11906226": {
"type": "attachments",
"id": "news_11906226",
"meta": {
"index": "attachments_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "11906226",
"found": true
},
"parent": 11906215,
"imgSizes": {
"twentyfourteen-full-width": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2022/02/021722_RenataGarza_LJ-14-CM-1038x576.jpg",
"width": 1038,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 576
},
"thumbnail": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2022/02/021722_RenataGarza_LJ-14-CM-160x107.jpg",
"width": 160,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 107
},
"post-thumbnail": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2022/02/021722_RenataGarza_LJ-14-CM-672x372.jpg",
"width": 672,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 372
},
"kqedFullSize": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2022/02/021722_RenataGarza_LJ-14-CM.jpg",
"width": 1920,
"height": 1280
},
"large": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2022/02/021722_RenataGarza_LJ-14-CM-1020x680.jpg",
"width": 1020,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 680
},
"1536x1536": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2022/02/021722_RenataGarza_LJ-14-CM-1536x1024.jpg",
"width": 1536,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 1024
},
"medium": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2022/02/021722_RenataGarza_LJ-14-CM-800x533.jpg",
"width": 800,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 533
}
},
"publishDate": 1645650944,
"modified": 1645651030,
"caption": "Renata Garza-Silva, a teacher in Los Angeles who is immunocompromised, poses for a portrait inside her classroom on Feb. 17, 2022.",
"description": null,
"title": "021722_RenataGarza_LJ-14-CM",
"credit": "Lauren Justice/CalMatters",
"status": "inherit",
"altTag": "A woman posing in a classroom.",
"isLoading": false,
"fetchFailed": false
},
"news_11905253": {
"type": "attachments",
"id": "news_11905253",
"meta": {
"index": "attachments_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "11905253",
"found": true
},
"parent": 11905244,
"imgSizes": {
"twentyfourteen-full-width": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2022/02/RS53728_Free-Enrique-NDLON-qut-1038x576.jpg",
"width": 1038,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 576
},
"thumbnail": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2022/02/RS53728_Free-Enrique-NDLON-qut-160x120.jpg",
"width": 160,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 120
},
"post-thumbnail": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2022/02/RS53728_Free-Enrique-NDLON-qut-672x372.jpg",
"width": 672,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 372
},
"kqedFullSize": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2022/02/RS53728_Free-Enrique-NDLON-qut.jpg",
"width": 1200,
"height": 900
},
"large": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2022/02/RS53728_Free-Enrique-NDLON-qut-1020x765.jpg",
"width": 1020,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 765
},
"medium": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2022/02/RS53728_Free-Enrique-NDLON-qut-800x600.jpg",
"width": 800,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 600
}
},
"publishDate": 1644965734,
"modified": 1645044983,
"caption": "Supporters of Enrique Cristobal Meneses and other ICE detainees at Golden State Annex call for their release outside Sen. Alex Padilla's offices in Los Angeles, on Feb. 10, 2021.",
"description": null,
"title": "RS53728_Free Enrique, NDLON-qut",
"credit": "Courtesy of the National Day Laborer Organizing Network",
"status": "inherit",
"altTag": "Three people are seen with masks and holding red and pink signs that read \"Free Enrique.\" One person holds a red sign in one hand and a microphone in the other.",
"isLoading": false,
"fetchFailed": false
},
"news_11905187": {
"type": "attachments",
"id": "news_11905187",
"meta": {
"index": "attachments_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "11905187",
"found": true
},
"parent": 11905181,
"imgSizes": {
"twentyfourteen-full-width": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2022/02/020922-CALAIM-MHN-16-CM-1024x576.jpg",
"width": 1024,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 576
},
"thumbnail": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2022/02/020922-CALAIM-MHN-16-CM-160x107.jpg",
"width": 160,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 107
},
"post-thumbnail": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2022/02/020922-CALAIM-MHN-16-CM-672x372.jpg",
"width": 672,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 372
},
"kqedFullSize": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2022/02/020922-CALAIM-MHN-16-CM.jpg",
"width": 1024,
"height": 682
},
"large": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2022/02/020922-CALAIM-MHN-16-CM-1020x679.jpg",
"width": 1020,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 679
},
"medium": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2022/02/020922-CALAIM-MHN-16-CM-800x533.jpg",
"width": 800,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 533
}
},
"publishDate": 1644894131,
"modified": 1644966301,
"caption": "Terry Harper (left) and Frank Scott deliver meals to occupants at the Radisson Hotel in Oakland. Edward El has stayed at this hotel as part of a Project Roomkey shelter but will soon be moving into his own apartment after spending much of the past 16 years unhoused.",
"description": "Terry Harper (left) and Frank Scott deliver meals to occupants at the Radisson Hotel in Oakland.",
"title": "020922-CALAIM-MHN-16-CM",
"credit": "Martin do Nascimento/CalMatters",
"status": "inherit",
"altTag": "Two people push carts down a hotel hallway. The carts are full of food and bags and the people pushing the carts are wearing masks.",
"isLoading": false,
"fetchFailed": false
},
"news_11904347": {
"type": "attachments",
"id": "news_11904347",
"meta": {
"index": "attachments_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "11904347",
"found": true
},
"parent": 11904345,
"imgSizes": {
"twentyfourteen-full-width": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2022/02/sciencesource_ss22514018_custom-2fd91017d666ace5b6746d615c5e9e20f06f1974-1-1038x576.jpg",
"width": 1038,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 576
},
"thumbnail": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2022/02/sciencesource_ss22514018_custom-2fd91017d666ace5b6746d615c5e9e20f06f1974-1-160x125.jpg",
"width": 160,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 125
},
"post-thumbnail": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2022/02/sciencesource_ss22514018_custom-2fd91017d666ace5b6746d615c5e9e20f06f1974-1-672x372.jpg",
"width": 672,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 372
},
"kqedFullSize": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2022/02/sciencesource_ss22514018_custom-2fd91017d666ace5b6746d615c5e9e20f06f1974-1-scaled-e1644267755274.jpg",
"width": 1920,
"height": 1499
},
"2048x2048": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2022/02/sciencesource_ss22514018_custom-2fd91017d666ace5b6746d615c5e9e20f06f1974-1-2048x1599.jpg",
"width": 2048,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 1599
},
"large": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2022/02/sciencesource_ss22514018_custom-2fd91017d666ace5b6746d615c5e9e20f06f1974-1-1020x796.jpg",
"width": 1020,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 796
},
"1536x1536": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2022/02/sciencesource_ss22514018_custom-2fd91017d666ace5b6746d615c5e9e20f06f1974-1-1536x1199.jpg",
"width": 1536,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 1199
},
"full-width": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2022/02/sciencesource_ss22514018_custom-2fd91017d666ace5b6746d615c5e9e20f06f1974-1-1920x1499.jpg",
"width": 1920,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 1499
},
"medium": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2022/02/sciencesource_ss22514018_custom-2fd91017d666ace5b6746d615c5e9e20f06f1974-1-800x625.jpg",
"width": 800,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 625
}
},
"publishDate": 1644265924,
"modified": 1644273464,
"caption": "This colorized transmission electron micrograph shows SARS-CoV-2, also known as 2019-nCoV, the virus that causes COVID-19. ",
"description": "This colorized transmission electron micrograph (TEM) shows SARS-CoV-2, also known as 2019-nCoV, the virus that causes COVID-19. This specimen was isolated from a patient in the U.S. Particles of the virus are shown emerging from the surface of cells cultured in the lab. The spikes on the outer edge of the particles give coronaviruses their name, meaning 'crown-like'.",
"title": "SARS-CoV-2 is shown in this colorized transmission electron micrograph. This specimen was isolated from a patient in the U.S. Particles of the virus are shown emerging from the surface of cells cultured in the lab.",
"credit": "\u003ca href=\"https://www.sciencesource.com/archive/Image/Novel-Coronavirus-SARS-CoV-2-SS22514018.html\">Science Source\u003c/a>",
"status": "inherit",
"altTag": "A microscopic image of the virus that causes COVID.",
"isLoading": false,
"fetchFailed": false
},
"news_11904287": {
"type": "attachments",
"id": "news_11904287",
"meta": {
"index": "attachments_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "11904287",
"found": true
},
"parent": 11904277,
"imgSizes": {
"twentyfourteen-full-width": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2022/02/IMG_0755-1038x576.jpg",
"width": 1038,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 576
},
"thumbnail": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2022/02/IMG_0755-160x120.jpg",
"width": 160,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 120
},
"post-thumbnail": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2022/02/IMG_0755-672x372.jpg",
"width": 672,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 372
},
"kqedFullSize": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2022/02/IMG_0755-scaled.jpg",
"width": 2560,
"height": 1920
},
"2048x2048": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2022/02/IMG_0755-2048x1536.jpg",
"width": 2048,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 1536
},
"large": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2022/02/IMG_0755-1020x765.jpg",
"width": 1020,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 765
},
"1536x1536": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2022/02/IMG_0755-1536x1152.jpg",
"width": 1536,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 1152
},
"full-width": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2022/02/IMG_0755-1920x1440.jpg",
"width": 1920,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 1440
},
"medium": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2022/02/IMG_0755-800x600.jpg",
"width": 800,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 600
}
},
"publishDate": 1644111501,
"modified": 1644275871,
"caption": "Jacqui Berlinn and Michelle Leopold, two of the organizers with the protest against drug use at the Tenderloin Linkage Center, Feb. 5, 2022.",
"description": null,
"title": "IMG_0755",
"credit": "Holly J. McDede/KQED",
"status": "inherit",
"altTag": null,
"isLoading": false,
"fetchFailed": false
},
"news_11903775": {
"type": "attachments",
"id": "news_11903775",
"meta": {
"index": "attachments_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "11903775",
"found": true
},
"parent": 11903772,
"imgSizes": {
"twentyfourteen-full-width": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2022/02/young-waj-e1643843942952-1038x576.jpeg",
"width": 1038,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 576
},
"thumbnail": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2022/02/young-waj-e1643843942952-160x116.jpeg",
"width": 160,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 116
},
"post-thumbnail": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2022/02/young-waj-e1643843942952-672x372.jpeg",
"width": 672,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 372
},
"kqedFullSize": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2022/02/young-waj-e1643843942952.jpeg",
"width": 1418,
"height": 1026
},
"large": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2022/02/young-waj-e1643843942952-1020x738.jpeg",
"width": 1020,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 738
},
"medium": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2022/02/young-waj-e1643843942952-800x579.jpeg",
"width": 800,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 579
}
},
"publishDate": 1643842101,
"modified": 1650654309,
"caption": "A young Wajahat Ali at his family's home in Fremont.",
"description": null,
"title": "young waj",
"credit": "Courtesy Wajahat Ali",
"status": "inherit",
"altTag": "family photograph of young boy riding toy horse, tinted yellow, reads like a photo from the early 80s",
"isLoading": false,
"fetchFailed": false
},
"news_11904097": {
"type": "attachments",
"id": "news_11904097",
"meta": {
"index": "attachments_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "11904097",
"found": true
},
"parent": 11904096,
"imgSizes": {
"twentyfourteen-full-width": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2022/02/erickmramos-final-v2_wide-e2b52651a9383966fd46b25a1720d017c20a0c4b-1038x576.jpg",
"width": 1038,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 576
},
"thumbnail": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2022/02/erickmramos-final-v2_wide-e2b52651a9383966fd46b25a1720d017c20a0c4b-160x90.jpg",
"width": 160,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 90
},
"post-thumbnail": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2022/02/erickmramos-final-v2_wide-e2b52651a9383966fd46b25a1720d017c20a0c4b-672x372.jpg",
"width": 672,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 372
},
"kqedFullSize": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2022/02/erickmramos-final-v2_wide-e2b52651a9383966fd46b25a1720d017c20a0c4b.jpg",
"width": 1920,
"height": 1080
},
"large": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2022/02/erickmramos-final-v2_wide-e2b52651a9383966fd46b25a1720d017c20a0c4b-1020x574.jpg",
"width": 1020,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 574
},
"1536x1536": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2022/02/erickmramos-final-v2_wide-e2b52651a9383966fd46b25a1720d017c20a0c4b-1536x864.jpg",
"width": 1536,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 864
},
"medium": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2022/02/erickmramos-final-v2_wide-e2b52651a9383966fd46b25a1720d017c20a0c4b-800x450.jpg",
"width": 800,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 450
}
},
"publishDate": 1644008952,
"modified": 1644263699,
"caption": "Just because you are putting yourself first doesn't mean you don't care deeply about your folks.",
"description": null,
"title": "Illustration of a Latinx young adult hugging their parents after having a conversation about mental health.",
"credit": "Erick M. Ramos for NPR",
"status": "inherit",
"altTag": "Illustration of a Latinx young adult hugging their parents after having a conversation about mental health.",
"isLoading": false,
"fetchFailed": false
},
"news_11904185": {
"type": "attachments",
"id": "news_11904185",
"meta": {
"index": "attachments_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "11904185",
"found": true
},
"parent": 11904155,
"imgSizes": {
"twentyfourteen-full-width": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2022/02/KaiserPermanenteExample-1-1020x576.jpeg",
"width": 1020,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 576
},
"thumbnail": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2022/02/KaiserPermanenteExample-1-160x120.jpeg",
"width": 160,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 120
},
"post-thumbnail": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2022/02/KaiserPermanenteExample-1-672x372.jpeg",
"width": 672,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 372
},
"kqedFullSize": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2022/02/KaiserPermanenteExample-1.jpeg",
"width": 1020,
"height": 765
},
"medium": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2022/02/KaiserPermanenteExample-1-800x600.jpeg",
"width": 800,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 600
}
},
"publishDate": 1644016108,
"modified": 1644260910,
"caption": "A deal struck between Kaiser Permanente and Gov. Gavin Newsom's office could complicate a long-planned transformation of Medi-Cal.",
"description": null,
"title": "KaiserPermanenteExample",
"credit": "Lisa Aliferis/KQED",
"status": "inherit",
"altTag": null,
"isLoading": false,
"fetchFailed": false
},
"news_11903823": {
"type": "attachments",
"id": "news_11903823",
"meta": {
"index": "attachments_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "11903823",
"found": true
},
"parent": 11903506,
"imgSizes": {
"twentyfourteen-full-width": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2022/02/RS53459_006_StockPhoto_AtHomeCOVIDTest_02022022-qut-1038x576.jpg",
"width": 1038,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 576
},
"thumbnail": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2022/02/RS53459_006_StockPhoto_AtHomeCOVIDTest_02022022-qut-160x107.jpg",
"width": 160,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 107
},
"post-thumbnail": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2022/02/RS53459_006_StockPhoto_AtHomeCOVIDTest_02022022-qut-672x372.jpg",
"width": 672,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 372
},
"kqedFullSize": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2022/02/RS53459_006_StockPhoto_AtHomeCOVIDTest_02022022-qut.jpg",
"width": 1920,
"height": 1280
},
"large": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2022/02/RS53459_006_StockPhoto_AtHomeCOVIDTest_02022022-qut-1020x680.jpg",
"width": 1020,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 680
},
"1536x1536": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2022/02/RS53459_006_StockPhoto_AtHomeCOVIDTest_02022022-qut-1536x1024.jpg",
"width": 1536,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 1024
},
"medium": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2022/02/RS53459_006_StockPhoto_AtHomeCOVIDTest_02022022-qut-800x533.jpg",
"width": 800,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 533
}
},
"publishDate": 1643852977,
"modified": 1643939053,
"caption": "A hand holds an at-home COVID-19 test.",
"description": null,
"title": "Stock image: At-home COVID-19 test.",
"credit": "Beth LaBerge/KQED",
"status": "inherit",
"altTag": null,
"isLoading": false,
"fetchFailed": false
},
"news_11903759": {
"type": "attachments",
"id": "news_11903759",
"meta": {
"index": "attachments_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "11903759",
"found": true
},
"parent": 11903719,
"imgSizes": {
"twentyfourteen-full-width": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2022/02/RS13747_iStock_000001039817_Large-qut-1038x576.jpg",
"width": 1038,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 576
},
"thumbnail": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2022/02/RS13747_iStock_000001039817_Large-qut-160x106.jpg",
"width": 160,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 106
},
"post-thumbnail": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2022/02/RS13747_iStock_000001039817_Large-qut-672x372.jpg",
"width": 672,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 372
},
"kqedFullSize": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2022/02/RS13747_iStock_000001039817_Large-qut.jpg",
"width": 1440,
"height": 958
},
"large": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2022/02/RS13747_iStock_000001039817_Large-qut-1020x679.jpg",
"width": 1020,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 679
},
"medium": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2022/02/RS13747_iStock_000001039817_Large-qut-800x532.jpg",
"width": 800,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 532
}
},
"publishDate": 1643836992,
"modified": 1643837126,
"caption": "Researchers looked at how effectively patients had their blood pressure, blood sugar and cholesterol controlled.",
"description": null,
"title": "RS13747_iStock_000001039817_Large-qut",
"credit": "Lisa Aliferis/iStock",
"status": "inherit",
"altTag": "A hand hold a blood pressure pump and a person's arm.",
"isLoading": false,
"fetchFailed": false
}
},
"audioPlayerReducer": {
"postId": "stream_live",
"isPaused": true,
"isPlaying": false,
"pfsActive": false,
"pledgeModalIsOpen": true,
"playerDrawerIsOpen": false,
"liveAudioPlayStartedAt": 0,
"liveAudioPlayContext": ""
},
"authorsReducer": {
"byline_news_11906868": {
"type": "authors",
"id": "byline_news_11906868",
"meta": {
"override": true
},
"slug": "byline_news_11906868",
"name": "\u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/author/anaibarra/\">Ana B. Ibarra\u003c/a>",
"isLoading": false
},
"byline_news_11906215": {
"type": "authors",
"id": "byline_news_11906215",
"meta": {
"override": true
},
"slug": "byline_news_11906215",
"name": "\u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/author/anaibarra/\">Anna B. Ibarra\u003c/a>",
"isLoading": false
},
"byline_news_11905181": {
"type": "authors",
"id": "byline_news_11905181",
"meta": {
"override": true
},
"slug": "byline_news_11905181",
"name": "\u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/author/kristen-hwang/\">Kristen Hwang\u003c/a>",
"isLoading": false
},
"byline_news_11904345": {
"type": "authors",
"id": "byline_news_11904345",
"meta": {
"override": true
},
"slug": "byline_news_11904345",
"name": "Michaeleen Doucleff",
"isLoading": false
},
"byline_news_11904111": {
"type": "authors",
"id": "byline_news_11904111",
"meta": {
"override": true
},
"slug": "byline_news_11904111",
"name": "Naydeline Mejia, Isabeth Mendoza, Sylvie Douglis",
"isLoading": false
},
"byline_news_11904155": {
"type": "authors",
"id": "byline_news_11904155",
"meta": {
"override": true
},
"slug": "byline_news_11904155",
"name": "\u003ca href=\"https://khn.org/news/author/bernard-j-wolfson/\">Bernard J. Wolfson\u003c/a>, \u003ca href=\"https://khn.org/news/author/angela-hart/\">Angela Hart\u003c/a> and \u003ca href=\"https://khn.org/news/author/samantha-young/\">Samantha Young\u003c/a>",
"isLoading": false
},
"byline_news_11903719": {
"type": "authors",
"id": "byline_news_11903719",
"meta": {
"override": true
},
"slug": "byline_news_11903719",
"name": "Laura Williamson \u003cbr> American Heart Association News via The Associated Press",
"isLoading": false
},
"jmcevoy": {
"type": "authors",
"id": "231",
"meta": {
"index": "authors_1716337520",
"id": "231",
"found": true
},
"name": "Julia McEvoy",
"firstName": "Julia",
"lastName": "McEvoy",
"slug": "jmcevoy",
"email": "jmcevoy@KQED.org",
"display_author_email": true,
"staff_mastheads": [
"news"
],
"title": "KQED Senior Editor",
"bio": "Julia McEvoy is KQED's Senior Editor, Education Equity.\r\n\r\nJulia heads KQED’s education coverage examining inequities students face in Bay Area and California schools, and reports on what it will take to educate the next generation.\r\n\r\nJulia's editorial work has received a Peabody Award, a Casey Medal for Coverage of Children and Families, several Edward R. Murrow awards, as well as awards from the Public Radio News Directors Inc. and the Society for Professional Journalists.",
"avatar": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/aec3ce21abe02b302fd33638abd56a22?s=600&d=blank&r=g",
"twitter": "juliamcevoy1",
"facebook": null,
"instagram": null,
"linkedin": null,
"sites": [
{
"site": "news",
"roles": []
},
{
"site": "stateofhealth",
"roles": [
"author"
]
}
],
"headData": {
"title": "Julia McEvoy | KQED",
"description": "KQED Senior Editor",
"ogImgSrc": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/aec3ce21abe02b302fd33638abd56a22?s=600&d=blank&r=g",
"twImgSrc": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/aec3ce21abe02b302fd33638abd56a22?s=600&d=blank&r=g"
},
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/author/jmcevoy"
},
"sasha-khokha": {
"type": "authors",
"id": "254",
"meta": {
"index": "authors_1716337520",
"id": "254",
"found": true
},
"name": "Sasha Khokha",
"firstName": "Sasha",
"lastName": "Khokha",
"slug": "sasha-khokha",
"email": "skhokha@kqed.org",
"display_author_email": true,
"staff_mastheads": [
"news"
],
"title": "Host, The California Report Magazine",
"bio": "Sasha Khokha is the host of \u003cem>The California Report's \u003c/em> weekly magazine program, which takes listeners on sound-rich excursions to meet the people that make the Golden State unique -- through audio documentaries and long-form stories. As \u003cem>The California Report's\u003c/em> Central Valley Bureau Chief based in Fresno for nearly a dozen years, Sasha brought the lives and concerns of rural Californians to listeners around the state. Her reporting helped expose the hidden price immigrant women janitors and farmworkers may pay to keep their jobs: sexual assault at work. It inspired two new California laws to protect them from sexual harassment. She was a key member of the reporting team for the Frontline film \u003cem>Rape on the Night Shift, \u003c/em>which was nominated for two national Emmys. Sasha has also won a national Edward R. Murrow and a national PRNDI award for investigative reporting, as well as multiple prizes from the Society for Professional Journalists. Sasha is a proud alum of the UC Berkeley Graduate School of Journalism and Brown University and a member of the South Asian Journalists Association.",
"avatar": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/e4b5e1541aaeea2aa356aa1fb2a68950?s=600&d=blank&r=g",
"twitter": "KQEDSashaKhokha",
"facebook": null,
"instagram": null,
"linkedin": null,
"sites": [
{
"site": "news",
"roles": [
"editor"
]
},
{
"site": "stateofhealth",
"roles": [
"author"
]
},
{
"site": "science",
"roles": [
"author"
]
},
{
"site": "quest",
"roles": [
"subscriber"
]
}
],
"headData": {
"title": "Sasha Khokha | KQED",
"description": "Host, The California Report Magazine",
"ogImgSrc": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/e4b5e1541aaeea2aa356aa1fb2a68950?s=600&d=blank&r=g",
"twImgSrc": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/e4b5e1541aaeea2aa356aa1fb2a68950?s=600&d=blank&r=g"
},
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/author/sasha-khokha"
},
"carlysevern": {
"type": "authors",
"id": "3243",
"meta": {
"index": "authors_1716337520",
"id": "3243",
"found": true
},
"name": "Carly Severn",
"firstName": "Carly",
"lastName": "Severn",
"slug": "carlysevern",
"email": "csevern@kqed.org",
"display_author_email": false,
"staff_mastheads": [
"news"
],
"title": "Senior Editor, Audience News ",
"bio": "Carly is KQED's Senior Editor of Audience News on the Digital News team, and has reported for the California Report Magazine, Bay Curious and KQED Arts. She's formerly the host of \u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/category/the-cooler/\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">The Cooler\u003c/a> podcast.",
"avatar": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/54037bf5c128fe678f0ef26cec97a93f2e7f220a22d7285703328f12c42c1b1d?s=600&d=blank&r=g",
"twitter": "teacupinthebay",
"bluesky": null,
"facebook": null,
"instagram": null,
"linkedin": null,
"sites": [
{
"site": "",
"roles": [
"editor"
]
},
{
"site": "arts",
"roles": [
"editor"
]
},
{
"site": "news",
"roles": [
"administrator"
]
},
{
"site": "pop",
"roles": [
"editor"
]
},
{
"site": "futureofyou",
"roles": [
"editor"
]
},
{
"site": "about",
"roles": [
"administrator"
]
},
{
"site": "mindshift",
"roles": [
"editor"
]
},
{
"site": "bayareabites",
"roles": [
"editor"
]
},
{
"site": "stateofhealth",
"roles": [
"editor"
]
},
{
"site": "science",
"roles": [
"editor"
]
},
{
"site": "food",
"roles": [
"contributor"
]
},
{
"site": "forum",
"roles": [
"editor"
]
},
{
"site": "perspectives",
"roles": [
"administrator"
]
},
{
"site": "liveblog",
"roles": [
"editor"
]
}
],
"headData": {
"title": "Carly Severn | KQED",
"description": "Senior Editor, Audience News ",
"ogImgSrc": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/54037bf5c128fe678f0ef26cec97a93f2e7f220a22d7285703328f12c42c1b1d?s=600&d=blank&r=g",
"twImgSrc": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/54037bf5c128fe678f0ef26cec97a93f2e7f220a22d7285703328f12c42c1b1d?s=600&d=blank&r=g"
},
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/author/carlysevern"
},
"afont": {
"type": "authors",
"id": "8637",
"meta": {
"index": "authors_1716337520",
"id": "8637",
"found": true
},
"name": "Amanda Font",
"firstName": "Amanda",
"lastName": "Font",
"slug": "afont",
"email": "afont@kqed.org",
"display_author_email": false,
"staff_mastheads": [],
"title": "KQED Contributor",
"bio": "Amanda Font is a producer on \u003cem>The Latest\u003c/em> podcast, and the host and co-producer of the series \u003cem>Audible Cosmos\u003c/em>. She has previously worked as a producer and reporter on the \u003cem>Bay Curious\u003c/em> podcast, and director of \u003cem>The California Report Magazine\u003c/em>. She grew up in the deserts of Southern California and moved north for the trees. Amanda earned a B.A. from the BECA program at San Francisco State, where she worked in the university's radio station. Amanda Font is represented by SAG-AFTRA.",
"avatar": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/d9e81cf0117d5849b9cfb7ab4b1422f1?s=600&d=blank&r=g",
"twitter": null,
"facebook": null,
"instagram": null,
"linkedin": null,
"sites": [
{
"site": "news",
"roles": [
"add_users",
"create_users"
]
},
{
"site": "science",
"roles": []
},
{
"site": "forum",
"roles": [
"administrator"
]
},
{
"site": "perspectives",
"roles": [
"administrator"
]
},
{
"site": "radio",
"roles": [
"administrator"
]
}
],
"headData": {
"title": "Amanda Font | KQED",
"description": "KQED Contributor",
"ogImgSrc": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/d9e81cf0117d5849b9cfb7ab4b1422f1?s=600&d=blank&r=g",
"twImgSrc": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/d9e81cf0117d5849b9cfb7ab4b1422f1?s=600&d=blank&r=g"
},
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/author/afont"
},
"fjhabvala": {
"type": "authors",
"id": "8659",
"meta": {
"index": "authors_1716337520",
"id": "8659",
"found": true
},
"name": "Farida Jhabvala Romero",
"firstName": "Farida",
"lastName": "Jhabvala Romero",
"slug": "fjhabvala",
"email": "fjhabvala@kqed.org",
"display_author_email": true,
"staff_mastheads": [
"news"
],
"title": "KQED Contributor",
"bio": "Farida Jhabvala Romero is a Labor Correspondent for KQED. She previously covered immigration. Farida was \u003ca href=\"https://www.ccnma.org/2022-most-influential-latina-journalists\">named\u003c/a> one of the 10 Most Influential Latina Journalists in California in 2022 by the California Chicano News Media Association. Her work has won awards from the Society of Professional Journalists (Northern California), as well as a national and regional Edward M. Murrow Award for the collaborative reporting projects “Dangerous Air” and “Graying California.” Before joining KQED, Farida worked as a producer at Radio Bilingüe, a national public radio network. Farida earned her master’s degree in journalism from Stanford University.",
"avatar": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/f9f022d4e2609741874222a1e9d41f48fea74011aa7c615eef91d9a50c944ebe?s=600&d=blank&r=g",
"twitter": "FaridaJhabvala",
"bluesky": null,
"facebook": null,
"instagram": null,
"linkedin": "https://www.linkedin.com/in/faridajhabvala/",
"sites": [
{
"site": "news",
"roles": [
"editor"
]
},
{
"site": "stateofhealth",
"roles": [
"author"
]
},
{
"site": "liveblog",
"roles": [
"author"
]
}
],
"headData": {
"title": "Farida Jhabvala Romero | KQED",
"description": "KQED Contributor",
"ogImgSrc": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/f9f022d4e2609741874222a1e9d41f48fea74011aa7c615eef91d9a50c944ebe?s=600&d=blank&r=g",
"twImgSrc": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/f9f022d4e2609741874222a1e9d41f48fea74011aa7c615eef91d9a50c944ebe?s=600&d=blank&r=g"
},
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/author/fjhabvala"
},
"hmcdede": {
"type": "authors",
"id": "11635",
"meta": {
"index": "authors_1716337520",
"id": "11635",
"found": true
},
"name": "Holly McDede",
"firstName": "Holly",
"lastName": "McDede",
"slug": "hmcdede",
"email": "hmcdede@KQED.org",
"display_author_email": false,
"staff_mastheads": [],
"title": "KQED Contributor",
"bio": null,
"avatar": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/35d1a1f5422c9d266f7ace9348d170f2136671a65fffc90a592e4d7fbf8dc3f6?s=600&d=blank&r=g",
"twitter": null,
"bluesky": null,
"facebook": null,
"instagram": null,
"linkedin": null,
"sites": [
{
"site": "arts",
"roles": [
"editor"
]
},
{
"site": "news",
"roles": [
"edit_others_posts",
"editor"
]
},
{
"site": "science",
"roles": [
"editor"
]
},
{
"site": "forum",
"roles": [
"editor"
]
},
{
"site": "perspectives",
"roles": [
"administrator"
]
}
],
"headData": {
"title": "Holly McDede | KQED",
"description": "KQED Contributor",
"ogImgSrc": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/35d1a1f5422c9d266f7ace9348d170f2136671a65fffc90a592e4d7fbf8dc3f6?s=600&d=blank&r=g",
"twImgSrc": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/35d1a1f5422c9d266f7ace9348d170f2136671a65fffc90a592e4d7fbf8dc3f6?s=600&d=blank&r=g"
},
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/author/hmcdede"
}
},
"pagesReducer": {
"news_tag_health": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_18543",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "18543",
"score": 6.8910074
},
"featImg": null,
"name": "Health",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "Health Archives | KQED News",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 466,
"slug": "health",
"isLoading": false,
"title": "Health",
"pageMeta": {
"site": "news",
"WpPageTemplate": "page-topic-editorial",
"currentPage": 58
},
"blocks": [
{
"blockName": "kqed/post-list",
"attrs": {
"layout": "cardArticle2",
"query": "posts/news?tag=health",
"seeMore": false,
"paginated": true,
"page": 58
}
},
{
"blockName": "kqed/ad"
}
]
}
},
"pfsSessionReducer": {},
"postsReducer": {
"stream_live": {
"type": "live",
"id": "stream_live",
"audioUrl": "https://hls.kqed.org/hls/kqed_app/playlist.m3u8",
"title": "Live Stream",
"excerpt": "Live Stream information currently unavailable.",
"link": "/radio",
"featImg": "",
"label": {
"name": "KQED Live",
"link": "/"
}
},
"stream_kqedNewscast": {
"type": "posts",
"id": "stream_kqedNewscast",
"audioUrl": "https://www.kqed.org/.stream/anon/radio/RDnews/newscast.mp3?_=1",
"title": "KQED Newscast",
"featImg": "",
"label": {
"name": "88.5 FM",
"link": "/"
}
},
"news_11906868": {
"type": "posts",
"id": "news_11906868",
"meta": {
"index": "posts_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "11906868",
"score": null,
"sort": [
1646166578000
]
},
"guestAuthors": [],
"slug": "californias-expanding-medi-cal-but-thousands-of-immigrants-still-wont-qualify",
"title": "California's Expanding Medi-Cal — But Thousands of Immigrants Still Won't Qualify",
"publishDate": 1646166578,
"format": "standard",
"headTitle": "California’s Expanding Medi-Cal — But Thousands of Immigrants Still Won’t Qualify | KQED",
"labelTerm": {},
"content": "\u003cp>Many working undocumented immigrants won’t qualify for state health insurance even if they don’t earn a living wage. That leaves them with few viable options for coverage.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Lucia Marroquin knows what it’s like to wait out pain in hopes that it will go away on its own. She is suffering from kidney stones and may need surgery. But because she lacks health coverage, her first question when she falls ill is always, “How much will that cost me?”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>So when California officials announced plans to extend Medi-Cal coverage to more undocumented adults, the Fresno County resident was hopeful that she would finally qualify for health insurance.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But her farmworker husband’s annual income of $35,000 puts the couple over the limit to qualify for Medi-Cal, which is reserved for residents with lower incomes. So even under Gov. Gavin Newsom’s planned expansion, she’ll likely be left with no health insurance.[pullquote size=\"medium\" align=\"right\" citation=\"Arturo Vargas Bustamante, professor, UCLA Fielding School of Public Health\"]‘This is a great achievement and it is absolutely amazing, but there will still be some who will remain uninsured.’[/pullquote]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Experts say allowing people to sign up for comprehensive Medi-Cal coverage regardless of their immigration status is the single biggest step California can take to insure as many people as possible in the current system. Newsom called his latest planned expansion “\u003ca href=\"https://twitter.com/GavinNewsom/status/1480618598762647553?s=20&t=6kiFbKIbAMdNs3tpMmRspw\">universal access to coverage\u003c/a>.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But the expansion would still leave several hundred thousand undocumented immigrants like Marroquin uninsured. They are unable to qualify because they have jobs where they earn above Medi-Cal’s annual income thresholds for most adults: $17,609 for single people, $23,792 for a couple and $36,156 for a family of four.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>That leaves many immigrants with low incomes with few viable options for health coverage. While most Californians who earn over the Medi-Cal limit can get subsidized coverage through \u003ca href=\"https://www.coveredca.com/learning-center/information-for-immigrants/\">Covered California, undocumented people are not allowed\u003c/a> to buy insurance through the marketplace under the federal Affordable Care Act.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>On May 1, about \u003ca href=\"https://www.gov.ca.gov/2021/07/27/governor-newsom-signs-into-law-first-in-the-nation-expansion-of-medi-cal-to-undocumented-californians-age-50-and-over-bold-initiatives-to-advance-more-equitable-and-prevention-focused-health-care/\">235,000 undocumented people\u003c/a> age 50 and older will gain new access to Medi-Cal under a law signed last summer. A second proposal, unveiled in Newsom’s January budget, would include another 700,000 undocumented adults in the 26-to-49 age group, starting as early as 2024, if approved in this year’s final budget. Children and young adults are already eligible.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“This is a great achievement and it is absolutely amazing, but there will still be some who will remain uninsured,” said Arturo Vargas Bustamante, health policy professor at the UCLA Fielding School of Public Health. “It’s not universal health care, but the situation for many immigrants in California will be much better.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In 2023, after Medi-Cal expands to cover undocumented immigrants 50 and older, about \u003ca href=\"https://www.itup.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/Final.-ITUP-Snapshot-2021.pdf#page=3\">3.2 million people will remain uninsured in California\u003c/a>, according to researchers at the UC Berkeley Labor Center and the UCLA Center for Health Policy Research. Of those, 1.16 million will be unauthorized immigrants.[aside postID=\"news_11901253,news_11901347,news_11902149\" label=\"Related Posts\"]Even if Newsom’s next step is approved — covering undocumented adults 26 to 49 years old as early as 2024 — that would still leave roughly 450,000 undocumented people under 65 with no health coverage (the difference between 1.16 million people and the 700,000 who would gain access).\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>‘Doesn’t have to be free. Just a fair price’\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>The governor’s latest proposal would help Virginia Moscoso, a 29-year-old mother of two in Yolo County who is undocumented. She is enrolled in restricted-scope Medi-Cal, which is limited to emergencies and pregnancies, but hopes she would obtain full benefits if the proposal is approved in the final budget.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Full-scope benefits allow people coverage for routine, preventive care, long-term care and \u003ca href=\"https://www.cdss.ca.gov/in-home-supportive-services\">in-home supportive services\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Moscoso is especially interested in dental care. A few months back, she had a toothache that she alleviated with home remedies, but she is overdue for a checkup.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11906905\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003ca href=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2022/03/Screen-Shot-2022-03-01-at-11.37.59-AM.png\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-11906905\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2022/03/Screen-Shot-2022-03-01-at-11.37.59-AM-800x532.png\" alt=\"A woman wearing a pink shirt rests her arms on a fence outside.\" width=\"800\" height=\"532\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/03/Screen-Shot-2022-03-01-at-11.37.59-AM-800x532.png 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/03/Screen-Shot-2022-03-01-at-11.37.59-AM-1020x678.png 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/03/Screen-Shot-2022-03-01-at-11.37.59-AM-160x106.png 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/03/Screen-Shot-2022-03-01-at-11.37.59-AM-1536x1021.png 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/03/Screen-Shot-2022-03-01-at-11.37.59-AM.png 1552w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003c/a>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Virginia Moscoso, who lives in the Yolo County town of Dunnigan, will qualify for full-scope Medi-Cal if Gov. Gavin Newsom’s budget is approved, expanding it to undocumented immigrants age 26 through 49. But the expansion would still leave hundreds of thousands of undocumented immigrants who earn over the income threshold with no insurance. \u003ccite>(Miguel Gutierrez Jr./CalMatters)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>In the past, Moscoso has worked seasonal jobs in farm fields, but her family of four mostly relies on her husband’s earnings of about $35,000, which means they would likely qualify — just barely — for Medi-Cal under Newsom’s expansion. Her children are already enrolled in Medi-Cal, and that’s a huge help, she said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>She’s grateful that apart from her pregnancies, she hasn’t needed to use her emergency Medi-Cal. But if she qualified for primary care, it would make a lot more sense than waiting until she’s ill in the hospital.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“For me it would be a great blessing,” Moscoso said. “Because when you go to the doctor, it’s never just the one visit — you need tests and medication, and it adds up.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Many people without health insurance seek care at community clinics where services may be offered on a sliding fee scale, so what they pay is based on their income.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>That’s how Marroquin, 55, usually gets care. Each visit to the clinic costs her about $40. A recent ultrasound for her kidney stones cost her $200.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Marroquin has applied for emergency Medi-Cal in the past but was denied because her husband’s income of $35,000 was too high.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It’s very difficult to be without coverage,” Marroquin said. “It doesn’t have to be free, just at a fair price. As my husband says, we can get car insurance, why can’t we buy health insurance?”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>For most adult enrollees, the limit to qualify for Medi-Cal is \u003ca href=\"https://www.dhcs.ca.gov/services/medi-cal/Pages/DoYouQualifyForMedi-Cal.aspx\">138% of the federal poverty level\u003c/a>. Eligibility takes into account income and household size. (Certain groups like pregnant women qualify at slightly higher incomes.)\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>People like Marroquin with wages near that threshold are considered to be among the working poor: They \u003ca href=\"https://livingwage.mit.edu/states/06\">are not earning a living wage in California\u003c/a>. Most Californians in that situation can buy subsidized plans from Covered California. But undocumented immigrants cannot, and while they can purchase coverage directly from insurance companies, it is often unaffordable. For instance, premiums for a couple in their 50s could cost more than $1,000 a month, said \u003ca href=\"https://www.quotevalley.com/contact.aspx\">Alex Hernandez\u003c/a>, a health insurance agent in Merced.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I think some people, especially if they have an illness, see the value of having insurance despite the cost. But it’s tough,” Hernandez said. Facing such high premiums, he said, “most people are going to say forget it.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In 2016, California applied for a waiver from the federal government to allow undocumented people to buy from Covered California. But the state \u003ca href=\"https://khn.org/news/california-withdraws-bid-to-allow-undocumented-immigrants-to-buy-unsubsidized-obamacare-plans/\">withdrew the application\u003c/a> at the request of the Legislature when former President Donald Trump took office.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara, who spearheaded legislation for the waiver application when he was a state senator, said the request was rescinded because of concern that the Trump administration would use immigrants’ information against them.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The waiver application has not been resubmitted by the state, but it’s still an option, Lara said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Even if a waiver were approved, undocumented residents would still have to purchase insurance without federal subsidies. The state could, in theory, provide some financial assistance, health advocates say.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Lara said Newsom made Medi-Cal expansion for undocumented immigrants a priority in this year’s budget, which shows just how much attitudes around the issue have changed.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Back in the day this was an issue that people thought would cost you the election or cost you grief. It’s a tremendous shift in attitude toward the undocumented community,” Lara said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But to truly get to universal coverage, California will need to continue innovative approaches and drill down on affordability, Lara said. He authored a \u003ca href=\"https://khn.org/news/single-payer-health-care-bill-introduced-in-california-senate/\">single-payer bill in 2017\u003c/a> and thinks that type of system is inevitable, but will take time. In the meantime, he said the state should keep expanding coverage where it can.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Last month, the Legislature’s latest version of \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/politics/2022/02/california-single-payer-legislature/?utm_source=CalMatters+Newsletters&utm_campaign=da289b23b6-WHATMATTERS&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_faa7be558d-da289b23b6-150460103&mc_cid=da289b23b6&mc_eid=099a508f5c\">a bill that would have created a state-funded single-payer system\u003c/a> died on the Assembly floor. \u003ca href=\"https://a27.asmdc.org/press-releases/20220131-assemblymember-ash-kalra-author-ab-1400-ca-guaranteed-health-care-all-act\">It didn’t have enough votes\u003c/a>, according to its author, Assemblymember Ash Kalra of San Jose.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Lack of access because of immigration status is just one piece of the remaining uninsured. Many other Californians forgo coverage despite being eligible, likely because of the cost. According to the UC Berkeley and UCLA study, 2 million uninsured people qualify for Medi-Cal, employer coverage or Covered California.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The most common reason that people eligible for employer coverage remain uninsured is that they can’t afford the premium contributions,” said Laurel Lucia, director of the Health Care Program at UC Berkeley’s Labor Center.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c!-- iframe plugin v.4.3 wordpress.org/plugins/iframe/ -->\u003cbr>\n\u003ciframe loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https://e.infogram.com/af381a4c-1356-4991-a3b4-b2ca7a12f01a?src=embed\" title=\"uninsured 2023- UC estimates\" width=\"950\" height=\"800\" scrolling=\"no\" frameborder=\"0\" style=\"border:none;\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\" class=\"iframe-class\">\u003c/iframe>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>People eligible for Medi-Cal may go without it for a number of reasons. A report from the California Health Care Foundation found that \u003ca href=\"https://www.chcf.org/publication/medi-cal-maze-why-many-eligible-californians-dont-enroll/\">people may be deterred from applying\u003c/a> because of misinformation about or a negative perception of the Medi-Cal program. Some who tried applying reported having a hard time navigating the enrollment process.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Similarly, people eligible for Covered California may go without it because they either don’t know they are eligible for financial aid or may still not be able to afford it even with the help.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Covered California officials last month announced that because of a \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/health/2021/04/health-insurance-subsidies/\">temporary boost in federal subsidies\u003c/a>, two-thirds of enrollees in its most recent sign-up period were eligible to \u003ca href=\"https://www.coveredca.com/pdfs/news/01-25-22-CoveredCA-1.8-Million.pdf\">get coverage for $10 or less a month\u003c/a>. This year’s enrollment period closed with a record 1.8 million Californians signed up for health insurance through the marketplace.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>To further aid with affordability, the chairs of the Legislature’s health committees recently introduced \u003ca href=\"https://health-access.org/press_release/2022/02/health-access-ca-health-committee-chairs-introduce-bills-to-increase-affordability-in-coveredca/\">bills that aim to reduce deductibles and copays\u003c/a> for people enrolled through Covered California.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n",
"blocks": [],
"excerpt": "Many working undocumented immigrants won't qualify for state health insurance even if they don't earn a living wage. That leaves them with few viable options for coverage.",
"status": "publish",
"parent": 0,
"modified": 1738186482,
"stats": {
"hasAudio": false,
"hasVideo": false,
"hasChartOrMap": true,
"iframeSrcs": [
"https://e.infogram.com/af381a4c-1356-4991-a3b4-b2ca7a12f01a"
],
"hasGoogleForm": false,
"hasGallery": false,
"hasHearkenModule": false,
"hasPolis": false,
"paragraphCount": 40,
"wordCount": 1778
},
"headData": {
"title": "California's Expanding Medi-Cal — But Thousands of Immigrants Still Won't Qualify | KQED",
"description": "Many working undocumented immigrants won't qualify for state health insurance even if they don't earn a living wage. That leaves them with few viable options for coverage.",
"ogTitle": "",
"ogDescription": "",
"ogImgId": "",
"twTitle": "",
"twDescription": "",
"twImgId": "",
"schema": {
"@context": "https://schema.org",
"@type": "NewsArticle",
"headline": "California's Expanding Medi-Cal — But Thousands of Immigrants Still Won't Qualify",
"datePublished": "2022-03-01T12:29:38-08:00",
"dateModified": "2025-01-29T13:34:42-08:00",
"image": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/KQED-OG-Image@1x.png",
"isAccessibleForFree": "True",
"publisher": {
"@type": "NewsMediaOrganization",
"@id": "https://www.kqed.org/#organization",
"name": "KQED",
"logo": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/KQED-OG-Image@1x.png",
"url": "https://www.kqed.org",
"sameAs": [
"https://www.facebook.com/KQED",
"https://twitter.com/KQED",
"https://www.instagram.com/kqed/",
"https://www.tiktok.com/@kqedofficial",
"https://www.linkedin.com/company/kqed",
"https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCeC0IOo7i1P_61zVUWbJ4nw"
]
}
}
},
"source": "CalMatters",
"sourceUrl": "https://calmatters.org",
"sticky": false,
"nprByline": "\u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/author/anaibarra/\">Ana B. Ibarra\u003c/a>",
"excludeFromSiteSearch": "Include",
"showOnAuthorArchivePages": "No",
"path": "/news/11906868/californias-expanding-medi-cal-but-thousands-of-immigrants-still-wont-qualify",
"audioTrackLength": null,
"parsedContent": [
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>Many working undocumented immigrants won’t qualify for state health insurance even if they don’t earn a living wage. That leaves them with few viable options for coverage.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Lucia Marroquin knows what it’s like to wait out pain in hopes that it will go away on its own. She is suffering from kidney stones and may need surgery. But because she lacks health coverage, her first question when she falls ill is always, “How much will that cost me?”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>So when California officials announced plans to extend Medi-Cal coverage to more undocumented adults, the Fresno County resident was hopeful that she would finally qualify for health insurance.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But her farmworker husband’s annual income of $35,000 puts the couple over the limit to qualify for Medi-Cal, which is reserved for residents with lower incomes. So even under Gov. Gavin Newsom’s planned expansion, she’ll likely be left with no health insurance.\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "‘This is a great achievement and it is absolutely amazing, but there will still be some who will remain uninsured.’",
"name": "pullquote",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"size": "medium",
"align": "right",
"citation": "Arturo Vargas Bustamante, professor, UCLA Fielding School of Public Health",
"label": ""
},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Experts say allowing people to sign up for comprehensive Medi-Cal coverage regardless of their immigration status is the single biggest step California can take to insure as many people as possible in the current system. Newsom called his latest planned expansion “\u003ca href=\"https://twitter.com/GavinNewsom/status/1480618598762647553?s=20&t=6kiFbKIbAMdNs3tpMmRspw\">universal access to coverage\u003c/a>.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But the expansion would still leave several hundred thousand undocumented immigrants like Marroquin uninsured. They are unable to qualify because they have jobs where they earn above Medi-Cal’s annual income thresholds for most adults: $17,609 for single people, $23,792 for a couple and $36,156 for a family of four.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>That leaves many immigrants with low incomes with few viable options for health coverage. While most Californians who earn over the Medi-Cal limit can get subsidized coverage through \u003ca href=\"https://www.coveredca.com/learning-center/information-for-immigrants/\">Covered California, undocumented people are not allowed\u003c/a> to buy insurance through the marketplace under the federal Affordable Care Act.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>On May 1, about \u003ca href=\"https://www.gov.ca.gov/2021/07/27/governor-newsom-signs-into-law-first-in-the-nation-expansion-of-medi-cal-to-undocumented-californians-age-50-and-over-bold-initiatives-to-advance-more-equitable-and-prevention-focused-health-care/\">235,000 undocumented people\u003c/a> age 50 and older will gain new access to Medi-Cal under a law signed last summer. A second proposal, unveiled in Newsom’s January budget, would include another 700,000 undocumented adults in the 26-to-49 age group, starting as early as 2024, if approved in this year’s final budget. Children and young adults are already eligible.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“This is a great achievement and it is absolutely amazing, but there will still be some who will remain uninsured,” said Arturo Vargas Bustamante, health policy professor at the UCLA Fielding School of Public Health. “It’s not universal health care, but the situation for many immigrants in California will be much better.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In 2023, after Medi-Cal expands to cover undocumented immigrants 50 and older, about \u003ca href=\"https://www.itup.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/Final.-ITUP-Snapshot-2021.pdf#page=3\">3.2 million people will remain uninsured in California\u003c/a>, according to researchers at the UC Berkeley Labor Center and the UCLA Center for Health Policy Research. Of those, 1.16 million will be unauthorized immigrants.\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "aside",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"postid": "news_11901253,news_11901347,news_11902149",
"label": "Related Posts "
},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>Even if Newsom’s next step is approved — covering undocumented adults 26 to 49 years old as early as 2024 — that would still leave roughly 450,000 undocumented people under 65 with no health coverage (the difference between 1.16 million people and the 700,000 who would gain access).\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>‘Doesn’t have to be free. Just a fair price’\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>The governor’s latest proposal would help Virginia Moscoso, a 29-year-old mother of two in Yolo County who is undocumented. She is enrolled in restricted-scope Medi-Cal, which is limited to emergencies and pregnancies, but hopes she would obtain full benefits if the proposal is approved in the final budget.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Full-scope benefits allow people coverage for routine, preventive care, long-term care and \u003ca href=\"https://www.cdss.ca.gov/in-home-supportive-services\">in-home supportive services\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Moscoso is especially interested in dental care. A few months back, she had a toothache that she alleviated with home remedies, but she is overdue for a checkup.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11906905\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003ca href=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2022/03/Screen-Shot-2022-03-01-at-11.37.59-AM.png\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-11906905\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2022/03/Screen-Shot-2022-03-01-at-11.37.59-AM-800x532.png\" alt=\"A woman wearing a pink shirt rests her arms on a fence outside.\" width=\"800\" height=\"532\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/03/Screen-Shot-2022-03-01-at-11.37.59-AM-800x532.png 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/03/Screen-Shot-2022-03-01-at-11.37.59-AM-1020x678.png 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/03/Screen-Shot-2022-03-01-at-11.37.59-AM-160x106.png 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/03/Screen-Shot-2022-03-01-at-11.37.59-AM-1536x1021.png 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/03/Screen-Shot-2022-03-01-at-11.37.59-AM.png 1552w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003c/a>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Virginia Moscoso, who lives in the Yolo County town of Dunnigan, will qualify for full-scope Medi-Cal if Gov. Gavin Newsom’s budget is approved, expanding it to undocumented immigrants age 26 through 49. But the expansion would still leave hundreds of thousands of undocumented immigrants who earn over the income threshold with no insurance. \u003ccite>(Miguel Gutierrez Jr./CalMatters)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>In the past, Moscoso has worked seasonal jobs in farm fields, but her family of four mostly relies on her husband’s earnings of about $35,000, which means they would likely qualify — just barely — for Medi-Cal under Newsom’s expansion. Her children are already enrolled in Medi-Cal, and that’s a huge help, she said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>She’s grateful that apart from her pregnancies, she hasn’t needed to use her emergency Medi-Cal. But if she qualified for primary care, it would make a lot more sense than waiting until she’s ill in the hospital.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“For me it would be a great blessing,” Moscoso said. “Because when you go to the doctor, it’s never just the one visit — you need tests and medication, and it adds up.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Many people without health insurance seek care at community clinics where services may be offered on a sliding fee scale, so what they pay is based on their income.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>That’s how Marroquin, 55, usually gets care. Each visit to the clinic costs her about $40. A recent ultrasound for her kidney stones cost her $200.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Marroquin has applied for emergency Medi-Cal in the past but was denied because her husband’s income of $35,000 was too high.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It’s very difficult to be without coverage,” Marroquin said. “It doesn’t have to be free, just at a fair price. As my husband says, we can get car insurance, why can’t we buy health insurance?”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>For most adult enrollees, the limit to qualify for Medi-Cal is \u003ca href=\"https://www.dhcs.ca.gov/services/medi-cal/Pages/DoYouQualifyForMedi-Cal.aspx\">138% of the federal poverty level\u003c/a>. Eligibility takes into account income and household size. (Certain groups like pregnant women qualify at slightly higher incomes.)\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>People like Marroquin with wages near that threshold are considered to be among the working poor: They \u003ca href=\"https://livingwage.mit.edu/states/06\">are not earning a living wage in California\u003c/a>. Most Californians in that situation can buy subsidized plans from Covered California. But undocumented immigrants cannot, and while they can purchase coverage directly from insurance companies, it is often unaffordable. For instance, premiums for a couple in their 50s could cost more than $1,000 a month, said \u003ca href=\"https://www.quotevalley.com/contact.aspx\">Alex Hernandez\u003c/a>, a health insurance agent in Merced.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I think some people, especially if they have an illness, see the value of having insurance despite the cost. But it’s tough,” Hernandez said. Facing such high premiums, he said, “most people are going to say forget it.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In 2016, California applied for a waiver from the federal government to allow undocumented people to buy from Covered California. But the state \u003ca href=\"https://khn.org/news/california-withdraws-bid-to-allow-undocumented-immigrants-to-buy-unsubsidized-obamacare-plans/\">withdrew the application\u003c/a> at the request of the Legislature when former President Donald Trump took office.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara, who spearheaded legislation for the waiver application when he was a state senator, said the request was rescinded because of concern that the Trump administration would use immigrants’ information against them.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The waiver application has not been resubmitted by the state, but it’s still an option, Lara said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Even if a waiver were approved, undocumented residents would still have to purchase insurance without federal subsidies. The state could, in theory, provide some financial assistance, health advocates say.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Lara said Newsom made Medi-Cal expansion for undocumented immigrants a priority in this year’s budget, which shows just how much attitudes around the issue have changed.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Back in the day this was an issue that people thought would cost you the election or cost you grief. It’s a tremendous shift in attitude toward the undocumented community,” Lara said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But to truly get to universal coverage, California will need to continue innovative approaches and drill down on affordability, Lara said. He authored a \u003ca href=\"https://khn.org/news/single-payer-health-care-bill-introduced-in-california-senate/\">single-payer bill in 2017\u003c/a> and thinks that type of system is inevitable, but will take time. In the meantime, he said the state should keep expanding coverage where it can.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Last month, the Legislature’s latest version of \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/politics/2022/02/california-single-payer-legislature/?utm_source=CalMatters+Newsletters&utm_campaign=da289b23b6-WHATMATTERS&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_faa7be558d-da289b23b6-150460103&mc_cid=da289b23b6&mc_eid=099a508f5c\">a bill that would have created a state-funded single-payer system\u003c/a> died on the Assembly floor. \u003ca href=\"https://a27.asmdc.org/press-releases/20220131-assemblymember-ash-kalra-author-ab-1400-ca-guaranteed-health-care-all-act\">It didn’t have enough votes\u003c/a>, according to its author, Assemblymember Ash Kalra of San Jose.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Lack of access because of immigration status is just one piece of the remaining uninsured. Many other Californians forgo coverage despite being eligible, likely because of the cost. According to the UC Berkeley and UCLA study, 2 million uninsured people qualify for Medi-Cal, employer coverage or Covered California.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The most common reason that people eligible for employer coverage remain uninsured is that they can’t afford the premium contributions,” said Laurel Lucia, director of the Health Care Program at UC Berkeley’s Labor Center.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c!-- iframe plugin v.4.3 wordpress.org/plugins/iframe/ -->\u003cbr>\n\u003ciframe loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https://e.infogram.com/af381a4c-1356-4991-a3b4-b2ca7a12f01a?src=embed\" title=\"uninsured 2023- UC estimates\" width=\"950\" height=\"800\" scrolling=\"no\" frameborder=\"0\" style=\"border:none;\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\" class=\"iframe-class\">\u003c/iframe>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>People eligible for Medi-Cal may go without it for a number of reasons. A report from the California Health Care Foundation found that \u003ca href=\"https://www.chcf.org/publication/medi-cal-maze-why-many-eligible-californians-dont-enroll/\">people may be deterred from applying\u003c/a> because of misinformation about or a negative perception of the Medi-Cal program. Some who tried applying reported having a hard time navigating the enrollment process.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Similarly, people eligible for Covered California may go without it because they either don’t know they are eligible for financial aid or may still not be able to afford it even with the help.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Covered California officials last month announced that because of a \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/health/2021/04/health-insurance-subsidies/\">temporary boost in federal subsidies\u003c/a>, two-thirds of enrollees in its most recent sign-up period were eligible to \u003ca href=\"https://www.coveredca.com/pdfs/news/01-25-22-CoveredCA-1.8-Million.pdf\">get coverage for $10 or less a month\u003c/a>. This year’s enrollment period closed with a record 1.8 million Californians signed up for health insurance through the marketplace.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>To further aid with affordability, the chairs of the Legislature’s health committees recently introduced \u003ca href=\"https://health-access.org/press_release/2022/02/health-access-ca-health-committee-chairs-introduce-bills-to-increase-affordability-in-coveredca/\">bills that aim to reduce deductibles and copays\u003c/a> for people enrolled through Covered California.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "ad",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"label": "fullwidth"
},
"numeric": [
"fullwidth"
]
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "ad",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"label": "floatright"
},
"numeric": [
"floatright"
]
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
}
],
"link": "/news/11906868/californias-expanding-medi-cal-but-thousands-of-immigrants-still-wont-qualify",
"authors": [
"byline_news_11906868"
],
"categories": [
"news_457",
"news_1169",
"news_8"
],
"tags": [
"news_18543",
"news_1054",
"news_2605",
"news_244"
],
"featImg": "news_11906904",
"label": "source_news_11906868"
},
"news_11906730": {
"type": "posts",
"id": "news_11906730",
"meta": {
"index": "posts_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "11906730",
"score": null,
"sort": [
1646078489000
]
},
"guestAuthors": [],
"slug": "california-relaxes-mask-mandate-in-schools-leaving-decision-to-local-districts",
"title": "California Relaxes Mask Mandate in Schools, Leaving Decision to Local Districts",
"publishDate": 1646078489,
"format": "standard",
"headTitle": "California Relaxes Mask Mandate in Schools, Leaving Decision to Local Districts | KQED",
"labelTerm": {
"site": "news"
},
"content": "\u003cp>California will soon lift its requirement that students wear masks inside schools and child care facilities, leaving it up to local communities and public health officials to determine their own rules on masking. Students can begin attending schools without masks (in districts that allow it) on March 12.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The governor’s office made the announcement this morning, citing low COVID-19 cases and hospitalization rates as a reason for the policy shift. While no longer requiring masks inside schools, the state is still recommending them.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Masks are an effective tool to minimize spread of the virus and future variants, especially when transmission rates are high,” Gov. Gavin Newsom said in the statement. “We cannot predict the future of the virus, but we are better prepared for it and will continue to take measures rooted in science to keep California moving forward.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The move follows an announcement on Friday by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention that mask mandates are not needed where case rates and hospitalizations are low or moderate. In the Bay Area, only \u003ca href=\"https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/your-health/covid-by-county.html\">Napa and Solano counties were designated by the CDC\u003c/a> as still having high enough rates to merit continued masking in schools.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Newsom has come under pressure from Republicans and other critics to ease the mandates. Over the weekend in San Francisco, a group calling itself Parents for Mask Choice in California Schools protested, saying masking of younger children is disrupting learning and is a psychological stress.[pullquote size=\"medium\" align=\"right\" citation=\"Gov. Gavin Newsom\"]‘We cannot predict the future of the virus, but we are better prepared for it and will continue to take measures rooted in science to keep California moving forward.’[/pullquote]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>During a press conference Monday, California Health and Human Services Secretary Dr. Mark Ghaly shared that the state has been seeing encouraging trends over the last two weeks in the sharp decrease in case, hospitalization and test positivity rates. New COVID cases dropped by 66% from Feb. 14 to Feb. 28, he said.. In that same time period, hospitalizations dropped by 48%, and test positivity rates dropped by more than half, to 2.9%.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I think those local details, those local conditions are really going to guide,” said Ghaly. “We are saying at the state level that if the conditions warrant it and the conversations go to it, those districts, those jurisdictions should feel empowered to keep masking in place because that is the decision that they’re making to keep their community safe.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Ghaly also noted how the state’s approach has helped California keep schools open, with the percentage of closures far lower than the national average.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But he acknowledged that some parents may still be frustrated with the state’s school masking decisions.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I will tell you that we know for each person out there who may have one view of the decision today that there is another family, another young person who has a different view,” Ghaly said. “So public health is not necessarily about balance, it’s about leading with data and science and communicating clearly.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In Ventura County, Simi Valley Unified School District Superintendent Jason Peplinski welcomed the news, saying his school board would have allowed kids to go maskless inside schools months ago if it hadn’t been for the state’s restrictions.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We’ve had a lot of angst around this topic for the last few months and it was increasingly less civil,” said Peplinski, adding that most of his school community is grateful for the policy shift.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Now the other side of this topic is there are still parents that probably would prefer that all kids are masked,” said Peplinski. “There probably are still employees that would prefer that all students wear masks. So, you know, we’re going to have a conversation about this one way or the other.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Kerry Huffman has a son with autism at Richmond’s Mira Vista elementary school in West Contra Costa Unified. She said he would learn better without the mask but she is torn.[aside postID=\"news_11905165,mindshift_59058,news_11906215\" label=\"Related Posts\"]“It is a step in the right direction in general, but I do have some concerns and it goes back to fear as a parent because we are still not out of it. I literally lost someone just last week that I know in my industry to COVID,” she said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In Oakland Unified, parent Pecolia Manigo said when the state leaves it up to districts and local public health officials to decide what is safe, it puts the responsibility on families and on students to have to defend what they believe is safe for them.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It also truly creates racial tensions, in the middle school, in the high schools,” said Manigo. “Because, you know, the students who are not feeling safe are not backed up and not reaffirmed by often staff who may have their own opinions shared or not. And so it’s an unfortunate situation. It’s unfortunate because it tells certain communities that even though you might have a right to feel safe, we’re not going to protect that right.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Last week’s federal guidance shift on masks in schools came two weeks after several states controlled by Democrats, including Oregon, Massachusetts, Connecticut and New Jersey, already relaxed their school masking rules. On Sunday, New York’s governor said the state would lift its mask mandate on March 2. Several states have banned masks in schools.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>National teachers organizations welcomed the CDC’s move away from universal masking. The American Federation of Teachers president Randi Weingarten cautioned, however, against bullying those who want to remain masked.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Some parents, students and educators will still choose to wear masks, and there should be no stigma for those who do so. We have a duty to protect vulnerable populations and their right to attend school in person, and there should also be a limited remote option for those who require it,” she wrote in a statement.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In reaction to today’s rule change, the California Teachers Association President E. Toby Boyd said in a statement that reaction would be mixed.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“While some students are ready to immediately remove their masks, others remain very afraid. We urge local school districts to continue to work with educators and families and to act cautiously while prioritizing the safety of students, educators, and their families,” Boyd said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In San Francisco, Cassondra Curiel, who heads the teachers union, also welcomed a way to ease mask requirements, stating that United Educators of San Francisco would work with the district and the city to “meet the needs of San Francisco students, families, staff, and educators. ”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In a UC Berkeley Institute of Governmental Studies poll out last week, of nearly 9,000 California registered voters, 65% approved of requiring masks in schools. In the Bay Area, 74% approved. However, opinions split radically along party lines, with 87% of Democrats approving and just 26% of Republicans.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And parents who continue to lack confidence that their children are safe from the virus while in school may balk at any lifting of mask restrictions.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>According to the Berkeley IGS poll, Latino and Black parents expressed less confidence than white and Asian parents that their child was safe from the virus while in school.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Any divide over making masks optional could cause problems inside schools. \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/education/k-12-education/2022/02/california-mask-mandate-student-life/\">CalMatters reported\u003c/a> on tensions between groups of students at Nevada Joint Union High, south of Nevada City, last week over whether masks should be worn. CalMatters reported that so many of the district’s teachers called in sick in response to the district voting to lift its mask mandate, several schools were shut down.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In Oakland, Halima Watson, a first-year student at Oakland Technical High School, said that even if her district lifts the mask mandate, she’ll keep her mask on to keep others safe. “Because everyone reacts differently to COVID,” she said. “I have a friend who had it and she has had neurological problems and she’s had shaking with her body. I feel like it’s better to keep masking, but I feel like there are a lot of kids who don’t wear their masks properly so I don’t know if it will make much of a difference.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Halima said there are already tensions inside her school about kids who don’t take the masking rule seriously. “There’s this kid who I sit next to in geometry who is very, like, whenever another kid has their mask off, he’s like, ‘Put your mask on.’ A lot of people would probably be very against it [lifting the mask mandate].”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Halima’s mom, Kim Watson, predicts if the district has a stricter set of rules than the CDC and the state, it is going to be difficult for teachers trying to insist kids wear their masks. “It could cause tension between peers and also between educators and students,” Watson said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Some districts across California are already allowing students not to wear masks inside, defying state rules. Other local districts like Berkeley Unified have begun adjusting mask policies in consultation with local health officials and labor partners.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Beginning Feb. 28, BUSD students can go maskless outside. Superintendent Brent Stephens notified parents that the district will review today’s guidance from the state before announcing any planned indoor masking changes.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The Alameda County Office of Education also said it would be reviewing the state’s guidance before making any decisions.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n",
"blocks": [],
"excerpt": "State officials announced they would lift the school mask-wearing requirement by March 12, citing major drops in COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations and positivity rates.",
"status": "publish",
"parent": 0,
"modified": 1726005775,
"stats": {
"hasAudio": false,
"hasVideo": false,
"hasChartOrMap": false,
"iframeSrcs": [],
"hasGoogleForm": false,
"hasGallery": false,
"hasHearkenModule": false,
"hasPolis": false,
"paragraphCount": 34,
"wordCount": 1654
},
"headData": {
"title": "California Relaxes Mask Mandate in Schools, Leaving Decision to Local Districts | KQED",
"description": "State officials announced they would lift the school mask-wearing requirement by March 12, citing major drops in COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations and positivity rates.",
"ogTitle": "",
"ogDescription": "",
"ogImgId": "",
"twTitle": "",
"twDescription": "",
"twImgId": "",
"schema": {
"@context": "https://schema.org",
"@type": "NewsArticle",
"headline": "California Relaxes Mask Mandate in Schools, Leaving Decision to Local Districts",
"datePublished": "2022-02-28T12:01:29-08:00",
"dateModified": "2024-09-10T15:02:55-07:00",
"image": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/KQED-OG-Image@1x.png",
"isAccessibleForFree": "True",
"publisher": {
"@type": "NewsMediaOrganization",
"@id": "https://www.kqed.org/#organization",
"name": "KQED",
"logo": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/KQED-OG-Image@1x.png",
"url": "https://www.kqed.org",
"sameAs": [
"https://www.facebook.com/KQED",
"https://twitter.com/KQED",
"https://www.instagram.com/kqed/",
"https://www.tiktok.com/@kqedofficial",
"https://www.linkedin.com/company/kqed",
"https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCeC0IOo7i1P_61zVUWbJ4nw"
]
}
}
},
"audioUrl": "https://omny.fm/shows/kqed-segmented-audio/california-eases-mask-requirements-for-schools",
"sticky": false,
"excludeFromSiteSearch": "Include",
"path": "/news/11906730/california-relaxes-mask-mandate-in-schools-leaving-decision-to-local-districts",
"audioTrackLength": null,
"parsedContent": [
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>California will soon lift its requirement that students wear masks inside schools and child care facilities, leaving it up to local communities and public health officials to determine their own rules on masking. Students can begin attending schools without masks (in districts that allow it) on March 12.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The governor’s office made the announcement this morning, citing low COVID-19 cases and hospitalization rates as a reason for the policy shift. While no longer requiring masks inside schools, the state is still recommending them.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Masks are an effective tool to minimize spread of the virus and future variants, especially when transmission rates are high,” Gov. Gavin Newsom said in the statement. “We cannot predict the future of the virus, but we are better prepared for it and will continue to take measures rooted in science to keep California moving forward.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The move follows an announcement on Friday by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention that mask mandates are not needed where case rates and hospitalizations are low or moderate. In the Bay Area, only \u003ca href=\"https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/your-health/covid-by-county.html\">Napa and Solano counties were designated by the CDC\u003c/a> as still having high enough rates to merit continued masking in schools.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Newsom has come under pressure from Republicans and other critics to ease the mandates. Over the weekend in San Francisco, a group calling itself Parents for Mask Choice in California Schools protested, saying masking of younger children is disrupting learning and is a psychological stress.\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "‘We cannot predict the future of the virus, but we are better prepared for it and will continue to take measures rooted in science to keep California moving forward.’",
"name": "pullquote",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"size": "medium",
"align": "right",
"citation": "Gov. Gavin Newsom",
"label": ""
},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>During a press conference Monday, California Health and Human Services Secretary Dr. Mark Ghaly shared that the state has been seeing encouraging trends over the last two weeks in the sharp decrease in case, hospitalization and test positivity rates. New COVID cases dropped by 66% from Feb. 14 to Feb. 28, he said.. In that same time period, hospitalizations dropped by 48%, and test positivity rates dropped by more than half, to 2.9%.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I think those local details, those local conditions are really going to guide,” said Ghaly. “We are saying at the state level that if the conditions warrant it and the conversations go to it, those districts, those jurisdictions should feel empowered to keep masking in place because that is the decision that they’re making to keep their community safe.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Ghaly also noted how the state’s approach has helped California keep schools open, with the percentage of closures far lower than the national average.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But he acknowledged that some parents may still be frustrated with the state’s school masking decisions.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I will tell you that we know for each person out there who may have one view of the decision today that there is another family, another young person who has a different view,” Ghaly said. “So public health is not necessarily about balance, it’s about leading with data and science and communicating clearly.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In Ventura County, Simi Valley Unified School District Superintendent Jason Peplinski welcomed the news, saying his school board would have allowed kids to go maskless inside schools months ago if it hadn’t been for the state’s restrictions.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We’ve had a lot of angst around this topic for the last few months and it was increasingly less civil,” said Peplinski, adding that most of his school community is grateful for the policy shift.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Now the other side of this topic is there are still parents that probably would prefer that all kids are masked,” said Peplinski. “There probably are still employees that would prefer that all students wear masks. So, you know, we’re going to have a conversation about this one way or the other.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Kerry Huffman has a son with autism at Richmond’s Mira Vista elementary school in West Contra Costa Unified. She said he would learn better without the mask but she is torn.\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "aside",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"postid": "news_11905165,mindshift_59058,news_11906215",
"label": "Related Posts "
},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>“It is a step in the right direction in general, but I do have some concerns and it goes back to fear as a parent because we are still not out of it. I literally lost someone just last week that I know in my industry to COVID,” she said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In Oakland Unified, parent Pecolia Manigo said when the state leaves it up to districts and local public health officials to decide what is safe, it puts the responsibility on families and on students to have to defend what they believe is safe for them.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It also truly creates racial tensions, in the middle school, in the high schools,” said Manigo. “Because, you know, the students who are not feeling safe are not backed up and not reaffirmed by often staff who may have their own opinions shared or not. And so it’s an unfortunate situation. It’s unfortunate because it tells certain communities that even though you might have a right to feel safe, we’re not going to protect that right.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Last week’s federal guidance shift on masks in schools came two weeks after several states controlled by Democrats, including Oregon, Massachusetts, Connecticut and New Jersey, already relaxed their school masking rules. On Sunday, New York’s governor said the state would lift its mask mandate on March 2. Several states have banned masks in schools.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>National teachers organizations welcomed the CDC’s move away from universal masking. The American Federation of Teachers president Randi Weingarten cautioned, however, against bullying those who want to remain masked.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Some parents, students and educators will still choose to wear masks, and there should be no stigma for those who do so. We have a duty to protect vulnerable populations and their right to attend school in person, and there should also be a limited remote option for those who require it,” she wrote in a statement.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In reaction to today’s rule change, the California Teachers Association President E. Toby Boyd said in a statement that reaction would be mixed.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“While some students are ready to immediately remove their masks, others remain very afraid. We urge local school districts to continue to work with educators and families and to act cautiously while prioritizing the safety of students, educators, and their families,” Boyd said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In San Francisco, Cassondra Curiel, who heads the teachers union, also welcomed a way to ease mask requirements, stating that United Educators of San Francisco would work with the district and the city to “meet the needs of San Francisco students, families, staff, and educators. ”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In a UC Berkeley Institute of Governmental Studies poll out last week, of nearly 9,000 California registered voters, 65% approved of requiring masks in schools. In the Bay Area, 74% approved. However, opinions split radically along party lines, with 87% of Democrats approving and just 26% of Republicans.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And parents who continue to lack confidence that their children are safe from the virus while in school may balk at any lifting of mask restrictions.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>According to the Berkeley IGS poll, Latino and Black parents expressed less confidence than white and Asian parents that their child was safe from the virus while in school.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Any divide over making masks optional could cause problems inside schools. \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/education/k-12-education/2022/02/california-mask-mandate-student-life/\">CalMatters reported\u003c/a> on tensions between groups of students at Nevada Joint Union High, south of Nevada City, last week over whether masks should be worn. CalMatters reported that so many of the district’s teachers called in sick in response to the district voting to lift its mask mandate, several schools were shut down.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In Oakland, Halima Watson, a first-year student at Oakland Technical High School, said that even if her district lifts the mask mandate, she’ll keep her mask on to keep others safe. “Because everyone reacts differently to COVID,” she said. “I have a friend who had it and she has had neurological problems and she’s had shaking with her body. I feel like it’s better to keep masking, but I feel like there are a lot of kids who don’t wear their masks properly so I don’t know if it will make much of a difference.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Halima said there are already tensions inside her school about kids who don’t take the masking rule seriously. “There’s this kid who I sit next to in geometry who is very, like, whenever another kid has their mask off, he’s like, ‘Put your mask on.’ A lot of people would probably be very against it [lifting the mask mandate].”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Halima’s mom, Kim Watson, predicts if the district has a stricter set of rules than the CDC and the state, it is going to be difficult for teachers trying to insist kids wear their masks. “It could cause tension between peers and also between educators and students,” Watson said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Some districts across California are already allowing students not to wear masks inside, defying state rules. Other local districts like Berkeley Unified have begun adjusting mask policies in consultation with local health officials and labor partners.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Beginning Feb. 28, BUSD students can go maskless outside. Superintendent Brent Stephens notified parents that the district will review today’s guidance from the state before announcing any planned indoor masking changes.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The Alameda County Office of Education also said it would be reviewing the state’s guidance before making any decisions.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "ad",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"label": "fullwidth"
},
"numeric": [
"fullwidth"
]
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "ad",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"label": "floatright"
},
"numeric": [
"floatright"
]
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
}
],
"link": "/news/11906730/california-relaxes-mask-mandate-in-schools-leaving-decision-to-local-districts",
"authors": [
"231"
],
"categories": [
"news_18540",
"news_457",
"news_8"
],
"tags": [
"news_26942",
"news_22221",
"news_27626",
"news_18543"
],
"featImg": "news_11906745",
"label": "news"
},
"news_11906215": {
"type": "posts",
"id": "news_11906215",
"meta": {
"index": "posts_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "11906215",
"score": null,
"sort": [
1645653611000
]
},
"guestAuthors": [],
"slug": "i-dont-want-to-give-up-on-life-for-millions-of-high-risk-californians-lifting-covid-restrictions-sparks-major-safety-fears",
"title": "'I Don't Want to Give Up on Life': For Millions of High-Risk Californians, Lifting COVID Restrictions Sparks Major Safety Fears",
"publishDate": 1645653611,
"format": "standard",
"headTitle": "‘I Don’t Want to Give Up on Life’: For Millions of High-Risk Californians, Lifting COVID Restrictions Sparks Major Safety Fears | KQED",
"labelTerm": {},
"content": "\u003cp>\u003cem>Lea este artículo en \u003c/em>\u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/calmatters-en-espanol/2022/02/no-somos-tomados-en-cuenta-los-californianos-que-no-pueden-volver-a-la-normalidad-mientras-el-hastio-del-covid-se-apodera-del-estado/\">\u003cem>español\u003c/em>\u003c/a>\u003cem>.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Renata Garza-Silva loves movies — she longs to sit in a theater without having to worry about COVID-19 and whether others around her are masked.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Hillary Liber dreams about going back to the gym. She misses her in-person fitness classes, but for now, a makeshift home-workout space in the middle of her living room will have to do.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Garza-Silva, who is immunocompromised, and Liber, who is diabetic, are among the millions of Californians at greater risk of complications from a COVID-19 infection despite being fully vaccinated. Both women worry that the \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/health/coronavirus/2022/02/california-covid-plans/\">statewide protective measures\u003c/a> that had given them some peace of mind during the pandemic are now being lifted, increasing their susceptibility and limiting where they can go and what they can do.[pullquote align=\"right\" size=\"medium\" citation=\"Hillary Liber, San Diego resident with Type 1 diabetes\"]‘I’m always balancing out the fear of missing out with the fear of going out.’[/pullquote]Throughout California, people like Garza-Silva and Liber who have health conditions, such as heart disease, autoimmune disorders and diabetes, are forced to reevaluate their risks. Every day, they ask themselves whether buying groceries, going to work, eating at a restaurant or visiting the post office is worth the risk of contracting a virus that could leave them hospitalized — or worse.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>For people at higher risk, the pandemic has meant walking a fine line for two years. “I’m always balancing out the fear of missing out with the fear of going out,” Liber said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Under state guidelines that were loosened last week, vaccinated people now can go maskless in indoor public spaces, except health care facilities, schools and prisons. Garza-Silva said this amplifies her worries, and she’s upset that state health officials have virtually ignored people like her when setting guidelines for returning life to “normal.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“People in my position, young children and older people are just ignored. We don’t count whatsoever,” said Garza-Silva, 48, a middle school teacher and resident of La Crescenta, whose immune system is weakened because of medication she takes after a kidney transplant. “I don’t know that people understand how many of us there are.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kff.org/coronavirus-covid-19/issue-brief/how-many-adults-are-at-risk-of-serious-illness-if-infected-with-coronavirus/\">About a third of adults in California\u003c/a> — close to 10 million people — are at elevated risk of serious complications from COVID-19, according to a 2020 report from the Kaiser Family Foundation. This includes 6 million people who are 65 and older, but also millions of others with heart disease, diabetes, lung disorders, obesity and other conditions. (The data did not include seniors in nursing homes or children.)\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Organ transplant patients and those undergoing cancer treatment or taking anti-inflammatory steroids — which are used to treat autoimmune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis and lupus — are among those considered “\u003ca href=\"https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/recommendations/immuno.html\">moderately or severely immunocompromised\u003c/a>,” according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Nationwide \u003ca href=\"https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamanetworkopen/fullarticle/2780270\">about 3% of adults\u003c/a> are estimated to be on immunosuppressive medication.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Others with chronic illnesses also should continue to be more cautious, experts say. The \u003ca href=\"https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/need-extra-precautions/people-with-medical-conditions.html\">CDC lists people\u003c/a> with diabetes, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, heart failure, coronary artery disease and kidney disease, among others, as likely to get very sick from COVID-19.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In California, 2.5 million people have been diagnosed with diabetes, but \u003ca href=\"https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27197309/#:~:text=In%20California%2C%20more%20than%2013,adults)%20have%20prediabetes%20or%20diabetes.\">millions more are estimated\u003c/a> to be undiagnosed or prediabetic. And \u003ca href=\"https://www.americashealthrankings.org/explore/annual/measure/CVD/state/CA\">7% of adults in California\u003c/a> — about 2.1 million people — have been diagnosed with heart disease.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2 id=\"h-vaccines-offer-some-protection\">Vaccines offer some protection\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Many people with health conditions gain strong protection from vaccines, experts say, but others less so.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Transplant patients, like Garza-Silva, take immunosuppressive drugs so their immune system won’t attack their new organ, leaving them vulnerable to infections. For some, the first two doses of the vaccine \u003ca href=\"https://publichealth.jhu.edu/2022/one-size-doesnt-fit-all-covid-19-vaccines-and-immunocompromised-patients\">do not provide adequate protection\u003c/a>, and in some cases, even a third dose hasn’t been sufficient, prompting federal health officials to allow people with compromised immune systems to receive a fourth dose.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Garza-Silva has received three doses and is talking to her doctor about the fourth.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Being fully vaccinated protects you dramatically, even if you have a chronic condition,” said \u003ca href=\"https://health.ucdavis.edu/team/leadership/621/mark-henderson---internal-medicine-sacramento\">Dr. Mark Henderson\u003c/a>, an internal medicine physician at UC Davis Health.[aside label=\"Related Stories\" postID=\"news_11885225,news_11902253,news_11879762\"]Still, immunocompromised people face an elevated risk. At Henderson’s hospital, about 20% of people hospitalized for COVID-19 are vaccinated — most of them have a health condition that makes them susceptible.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Diabetes, for example, is known to affect immune function, Henderson explained. “White blood cells, which are the basis of fighting infections, don’t work the same way in diabetics,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Diabetes was listed as an underlying condition in \u003ca href=\"https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/covid19/mortality-overview.htm\">15% of COVID-19 deaths\u003c/a> nationwide.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>As the state and nation look to turn the page on the pandemic, these patients, as well as older residents, have to be more vigilant in keeping up with boosters and wearing masks, Henderson said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The pandemic has always been about the vulnerable. In terms of the havoc that it’s wreaked, it has been about the elderly, the medically vulnerable and now those who are unvaccinated,” Henderson said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Andy Imparato, director of Disability Rights California, said that unlike conversations around vaccine distribution in which advocates were able to provide input, they were not invited to discuss the \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/health/coronavirus/2022/02/california-covid-plans/\">state’s SMARTER plan\u003c/a>, a blueprint released last week that will set the stage for the next phase of the pandemic.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The plan sets preparedness goals that state officials say will help them quickly respond and adapt to changing conditions, including new variants. But the \u003ca href=\"https://files.covid19.ca.gov/pdf/smarterplan.pdf\">30-page document\u003c/a> mentions people with underlying medical conditions only to emphasize that they should continue to use masks and stay up-to-date on their shots.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Under the state’s existing guidelines, vaccinated people can go maskless in most public places. People who are unvaccinated must still wear a mask in all public settings, although throughout the pandemic, the rules have rarely been enforced, mostly leaving it up to businesses to decide whether to check vaccination status. And even then, \u003ca href=\"https://www.reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/uk-study-finds-vaccinated-people-easily-transmit-delta-variant-households-2021-10-28/\">vaccinated people can still transmit\u003c/a> the virus.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>High-risk individuals can’t live in a bubble. People with health conditions or disabilities, for example, often depend on others for assistance. Many people with heart disease or diabetes have to venture out into the world to work.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We want the state to recognize those who, even after they have been vaccinated, are at high risk,” Imparato said. “We recognize that the state is trying to balance competing demands, including keeping business afloat and helping people resume their lives, but we don’t want it to happen prematurely.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The state is also expected to soon set \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/education/k-12-education/2022/02/parents-lose-patience-over-school-mask-mandate/\">a date for when masks will be able to come off inside schools\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/education/k-12-education/2022/02/parents-lose-patience-over-school-mask-mandate/\">imminent end of indoor masking at schools\u003c/a> concerns Garza-Silva, who teaches middle school film appreciation for the Los Angeles Unified School District. In a sign of loosening protections, the district announced Friday that it is lifting its outdoor mask mandate.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Her students, she said, are very understanding of her immunocompromised condition and are good about wearing masks in the classroom. She keeps windows and doors open for better airflow, but doesn’t know what will happen when masks are no longer required in schools.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Our principal has been very supportive, and maybe it will be OK for students to wear masks at least for my class, I really don’t know,” she said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Earlier this month, \u003ca href=\"https://www.sacbee.com/opinion/article258521623.html\">a Placer County high school teacher,\u003c/a> who was fully vaccinated but had suppressed immunity from prescriptions treating his autoimmune disorder, died from COVID after returning to the classroom.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2 id=\"h-looking-to-the-future\">Looking to the future\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>One hopeful sign is that therapeutics, like remdesivir, are now much more widely available than they were before — although during the omicron surge, supply still struggled to keep up with demand, said Dr. Shira Abeles, an infectious disease specialist at UC San Diego Health.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Also, another recently approved drug \u003ca href=\"https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/health/story/2022-02-08/new-option-arrives-to-protect-most-vulnerable-from-covid-19\">known as Evusheld\u003c/a>, can be used as a preventive measure, before infection, for those at highest risk, although supplies are still quite limited.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Liber, who lives in San Diego, said one of her friends who also is high risk was treated with monoclonal antibodies when they caught COVID, “but there’s no guarantee it’ll be available if I need it.”[aside postID=news_11900454 hero='https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2021/12/RS47894_015_SanFrancisco_ChinaExpress_03192021-qut-1020x680.jpg']Her Type 1 diabetes is well-managed, but she knows that in combination with her age, 68, “back to normal” for her may still be a long way off. But, “I’m not 15 anymore, I don’t have my whole life ahead of me,” she said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>People older than 65 account for \u003ca href=\"https://covid19.ca.gov/vaccination-progress-data/\">71% of COVID-19 deaths\u003c/a> in California. About 84% of older Californians are vaccinated with two doses, and 72% are boosted.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>At the beginning of the pandemic, Liber and her husband were on total lockdown, rarely leaving their house. “We got really good at Amazon and Instacart,” she said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Vaccines and stricter mask guidelines gave her some confidence to resume some of her favorite activities.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>When case counts dropped and things started to look a little better, she journeyed to restaurants to eat outdoors on patios. It’s happened so infrequently in the last two years that she knows exactly how many times she’s dined out — five.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But every surge sends her back inside, and she fears pandemic-weary people will forget about people like her and stop taking precautions.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I still want to do things,” she said. “I don’t want to give up on life.”\u003c/p>\n\n",
"blocks": [],
"excerpt": "Millions of Californians at high risk from conditions like heart disease, autoimmune disorders and diabetes feel unprotected and forgotten as the state rolls back its COVID orders.",
"status": "publish",
"parent": 0,
"modified": 1726005778,
"stats": {
"hasAudio": false,
"hasVideo": false,
"hasChartOrMap": false,
"iframeSrcs": [],
"hasGoogleForm": false,
"hasGallery": false,
"hasHearkenModule": false,
"hasPolis": false,
"paragraphCount": 40,
"wordCount": 1707
},
"headData": {
"title": "'I Don't Want to Give Up on Life': For Millions of High-Risk Californians, Lifting COVID Restrictions Sparks Major Safety Fears | KQED",
"description": "Millions of Californians at high risk from conditions like heart disease, autoimmune disorders and diabetes feel unprotected and forgotten as the state rolls back its COVID orders.",
"ogTitle": "",
"ogDescription": "",
"ogImgId": "",
"twTitle": "",
"twDescription": "",
"twImgId": "",
"schema": {
"@context": "https://schema.org",
"@type": "NewsArticle",
"headline": "'I Don't Want to Give Up on Life': For Millions of High-Risk Californians, Lifting COVID Restrictions Sparks Major Safety Fears",
"datePublished": "2022-02-23T14:00:11-08:00",
"dateModified": "2024-09-10T15:02:58-07:00",
"image": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/KQED-OG-Image@1x.png",
"isAccessibleForFree": "True",
"publisher": {
"@type": "NewsMediaOrganization",
"@id": "https://www.kqed.org/#organization",
"name": "KQED",
"logo": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/KQED-OG-Image@1x.png",
"url": "https://www.kqed.org",
"sameAs": [
"https://www.facebook.com/KQED",
"https://twitter.com/KQED",
"https://www.instagram.com/kqed/",
"https://www.tiktok.com/@kqedofficial",
"https://www.linkedin.com/company/kqed",
"https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCeC0IOo7i1P_61zVUWbJ4nw"
]
}
}
},
"source": "CalMatters",
"sourceUrl": "https://calmatters.org/",
"sticky": false,
"nprByline": "\u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/author/anaibarra/\">Anna B. Ibarra\u003c/a>",
"excludeFromSiteSearch": "Include",
"showOnAuthorArchivePages": "No",
"path": "/news/11906215/i-dont-want-to-give-up-on-life-for-millions-of-high-risk-californians-lifting-covid-restrictions-sparks-major-safety-fears",
"audioTrackLength": null,
"parsedContent": [
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>\u003cem>Lea este artículo en \u003c/em>\u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/calmatters-en-espanol/2022/02/no-somos-tomados-en-cuenta-los-californianos-que-no-pueden-volver-a-la-normalidad-mientras-el-hastio-del-covid-se-apodera-del-estado/\">\u003cem>español\u003c/em>\u003c/a>\u003cem>.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Renata Garza-Silva loves movies — she longs to sit in a theater without having to worry about COVID-19 and whether others around her are masked.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Hillary Liber dreams about going back to the gym. She misses her in-person fitness classes, but for now, a makeshift home-workout space in the middle of her living room will have to do.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Garza-Silva, who is immunocompromised, and Liber, who is diabetic, are among the millions of Californians at greater risk of complications from a COVID-19 infection despite being fully vaccinated. Both women worry that the \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/health/coronavirus/2022/02/california-covid-plans/\">statewide protective measures\u003c/a> that had given them some peace of mind during the pandemic are now being lifted, increasing their susceptibility and limiting where they can go and what they can do.\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "‘I’m always balancing out the fear of missing out with the fear of going out.’",
"name": "pullquote",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"align": "right",
"size": "medium",
"citation": "Hillary Liber, San Diego resident with Type 1 diabetes",
"label": ""
},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>Throughout California, people like Garza-Silva and Liber who have health conditions, such as heart disease, autoimmune disorders and diabetes, are forced to reevaluate their risks. Every day, they ask themselves whether buying groceries, going to work, eating at a restaurant or visiting the post office is worth the risk of contracting a virus that could leave them hospitalized — or worse.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>For people at higher risk, the pandemic has meant walking a fine line for two years. “I’m always balancing out the fear of missing out with the fear of going out,” Liber said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "ad",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"label": "fullwidth"
},
"numeric": [
"fullwidth"
]
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Under state guidelines that were loosened last week, vaccinated people now can go maskless in indoor public spaces, except health care facilities, schools and prisons. Garza-Silva said this amplifies her worries, and she’s upset that state health officials have virtually ignored people like her when setting guidelines for returning life to “normal.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“People in my position, young children and older people are just ignored. We don’t count whatsoever,” said Garza-Silva, 48, a middle school teacher and resident of La Crescenta, whose immune system is weakened because of medication she takes after a kidney transplant. “I don’t know that people understand how many of us there are.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kff.org/coronavirus-covid-19/issue-brief/how-many-adults-are-at-risk-of-serious-illness-if-infected-with-coronavirus/\">About a third of adults in California\u003c/a> — close to 10 million people — are at elevated risk of serious complications from COVID-19, according to a 2020 report from the Kaiser Family Foundation. This includes 6 million people who are 65 and older, but also millions of others with heart disease, diabetes, lung disorders, obesity and other conditions. (The data did not include seniors in nursing homes or children.)\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Organ transplant patients and those undergoing cancer treatment or taking anti-inflammatory steroids — which are used to treat autoimmune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis and lupus — are among those considered “\u003ca href=\"https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/recommendations/immuno.html\">moderately or severely immunocompromised\u003c/a>,” according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Nationwide \u003ca href=\"https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamanetworkopen/fullarticle/2780270\">about 3% of adults\u003c/a> are estimated to be on immunosuppressive medication.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Others with chronic illnesses also should continue to be more cautious, experts say. The \u003ca href=\"https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/need-extra-precautions/people-with-medical-conditions.html\">CDC lists people\u003c/a> with diabetes, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, heart failure, coronary artery disease and kidney disease, among others, as likely to get very sick from COVID-19.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In California, 2.5 million people have been diagnosed with diabetes, but \u003ca href=\"https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27197309/#:~:text=In%20California%2C%20more%20than%2013,adults)%20have%20prediabetes%20or%20diabetes.\">millions more are estimated\u003c/a> to be undiagnosed or prediabetic. And \u003ca href=\"https://www.americashealthrankings.org/explore/annual/measure/CVD/state/CA\">7% of adults in California\u003c/a> — about 2.1 million people — have been diagnosed with heart disease.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2 id=\"h-vaccines-offer-some-protection\">Vaccines offer some protection\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Many people with health conditions gain strong protection from vaccines, experts say, but others less so.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Transplant patients, like Garza-Silva, take immunosuppressive drugs so their immune system won’t attack their new organ, leaving them vulnerable to infections. For some, the first two doses of the vaccine \u003ca href=\"https://publichealth.jhu.edu/2022/one-size-doesnt-fit-all-covid-19-vaccines-and-immunocompromised-patients\">do not provide adequate protection\u003c/a>, and in some cases, even a third dose hasn’t been sufficient, prompting federal health officials to allow people with compromised immune systems to receive a fourth dose.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Garza-Silva has received three doses and is talking to her doctor about the fourth.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Being fully vaccinated protects you dramatically, even if you have a chronic condition,” said \u003ca href=\"https://health.ucdavis.edu/team/leadership/621/mark-henderson---internal-medicine-sacramento\">Dr. Mark Henderson\u003c/a>, an internal medicine physician at UC Davis Health.\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "aside",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"label": "Related Stories ",
"postid": "news_11885225,news_11902253,news_11879762"
},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>Still, immunocompromised people face an elevated risk. At Henderson’s hospital, about 20% of people hospitalized for COVID-19 are vaccinated — most of them have a health condition that makes them susceptible.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Diabetes, for example, is known to affect immune function, Henderson explained. “White blood cells, which are the basis of fighting infections, don’t work the same way in diabetics,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Diabetes was listed as an underlying condition in \u003ca href=\"https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/covid19/mortality-overview.htm\">15% of COVID-19 deaths\u003c/a> nationwide.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>As the state and nation look to turn the page on the pandemic, these patients, as well as older residents, have to be more vigilant in keeping up with boosters and wearing masks, Henderson said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The pandemic has always been about the vulnerable. In terms of the havoc that it’s wreaked, it has been about the elderly, the medically vulnerable and now those who are unvaccinated,” Henderson said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Andy Imparato, director of Disability Rights California, said that unlike conversations around vaccine distribution in which advocates were able to provide input, they were not invited to discuss the \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/health/coronavirus/2022/02/california-covid-plans/\">state’s SMARTER plan\u003c/a>, a blueprint released last week that will set the stage for the next phase of the pandemic.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The plan sets preparedness goals that state officials say will help them quickly respond and adapt to changing conditions, including new variants. But the \u003ca href=\"https://files.covid19.ca.gov/pdf/smarterplan.pdf\">30-page document\u003c/a> mentions people with underlying medical conditions only to emphasize that they should continue to use masks and stay up-to-date on their shots.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Under the state’s existing guidelines, vaccinated people can go maskless in most public places. People who are unvaccinated must still wear a mask in all public settings, although throughout the pandemic, the rules have rarely been enforced, mostly leaving it up to businesses to decide whether to check vaccination status. And even then, \u003ca href=\"https://www.reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/uk-study-finds-vaccinated-people-easily-transmit-delta-variant-households-2021-10-28/\">vaccinated people can still transmit\u003c/a> the virus.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>High-risk individuals can’t live in a bubble. People with health conditions or disabilities, for example, often depend on others for assistance. Many people with heart disease or diabetes have to venture out into the world to work.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We want the state to recognize those who, even after they have been vaccinated, are at high risk,” Imparato said. “We recognize that the state is trying to balance competing demands, including keeping business afloat and helping people resume their lives, but we don’t want it to happen prematurely.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The state is also expected to soon set \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/education/k-12-education/2022/02/parents-lose-patience-over-school-mask-mandate/\">a date for when masks will be able to come off inside schools\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/education/k-12-education/2022/02/parents-lose-patience-over-school-mask-mandate/\">imminent end of indoor masking at schools\u003c/a> concerns Garza-Silva, who teaches middle school film appreciation for the Los Angeles Unified School District. In a sign of loosening protections, the district announced Friday that it is lifting its outdoor mask mandate.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Her students, she said, are very understanding of her immunocompromised condition and are good about wearing masks in the classroom. She keeps windows and doors open for better airflow, but doesn’t know what will happen when masks are no longer required in schools.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Our principal has been very supportive, and maybe it will be OK for students to wear masks at least for my class, I really don’t know,” she said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Earlier this month, \u003ca href=\"https://www.sacbee.com/opinion/article258521623.html\">a Placer County high school teacher,\u003c/a> who was fully vaccinated but had suppressed immunity from prescriptions treating his autoimmune disorder, died from COVID after returning to the classroom.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2 id=\"h-looking-to-the-future\">Looking to the future\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>One hopeful sign is that therapeutics, like remdesivir, are now much more widely available than they were before — although during the omicron surge, supply still struggled to keep up with demand, said Dr. Shira Abeles, an infectious disease specialist at UC San Diego Health.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Also, another recently approved drug \u003ca href=\"https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/health/story/2022-02-08/new-option-arrives-to-protect-most-vulnerable-from-covid-19\">known as Evusheld\u003c/a>, can be used as a preventive measure, before infection, for those at highest risk, although supplies are still quite limited.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Liber, who lives in San Diego, said one of her friends who also is high risk was treated with monoclonal antibodies when they caught COVID, “but there’s no guarantee it’ll be available if I need it.”\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "aside",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"postid": "news_11900454",
"hero": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2021/12/RS47894_015_SanFrancisco_ChinaExpress_03192021-qut-1020x680.jpg",
"label": ""
},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>Her Type 1 diabetes is well-managed, but she knows that in combination with her age, 68, “back to normal” for her may still be a long way off. But, “I’m not 15 anymore, I don’t have my whole life ahead of me,” she said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>People older than 65 account for \u003ca href=\"https://covid19.ca.gov/vaccination-progress-data/\">71% of COVID-19 deaths\u003c/a> in California. About 84% of older Californians are vaccinated with two doses, and 72% are boosted.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>At the beginning of the pandemic, Liber and her husband were on total lockdown, rarely leaving their house. “We got really good at Amazon and Instacart,” she said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Vaccines and stricter mask guidelines gave her some confidence to resume some of her favorite activities.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>When case counts dropped and things started to look a little better, she journeyed to restaurants to eat outdoors on patios. It’s happened so infrequently in the last two years that she knows exactly how many times she’s dined out — five.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But every surge sends her back inside, and she fears pandemic-weary people will forget about people like her and stop taking precautions.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "ad",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"label": "floatright"
},
"numeric": [
"floatright"
]
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I still want to do things,” she said. “I don’t want to give up on life.”\u003c/p>\n\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
}
],
"link": "/news/11906215/i-dont-want-to-give-up-on-life-for-millions-of-high-risk-californians-lifting-covid-restrictions-sparks-major-safety-fears",
"authors": [
"byline_news_11906215"
],
"categories": [
"news_457",
"news_8"
],
"tags": [
"news_27350",
"news_27504",
"news_18543",
"news_29575"
],
"featImg": "news_11906226",
"label": "source_news_11906215"
},
"news_11905244": {
"type": "posts",
"id": "news_11905244",
"meta": {
"index": "posts_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "11905244",
"score": null,
"sort": [
1645040158000
]
},
"guestAuthors": [],
"slug": "reports-show-covid-boosters-are-lagging-in-ice-detention-advocates-call-for-state-to-intervene",
"title": "Reports Show COVID Boosters Are Lagging in ICE Detention, Advocates Call for State to Intervene",
"publishDate": 1645040158,
"format": "standard",
"headTitle": "Reports Show COVID Boosters Are Lagging in ICE Detention, Advocates Call for State to Intervene | KQED",
"labelTerm": {
"site": "news"
},
"content": "\u003cp>Immigrant advocates say the rollout of COVID-19 boosters at federal immigration detention centers in California has been sluggish and uneven, and they’re asking the state to intervene to protect detainees’ health.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Confirmed coronavirus \u003ca href=\"https://www.ice.gov/coronavirus\">cases among people locked up\u003c/a> by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement skyrocketed from about 300 to more than 3,100 last month, as omicron infections peaked nationwide.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>That figure dropped to 1,660 this week. But many detainees still need boosters as outbreaks continue at some ICE facilities in the state, said Edwin Carmona-Cruz, with the California Collaborative for Immigrant Justice.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“There are massive efforts across the state and across the nation to be vaccinated, to be boosted, right? And so when you look at this population that’s in immigration detention, they’re forgotten,” said Carmona-Cruz, who directs community engagement at his organization.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>For months now, booster vaccinations have been one of the federal government’s top priorities in fighting COVID. Since November, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has \u003ca href=\"https://www.cdc.gov/media/releases/2021/s1119-booster-shots.html\">recommended booster shots for all adults\u003c/a>, and in mid-December, it \u003ca href=\"https://www.cdc.gov/media/releases/2021/s1216-covid-19-vaccines.html\">endorsed Pfizer and Moderna shots\u003c/a>, because they have been shown to be more effective than Johnson & Johnson against COVID-19.[pullquote size=\"medium\" align=\"right\" citation=\"Edwin Carmona-Cruz, community engagement director, California Collaborative for Immigrant Justice\"]‘We are requesting the state to intervene, to protect the health and safety of immigrants when there’s federal inaction with regards to booster and vaccine access.’[/pullquote]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But as of early January, only about \u003ca href=\"https://www.cbsnews.com/news/immigration-detention-covid-cases-surge/\">3% of people held in ICE custody had received any booster shot\u003c/a>, according to news reports citing agency figures.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Medical experts with the Department of Homeland Security, which oversees ICE, \u003ca href=\"https://whistleblower.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/012622-LETTER-TO-MAYORKAS-FROM-DRS-RE-COVID-IN-IMM-DETENTION.pdf\">warned DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas in a letter\u003c/a> dated Jan. 26 of the often “slow and inconsistent” response at immigration detention centers to limit the spread of COVID.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In spite of CDC guidance calling for so-called mRNA boosters such as Pfizer or Moderna, “DHS does not appear to have adopted this approach even in the face of the high, well documented risks associated with detention settings,” wrote Dr. Scott Allen and Dr. Josiah Rich, who conducted numerous investigations of detention facilities on behalf of DHS’s Office for Civil Rights and Civil Liberties.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The threat of Omicron in a congregate setting with populations who are either unvaccinated or only vaccinated with a single dose of J&J vaccine poses an immediate threat to the lives of immigrants, staff and communities surrounding the detention centers with staff and detainees entering and exiting facilities and must be addressed with booster vaccinations,” said Allen and Rich.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In fact, ICE’s current \u003ca href=\"https://www.ice.gov/doclib/coronavirus/eroCOVID19responseReqsCleanFacilities.pdf\">pandemic response\u003c/a> requirements, last updated in October 2021, do not mention boosters or any requirements to provide them to eligible people held at the more than 130 detention facilities nationwide — many of which are operated by private companies.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Critics say the lack of a nationwide policy has led to uneven access to boosters at detention centers, and a failure by ICE to properly care for people in its custody.[aside postID=\"news_11900535,news_11883227,news_11903829\" label=\"Related Posts\"]In California, immigrant detainees have reported weeks-long delays in getting a booster shot, a lack of information about the three kinds of vaccines, or pressure to accept the J&J booster, according to a \u003ca href=\"https://ccijustice.org/2022-covid-outbreak-in-immigrant-detention-facilities/\">letter that the California Collaborative for Immigrant Justice and dozens of other organizations sent\u003c/a> to Gov. Gavin Newsom and California Department of Public Health Director Dr. Tomás Aragón.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In response to the letter, officials with the CDPH sat down with a group of the advocates, said Carmona-Cruz, who attended the meeting. He said the group petitioned CDPH to mandate access to Pfizer and Moderna boosters at the seven ICE detention centers in the state.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We are requesting the state to intervene, to protect the health and safety of immigrants when there’s federal inaction with regards to booster and vaccine access,” said Carmona-Cruz.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>CDPH is reviewing the advocates’ letter, but has “no further comment at this time,” said a spokesperson with the agency.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Meanwhile, advocates are most worried about the estimated 4,500 people in ICE detention across the country who they say are at higher risk of severe illness from COVID-19 because of underlying medical conditions.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>One of them is Enrique Cristobal Meneses, who was confirmed positive for COVID-19 on Jan. 26 while held at Golden State Annex, a privately run ICE detention center north of Bakersfield. The previous week, the facility had reported no detainees with COVID-19, but \u003ca href=\"https://www.ice.gov/coronavirus\">it now has 46\u003c/a>, according to ICE’s figures.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“My lungs hurt. I’ve been coughing since the 21st” of January, said Cristobal, 38, who suffers from severe asthma and spoke with KQED by phone from the detention center last week.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Cristobal contracted the virus a few days after he said guards placed a new detainee in his dorm, a man with fever, muscle aches and other coronavirus symptoms. The placement was an apparent violation of ICE’s pandemic protocols, which require detention facilities to test all new arrivals for COVID-19 and house them separately for 14 days while monitoring for any symptoms.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I feel like their negligence put our health and our lives at risk,” said Cristobal. “I was frustrated … there were a lot of detainees displaying symptoms, and it could have been prevented with Golden State staff following protocol.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Cristobal did not get a booster, he said, because the detention center only offered Johnson & Johnson doses, and he had had a bad reaction after his initial J&J vaccine. He had been requesting a Moderna or Pfizer booster since November, he said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Their response is you can get the Johnson & Johnson. If you don’t want it, you wait till you get out,” said Cristobal, who was transferred to ICE custody on November 2020, after serving 17 years in state prison for a conviction of attempted murder.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Gov. Newsom had commuted his prison sentence and determined he was ready for release on parole, citing his rehabilitation and “exemplary disciplinary record.” But Cristobal, an immigrant from Mexico, had entered the U.S. without authorization when he was a teen. ICE considered him a public safety threat and arrested him as soon as he was released from state prison.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11905256\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1920px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-11905256 size-full\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2022/02/RS53729_GradPhoto-qut.jpg\" alt=\"A man stands wearing a black graduation cap and gown behind a sign that's reads "Congrats Grad."\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1316\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/02/RS53729_GradPhoto-qut.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/02/RS53729_GradPhoto-qut-800x548.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/02/RS53729_GradPhoto-qut-1020x699.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/02/RS53729_GradPhoto-qut-160x110.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/02/RS53729_GradPhoto-qut-1536x1053.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Enrique Cristobal Meneses celebrates earning his General Education Development degree on June 12, 2014, at the Correctional Training Facility in Soledad. \u003ccite>(Courtesy of Pangea Legal Services)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>A spokesperson for the GEO Group, the company that operates Golden State Annex, declined to comment on Cristobal’s COVID story. He said boosters are available to detainees, but wouldn’t say which kind.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We continue to work closely with our government agency partners and state and local health departments to make vaccinations, including booster shots, available to all eligible individuals housed at ICE Processing Centers,” said the GEO spokesperson in a statement.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Last March, California became \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11864820/ice-detainees-in-california-now-eligible-for-covid-19-vaccine\">one of the first states\u003c/a> to offer COVID-19 vaccines to people held at federal immigrant detention facilities, after ICE maintained for months that the state was responsible for allocating doses within its borders.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>County public health departments initially distributed vaccine shipments to detention centers. But now, facilities may order doses — including Moderna — directly through the state’s MyCAvax, a system for requesting and tracking COVID-19 vaccines. The shots can be administered by either medical personnel in the ICE detention centers or county health department staff.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>ICE’s Health Service Corps has also provided the single-dose J&J vaccines to detention centers. The Imperial Regional Detention Facility in Calexico, where 20 detainees currently are under isolation or monitoring for COVID-19, has received vaccines and boosters from ICE since July 2021, said Issa Arnita, a spokesperson with the prison company that runs that facility.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“At this time, J&J is the only booster vaccine provided by the ICE Health Service Corps,” said Arnita, with Management & Training Corporation, in an email. “Boosters are available to all residents.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>However, medical experts have established that only offering the J&J vaccine as a booster shot falls below the standard of care expected for anyone in the country, said Eunice Cho, an attorney with the ACLU \u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">National Prison Project\u003c/span>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Cho filed a \u003ca href=\"https://www.aclu.org/legal-document/aclu-complaint-behalf-medically-vulnerable-people-denied-covid-19-booster-shots\">lawsuit last month on behalf of four medically vulnerable ICE\u003c/a> detainees with conditions such as asthma and diabetes who couldn’t get boosters at all, including at Golden State Annex, where Cristobal is held. A fifth plaintiff, who was advised to not take a J&J booster because he had an adverse reaction to that vaccine, was told Moderna and Pfizer doses were unavailable, according to the complaint.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It is really inconceivable at this point that ICE has not gotten its act together to provide COVID-19 boosters to people in detention. This really just goes beyond the pale,” said Cho.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The lawsuit calls for ICE to provide boosters to the five plaintiffs, but Cho said she hopes the agency will also feel pressured to adopt a nationwide policy to offer the more effective boosters to all eligible detainees.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>ICE has been working to secure access to Pfizer or Moderna doses for all detention facilities, said an agency spokesperson, who declined to answer questions about how many detainees have gotten boosters, citing pending litigation.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“ICE is committed to applying CDC guidance through its Pandemic Response Requirements and regularly communicates with senior medical leadership across the federal government on its detention health standards,” said the ICE spokesperson in a statement.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Vaccine education materials have been developed and are available in multiple languages to ensure that those in our care and custody can make an informed choice during this global pandemic,” they added.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Enrique Cristobal Meneses, at Golden State Annex, feared long-term damage to his lungs as he said his condition continued to deteriorate. An X-ray last week showed lung inflammation, and medical staff prescribed him antibiotics and more frequent use of an inhaler, said his attorney Jessica Yamane, with Pangea Legal Services.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But on Friday, an immigration judge granted Cristobal the right to stay in the U.S, Yamane said, adding that his release will give him a chance to fully recover from the impact of COVID.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Cristobal, who earned his GED and became a certified drug and alcohol counselor during his time in prison, already has job offers as a restorative justice counselor.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>While in ICE detention, Cristobal said he encouraged other detainees to learn about immigration law and the ICE guidelines the facility must follow.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Silence is not an option,” said Cristobal. “If you know your rights, you can advocate for yourself.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n",
"blocks": [],
"excerpt": "The rollout of COVID-19 boosters at federal immigration detention centers in California has been sluggish and uneven, say advocates. Now they are asking the state to intervene to protect detainees' health.",
"status": "publish",
"parent": 0,
"modified": 1726005782,
"stats": {
"hasAudio": false,
"hasVideo": false,
"hasChartOrMap": false,
"iframeSrcs": [],
"hasGoogleForm": false,
"hasGallery": false,
"hasHearkenModule": false,
"hasPolis": false,
"paragraphCount": 42,
"wordCount": 1849
},
"headData": {
"title": "Reports Show COVID Boosters Are Lagging in ICE Detention, Advocates Call for State to Intervene | KQED",
"description": "The rollout of COVID-19 boosters at federal immigration detention centers in California has been sluggish and uneven, say advocates. Now they are asking the state to intervene to protect detainees' health.",
"ogTitle": "",
"ogDescription": "",
"ogImgId": "",
"twTitle": "",
"twDescription": "",
"twImgId": "",
"schema": {
"@context": "https://schema.org",
"@type": "NewsArticle",
"headline": "Reports Show COVID Boosters Are Lagging in ICE Detention, Advocates Call for State to Intervene",
"datePublished": "2022-02-16T11:35:58-08:00",
"dateModified": "2024-09-10T15:03:02-07:00",
"image": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/KQED-OG-Image@1x.png",
"isAccessibleForFree": "True",
"publisher": {
"@type": "NewsMediaOrganization",
"@id": "https://www.kqed.org/#organization",
"name": "KQED",
"logo": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/KQED-OG-Image@1x.png",
"url": "https://www.kqed.org",
"sameAs": [
"https://www.facebook.com/KQED",
"https://twitter.com/KQED",
"https://www.instagram.com/kqed/",
"https://www.tiktok.com/@kqedofficial",
"https://www.linkedin.com/company/kqed",
"https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCeC0IOo7i1P_61zVUWbJ4nw"
]
}
}
},
"audioUrl": "https://traffic.omny.fm/d/clips/0af137ef-751e-4b19-a055-aaef00d2d578/ffca7e9f-6831-4[…]f-aaef00f5a073/c60b7be6-2874-4918-96ad-ae3c010d0f81/audio.mp3",
"sticky": false,
"excludeFromSiteSearch": "Include",
"path": "/news/11905244/reports-show-covid-boosters-are-lagging-in-ice-detention-advocates-call-for-state-to-intervene",
"audioTrackLength": null,
"parsedContent": [
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>Immigrant advocates say the rollout of COVID-19 boosters at federal immigration detention centers in California has been sluggish and uneven, and they’re asking the state to intervene to protect detainees’ health.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Confirmed coronavirus \u003ca href=\"https://www.ice.gov/coronavirus\">cases among people locked up\u003c/a> by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement skyrocketed from about 300 to more than 3,100 last month, as omicron infections peaked nationwide.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>That figure dropped to 1,660 this week. But many detainees still need boosters as outbreaks continue at some ICE facilities in the state, said Edwin Carmona-Cruz, with the California Collaborative for Immigrant Justice.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“There are massive efforts across the state and across the nation to be vaccinated, to be boosted, right? And so when you look at this population that’s in immigration detention, they’re forgotten,” said Carmona-Cruz, who directs community engagement at his organization.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>For months now, booster vaccinations have been one of the federal government’s top priorities in fighting COVID. Since November, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has \u003ca href=\"https://www.cdc.gov/media/releases/2021/s1119-booster-shots.html\">recommended booster shots for all adults\u003c/a>, and in mid-December, it \u003ca href=\"https://www.cdc.gov/media/releases/2021/s1216-covid-19-vaccines.html\">endorsed Pfizer and Moderna shots\u003c/a>, because they have been shown to be more effective than Johnson & Johnson against COVID-19.\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "‘We are requesting the state to intervene, to protect the health and safety of immigrants when there’s federal inaction with regards to booster and vaccine access.’",
"name": "pullquote",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"size": "medium",
"align": "right",
"citation": "Edwin Carmona-Cruz, community engagement director, California Collaborative for Immigrant Justice",
"label": ""
},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But as of early January, only about \u003ca href=\"https://www.cbsnews.com/news/immigration-detention-covid-cases-surge/\">3% of people held in ICE custody had received any booster shot\u003c/a>, according to news reports citing agency figures.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Medical experts with the Department of Homeland Security, which oversees ICE, \u003ca href=\"https://whistleblower.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/012622-LETTER-TO-MAYORKAS-FROM-DRS-RE-COVID-IN-IMM-DETENTION.pdf\">warned DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas in a letter\u003c/a> dated Jan. 26 of the often “slow and inconsistent” response at immigration detention centers to limit the spread of COVID.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In spite of CDC guidance calling for so-called mRNA boosters such as Pfizer or Moderna, “DHS does not appear to have adopted this approach even in the face of the high, well documented risks associated with detention settings,” wrote Dr. Scott Allen and Dr. Josiah Rich, who conducted numerous investigations of detention facilities on behalf of DHS’s Office for Civil Rights and Civil Liberties.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The threat of Omicron in a congregate setting with populations who are either unvaccinated or only vaccinated with a single dose of J&J vaccine poses an immediate threat to the lives of immigrants, staff and communities surrounding the detention centers with staff and detainees entering and exiting facilities and must be addressed with booster vaccinations,” said Allen and Rich.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In fact, ICE’s current \u003ca href=\"https://www.ice.gov/doclib/coronavirus/eroCOVID19responseReqsCleanFacilities.pdf\">pandemic response\u003c/a> requirements, last updated in October 2021, do not mention boosters or any requirements to provide them to eligible people held at the more than 130 detention facilities nationwide — many of which are operated by private companies.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Critics say the lack of a nationwide policy has led to uneven access to boosters at detention centers, and a failure by ICE to properly care for people in its custody.\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "aside",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"postid": "news_11900535,news_11883227,news_11903829",
"label": "Related Posts "
},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>In California, immigrant detainees have reported weeks-long delays in getting a booster shot, a lack of information about the three kinds of vaccines, or pressure to accept the J&J booster, according to a \u003ca href=\"https://ccijustice.org/2022-covid-outbreak-in-immigrant-detention-facilities/\">letter that the California Collaborative for Immigrant Justice and dozens of other organizations sent\u003c/a> to Gov. Gavin Newsom and California Department of Public Health Director Dr. Tomás Aragón.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In response to the letter, officials with the CDPH sat down with a group of the advocates, said Carmona-Cruz, who attended the meeting. He said the group petitioned CDPH to mandate access to Pfizer and Moderna boosters at the seven ICE detention centers in the state.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We are requesting the state to intervene, to protect the health and safety of immigrants when there’s federal inaction with regards to booster and vaccine access,” said Carmona-Cruz.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>CDPH is reviewing the advocates’ letter, but has “no further comment at this time,” said a spokesperson with the agency.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Meanwhile, advocates are most worried about the estimated 4,500 people in ICE detention across the country who they say are at higher risk of severe illness from COVID-19 because of underlying medical conditions.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>One of them is Enrique Cristobal Meneses, who was confirmed positive for COVID-19 on Jan. 26 while held at Golden State Annex, a privately run ICE detention center north of Bakersfield. The previous week, the facility had reported no detainees with COVID-19, but \u003ca href=\"https://www.ice.gov/coronavirus\">it now has 46\u003c/a>, according to ICE’s figures.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“My lungs hurt. I’ve been coughing since the 21st” of January, said Cristobal, 38, who suffers from severe asthma and spoke with KQED by phone from the detention center last week.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Cristobal contracted the virus a few days after he said guards placed a new detainee in his dorm, a man with fever, muscle aches and other coronavirus symptoms. The placement was an apparent violation of ICE’s pandemic protocols, which require detention facilities to test all new arrivals for COVID-19 and house them separately for 14 days while monitoring for any symptoms.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I feel like their negligence put our health and our lives at risk,” said Cristobal. “I was frustrated … there were a lot of detainees displaying symptoms, and it could have been prevented with Golden State staff following protocol.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Cristobal did not get a booster, he said, because the detention center only offered Johnson & Johnson doses, and he had had a bad reaction after his initial J&J vaccine. He had been requesting a Moderna or Pfizer booster since November, he said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Their response is you can get the Johnson & Johnson. If you don’t want it, you wait till you get out,” said Cristobal, who was transferred to ICE custody on November 2020, after serving 17 years in state prison for a conviction of attempted murder.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Gov. Newsom had commuted his prison sentence and determined he was ready for release on parole, citing his rehabilitation and “exemplary disciplinary record.” But Cristobal, an immigrant from Mexico, had entered the U.S. without authorization when he was a teen. ICE considered him a public safety threat and arrested him as soon as he was released from state prison.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11905256\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1920px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-11905256 size-full\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2022/02/RS53729_GradPhoto-qut.jpg\" alt=\"A man stands wearing a black graduation cap and gown behind a sign that's reads "Congrats Grad."\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1316\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/02/RS53729_GradPhoto-qut.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/02/RS53729_GradPhoto-qut-800x548.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/02/RS53729_GradPhoto-qut-1020x699.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/02/RS53729_GradPhoto-qut-160x110.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/02/RS53729_GradPhoto-qut-1536x1053.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Enrique Cristobal Meneses celebrates earning his General Education Development degree on June 12, 2014, at the Correctional Training Facility in Soledad. \u003ccite>(Courtesy of Pangea Legal Services)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>A spokesperson for the GEO Group, the company that operates Golden State Annex, declined to comment on Cristobal’s COVID story. He said boosters are available to detainees, but wouldn’t say which kind.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We continue to work closely with our government agency partners and state and local health departments to make vaccinations, including booster shots, available to all eligible individuals housed at ICE Processing Centers,” said the GEO spokesperson in a statement.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Last March, California became \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11864820/ice-detainees-in-california-now-eligible-for-covid-19-vaccine\">one of the first states\u003c/a> to offer COVID-19 vaccines to people held at federal immigrant detention facilities, after ICE maintained for months that the state was responsible for allocating doses within its borders.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>County public health departments initially distributed vaccine shipments to detention centers. But now, facilities may order doses — including Moderna — directly through the state’s MyCAvax, a system for requesting and tracking COVID-19 vaccines. The shots can be administered by either medical personnel in the ICE detention centers or county health department staff.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>ICE’s Health Service Corps has also provided the single-dose J&J vaccines to detention centers. The Imperial Regional Detention Facility in Calexico, where 20 detainees currently are under isolation or monitoring for COVID-19, has received vaccines and boosters from ICE since July 2021, said Issa Arnita, a spokesperson with the prison company that runs that facility.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“At this time, J&J is the only booster vaccine provided by the ICE Health Service Corps,” said Arnita, with Management & Training Corporation, in an email. “Boosters are available to all residents.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>However, medical experts have established that only offering the J&J vaccine as a booster shot falls below the standard of care expected for anyone in the country, said Eunice Cho, an attorney with the ACLU \u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">National Prison Project\u003c/span>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Cho filed a \u003ca href=\"https://www.aclu.org/legal-document/aclu-complaint-behalf-medically-vulnerable-people-denied-covid-19-booster-shots\">lawsuit last month on behalf of four medically vulnerable ICE\u003c/a> detainees with conditions such as asthma and diabetes who couldn’t get boosters at all, including at Golden State Annex, where Cristobal is held. A fifth plaintiff, who was advised to not take a J&J booster because he had an adverse reaction to that vaccine, was told Moderna and Pfizer doses were unavailable, according to the complaint.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It is really inconceivable at this point that ICE has not gotten its act together to provide COVID-19 boosters to people in detention. This really just goes beyond the pale,” said Cho.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The lawsuit calls for ICE to provide boosters to the five plaintiffs, but Cho said she hopes the agency will also feel pressured to adopt a nationwide policy to offer the more effective boosters to all eligible detainees.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>ICE has been working to secure access to Pfizer or Moderna doses for all detention facilities, said an agency spokesperson, who declined to answer questions about how many detainees have gotten boosters, citing pending litigation.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“ICE is committed to applying CDC guidance through its Pandemic Response Requirements and regularly communicates with senior medical leadership across the federal government on its detention health standards,” said the ICE spokesperson in a statement.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Vaccine education materials have been developed and are available in multiple languages to ensure that those in our care and custody can make an informed choice during this global pandemic,” they added.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Enrique Cristobal Meneses, at Golden State Annex, feared long-term damage to his lungs as he said his condition continued to deteriorate. An X-ray last week showed lung inflammation, and medical staff prescribed him antibiotics and more frequent use of an inhaler, said his attorney Jessica Yamane, with Pangea Legal Services.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But on Friday, an immigration judge granted Cristobal the right to stay in the U.S, Yamane said, adding that his release will give him a chance to fully recover from the impact of COVID.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Cristobal, who earned his GED and became a certified drug and alcohol counselor during his time in prison, already has job offers as a restorative justice counselor.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>While in ICE detention, Cristobal said he encouraged other detainees to learn about immigration law and the ICE guidelines the facility must follow.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Silence is not an option,” said Cristobal. “If you know your rights, you can advocate for yourself.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "ad",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"label": "fullwidth"
},
"numeric": [
"fullwidth"
]
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "ad",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"label": "floatright"
},
"numeric": [
"floatright"
]
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
}
],
"link": "/news/11905244/reports-show-covid-boosters-are-lagging-in-ice-detention-advocates-call-for-state-to-intervene",
"authors": [
"8659"
],
"categories": [
"news_457",
"news_1169",
"news_8"
],
"tags": [
"news_27989",
"news_18543",
"news_20584"
],
"featImg": "news_11905253",
"label": "news"
},
"news_11905181": {
"type": "posts",
"id": "news_11905181",
"meta": {
"index": "posts_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "11905181",
"score": null,
"sort": [
1644955258000
]
},
"guestAuthors": [],
"slug": "california-reformed-medi-cal-to-include-whole-person-care-is-it-working",
"title": "California Reformed Medi-Cal to Include 'Whole Person Care' — Is It Working?",
"publishDate": 1644955258,
"format": "standard",
"headTitle": "California Reformed Medi-Cal to Include ‘Whole Person Care’ — Is It Working? | KQED",
"labelTerm": {
"term": 18481,
"site": "news"
},
"content": "\u003cp>At 66, Edward El has a new lease on life — literally. In two weeks, he’ll move into his own apartment in Berkeley after spending the better part of the past 16 years unhoused.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Years ago, a back injury and pinched nerves in his legs made standing and walking painful, and he was laid off from his construction job. He ended up in “shelter after shelter after shelter.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But nine months ago, El moved into one of 12 Project Roomkey shelters in Alameda County designed to reduce COVID-19 among the unhoused population. He was connected with a housing navigator, a counselor and medical staff. They helped El apply for affordable housing and rental assistance vouchers, and coordinated with landlords who would give unhoused renters a chance.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11905186\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 1536px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-11905186\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2022/02/020922-CALAIM-MHN-14-CM.jpg\" alt=\"A man, wearing a hoodie, beanie and a face mask, sits on a chair in an indoor space. He looks to the side, a bit away from the camera.\" width=\"1536\" height=\"1025\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/02/020922-CALAIM-MHN-14-CM.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/02/020922-CALAIM-MHN-14-CM-800x534.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/02/020922-CALAIM-MHN-14-CM-1020x681.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/02/020922-CALAIM-MHN-14-CM-160x107.jpg 160w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1536px) 100vw, 1536px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">As Edward El prepares to move to a permanent home, he has enrolled in Medi-Cal. He said he couldn’t have navigated the array of complex systems if it weren’t for his new case management team. ‘I’m happy. They knew about programs that I didn’t know about that allowed me to get a place,’ he said. \u003ccite>(Martin do Nascimento/CalMatters)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Now El will pay a fraction of the cost to live in an area where one-bedroom apartments often exceed $3,000 per month.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The team also made sure that El was enrolled in Medi-Cal and had transportation to his doctor’s appointments. He said he couldn’t have navigated the array of complex systems if it weren’t for his new case management team. “I’m happy. They knew about programs that I didn’t know about that allowed me to get a place,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Intensive case management like this is an example of the ambitious, sweeping changes California made to Medi-Cal beginning in January under an initiative it’s calling CalAIM, or California Advancing and Innovating Medi-Cal.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Medi-Cal \u003ca href=\"https://www.chcf.org/publication/2021-edition-medi-cal-facts-figures/\">offers medical insurance to lower-income Californians\u003c/a>, serving as a lifeline for nearly half the state’s children, 1 in 5 adults and 2 million seniors and people with disabilities. But the program is inefficient: More than half of Medi-Cal’s \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/health/coronavirus/2021/07/medi-cal-covid-vaccinations/\">roughly $133 billion annual budget is spent on just 5% of the program’s highest-needs individuals\u003c/a> — people with multiple complex health problems compounded by homelessness, poverty, substance abuse, mental illness or incarceration, \u003ca href=\"https://www.dhcs.ca.gov/CalAIM/Documents/CalAIM-ECM-a11y.pdf\">according the Department of Health Care Services\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[pullquote align=\"right\" size=\"medium\" citation=\"Edward El, CalAIM beneficiary\"]‘I’m happy. They knew about programs that I didn’t know about that allowed me to get a place.’[/pullquote]Over the next five years, CalAIM will seek to address the upstream drivers of deteriorating health — things like food insecurity and housing instability — in an effort to reduce costly emergency department visits, hospitalizations and nursing home stays. The program redesign is based on “whole person care” principles, which help people avoid situations that worsen their physical and mental health.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“This was designed at the county level to identify very high-risk populations — oftentimes people who were coming to the emergency room five to 10 times a month.” said Erica Murray, president and CEO of the California Association of Public Hospitals and Health Systems.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In his January budget, \u003ca href=\"https://www.ebudget.ca.gov/2022-23/pdf/GovernorsBudget/4000.pdf\">Gov. Gavin Newsom proposed $8 billion over five years to implement the program\u003c/a>, about 6% of Medi-Cal’s total budget. Included are temporary payments to managed care plans to offer enhanced case management and other services.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>These so-called social determinants of health have not been historically covered by health insurance like Medi-Cal. Yet they have an outsized impact on people who often struggle with economic instability, poor nutrition, discrimination, violence and disproportionate exposure to polluted air and water.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“One of my patients calls it social deterrents to health,” said Alameda County Medical Director Dr. Kathleen Clanon.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>No other state has mounted such a comprehensive program that wraps in so many elements. The scale is unprecedented, too: Medi-Cal provides health insurance for more than 13 million people.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[aside postID=\"news_11887815\" hero=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2021/09/GettyImages-1233456190-1020x680.jpg\"]“This is a big deal. Not only is California taking the lead but also setting a precedent for potentially other states to follow it,” said Anthony Wright, executive director of Health Access California, a consumer advocate group.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Pilot programs in 25 counties helped get CalAIM off the ground. Roughly \u003ca href=\"https://healthpolicy.ucla.edu/publications/Documents/PDF/2020/wholepersoncare-report-jan2020.pdf\">108,000 Medi-Cal patients were enrolled in county pilots\u003c/a> and \u003ca href=\"https://healthpolicy.ucla.edu/publications/Documents/PDF/2020/First-Interim-Evaluation-CA-HHP-Report-sep2020.pdf\">15,000 in managed care pilots during a two-year period\u003c/a>, according to an early analysis by UCLA researchers. As a result of the success, federal officials granted a waiver allowing CalAIM to move forward for the next five years.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In Placer County, David Norris, 67, was one of the patients who benefited from the experimental programs.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Norris ended up in a homeless shelter after his mother, for whom he was a long-term caregiver, died. He earns $900 a month in Social Security and retirement, but it’s not enough for rent and living expenses. In April, an infected foot wound spread to the bone and cost Norris his left leg. Another infection resulted in more trips to the ER and subsequent surgeries. Several months later, a fight at the shelter ended in a shove, a fall and a broken right leg.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>His caseworker, Todd Perbetsky, helped him enroll in Medi-Cal, find a nursing home where he could recuperate and apply for a housing voucher. He’s now helping Norris find permanent housing after leaving the nursing home.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“These are definitely people that are falling through the cracks,” Perbetsky said. “They may not meet the criteria of some programs. They may need linkage to services. They can have tons of barriers to even getting their CalFresh turned on or other benefits they qualify for.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Norris called Perbetsky a “hell of a godsend. If you don’t know the ins and outs, you just get spit out. You get absolutely no help at all. That’s where Todd … helps me and people like me navigate the waters and get all squared away.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>\u003cstrong>Creating a one-stop shop\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Wraparound services aren’t new, but they haven’t always been easy to access, nor have they been directly connected to medical care. Walk through the wrong door and you might not get any help at all.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>An unhoused patient who suffers from addiction and mental health issues and has diabetes would have to approach three different county departments and a doctor to get all their needs addressed, and even then they’re likely to get lost in the system.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It’s a little bit like if you needed to get ingredients for a meal and instead of just going to the supermarket, you had to go to different stores to get your proteins and your fruits and your grains and your vegetables. And at those stores, you had to pay with different cards and navigate different rules about what you could buy,” said Melora Simon, a senior strategist at the California Health Care Foundation.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[aside postID=\"news_11894981\" hero=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2021/11/NPR-fentanyl-1-1020x766.jpg\"]This fragmentation frequently causes barriers to health care and is one of the primary reasons the Department of Health Care Services is focused on reforming Medi-Cal under CalAIM.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>One such barrier is making sure patients don’t get lost between systems that don’t traditionally talk to one another.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Clanon, who also works as a physician in Alameda County, said a few years ago a pregnant, HIV-positive patient needed to begin HIV treatment but had left the usual encampment she stayed in and couldn’t be found. A nurse spent more than an hour calling local emergency departments, homeless shelters and case managers to see whether anyone had seen the patient, with no luck.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Had the system been integrated, Clanon’s patient would have been flagged as needing critical medical care any time she entered a homeless shelter, emergency department, substance abuse center or mental health facility.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“CalAIM is trying to fix the problem of disparate systems of care both among and between different counties and among and between different parts of the health care system,” said Diana Douglas, a health policy expert with Health Access California.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>\u003cstrong>Accountability and missing pieces\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Since 2016, California has dedicated more than $3 billion in state and federal funds to experiment with doing just that.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Four years after launch, the pilots demonstrated “substantial evidence” of improved follow-up after hospitalization for mental illness, increased participation in substance abuse treatment and decreased use of emergency services, among other metrics, \u003ca href=\"https://healthpolicy.ucla.edu/publications/Documents/PDF/2020/First-Interim-Evaluation-CA-HHP-Report-sep2020.pdf\">according to the UCLA analysis\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In Contra Costa County, more than 12,000 patients were enrolled in the pilot annually, and the county health department hired more than 100 public health nurses, mental health specialists, community health workers, homeless service specialists, substance abuse specialists and social workers to provide coordinated case management.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Most of them were types of positions that existed in the county before, but they were very siloed,” said Emily Parmenter, the pilot’s program manager at Contra Costa County Health Services. “So we brought them all together in these multidisciplinary teams where they had a wealth of experience … and were able to provide case consultations across divisions.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Medi-Cal patients who enrolled in the Contra Costa pilot experienced medical emergencies less frequently than nonenrolled patients.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We found that after being involved in the program for a year, our hospital admission rates decreased by 25% … and our [emergency department] rates were 14% lower compared to the control group,” Parmenter said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[pullquote align=\"right\" size=\"medium\" citation=\"Emily Parmenter, Contra Costa Health Services\"]‘We found that after being involved in the program for a year, our hospital admission rates decreased by 25%.’[/pullquote]UCLA researcher Nadereh Pourat, who conducted the pilot evaluation, said her team has just begun to analyze the impact on specific health conditions, such as blood pressure and congestive heart failure, as well as cost-effectiveness.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Despite their promise — or perhaps because of it — advocates say the transition from pilot programs to CalAIM will need to be watched carefully.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Responsibility has now shifted from county health departments to health care plans, which don’t always meet quality benchmarks. And health care plans in the 33 counties that did not have pilots are starting from scratch.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“There are serious concerns about Medi-Cal [health care] plans on the ground being able to implement some of the work necessary for CalAIM to really be effective and live up to its potential,” health policy expert Douglas said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“In some cases, plans struggle to deliver quality care across what we think of as very basic measures: childhood immunizations, are people getting mammograms on time, just very basic preventive care and chronic disease management,” she said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11905185\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 1024px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-11905185\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2022/02/020922-CALAIM-MHN-10-CM_11.jpg\" alt=\"Two people sit at a table, handling paperwork. One person has their backed to the camera, the other one sits across from them.\" width=\"1024\" height=\"682\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/02/020922-CALAIM-MHN-10-CM_11.jpg 1024w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/02/020922-CALAIM-MHN-10-CM_11-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/02/020922-CALAIM-MHN-10-CM_11-1020x679.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/02/020922-CALAIM-MHN-10-CM_11-160x107.jpg 160w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Alameda County intake specialist Annie Wyley meets with a Medi-Cal patient in the repurposed dining room at the Radisson Hotel in Oakland. \u003ccite>(Martin do Nascimento/CalMatters)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Accountability is especially important for improving equity among communities of color, advocates say.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Communities of color are disproportionately impacted by these same factors: lack of housing, lack of income, lack of food security,” said Cary Sanders, senior policy director for the California Pan-Ethnic Health Network.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Health plans need to provide services that are “linguistically and culturally appropriate,” Sanders said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>One critical piece of the pilot programs that was left out of CalAIM is legal aid. In counties that funded legal aid during the pilot programs, lawyers and paralegals were stationed in medical clinics to assist patients who needed help with benefit denials, eviction notices, immigration issues or domestic abuse cases.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Frequently patients and even their doctors don’t realize that their issue could use the help of a lawyer, said Daniel Nesbit, managing attorney for medical legal partnerships with California Rural Legal Assistance. Nesbit said that during the pilot program in Monterey County his team helped 700 clients with more than 1,000 cases.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“A really good example is someone struggling with some sort of medical condition, and it’s making it hard for them to go to work every day and do their job to the full extent,” Nesbit said. “They might not know, for example, that they have a possible right to a reasonable accommodation under the Americans with Disabilities Act.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Alameda and Contra Costa counties, which contracted with Bay Area Legal Aid to participate in the pilot, hired five additional attorneys dedicated to assisting Medi-Cal patients. The partnership helped reach people who ordinarily wouldn’t be able to access legal aid because their disability prevented them from attending an appointment or they didn’t have a phone number or an address. Case managers were able to link people to the attorneys, accounting for 300 referrals a year.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But when the pilot ended in December and state funding dried up, attorneys were reassigned and are no longer able to focus on Medi-Cal patients.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[pullquote align=\"right\" size=\"medium\" citation=\"Diana Douglas, Health Access California\"]‘There are serious concerns about Medi-Cal [health care] … being able to implement some of the work necessary for CalAIM to really be effective.’[/pullquote]“I’m still getting emails and phone calls from the case managers I worked with who I think are now kind of scrambling to figure out how to help,” said Abby Khodayari, an attorney who worked in Contra Costa County’s program. “Case managers are hoping to get help analyzing eviction notices and figuring out the validity of them. It’s hard not having dedicated time to be able to spend working on those issues.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>While legal services aren’t explicitly named as one of 14 preapproved services under CalAIM, the Department of Health Care Services said health care plans could integrate them as part of supportive housing services, which are covered.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But attorneys say it’s unlikely to happen unless plans get specific guarantees that CalAIM will cover the cost. They hope that subsequent phases of CalAIM will include legal aid.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“There hasn’t been a health plan here in LA who’s come forward and said we want to offer these legal services,” said Gerson Sorto, a managing attorney with Neighborhood Legal Services of Los Angeles County.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Los Angeles County has continued funding their partnership through the summer, but there’s no permanent money in sight. “As of today, there is no funding secured or confirmed beyond June 30,” Sorto said.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>\u003cstrong>Life under ‘whole person care’\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Back at the Radisson Hotel in Oakland, the shelter where El is waiting patiently to move into his new apartment, he watches a home renovation show on the television. He likes to see how the hosts redesign the interior and gets ideas for his own future home.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Before losing his job, El lived in an apartment near Lake Merritt but hasn’t had a place to call his own in years. After he enrolled in Alameda County’s pilot program, things started turning around for him.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“These people really respect you and help if you ask for it,” El said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Part of the program is connecting Medi-Cal patients to peers with similar backgrounds.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[aside label='More Housing Coverage' tag='housing']“You can’t tell them ‘do this and do that.’ You walk alongside someone and support whatever they’ve got going on,” said Michael Webb, a CalAIM peer support navigator who experienced addiction and homelessness. “Most importantly,” he said, “[is] someone to listen. I might not have any answer at all but there’s power in listening.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Down the hall from El’s room, shelter monitors are delivering lunch to residents who can’t make it to the dining room. Lunch is a chicken sandwich, banana, salad and a soda, but those with dietary restrictions or certain medical conditions like diabetes get tailored meals.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>As part of the CalAIM program, caretakers perform wellness checks on shelter residents with disabilities, helping them clean, bathe and use the restroom.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In the lobby, an intake worker asks a new guest about his seizure disorder and works to link him to his CalAIM team of health care providers, case workers and housing navigators. As the program grows, millions more Californians may benefit. On this day alone, the Oakland team expects to sign up eight new people.\u003cbr>\n[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n",
"blocks": [],
"excerpt": "California's first-of-its-kind Medi-Cal reform aims to help lower-income patients navigate problems like homelessness, poverty and substance abuse that can harm health.",
"status": "publish",
"parent": 0,
"modified": 1740521061,
"stats": {
"hasAudio": false,
"hasVideo": false,
"hasChartOrMap": false,
"iframeSrcs": [],
"hasGoogleForm": false,
"hasGallery": false,
"hasHearkenModule": false,
"hasPolis": false,
"paragraphCount": 62,
"wordCount": 2856
},
"headData": {
"title": "California Reformed Medi-Cal to Include 'Whole Person Care' — Is It Working? | KQED",
"description": "California's first-of-its-kind Medi-Cal reform aims to help lower-income patients navigate problems like homelessness, poverty and substance abuse that can harm health.",
"ogTitle": "",
"ogDescription": "",
"ogImgId": "",
"twTitle": "",
"twDescription": "",
"twImgId": "",
"schema": {
"@context": "https://schema.org",
"@type": "NewsArticle",
"headline": "California Reformed Medi-Cal to Include 'Whole Person Care' — Is It Working?",
"datePublished": "2022-02-15T12:00:58-08:00",
"dateModified": "2025-02-25T14:04:21-08:00",
"image": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/KQED-OG-Image@1x.png",
"isAccessibleForFree": "True",
"publisher": {
"@type": "NewsMediaOrganization",
"@id": "https://www.kqed.org/#organization",
"name": "KQED",
"logo": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/KQED-OG-Image@1x.png",
"url": "https://www.kqed.org",
"sameAs": [
"https://www.facebook.com/KQED",
"https://twitter.com/KQED",
"https://www.instagram.com/kqed/",
"https://www.tiktok.com/@kqedofficial",
"https://www.linkedin.com/company/kqed",
"https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCeC0IOo7i1P_61zVUWbJ4nw"
]
}
}
},
"sticky": false,
"nprByline": "\u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/author/kristen-hwang/\">Kristen Hwang\u003c/a>",
"excludeFromSiteSearch": "Include",
"showOnAuthorArchivePages": "No",
"path": "/news/11905181/california-reformed-medi-cal-to-include-whole-person-care-is-it-working",
"audioTrackLength": null,
"parsedContent": [
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>At 66, Edward El has a new lease on life — literally. In two weeks, he’ll move into his own apartment in Berkeley after spending the better part of the past 16 years unhoused.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Years ago, a back injury and pinched nerves in his legs made standing and walking painful, and he was laid off from his construction job. He ended up in “shelter after shelter after shelter.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But nine months ago, El moved into one of 12 Project Roomkey shelters in Alameda County designed to reduce COVID-19 among the unhoused population. He was connected with a housing navigator, a counselor and medical staff. They helped El apply for affordable housing and rental assistance vouchers, and coordinated with landlords who would give unhoused renters a chance.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11905186\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 1536px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-11905186\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2022/02/020922-CALAIM-MHN-14-CM.jpg\" alt=\"A man, wearing a hoodie, beanie and a face mask, sits on a chair in an indoor space. He looks to the side, a bit away from the camera.\" width=\"1536\" height=\"1025\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/02/020922-CALAIM-MHN-14-CM.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/02/020922-CALAIM-MHN-14-CM-800x534.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/02/020922-CALAIM-MHN-14-CM-1020x681.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/02/020922-CALAIM-MHN-14-CM-160x107.jpg 160w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1536px) 100vw, 1536px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">As Edward El prepares to move to a permanent home, he has enrolled in Medi-Cal. He said he couldn’t have navigated the array of complex systems if it weren’t for his new case management team. ‘I’m happy. They knew about programs that I didn’t know about that allowed me to get a place,’ he said. \u003ccite>(Martin do Nascimento/CalMatters)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Now El will pay a fraction of the cost to live in an area where one-bedroom apartments often exceed $3,000 per month.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The team also made sure that El was enrolled in Medi-Cal and had transportation to his doctor’s appointments. He said he couldn’t have navigated the array of complex systems if it weren’t for his new case management team. “I’m happy. They knew about programs that I didn’t know about that allowed me to get a place,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Intensive case management like this is an example of the ambitious, sweeping changes California made to Medi-Cal beginning in January under an initiative it’s calling CalAIM, or California Advancing and Innovating Medi-Cal.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Medi-Cal \u003ca href=\"https://www.chcf.org/publication/2021-edition-medi-cal-facts-figures/\">offers medical insurance to lower-income Californians\u003c/a>, serving as a lifeline for nearly half the state’s children, 1 in 5 adults and 2 million seniors and people with disabilities. But the program is inefficient: More than half of Medi-Cal’s \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/health/coronavirus/2021/07/medi-cal-covid-vaccinations/\">roughly $133 billion annual budget is spent on just 5% of the program’s highest-needs individuals\u003c/a> — people with multiple complex health problems compounded by homelessness, poverty, substance abuse, mental illness or incarceration, \u003ca href=\"https://www.dhcs.ca.gov/CalAIM/Documents/CalAIM-ECM-a11y.pdf\">according the Department of Health Care Services\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "‘I’m happy. They knew about programs that I didn’t know about that allowed me to get a place.’",
"name": "pullquote",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"align": "right",
"size": "medium",
"citation": "Edward El, CalAIM beneficiary",
"label": ""
},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>Over the next five years, CalAIM will seek to address the upstream drivers of deteriorating health — things like food insecurity and housing instability — in an effort to reduce costly emergency department visits, hospitalizations and nursing home stays. The program redesign is based on “whole person care” principles, which help people avoid situations that worsen their physical and mental health.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“This was designed at the county level to identify very high-risk populations — oftentimes people who were coming to the emergency room five to 10 times a month.” said Erica Murray, president and CEO of the California Association of Public Hospitals and Health Systems.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In his January budget, \u003ca href=\"https://www.ebudget.ca.gov/2022-23/pdf/GovernorsBudget/4000.pdf\">Gov. Gavin Newsom proposed $8 billion over five years to implement the program\u003c/a>, about 6% of Medi-Cal’s total budget. Included are temporary payments to managed care plans to offer enhanced case management and other services.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>These so-called social determinants of health have not been historically covered by health insurance like Medi-Cal. Yet they have an outsized impact on people who often struggle with economic instability, poor nutrition, discrimination, violence and disproportionate exposure to polluted air and water.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“One of my patients calls it social deterrents to health,” said Alameda County Medical Director Dr. Kathleen Clanon.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>No other state has mounted such a comprehensive program that wraps in so many elements. The scale is unprecedented, too: Medi-Cal provides health insurance for more than 13 million people.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "aside",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"postid": "news_11887815",
"hero": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2021/09/GettyImages-1233456190-1020x680.jpg",
"label": ""
},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>“This is a big deal. Not only is California taking the lead but also setting a precedent for potentially other states to follow it,” said Anthony Wright, executive director of Health Access California, a consumer advocate group.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Pilot programs in 25 counties helped get CalAIM off the ground. Roughly \u003ca href=\"https://healthpolicy.ucla.edu/publications/Documents/PDF/2020/wholepersoncare-report-jan2020.pdf\">108,000 Medi-Cal patients were enrolled in county pilots\u003c/a> and \u003ca href=\"https://healthpolicy.ucla.edu/publications/Documents/PDF/2020/First-Interim-Evaluation-CA-HHP-Report-sep2020.pdf\">15,000 in managed care pilots during a two-year period\u003c/a>, according to an early analysis by UCLA researchers. As a result of the success, federal officials granted a waiver allowing CalAIM to move forward for the next five years.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In Placer County, David Norris, 67, was one of the patients who benefited from the experimental programs.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Norris ended up in a homeless shelter after his mother, for whom he was a long-term caregiver, died. He earns $900 a month in Social Security and retirement, but it’s not enough for rent and living expenses. In April, an infected foot wound spread to the bone and cost Norris his left leg. Another infection resulted in more trips to the ER and subsequent surgeries. Several months later, a fight at the shelter ended in a shove, a fall and a broken right leg.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>His caseworker, Todd Perbetsky, helped him enroll in Medi-Cal, find a nursing home where he could recuperate and apply for a housing voucher. He’s now helping Norris find permanent housing after leaving the nursing home.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“These are definitely people that are falling through the cracks,” Perbetsky said. “They may not meet the criteria of some programs. They may need linkage to services. They can have tons of barriers to even getting their CalFresh turned on or other benefits they qualify for.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Norris called Perbetsky a “hell of a godsend. If you don’t know the ins and outs, you just get spit out. You get absolutely no help at all. That’s where Todd … helps me and people like me navigate the waters and get all squared away.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "ad",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"label": "fullwidth"
},
"numeric": [
"fullwidth"
]
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>\u003cstrong>Creating a one-stop shop\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Wraparound services aren’t new, but they haven’t always been easy to access, nor have they been directly connected to medical care. Walk through the wrong door and you might not get any help at all.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>An unhoused patient who suffers from addiction and mental health issues and has diabetes would have to approach three different county departments and a doctor to get all their needs addressed, and even then they’re likely to get lost in the system.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It’s a little bit like if you needed to get ingredients for a meal and instead of just going to the supermarket, you had to go to different stores to get your proteins and your fruits and your grains and your vegetables. And at those stores, you had to pay with different cards and navigate different rules about what you could buy,” said Melora Simon, a senior strategist at the California Health Care Foundation.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "aside",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"postid": "news_11894981",
"hero": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2021/11/NPR-fentanyl-1-1020x766.jpg",
"label": ""
},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>This fragmentation frequently causes barriers to health care and is one of the primary reasons the Department of Health Care Services is focused on reforming Medi-Cal under CalAIM.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>One such barrier is making sure patients don’t get lost between systems that don’t traditionally talk to one another.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Clanon, who also works as a physician in Alameda County, said a few years ago a pregnant, HIV-positive patient needed to begin HIV treatment but had left the usual encampment she stayed in and couldn’t be found. A nurse spent more than an hour calling local emergency departments, homeless shelters and case managers to see whether anyone had seen the patient, with no luck.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Had the system been integrated, Clanon’s patient would have been flagged as needing critical medical care any time she entered a homeless shelter, emergency department, substance abuse center or mental health facility.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“CalAIM is trying to fix the problem of disparate systems of care both among and between different counties and among and between different parts of the health care system,” said Diana Douglas, a health policy expert with Health Access California.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>\u003cstrong>Accountability and missing pieces\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Since 2016, California has dedicated more than $3 billion in state and federal funds to experiment with doing just that.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Four years after launch, the pilots demonstrated “substantial evidence” of improved follow-up after hospitalization for mental illness, increased participation in substance abuse treatment and decreased use of emergency services, among other metrics, \u003ca href=\"https://healthpolicy.ucla.edu/publications/Documents/PDF/2020/First-Interim-Evaluation-CA-HHP-Report-sep2020.pdf\">according to the UCLA analysis\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In Contra Costa County, more than 12,000 patients were enrolled in the pilot annually, and the county health department hired more than 100 public health nurses, mental health specialists, community health workers, homeless service specialists, substance abuse specialists and social workers to provide coordinated case management.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Most of them were types of positions that existed in the county before, but they were very siloed,” said Emily Parmenter, the pilot’s program manager at Contra Costa County Health Services. “So we brought them all together in these multidisciplinary teams where they had a wealth of experience … and were able to provide case consultations across divisions.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Medi-Cal patients who enrolled in the Contra Costa pilot experienced medical emergencies less frequently than nonenrolled patients.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We found that after being involved in the program for a year, our hospital admission rates decreased by 25% … and our [emergency department] rates were 14% lower compared to the control group,” Parmenter said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "‘We found that after being involved in the program for a year, our hospital admission rates decreased by 25%.’",
"name": "pullquote",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"align": "right",
"size": "medium",
"citation": "Emily Parmenter, Contra Costa Health Services",
"label": ""
},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>UCLA researcher Nadereh Pourat, who conducted the pilot evaluation, said her team has just begun to analyze the impact on specific health conditions, such as blood pressure and congestive heart failure, as well as cost-effectiveness.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Despite their promise — or perhaps because of it — advocates say the transition from pilot programs to CalAIM will need to be watched carefully.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Responsibility has now shifted from county health departments to health care plans, which don’t always meet quality benchmarks. And health care plans in the 33 counties that did not have pilots are starting from scratch.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“There are serious concerns about Medi-Cal [health care] plans on the ground being able to implement some of the work necessary for CalAIM to really be effective and live up to its potential,” health policy expert Douglas said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“In some cases, plans struggle to deliver quality care across what we think of as very basic measures: childhood immunizations, are people getting mammograms on time, just very basic preventive care and chronic disease management,” she said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11905185\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 1024px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-11905185\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2022/02/020922-CALAIM-MHN-10-CM_11.jpg\" alt=\"Two people sit at a table, handling paperwork. One person has their backed to the camera, the other one sits across from them.\" width=\"1024\" height=\"682\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/02/020922-CALAIM-MHN-10-CM_11.jpg 1024w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/02/020922-CALAIM-MHN-10-CM_11-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/02/020922-CALAIM-MHN-10-CM_11-1020x679.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/02/020922-CALAIM-MHN-10-CM_11-160x107.jpg 160w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Alameda County intake specialist Annie Wyley meets with a Medi-Cal patient in the repurposed dining room at the Radisson Hotel in Oakland. \u003ccite>(Martin do Nascimento/CalMatters)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Accountability is especially important for improving equity among communities of color, advocates say.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Communities of color are disproportionately impacted by these same factors: lack of housing, lack of income, lack of food security,” said Cary Sanders, senior policy director for the California Pan-Ethnic Health Network.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Health plans need to provide services that are “linguistically and culturally appropriate,” Sanders said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>One critical piece of the pilot programs that was left out of CalAIM is legal aid. In counties that funded legal aid during the pilot programs, lawyers and paralegals were stationed in medical clinics to assist patients who needed help with benefit denials, eviction notices, immigration issues or domestic abuse cases.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Frequently patients and even their doctors don’t realize that their issue could use the help of a lawyer, said Daniel Nesbit, managing attorney for medical legal partnerships with California Rural Legal Assistance. Nesbit said that during the pilot program in Monterey County his team helped 700 clients with more than 1,000 cases.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“A really good example is someone struggling with some sort of medical condition, and it’s making it hard for them to go to work every day and do their job to the full extent,” Nesbit said. “They might not know, for example, that they have a possible right to a reasonable accommodation under the Americans with Disabilities Act.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Alameda and Contra Costa counties, which contracted with Bay Area Legal Aid to participate in the pilot, hired five additional attorneys dedicated to assisting Medi-Cal patients. The partnership helped reach people who ordinarily wouldn’t be able to access legal aid because their disability prevented them from attending an appointment or they didn’t have a phone number or an address. Case managers were able to link people to the attorneys, accounting for 300 referrals a year.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But when the pilot ended in December and state funding dried up, attorneys were reassigned and are no longer able to focus on Medi-Cal patients.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "‘There are serious concerns about Medi-Cal [health care] … being able to implement some of the work necessary for CalAIM to really be effective.’",
"name": "pullquote",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"align": "right",
"size": "medium",
"citation": "Diana Douglas, Health Access California",
"label": ""
},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>“I’m still getting emails and phone calls from the case managers I worked with who I think are now kind of scrambling to figure out how to help,” said Abby Khodayari, an attorney who worked in Contra Costa County’s program. “Case managers are hoping to get help analyzing eviction notices and figuring out the validity of them. It’s hard not having dedicated time to be able to spend working on those issues.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>While legal services aren’t explicitly named as one of 14 preapproved services under CalAIM, the Department of Health Care Services said health care plans could integrate them as part of supportive housing services, which are covered.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But attorneys say it’s unlikely to happen unless plans get specific guarantees that CalAIM will cover the cost. They hope that subsequent phases of CalAIM will include legal aid.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“There hasn’t been a health plan here in LA who’s come forward and said we want to offer these legal services,” said Gerson Sorto, a managing attorney with Neighborhood Legal Services of Los Angeles County.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Los Angeles County has continued funding their partnership through the summer, but there’s no permanent money in sight. “As of today, there is no funding secured or confirmed beyond June 30,” Sorto said.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>\u003cstrong>Life under ‘whole person care’\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Back at the Radisson Hotel in Oakland, the shelter where El is waiting patiently to move into his new apartment, he watches a home renovation show on the television. He likes to see how the hosts redesign the interior and gets ideas for his own future home.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Before losing his job, El lived in an apartment near Lake Merritt but hasn’t had a place to call his own in years. After he enrolled in Alameda County’s pilot program, things started turning around for him.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“These people really respect you and help if you ask for it,” El said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Part of the program is connecting Medi-Cal patients to peers with similar backgrounds.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "aside",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"label": "More Housing Coverage ",
"tag": "housing"
},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>“You can’t tell them ‘do this and do that.’ You walk alongside someone and support whatever they’ve got going on,” said Michael Webb, a CalAIM peer support navigator who experienced addiction and homelessness. “Most importantly,” he said, “[is] someone to listen. I might not have any answer at all but there’s power in listening.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Down the hall from El’s room, shelter monitors are delivering lunch to residents who can’t make it to the dining room. Lunch is a chicken sandwich, banana, salad and a soda, but those with dietary restrictions or certain medical conditions like diabetes get tailored meals.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>As part of the CalAIM program, caretakers perform wellness checks on shelter residents with disabilities, helping them clean, bathe and use the restroom.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In the lobby, an intake worker asks a new guest about his seizure disorder and works to link him to his CalAIM team of health care providers, case workers and housing navigators. As the program grows, millions more Californians may benefit. On this day alone, the Oakland team expects to sign up eight new people.\u003cbr>\n\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "ad",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"label": "fullwidth"
},
"numeric": [
"fullwidth"
]
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "ad",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"label": "floatright"
},
"numeric": [
"floatright"
]
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
}
],
"link": "/news/11905181/california-reformed-medi-cal-to-include-whole-person-care-is-it-working",
"authors": [
"byline_news_11905181"
],
"categories": [
"news_457",
"news_6266",
"news_8"
],
"tags": [
"news_260",
"news_1467",
"news_16",
"news_18543",
"news_4020",
"news_1775",
"news_2605",
"news_28146"
],
"affiliates": [
"news_18481"
],
"featImg": "news_11905187",
"label": "news_18481"
},
"news_11904345": {
"type": "posts",
"id": "news_11904345",
"meta": {
"index": "posts_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "11904345",
"score": null,
"sort": [
1644267888000
]
},
"guestAuthors": [],
"slug": "the-future-of-the-pandemic-is-becoming-clearer-as-researchers-learn-more-about-the-nature-of-covid-infections",
"title": "The Future of the Pandemic Is Becoming Clearer as Researchers Learn More About the Nature of COVID Infections",
"publishDate": 1644267888,
"format": "standard",
"headTitle": "The Future of the Pandemic Is Becoming Clearer as Researchers Learn More About the Nature of COVID Infections | KQED",
"labelTerm": {},
"content": "\u003cp>During the early days of the pandemic, scientists and doctors were concerned that being infected with COVID-19 might not trigger a strong immune response in many people — thus an infection might not provide long-term protection.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Immunity to Covid-19 could be lost in months, UK study suggests,” \u003ca href=\"https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/jul/12/immunity-to-covid-19-could-be-lost-in-months-uk-study-suggests\">a headline from The Guardian alerted\u003c/a> back in July 2020. “King’s College London team found steep drops in patients’ antibody levels three months after infection,” the story warned.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But that idea was based on preliminary data from the laboratory — and on a faulty understanding of how the immune system works. Now, about a year and a half later, better data is painting a more optimistic picture about immunity after a bout of COVID-19. In fact, a symptomatic infection triggers a remarkable immune response in the general population, likely offering protection against severe disease and death for a few years.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And if you’re vaccinated on top of that, your protection is likely even better, studies are consistently showing.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Here are several key questions people have been asking throughout the pandemic — and ones that researchers are beginning to answer.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>\u003cstrong>If I recently had COVID, am I protected against getting a severe course of COVID in the future ?\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>With SARS-CoV-2, your immune system generates two types of protection: protection against reinfection and protection against severe illness upon that second infection. Let’s start with the latter.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>If you’re under age 50 and healthy, then a bout of COVID-19 offers good protection against severe disease if you were to be infected again in a future surge, said epidemiologist \u003ca href=\"https://vivo.weill.cornell.edu/display/cwid-lja2002\">Laith Abu-Raddad\u003c/a>, at Weill Cornell Medicine-Qatar. “That’s really important because eventually, every one of us will get infected,” he said. “But if reinfections prove to be more mild, in general, it will allow us to live with this pandemic in a much easier way.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Abu-Raddad and his team have been tracking reinfections in Qatar for more than a year. In one study, the team analyzed about 1,300 reinfections among more than 350,000 people in Qatar. They found that a prior COVID-19 infection reduced the risk of hospitalization upon reinfection by about 90% compared to people experiencing their first infection.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMc2108120\">These findings\u003c/a>, published in The New England Journal of Medicine in December, are consistent with \u003ca href=\"https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/71/wr/mm7104e1.htm?s_cid=mm7104e1_w\">data released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention last month\u003c/a>. In that study, a prior infection reduced the risk of hospitalization during the delta surge by more than 50 times compared to no prior infection and no vaccination. People who both had a prior infection and were vaccinated had the most protection.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And here’s the “really good news,” Abu-Raddad said: This protection against severe disease persists, perhaps for years. “We’ve been following this same group of people for over a year and a half now, we don’t see much waning. If it’s there, it’s too small to discern.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But the good news doesn’t necessarily hold true for everyone. This long-term protection is seen in healthy people under age 50, Abu-Raddad points out. It’s likely less potent and possibly more short-lived for people who are older or who have underlying health conditions, he said. More data is needed to know how the protection varies with age.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>That said, studies in the laboratory also suggest that protection against severe disease is long-term after a bout of COVID-19, at least for healthy people.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In particular, \u003ca href=\"https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34250512/\">antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 persist in the blood\u003c/a> for months, possibly years after an infection, scientists at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center and Emory University have reported.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In that study, immunologist Juliana McElrath and her colleagues measured antibodies in the blood of more than 200 people after a confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection. More than 90% of the volunteers generated antibodies to SARS-CoV-2 right after infection. In general, the level of antibodies declined quickly two to three months after an infection, but after about four months, the level began to plateau. Even after eight months, the vast majority of people in the study still had antibodies in their blood that could neutralize SARS-CoV-2.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>After publishing that study in Cell Reports Medicine, the team continued to follow the same group of people, and now has data up to 15 months after infection, the researchers told Nature on Tuesday. So far, the antibodies seem to be sticking around for the long haul, said immunologist \u003ca href=\"https://vaccines.emory.edu/faculty/primary-faculty/ahmed-rafi.html\">Rafi Ahmed\u003c/a> at Emory University, who helped lead the study. “Looking at the shape of the curve, it looks pretty damn good. It is really quite stable.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[aside label=\"related coverage\" tag=\"covid\"]Last Tuesday, researchers at the Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions also reported that \u003ca href=\"https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/fullarticle/2788894\">SARS-CoV-2 antibodies can persist up to 20 months\u003c/a>. In that study, 293 out of 295 unvaccinated people generated antibodies after a positive COVID test.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>This pattern, with antibodies declining quickly and then plateauing, occurs with any infection, not just SARS-CoV-2, immunologist \u003ca href=\"https://immunobiology.arizona.edu/profile/deepta-bhattacharya-phd\">Deepta Bhattacharya\u003c/a> told NPR \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/sections/goatsandsoda/2021/08/30/1032520934/immunity-to-covid-19-could-last-longer-than-youd-think\">back in August\u003c/a>. “In every single immune response, there is a sharp rise in antibodies, a period of sharp decline,” and then it starts to stabilize at a lower level, he said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>About six months after a SARS-CoV-2 infection, right around the time when the antibody level starts to stabilize, the immune system does something extraordinary: It generates special cells, called long-lived plasma cells, that can make potent antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 for decades, possibly even a lifetime. “These cells are remarkable,” Bhattacharya said. “They’re estimated to spit out something like 10,000 antibody molecules per second.” Therefore, you wouldn’t need many of these cells to protect against a future infection.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>On top of that, the immune system also generates several types of cells, known as B and T cells, which kick into action upon reinfection. These cells quickly ramp up antibody levels and destroy infected cells to ensure a mild course of COVID doesn’t turn into a serious one. Several studies, including one published in January, have shown that \u003ca href=\"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8768427/\">these cells are durable and likely persist longer than a year\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>\u003cstrong>Does this mean I won’t get reinfected if I’ve had COVID? \u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Unfortunately, the answer is no.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Reinfections are not just possible, they’re pretty much inevitable,” said evolutionary biologist \u003ca href=\"https://ysph.yale.edu/profile/jeffrey_townsend/\">Jeffrey Townsend\u003c/a> at Yale University. “At least all the evidence that we have now says that that’s true.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>To estimate how often reinfections will occur with SARS-CoV-2, Townsend and his team have been studying four other coronaviruses. They are known as “seasonal coronaviruses” and cause about 30% of colds each year.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“They all infect and reinfect on a yearly timescale,” he said, “so there’s no reason to expect something different from SARS-CoV-2.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The risk of \u003ca href=\"https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanmic/article/PIIS2666-5247(21)00219-6/fulltext\">reinfection is likely very low right after you’re sick\u003c/a> — up to about four months or so afterward, Townsend and his team estimate. Then the risk grows. And their data suggests that, on average, people will be reinfected every year or two with SARS-CoV-2. “It is very rare for reinfection to happen on a very short timescale, but on a longer timescale it seems to happen with some frequency,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But your specific risk for reinfection depends heavily on your personal situation, such as whether you’re exposed to lots of people at work or live with children who go to school. “So that time frame for reinfection each year or so assumes that we all just relax everything about our protections and just sort of let it rip, basically,” Townsend said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And, he said, your risk of reinfection also depends on the virus and how much it mutates. For example, during the delta surge, a previous infection offered about 85% protection against reinfection, Abu-Raddad and his team found. But with omicron, that protection dropped to 55%. So the chance of reinfection was much higher.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>\u003cstrong>So why is the immune system so good at preventing severe disease but not really able to stop reinfection?\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>No one knows for sure. But this \u003ca href=\"https://www.microbe.tv/twiv/twiv-857/\">strategy may be a deliberate one by the immune system\u003c/a>, National Institutes of Health immunologist Jonathan Yewdell explained last week on the podcast This Week in Virology.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In essence, your immune system is allocating resources. And its primary goal is to keep you alive. So the immune system has decided that, with coronaviruses, it’s not worth stopping the infection as long as it can stop serious, life-threatening illness.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“That is good enough under most circumstances,” Yewdell explained. “You might not think when you’re in bed with a 106 [degree] fever, you know, and crying for your spouse to help you because you could barely move that ‘this is good enough.’ But as long as you’ve recovered … you know, mission accomplished.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In other words, the immune system is not built to stop every sickness or asymptomatic infection. And it’s definitely not built to “give you a negative PCR test,” Yewdell said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>So the future of COVID-19 is starting to become clearer: We’re going to have a lot more infections but hopefully a lot fewer hospitalizations and deaths.\u003c/p>\n\u003cdiv class=\"fullattribution\">Copyright 2022 NPR. To see more, visit www.npr.org.\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://www.google-analytics.com/__utm.gif?utmac=UA-5828686-4&utmdt=The+future+of+the+pandemic+is+looking+clearer+as+we+learn+more+about+infection&utme=8(APIKey)9(MDAxOTAwOTE4MDEyMTkxMDAzNjczZDljZA004)\">\u003c/div>\n\n",
"blocks": [],
"excerpt": "Scientists are beginning to get a better understanding of how long antibodies from a COVID infection can protect you — and what they'll protect you from.",
"status": "publish",
"parent": 0,
"modified": 1726005784,
"stats": {
"hasAudio": false,
"hasVideo": false,
"hasChartOrMap": false,
"iframeSrcs": [],
"hasGoogleForm": false,
"hasGallery": false,
"hasHearkenModule": false,
"hasPolis": false,
"paragraphCount": 33,
"wordCount": 1637
},
"headData": {
"title": "The Future of the Pandemic Is Becoming Clearer as Researchers Learn More About the Nature of COVID Infections | KQED",
"description": "Scientists are beginning to get a better understanding of how long antibodies from a COVID infection can protect you — and what they'll protect you from.",
"ogTitle": "",
"ogDescription": "",
"ogImgId": "",
"twTitle": "",
"twDescription": "",
"twImgId": "",
"schema": {
"@context": "https://schema.org",
"@type": "NewsArticle",
"headline": "The Future of the Pandemic Is Becoming Clearer as Researchers Learn More About the Nature of COVID Infections",
"datePublished": "2022-02-07T13:04:48-08:00",
"dateModified": "2024-09-10T15:03:04-07:00",
"image": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/KQED-OG-Image@1x.png",
"isAccessibleForFree": "True",
"publisher": {
"@type": "NewsMediaOrganization",
"@id": "https://www.kqed.org/#organization",
"name": "KQED",
"logo": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/KQED-OG-Image@1x.png",
"url": "https://www.kqed.org",
"sameAs": [
"https://www.facebook.com/KQED",
"https://twitter.com/KQED",
"https://www.instagram.com/kqed/",
"https://www.tiktok.com/@kqedofficial",
"https://www.linkedin.com/company/kqed",
"https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCeC0IOo7i1P_61zVUWbJ4nw"
]
}
}
},
"source": "NPR",
"sourceUrl": "https://www.npr.org/",
"sticky": false,
"nprByline": "Michaeleen Doucleff",
"nprImageAgency": "Science Source",
"nprStoryId": "1057245449",
"nprApiLink": "http://api.npr.org/query?id=1057245449&apiKey=MDAxOTAwOTE4MDEyMTkxMDAzNjczZDljZA004",
"nprHtmlLink": "https://www.npr.org/sections/goatsandsoda/2022/02/07/1057245449/the-future-of-the-pandemic-is-looking-clearer-as-we-learn-more-about-infection?ft=nprml&f=1057245449",
"nprRetrievedStory": "1",
"nprPubDate": "Mon, 07 Feb 2022 12:27:00 -0500",
"nprStoryDate": "Mon, 07 Feb 2022 05:00:50 -0500",
"nprLastModifiedDate": "Mon, 07 Feb 2022 12:27:40 -0500",
"nprAudio": "https://ondemand.npr.org/anon.npr-mp3/npr/me/2022/02/20220207_me_the_future_of_the_pandemic_is_looking_clearer_as_we_learn_more_about_infection.mp3?orgId=1&topicId=1031&d=388&p=3&story=1057245449&ft=nprml&f=1057245449",
"nprAudioM3u": "http://api.npr.org/m3u/11078777355-92e35b.m3u?orgId=1&topicId=1031&d=388&p=3&story=1057245449&ft=nprml&f=1057245449",
"excludeFromSiteSearch": "Include",
"showOnAuthorArchivePages": "No",
"path": "/news/11904345/the-future-of-the-pandemic-is-becoming-clearer-as-researchers-learn-more-about-the-nature-of-covid-infections",
"audioUrl": "https://ondemand.npr.org/anon.npr-mp3/npr/me/2022/02/20220207_me_the_future_of_the_pandemic_is_looking_clearer_as_we_learn_more_about_infection.mp3?orgId=1&topicId=1031&d=388&p=3&story=1057245449&ft=nprml&f=1057245449",
"audioTrackLength": null,
"parsedContent": [
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>During the early days of the pandemic, scientists and doctors were concerned that being infected with COVID-19 might not trigger a strong immune response in many people — thus an infection might not provide long-term protection.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Immunity to Covid-19 could be lost in months, UK study suggests,” \u003ca href=\"https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/jul/12/immunity-to-covid-19-could-be-lost-in-months-uk-study-suggests\">a headline from The Guardian alerted\u003c/a> back in July 2020. “King’s College London team found steep drops in patients’ antibody levels three months after infection,” the story warned.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But that idea was based on preliminary data from the laboratory — and on a faulty understanding of how the immune system works. Now, about a year and a half later, better data is painting a more optimistic picture about immunity after a bout of COVID-19. In fact, a symptomatic infection triggers a remarkable immune response in the general population, likely offering protection against severe disease and death for a few years.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And if you’re vaccinated on top of that, your protection is likely even better, studies are consistently showing.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Here are several key questions people have been asking throughout the pandemic — and ones that researchers are beginning to answer.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>\u003cstrong>If I recently had COVID, am I protected against getting a severe course of COVID in the future ?\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>With SARS-CoV-2, your immune system generates two types of protection: protection against reinfection and protection against severe illness upon that second infection. Let’s start with the latter.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "ad",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"label": "fullwidth"
},
"numeric": [
"fullwidth"
]
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>If you’re under age 50 and healthy, then a bout of COVID-19 offers good protection against severe disease if you were to be infected again in a future surge, said epidemiologist \u003ca href=\"https://vivo.weill.cornell.edu/display/cwid-lja2002\">Laith Abu-Raddad\u003c/a>, at Weill Cornell Medicine-Qatar. “That’s really important because eventually, every one of us will get infected,” he said. “But if reinfections prove to be more mild, in general, it will allow us to live with this pandemic in a much easier way.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Abu-Raddad and his team have been tracking reinfections in Qatar for more than a year. In one study, the team analyzed about 1,300 reinfections among more than 350,000 people in Qatar. They found that a prior COVID-19 infection reduced the risk of hospitalization upon reinfection by about 90% compared to people experiencing their first infection.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMc2108120\">These findings\u003c/a>, published in The New England Journal of Medicine in December, are consistent with \u003ca href=\"https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/71/wr/mm7104e1.htm?s_cid=mm7104e1_w\">data released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention last month\u003c/a>. In that study, a prior infection reduced the risk of hospitalization during the delta surge by more than 50 times compared to no prior infection and no vaccination. People who both had a prior infection and were vaccinated had the most protection.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And here’s the “really good news,” Abu-Raddad said: This protection against severe disease persists, perhaps for years. “We’ve been following this same group of people for over a year and a half now, we don’t see much waning. If it’s there, it’s too small to discern.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But the good news doesn’t necessarily hold true for everyone. This long-term protection is seen in healthy people under age 50, Abu-Raddad points out. It’s likely less potent and possibly more short-lived for people who are older or who have underlying health conditions, he said. More data is needed to know how the protection varies with age.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>That said, studies in the laboratory also suggest that protection against severe disease is long-term after a bout of COVID-19, at least for healthy people.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In particular, \u003ca href=\"https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34250512/\">antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 persist in the blood\u003c/a> for months, possibly years after an infection, scientists at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center and Emory University have reported.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In that study, immunologist Juliana McElrath and her colleagues measured antibodies in the blood of more than 200 people after a confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection. More than 90% of the volunteers generated antibodies to SARS-CoV-2 right after infection. In general, the level of antibodies declined quickly two to three months after an infection, but after about four months, the level began to plateau. Even after eight months, the vast majority of people in the study still had antibodies in their blood that could neutralize SARS-CoV-2.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>After publishing that study in Cell Reports Medicine, the team continued to follow the same group of people, and now has data up to 15 months after infection, the researchers told Nature on Tuesday. So far, the antibodies seem to be sticking around for the long haul, said immunologist \u003ca href=\"https://vaccines.emory.edu/faculty/primary-faculty/ahmed-rafi.html\">Rafi Ahmed\u003c/a> at Emory University, who helped lead the study. “Looking at the shape of the curve, it looks pretty damn good. It is really quite stable.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "aside",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"label": "related coverage ",
"tag": "covid"
},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>Last Tuesday, researchers at the Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions also reported that \u003ca href=\"https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/fullarticle/2788894\">SARS-CoV-2 antibodies can persist up to 20 months\u003c/a>. In that study, 293 out of 295 unvaccinated people generated antibodies after a positive COVID test.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>This pattern, with antibodies declining quickly and then plateauing, occurs with any infection, not just SARS-CoV-2, immunologist \u003ca href=\"https://immunobiology.arizona.edu/profile/deepta-bhattacharya-phd\">Deepta Bhattacharya\u003c/a> told NPR \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/sections/goatsandsoda/2021/08/30/1032520934/immunity-to-covid-19-could-last-longer-than-youd-think\">back in August\u003c/a>. “In every single immune response, there is a sharp rise in antibodies, a period of sharp decline,” and then it starts to stabilize at a lower level, he said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>About six months after a SARS-CoV-2 infection, right around the time when the antibody level starts to stabilize, the immune system does something extraordinary: It generates special cells, called long-lived plasma cells, that can make potent antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 for decades, possibly even a lifetime. “These cells are remarkable,” Bhattacharya said. “They’re estimated to spit out something like 10,000 antibody molecules per second.” Therefore, you wouldn’t need many of these cells to protect against a future infection.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>On top of that, the immune system also generates several types of cells, known as B and T cells, which kick into action upon reinfection. These cells quickly ramp up antibody levels and destroy infected cells to ensure a mild course of COVID doesn’t turn into a serious one. Several studies, including one published in January, have shown that \u003ca href=\"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8768427/\">these cells are durable and likely persist longer than a year\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>\u003cstrong>Does this mean I won’t get reinfected if I’ve had COVID? \u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Unfortunately, the answer is no.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Reinfections are not just possible, they’re pretty much inevitable,” said evolutionary biologist \u003ca href=\"https://ysph.yale.edu/profile/jeffrey_townsend/\">Jeffrey Townsend\u003c/a> at Yale University. “At least all the evidence that we have now says that that’s true.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>To estimate how often reinfections will occur with SARS-CoV-2, Townsend and his team have been studying four other coronaviruses. They are known as “seasonal coronaviruses” and cause about 30% of colds each year.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“They all infect and reinfect on a yearly timescale,” he said, “so there’s no reason to expect something different from SARS-CoV-2.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The risk of \u003ca href=\"https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanmic/article/PIIS2666-5247(21)00219-6/fulltext\">reinfection is likely very low right after you’re sick\u003c/a> — up to about four months or so afterward, Townsend and his team estimate. Then the risk grows. And their data suggests that, on average, people will be reinfected every year or two with SARS-CoV-2. “It is very rare for reinfection to happen on a very short timescale, but on a longer timescale it seems to happen with some frequency,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But your specific risk for reinfection depends heavily on your personal situation, such as whether you’re exposed to lots of people at work or live with children who go to school. “So that time frame for reinfection each year or so assumes that we all just relax everything about our protections and just sort of let it rip, basically,” Townsend said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And, he said, your risk of reinfection also depends on the virus and how much it mutates. For example, during the delta surge, a previous infection offered about 85% protection against reinfection, Abu-Raddad and his team found. But with omicron, that protection dropped to 55%. So the chance of reinfection was much higher.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>\u003cstrong>So why is the immune system so good at preventing severe disease but not really able to stop reinfection?\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>No one knows for sure. But this \u003ca href=\"https://www.microbe.tv/twiv/twiv-857/\">strategy may be a deliberate one by the immune system\u003c/a>, National Institutes of Health immunologist Jonathan Yewdell explained last week on the podcast This Week in Virology.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In essence, your immune system is allocating resources. And its primary goal is to keep you alive. So the immune system has decided that, with coronaviruses, it’s not worth stopping the infection as long as it can stop serious, life-threatening illness.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“That is good enough under most circumstances,” Yewdell explained. “You might not think when you’re in bed with a 106 [degree] fever, you know, and crying for your spouse to help you because you could barely move that ‘this is good enough.’ But as long as you’ve recovered … you know, mission accomplished.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In other words, the immune system is not built to stop every sickness or asymptomatic infection. And it’s definitely not built to “give you a negative PCR test,” Yewdell said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "ad",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"label": "floatright"
},
"numeric": [
"floatright"
]
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>So the future of COVID-19 is starting to become clearer: We’re going to have a lot more infections but hopefully a lot fewer hospitalizations and deaths.\u003c/p>\n\u003cdiv class=\"fullattribution\">Copyright 2022 NPR. To see more, visit www.npr.org.\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://www.google-analytics.com/__utm.gif?utmac=UA-5828686-4&utmdt=The+future+of+the+pandemic+is+looking+clearer+as+we+learn+more+about+infection&utme=8(APIKey)9(MDAxOTAwOTE4MDEyMTkxMDAzNjczZDljZA004)\">\u003c/div>\n\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
}
],
"link": "/news/11904345/the-future-of-the-pandemic-is-becoming-clearer-as-researchers-learn-more-about-the-nature-of-covid-infections",
"authors": [
"byline_news_11904345"
],
"categories": [
"news_457",
"news_8",
"news_356"
],
"tags": [
"news_27350",
"news_27989",
"news_27504",
"news_18543",
"news_27660"
],
"featImg": "news_11904347",
"label": "source_news_11904345"
},
"news_11904277": {
"type": "posts",
"id": "news_11904277",
"meta": {
"index": "posts_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "11904277",
"score": null,
"sort": [
1644177046000
]
},
"guestAuthors": [],
"slug": "whats-the-end-goal-a-group-of-mothers-protest-drug-use-at-the-tenderloin-linkage-center",
"title": "'What's the End Goal?': Mothers Protest Drug Use at the Tenderloin Linkage Center",
"publishDate": 1644177046,
"format": "standard",
"headTitle": "‘What’s the End Goal?’: Mothers Protest Drug Use at the Tenderloin Linkage Center | KQED",
"labelTerm": {
"site": "news"
},
"content": "\u003cp>A group of five mothers staged a protest on Saturday outside the Tenderloin Linkage Center to call for an end to drug use at the site. The center was set up as part of San Francisco Mayor London Breed’s emergency declaration to address a rise in drug overdoses. The site is meant to help connect people to drug treatment, housing and other services.[pullquote size=\"medium\" align=\"right\" citation=\"Gina McDonald, mother\"]‘If you want to open a safe consumption site, don’t do it here. You don’t offer services and allow open-air drug dealing in the same place. What’s the end goal?’[/pullquote]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The mothers who organized the protest have all been affected by the drug epidemic, and say they support the center but believe allowing drug use will make it more difficult for people to get help. People have been using drugs on the center property in a fenced-off area outside the building and have not been asked to leave.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I think linking people to services is great and it’s way past time,” said Gina McDonald, a former heroin user whose daughter is in treatment for addiction. “If you want to open a safe consumption site, don’t do it here. You don’t offer services and allow open-air drug dealing in the same place. What’s the end goal?”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>About a dozen people also arrived as part of a counterprotest in an effort to show support for the center, which they said has been effective at offering people the services they need.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>On Tuesday, the San Francisco Board of Supervisors is holding a hearing over the emergency declaration that fast-tracked this site and sparked a debate over how best to address drug dealing and addiction.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Jacqui Berlinn is one of the organizers of the protest and founders of the group Mothers Against Drug Deaths. Her son, Corey, lives on the streets of San Francisco and is addicted to fentanyl. She says that when she heard about the linkage center, she was excited that her son might have a safe space to go and get some help.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But then when she learned people were using drugs at the site, she said, her heart dropped.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I know that my son will say it’s just more of the same,” she said. “It’s just what the city’s been doing, enabling and encouraging. They’re not serious about helping them get well.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Berlinn said that Corey did drop by the site, but left when he saw people in the fenced-off area outside the building using drugs.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“My hope was that it was going to be a safe space for him just to have 30 minutes, 60 minutes, two hours free of drugs in his face,” she said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Laura Thomas, the director of harm reduction policy at the San Francisco AIDS Foundation, came to the linkage center because she said it’s important to support evidence-based practices like harm reduction. The idea of low barriers to service and “meeting people where they’re at” is a core harm reduction practice.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Treating people with dignity and respect is more of a value issue than an evidence issue, but the evidence backs that up,” she said. When you meet people where they are, they are able to make positive steps, she added. “The linkage center is being effective at connecting people to services, whether that’s showers or laundry or housing or substance use treatment.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Thomas worried that because of the protest and the increased police presence, less people were showing up for services. Few people entered the site during the protest.[aside tag=\"tenderloin\" label=\"More Related Stories\"]But before the linkage center opened and the protest started, about six people waited in line to get in. Willie Penilton had come to the linkage center to sleep and get some breakfast. He uses crystal meth, and says he’s seen too many people overdose. At the center, he said, people are safe. He said he couldn’t understand why people were protesting the site.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We’re using drugs anywhere on the street anyway. Now people don’t get to walk out and see it. You’ve got a safe environment,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In a statement, Kristin Hogan Schildwachter, a spokesperson with the Department of Emergency Management, said the linkage center offers low-barrier access for those ready to receive support and care.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Former San Francisco Supervisor David Campos, who is running for State Assembly, came to the site and was approached by Berlinn while she was holding a poster that showed photos of her son. She described how she supports harm reduction, but her son was discouraged by the people using drugs at the center.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Campos said he first proposed a safe consumption site in 2016 while a San Francisco supervisor, and thousands of lives could have been saved if that had happened.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“My issue that I’m addressing right now is the fact that this should be a safe space for [people] to go,” Berlinn replied.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Campos said the Board of Supervisors have the same goal.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n",
"blocks": [],
"excerpt": "The mothers who organized the protest have all been affected by the drug epidemic, and say they support the center but believe allowing drug use will make it more difficult for people to get help.",
"status": "publish",
"parent": 0,
"modified": 1726005787,
"stats": {
"hasAudio": false,
"hasVideo": false,
"hasChartOrMap": false,
"iframeSrcs": [],
"hasGoogleForm": false,
"hasGallery": false,
"hasHearkenModule": false,
"hasPolis": false,
"paragraphCount": 21,
"wordCount": 901
},
"headData": {
"title": "'What's the End Goal?': Mothers Protest Drug Use at the Tenderloin Linkage Center | KQED",
"description": "The mothers who organized the protest have all been affected by the drug epidemic, and say they support the center but believe allowing drug use will make it more difficult for people to get help.",
"ogTitle": "",
"ogDescription": "",
"ogImgId": "",
"twTitle": "",
"twDescription": "",
"twImgId": "",
"schema": {
"@context": "https://schema.org",
"@type": "NewsArticle",
"headline": "'What's the End Goal?': Mothers Protest Drug Use at the Tenderloin Linkage Center",
"datePublished": "2022-02-06T11:50:46-08:00",
"dateModified": "2024-09-10T15:03:07-07:00",
"image": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/KQED-OG-Image@1x.png",
"isAccessibleForFree": "True",
"publisher": {
"@type": "NewsMediaOrganization",
"@id": "https://www.kqed.org/#organization",
"name": "KQED",
"logo": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/KQED-OG-Image@1x.png",
"url": "https://www.kqed.org",
"sameAs": [
"https://www.facebook.com/KQED",
"https://twitter.com/KQED",
"https://www.instagram.com/kqed/",
"https://www.tiktok.com/@kqedofficial",
"https://www.linkedin.com/company/kqed",
"https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCeC0IOo7i1P_61zVUWbJ4nw"
]
}
}
},
"sticky": false,
"excludeFromSiteSearch": "Include",
"path": "/news/11904277/whats-the-end-goal-a-group-of-mothers-protest-drug-use-at-the-tenderloin-linkage-center",
"audioTrackLength": null,
"parsedContent": [
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>A group of five mothers staged a protest on Saturday outside the Tenderloin Linkage Center to call for an end to drug use at the site. The center was set up as part of San Francisco Mayor London Breed’s emergency declaration to address a rise in drug overdoses. The site is meant to help connect people to drug treatment, housing and other services.\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "‘If you want to open a safe consumption site, don’t do it here. You don’t offer services and allow open-air drug dealing in the same place. What’s the end goal?’",
"name": "pullquote",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"size": "medium",
"align": "right",
"citation": "Gina McDonald, mother",
"label": ""
},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The mothers who organized the protest have all been affected by the drug epidemic, and say they support the center but believe allowing drug use will make it more difficult for people to get help. People have been using drugs on the center property in a fenced-off area outside the building and have not been asked to leave.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I think linking people to services is great and it’s way past time,” said Gina McDonald, a former heroin user whose daughter is in treatment for addiction. “If you want to open a safe consumption site, don’t do it here. You don’t offer services and allow open-air drug dealing in the same place. What’s the end goal?”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>About a dozen people also arrived as part of a counterprotest in an effort to show support for the center, which they said has been effective at offering people the services they need.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>On Tuesday, the San Francisco Board of Supervisors is holding a hearing over the emergency declaration that fast-tracked this site and sparked a debate over how best to address drug dealing and addiction.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Jacqui Berlinn is one of the organizers of the protest and founders of the group Mothers Against Drug Deaths. Her son, Corey, lives on the streets of San Francisco and is addicted to fentanyl. She says that when she heard about the linkage center, she was excited that her son might have a safe space to go and get some help.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But then when she learned people were using drugs at the site, she said, her heart dropped.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I know that my son will say it’s just more of the same,” she said. “It’s just what the city’s been doing, enabling and encouraging. They’re not serious about helping them get well.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Berlinn said that Corey did drop by the site, but left when he saw people in the fenced-off area outside the building using drugs.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“My hope was that it was going to be a safe space for him just to have 30 minutes, 60 minutes, two hours free of drugs in his face,” she said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Laura Thomas, the director of harm reduction policy at the San Francisco AIDS Foundation, came to the linkage center because she said it’s important to support evidence-based practices like harm reduction. The idea of low barriers to service and “meeting people where they’re at” is a core harm reduction practice.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Treating people with dignity and respect is more of a value issue than an evidence issue, but the evidence backs that up,” she said. When you meet people where they are, they are able to make positive steps, she added. “The linkage center is being effective at connecting people to services, whether that’s showers or laundry or housing or substance use treatment.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Thomas worried that because of the protest and the increased police presence, less people were showing up for services. Few people entered the site during the protest.\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "aside",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"tag": "tenderloin",
"label": "More Related Stories "
},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>But before the linkage center opened and the protest started, about six people waited in line to get in. Willie Penilton had come to the linkage center to sleep and get some breakfast. He uses crystal meth, and says he’s seen too many people overdose. At the center, he said, people are safe. He said he couldn’t understand why people were protesting the site.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We’re using drugs anywhere on the street anyway. Now people don’t get to walk out and see it. You’ve got a safe environment,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In a statement, Kristin Hogan Schildwachter, a spokesperson with the Department of Emergency Management, said the linkage center offers low-barrier access for those ready to receive support and care.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Former San Francisco Supervisor David Campos, who is running for State Assembly, came to the site and was approached by Berlinn while she was holding a poster that showed photos of her son. She described how she supports harm reduction, but her son was discouraged by the people using drugs at the center.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Campos said he first proposed a safe consumption site in 2016 while a San Francisco supervisor, and thousands of lives could have been saved if that had happened.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“My issue that I’m addressing right now is the fact that this should be a safe space for [people] to go,” Berlinn replied.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Campos said the Board of Supervisors have the same goal.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "ad",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"label": "fullwidth"
},
"numeric": [
"fullwidth"
]
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
}
],
"link": "/news/11904277/whats-the-end-goal-a-group-of-mothers-protest-drug-use-at-the-tenderloin-linkage-center",
"authors": [
"11635"
],
"categories": [
"news_457",
"news_28250",
"news_8"
],
"tags": [
"news_18543",
"news_1100",
"news_38",
"news_3181"
],
"featImg": "news_11904287",
"label": "news"
},
"news_11903772": {
"type": "posts",
"id": "news_11903772",
"meta": {
"index": "posts_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "11903772",
"score": null,
"sort": [
1644069697000
]
},
"guestAuthors": [],
"slug": "wajahat-ali-on-his-new-memoir-and-the-merits-of-investing-in-joy",
"title": "Wajahat Ali on His New Memoir and the Merits of Investing in Joy",
"publishDate": 1644069697,
"format": "audio",
"headTitle": "Wajahat Ali on His New Memoir and the Merits of Investing in Joy | KQED",
"labelTerm": {
"term": 26731,
"site": "news"
},
"content": "\u003cp>“Go back to where you came from.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It’s an insult that, unfortunately, many of us have heard. For writer, playwright and political commentator Wajahat Ali, \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/2022/01/25/1075283913/wajahat-alis-go-back-to-where-you-came-from-is-biting-and-funny-and-full-of-hear\">it’s also the title of his new book\u003c/a> — a memoir he calls “a love letter to a country that doesn’t love us back.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The book traces Ali’s childhood in Fremont through his activism as a UC Berkeley student after 9/11, and the challenges he’s faced as a son, a father and a writer. It chronicles his near-death from a heart condition, his young daughter getting cancer and his parents going to jail. The book is also, somehow, hysterically funny.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Ali shared some of his reflections about Islamophobia, humor and resilience with The California Report Magazine host Sasha Khokha.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Interview excerpts have been edited for brevity and clarity.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>On representations of South Asians and Muslims in pop culture\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Growing up as a child of the ’80s and ’90s, I inhaled American pop culture. Growing up, you don’t sit there and go, “I am a Muslim Pakistani son of immigrants. I am left-handed and wearing Husky pants.” You’re like, “I’m just a kid and I’m an American.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But you internalize being the other. You see movies where you are either the sidekick, the villain or you’re completely invisible. Like action movies where Chuck Norris used to go to Middle Eastern countries and just blow up swaths of brown people all the time. He was the hero and you’re rooting for him. Or you’re watching that movie “Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom.” Even then, as a 5-year-old, I’m like, “This is not how my people are. We don’t eat chilled monkey brains or drink eyeball soup.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But then you don’t realize, oh, the joke’s on me. I’m the bad guy. What does that do to your sense of self-worth, your self-esteem, your image of beauty? When you look at yourself in the mirror, do you love yourself or do you hate yourself? Are you taught to hate the color of your skin, the shape of your nose, your ethnic last name? Many people, without ever really thinking about it, internalize these images, for the rest of their lives.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>An excerpt from “Go Back to Where You Came From”:\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cblockquote>\u003cp>I’m about as American as chicken korma, apple pie, and chai, but even after forty years, I’m still told to “go back.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Where, exactly?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In America, who (and what) are you when you’re both “us” and “them”? When I’m a native but seen as a foreigner? When I’m a citizen but also seen as a perpetual suspect? When I’m your neighbor but also seen as an invader? When I’m a cultural creator but also seen as an eraser of white identity and European civilization?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>According to mainstream code, I will never be “ordinary” or “a real American” from the “Rust Belt” (unless you consider California the heartland which, let’s face it, no one does). My parents are seen by some as potential terrorists because they’re from Pakistan, even though they’ve lived in this country for over forty years.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Can I be a “real” American when I’m not white no matter how much Fair & Lovely cream I slather on my skin? The answer in 2022 is “Yes, but with conditions.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But I don’t want conditional love. I want more from America and my fellow Americans.\u003c/p>\u003c/blockquote>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11903778\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 832px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-11903778 size-full\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2022/02/young-waj-fam-e1643842585110.jpeg\" alt=\"group family photo of 5 people\" width=\"832\" height=\"652\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/02/young-waj-fam-e1643842585110.jpeg 832w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/02/young-waj-fam-e1643842585110-800x627.jpeg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/02/young-waj-fam-e1643842585110-160x125.jpeg 160w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 832px) 100vw, 832px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A young Wajahat Ali (far left) with family, including his parents and grandmother. \u003ccite>(Courtesy Wajahat Ali)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>On life as a young Muslim in post-9/11 America\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>I was liberal in college and was, I guess you could say, an accidental activist. But a lot of it was book learning. Let me be blunt, and some people might not like to hear this, but a lot of those kids are good, well-intentioned kids who haven’t lived those experiences.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>They read about poverty. They haven’t tasted poverty. They read about oppression. They’ve never been oppressed. They’re like cul-de-sac social justice warriors, right? Their heart is in the right place. Their mind is in the right place. I was like that, but I didn’t really taste it. My [immigrant] parents tasted it. But they protected me. So I was kind of in a suburban, protected shell living the American dream. A kid who was at UC Berkeley and was thinking about going to law school.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Then 9/11 happened, and overnight we became citizens and suspects. Overnight, we became terrorists. The American story had a remake, and tag, Muslims were it.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11903780\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\" style=\"max-width: 980px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-11903780\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2022/02/9780393867978.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"980\" height=\"1480\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/02/9780393867978.jpg 980w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/02/9780393867978-800x1208.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/02/9780393867978-160x242.jpg 160w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 980px) 100vw, 980px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Wajahat Ali’s new memoir transforms a painful phrase into a hilarious exploration of Islamophobia and racism. \u003ccite>(Courtesy W.W. Norton and Co.)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>We were the villains. Not just Muslims, but those who look Muslim-y. All of a sudden the entire target was on our back. This country went mad after 9/11. This country went so crazy, we renamed french fries as freedom fries. This country went so nuts that they canceled Susan Sontag. They canceled the Dixie Chicks, who are like the whitest women on Earth.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>So what do you think they were doing to Muslims? They were surveilling us. They were entrapping us. They went after our organizations. They went after our charities. What is the type of effect that has on Muslims? A chilling effect. Fear. There were hate crimes against Muslim women.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>All this was happening as I was a student at UC Berkeley. Overnight I became this accidental activist and this representative of this thing called “Islam” and “Muslims.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I learned then that we would have to be something called the “moderate Muslim” in order to be accepted by America. That meant condemning violent acts done by people we’ve never met. Even if we condemned violent acts, and no matter how nice and shiny, we were still seen as suspects. That’s what happened, and we realized, “Oh crap, we’re not white. We’re actually, for a brief moment, living the Black experience in America.”\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>On ‘actively investing’ in joy and humor\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>I think humor is important for us to simply have catharsis, to have joy. For people of color to have joy.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The two things that have surprised people most about the book is that people didn’t expect it to be so funny, and people didn’t expect it to end on such a hopeful note, and they needed that hope. The hope that I try to give in the book is an earned hope, not a Hollywood Hallmark hope, where they tie on a bow at the end to make you feel better, like cotton candy. It tastes good for the moment, but afterwards you feel really bad and you get angry, right?\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11903781\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1920px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-11903781\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2022/02/Wajahat-Ali-author-photo-scaled-e1644023476196.jpg\" alt=\"profile headshot with bright pink background\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1282\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Author Wajahat Ali has written for The Atlantic, The Washington Post and The New York Times and appeared as a political commentator on CNN. \u003ccite>(Danin Dahlen/HuffPost)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Earned hope is confronting the demons, acknowledging them. Walking through the [forest] of horrors and then coming out with the scars and the wounds, but still standing. The journey of horrors, which is the life of so many Americans who still haven’t tasted the American dream. They’ve lived the American nightmare. And this pandemic, which has flattened us but flattened us unequally and revealed the wonderful X-ray of this country — all of its goodness and badness — perfectly laid bare.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>As so many are suffering, I have made the decision in life to actively invest in joy. You have to actively invest in it like exercise. You have to make the intention and then you have to develop the discipline, because for so many of us, we don’t get joy, we don’t get to laugh. Instead, the narrative that we were taught was suffer, but suffer well. Suffer but suffer proud. Suffer, but suffer silently. Smile, even though you’re crying inside.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>When [our then-2-year-old daughter] Nusayba was diagnosed with cancer, my wife and I could have easily gone to this mental quicksand of, “Why us? Why us? Why, God?” You’ll never receive an answer to that. That whisper eats away and destroys you. But instead, we said, “This is life. Life happens.” There’s good and there’s bad. Bad things happen to good people. Good things happen to bad people. It’s how we choose to confront it.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11903779\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 960px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-11903779\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2022/02/sleeping-dad-2015.jpeg\" alt=\"\" width=\"960\" height=\"956\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/02/sleeping-dad-2015.jpeg 960w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/02/sleeping-dad-2015-800x797.jpeg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/02/sleeping-dad-2015-160x159.jpeg 160w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 960px) 100vw, 960px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Wajahat Ali, a tired dad, in 2015. \u003ccite>(Courtesy Wajahat Ali)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>I remember I used to sit there at night after my kids went to sleep during my daughter’s stage-four cancer, where we didn’t know if she’d survive. I imagined burying her. I imagined her dying. I imagined [calling her grandparents], saying she died, because I had to prepare myself as the father. But then I made the choice of imagining her alive and healthy, wearing her “Encanto” Isabella dress, full of life. I chose to invest in that story.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Even though it feels like you’re on the edge of the cliff and the cliff is falling, you know, you never know, sometimes the page turns and brings with it a plot twist, and it leads to a better story. And [after being diagnosed with a serious heart condition], I should be dead. Literally, I should be dead. But here I am talking to you. Still alive. My daughter is still alive. So how can I not invest in hope?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n",
"blocks": [],
"excerpt": "In 'Go Back to Where You Came From,' South Bay author Wajahat Ali chronicles Islamophobia and family tragedy, but also gives a sense of hope he calls 'earned hope, not a Hollywood Hallmark hope.'",
"status": "publish",
"parent": 0,
"modified": 1726005790,
"stats": {
"hasAudio": false,
"hasVideo": false,
"hasChartOrMap": false,
"iframeSrcs": [],
"hasGoogleForm": false,
"hasGallery": false,
"hasHearkenModule": false,
"hasPolis": false,
"paragraphCount": 31,
"wordCount": 1714
},
"headData": {
"title": "Wajahat Ali on His New Memoir and the Merits of Investing in Joy | KQED",
"description": "In 'Go Back to Where You Came From,' South Bay author Wajahat Ali chronicles Islamophobia and family tragedy, but also gives a sense of hope he calls 'earned hope, not a Hollywood Hallmark hope.'",
"ogTitle": "",
"ogDescription": "",
"ogImgId": "",
"twTitle": "",
"twDescription": "",
"twImgId": "",
"schema": {
"@context": "https://schema.org",
"@type": "NewsArticle",
"headline": "Wajahat Ali on His New Memoir and the Merits of Investing in Joy",
"datePublished": "2022-02-05T06:01:37-08:00",
"dateModified": "2024-09-10T15:03:10-07:00",
"image": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/KQED-OG-Image@1x.png",
"isAccessibleForFree": "True",
"publisher": {
"@type": "NewsMediaOrganization",
"@id": "https://www.kqed.org/#organization",
"name": "KQED",
"logo": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/KQED-OG-Image@1x.png",
"url": "https://www.kqed.org",
"sameAs": [
"https://www.facebook.com/KQED",
"https://twitter.com/KQED",
"https://www.instagram.com/kqed/",
"https://www.tiktok.com/@kqedofficial",
"https://www.linkedin.com/company/kqed",
"https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCeC0IOo7i1P_61zVUWbJ4nw"
]
}
}
},
"audioUrl": "https://traffic.omny.fm/d/clips/0af137ef-751e-4b19-a055-aaef00d2d578/ffca7e9f-6831-41c5-bcaf-aaef00f5a073/f6a81d8b-84ef-4e26-aa2c-ae32016472f1/audio.mp3",
"sticky": false,
"excludeFromSiteSearch": "Include",
"path": "/news/11903772/wajahat-ali-on-his-new-memoir-and-the-merits-of-investing-in-joy",
"audioTrackLength": null,
"parsedContent": [
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>“Go back to where you came from.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It’s an insult that, unfortunately, many of us have heard. For writer, playwright and political commentator Wajahat Ali, \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/2022/01/25/1075283913/wajahat-alis-go-back-to-where-you-came-from-is-biting-and-funny-and-full-of-hear\">it’s also the title of his new book\u003c/a> — a memoir he calls “a love letter to a country that doesn’t love us back.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The book traces Ali’s childhood in Fremont through his activism as a UC Berkeley student after 9/11, and the challenges he’s faced as a son, a father and a writer. It chronicles his near-death from a heart condition, his young daughter getting cancer and his parents going to jail. The book is also, somehow, hysterically funny.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Ali shared some of his reflections about Islamophobia, humor and resilience with The California Report Magazine host Sasha Khokha.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Interview excerpts have been edited for brevity and clarity.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "ad",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"label": "fullwidth"
},
"numeric": [
"fullwidth"
]
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>On representations of South Asians and Muslims in pop culture\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Growing up as a child of the ’80s and ’90s, I inhaled American pop culture. Growing up, you don’t sit there and go, “I am a Muslim Pakistani son of immigrants. I am left-handed and wearing Husky pants.” You’re like, “I’m just a kid and I’m an American.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But you internalize being the other. You see movies where you are either the sidekick, the villain or you’re completely invisible. Like action movies where Chuck Norris used to go to Middle Eastern countries and just blow up swaths of brown people all the time. He was the hero and you’re rooting for him. Or you’re watching that movie “Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom.” Even then, as a 5-year-old, I’m like, “This is not how my people are. We don’t eat chilled monkey brains or drink eyeball soup.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But then you don’t realize, oh, the joke’s on me. I’m the bad guy. What does that do to your sense of self-worth, your self-esteem, your image of beauty? When you look at yourself in the mirror, do you love yourself or do you hate yourself? Are you taught to hate the color of your skin, the shape of your nose, your ethnic last name? Many people, without ever really thinking about it, internalize these images, for the rest of their lives.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>An excerpt from “Go Back to Where You Came From”:\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cblockquote>\u003cp>I’m about as American as chicken korma, apple pie, and chai, but even after forty years, I’m still told to “go back.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Where, exactly?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In America, who (and what) are you when you’re both “us” and “them”? When I’m a native but seen as a foreigner? When I’m a citizen but also seen as a perpetual suspect? When I’m your neighbor but also seen as an invader? When I’m a cultural creator but also seen as an eraser of white identity and European civilization?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>According to mainstream code, I will never be “ordinary” or “a real American” from the “Rust Belt” (unless you consider California the heartland which, let’s face it, no one does). My parents are seen by some as potential terrorists because they’re from Pakistan, even though they’ve lived in this country for over forty years.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Can I be a “real” American when I’m not white no matter how much Fair & Lovely cream I slather on my skin? The answer in 2022 is “Yes, but with conditions.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But I don’t want conditional love. I want more from America and my fellow Americans.\u003c/p>\u003c/blockquote>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11903778\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 832px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-11903778 size-full\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2022/02/young-waj-fam-e1643842585110.jpeg\" alt=\"group family photo of 5 people\" width=\"832\" height=\"652\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/02/young-waj-fam-e1643842585110.jpeg 832w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/02/young-waj-fam-e1643842585110-800x627.jpeg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/02/young-waj-fam-e1643842585110-160x125.jpeg 160w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 832px) 100vw, 832px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A young Wajahat Ali (far left) with family, including his parents and grandmother. \u003ccite>(Courtesy Wajahat Ali)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>On life as a young Muslim in post-9/11 America\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>I was liberal in college and was, I guess you could say, an accidental activist. But a lot of it was book learning. Let me be blunt, and some people might not like to hear this, but a lot of those kids are good, well-intentioned kids who haven’t lived those experiences.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>They read about poverty. They haven’t tasted poverty. They read about oppression. They’ve never been oppressed. They’re like cul-de-sac social justice warriors, right? Their heart is in the right place. Their mind is in the right place. I was like that, but I didn’t really taste it. My [immigrant] parents tasted it. But they protected me. So I was kind of in a suburban, protected shell living the American dream. A kid who was at UC Berkeley and was thinking about going to law school.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Then 9/11 happened, and overnight we became citizens and suspects. Overnight, we became terrorists. The American story had a remake, and tag, Muslims were it.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11903780\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\" style=\"max-width: 980px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-11903780\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2022/02/9780393867978.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"980\" height=\"1480\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/02/9780393867978.jpg 980w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/02/9780393867978-800x1208.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/02/9780393867978-160x242.jpg 160w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 980px) 100vw, 980px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Wajahat Ali’s new memoir transforms a painful phrase into a hilarious exploration of Islamophobia and racism. \u003ccite>(Courtesy W.W. Norton and Co.)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>We were the villains. Not just Muslims, but those who look Muslim-y. All of a sudden the entire target was on our back. This country went mad after 9/11. This country went so crazy, we renamed french fries as freedom fries. This country went so nuts that they canceled Susan Sontag. They canceled the Dixie Chicks, who are like the whitest women on Earth.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>So what do you think they were doing to Muslims? They were surveilling us. They were entrapping us. They went after our organizations. They went after our charities. What is the type of effect that has on Muslims? A chilling effect. Fear. There were hate crimes against Muslim women.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>All this was happening as I was a student at UC Berkeley. Overnight I became this accidental activist and this representative of this thing called “Islam” and “Muslims.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I learned then that we would have to be something called the “moderate Muslim” in order to be accepted by America. That meant condemning violent acts done by people we’ve never met. Even if we condemned violent acts, and no matter how nice and shiny, we were still seen as suspects. That’s what happened, and we realized, “Oh crap, we’re not white. We’re actually, for a brief moment, living the Black experience in America.”\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>On ‘actively investing’ in joy and humor\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>I think humor is important for us to simply have catharsis, to have joy. For people of color to have joy.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The two things that have surprised people most about the book is that people didn’t expect it to be so funny, and people didn’t expect it to end on such a hopeful note, and they needed that hope. The hope that I try to give in the book is an earned hope, not a Hollywood Hallmark hope, where they tie on a bow at the end to make you feel better, like cotton candy. It tastes good for the moment, but afterwards you feel really bad and you get angry, right?\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11903781\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1920px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-11903781\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2022/02/Wajahat-Ali-author-photo-scaled-e1644023476196.jpg\" alt=\"profile headshot with bright pink background\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1282\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Author Wajahat Ali has written for The Atlantic, The Washington Post and The New York Times and appeared as a political commentator on CNN. \u003ccite>(Danin Dahlen/HuffPost)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Earned hope is confronting the demons, acknowledging them. Walking through the [forest] of horrors and then coming out with the scars and the wounds, but still standing. The journey of horrors, which is the life of so many Americans who still haven’t tasted the American dream. They’ve lived the American nightmare. And this pandemic, which has flattened us but flattened us unequally and revealed the wonderful X-ray of this country — all of its goodness and badness — perfectly laid bare.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>As so many are suffering, I have made the decision in life to actively invest in joy. You have to actively invest in it like exercise. You have to make the intention and then you have to develop the discipline, because for so many of us, we don’t get joy, we don’t get to laugh. Instead, the narrative that we were taught was suffer, but suffer well. Suffer but suffer proud. Suffer, but suffer silently. Smile, even though you’re crying inside.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>When [our then-2-year-old daughter] Nusayba was diagnosed with cancer, my wife and I could have easily gone to this mental quicksand of, “Why us? Why us? Why, God?” You’ll never receive an answer to that. That whisper eats away and destroys you. But instead, we said, “This is life. Life happens.” There’s good and there’s bad. Bad things happen to good people. Good things happen to bad people. It’s how we choose to confront it.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11903779\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 960px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-11903779\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2022/02/sleeping-dad-2015.jpeg\" alt=\"\" width=\"960\" height=\"956\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/02/sleeping-dad-2015.jpeg 960w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/02/sleeping-dad-2015-800x797.jpeg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/02/sleeping-dad-2015-160x159.jpeg 160w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 960px) 100vw, 960px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Wajahat Ali, a tired dad, in 2015. \u003ccite>(Courtesy Wajahat Ali)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>I remember I used to sit there at night after my kids went to sleep during my daughter’s stage-four cancer, where we didn’t know if she’d survive. I imagined burying her. I imagined her dying. I imagined [calling her grandparents], saying she died, because I had to prepare myself as the father. But then I made the choice of imagining her alive and healthy, wearing her “Encanto” Isabella dress, full of life. I chose to invest in that story.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Even though it feels like you’re on the edge of the cliff and the cliff is falling, you know, you never know, sometimes the page turns and brings with it a plot twist, and it leads to a better story. And [after being diagnosed with a serious heart condition], I should be dead. Literally, I should be dead. But here I am talking to you. Still alive. My daughter is still alive. So how can I not invest in hope?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "ad",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"label": "floatright"
},
"numeric": [
"floatright"
]
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
}
],
"link": "/news/11903772/wajahat-ali-on-his-new-memoir-and-the-merits-of-investing-in-joy",
"authors": [
"254",
"8637"
],
"programs": [
"news_26731"
],
"categories": [
"news_223",
"news_457",
"news_1169",
"news_8"
],
"tags": [
"news_1849",
"news_17725",
"news_27626",
"news_66",
"news_18543",
"news_205",
"news_17597"
],
"featImg": "news_11903775",
"label": "news_26731"
},
"news_11904111": {
"type": "posts",
"id": "news_11904111",
"meta": {
"index": "posts_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "11904111",
"score": null,
"sort": [
1644066080000
]
},
"guestAuthors": [],
"slug": "4-tips-for-talking-to-your-latino-parents-about-mental-health",
"title": "4 Tips for Talking to Your Latino Parents About Mental Health",
"publishDate": 1644066080,
"format": "standard",
"headTitle": "4 Tips for Talking to Your Latino Parents About Mental Health | KQED",
"labelTerm": {},
"content": "\u003cp>If you were raised in a Latino household, you’ll know that when it comes to mental health, we don’t grow up talking about it.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Personally, neither of us (Isabeth and Naydeline) talked about it with our parents until college, when we both went to therapy for the first time. It wasn’t until we had the right language to discuss mental health that we felt comfortable enough to bring it up at home. So if the thought of admitting to your family that you’re struggling makes you tense up, we totally get it.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>You’re not alone in your fear. A 2019 study found that in the U.S., \u003ca href=\"https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/latino-mental-health#why-is-there-stigma\">Latinos access mental health care at nearly half the rate\u003c/a> of non-Hispanic white people. Shame and stigma play a huge role in discouraging folks from seeking mental health support in our communities — not to mention talking about it with loved ones.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>As hard as it can be to bring up, there’s power and freedom that come from feeling safe in your mind and your body, and at home. If you want to explore having a conversation with your loved ones about mental health, we have some tips for you! You’ll hear from therapists, young people who have had the conversation and, of course, us.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11904126\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 766px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-11904126\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2022/02/Screen-Shot-2022-02-04-at-1.46.04-PM.png\" alt=\"The authors, smiling, with their mothers\" width=\"766\" height=\"312\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/02/Screen-Shot-2022-02-04-at-1.46.04-PM.png 766w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/02/Screen-Shot-2022-02-04-at-1.46.04-PM-160x65.png 160w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 766px) 100vw, 766px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">The authors, Isabeth Mendoza and Naydeline Mejia, pose with their mothers. Left: Hilda Mendoza and Isabeth Mendoza. Right: Naydeline Mejia and Elvira Castillo. \u003ccite>(Courtesy Isabeth Mendoza/Naydeline Mejia)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>Work to understand your own mental health\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>The more aware you are of your specific mental health struggles and needs, the better you will be able to communicate those needs to others. To start, understand that mental health isn’t stagnant and can change as your life changes. How you understood your mental health before might not be how you understand it now.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>There are several ways you can learn how your emotions show up and interact with your body and mind. Therapy card decks, such as Ebony Butler’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.mytherapycards.com/\">My Therapy Cards\u003c/a>, made specifically for people of color, can be a great tool for reflection. Journaling, meditation and following licensed mental health professionals on Instagram can also be helpful. Some of our favorite people to follow are \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/josierosarionyc/\">Josie Rosario\u003c/a>, \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/_lisaolivera/\">Lisa Olivera\u003c/a>, \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/nedratawwab/\">Nedra Glover Tawwab\u003c/a> and \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/sitwithwhit/\">Whitney Goodman\u003c/a>.[aside label='Mental Health' tag='mental-health']\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Here are a few book recommendations that speak to mental health-related topics such as intergenerational trauma and attachment styles:\u003c/p>\n\u003cul>\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://www.indiebound.org/book/9781942094470\">“My Grandmother’s Hands: Racialized Trauma and the Pathway to Mending Our Hearts and Bodies”\u003c/a>\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://www.indiebound.org/book/9781101980385\">“It Didn’t Start With You: How Inherited Family Trauma Shapes Who We Are and How to End the Cycle”\u003c/a>\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://www.indiebound.org/book/9781585429134\">“Attached: The New Science of Adult Attachment and How It Can Help You Find — and Keep — Love”\u003c/a>\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\u003cp>And of course, there’s therapy! Therapy can be a scary process, but having the right mental health professional on your side can help you work through things that you might not be able to on your own. Some therapist directories you can look into are \u003ca href=\"https://latinxtherapy.com/\">Latinx Therapy\u003c/a>, \u003ca href=\"https://www.therapyforlatinx.com/\">Therapy for Latinx\u003c/a>, \u003ca href=\"https://www.psychologytoday.com/us\">Psychology Today\u003c/a>, \u003ca href=\"https://providers.therapyforblackgirls.com/\">Therapy for Black Girls\u003c/a> and \u003ca href=\"https://openpathcollective.org/\">Open Path Psychotherapy Collective\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Reflect on your ‘why’\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>After you have a better understanding of your mental health, the next step is to establish why you want to talk about it with your family. You may not feel that sharing this part of your life is important, and that’s OK. But for those who do, this step is essential.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>For some people we spoke to, like \u003ca href=\"https://www.figgybaby.com/\">Figgy Baby\u003c/a>, 30, a musical artist and co-founder of \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/bloomhomie/?hl=en\">Bloom Homie\u003c/a>, a collective of “homies reimagining masculinity,” they want to be able to be their full authentic selves with their family members — that’s one “why.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I want home and family to be a space where I can be my free-est self. I’ll admit that it’s not, but little by little it can be more and more,” says Figgy. “And I feel like taking this leap of being vulnerable and shameless with my folks only allows space for deeper connections with my family.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium\" src=\"https://media.npr.org/assets/img/2022/01/14/latinx-mental-health-families_3-copy_custom-a7676189e22193ae1eabc7b0184bcbeebdc17211-s800-c85.webp\" alt=\"Pictures of the Figueroa Family with the children young and the children as adults.\" width=\"800\" height=\"417\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Figgy Baby, born Andrew Figueroa, is pictured here with his family. From left to right in photo at left: Felicity Figueroa, Paul Figueroa, Eduardo Figueroa and Figgy Baby.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>For others, they want to talk about mental health at home because it helps to normalize the conversation as well as break down stigmas. Have you ever heard “el dicho,” “la ropa sucia se lava en casa” (don’t air your dirty laundry in public) or heard a family member shaming a relative with a diagnosis by calling them “loco”? These are all \u003ca href=\"https://namica.org/mental-health-challenges-in-latino-communities/\">cultural stigmas\u003c/a> prevalent in the Latino community.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And while it’s easy to laugh about — and maybe \u003ca href=\"https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2021-12-06/how-latinos-are-bonding-over-first-generation-trauma\">even bond over\u003c/a> — these shared traumas, we can’t deny the real-world implications these ideas have on our collective well-being. It’s through open and honest conversations with the people around us that we can help shatter these outdated narratives.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Come prepared to have the conversation, and have an after-care plan, too\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>After establishing your “why,” then it’s time to actually \u003cem>have\u003c/em> the conversation. This type of conversation can feel emotionally and mentally daunting, so we suggest entering it with humility and love — and maybe even a plan of action.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Kayla Zapata Fory, 29, scripted out what she wanted to say to her parents before having that conversation with them. Scripting can be a helpful tool if you get nervous during difficult discussions and want to make sure you’re laying it all on the table when you have the talk.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://traumacounselingnyc.com/nataliegutierrezlmft/\">Natalie Gutierrez\u003c/a>, a licensed marriage and family therapist who specializes in trauma and is based in New York and New Jersey, suggests starting off by saying something along the lines of:\u003c/p>\n\u003cblockquote>\u003cp>\u003cem>I’m struggling to love me, and I’m struggling to know who I am, and I really want to heal\u003c/em>.\u003c/p>\u003c/blockquote>\n\u003cp>You want to be sure to share your struggles with your loved ones in a way they’ll understand, so in addition to sharing your medical diagnosis — if you have one and choose to share — it might also be helpful to share your symptoms using simple language. For example, you can say: “When I’m driving, I get really nervous that I might hit something or get into an accident,” as a way to describe anxiety.[aside postID=perspectives_201601140725 label='More Stories On Latino Mental Health']You might get some pushback from your family, so be prepared to redirect the conversation when you feel your parents or loved ones reacting negatively. Remind them that your mental health journey is about \u003cem>you\u003c/em> wanting to be your best self and might have nothing to do with them.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://thecitypsychotherapy.com/\">Daniel Olavarría\u003c/a>, a licensed clinical social worker who serves clients in New York, California and Florida, says you can say:\u003c/p>\n\u003cblockquote>\u003cp>\u003cem>No, Mom. No, Dad. It’s not your fault. The world is moving quickly, things are changing and this is what people are doing now to show up as the healthiest version of themselves. I know that you didn’t have time to take care of yourself, but thank you so much for what you did [for me], because now I do. \u003c/em>\u003c/p>\u003c/blockquote>\n\u003cp>Nevertheless, we recognize that parents aren’t perfect! If your family members may have negatively contributed to your mental health, you can show compassion for their errors while still honoring your reality.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>After sharing your diagnosis or struggles with your family, it’s important to reflect on what support you might need from them. This is also an opportunity to share where you’d like to set boundaries to create a safer environment for yourself. (There’s a whole Life Kit episode on \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/2021/01/25/960423678/how-to-set-boundaries-with-family-and-stick-to-them\">setting boundaries with family\u003c/a>.)\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>After all is said and done, it can be beneficial to have a plan for how you’ll take care of yourself afterward. You might want to set some time for a walk, call a friend to debrief or \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/2020/06/11/875054593/not-sure-what-youre-feeling-journaling-can-help\">journal\u003c/a> — anything that will help you decompress. This may be one of many conversations with loved ones, so it’s important to have self-care tools for when things get too heavy.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Put yourself first\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Through it all, remember to put yourself and your healing first!\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-caption alignright\" style=\"max-width: 300px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://media.npr.org/assets/img/2022/01/14/latinx-mental-health-families4_custom-d305217bc9168fb3d6bed4b3cc256c1040c65b56-s300-c85.webp\" alt=\"Reza Cristián Moreno is pictured here with her grandparents, Judy Ghaffari and John Trujillo, who have been integral supports on her mental health journey.\" width=\"300\" height=\"381\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Reza Cristián Moreno is pictured here with her grandparents, Judy Ghaffari and John Trujillo, who have been integral supports on her mental health journey.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Although family may be super-important to many of us in the Latinx community, your healing journey may or may not include them — it didn’t include some family members for Reza Cristián Moreno, 26.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>She offers this advice for people whose parents aren’t as understanding and might also be going through their own healing journeys: “We grow up understanding that family values are everything. But I think the advice that I’ve learned from my therapist is that it’s OK to put yourself first and your needs first.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Just because you are putting yourself first doesn’t mean you don’t care deeply about your folks. Gutierrez reminds us, “We may need to disappoint people if it means that we are healing ourselves and tending to what feels right within us.” Healing starts by being vulnerable, and that’s pretty brave — not selfish.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>\u003cstrong>Have you talked to your Latino loved ones about mental health or therapy? Share the tips that worked for you. Send us a note to \u003c/strong>\u003c/em>\u003ca href=\"mailto:lifekit@npr.org\">\u003cem>\u003cstrong>lifekit@npr.org\u003c/strong>\u003c/em>\u003c/a>\u003cem>\u003cstrong>. \u003c/strong>\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://twitter.com/naydeline_mejia\">\u003cem>Naydeline Mejia\u003c/em>\u003c/a>\u003cem> is a freelance writer and editor based in the Bronx, New York. \u003c/em>\u003ca href=\"https://twitter.com/IsabethKahlo\">\u003cem>Isabeth Mendoza\u003c/em>\u003c/a>\u003cem> is a freelance producer based in Los Angeles. \u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>The audio portion of this episode was produced by Sylvie Douglis, with engineering support from Gilly Moon. \u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>If you love Life Kit and want more,\u003c/em>\u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/newsletter/life-kit\">\u003cem> subscribe to our newsletter\u003c/em>\u003c/a>\u003cem>.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cdiv class=\"fullattribution\">Copyright 2022 NPR. To see more, visit www.npr.org.\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://www.google-analytics.com/__utm.gif?utmac=UA-5828686-4&utmdt=4+tips+for+talking+to+your+Latinx+parents+about+mental+health&utme=8(APIKey)9(MDAxOTAwOTE4MDEyMTkxMDAzNjczZDljZA004)\">\u003c/div>\n\n",
"blocks": [],
"excerpt": "Shame and stigma play a huge role in discouraging folks in the Latinx community from seeking mental health care — and talking about it with their families. These steps can help you prepare for the conversation with your loved ones.",
"status": "publish",
"parent": 0,
"modified": 1726005794,
"stats": {
"hasAudio": false,
"hasVideo": false,
"hasChartOrMap": false,
"iframeSrcs": [],
"hasGoogleForm": false,
"hasGallery": false,
"hasHearkenModule": false,
"hasPolis": false,
"paragraphCount": 33,
"wordCount": 1735
},
"headData": {
"title": "4 Tips for Talking to Your Latino Parents About Mental Health | KQED",
"description": "Shame and stigma play a huge role in discouraging folks in the Latinx community from seeking mental health care — and talking about it with their families. These steps can help you prepare for the conversation with your loved ones.",
"ogTitle": "",
"ogDescription": "",
"ogImgId": "",
"twTitle": "",
"twDescription": "",
"twImgId": "",
"schema": {
"@context": "https://schema.org",
"@type": "NewsArticle",
"headline": "4 Tips for Talking to Your Latino Parents About Mental Health",
"datePublished": "2022-02-05T05:01:20-08:00",
"dateModified": "2024-09-10T15:03:14-07:00",
"image": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/KQED-OG-Image@1x.png",
"isAccessibleForFree": "True",
"publisher": {
"@type": "NewsMediaOrganization",
"@id": "https://www.kqed.org/#organization",
"name": "KQED",
"logo": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/KQED-OG-Image@1x.png",
"url": "https://www.kqed.org",
"sameAs": [
"https://www.facebook.com/KQED",
"https://twitter.com/KQED",
"https://www.instagram.com/kqed/",
"https://www.tiktok.com/@kqedofficial",
"https://www.linkedin.com/company/kqed",
"https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCeC0IOo7i1P_61zVUWbJ4nw"
]
}
}
},
"source": "NPR",
"sourceUrl": "https://www.npr.org/",
"sticky": false,
"nprByline": "Naydeline Mejia, Isabeth Mendoza, Sylvie Douglis",
"nprImageAgency": "Erick M. Ramos for NPR",
"nprStoryId": "1072763217",
"nprApiLink": "http://api.npr.org/query?id=1072763217&profileTypeId=15&apiKey=MDAxOTAwOTE4MDEyMTkxMDAzNjczZDljZA004",
"nprHtmlLink": "https://www.npr.org/2022/01/13/1072763217/talking-to-latinx-parents-about-mental-health-and-stigma?ft=nprml&f=1072763217",
"nprRetrievedStory": "1",
"nprPubDate": "Fri, 04 Feb 2022 11:31:00 -0500",
"nprStoryDate": "Fri, 04 Feb 2022 09:00:00 -0500",
"nprLastModifiedDate": "Fri, 04 Feb 2022 11:31:12 -0500",
"nprAudio": "https://ondemand.npr.org/anon.npr-mp3/npr/lifekit/2022/01/20220118_lifekit_life_kit_-_latinx_parents_and_mental_health__-_final.mp3?orgId=1&topicId=1029&aggIds=676529561&d=1368&p=510338&story=1072763217&t=podcast&e=1072763217&ft=nprml&f=1072763217",
"nprAudioM3u": "http://api.npr.org/m3u/11073154199-f84a55.m3u?orgId=1&topicId=1029&aggIds=676529561&d=1368&p=510338&story=1072763217&t=podcast&e=1072763217&ft=nprml&f=1072763217",
"subhead": "Mental health with cultural competency.",
"excludeFromSiteSearch": "Include",
"showOnAuthorArchivePages": "No",
"path": "/news/11904111/4-tips-for-talking-to-your-latino-parents-about-mental-health",
"audioUrl": "https://ondemand.npr.org/anon.npr-mp3/npr/lifekit/2022/01/20220118_lifekit_life_kit_-_latinx_parents_and_mental_health__-_final.mp3?orgId=1&topicId=1029&aggIds=676529561&d=1368&p=510338&story=1072763217&t=podcast&e=1072763217&ft=nprml&f=1072763217",
"audioTrackLength": null,
"parsedContent": [
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>If you were raised in a Latino household, you’ll know that when it comes to mental health, we don’t grow up talking about it.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Personally, neither of us (Isabeth and Naydeline) talked about it with our parents until college, when we both went to therapy for the first time. It wasn’t until we had the right language to discuss mental health that we felt comfortable enough to bring it up at home. So if the thought of admitting to your family that you’re struggling makes you tense up, we totally get it.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>You’re not alone in your fear. A 2019 study found that in the U.S., \u003ca href=\"https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/latino-mental-health#why-is-there-stigma\">Latinos access mental health care at nearly half the rate\u003c/a> of non-Hispanic white people. Shame and stigma play a huge role in discouraging folks from seeking mental health support in our communities — not to mention talking about it with loved ones.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>As hard as it can be to bring up, there’s power and freedom that come from feeling safe in your mind and your body, and at home. If you want to explore having a conversation with your loved ones about mental health, we have some tips for you! You’ll hear from therapists, young people who have had the conversation and, of course, us.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11904126\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 766px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-11904126\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2022/02/Screen-Shot-2022-02-04-at-1.46.04-PM.png\" alt=\"The authors, smiling, with their mothers\" width=\"766\" height=\"312\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/02/Screen-Shot-2022-02-04-at-1.46.04-PM.png 766w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/02/Screen-Shot-2022-02-04-at-1.46.04-PM-160x65.png 160w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 766px) 100vw, 766px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">The authors, Isabeth Mendoza and Naydeline Mejia, pose with their mothers. Left: Hilda Mendoza and Isabeth Mendoza. Right: Naydeline Mejia and Elvira Castillo. \u003ccite>(Courtesy Isabeth Mendoza/Naydeline Mejia)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>Work to understand your own mental health\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>The more aware you are of your specific mental health struggles and needs, the better you will be able to communicate those needs to others. To start, understand that mental health isn’t stagnant and can change as your life changes. How you understood your mental health before might not be how you understand it now.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "ad",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"label": "fullwidth"
},
"numeric": [
"fullwidth"
]
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>There are several ways you can learn how your emotions show up and interact with your body and mind. Therapy card decks, such as Ebony Butler’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.mytherapycards.com/\">My Therapy Cards\u003c/a>, made specifically for people of color, can be a great tool for reflection. Journaling, meditation and following licensed mental health professionals on Instagram can also be helpful. Some of our favorite people to follow are \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/josierosarionyc/\">Josie Rosario\u003c/a>, \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/_lisaolivera/\">Lisa Olivera\u003c/a>, \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/nedratawwab/\">Nedra Glover Tawwab\u003c/a> and \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/sitwithwhit/\">Whitney Goodman\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "aside",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"label": "Mental Health ",
"tag": "mental-health"
},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Here are a few book recommendations that speak to mental health-related topics such as intergenerational trauma and attachment styles:\u003c/p>\n\u003cul>\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://www.indiebound.org/book/9781942094470\">“My Grandmother’s Hands: Racialized Trauma and the Pathway to Mending Our Hearts and Bodies”\u003c/a>\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://www.indiebound.org/book/9781101980385\">“It Didn’t Start With You: How Inherited Family Trauma Shapes Who We Are and How to End the Cycle”\u003c/a>\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://www.indiebound.org/book/9781585429134\">“Attached: The New Science of Adult Attachment and How It Can Help You Find — and Keep — Love”\u003c/a>\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\u003cp>And of course, there’s therapy! Therapy can be a scary process, but having the right mental health professional on your side can help you work through things that you might not be able to on your own. Some therapist directories you can look into are \u003ca href=\"https://latinxtherapy.com/\">Latinx Therapy\u003c/a>, \u003ca href=\"https://www.therapyforlatinx.com/\">Therapy for Latinx\u003c/a>, \u003ca href=\"https://www.psychologytoday.com/us\">Psychology Today\u003c/a>, \u003ca href=\"https://providers.therapyforblackgirls.com/\">Therapy for Black Girls\u003c/a> and \u003ca href=\"https://openpathcollective.org/\">Open Path Psychotherapy Collective\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Reflect on your ‘why’\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>After you have a better understanding of your mental health, the next step is to establish why you want to talk about it with your family. You may not feel that sharing this part of your life is important, and that’s OK. But for those who do, this step is essential.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>For some people we spoke to, like \u003ca href=\"https://www.figgybaby.com/\">Figgy Baby\u003c/a>, 30, a musical artist and co-founder of \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/bloomhomie/?hl=en\">Bloom Homie\u003c/a>, a collective of “homies reimagining masculinity,” they want to be able to be their full authentic selves with their family members — that’s one “why.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I want home and family to be a space where I can be my free-est self. I’ll admit that it’s not, but little by little it can be more and more,” says Figgy. “And I feel like taking this leap of being vulnerable and shameless with my folks only allows space for deeper connections with my family.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium\" src=\"https://media.npr.org/assets/img/2022/01/14/latinx-mental-health-families_3-copy_custom-a7676189e22193ae1eabc7b0184bcbeebdc17211-s800-c85.webp\" alt=\"Pictures of the Figueroa Family with the children young and the children as adults.\" width=\"800\" height=\"417\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Figgy Baby, born Andrew Figueroa, is pictured here with his family. From left to right in photo at left: Felicity Figueroa, Paul Figueroa, Eduardo Figueroa and Figgy Baby.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>For others, they want to talk about mental health at home because it helps to normalize the conversation as well as break down stigmas. Have you ever heard “el dicho,” “la ropa sucia se lava en casa” (don’t air your dirty laundry in public) or heard a family member shaming a relative with a diagnosis by calling them “loco”? These are all \u003ca href=\"https://namica.org/mental-health-challenges-in-latino-communities/\">cultural stigmas\u003c/a> prevalent in the Latino community.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And while it’s easy to laugh about — and maybe \u003ca href=\"https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2021-12-06/how-latinos-are-bonding-over-first-generation-trauma\">even bond over\u003c/a> — these shared traumas, we can’t deny the real-world implications these ideas have on our collective well-being. It’s through open and honest conversations with the people around us that we can help shatter these outdated narratives.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Come prepared to have the conversation, and have an after-care plan, too\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>After establishing your “why,” then it’s time to actually \u003cem>have\u003c/em> the conversation. This type of conversation can feel emotionally and mentally daunting, so we suggest entering it with humility and love — and maybe even a plan of action.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Kayla Zapata Fory, 29, scripted out what she wanted to say to her parents before having that conversation with them. Scripting can be a helpful tool if you get nervous during difficult discussions and want to make sure you’re laying it all on the table when you have the talk.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://traumacounselingnyc.com/nataliegutierrezlmft/\">Natalie Gutierrez\u003c/a>, a licensed marriage and family therapist who specializes in trauma and is based in New York and New Jersey, suggests starting off by saying something along the lines of:\u003c/p>\n\u003cblockquote>\u003cp>\u003cem>I’m struggling to love me, and I’m struggling to know who I am, and I really want to heal\u003c/em>.\u003c/p>\u003c/blockquote>\n\u003cp>You want to be sure to share your struggles with your loved ones in a way they’ll understand, so in addition to sharing your medical diagnosis — if you have one and choose to share — it might also be helpful to share your symptoms using simple language. For example, you can say: “When I’m driving, I get really nervous that I might hit something or get into an accident,” as a way to describe anxiety.\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "aside",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"postid": "perspectives_201601140725",
"label": "More Stories On Latino Mental Health "
},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>You might get some pushback from your family, so be prepared to redirect the conversation when you feel your parents or loved ones reacting negatively. Remind them that your mental health journey is about \u003cem>you\u003c/em> wanting to be your best self and might have nothing to do with them.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://thecitypsychotherapy.com/\">Daniel Olavarría\u003c/a>, a licensed clinical social worker who serves clients in New York, California and Florida, says you can say:\u003c/p>\n\u003cblockquote>\u003cp>\u003cem>No, Mom. No, Dad. It’s not your fault. The world is moving quickly, things are changing and this is what people are doing now to show up as the healthiest version of themselves. I know that you didn’t have time to take care of yourself, but thank you so much for what you did [for me], because now I do. \u003c/em>\u003c/p>\u003c/blockquote>\n\u003cp>Nevertheless, we recognize that parents aren’t perfect! If your family members may have negatively contributed to your mental health, you can show compassion for their errors while still honoring your reality.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>After sharing your diagnosis or struggles with your family, it’s important to reflect on what support you might need from them. This is also an opportunity to share where you’d like to set boundaries to create a safer environment for yourself. (There’s a whole Life Kit episode on \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/2021/01/25/960423678/how-to-set-boundaries-with-family-and-stick-to-them\">setting boundaries with family\u003c/a>.)\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>After all is said and done, it can be beneficial to have a plan for how you’ll take care of yourself afterward. You might want to set some time for a walk, call a friend to debrief or \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/2020/06/11/875054593/not-sure-what-youre-feeling-journaling-can-help\">journal\u003c/a> — anything that will help you decompress. This may be one of many conversations with loved ones, so it’s important to have self-care tools for when things get too heavy.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Put yourself first\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Through it all, remember to put yourself and your healing first!\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-caption alignright\" style=\"max-width: 300px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://media.npr.org/assets/img/2022/01/14/latinx-mental-health-families4_custom-d305217bc9168fb3d6bed4b3cc256c1040c65b56-s300-c85.webp\" alt=\"Reza Cristián Moreno is pictured here with her grandparents, Judy Ghaffari and John Trujillo, who have been integral supports on her mental health journey.\" width=\"300\" height=\"381\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Reza Cristián Moreno is pictured here with her grandparents, Judy Ghaffari and John Trujillo, who have been integral supports on her mental health journey.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Although family may be super-important to many of us in the Latinx community, your healing journey may or may not include them — it didn’t include some family members for Reza Cristián Moreno, 26.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>She offers this advice for people whose parents aren’t as understanding and might also be going through their own healing journeys: “We grow up understanding that family values are everything. But I think the advice that I’ve learned from my therapist is that it’s OK to put yourself first and your needs first.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Just because you are putting yourself first doesn’t mean you don’t care deeply about your folks. Gutierrez reminds us, “We may need to disappoint people if it means that we are healing ourselves and tending to what feels right within us.” Healing starts by being vulnerable, and that’s pretty brave — not selfish.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>\u003cstrong>Have you talked to your Latino loved ones about mental health or therapy? Share the tips that worked for you. Send us a note to \u003c/strong>\u003c/em>\u003ca href=\"mailto:lifekit@npr.org\">\u003cem>\u003cstrong>lifekit@npr.org\u003c/strong>\u003c/em>\u003c/a>\u003cem>\u003cstrong>. \u003c/strong>\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://twitter.com/naydeline_mejia\">\u003cem>Naydeline Mejia\u003c/em>\u003c/a>\u003cem> is a freelance writer and editor based in the Bronx, New York. \u003c/em>\u003ca href=\"https://twitter.com/IsabethKahlo\">\u003cem>Isabeth Mendoza\u003c/em>\u003c/a>\u003cem> is a freelance producer based in Los Angeles. \u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>The audio portion of this episode was produced by Sylvie Douglis, with engineering support from Gilly Moon. \u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "ad",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"label": "floatright"
},
"numeric": [
"floatright"
]
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>If you love Life Kit and want more,\u003c/em>\u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/newsletter/life-kit\">\u003cem> subscribe to our newsletter\u003c/em>\u003c/a>\u003cem>.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cdiv class=\"fullattribution\">Copyright 2022 NPR. To see more, visit www.npr.org.\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://www.google-analytics.com/__utm.gif?utmac=UA-5828686-4&utmdt=4+tips+for+talking+to+your+Latinx+parents+about+mental+health&utme=8(APIKey)9(MDAxOTAwOTE4MDEyMTkxMDAzNjczZDljZA004)\">\u003c/div>\n\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
}
],
"link": "/news/11904111/4-tips-for-talking-to-your-latino-parents-about-mental-health",
"authors": [
"byline_news_11904111"
],
"categories": [
"news_457",
"news_8"
],
"tags": [
"news_18543",
"news_25409",
"news_2109"
],
"featImg": "news_11904097",
"label": "source_news_11904111"
},
"news_11904155": {
"type": "posts",
"id": "news_11904155",
"meta": {
"index": "posts_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "11904155",
"score": null,
"sort": [
1644021044000
]
},
"guestAuthors": [],
"slug": "california-inks-sweetheart-deal-with-kaiser-permanente-jeopardizing-medicaid-reforms",
"title": "California Inks Sweetheart Deal With Kaiser Permanente, Jeopardizing Medicaid Reforms",
"publishDate": 1644021044,
"format": "standard",
"headTitle": "California Inks Sweetheart Deal With Kaiser Permanente, Jeopardizing Medicaid Reforms | KQED",
"labelTerm": {},
"content": "\u003cp>\u003cem>Editor’s note: KHN is not affiliated with Kaiser Permanente.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Gov. Gavin Newsom’s administration has negotiated a secret deal to give Kaiser Permanente a special Medicaid contract that would allow the health care behemoth to expand its reach in California and largely continue selecting the enrollees it wants, which other health care plans say leaves them with a disproportionate share of the program’s sickest and costliest patients.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The deal, hammered out behind closed doors between Kaiser Permanente and senior officials in Newsom’s office, could complicate a long-planned and expensive transformation of Medi-Cal, the state’s Medicaid program, which covers roughly 14 million lower-income Californians.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It has infuriated executives of other managed-care insurance plans in Medi-Cal, who say they stand to lose hundreds of thousands of patients and millions of dollars a year. The deal allows KP to limit enrollment primarily to its previous enrollees, except in the case of kids in foster care and people who are eligible for both Medicare and Medi-Cal.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[pullquote size=\"medium\" align=\"right\" citation=\"Jarrod McNaughton, CEO, Inland Empire Health Plan\"]‘[This deal] has caused a massive amount of frenzy.’[/pullquote]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It has caused a massive amount of frenzy,” said Jarrod McNaughton, CEO of the Inland Empire Health Plan, which covers about 1.5 million Medi-Cal enrollees in Riverside and San Bernardino counties. “All of us are doing our best to implement the most transformational Medi-Cal initiative in state history, and to put all this together without a public process is very disconcerting.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Linnea Koopmans, CEO of the Local Health Plans of California, echoed McNaughton’s concerns.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Insurance plans got wind of the backroom talks when broad outlines of the deal were leaked days before the state briefed their executives Thursday.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Dr. Bechara Choucair, Kaiser Permanente’s chief health officer, argued \u003ca href=\"https://khn.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/02/Kaiser-Permanente-response-to-KHN-inquiry.pdf\">in a prepared written response\u003c/a> on behalf of KP that because it operates both as a health insurer and a health care provider, KP should be treated differently from other commercial health care plans that participate in Medi-Cal. Doing business directly with the state will eliminate complexity and improve the quality of care for the Medi-Cal patients it serves, he said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We are not seeking to turn a profit off Medi-Cal enrollment,” Choucair said. “Kaiser Permanente participates in Medi-Cal because it is part of our mission to improve the health of the communities we serve. We participate in Medi-Cal despite incurring losses every year.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>His statement cited nearly $1.8 billion in losses in the program in 2020 and said KP had donated $402 million to help care for uninsured people that year.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Kaiser Permanente, the state’s largest managed-care organization, is one of Newsom’s most generous supporters and close political allies.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The new, five-year contract, confirmed to KHN by administration officials and expected to be announced publicly Friday, will take effect in 2024 pending approval from the Legislature — and will make KP the only insurer with a statewide Medi-Cal contract. It allows KP to solidify its position before California’s other commercial Medi-Cal plans participate in a \u003ca href=\"https://californiahealthline.org/news/article/californias-reboot-of-troubled-medi-cal-puts-pressure-on-health-plans/\">statewide bidding process\u003c/a> — and after those plans have spent many months and considerable resources developing their bidding strategies.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[aside postID=news_11902149 hero='https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2022/01/RS53217_034_Richmond_LifelongCOVIDClinic_01192022-qut-1020x680.jpg']Other health care plans fear the contract could also muddle a massive and expensive initiative called \u003ca href=\"https://californiahealthline.org/news/article/california-medicaid-makeover-calaim-homeless-whole-body-care/\">CalAIM\u003c/a> that seeks to provide social services to the state’s most vulnerable patients, including home-delivered meals, housing aid for unhoused people, and \u003ca href=\"https://californiahealthline.org/news/article/mattresses-and-mold-removal-medi-cal-to-offer-unconventional-treatments-to-asthma-patients/\">mold removal\u003c/a> from homes. Under its new contract, KP must provide some of those services. But some executives at other health care plans say KP will not have to enroll a large number of sick patients who need such services because of how it limits enrollment.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Critics of the deal noted Newsom’s close relationship with KP, which has given nearly $100 million in charitable funding and grant money to boost Newsom’s efforts against homelessness, COVID response and wildfire relief since 2019, according to state records and KP news releases. The health care giant was also one of two hospital systems awarded a no-bid contract from the state to run a \u003ca href=\"https://about.kaiserpermanente.org/our-story/news/announcements/innovative-partnership-creates-los-angeles-surge-hospital\">field hospital in Los Angeles\u003c/a> during the early days of the COVID pandemic, and it got \u003ca href=\"https://khn.org/news/article/blue-shield-spent-years-cultivating-a-relationship-with-newsom-it-got-the-state-vaccine-contract/\">a special agreement\u003c/a> from the Newsom administration to help vaccinate Californians last year.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Jim DeBoo, Newsom’s executive secretary, \u003ca href=\"https://cal-access.sos.ca.gov/Lobbying/Firms/Detail.aspx?id=1364764&session=2019\">used to lobby for KP\u003c/a> before joining the administration. Toby Douglas, a former director of the state Department of Health Care Services, which runs Medi-Cal, is now Kaiser Permanente’s vice president for national Medicaid.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>https://twitter.com/Paul_Erskine/status/1218294697593933825?s=20&t=VHrby3saI4V4EOHIQJNoWg\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Still, many critics agree that Kaiser Permanente is a linchpin of the state’s health care system, with its strong focus on preventive care and high marks for quality of care. Many of the public insurance plans upset by the deal subcontract with KP for patient care and acknowledge that their overall quality scores will likely decline when KP goes its own way.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Michelle Baass, director of the state Department of Health Care Services, said Medi-Cal had risked losing KP’s “high quality” and “clinical expertise” altogether had it been required to accept all enrollees, as the other health plans must. But she said KP will have to comply with all other conditions that other plans must meet, including tightened requirements on access, quality, consumer satisfaction and health equity.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The state will also have greater oversight over patient care, she said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“This proposal is a way to help ensure Kaiser treats more low-income patients, and that more low-income patients have access to Kaiser’s high-quality services,” Baass said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Though Kaiser Permanente has 9 million enrollees, close to a quarter of all Californians, only about 900,000 of them are Medi-Cal members.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Under the current system, 12 of the 24 other managed care insurance plans that participate in Medi-Cal subcontract with KP to care for a subset of their patients, keeping a small slice of the Medi-Cal dollars earmarked for those patients. Under the new contract, KP can take those patients away and keep all the money.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In its subcontracts, and in counties where it enrolls patients directly, KP accepts only people who are recent Kaiser Permanente members and, in some cases, their family members. It is the only health plan that can limit its Medi-Cal enrollment in this way.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The new contract allows KP to continue this practice, but it also requires Kaiser Permanente to take on more children in foster care and complex, expensive patients who are eligible for both Medi-Cal and Medicare. It allows KP to expand its geographic reach in Medi-Cal to do so.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Baass said the state expects KP’s Medi-Cal enrollment to increase 25% over the life of the contract.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>KP defended the practice of limiting enrollment primarily to its previous members, arguing that it provides “continuity of care when members transition into and out of Medi-Cal.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[aside label='More Health Coverage' tag='health']The state has long pushed for a larger KP footprint in Medi-Cal, citing its high quality ratings, its strong integrated network, and its huge role on the broader health care landscape.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Kaiser Permanente historically has not played a very big role in Medi-Cal, and the state has long recognized that we would benefit from having them more engaged because they get better health outcomes and focus on prevention,” said Daniel Zingale, a former Newsom administration official and health insurance regulator who now advises a lobbying firm that has Kaiser Permanente as a client.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But by accepting primarily people who have been KP members in the recent past, the health care system has been able to limit its share of high-need, expensive patients, say rival health plan executives and former state health officials.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The executives fear the deal could saddle them with even more of these patients in the future, including unhoused people and those with mental illnesses — and make it harder to provide adequate care for them. Many of those patients will join Medi-Cal for the first time under the CalAIM initiative, and KP will not be required to accept many of them.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Awarding a no-bid Medi-Cal contract to a statewide commercial plan with a track record of ‘cherry picking’ members and offering only limited behavioral health and community support benefits not only conflicts with the intent and goals of CalAIM but undermines publicly organized health care,” according to an internal document prepared by the Inland Empire Health Plan.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The plan said it stands to lose the roughly 144,000 Medi-Cal members it delegates to KP and about $10 million in annual revenue. LA Care, the nation’s largest Medicaid health plan, with 2.4 million enrollees in Los Angeles County, will lose its 244,000 KP members, based on data shared by the plan.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The state had been scheduled on Wednesday to release final details and instructions for the commercial plans that are submitting bids for new contracts starting in 2024. But it delayed the release a week to make the KP deal public beforehand.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Baass said the state agreed to exempt KP from the bidding process because the standardized contract expected to result from it would have required the insurer to accept all enrollees, which Kaiser Permanente does not have the capacity to do.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It’s not surprising to me that the state will go to extraordinary means to make sure that Kaiser is in the mix, given it has been in the vanguard of our health care delivery system,” Zingale said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Having a direct statewide Medi-Cal contract will greatly reduce the administrative workload for KP, which will now deal with only one agency on reporting and oversight, rather than the 12 public plans it currently subcontracts with.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And the new contract will give it an even closer relationship with Newsom and state health officials.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In 2020, \u003ca href=\"https://about.kaiserpermanente.org/community-health/news/25m-pledge-to-california-governors-housing-fund\">KP gave $25 million to one of Newsom’s key initiatives\u003c/a>, a state homelessness fund to move people off the streets and into hotel rooms, according to a KHN analysis of charitable payments filed with the California \u003ca href=\"https://www.fppc.ca.gov/transparency/behested-payments.html\">Fair Political Practices Commission\u003c/a>. The same year, it donated $9.75 million to a state COVID relief fund.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In summer 2020, when local and state public health departments struggled to contain COVID spread, the health care giant pledged \u003ca href=\"https://about.kaiserpermanente.org/community-health/news/kaiser-permanente-commits-63m-to-support-contact-tracing-in-california\">$63 million in grant funding to help contract-tracing efforts\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>KP’s influence extends beyond its massive charitable giving. Its CEO, Greg Adams, landed an appointment on the governor’s economic recovery task force early in the pandemic, and Newsom has showcased KP hospitals at vaccine media events throughout the state.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>https://twitter.com/KPSCALnews/status/1338603794062438400?s=20&t=4dpVkiilzowe4ESRlCyPOg\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“In California and across the U.S., the campaign contributions and the organizing, the lobbying, all of that stuff is important,” said Andrew Kelly, an assistant professor of health policy at California State University, East Bay. “But there’s a different type of power that comes from your ability to have this privileged position within public programs.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>This story was produced by \u003ca href=\"https://khn.org/\">KHN\u003c/a>, which publishes \u003ca href=\"http://www.californiahealthline.org/\">California Healthline\u003c/a>, an editorially independent service of the \u003ca href=\"http://www.chcf.org/\">California Health Care Foundation\u003c/a>.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>KHN is not affiliated with Kaiser Permanente.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n",
"blocks": [],
"excerpt": "The deal, hammered out behind closed doors between Kaiser Permanente and senior officials in Gov. Newsom's office, could complicate a long-planned transformation of Medi-Cal, which covers roughly 14 million lower-income Californians.",
"status": "publish",
"parent": 0,
"modified": 1738185366,
"stats": {
"hasAudio": false,
"hasVideo": false,
"hasChartOrMap": false,
"iframeSrcs": [],
"hasGoogleForm": false,
"hasGallery": false,
"hasHearkenModule": false,
"hasPolis": false,
"paragraphCount": 45,
"wordCount": 1967
},
"headData": {
"title": "California Inks Sweetheart Deal With Kaiser Permanente, Jeopardizing Medicaid Reforms | KQED",
"description": "The deal, hammered out behind closed doors between Kaiser Permanente and senior officials in Gov. Newsom's office, could complicate a long-planned transformation of Medi-Cal, which covers roughly 14 million lower-income Californians.",
"ogTitle": "",
"ogDescription": "",
"ogImgId": "",
"twTitle": "",
"twDescription": "",
"twImgId": "",
"schema": {
"@context": "https://schema.org",
"@type": "NewsArticle",
"headline": "California Inks Sweetheart Deal With Kaiser Permanente, Jeopardizing Medicaid Reforms",
"datePublished": "2022-02-04T16:30:44-08:00",
"dateModified": "2025-01-29T13:16:06-08:00",
"image": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/KQED-OG-Image@1x.png",
"isAccessibleForFree": "True",
"publisher": {
"@type": "NewsMediaOrganization",
"@id": "https://www.kqed.org/#organization",
"name": "KQED",
"logo": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/KQED-OG-Image@1x.png",
"url": "https://www.kqed.org",
"sameAs": [
"https://www.facebook.com/KQED",
"https://twitter.com/KQED",
"https://www.instagram.com/kqed/",
"https://www.tiktok.com/@kqedofficial",
"https://www.linkedin.com/company/kqed",
"https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCeC0IOo7i1P_61zVUWbJ4nw"
]
}
}
},
"source": "KHN",
"sourceUrl": "https://khn.org/",
"sticky": false,
"nprByline": "\u003ca href=\"https://khn.org/news/author/bernard-j-wolfson/\">Bernard J. Wolfson\u003c/a>, \u003ca href=\"https://khn.org/news/author/angela-hart/\">Angela Hart\u003c/a> and \u003ca href=\"https://khn.org/news/author/samantha-young/\">Samantha Young\u003c/a>",
"subhead": "The backroom deal with politically connected Kaiser Permanente, which infuriated executives of other Medi-Cal health plans, allows the health care giant to continue selecting the enrollees it wants.",
"excludeFromSiteSearch": "Include",
"showOnAuthorArchivePages": "No",
"path": "/news/11904155/california-inks-sweetheart-deal-with-kaiser-permanente-jeopardizing-medicaid-reforms",
"audioTrackLength": null,
"parsedContent": [
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>\u003cem>Editor’s note: KHN is not affiliated with Kaiser Permanente.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Gov. Gavin Newsom’s administration has negotiated a secret deal to give Kaiser Permanente a special Medicaid contract that would allow the health care behemoth to expand its reach in California and largely continue selecting the enrollees it wants, which other health care plans say leaves them with a disproportionate share of the program’s sickest and costliest patients.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The deal, hammered out behind closed doors between Kaiser Permanente and senior officials in Newsom’s office, could complicate a long-planned and expensive transformation of Medi-Cal, the state’s Medicaid program, which covers roughly 14 million lower-income Californians.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It has infuriated executives of other managed-care insurance plans in Medi-Cal, who say they stand to lose hundreds of thousands of patients and millions of dollars a year. The deal allows KP to limit enrollment primarily to its previous enrollees, except in the case of kids in foster care and people who are eligible for both Medicare and Medi-Cal.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "‘[This deal] has caused a massive amount of frenzy.’",
"name": "pullquote",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"size": "medium",
"align": "right",
"citation": "Jarrod McNaughton, CEO, Inland Empire Health Plan",
"label": ""
},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It has caused a massive amount of frenzy,” said Jarrod McNaughton, CEO of the Inland Empire Health Plan, which covers about 1.5 million Medi-Cal enrollees in Riverside and San Bernardino counties. “All of us are doing our best to implement the most transformational Medi-Cal initiative in state history, and to put all this together without a public process is very disconcerting.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Linnea Koopmans, CEO of the Local Health Plans of California, echoed McNaughton’s concerns.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Insurance plans got wind of the backroom talks when broad outlines of the deal were leaked days before the state briefed their executives Thursday.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "ad",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"label": "fullwidth"
},
"numeric": [
"fullwidth"
]
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Dr. Bechara Choucair, Kaiser Permanente’s chief health officer, argued \u003ca href=\"https://khn.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/02/Kaiser-Permanente-response-to-KHN-inquiry.pdf\">in a prepared written response\u003c/a> on behalf of KP that because it operates both as a health insurer and a health care provider, KP should be treated differently from other commercial health care plans that participate in Medi-Cal. Doing business directly with the state will eliminate complexity and improve the quality of care for the Medi-Cal patients it serves, he said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We are not seeking to turn a profit off Medi-Cal enrollment,” Choucair said. “Kaiser Permanente participates in Medi-Cal because it is part of our mission to improve the health of the communities we serve. We participate in Medi-Cal despite incurring losses every year.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>His statement cited nearly $1.8 billion in losses in the program in 2020 and said KP had donated $402 million to help care for uninsured people that year.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Kaiser Permanente, the state’s largest managed-care organization, is one of Newsom’s most generous supporters and close political allies.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The new, five-year contract, confirmed to KHN by administration officials and expected to be announced publicly Friday, will take effect in 2024 pending approval from the Legislature — and will make KP the only insurer with a statewide Medi-Cal contract. It allows KP to solidify its position before California’s other commercial Medi-Cal plans participate in a \u003ca href=\"https://californiahealthline.org/news/article/californias-reboot-of-troubled-medi-cal-puts-pressure-on-health-plans/\">statewide bidding process\u003c/a> — and after those plans have spent many months and considerable resources developing their bidding strategies.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "aside",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"postid": "news_11902149",
"hero": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2022/01/RS53217_034_Richmond_LifelongCOVIDClinic_01192022-qut-1020x680.jpg",
"label": ""
},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>Other health care plans fear the contract could also muddle a massive and expensive initiative called \u003ca href=\"https://californiahealthline.org/news/article/california-medicaid-makeover-calaim-homeless-whole-body-care/\">CalAIM\u003c/a> that seeks to provide social services to the state’s most vulnerable patients, including home-delivered meals, housing aid for unhoused people, and \u003ca href=\"https://californiahealthline.org/news/article/mattresses-and-mold-removal-medi-cal-to-offer-unconventional-treatments-to-asthma-patients/\">mold removal\u003c/a> from homes. Under its new contract, KP must provide some of those services. But some executives at other health care plans say KP will not have to enroll a large number of sick patients who need such services because of how it limits enrollment.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Critics of the deal noted Newsom’s close relationship with KP, which has given nearly $100 million in charitable funding and grant money to boost Newsom’s efforts against homelessness, COVID response and wildfire relief since 2019, according to state records and KP news releases. The health care giant was also one of two hospital systems awarded a no-bid contract from the state to run a \u003ca href=\"https://about.kaiserpermanente.org/our-story/news/announcements/innovative-partnership-creates-los-angeles-surge-hospital\">field hospital in Los Angeles\u003c/a> during the early days of the COVID pandemic, and it got \u003ca href=\"https://khn.org/news/article/blue-shield-spent-years-cultivating-a-relationship-with-newsom-it-got-the-state-vaccine-contract/\">a special agreement\u003c/a> from the Newsom administration to help vaccinate Californians last year.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Jim DeBoo, Newsom’s executive secretary, \u003ca href=\"https://cal-access.sos.ca.gov/Lobbying/Firms/Detail.aspx?id=1364764&session=2019\">used to lobby for KP\u003c/a> before joining the administration. Toby Douglas, a former director of the state Department of Health Care Services, which runs Medi-Cal, is now Kaiser Permanente’s vice president for national Medicaid.\u003c/p>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "singleTwitterStatus",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"id": "1218294697593933825"
},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\n\u003cp>Still, many critics agree that Kaiser Permanente is a linchpin of the state’s health care system, with its strong focus on preventive care and high marks for quality of care. Many of the public insurance plans upset by the deal subcontract with KP for patient care and acknowledge that their overall quality scores will likely decline when KP goes its own way.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Michelle Baass, director of the state Department of Health Care Services, said Medi-Cal had risked losing KP’s “high quality” and “clinical expertise” altogether had it been required to accept all enrollees, as the other health plans must. But she said KP will have to comply with all other conditions that other plans must meet, including tightened requirements on access, quality, consumer satisfaction and health equity.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The state will also have greater oversight over patient care, she said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“This proposal is a way to help ensure Kaiser treats more low-income patients, and that more low-income patients have access to Kaiser’s high-quality services,” Baass said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Though Kaiser Permanente has 9 million enrollees, close to a quarter of all Californians, only about 900,000 of them are Medi-Cal members.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Under the current system, 12 of the 24 other managed care insurance plans that participate in Medi-Cal subcontract with KP to care for a subset of their patients, keeping a small slice of the Medi-Cal dollars earmarked for those patients. Under the new contract, KP can take those patients away and keep all the money.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In its subcontracts, and in counties where it enrolls patients directly, KP accepts only people who are recent Kaiser Permanente members and, in some cases, their family members. It is the only health plan that can limit its Medi-Cal enrollment in this way.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The new contract allows KP to continue this practice, but it also requires Kaiser Permanente to take on more children in foster care and complex, expensive patients who are eligible for both Medi-Cal and Medicare. It allows KP to expand its geographic reach in Medi-Cal to do so.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Baass said the state expects KP’s Medi-Cal enrollment to increase 25% over the life of the contract.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>KP defended the practice of limiting enrollment primarily to its previous members, arguing that it provides “continuity of care when members transition into and out of Medi-Cal.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "aside",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"label": "More Health Coverage ",
"tag": "health"
},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>The state has long pushed for a larger KP footprint in Medi-Cal, citing its high quality ratings, its strong integrated network, and its huge role on the broader health care landscape.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Kaiser Permanente historically has not played a very big role in Medi-Cal, and the state has long recognized that we would benefit from having them more engaged because they get better health outcomes and focus on prevention,” said Daniel Zingale, a former Newsom administration official and health insurance regulator who now advises a lobbying firm that has Kaiser Permanente as a client.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But by accepting primarily people who have been KP members in the recent past, the health care system has been able to limit its share of high-need, expensive patients, say rival health plan executives and former state health officials.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The executives fear the deal could saddle them with even more of these patients in the future, including unhoused people and those with mental illnesses — and make it harder to provide adequate care for them. Many of those patients will join Medi-Cal for the first time under the CalAIM initiative, and KP will not be required to accept many of them.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Awarding a no-bid Medi-Cal contract to a statewide commercial plan with a track record of ‘cherry picking’ members and offering only limited behavioral health and community support benefits not only conflicts with the intent and goals of CalAIM but undermines publicly organized health care,” according to an internal document prepared by the Inland Empire Health Plan.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The plan said it stands to lose the roughly 144,000 Medi-Cal members it delegates to KP and about $10 million in annual revenue. LA Care, the nation’s largest Medicaid health plan, with 2.4 million enrollees in Los Angeles County, will lose its 244,000 KP members, based on data shared by the plan.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The state had been scheduled on Wednesday to release final details and instructions for the commercial plans that are submitting bids for new contracts starting in 2024. But it delayed the release a week to make the KP deal public beforehand.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Baass said the state agreed to exempt KP from the bidding process because the standardized contract expected to result from it would have required the insurer to accept all enrollees, which Kaiser Permanente does not have the capacity to do.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It’s not surprising to me that the state will go to extraordinary means to make sure that Kaiser is in the mix, given it has been in the vanguard of our health care delivery system,” Zingale said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Having a direct statewide Medi-Cal contract will greatly reduce the administrative workload for KP, which will now deal with only one agency on reporting and oversight, rather than the 12 public plans it currently subcontracts with.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And the new contract will give it an even closer relationship with Newsom and state health officials.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In 2020, \u003ca href=\"https://about.kaiserpermanente.org/community-health/news/25m-pledge-to-california-governors-housing-fund\">KP gave $25 million to one of Newsom’s key initiatives\u003c/a>, a state homelessness fund to move people off the streets and into hotel rooms, according to a KHN analysis of charitable payments filed with the California \u003ca href=\"https://www.fppc.ca.gov/transparency/behested-payments.html\">Fair Political Practices Commission\u003c/a>. The same year, it donated $9.75 million to a state COVID relief fund.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In summer 2020, when local and state public health departments struggled to contain COVID spread, the health care giant pledged \u003ca href=\"https://about.kaiserpermanente.org/community-health/news/kaiser-permanente-commits-63m-to-support-contact-tracing-in-california\">$63 million in grant funding to help contract-tracing efforts\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>KP’s influence extends beyond its massive charitable giving. Its CEO, Greg Adams, landed an appointment on the governor’s economic recovery task force early in the pandemic, and Newsom has showcased KP hospitals at vaccine media events throughout the state.\u003c/p>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "singleTwitterStatus",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"id": "1338603794062438400"
},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\n\u003cp>“In California and across the U.S., the campaign contributions and the organizing, the lobbying, all of that stuff is important,” said Andrew Kelly, an assistant professor of health policy at California State University, East Bay. “But there’s a different type of power that comes from your ability to have this privileged position within public programs.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>This story was produced by \u003ca href=\"https://khn.org/\">KHN\u003c/a>, which publishes \u003ca href=\"http://www.californiahealthline.org/\">California Healthline\u003c/a>, an editorially independent service of the \u003ca href=\"http://www.chcf.org/\">California Health Care Foundation\u003c/a>.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>KHN is not affiliated with Kaiser Permanente.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "ad",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"label": "floatright"
},
"numeric": [
"floatright"
]
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
}
],
"link": "/news/11904155/california-inks-sweetheart-deal-with-kaiser-permanente-jeopardizing-medicaid-reforms",
"authors": [
"byline_news_11904155"
],
"categories": [
"news_457",
"news_8"
],
"tags": [
"news_18538",
"news_16",
"news_18543",
"news_421",
"news_2605",
"news_20666"
],
"featImg": "news_11904185",
"label": "source_news_11904155"
},
"news_11903506": {
"type": "posts",
"id": "news_11903506",
"meta": {
"index": "posts_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "11903506",
"score": null,
"sort": [
1643935585000
]
},
"guestAuthors": [],
"slug": "i-felt-as-if-i-failed-why-do-some-people-feel-shame-at-getting-covid",
"title": "'I Felt As If I Failed': Why Do Some People Feel Shame at Getting COVID?",
"publishDate": 1643935585,
"format": "image",
"headTitle": "‘I Felt As If I Failed’: Why Do Some People Feel Shame at Getting COVID? | KQED",
"labelTerm": {
"site": "news"
},
"content": "\u003cp>[dropcap]G[/dropcap]etting COVID can make a person feel a variety of emotions: anger, fear, frustration. But many folks have reported experiencing another kind of reaction to their own positive test result: a feeling of shame.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>For those who haven’t experienced it themselves, the idea of being ashamed at getting COVID — during a literal pandemic, no less — might seem odd. And yet \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11902308\">when we asked KQED audiences for their stories\u003c/a>, “COVID shame” was something that many people told us they couldn’t help but feel.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I cried the second I saw the pink line,” one audience member told KQED. “I felt as if I failed myself and society.” Like most people who sent us their stories, they asked to remain anonymous.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I thought I would be a disappointment to [my staff], I thought I’d let them down,” a person who worked in hospitality wrote. Another person said social media had been compounding their feelings of guilt and shame after testing positive.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I saw a friend’s post of a small, masked gathering on Instagram,” they wrote. “The caption said something about how no one in the photo had ever had COVID because they took ‘the right precautions.’ Ouch.” The post, they wrote, “made me feel like I caught COVID because I hadn’t [taken precautions].”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[pullquote size='medium' align='right' citation=\"Dr. Marissa Raymond-Flesch, UCSF physician\"]‘[Getting COVID] felt like a moral failing on some level — like there would be an assumption that I took an unnecessary risk, or did something to get myself sick.’[/pullquote]Not even medical professionals are immune from feeling shame at testing positive. UCSF physician Marissa Raymond-Flesch told KQED about her experience of catching the delta variant “after being incredibly COVID-cautious for the entire pandemic.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It felt,” wrote Raymond-Flesch, “like a moral failing on some level — like there would be an assumption that I took an unnecessary risk, or did something to get myself sick. It helped me to understand how much judgment people harbor about those who get COVID.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And judging from KQED’s audience responses, you don’t have to get COVID to feel COVID shame. “If I ever do test positive, I know it will feel like I did something wrong,” one anonymous audience member said. “I feel a lot of shame and anxiety related to any minor sniffle, even when I test negative,” said another.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Of course, this isn’t everyone’s COVID reality. There are many people who continue to feel fear or anxiety rather than shame when they test positive — people more concerned about lost wages, or being immunocompromised and high-risk, or not having access to reliable health information in languages other than English, than being ashamed of what others might think of them.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But it begs the question: How did we get to a point where contracting the disease that’s been raging at pandemic level across the globe still feels, for some, like a personal failing?\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Why talking about COVID can be like talking about sexual health\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>There’s a long history of shame — and shaming — when it comes to viruses and disease. Especially when it involves contagion.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>This history is something that’s often most keenly felt in the world of sexual health and sexually transmitted infections. Bay Area teacher and sex educator Julia Feldman said the parallels between how we talk about COVID and conversations about sexual health have been there since the start of the pandemic.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11902462\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 804px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2022/01/gettyimages-1237291550-dabc9b233c1a9c6516b0c2f0b08a5324dfcf86bc.jpg\" alt=\"A hand holding a white and red rapid antigen test.\" width=\"804\" height=\"603\" class=\"size-full wp-image-11902462\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/01/gettyimages-1237291550-dabc9b233c1a9c6516b0c2f0b08a5324dfcf86bc.jpg 804w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/01/gettyimages-1237291550-dabc9b233c1a9c6516b0c2f0b08a5324dfcf86bc-800x600.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/01/gettyimages-1237291550-dabc9b233c1a9c6516b0c2f0b08a5324dfcf86bc-160x120.jpg 160w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 804px) 100vw, 804px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Some audience members told KQED they felt intense shame and guilt about the ripple effects their positive diagnosis had created for others in their lives. \u003ccite>(Joseph Prezioso/AFP via Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>The major overlap, said Feldman, is that “from the beginning of the pandemic, we’ve been taught that it’s our responsibility to stay healthy, and that we can do things to \u003cem>do\u003c/em> that.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The “major misconception” underlying feelings of shame in regard to both sexual health and COVID, she said, is that “if we do ‘all the right things,’ we won’t get it. And that the logical extension of that is, well, if you do get it, it must mean you’ve done something wrong.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In this environment, you don’t need to have caught COVID to feel like you’re constantly teetering on the precipice of shame. Despite never having tested positive, audience member Rachel S. said she experienced intense “guilt and shame” just waiting for test results anytime she felt she might have COVID symptoms — and quizzed herself constantly about what she might have done “wrong”: “‘Was it from when I sat at that outdoor patio the other day? Or visited my parents last week? I knew I shouldn’t have!’ etc.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[pullquote size='medium' align='right' citation=\"Julia Feldman, teacher and sex educator\"]‘From the beginning of the pandemic, we’ve been taught that it’s our responsibility to stay healthy, and that we can do things to \u003cem>do\u003c/em> that.’[/pullquote]Audience members also reported feeling intense shame and guilt about the ripple effects their positive diagnosis created for others in their lives — the exposure they’d caused family members, or the impact on their work.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I held my baby niece the day before I tested positive. I’d also met my sisters, parents, and my 3-year-old had gone to preschool,” wrote one audience member. “I was so upset that I had exposed so many people, some vulnerable without being able to be vaccinated, and hadn’t just stayed home.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Exposure, close contact, wearing protection, getting tested, vaccination: It’s striking how much of our language around COVID mirrors the vocabulary of sexual health. (One anonymous audience member even referred to her COVID diagnosis — and how she felt others would judge her for it — as “my Scarlet Letter.”)\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And of course, shame and shaming around infection is nothing new.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“As a tool for social control, shame around sexuality and sexual health has existed as long as we know,” said Feldman. “Because especially our current society is so deeply impacted by purity culture from religion.”\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>‘It’s our job to not get sick’\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>The idea of personal wrongdoing always being to blame for infection — whether it’s COVID or an STI — is just not accurate.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Every doctor will tell you that you can take every precaution and use condoms, get tested regularly, communicate as much as you can with your partners, and you can still contract an STI — even if you do all ‘the right things,'” said Feldman.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Yet notions of shame persist around sexual health and COVID in ways they don’t with the common cold, or a bout of flu, precisely because of that idea of being well behaved enough to escape infection. In contrast to those winter bugs, with STIs and COVID Feldman said “we’re taught that it’s our job to not get sick.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11902464\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 1706px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-11902464\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2022/01/rapid-antigen-getty-1360218499-68f8812df7a058f0fe404fbc8c7f3736393405d4.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1706\" height=\"1280\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/01/rapid-antigen-getty-1360218499-68f8812df7a058f0fe404fbc8c7f3736393405d4.jpg 1706w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/01/rapid-antigen-getty-1360218499-68f8812df7a058f0fe404fbc8c7f3736393405d4-800x600.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/01/rapid-antigen-getty-1360218499-68f8812df7a058f0fe404fbc8c7f3736393405d4-1020x765.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/01/rapid-antigen-getty-1360218499-68f8812df7a058f0fe404fbc8c7f3736393405d4-160x120.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/01/rapid-antigen-getty-1360218499-68f8812df7a058f0fe404fbc8c7f3736393405d4-1536x1152.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1706px) 100vw, 1706px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">An AccessBio CareStart COVID-19 antigen home test. \u003ccite>(Ben Hasty/MediaNews Group/Reading Eagle via Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Several audience members told KQED they actually felt more ashamed to get COVID \u003cem>because\u003c/em> they’d been so cautious previously — and been vocal about their caution — as if their positive test was some kind of divine punishment for their hubris, inviting judgment upon them.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I was ashamed because I felt like I would be judged, having been vocal about wearing masks and getting tested regularly on my social media,” one person told us. “It felt like a failure.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Another audience member, Nicole, said that after two years of working from home, masking, rarely socializing and “being critical of others who weren’t doing everything ‘right’, I got it anyway.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Of course it was embarrassing to have the thing I had considered so avoidable, that only ignorant or selfish people got,” wrote Nicole.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[pullquote size='medium' align='right' citation=\"Anonymous\"]‘I was ashamed because I felt like I would be judged, having been vocal about wearing masks and getting tested regularly on my social media. It felt like a failure.’[/pullquote]In some cases, the sense of responsibility felt by people at getting COVID can have truly devastating consequences. Earlier this month, the \u003ca href=\"https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2022-01-16/covid-took-his-dad-away-then-his-dreams-began-to-fade\">Los Angeles Times featured the story of Anthony Michael Reyes Jr.\u003c/a>, a 17-year-old who contracted COVID at school and brought it back into his LA household.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>After his father was placed on a ventilator and died from the disease, Reyes is reported as having spoken of blaming himself for getting COVID at school and infecting his father. Almost three months after his father’s death, Reyes took his own life.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>‘Not a moral failing’\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>If a person tells themself that getting COVID can be a moral slipup, that also confers a kind of goodness — superiority, even — on the people who haven’t gotten it yet.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>This notion of avoiding COVID if you make “the right choices” can also lead to framing ourselves (and other people) as accordingly trustworthy or not, Feldman said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>That’s something echoed in the story of one anonymous audience member who told us how they contracted COVID from a house guest whose assurances of having tested negative earlier turned out to be false.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I felt ashamed of myself for trusting blindly and not taking enough precautions to protect myself,” said the commenter. “I should have used my judgment.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>When a person is surrounded by messages that COVID only happens to the careless and the reckless, actually \u003cem>getting\u003c/em> COVID can create a kind of jarring dissonance in the mind, between the kind of person someone thinks themselves to be (cautious, COVID-negative) and the kind of person a positive test “reveals” them to be. Another audience member told us of her “mistake” sharing an unmasked indoor meal with another person, which led to her own positive COVID test.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Why did I trust this young man? … The guilt and shame I felt was intense,” she said. “I had prided myself on being a responsible person and very cautious about COVID.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11901091\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2560px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-11901091\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2022/01/GettyImages-1237588762-scaled.jpg\" alt='Several small boxes are stacked next to each other on a counter, each one has the same design and label, which read, \"COVID-19 Antigen Home Test.\"' width=\"2560\" height=\"1706\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/01/GettyImages-1237588762-scaled.jpg 2560w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/01/GettyImages-1237588762-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/01/GettyImages-1237588762-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/01/GettyImages-1237588762-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/01/GettyImages-1237588762-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/01/GettyImages-1237588762-2048x1365.jpg 2048w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/01/GettyImages-1237588762-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Rapid COVID-19 test kits await distribution at Union Station in Los Angeles on Jan. 7, 2022. \u003ccite>(Frederic J. Brown/AFP via Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“When we infuse so much meaning into these concepts, we’re really doing ourselves a great disservice,” said Feldman. “Because it’s not a moral failing if you get sick. And that’s kind of the messaging that people have been given from the start of the pandemic: that if you get it, you’re failing.”\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>‘Accountability without shame’\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Of course, not everyone thinks shaming some people who get COVID is necessarily a bad thing. (As \u003ca href=\"https://twitter.com/ukgirlinsf/status/1484696098568499202\">one Twitter user responded to KQED’s callout\u003c/a> about COVID shame: “If they didn’t take precautions or wear a mask, or get vaccinated, and get COVID then they absolutely should feel guilty! Only those taking precautions who still contract COVID should feel guilt free.”)\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It’s easy to find people who think those who are reckless — with their socializing, with not getting vaccinated — should be shamed. But as a tool for change and a public health mitigation, shame doesn’t actually work, said Feldman.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The data shows us that fear and shame are not effective strategies,” she said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[pullquote size='medium' align='right' citation=\"Julia Feldman, teacher and sex educator\"]‘It’s not a moral failing if you get sick.’[/pullquote]Feldman wants to see us talk less in terms of shame and more about accountability: for the choices we make, and how they affect others in our lives. Many of us default to binary thinking, she said, because of how complex these conversations can be. And much of sex education historically has not been “able to hold space for those complexities, for teaching people how to navigate risk and also understand personal and collective risk — and when your risk can impact other people.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“When it comes to sexual health, that’s one of the few areas where our personal decisions about risk impact other people’s risk,” Feldman said — a dynamic with clear parallels to COVID. Yet rather than rushing to feel or impart shame, “can we hold responsibility for making informed decisions for being communicative about our risk?” asked Feldman, so that “we’re also not shaming people when it turns out that the risks they took didn’t pan out?”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Can we have accountability without shame?” she asked.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>A painful history\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>In a place like the Bay Area, the notion of feeling shame for contracting a contagious disease with high community spread — or being made to feel ashamed for it — can’t help but raise difficult memories of the height of the AIDS epidemic.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Jesus Guillen is an independent consultant on HIV and aging. For him, the shame he’s seeing people exhibit around their positive COVID results is a reminder that when it comes to contagious disease, “after 40 years of the first HIV/AIDS cases, we still have so much stigma and discrimination.” And shame, said Guillen, “will not \u003cem>be\u003c/em> there without the stigma and discrimination.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>An important connection Guillen draws between HIV/AIDS and COVID is that still-pervasive notion that a person can contract either condition “because you are not being careful.” In reality, of course, “it takes only one person, one distraction,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[pullquote size='medium' align='right' citation=\"Jesus Guillen, founder, HIV Long Term Survivors\"]‘Shame will not \u003cem>be\u003c/em> there without the stigma and discrimination.’[/pullquote]As the San Francisco-based founder of the online support network HIV Long Term Survivors, Guillen’s focus is on the kinds of practical and emotional assistance that people living with HIV/AIDS receive — and what they’ve historically been denied. For Guillen, when it comes to COVID, a glaring indication of the sheer lack of support your average person receives is found in the absence of post-diagnosis follow-up, or even counseling, for those who test positive.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Guillen said a question he often gets is, “How soon should I seek out a therapist after my HIV diagnosis?” Over the decades, his answer remains the same: “The first day.” And while AIDS and COVID are of course markedly dissimilar as diseases in many important ways, Guillen said he’s nonetheless struck by the parallels in the all-too-frequent silence at the point of diagnosis.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11901097\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2560px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-11901097\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2022/01/GettyImages-1360301966-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"A person wearing scrubs and a face mask and a plastic protector sticks a nose swab into another person's nose.\" width=\"2560\" height=\"1706\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/01/GettyImages-1360301966-scaled.jpg 2560w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/01/GettyImages-1360301966-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/01/GettyImages-1360301966-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/01/GettyImages-1360301966-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/01/GettyImages-1360301966-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/01/GettyImages-1360301966-2048x1365.jpg 2048w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/01/GettyImages-1360301966-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Merline Jimene administers a COVID-19 test swab at a testing site in the international terminal of Los Angeles International Airport amid a surge in omicron variant cases on Dec. 21, 2021. \u003ccite>(Mario Tama/Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Unless you’re receiving your test results from your regular health care provider, who is more likely to offer a follow-up treatment plan, a positive COVID test result from a provider or laboratory isn’t usually followed by an offer of professional emotional support, or guidance navigating next steps. For folks testing positive through rapid at-home antigen tests, that absence of support is likely to be felt more strongly. And Guillen suggests that for many, this — the absence of support at diagnosis — is when a lack of communication sets in, and the shame can soon follow.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Knowledge levels around COVID and how it affects the body (specifically, how it might affect yours) also wildly vary from person to person, said Guillen. To generalize about how much the average person knows about the coronavirus is “just a huge mistake,” he said, and it’s something that’s only exacerbated by a lack of support at the point of diagnosis.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>After all, if a person has had access to reliable, accurate information about COVID and to a regular health care provider to make them aware of their own risk levels, then that person is more likely to weigh their positive test result with the facts. For others who lack that access, getting diagnosed with COVID can feel like facing something utterly terrifying — and shameful.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Shame and silence\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>The thing about shame is that it’s a deeply lonely place to be. So perhaps it’s no surprise that the pandemic — a time of frequent isolation, whether you’re COVID-positive or not — has provided such fertile ground for shame.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I cried every day in isolation,” one anonymous audience member told KQED.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Shame also feeds off silence. Feldman said it’s telling that many folks who get COVID often wait to reveal their diagnosis to their wider circles.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“A lot of people aren’t announcing that they have tested positive until they’ve recovered, and can show on the other side that they are strong — and that it didn’t affect them negatively,” she observed.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In his work with people living with HIV/AIDS, Guillen has seen too many patients feel like they have to hide a diagnosis to all but a select few. “The reality is that every time that we hide it, of course, then we are not comfortable with ourselves,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Feldman was struck that even New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez — a public figure noted for her radical transparency and vulnerability online — only shared her own positive COVID test after her recovery. Whether they realize it or not, Feldman said, by waiting to disclose their diagnosis after the fact, many people are sharing “only in light of their proof that they are healthy enough to come out the other side.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>https://www.instagram.com/p/CYxZkQOgyjI/\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Shame is also practically unhelpful during COVID — the secrecy that it feeds can have a chilling effect on transparent communication. In Dec. 2021, Crystal Clark, a psychiatrist and associate professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at Northwestern University’s Feinberg School of Medicine, \u003ca href=\"https://news.northwestern.edu/stories/2021/12/covid-shame-torments-the-infected/\">said she’d observed how COVID shame was even resulting in some people not getting tested\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“They believe that they have been doing everything as they should, and feel like, ‘I can’t have this,'” said Clark. “They avoid finding out, because if they do, it’s that guilt and shame that goes with that.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Feldman gave the example of a person who chooses to dine indoors, but also chooses to tell their elderly family members that they’ve done so “so they know the risks that I took, and will probably choose to be outdoors for the next week because that was a risk I took.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“But there’s nothing shameful about \u003cem>taking\u003c/em> that risk,” she stressed. “If there’s anything shameful, it would be about taking that risk and then not being transparent about the people that you’re potentially endangering.”\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>‘Felt like I wasn’t doing my part’\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Throughout the pandemic, official public health language has consistently laid emphasis on the role of the individual in fighting COVID: stop the spread, flatten the curve, do your part. It’s perhaps no surprise then that in comments from KQED’s audience, the idea of personal responsibility — and its often-crushing weight — looms so large.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It’s like I felt I wasn’t doing my part as well as I could have to help end this pandemic,” wrote Rachel S. Another anonymous audience member wrote of their guilt at feeling “like I could have made better choices (even though we don’t go anywhere or travel.).”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Bad choices, good choices, never being quite sure which is which: Shame may thrive within silence and stigma, but it also feeds off isolation and confusion — two things that have been in overabundance during the pandemic.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[pullquote size='medium' align='right' citation=\"Rachel S., KQED audience member\"]‘It’s like I felt I wasn’t doing my part as well as I could have to help end this pandemic.’[/pullquote]Physical isolation has been enforced during COVID, both for people who test positive and for all of us during periods of what we’ve collectively called “lockdown” or “quarantine,” as a precautionary measure to avoid community spread. But we’ve also been isolated from reliable information — whether by being flooded with misinformation about vaccines online, or by confusion borne out of a lack of clarity around what’s safe, and what’s not.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In many ways it’s possible to see the idea that anyone would even experience shame at testing positive for COVID as an entirely predictable, inevitable consequence of the sheer amount of personal responsibility placed upon individuals over the last two years.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>https://twitter.com/ScrewyDecimal/status/1480205386665844736\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>We’re told testing is the responsible thing to do to stop community spread of COVID, and to keep our loved ones and communities safe. And yet, as we’ve seen during the omicron surge, a PCR test with results that come back soon enough to be meaningful can be extremely hard to locate. Twenty-two months into the pandemic, \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11901928/you-can-now-order-free-covid-at-home-tests-via-usps\">you can now order four free at-home COVID tests per household from the federal government via the United States Postal Service\u003c/a> — but that’s not nearly enough to cover a house full of roommates, or a multigenerational home.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[aside label='Coronavirus Resources' tag='coronavirus-resources-and-explainers']To wear a mask is to do your part and to do the right thing, we’re told. But assistance in acquiring the right mask has been spotty at best. The first nationwide program to offer free high-quality masks launched in January 2022. For almost two years, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention stressed wearing masks as a crucial way to slow the spread of COVID. But its guidance on which masks were safest was only updated in mid-January 2022, confirming that N95s offered “the highest level of protection.” Until now, people have largely been left to work out which mask will protect them best on their own.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>When vaccines became widely available in 2021, people were told that getting their shot was the best way to protect not just themselves but their communities. Yet finding an appointment in those first weeks and months was such a complicated, frustrating process that it involved word-of-mouth tips and a degree of tech proficiency that left many people simply unable to find the vaccine they desperately wanted.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>So if things go wrong — and you already carry the notion that getting COVID is somehow a personal failing — it might be easy to feel like you chose the wrong path and, because you did, you’re to blame.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>‘We need a reframing’\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Increasing numbers of vaccinated people have been testing positive for COVID in recent weeks due to the surging omicron variant — most of them not requiring hospitalization thanks to the effectiveness of vaccines. Could there be a silver lining to the spread of omicron, in the sense of decreasing shame by making catching COVID a more universal experience?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>https://twitter.com/danahull/status/1480319166959611906?s=21\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>UCSF’s Dr. Marissa Raymond-Flesch hopes so.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I think that any experience that becomes more and more universal becomes less shameful, and I think that’s good and wonderful,” she told KQED — but said she also hopes that COVID potentially becoming endemic isn’t the only reason to wave goodbye to the shame of a positive test. “I think that there is room to trust each other — that we are all doing the very best that we can every day — and to figure out what those trade-offs are for our own health and well-being,” she said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But with the sheer weight of personal responsibility placed on individuals during the pandemic, set against a centuries-long backdrop of shaming around disease, can we \u003cem>ever\u003c/em> truly escape the specter of shame as long as COVID is with us? Or for the next great contagious threat to public health?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I want to believe that we can learn from our mistakes,” said Julia Feldman. “But I think it’s very similar to sexual health. You can’t learn from your mistakes without access to accurate information … I think as a society, we need a reframing.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>For Feldman, it’s not just about evolving our thinking around disease, but also “our understanding of risk and responsibility” — and learning to accept the complexity and nuances of those conversations. As a collective, she said, it’s about finding a way to “hold space” for those competing ideas: “Yes, we want to do everything we can to keep ourselves safe — and at the same time, no matter how much you tried, the reality is that there’s nothing you can do to stay 100% safe.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“If we’re going to accept that shame does not correct people’s behavior in an effective and long-term way, what does?” Feldman asked. “I think it’s something that’s very antithetical to our cultural approach to individualism, this notion that there is collective responsibility, that my actions impact you — and that that’s not a bad thing.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[pullquote size='medium' align='right' citation=\"Jesus Guillen, founder, HIV Long Term Survivors\"]‘I really believe that if we don’t deal with the stigma and discrimination in one health issue, we will never [move] ahead with the next one.’[/pullquote]Jesus Guillen suggests that these internalized social judgments will persist as long as diseases like AIDS and COVID continue to be seen less as health conditions and more as symbols, loaded with moral and political meaning. And Guillen said that if unaddressed, our collective inability to divorce diseases from judgment will only get worse for those who contract those diseases — whatever they are.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I really believe that if we don’t deal with the stigma and discrimination in one health issue, we will never [move] ahead with the next one,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And in the meantime, as we approach the three-year mark of the coronavirus pandemic, if someone still experiences shame as their default emotion when they test positive, UCSF’s Dr. Marissa Raymond-Flesch offers a perspective that she found personally comforting after her own positive diagnosis.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“My husband told me, ‘It’s like you’ve been standing in a hurricane for more than a year with an umbrella and you finally got wet,'” said Raymond-Flesch. “It was an incredibly helpful metaphor that I’ve shared with many patients and colleagues who have tested positive since then.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>She tells those people “that we are in the middle of a pandemic, and we are each doing the best that we can to get by, in so many ways.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n",
"blocks": [],
"excerpt": "Nobody should ever have to feel ashamed of getting COVID — but many told KQED they still do. Why?",
"status": "publish",
"parent": 0,
"modified": 1726005800,
"stats": {
"hasAudio": false,
"hasVideo": false,
"hasChartOrMap": false,
"iframeSrcs": [],
"hasGoogleForm": false,
"hasGallery": false,
"hasHearkenModule": false,
"hasPolis": false,
"paragraphCount": 83,
"wordCount": 4725
},
"headData": {
"title": "'I Felt As If I Failed': Why Do Some People Feel Shame at Getting COVID? | KQED",
"description": "Nobody should ever have to feel ashamed of getting COVID — but many told KQED they still do. Why?",
"ogTitle": "",
"ogDescription": "",
"ogImgId": "",
"twTitle": "",
"twDescription": "",
"twImgId": "",
"schema": {
"@context": "https://schema.org",
"@type": "NewsArticle",
"headline": "'I Felt As If I Failed': Why Do Some People Feel Shame at Getting COVID?",
"datePublished": "2022-02-03T16:46:25-08:00",
"dateModified": "2024-09-10T15:03:20-07:00",
"image": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/KQED-OG-Image@1x.png",
"isAccessibleForFree": "True",
"publisher": {
"@type": "NewsMediaOrganization",
"@id": "https://www.kqed.org/#organization",
"name": "KQED",
"logo": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/KQED-OG-Image@1x.png",
"url": "https://www.kqed.org",
"sameAs": [
"https://www.facebook.com/KQED",
"https://twitter.com/KQED",
"https://www.instagram.com/kqed/",
"https://www.tiktok.com/@kqedofficial",
"https://www.linkedin.com/company/kqed",
"https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCeC0IOo7i1P_61zVUWbJ4nw"
]
}
}
},
"audioUrl": "https://traffic.omny.fm/d/clips/0af137ef-751e-4b19-a055-aaef00d2d578/ffca7e9f-6831-41c5-bcaf-aaef00f5a073/9be9b6ff-8754-40a1-b32e-ae3101347902/audio.mp3",
"sticky": false,
"excludeFromSiteSearch": "Include",
"path": "/news/11903506/i-felt-as-if-i-failed-why-do-some-people-feel-shame-at-getting-covid",
"audioTrackLength": null,
"parsedContent": [
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003cspan class=\"utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__dropcapShortcode__dropcap\">G\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\u003cp>etting COVID can make a person feel a variety of emotions: anger, fear, frustration. But many folks have reported experiencing another kind of reaction to their own positive test result: a feeling of shame.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>For those who haven’t experienced it themselves, the idea of being ashamed at getting COVID — during a literal pandemic, no less — might seem odd. And yet \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11902308\">when we asked KQED audiences for their stories\u003c/a>, “COVID shame” was something that many people told us they couldn’t help but feel.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I cried the second I saw the pink line,” one audience member told KQED. “I felt as if I failed myself and society.” Like most people who sent us their stories, they asked to remain anonymous.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I thought I would be a disappointment to [my staff], I thought I’d let them down,” a person who worked in hospitality wrote. Another person said social media had been compounding their feelings of guilt and shame after testing positive.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I saw a friend’s post of a small, masked gathering on Instagram,” they wrote. “The caption said something about how no one in the photo had ever had COVID because they took ‘the right precautions.’ Ouch.” The post, they wrote, “made me feel like I caught COVID because I hadn’t [taken precautions].”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "‘[Getting COVID] felt like a moral failing on some level — like there would be an assumption that I took an unnecessary risk, or did something to get myself sick.’",
"name": "pullquote",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"size": "medium",
"align": "right",
"citation": "Dr. Marissa Raymond-Flesch, UCSF physician",
"label": ""
},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>Not even medical professionals are immune from feeling shame at testing positive. UCSF physician Marissa Raymond-Flesch told KQED about her experience of catching the delta variant “after being incredibly COVID-cautious for the entire pandemic.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It felt,” wrote Raymond-Flesch, “like a moral failing on some level — like there would be an assumption that I took an unnecessary risk, or did something to get myself sick. It helped me to understand how much judgment people harbor about those who get COVID.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And judging from KQED’s audience responses, you don’t have to get COVID to feel COVID shame. “If I ever do test positive, I know it will feel like I did something wrong,” one anonymous audience member said. “I feel a lot of shame and anxiety related to any minor sniffle, even when I test negative,” said another.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Of course, this isn’t everyone’s COVID reality. There are many people who continue to feel fear or anxiety rather than shame when they test positive — people more concerned about lost wages, or being immunocompromised and high-risk, or not having access to reliable health information in languages other than English, than being ashamed of what others might think of them.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But it begs the question: How did we get to a point where contracting the disease that’s been raging at pandemic level across the globe still feels, for some, like a personal failing?\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Why talking about COVID can be like talking about sexual health\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>There’s a long history of shame — and shaming — when it comes to viruses and disease. Especially when it involves contagion.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>This history is something that’s often most keenly felt in the world of sexual health and sexually transmitted infections. Bay Area teacher and sex educator Julia Feldman said the parallels between how we talk about COVID and conversations about sexual health have been there since the start of the pandemic.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11902462\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 804px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2022/01/gettyimages-1237291550-dabc9b233c1a9c6516b0c2f0b08a5324dfcf86bc.jpg\" alt=\"A hand holding a white and red rapid antigen test.\" width=\"804\" height=\"603\" class=\"size-full wp-image-11902462\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/01/gettyimages-1237291550-dabc9b233c1a9c6516b0c2f0b08a5324dfcf86bc.jpg 804w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/01/gettyimages-1237291550-dabc9b233c1a9c6516b0c2f0b08a5324dfcf86bc-800x600.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/01/gettyimages-1237291550-dabc9b233c1a9c6516b0c2f0b08a5324dfcf86bc-160x120.jpg 160w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 804px) 100vw, 804px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Some audience members told KQED they felt intense shame and guilt about the ripple effects their positive diagnosis had created for others in their lives. \u003ccite>(Joseph Prezioso/AFP via Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>The major overlap, said Feldman, is that “from the beginning of the pandemic, we’ve been taught that it’s our responsibility to stay healthy, and that we can do things to \u003cem>do\u003c/em> that.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The “major misconception” underlying feelings of shame in regard to both sexual health and COVID, she said, is that “if we do ‘all the right things,’ we won’t get it. And that the logical extension of that is, well, if you do get it, it must mean you’ve done something wrong.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In this environment, you don’t need to have caught COVID to feel like you’re constantly teetering on the precipice of shame. Despite never having tested positive, audience member Rachel S. said she experienced intense “guilt and shame” just waiting for test results anytime she felt she might have COVID symptoms — and quizzed herself constantly about what she might have done “wrong”: “‘Was it from when I sat at that outdoor patio the other day? Or visited my parents last week? I knew I shouldn’t have!’ etc.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "‘From the beginning of the pandemic, we’ve been taught that it’s our responsibility to stay healthy, and that we can do things to \u003cem>do\u003c/em> that.’",
"name": "pullquote",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"size": "medium",
"align": "right",
"citation": "Julia Feldman, teacher and sex educator",
"label": ""
},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>Audience members also reported feeling intense shame and guilt about the ripple effects their positive diagnosis created for others in their lives — the exposure they’d caused family members, or the impact on their work.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I held my baby niece the day before I tested positive. I’d also met my sisters, parents, and my 3-year-old had gone to preschool,” wrote one audience member. “I was so upset that I had exposed so many people, some vulnerable without being able to be vaccinated, and hadn’t just stayed home.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Exposure, close contact, wearing protection, getting tested, vaccination: It’s striking how much of our language around COVID mirrors the vocabulary of sexual health. (One anonymous audience member even referred to her COVID diagnosis — and how she felt others would judge her for it — as “my Scarlet Letter.”)\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And of course, shame and shaming around infection is nothing new.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“As a tool for social control, shame around sexuality and sexual health has existed as long as we know,” said Feldman. “Because especially our current society is so deeply impacted by purity culture from religion.”\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>‘It’s our job to not get sick’\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>The idea of personal wrongdoing always being to blame for infection — whether it’s COVID or an STI — is just not accurate.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Every doctor will tell you that you can take every precaution and use condoms, get tested regularly, communicate as much as you can with your partners, and you can still contract an STI — even if you do all ‘the right things,'” said Feldman.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Yet notions of shame persist around sexual health and COVID in ways they don’t with the common cold, or a bout of flu, precisely because of that idea of being well behaved enough to escape infection. In contrast to those winter bugs, with STIs and COVID Feldman said “we’re taught that it’s our job to not get sick.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11902464\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 1706px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-11902464\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2022/01/rapid-antigen-getty-1360218499-68f8812df7a058f0fe404fbc8c7f3736393405d4.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1706\" height=\"1280\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/01/rapid-antigen-getty-1360218499-68f8812df7a058f0fe404fbc8c7f3736393405d4.jpg 1706w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/01/rapid-antigen-getty-1360218499-68f8812df7a058f0fe404fbc8c7f3736393405d4-800x600.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/01/rapid-antigen-getty-1360218499-68f8812df7a058f0fe404fbc8c7f3736393405d4-1020x765.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/01/rapid-antigen-getty-1360218499-68f8812df7a058f0fe404fbc8c7f3736393405d4-160x120.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/01/rapid-antigen-getty-1360218499-68f8812df7a058f0fe404fbc8c7f3736393405d4-1536x1152.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1706px) 100vw, 1706px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">An AccessBio CareStart COVID-19 antigen home test. \u003ccite>(Ben Hasty/MediaNews Group/Reading Eagle via Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Several audience members told KQED they actually felt more ashamed to get COVID \u003cem>because\u003c/em> they’d been so cautious previously — and been vocal about their caution — as if their positive test was some kind of divine punishment for their hubris, inviting judgment upon them.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I was ashamed because I felt like I would be judged, having been vocal about wearing masks and getting tested regularly on my social media,” one person told us. “It felt like a failure.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Another audience member, Nicole, said that after two years of working from home, masking, rarely socializing and “being critical of others who weren’t doing everything ‘right’, I got it anyway.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Of course it was embarrassing to have the thing I had considered so avoidable, that only ignorant or selfish people got,” wrote Nicole.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "‘I was ashamed because I felt like I would be judged, having been vocal about wearing masks and getting tested regularly on my social media. It felt like a failure.’",
"name": "pullquote",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"size": "medium",
"align": "right",
"citation": "Anonymous",
"label": ""
},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>In some cases, the sense of responsibility felt by people at getting COVID can have truly devastating consequences. Earlier this month, the \u003ca href=\"https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2022-01-16/covid-took-his-dad-away-then-his-dreams-began-to-fade\">Los Angeles Times featured the story of Anthony Michael Reyes Jr.\u003c/a>, a 17-year-old who contracted COVID at school and brought it back into his LA household.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>After his father was placed on a ventilator and died from the disease, Reyes is reported as having spoken of blaming himself for getting COVID at school and infecting his father. Almost three months after his father’s death, Reyes took his own life.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>‘Not a moral failing’\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>If a person tells themself that getting COVID can be a moral slipup, that also confers a kind of goodness — superiority, even — on the people who haven’t gotten it yet.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>This notion of avoiding COVID if you make “the right choices” can also lead to framing ourselves (and other people) as accordingly trustworthy or not, Feldman said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>That’s something echoed in the story of one anonymous audience member who told us how they contracted COVID from a house guest whose assurances of having tested negative earlier turned out to be false.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I felt ashamed of myself for trusting blindly and not taking enough precautions to protect myself,” said the commenter. “I should have used my judgment.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>When a person is surrounded by messages that COVID only happens to the careless and the reckless, actually \u003cem>getting\u003c/em> COVID can create a kind of jarring dissonance in the mind, between the kind of person someone thinks themselves to be (cautious, COVID-negative) and the kind of person a positive test “reveals” them to be. Another audience member told us of her “mistake” sharing an unmasked indoor meal with another person, which led to her own positive COVID test.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Why did I trust this young man? … The guilt and shame I felt was intense,” she said. “I had prided myself on being a responsible person and very cautious about COVID.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11901091\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2560px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-11901091\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2022/01/GettyImages-1237588762-scaled.jpg\" alt='Several small boxes are stacked next to each other on a counter, each one has the same design and label, which read, \"COVID-19 Antigen Home Test.\"' width=\"2560\" height=\"1706\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/01/GettyImages-1237588762-scaled.jpg 2560w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/01/GettyImages-1237588762-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/01/GettyImages-1237588762-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/01/GettyImages-1237588762-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/01/GettyImages-1237588762-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/01/GettyImages-1237588762-2048x1365.jpg 2048w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/01/GettyImages-1237588762-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Rapid COVID-19 test kits await distribution at Union Station in Los Angeles on Jan. 7, 2022. \u003ccite>(Frederic J. Brown/AFP via Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“When we infuse so much meaning into these concepts, we’re really doing ourselves a great disservice,” said Feldman. “Because it’s not a moral failing if you get sick. And that’s kind of the messaging that people have been given from the start of the pandemic: that if you get it, you’re failing.”\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>‘Accountability without shame’\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Of course, not everyone thinks shaming some people who get COVID is necessarily a bad thing. (As \u003ca href=\"https://twitter.com/ukgirlinsf/status/1484696098568499202\">one Twitter user responded to KQED’s callout\u003c/a> about COVID shame: “If they didn’t take precautions or wear a mask, or get vaccinated, and get COVID then they absolutely should feel guilty! Only those taking precautions who still contract COVID should feel guilt free.”)\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It’s easy to find people who think those who are reckless — with their socializing, with not getting vaccinated — should be shamed. But as a tool for change and a public health mitigation, shame doesn’t actually work, said Feldman.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The data shows us that fear and shame are not effective strategies,” she said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "‘It’s not a moral failing if you get sick.’",
"name": "pullquote",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"size": "medium",
"align": "right",
"citation": "Julia Feldman, teacher and sex educator",
"label": ""
},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>Feldman wants to see us talk less in terms of shame and more about accountability: for the choices we make, and how they affect others in our lives. Many of us default to binary thinking, she said, because of how complex these conversations can be. And much of sex education historically has not been “able to hold space for those complexities, for teaching people how to navigate risk and also understand personal and collective risk — and when your risk can impact other people.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“When it comes to sexual health, that’s one of the few areas where our personal decisions about risk impact other people’s risk,” Feldman said — a dynamic with clear parallels to COVID. Yet rather than rushing to feel or impart shame, “can we hold responsibility for making informed decisions for being communicative about our risk?” asked Feldman, so that “we’re also not shaming people when it turns out that the risks they took didn’t pan out?”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Can we have accountability without shame?” she asked.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>A painful history\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>In a place like the Bay Area, the notion of feeling shame for contracting a contagious disease with high community spread — or being made to feel ashamed for it — can’t help but raise difficult memories of the height of the AIDS epidemic.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Jesus Guillen is an independent consultant on HIV and aging. For him, the shame he’s seeing people exhibit around their positive COVID results is a reminder that when it comes to contagious disease, “after 40 years of the first HIV/AIDS cases, we still have so much stigma and discrimination.” And shame, said Guillen, “will not \u003cem>be\u003c/em> there without the stigma and discrimination.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>An important connection Guillen draws between HIV/AIDS and COVID is that still-pervasive notion that a person can contract either condition “because you are not being careful.” In reality, of course, “it takes only one person, one distraction,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "‘Shame will not \u003cem>be\u003c/em> there without the stigma and discrimination.’",
"name": "pullquote",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"size": "medium",
"align": "right",
"citation": "Jesus Guillen, founder, HIV Long Term Survivors",
"label": ""
},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>As the San Francisco-based founder of the online support network HIV Long Term Survivors, Guillen’s focus is on the kinds of practical and emotional assistance that people living with HIV/AIDS receive — and what they’ve historically been denied. For Guillen, when it comes to COVID, a glaring indication of the sheer lack of support your average person receives is found in the absence of post-diagnosis follow-up, or even counseling, for those who test positive.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Guillen said a question he often gets is, “How soon should I seek out a therapist after my HIV diagnosis?” Over the decades, his answer remains the same: “The first day.” And while AIDS and COVID are of course markedly dissimilar as diseases in many important ways, Guillen said he’s nonetheless struck by the parallels in the all-too-frequent silence at the point of diagnosis.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11901097\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2560px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-11901097\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2022/01/GettyImages-1360301966-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"A person wearing scrubs and a face mask and a plastic protector sticks a nose swab into another person's nose.\" width=\"2560\" height=\"1706\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/01/GettyImages-1360301966-scaled.jpg 2560w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/01/GettyImages-1360301966-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/01/GettyImages-1360301966-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/01/GettyImages-1360301966-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/01/GettyImages-1360301966-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/01/GettyImages-1360301966-2048x1365.jpg 2048w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/01/GettyImages-1360301966-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Merline Jimene administers a COVID-19 test swab at a testing site in the international terminal of Los Angeles International Airport amid a surge in omicron variant cases on Dec. 21, 2021. \u003ccite>(Mario Tama/Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Unless you’re receiving your test results from your regular health care provider, who is more likely to offer a follow-up treatment plan, a positive COVID test result from a provider or laboratory isn’t usually followed by an offer of professional emotional support, or guidance navigating next steps. For folks testing positive through rapid at-home antigen tests, that absence of support is likely to be felt more strongly. And Guillen suggests that for many, this — the absence of support at diagnosis — is when a lack of communication sets in, and the shame can soon follow.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Knowledge levels around COVID and how it affects the body (specifically, how it might affect yours) also wildly vary from person to person, said Guillen. To generalize about how much the average person knows about the coronavirus is “just a huge mistake,” he said, and it’s something that’s only exacerbated by a lack of support at the point of diagnosis.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>After all, if a person has had access to reliable, accurate information about COVID and to a regular health care provider to make them aware of their own risk levels, then that person is more likely to weigh their positive test result with the facts. For others who lack that access, getting diagnosed with COVID can feel like facing something utterly terrifying — and shameful.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "ad",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"label": "fullwidth"
},
"numeric": [
"fullwidth"
]
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Shame and silence\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>The thing about shame is that it’s a deeply lonely place to be. So perhaps it’s no surprise that the pandemic — a time of frequent isolation, whether you’re COVID-positive or not — has provided such fertile ground for shame.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I cried every day in isolation,” one anonymous audience member told KQED.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Shame also feeds off silence. Feldman said it’s telling that many folks who get COVID often wait to reveal their diagnosis to their wider circles.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“A lot of people aren’t announcing that they have tested positive until they’ve recovered, and can show on the other side that they are strong — and that it didn’t affect them negatively,” she observed.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In his work with people living with HIV/AIDS, Guillen has seen too many patients feel like they have to hide a diagnosis to all but a select few. “The reality is that every time that we hide it, of course, then we are not comfortable with ourselves,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Feldman was struck that even New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez — a public figure noted for her radical transparency and vulnerability online — only shared her own positive COVID test after her recovery. Whether they realize it or not, Feldman said, by waiting to disclose their diagnosis after the fact, many people are sharing “only in light of their proof that they are healthy enough to come out the other side.”\u003c/p>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "instagramLink",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"instagramUrl": "https://www.instagram.com/p/CYxZkQOgyjI/"
},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>Shame is also practically unhelpful during COVID — the secrecy that it feeds can have a chilling effect on transparent communication. In Dec. 2021, Crystal Clark, a psychiatrist and associate professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at Northwestern University’s Feinberg School of Medicine, \u003ca href=\"https://news.northwestern.edu/stories/2021/12/covid-shame-torments-the-infected/\">said she’d observed how COVID shame was even resulting in some people not getting tested\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“They believe that they have been doing everything as they should, and feel like, ‘I can’t have this,'” said Clark. “They avoid finding out, because if they do, it’s that guilt and shame that goes with that.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Feldman gave the example of a person who chooses to dine indoors, but also chooses to tell their elderly family members that they’ve done so “so they know the risks that I took, and will probably choose to be outdoors for the next week because that was a risk I took.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“But there’s nothing shameful about \u003cem>taking\u003c/em> that risk,” she stressed. “If there’s anything shameful, it would be about taking that risk and then not being transparent about the people that you’re potentially endangering.”\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>‘Felt like I wasn’t doing my part’\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Throughout the pandemic, official public health language has consistently laid emphasis on the role of the individual in fighting COVID: stop the spread, flatten the curve, do your part. It’s perhaps no surprise then that in comments from KQED’s audience, the idea of personal responsibility — and its often-crushing weight — looms so large.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It’s like I felt I wasn’t doing my part as well as I could have to help end this pandemic,” wrote Rachel S. Another anonymous audience member wrote of their guilt at feeling “like I could have made better choices (even though we don’t go anywhere or travel.).”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Bad choices, good choices, never being quite sure which is which: Shame may thrive within silence and stigma, but it also feeds off isolation and confusion — two things that have been in overabundance during the pandemic.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "‘It’s like I felt I wasn’t doing my part as well as I could have to help end this pandemic.’",
"name": "pullquote",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"size": "medium",
"align": "right",
"citation": "Rachel S., KQED audience member",
"label": ""
},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>Physical isolation has been enforced during COVID, both for people who test positive and for all of us during periods of what we’ve collectively called “lockdown” or “quarantine,” as a precautionary measure to avoid community spread. But we’ve also been isolated from reliable information — whether by being flooded with misinformation about vaccines online, or by confusion borne out of a lack of clarity around what’s safe, and what’s not.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In many ways it’s possible to see the idea that anyone would even experience shame at testing positive for COVID as an entirely predictable, inevitable consequence of the sheer amount of personal responsibility placed upon individuals over the last two years.\u003c/p>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "singleTwitterStatus",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"id": "1480205386665844736"
},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\n\u003cp>We’re told testing is the responsible thing to do to stop community spread of COVID, and to keep our loved ones and communities safe. And yet, as we’ve seen during the omicron surge, a PCR test with results that come back soon enough to be meaningful can be extremely hard to locate. Twenty-two months into the pandemic, \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11901928/you-can-now-order-free-covid-at-home-tests-via-usps\">you can now order four free at-home COVID tests per household from the federal government via the United States Postal Service\u003c/a> — but that’s not nearly enough to cover a house full of roommates, or a multigenerational home.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "aside",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"label": "Coronavirus Resources ",
"tag": "coronavirus-resources-and-explainers"
},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>To wear a mask is to do your part and to do the right thing, we’re told. But assistance in acquiring the right mask has been spotty at best. The first nationwide program to offer free high-quality masks launched in January 2022. For almost two years, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention stressed wearing masks as a crucial way to slow the spread of COVID. But its guidance on which masks were safest was only updated in mid-January 2022, confirming that N95s offered “the highest level of protection.” Until now, people have largely been left to work out which mask will protect them best on their own.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>When vaccines became widely available in 2021, people were told that getting their shot was the best way to protect not just themselves but their communities. Yet finding an appointment in those first weeks and months was such a complicated, frustrating process that it involved word-of-mouth tips and a degree of tech proficiency that left many people simply unable to find the vaccine they desperately wanted.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>So if things go wrong — and you already carry the notion that getting COVID is somehow a personal failing — it might be easy to feel like you chose the wrong path and, because you did, you’re to blame.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>‘We need a reframing’\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Increasing numbers of vaccinated people have been testing positive for COVID in recent weeks due to the surging omicron variant — most of them not requiring hospitalization thanks to the effectiveness of vaccines. Could there be a silver lining to the spread of omicron, in the sense of decreasing shame by making catching COVID a more universal experience?\u003c/p>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "singleTwitterStatus",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"id": "1480319166959611906"
},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\n\u003cp>UCSF’s Dr. Marissa Raymond-Flesch hopes so.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I think that any experience that becomes more and more universal becomes less shameful, and I think that’s good and wonderful,” she told KQED — but said she also hopes that COVID potentially becoming endemic isn’t the only reason to wave goodbye to the shame of a positive test. “I think that there is room to trust each other — that we are all doing the very best that we can every day — and to figure out what those trade-offs are for our own health and well-being,” she said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But with the sheer weight of personal responsibility placed on individuals during the pandemic, set against a centuries-long backdrop of shaming around disease, can we \u003cem>ever\u003c/em> truly escape the specter of shame as long as COVID is with us? Or for the next great contagious threat to public health?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I want to believe that we can learn from our mistakes,” said Julia Feldman. “But I think it’s very similar to sexual health. You can’t learn from your mistakes without access to accurate information … I think as a society, we need a reframing.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>For Feldman, it’s not just about evolving our thinking around disease, but also “our understanding of risk and responsibility” — and learning to accept the complexity and nuances of those conversations. As a collective, she said, it’s about finding a way to “hold space” for those competing ideas: “Yes, we want to do everything we can to keep ourselves safe — and at the same time, no matter how much you tried, the reality is that there’s nothing you can do to stay 100% safe.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“If we’re going to accept that shame does not correct people’s behavior in an effective and long-term way, what does?” Feldman asked. “I think it’s something that’s very antithetical to our cultural approach to individualism, this notion that there is collective responsibility, that my actions impact you — and that that’s not a bad thing.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "‘I really believe that if we don’t deal with the stigma and discrimination in one health issue, we will never [move] ahead with the next one.’",
"name": "pullquote",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"size": "medium",
"align": "right",
"citation": "Jesus Guillen, founder, HIV Long Term Survivors",
"label": ""
},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>Jesus Guillen suggests that these internalized social judgments will persist as long as diseases like AIDS and COVID continue to be seen less as health conditions and more as symbols, loaded with moral and political meaning. And Guillen said that if unaddressed, our collective inability to divorce diseases from judgment will only get worse for those who contract those diseases — whatever they are.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I really believe that if we don’t deal with the stigma and discrimination in one health issue, we will never [move] ahead with the next one,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And in the meantime, as we approach the three-year mark of the coronavirus pandemic, if someone still experiences shame as their default emotion when they test positive, UCSF’s Dr. Marissa Raymond-Flesch offers a perspective that she found personally comforting after her own positive diagnosis.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“My husband told me, ‘It’s like you’ve been standing in a hurricane for more than a year with an umbrella and you finally got wet,'” said Raymond-Flesch. “It was an incredibly helpful metaphor that I’ve shared with many patients and colleagues who have tested positive since then.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>She tells those people “that we are in the middle of a pandemic, and we are each doing the best that we can to get by, in so many ways.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "ad",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"label": "floatright"
},
"numeric": [
"floatright"
]
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
}
],
"link": "/news/11903506/i-felt-as-if-i-failed-why-do-some-people-feel-shame-at-getting-covid",
"authors": [
"3243"
],
"categories": [
"news_457",
"news_8"
],
"tags": [
"news_27350",
"news_29029",
"news_27989",
"news_27626",
"news_18543",
"news_21423"
],
"featImg": "news_11903823",
"label": "news"
},
"news_11903719": {
"type": "posts",
"id": "news_11903719",
"meta": {
"index": "posts_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "11903719",
"score": null,
"sort": [
1643837299000
]
},
"guestAuthors": [],
"slug": "living-in-segregated-neighborhoods-could-double-heart-health-risks-for-black-young-adults",
"title": "Living in Segregated Neighborhoods Could Double Heart Health Risks for Black Young Adults",
"publishDate": 1643837299,
"format": "standard",
"headTitle": "Living in Segregated Neighborhoods Could Double Heart Health Risks for Black Young Adults | KQED",
"labelTerm": {
"site": "news"
},
"content": "\u003cp>Black people who spent their early adult years in racially segregated neighborhoods were twice as likely to develop coronary artery calcium — a predictor of heart disease — as those who lived in less segregated neighborhoods, new research shows.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The heart health benefits of living in a more integrated neighborhood persisted among Black adults as they aged, even if they later moved to more segregated neighborhoods in midlife, according to the study published Wednesday in the American Heart Association journal Circulation: Cardiovascular Quality and Outcomes.[pullquote size=\"medium\" align=\"right\" citation=\"Kiarri Kershaw, epidemiologist and associate professor of preventive medicine, Northwestern University\"]‘Where you live from ages 18 to 30 has a stronger impact on cardiovascular health than where you live later in life.’[/pullquote]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The findings suggest “where you live from ages 18 to 30 has a stronger impact on cardiovascular health than where you live later in life,” said senior study author Kiarri Kershaw, an epidemiologist and associate professor of preventive medicine at the Feinberg School of Medicine at Northwestern University in Chicago.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Residential segregation — the physical separation of people of different races into separate housing areas — was fueled by forms of structural racism such as discriminatory housing and lending practices. A growing body of research links structural racism and residential segregation to health disparities. One such disparity is that Black adults in the U.S. are 30% more likely to die from heart disease than their white counterparts, according to the federal Office of Minority Health.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In the study, Oakland was one of the four places participants lived. A report released last summer by a \u003ca href=\"https://belonging.berkeley.edu/roots-structural-racism\">UC Berkeley housing study and map\u003c/a> found that more than 80% of large metropolitan regions in the country have become more racially segregated. The \u003ca href=\"https://test-othering-and-belonging-institute.pantheon.berkeley.edu/roots-structural-racism\">report\u003c/a> uses data from the U.S. Census Bureau to measure what’s called the “divergence index,” to compare the racial makeup of a small geographic area with that of a larger surrounding region, like a county. The study ranks \u003ca href=\"https://test-othering-and-belonging-institute.pantheon.berkeley.edu/most-least-segregated-cities-regions\">all major U.S. cities and metropolitan areas\u003c/a> by their levels of segregation. The study also found that \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11878403/segregation-is-getting-worse-in-the-us-the-bay-area-is-no-exception\">Oakland is the 14th most segregated city\u003c/a> in the United States and life expectancy in the Bay Area for largely white neighborhoods (84 years) is more than five years greater than in highly segregated Black and Latino neighborhoods (79 years).[aside postID=\"news_11878403,news_11840548\" label=\"Related Posts\"]Previous studies have linked neighborhood-level segregation to heart disease risk factors, such as high blood pressure, for Black adults. But most of that research measured segregation’s impact at a single point in time. This study looked at how residential segregation affected heart disease risk for Black people from young adulthood through midlife.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>That risk was assessed using the CAC test, which measures levels of coronary artery calcium in the arteries leading to the heart. CAC scores are considered the strongest predictor of impending heart trouble. Higher scores signal more plaque in the arteries, a condition known as atherosclerosis, which happens as people age but also is influenced by factors such as high cholesterol levels, high blood pressure, cigarette smoking and diabetes.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Researchers analyzed health data for 1,125 Black adults in the Black Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults (CARDIA) investigation, which recruited participants from Chicago; Birmingham, Alabama; Minneapolis; and Oakland. Participants were 18 to 30 years old and free of CAC when they enrolled. CAC scores were measured 15, 20 and 25 years following study enrollment. Segregation level was assessed by comparing the racial composition of the neighborhood where they lived to the larger area in which it was located. This was done at the time of enrollment and again 15 years later.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Kershaw and her team found that those who lived in neighborhoods with medium to high levels of segregation during early adulthood were twice as likely to later develop CAC as their peers who started out in the least segregated neighborhoods.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The researchers attributed the higher risk to an accumulation of heart health risk factors built up over time as a result of spending formative young adult years in neighborhoods with fewer resources for healthy living.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“These environments that are under-resourced shape your health in a variety of ways,” Kershaw said. “Getting that early exposure sets you on this path that will build over your lifetime.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Racially segregated neighborhoods often have less access to health care, fewer grocery stores providing healthy food options and less access to safe spaces for recreation. They can be more stressful places to live, driving unhealthy coping behaviors such as poor eating habits that in turn increase the risk for heart disease, she said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Solutions have to address the root cause of the problem, said Dr. Fatima Rodriguez, a cardiologist and health disparities researcher at Stanford.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The real risk factor here is structural racism,” she said. “That’s what is causing the higher cardiovascular disease risk.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The next question for researchers is whether intervening in segregated neighborhoods can reduce heart health risks for the people who live there, said Rodriguez, who co-authored a 2020 advisory from the AHA that identified structural racism as a fundamental cause of the persistent health disparities found in the U.S. Interventions need to go further than “just treating cardiovascular risk factors” in young adults after they’ve already grown up in poorly resourced neighborhoods, she said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We have to move much more upstream than that,” Rodriguez said. “We need to invest in communities, invest in education, invest in children. These kids are living in neighborhoods with higher social vulnerability, and we need to fix that. We need to give them better access to things like green space and good nutrition so we can make healthy lifestyles the default.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n",
"blocks": [],
"excerpt": "New research shows that Black people who spent their early adult years in racially segregated neighborhoods were twice as likely to develop coronary artery calcium — a predictor of heart disease — as those who lived in less segregated neighborhoods.",
"status": "publish",
"parent": 0,
"modified": 1726005803,
"stats": {
"hasAudio": false,
"hasVideo": false,
"hasChartOrMap": false,
"iframeSrcs": [],
"hasGoogleForm": false,
"hasGallery": false,
"hasHearkenModule": false,
"hasPolis": false,
"paragraphCount": 17,
"wordCount": 983
},
"headData": {
"title": "Living in Segregated Neighborhoods Could Double Heart Health Risks for Black Young Adults | KQED",
"description": "New research shows that Black people who spent their early adult years in racially segregated neighborhoods were twice as likely to develop coronary artery calcium — a predictor of heart disease — as those who lived in less segregated neighborhoods.",
"ogTitle": "",
"ogDescription": "",
"ogImgId": "",
"twTitle": "",
"twDescription": "",
"twImgId": "",
"schema": {
"@context": "https://schema.org",
"@type": "NewsArticle",
"headline": "Living in Segregated Neighborhoods Could Double Heart Health Risks for Black Young Adults",
"datePublished": "2022-02-02T13:28:19-08:00",
"dateModified": "2024-09-10T15:03:23-07:00",
"image": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/KQED-OG-Image@1x.png",
"isAccessibleForFree": "True",
"publisher": {
"@type": "NewsMediaOrganization",
"@id": "https://www.kqed.org/#organization",
"name": "KQED",
"logo": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/KQED-OG-Image@1x.png",
"url": "https://www.kqed.org",
"sameAs": [
"https://www.facebook.com/KQED",
"https://twitter.com/KQED",
"https://www.instagram.com/kqed/",
"https://www.tiktok.com/@kqedofficial",
"https://www.linkedin.com/company/kqed",
"https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCeC0IOo7i1P_61zVUWbJ4nw"
]
}
}
},
"sticky": false,
"nprByline": "Laura Williamson \u003cbr> American Heart Association News via The Associated Press",
"excludeFromSiteSearch": "Include",
"showOnAuthorArchivePages": "No",
"path": "/news/11903719/living-in-segregated-neighborhoods-could-double-heart-health-risks-for-black-young-adults",
"audioTrackLength": null,
"parsedContent": [
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>Black people who spent their early adult years in racially segregated neighborhoods were twice as likely to develop coronary artery calcium — a predictor of heart disease — as those who lived in less segregated neighborhoods, new research shows.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The heart health benefits of living in a more integrated neighborhood persisted among Black adults as they aged, even if they later moved to more segregated neighborhoods in midlife, according to the study published Wednesday in the American Heart Association journal Circulation: Cardiovascular Quality and Outcomes.\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "‘Where you live from ages 18 to 30 has a stronger impact on cardiovascular health than where you live later in life.’",
"name": "pullquote",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"size": "medium",
"align": "right",
"citation": "Kiarri Kershaw, epidemiologist and associate professor of preventive medicine, Northwestern University",
"label": ""
},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The findings suggest “where you live from ages 18 to 30 has a stronger impact on cardiovascular health than where you live later in life,” said senior study author Kiarri Kershaw, an epidemiologist and associate professor of preventive medicine at the Feinberg School of Medicine at Northwestern University in Chicago.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Residential segregation — the physical separation of people of different races into separate housing areas — was fueled by forms of structural racism such as discriminatory housing and lending practices. A growing body of research links structural racism and residential segregation to health disparities. One such disparity is that Black adults in the U.S. are 30% more likely to die from heart disease than their white counterparts, according to the federal Office of Minority Health.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In the study, Oakland was one of the four places participants lived. A report released last summer by a \u003ca href=\"https://belonging.berkeley.edu/roots-structural-racism\">UC Berkeley housing study and map\u003c/a> found that more than 80% of large metropolitan regions in the country have become more racially segregated. The \u003ca href=\"https://test-othering-and-belonging-institute.pantheon.berkeley.edu/roots-structural-racism\">report\u003c/a> uses data from the U.S. Census Bureau to measure what’s called the “divergence index,” to compare the racial makeup of a small geographic area with that of a larger surrounding region, like a county. The study ranks \u003ca href=\"https://test-othering-and-belonging-institute.pantheon.berkeley.edu/most-least-segregated-cities-regions\">all major U.S. cities and metropolitan areas\u003c/a> by their levels of segregation. The study also found that \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11878403/segregation-is-getting-worse-in-the-us-the-bay-area-is-no-exception\">Oakland is the 14th most segregated city\u003c/a> in the United States and life expectancy in the Bay Area for largely white neighborhoods (84 years) is more than five years greater than in highly segregated Black and Latino neighborhoods (79 years).\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "aside",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"postid": "news_11878403,news_11840548",
"label": "Related Posts "
},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>Previous studies have linked neighborhood-level segregation to heart disease risk factors, such as high blood pressure, for Black adults. But most of that research measured segregation’s impact at a single point in time. This study looked at how residential segregation affected heart disease risk for Black people from young adulthood through midlife.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>That risk was assessed using the CAC test, which measures levels of coronary artery calcium in the arteries leading to the heart. CAC scores are considered the strongest predictor of impending heart trouble. Higher scores signal more plaque in the arteries, a condition known as atherosclerosis, which happens as people age but also is influenced by factors such as high cholesterol levels, high blood pressure, cigarette smoking and diabetes.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Researchers analyzed health data for 1,125 Black adults in the Black Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults (CARDIA) investigation, which recruited participants from Chicago; Birmingham, Alabama; Minneapolis; and Oakland. Participants were 18 to 30 years old and free of CAC when they enrolled. CAC scores were measured 15, 20 and 25 years following study enrollment. Segregation level was assessed by comparing the racial composition of the neighborhood where they lived to the larger area in which it was located. This was done at the time of enrollment and again 15 years later.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Kershaw and her team found that those who lived in neighborhoods with medium to high levels of segregation during early adulthood were twice as likely to later develop CAC as their peers who started out in the least segregated neighborhoods.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The researchers attributed the higher risk to an accumulation of heart health risk factors built up over time as a result of spending formative young adult years in neighborhoods with fewer resources for healthy living.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“These environments that are under-resourced shape your health in a variety of ways,” Kershaw said. “Getting that early exposure sets you on this path that will build over your lifetime.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Racially segregated neighborhoods often have less access to health care, fewer grocery stores providing healthy food options and less access to safe spaces for recreation. They can be more stressful places to live, driving unhealthy coping behaviors such as poor eating habits that in turn increase the risk for heart disease, she said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Solutions have to address the root cause of the problem, said Dr. Fatima Rodriguez, a cardiologist and health disparities researcher at Stanford.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The real risk factor here is structural racism,” she said. “That’s what is causing the higher cardiovascular disease risk.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The next question for researchers is whether intervening in segregated neighborhoods can reduce heart health risks for the people who live there, said Rodriguez, who co-authored a 2020 advisory from the AHA that identified structural racism as a fundamental cause of the persistent health disparities found in the U.S. Interventions need to go further than “just treating cardiovascular risk factors” in young adults after they’ve already grown up in poorly resourced neighborhoods, she said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We have to move much more upstream than that,” Rodriguez said. “We need to invest in communities, invest in education, invest in children. These kids are living in neighborhoods with higher social vulnerability, and we need to fix that. We need to give them better access to things like green space and good nutrition so we can make healthy lifestyles the default.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "ad",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"label": "fullwidth"
},
"numeric": [
"fullwidth"
]
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
}
],
"link": "/news/11903719/living-in-segregated-neighborhoods-could-double-heart-health-risks-for-black-young-adults",
"authors": [
"byline_news_11903719"
],
"categories": [
"news_457",
"news_8"
],
"tags": [
"news_18543"
],
"featImg": "news_11903759",
"label": "news"
}
},
"podcastsReducer": {
"isFetching": false,
"fetchFailed": false,
"hasFetched": false,
"podcasts": {}
},
"radioProgramsReducer": {
"isFetching": false,
"fetchFailed": false,
"hasFetched": false,
"radioPrograms": {}
},
"radioSearchSegmentsReducer": {},
"programsReducer": {
"all-things-considered": {
"id": "all-things-considered",
"title": "All Things Considered",
"info": "Every weekday, \u003cem>All Things Considered\u003c/em> hosts Robert Siegel, Audie Cornish, Ari Shapiro, and Kelly McEvers present the program's trademark mix of news, interviews, commentaries, reviews, and offbeat features. Michel Martin hosts on the weekends.",
"airtime": "MON-FRI 1pm-2pm, 4:30pm-6:30pm\u003cbr />SAT-SUN 5pm-6pm",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/All-Things-Considered-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.npr.org/programs/all-things-considered/",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "npr"
},
"link": "/radio/program/all-things-considered"
},
"american-suburb-podcast": {
"id": "american-suburb-podcast",
"title": "American Suburb: The Podcast",
"tagline": "The flip side of gentrification, told through one town",
"info": "Gentrification is changing cities across America, forcing people from neighborhoods they have long called home. Call them the displaced. Now those priced out of the Bay Area are looking for a better life in an unlikely place. American Suburb follows this migration to one California town along the Delta, 45 miles from San Francisco. But is this once sleepy suburb ready for them?",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/American-Suburb-Podcast-Tile-703x703-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "/news/series/american-suburb-podcast",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "kqed",
"order": 19
},
"link": "/news/series/american-suburb-podcast/",
"subscribe": {
"npr": "https://rpb3r.app.goo.gl/RBrW",
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewPodcast?mt=2&id=1287748328",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/radio/American-Suburb-p1086805/",
"rss": "https://ww2.kqed.org/news/series/american-suburb-podcast/feed/podcast",
"google": "https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5tZWdhcGhvbmUuZm0vS1FJTkMzMDExODgxNjA5"
}
},
"baycurious": {
"id": "baycurious",
"title": "Bay Curious",
"tagline": "Exploring the Bay Area, one question at a time",
"info": "KQED’s new podcast, Bay Curious, gets to the bottom of the mysteries — both profound and peculiar — that give the Bay Area its unique identity. And we’ll do it with your help! You ask the questions. You decide what Bay Curious investigates. And you join us on the journey to find the answers.",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Bay-Curious-Podcast-Tile-703x703-1.jpg",
"imageAlt": "KQED Bay Curious",
"officialWebsiteLink": "/news/series/baycurious",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "kqed",
"order": 3
},
"link": "/podcasts/baycurious",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/bay-curious/id1172473406",
"npr": "https://www.npr.org/podcasts/500557090/bay-curious",
"rss": "https://ww2.kqed.org/news/category/bay-curious-podcast/feed/podcast",
"amazon": "https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/9a90d476-aa04-455d-9a4c-0871ed6216d4/bay-curious",
"stitcher": "https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/kqed/bay-curious",
"spotify": "https://open.spotify.com/show/6O76IdmhixfijmhTZLIJ8k"
}
},
"bbc-world-service": {
"id": "bbc-world-service",
"title": "BBC World Service",
"info": "The day's top stories from BBC News compiled twice daily in the week, once at weekends.",
"airtime": "MON-FRI 9pm-10pm, TUE-FRI 1am-2am",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/BBC-World-Service-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/live:bbc_world_service",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "BBC World Service"
},
"link": "/radio/program/bbc-world-service",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/global-news-podcast/id135067274?mt=2",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/radio/BBC-World-Service-p455581/",
"rss": "https://podcasts.files.bbci.co.uk/p02nq0gn.rss"
}
},
"californiareport": {
"id": "californiareport",
"title": "The California Report",
"tagline": "California, day by day",
"info": "KQED’s statewide radio news program providing daily coverage of issues, trends and public policy decisions.",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/The-California-Report-Podcast-Tile-703x703-1.jpg",
"imageAlt": "KQED The California Report",
"officialWebsiteLink": "/californiareport",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "kqed",
"order": 8
},
"link": "/californiareport",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/kqeds-the-california-report/id79681292",
"amazon": "https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/26099305-72af-4542-9dde-ac1807fe36d5/kqed-s-the-california-report",
"npr": "https://www.npr.org/podcasts/432285393/the-california-report",
"stitcher": "https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/kqedfm-kqeds-the-california-report-podcast-8838",
"rss": "https://ww2.kqed.org/news/tag/tcram/feed/podcast"
}
},
"californiareportmagazine": {
"id": "californiareportmagazine",
"title": "The California Report Magazine",
"tagline": "Your state, your stories",
"info": "Every week, The California Report Magazine takes you on a road trip for the ears: to visit the places and meet the people who make California unique. The in-depth storytelling podcast from the California Report.",
"airtime": "FRI 4:30pm-5pm, 6:30pm-7pm, 11pm-11:30pm",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/The-California-Report-Magazine-Podcast-Tile-703x703-1.jpg",
"imageAlt": "KQED The California Report Magazine",
"officialWebsiteLink": "/californiareportmagazine",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "kqed",
"order": 10
},
"link": "/californiareportmagazine",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-california-report-magazine/id1314750545",
"google": "https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5tZWdhcGhvbmUuZm0vS1FJTkM3NjkwNjk1OTAz",
"npr": "https://www.npr.org/podcasts/564733126/the-california-report-magazine",
"stitcher": "https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/kqed/the-california-report-magazine",
"rss": "https://ww2.kqed.org/news/tag/tcrmag/feed/podcast"
}
},
"city-arts": {
"id": "city-arts",
"title": "City Arts & Lectures",
"info": "A one-hour radio program to hear celebrated writers, artists and thinkers address contemporary ideas and values, often discussing the creative process. Please note: tapes or transcripts are not available",
"imageSrc": "https://ww2.kqed.org/radio/wp-content/uploads/sites/50/2018/05/cityartsandlecture-300x300.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.cityarts.net/",
"airtime": "SUN 1pm-2pm, TUE 10pm, WED 1am",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "City Arts & Lectures"
},
"link": "https://www.cityarts.net",
"subscribe": {
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/radio/City-Arts-and-Lectures-p692/",
"rss": "https://www.cityarts.net/feed/"
}
},
"closealltabs": {
"id": "closealltabs",
"title": "Close All Tabs",
"tagline": "Your irreverent guide to the trends redefining our world",
"info": "Close All Tabs breaks down how digital culture shapes our world through thoughtful insights and irreverent humor.",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/CAT_2_Tile-scaled.jpg",
"imageAlt": "KQED Close All Tabs",
"officialWebsiteLink": "/podcasts/closealltabs",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "kqed",
"order": 1
},
"link": "/podcasts/closealltabs",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/close-all-tabs/id214663465",
"rss": "https://feeds.megaphone.fm/KQINC6993880386",
"amazon": "https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/92d9d4ac-67a3-4eed-b10a-fb45d45b1ef2/close-all-tabs",
"spotify": "https://open.spotify.com/show/6LAJFHnGK1pYXYzv6SIol6?si=deb0cae19813417c"
}
},
"code-switch-life-kit": {
"id": "code-switch-life-kit",
"title": "Code Switch / Life Kit",
"info": "\u003cem>Code Switch\u003c/em>, which listeners will hear in the first part of the hour, has fearless and much-needed conversations about race. Hosted by journalists of color, the show tackles the subject of race head-on, exploring how it impacts every part of society — from politics and pop culture to history, sports and more.\u003cbr />\u003cbr />\u003cem>Life Kit\u003c/em>, which will be in the second part of the hour, guides you through spaces and feelings no one prepares you for — from finances to mental health, from workplace microaggressions to imposter syndrome, from relationships to parenting. The show features experts with real world experience and shares their knowledge. Because everyone needs a little help being human.\u003cbr />\u003cbr />\u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/podcasts/510312/codeswitch\">\u003cem>Code Switch\u003c/em> offical site and podcast\u003c/a>\u003cbr />\u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/lifekit\">\u003cem>Life Kit\u003c/em> offical site and podcast\u003c/a>\u003cbr />",
"airtime": "SUN 9pm-10pm",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Code-Switch-Life-Kit-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
"meta": {
"site": "radio",
"source": "npr"
},
"link": "/radio/program/code-switch-life-kit",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://podcasts.apple.com/podcast/1112190608?mt=2&at=11l79Y&ct=nprdirectory",
"google": "https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cubnByLm9yZy9yc3MvcG9kY2FzdC5waHA_aWQ9NTEwMzEy",
"spotify": "https://open.spotify.com/show/3bExJ9JQpkwNhoHvaIIuyV",
"rss": "https://feeds.npr.org/510312/podcast.xml"
}
},
"commonwealth-club": {
"id": "commonwealth-club",
"title": "Commonwealth Club of California Podcast",
"info": "The Commonwealth Club of California is the nation's oldest and largest public affairs forum. As a non-partisan forum, The Club brings to the public airwaves diverse viewpoints on important topics. The Club's weekly radio broadcast - the oldest in the U.S., dating back to 1924 - is carried across the nation on public radio stations and is now podcasting. Our website archive features audio of our recent programs, as well as selected speeches from our long and distinguished history. This podcast feed is usually updated twice a week and is always un-edited.",
"airtime": "THU 10pm, FRI 1am",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Commonwealth-Club-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.commonwealthclub.org/podcasts",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "Commonwealth Club of California"
},
"link": "/radio/program/commonwealth-club",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/commonwealth-club-of-california-podcast/id976334034?mt=2",
"google": "https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cDovL3d3dy5jb21tb253ZWFsdGhjbHViLm9yZy9hdWRpby9wb2RjYXN0L3dlZWtseS54bWw",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/radio/Commonwealth-Club-of-California-p1060/"
}
},
"forum": {
"id": "forum",
"title": "Forum",
"tagline": "The conversation starts here",
"info": "KQED’s live call-in program discussing local, state, national and international issues, as well as in-depth interviews.",
"airtime": "MON-FRI 9am-11am, 10pm-11pm",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Forum-Podcast-Tile-703x703-1.jpg",
"imageAlt": "KQED Forum with Mina Kim and Alexis Madrigal",
"officialWebsiteLink": "/forum",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "kqed",
"order": 9
},
"link": "/forum",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/kqeds-forum/id73329719",
"google": "https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5tZWdhcGhvbmUuZm0vS1FJTkM5NTU3MzgxNjMz",
"npr": "https://www.npr.org/podcasts/432307980/forum",
"stitcher": "https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/kqedfm-kqeds-forum-podcast",
"rss": "https://feeds.megaphone.fm/KQINC9557381633"
}
},
"freakonomics-radio": {
"id": "freakonomics-radio",
"title": "Freakonomics Radio",
"info": "Freakonomics Radio is a one-hour award-winning podcast and public-radio project hosted by Stephen Dubner, with co-author Steve Levitt as a regular guest. It is produced in partnership with WNYC.",
"imageSrc": "https://ww2.kqed.org/news/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2018/05/freakonomicsRadio.png",
"officialWebsiteLink": "http://freakonomics.com/",
"airtime": "SUN 1am-2am, SAT 3pm-4pm",
"meta": {
"site": "radio",
"source": "WNYC"
},
"link": "/radio/program/freakonomics-radio",
"subscribe": {
"npr": "https://rpb3r.app.goo.gl/4s8b",
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/freakonomics-radio/id354668519",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/podcasts/WNYC-Podcasts/Freakonomics-Radio-p272293/",
"rss": "https://feeds.feedburner.com/freakonomicsradio"
}
},
"fresh-air": {
"id": "fresh-air",
"title": "Fresh Air",
"info": "Hosted by Terry Gross, \u003cem>Fresh Air from WHYY\u003c/em> is the Peabody Award-winning weekday magazine of contemporary arts and issues. One of public radio's most popular programs, Fresh Air features intimate conversations with today's biggest luminaries.",
"airtime": "MON-FRI 7pm-8pm",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Fresh-Air-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.npr.org/programs/fresh-air/",
"meta": {
"site": "radio",
"source": "npr"
},
"link": "/radio/program/fresh-air",
"subscribe": {
"npr": "https://rpb3r.app.goo.gl/4s8b",
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewPodcast?s=143441&mt=2&id=214089682&at=11l79Y&ct=nprdirectory",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/radio/Fresh-Air-p17/",
"rss": "https://feeds.npr.org/381444908/podcast.xml"
}
},
"here-and-now": {
"id": "here-and-now",
"title": "Here & Now",
"info": "A live production of NPR and WBUR Boston, in collaboration with stations across the country, Here & Now reflects the fluid world of news as it's happening in the middle of the day, with timely, in-depth news, interviews and conversation. Hosted by Robin Young, Jeremy Hobson and Tonya Mosley.",
"airtime": "MON-THU 11am-12pm",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Here-And-Now-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "http://www.wbur.org/hereandnow",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "npr"
},
"link": "/radio/program/here-and-now",
"subsdcribe": {
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewPodcast?mt=2&id=426698661",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/radio/Here--Now-p211/",
"rss": "https://feeds.npr.org/510051/podcast.xml"
}
},
"hidden-brain": {
"id": "hidden-brain",
"title": "Hidden Brain",
"info": "Shankar Vedantam uses science and storytelling to reveal the unconscious patterns that drive human behavior, shape our choices and direct our relationships.",
"imageSrc": "https://ww2.kqed.org/radio/wp-content/uploads/sites/50/2018/05/hiddenbrain.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.npr.org/series/423302056/hidden-brain",
"airtime": "SUN 7pm-8pm",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "NPR"
},
"link": "/radio/program/hidden-brain",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/hidden-brain/id1028908750?mt=2",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/podcasts/Science-Podcasts/Hidden-Brain-p787503/",
"rss": "https://feeds.npr.org/510308/podcast.xml"
}
},
"how-i-built-this": {
"id": "how-i-built-this",
"title": "How I Built This with Guy Raz",
"info": "Guy Raz dives into the stories behind some of the world's best known companies. How I Built This weaves a narrative journey about innovators, entrepreneurs and idealists—and the movements they built.",
"imageSrc": "https://ww2.kqed.org/news/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2018/05/howIBuiltThis.png",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.npr.org/podcasts/510313/how-i-built-this",
"airtime": "SUN 7:30pm-8pm",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "npr"
},
"link": "/radio/program/how-i-built-this",
"subscribe": {
"npr": "https://rpb3r.app.goo.gl/3zxy",
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/how-i-built-this-with-guy-raz/id1150510297?mt=2",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/podcasts/Arts--Culture-Podcasts/How-I-Built-This-p910896/",
"rss": "https://feeds.npr.org/510313/podcast.xml"
}
},
"hyphenacion": {
"id": "hyphenacion",
"title": "Hyphenación",
"tagline": "Where conversation and cultura meet",
"info": "What kind of no sabo word is Hyphenación? For us, it’s about living within a hyphenation. Like being a third-gen Mexican-American from the Texas border now living that Bay Area Chicano life. Like Xorje! Each week we bring together a couple of hyphenated Latinos to talk all about personal life choices: family, careers, relationships, belonging … everything is on the table. ",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Hyphenacion_FinalAssets_PodcastTile.png",
"imageAlt": "KQED Hyphenación",
"officialWebsiteLink": "/podcasts/hyphenacion",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "kqed",
"order": 15
},
"link": "/podcasts/hyphenacion",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/hyphenaci%C3%B3n/id1191591838",
"spotify": "https://open.spotify.com/show/2p3Fifq96nw9BPcmFdIq0o?si=39209f7b25774f38",
"youtube": "https://www.youtube.com/c/kqedarts",
"amazon": "https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/6c3dd23c-93fb-4aab-97ba-1725fa6315f1/hyphenaci%C3%B3n",
"rss": "https://feeds.megaphone.fm/KQINC2275451163"
}
},
"jerrybrown": {
"id": "jerrybrown",
"title": "The Political Mind of Jerry Brown",
"tagline": "Lessons from a lifetime in politics",
"info": "The Political Mind of Jerry Brown brings listeners the wisdom of the former Governor, Mayor, and presidential candidate. Scott Shafer interviewed Brown for more than 40 hours, covering the former governor's life and half-century in the political game – and Brown has some lessons he'd like to share. ",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/The-Political-Mind-of-Jerry-Brown-Podcast-Tile-703x703-1.jpg",
"imageAlt": "KQED The Political Mind of Jerry Brown",
"officialWebsiteLink": "/podcasts/jerrybrown",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "kqed",
"order": 18
},
"link": "/podcasts/jerrybrown",
"subscribe": {
"npr": "https://www.npr.org/podcasts/790253322/the-political-mind-of-jerry-brown",
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/id1492194549",
"rss": "https://ww2.kqed.org/news/series/jerrybrown/feed/podcast/",
"tuneIn": "http://tun.in/pjGcK",
"stitcher": "https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/kqed/the-political-mind-of-jerry-brown",
"spotify": "https://open.spotify.com/show/54C1dmuyFyKMFttY6X2j6r?si=K8SgRCoISNK6ZbjpXrX5-w",
"amazon": "https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/44420f75-3b0e-4301-ab3b-16da6b09e543/the-political-mind-of-jerry-brown"
}
},
"latino-usa": {
"id": "latino-usa",
"title": "Latino USA",
"airtime": "MON 1am-2am, SUN 6pm-7pm",
"info": "Latino USA, the radio journal of news and culture, is the only national, English-language radio program produced from a Latino perspective.",
"imageSrc": "https://ww2.kqed.org/radio/wp-content/uploads/sites/50/2018/04/latinoUsa.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "http://latinousa.org/",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "npr"
},
"link": "/radio/program/latino-usa",
"subscribe": {
"npr": "https://rpb3r.app.goo.gl/xtTd",
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewPodcast?s=143441&mt=2&id=79681317&at=11l79Y&ct=nprdirectory",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/radio/Latino-USA-p621/",
"rss": "https://feeds.npr.org/510016/podcast.xml"
}
},
"marketplace": {
"id": "marketplace",
"title": "Marketplace",
"info": "Our flagship program, helmed by Kai Ryssdal, examines what the day in money delivered, through stories, conversations, newsworthy numbers and more. Updated Monday through Friday at about 3:30 p.m. PT.",
"airtime": "MON-FRI 4pm-4:30pm, MON-WED 6:30pm-7pm",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Marketplace-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.marketplace.org/",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "American Public Media"
},
"link": "/radio/program/marketplace",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewPodcast?s=143441&mt=2&id=201853034&at=11l79Y&ct=nprdirectory",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/radio/APM-Marketplace-p88/",
"rss": "https://feeds.publicradio.org/public_feeds/marketplace-pm/rss/rss"
}
},
"masters-of-scale": {
"id": "masters-of-scale",
"title": "Masters of Scale",
"info": "Masters of Scale is an original podcast in which LinkedIn co-founder and Greylock Partner Reid Hoffman sets out to describe and prove theories that explain how great entrepreneurs take their companies from zero to a gazillion in ingenious fashion.",
"airtime": "Every other Wednesday June 12 through October 16 at 8pm (repeats Thursdays at 2am)",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Masters-of-Scale-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://mastersofscale.com/",
"meta": {
"site": "radio",
"source": "WaitWhat"
},
"link": "/radio/program/masters-of-scale",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "http://mastersofscale.app.link/",
"rss": "https://rss.art19.com/masters-of-scale"
}
},
"mindshift": {
"id": "mindshift",
"title": "MindShift",
"tagline": "A podcast about the future of learning and how we raise our kids",
"info": "The MindShift podcast explores the innovations in education that are shaping how kids learn. Hosts Ki Sung and Katrina Schwartz introduce listeners to educators, researchers, parents and students who are developing effective ways to improve how kids learn. We cover topics like how fed-up administrators are developing surprising tactics to deal with classroom disruptions; how listening to podcasts are helping kids develop reading skills; the consequences of overparenting; and why interdisciplinary learning can engage students on all ends of the traditional achievement spectrum. This podcast is part of the MindShift education site, a division of KQED News. KQED is an NPR/PBS member station based in San Francisco. You can also visit the MindShift website for episodes and supplemental blog posts or tweet us \u003ca href=\"https://twitter.com/MindShiftKQED\">@MindShiftKQED\u003c/a> or visit us at \u003ca href=\"/mindshift\">MindShift.KQED.org\u003c/a>",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Mindshift-Podcast-Tile-703x703-1.jpg",
"imageAlt": "KQED MindShift: How We Will Learn",
"officialWebsiteLink": "/mindshift/",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "kqed",
"order": 12
},
"link": "/podcasts/mindshift",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/mindshift-podcast/id1078765985",
"google": "https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5tZWdhcGhvbmUuZm0vS1FJTkM1NzY0NjAwNDI5",
"npr": "https://www.npr.org/podcasts/464615685/mind-shift-podcast",
"stitcher": "https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/kqed/stories-teachers-share",
"spotify": "https://open.spotify.com/show/0MxSpNYZKNprFLCl7eEtyx"
}
},
"morning-edition": {
"id": "morning-edition",
"title": "Morning Edition",
"info": "\u003cem>Morning Edition\u003c/em> takes listeners around the country and the world with multi-faceted stories and commentaries every weekday. Hosts Steve Inskeep, David Greene and Rachel Martin bring you the latest breaking news and features to prepare you for the day.",
"airtime": "MON-FRI 3am-9am",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Morning-Edition-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.npr.org/programs/morning-edition/",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "npr"
},
"link": "/radio/program/morning-edition"
},
"onourwatch": {
"id": "onourwatch",
"title": "On Our Watch",
"tagline": "Deeply-reported investigative journalism",
"info": "For decades, the process for how police police themselves has been inconsistent – if not opaque. In some states, like California, these proceedings were completely hidden. After a new police transparency law unsealed scores of internal affairs files, our reporters set out to examine these cases and the shadow world of police discipline. On Our Watch brings listeners into the rooms where officers are questioned and witnesses are interrogated to find out who this system is really protecting. Is it the officers, or the public they've sworn to serve?",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/On-Our-Watch-Podcast-Tile-703x703-1.jpg",
"imageAlt": "On Our Watch from NPR and KQED",
"officialWebsiteLink": "/podcasts/onourwatch",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "kqed",
"order": 11
},
"link": "/podcasts/onourwatch",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://podcasts.apple.com/podcast/id1567098962",
"google": "https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5ucHIub3JnLzUxMDM2MC9wb2RjYXN0LnhtbD9zYz1nb29nbGVwb2RjYXN0cw",
"npr": "https://rpb3r.app.goo.gl/onourwatch",
"spotify": "https://open.spotify.com/show/0OLWoyizopu6tY1XiuX70x",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/radio/On-Our-Watch-p1436229/",
"stitcher": "https://www.stitcher.com/show/on-our-watch",
"rss": "https://feeds.npr.org/510360/podcast.xml"
}
},
"on-the-media": {
"id": "on-the-media",
"title": "On The Media",
"info": "Our weekly podcast explores how the media 'sausage' is made, casts an incisive eye on fluctuations in the marketplace of ideas, and examines threats to the freedom of information and expression in America and abroad. For one hour a week, the show tries to lift the veil from the process of \"making media,\" especially news media, because it's through that lens that we see the world and the world sees us",
"airtime": "SUN 2pm-3pm, MON 12am-1am",
"imageSrc": "https://ww2.kqed.org/radio/wp-content/uploads/sites/50/2018/04/onTheMedia.png",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.wnycstudios.org/shows/otm",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "wnyc"
},
"link": "/radio/program/on-the-media",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/on-the-media/id73330715?mt=2",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/radio/On-the-Media-p69/",
"rss": "http://feeds.wnyc.org/onthemedia"
}
},
"pbs-newshour": {
"id": "pbs-newshour",
"title": "PBS NewsHour",
"info": "Analysis, background reports and updates from the PBS NewsHour putting today's news in context.",
"airtime": "MON-FRI 3pm-4pm",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/PBS-News-Hour-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.pbs.org/newshour/",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "pbs"
},
"link": "/radio/program/pbs-newshour",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/pbs-newshour-full-show/id394432287?mt=2",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/radio/PBS-NewsHour---Full-Show-p425698/",
"rss": "https://www.pbs.org/newshour/feeds/rss/podcasts/show"
}
},
"perspectives": {
"id": "perspectives",
"title": "Perspectives",
"tagline": "KQED's series of daily listener commentaries since 1991",
"info": "KQED's series of daily listener commentaries since 1991.",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Perspectives_Tile_Final.jpg",
"imageAlt": "KQED Perspectives",
"officialWebsiteLink": "/perspectives/",
"meta": {
"site": "radio",
"source": "kqed",
"order": 14
},
"link": "/perspectives",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/id73801135",
"npr": "https://www.npr.org/podcasts/432309616/perspectives",
"rss": "https://ww2.kqed.org/perspectives/category/perspectives/feed/",
"google": "https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly93dzIua3FlZC5vcmcvcGVyc3BlY3RpdmVzL2NhdGVnb3J5L3BlcnNwZWN0aXZlcy9mZWVkLw"
}
},
"planet-money": {
"id": "planet-money",
"title": "Planet Money",
"info": "The economy explained. Imagine you could call up a friend and say, Meet me at the bar and tell me what's going on with the economy. Now imagine that's actually a fun evening.",
"airtime": "SUN 3pm-4pm",
"imageSrc": "https://ww2.kqed.org/radio/wp-content/uploads/sites/50/2018/04/planetmoney.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.npr.org/sections/money/",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "npr"
},
"link": "/radio/program/planet-money",
"subscribe": {
"npr": "https://rpb3r.app.goo.gl/M4f5",
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/planet-money/id290783428?mt=2",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/podcasts/Business--Economics-Podcasts/Planet-Money-p164680/",
"rss": "https://feeds.npr.org/510289/podcast.xml"
}
},
"politicalbreakdown": {
"id": "politicalbreakdown",
"title": "Political Breakdown",
"tagline": "Politics from a personal perspective",
"info": "Political Breakdown is a new series that explores the political intersection of California and the nation. Each week hosts Scott Shafer and Marisa Lagos are joined with a new special guest to unpack politics -- with personality — and offer an insider’s glimpse at how politics happens.",
"airtime": "THU 6:30pm-7pm",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Political-Breakdown-2024-Podcast-Tile-703x703-1.jpg",
"imageAlt": "KQED Political Breakdown",
"officialWebsiteLink": "/podcasts/politicalbreakdown",
"meta": {
"site": "radio",
"source": "kqed",
"order": 5
},
"link": "/podcasts/politicalbreakdown",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/political-breakdown/id1327641087",
"amazon": "https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/e0c2d153-ad36-4c8d-901d-f1da6a724824/political-breakdown",
"npr": "https://www.npr.org/podcasts/572155894/political-breakdown",
"stitcher": "https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/kqed/political-breakdown",
"spotify": "https://open.spotify.com/show/07RVyIjIdk2WDuVehvBMoN",
"rss": "https://ww2.kqed.org/news/tag/political-breakdown/feed/podcast"
}
},
"possible": {
"id": "possible",
"title": "Possible",
"info": "Possible is hosted by entrepreneur Reid Hoffman and writer Aria Finger. Together in Possible, Hoffman and Finger lead enlightening discussions about building a brighter collective future. The show features interviews with visionary guests like Trevor Noah, Sam Altman and Janette Sadik-Khan. Possible paints an optimistic portrait of the world we can create through science, policy, business, art and our shared humanity. It asks: What if everything goes right for once? How can we get there? Each episode also includes a short fiction story generated by advanced AI GPT-4, serving as a thought-provoking springboard to speculate how humanity could leverage technology for good.",
"airtime": "SUN 2pm",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Possible-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.possible.fm/",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "Possible"
},
"link": "/radio/program/possible",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/possible/id1677184070",
"spotify": "https://open.spotify.com/show/730YpdUSNlMyPQwNnyjp4k"
}
},
"pri-the-world": {
"id": "pri-the-world",
"title": "PRI's The World: Latest Edition",
"info": "Each weekday, host Marco Werman and his team of producers bring you the world's most interesting stories in an hour of radio that reminds us just how small our planet really is.",
"airtime": "MON-FRI 2pm-3pm",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/The-World-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.pri.org/programs/the-world",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "PRI"
},
"link": "/radio/program/pri-the-world",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/pris-the-world-latest-edition/id278196007?mt=2",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/podcasts/News--Politics-Podcasts/PRIs-The-World-p24/",
"rss": "http://feeds.feedburner.com/pri/theworld"
}
},
"radiolab": {
"id": "radiolab",
"title": "Radiolab",
"info": "A two-time Peabody Award-winner, Radiolab is an investigation told through sounds and stories, and centered around one big idea. In the Radiolab world, information sounds like music and science and culture collide. Hosted by Jad Abumrad and Robert Krulwich, the show is designed for listeners who demand skepticism, but appreciate wonder. WNYC Studios is the producer of other leading podcasts including Freakonomics Radio, Death, Sex & Money, On the Media and many more.",
"airtime": "SUN 12am-1am, SAT 2pm-3pm",
"imageSrc": "https://ww2.kqed.org/radio/wp-content/uploads/sites/50/2018/04/radiolab1400.png",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.wnycstudios.org/shows/radiolab/",
"meta": {
"site": "science",
"source": "WNYC"
},
"link": "/radio/program/radiolab",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/radiolab/id152249110?mt=2",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/radio/RadioLab-p68032/",
"rss": "https://feeds.wnyc.org/radiolab"
}
},
"reveal": {
"id": "reveal",
"title": "Reveal",
"info": "Created by The Center for Investigative Reporting and PRX, Reveal is public radios first one-hour weekly radio show and podcast dedicated to investigative reporting. Credible, fact based and without a partisan agenda, Reveal combines the power and artistry of driveway moment storytelling with data-rich reporting on critically important issues. The result is stories that inform and inspire, arming our listeners with information to right injustices, hold the powerful accountable and improve lives.Reveal is hosted by Al Letson and showcases the award-winning work of CIR and newsrooms large and small across the nation. In a radio and podcast market crowded with choices, Reveal focuses on important and often surprising stories that illuminate the world for our listeners.",
"airtime": "SAT 4pm-5pm",
"imageSrc": "https://ww2.kqed.org/radio/wp-content/uploads/sites/50/2018/04/reveal300px.png",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.revealnews.org/episodes/",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "npr"
},
"link": "/radio/program/reveal",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/reveal/id886009669",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/radio/Reveal-p679597/",
"rss": "http://feeds.revealradio.org/revealpodcast"
}
},
"rightnowish": {
"id": "rightnowish",
"title": "Rightnowish",
"tagline": "Art is where you find it",
"info": "Rightnowish digs into life in the Bay Area right now… ish. Journalist Pendarvis Harshaw takes us to galleries painted on the sides of liquor stores in West Oakland. We'll dance in warehouses in the Bayview, make smoothies with kids in South Berkeley, and listen to classical music in a 1984 Cutlass Supreme in Richmond. Every week, Pen talks to movers and shakers about how the Bay Area shapes what they create, and how they shape the place we call home.",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Rightnowish-Podcast-Tile-500x500-1.jpg",
"imageAlt": "KQED Rightnowish with Pendarvis Harshaw",
"officialWebsiteLink": "/podcasts/rightnowish",
"meta": {
"site": "arts",
"source": "kqed",
"order": 16
},
"link": "/podcasts/rightnowish",
"subscribe": {
"npr": "https://www.npr.org/podcasts/721590300/rightnowish",
"rss": "https://ww2.kqed.org/arts/programs/rightnowish/feed/podcast",
"apple": "https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/rightnowish/id1482187648",
"stitcher": "https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/kqed/rightnowish",
"google": "https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5tZWdhcGhvbmUuZm0vS1FJTkMxMjU5MTY3NDc4",
"spotify": "https://open.spotify.com/show/7kEJuafTzTVan7B78ttz1I"
}
},
"science-friday": {
"id": "science-friday",
"title": "Science Friday",
"info": "Science Friday is a weekly science talk show, broadcast live over public radio stations nationwide. Each week, the show focuses on science topics that are in the news and tries to bring an educated, balanced discussion to bear on the scientific issues at hand. Panels of expert guests join host Ira Flatow, a veteran science journalist, to discuss science and to take questions from listeners during the call-in portion of the program.",
"airtime": "FRI 11am-1pm",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Science-Friday-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.wnycstudios.org/shows/science-friday",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "npr"
},
"link": "/radio/program/science-friday",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewPodcast?s=143441&mt=2&id=73329284&at=11l79Y&ct=nprdirectory",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/radio/Science-Friday-p394/",
"rss": "http://feeds.wnyc.org/science-friday"
}
},
"snap-judgment": {
"id": "snap-judgment",
"title": "Snap Judgment",
"tagline": "Real stories with killer beats",
"info": "The Snap Judgment radio show and podcast mixes real stories with killer beats to produce cinematic, dramatic radio. Snap's musical brand of storytelling dares listeners to see the world through the eyes of another. This is storytelling... with a BEAT!! Snap first aired on public radio stations nationwide in July 2010. Today, Snap Judgment airs on over 450 public radio stations and is brought to the airwaves by KQED & PRX.",
"airtime": "SAT 1pm-2pm, 9pm-10pm",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Snap-Judgment-Podcast-Tile-703x703-1.jpg",
"imageAlt": "KQED Snap Judgment",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://snapjudgment.org",
"meta": {
"site": "arts",
"source": "kqed",
"order": 4
},
"link": "https://snapjudgment.org",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/snap-judgment/id283657561",
"npr": "https://www.npr.org/podcasts/449018144/snap-judgment",
"stitcher": "https://www.pandora.com/podcast/snap-judgment/PC:241?source=stitcher-sunset",
"spotify": "https://open.spotify.com/show/3Cct7ZWmxHNAtLgBTqjC5v",
"rss": "https://snap.feed.snapjudgment.org/"
}
},
"soldout": {
"id": "soldout",
"title": "SOLD OUT: Rethinking Housing in America",
"tagline": "A new future for housing",
"info": "Sold Out: Rethinking Housing in America",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Sold-Out-Podcast-Tile-703x703-1.jpg",
"imageAlt": "KQED Sold Out: Rethinking Housing in America",
"officialWebsiteLink": "/podcasts/soldout",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "kqed",
"order": 13
},
"link": "/podcasts/soldout",
"subscribe": {
"npr": "https://www.npr.org/podcasts/911586047/s-o-l-d-o-u-t-a-new-future-for-housing",
"apple": "https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/introducing-sold-out-rethinking-housing-in-america/id1531354937",
"rss": "https://feeds.megaphone.fm/soldout",
"spotify": "https://open.spotify.com/show/38dTBSk2ISFoPiyYNoKn1X",
"stitcher": "https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/kqed/sold-out-rethinking-housing-in-america",
"tunein": "https://tunein.com/radio/SOLD-OUT-Rethinking-Housing-in-America-p1365871/"
}
},
"spooked": {
"id": "spooked",
"title": "Spooked",
"tagline": "True-life supernatural stories",
"info": "",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/Spooked-Podcast-Tile-703x703-1.jpg",
"imageAlt": "KQED Spooked",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://spookedpodcast.org/",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "kqed",
"order": 7
},
"link": "https://spookedpodcast.org/",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/spooked/id1279361017",
"npr": "https://www.npr.org/podcasts/549547848/snap-judgment-presents-spooked",
"spotify": "https://open.spotify.com/show/76571Rfl3m7PLJQZKQIGCT",
"rss": "https://feeds.simplecast.com/TBotaapn"
}
},
"tech-nation": {
"id": "tech-nation",
"title": "Tech Nation Radio Podcast",
"info": "Tech Nation is a weekly public radio program, hosted by Dr. Moira Gunn. Founded in 1993, it has grown from a simple interview show to a multi-faceted production, featuring conversations with noted technology and science leaders, and a weekly science and technology-related commentary.",
"airtime": "FRI 10pm",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Tech-Nation-Radio-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "http://technation.podomatic.com/",
"meta": {
"site": "science",
"source": "Tech Nation Media"
},
"link": "/radio/program/tech-nation",
"subscribe": {
"rss": "https://technation.podomatic.com/rss2.xml"
}
},
"ted-radio-hour": {
"id": "ted-radio-hour",
"title": "TED Radio Hour",
"info": "The TED Radio Hour is a journey through fascinating ideas, astonishing inventions, fresh approaches to old problems, and new ways to think and create.",
"airtime": "SUN 3pm-4pm, SAT 10pm-11pm",
"imageSrc": "https://ww2.kqed.org/radio/wp-content/uploads/sites/50/2018/04/tedRadioHour.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.npr.org/programs/ted-radio-hour/?showDate=2018-06-22",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "npr"
},
"link": "/radio/program/ted-radio-hour",
"subscribe": {
"npr": "https://rpb3r.app.goo.gl/8vsS",
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewPodcast?s=143441&mt=2&id=523121474&at=11l79Y&ct=nprdirectory",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/radio/TED-Radio-Hour-p418021/",
"rss": "https://feeds.npr.org/510298/podcast.xml"
}
},
"thebay": {
"id": "thebay",
"title": "The Bay",
"tagline": "Local news to keep you rooted",
"info": "Host Devin Katayama walks you through the biggest story of the day with reporters and newsmakers.",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/The-Bay-Podcast-Tile-703x703-1.jpg",
"imageAlt": "KQED The Bay",
"officialWebsiteLink": "/podcasts/thebay",
"meta": {
"site": "radio",
"source": "kqed",
"order": 2
},
"link": "/podcasts/thebay",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-bay/id1350043452",
"amazon": "https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/d800ea4c-7a2c-42f2-b861-edaf78a5db0b/the-bay",
"npr": "https://www.npr.org/podcasts/586725995/the-bay",
"stitcher": "https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/kqed/the-bay",
"spotify": "https://open.spotify.com/show/4BIKBKIujizLHlIlBNaAqQ",
"rss": "https://feeds.megaphone.fm/KQINC8259786327"
}
},
"thelatest": {
"id": "thelatest",
"title": "The Latest",
"tagline": "Trusted local news in real time",
"info": "",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/The-Latest-2025-Podcast-Tile-703x703-1.jpg",
"imageAlt": "KQED The Latest",
"officialWebsiteLink": "/thelatest",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "kqed",
"order": 6
},
"link": "/thelatest",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-latest-from-kqed/id1197721799",
"npr": "https://www.npr.org/podcasts/1257949365/the-latest-from-k-q-e-d",
"spotify": "https://open.spotify.com/show/5KIIXMgM9GTi5AepwOYvIZ?si=bd3053fec7244dba",
"rss": "https://feeds.megaphone.fm/KQINC9137121918"
}
},
"theleap": {
"id": "theleap",
"title": "The Leap",
"tagline": "What if you closed your eyes, and jumped?",
"info": "Stories about people making dramatic, risky changes, told by award-winning public radio reporter Judy Campbell.",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/The-Leap-Podcast-Tile-703x703-1.jpg",
"imageAlt": "KQED The Leap",
"officialWebsiteLink": "/podcasts/theleap",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "kqed",
"order": 17
},
"link": "/podcasts/theleap",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-leap/id1046668171",
"npr": "https://www.npr.org/podcasts/447248267/the-leap",
"stitcher": "https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/kqed/the-leap",
"spotify": "https://open.spotify.com/show/3sSlVHHzU0ytLwuGs1SD1U",
"rss": "https://ww2.kqed.org/news/programs/the-leap/feed/podcast"
}
},
"the-moth-radio-hour": {
"id": "the-moth-radio-hour",
"title": "The Moth Radio Hour",
"info": "Since its launch in 1997, The Moth has presented thousands of true stories, told live and without notes, to standing-room-only crowds worldwide. Moth storytellers stand alone, under a spotlight, with only a microphone and a roomful of strangers. The storyteller and the audience embark on a high-wire act of shared experience which is both terrifying and exhilarating. Since 2008, The Moth podcast has featured many of our favorite stories told live on Moth stages around the country. For information on all of our programs and live events, visit themoth.org.",
"airtime": "SAT 8pm-9pm and SUN 11am-12pm",
"imageSrc": "https://ww2.kqed.org/radio/wp-content/uploads/sites/50/2018/04/theMoth.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://themoth.org/",
"meta": {
"site": "arts",
"source": "prx"
},
"link": "/radio/program/the-moth-radio-hour",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/the-moth-podcast/id275699983?mt=2",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/radio/The-Moth-p273888/",
"rss": "http://feeds.themoth.org/themothpodcast"
}
},
"the-new-yorker-radio-hour": {
"id": "the-new-yorker-radio-hour",
"title": "The New Yorker Radio Hour",
"info": "The New Yorker Radio Hour is a weekly program presented by the magazine's editor, David Remnick, and produced by WNYC Studios and The New Yorker. Each episode features a diverse mix of interviews, profiles, storytelling, and an occasional burst of humor inspired by the magazine, and shaped by its writers, artists, and editors. This isn't a radio version of a magazine, but something all its own, reflecting the rich possibilities of audio storytelling and conversation. Theme music for the show was composed and performed by Merrill Garbus of tUnE-YArDs.",
"airtime": "SAT 10am-11am",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/The-New-Yorker-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.wnycstudios.org/shows/tnyradiohour",
"meta": {
"site": "arts",
"source": "WNYC"
},
"link": "/radio/program/the-new-yorker-radio-hour",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/id1050430296",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/podcasts/WNYC-Podcasts/New-Yorker-Radio-Hour-p803804/",
"rss": "https://feeds.feedburner.com/newyorkerradiohour"
}
},
"the-sam-sanders-show": {
"id": "the-sam-sanders-show",
"title": "The Sam Sanders Show",
"info": "One of public radio's most dynamic voices, Sam Sanders helped launch The NPR Politics Podcast and hosted NPR's hit show It's Been A Minute. Now, the award-winning host returns with something brand new, The Sam Sanders Show. Every week, Sam Sanders and friends dig into the culture that shapes our lives: what's driving the biggest trends, how artists really think, and even the memes you can't stop scrolling past. Sam is beloved for his way of unpacking the world and bringing you up close to fresh currents and engaging conversations. The Sam Sanders Show is smart, funny and always a good time.",
"airtime": "FRI 12-1pm AND SAT 11am-12pm",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/The-Sam-Sanders-Show-Podcast-Tile-400x400-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.kcrw.com/shows/the-sam-sanders-show/latest",
"meta": {
"site": "arts",
"source": "KCRW"
},
"link": "https://www.kcrw.com/shows/the-sam-sanders-show/latest",
"subscribe": {
"rss": "https://feed.cdnstream1.com/zjb/feed/download/ac/28/59/ac28594c-e1d0-4231-8728-61865cdc80e8.xml"
}
},
"the-splendid-table": {
"id": "the-splendid-table",
"title": "The Splendid Table",
"info": "\u003cem>The Splendid Table\u003c/em> hosts our nation's conversations about cooking, sustainability and food culture.",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/The-Splendid-Table-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.splendidtable.org/",
"airtime": "SUN 10-11 pm",
"meta": {
"site": "radio",
"source": "npr"
},
"link": "/radio/program/the-splendid-table"
},
"this-american-life": {
"id": "this-american-life",
"title": "This American Life",
"info": "This American Life is a weekly public radio show, heard by 2.2 million people on more than 500 stations. Another 2.5 million people download the weekly podcast. It is hosted by Ira Glass, produced in collaboration with Chicago Public Media, delivered to stations by PRX The Public Radio Exchange, and has won all of the major broadcasting awards.",
"airtime": "SAT 12pm-1pm, 7pm-8pm",
"imageSrc": "https://ww2.kqed.org/radio/wp-content/uploads/sites/50/2018/04/thisAmericanLife.png",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.thisamericanlife.org/",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "wbez"
},
"link": "/radio/program/this-american-life",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewPodcast?s=143441&mt=2&id=201671138&at=11l79Y&ct=nprdirectory",
"rss": "https://www.thisamericanlife.org/podcast/rss.xml"
}
},
"tinydeskradio": {
"id": "tinydeskradio",
"title": "Tiny Desk Radio",
"info": "We're bringing the best of Tiny Desk to the airwaves, only on public radio.",
"airtime": "SUN 8pm and SAT 9pm",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/300x300-For-Member-Station-Logo-Tiny-Desk-Radio-@2x.png",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.npr.org/series/g-s1-52030/tiny-desk-radio",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "npr"
},
"link": "/radio/program/tinydeskradio",
"subscribe": {
"rss": "https://feeds.npr.org/g-s1-52030/rss.xml"
}
},
"wait-wait-dont-tell-me": {
"id": "wait-wait-dont-tell-me",
"title": "Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me!",
"info": "Peter Sagal and Bill Kurtis host the weekly NPR News quiz show alongside some of the best and brightest news and entertainment personalities.",
"airtime": "SUN 10am-11am, SAT 11am-12pm, SAT 6pm-7pm",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Wait-Wait-Podcast-Tile-300x300-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.npr.org/programs/wait-wait-dont-tell-me/",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "npr"
},
"link": "/radio/program/wait-wait-dont-tell-me",
"subscribe": {
"npr": "https://rpb3r.app.goo.gl/Xogv",
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewPodcast?s=143441&mt=2&id=121493804&at=11l79Y&ct=nprdirectory",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/radio/Wait-Wait-Dont-Tell-Me-p46/",
"rss": "https://feeds.npr.org/344098539/podcast.xml"
}
},
"weekend-edition-saturday": {
"id": "weekend-edition-saturday",
"title": "Weekend Edition Saturday",
"info": "Weekend Edition Saturday wraps up the week's news and offers a mix of analysis and features on a wide range of topics, including arts, sports, entertainment, and human interest stories. The two-hour program is hosted by NPR's Peabody Award-winning Scott Simon.",
"airtime": "SAT 5am-10am",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Weekend-Edition-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.npr.org/programs/weekend-edition-saturday/",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "npr"
},
"link": "/radio/program/weekend-edition-saturday"
},
"weekend-edition-sunday": {
"id": "weekend-edition-sunday",
"title": "Weekend Edition Sunday",
"info": "Weekend Edition Sunday features interviews with newsmakers, artists, scientists, politicians, musicians, writers, theologians and historians. The program has covered news events from Nelson Mandela's 1990 release from a South African prison to the capture of Saddam Hussein.",
"airtime": "SUN 5am-10am",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Weekend-Edition-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.npr.org/programs/weekend-edition-sunday/",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "npr"
},
"link": "/radio/program/weekend-edition-sunday"
}
},
"racesReducer": {},
"racesGenElectionReducer": {},
"racesGenElection2026Reducer": {},
"racesGeneralEl2026Reducer": {},
"radioSchedulesReducer": {},
"listsReducer": {
"posts/news?tag=health": {
"isFetching": false,
"latestQuery": {
"from": 684,
"size": 12
},
"vitalsOnly": false,
"totalRequested": 12,
"isLoading": false,
"isLoadingMore": true,
"total": {
"value": 1663,
"relation": "eq"
},
"items": [
"news_11906868",
"news_11906730",
"news_11906215",
"news_11905244",
"news_11905181",
"news_11904345",
"news_11904277",
"news_11903772",
"news_11904111",
"news_11904155",
"news_11903506",
"news_11903719"
],
"complete": true
}
},
"recallGuideReducer": {
"intros": {},
"policy": {},
"candidates": {}
},
"savedArticleReducer": {
"articles": [],
"status": {}
},
"newslettersReducer": {
"isFetching": false,
"fetchFailed": false,
"hasFetched": false,
"newsletters": {},
"isSubscribing": false,
"isUnsubscribing": false,
"subscribedNewsletters": {}
},
"termsReducer": {
"about": {
"name": "About",
"type": "terms",
"id": "about",
"slug": "about",
"link": "/about",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"arts": {
"name": "Arts & Culture",
"grouping": [
"arts",
"pop",
"trulyca"
],
"description": "KQED Arts provides daily in-depth coverage of the Bay Area's music, art, film, performing arts, literature and arts news, as well as cultural commentary and criticism.",
"type": "terms",
"id": "arts",
"slug": "arts",
"link": "/arts",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"artschool": {
"name": "Art School",
"parent": "arts",
"type": "terms",
"id": "artschool",
"slug": "artschool",
"link": "/artschool",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"bayareabites": {
"name": "KQED food",
"grouping": [
"food",
"bayareabites",
"checkplease"
],
"parent": "food",
"type": "terms",
"id": "bayareabites",
"slug": "bayareabites",
"link": "/food",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"bayareahiphop": {
"name": "Bay Area Hiphop",
"type": "terms",
"id": "bayareahiphop",
"slug": "bayareahiphop",
"link": "/bayareahiphop",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"campaign21": {
"name": "Campaign 21",
"type": "terms",
"id": "campaign21",
"slug": "campaign21",
"link": "/campaign21",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"careers": {
"name": "Careers",
"type": "terms",
"id": "careers",
"slug": "careers",
"link": "/careers",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"checkplease": {
"name": "KQED food",
"grouping": [
"food",
"bayareabites",
"checkplease"
],
"parent": "food",
"type": "terms",
"id": "checkplease",
"slug": "checkplease",
"link": "/food",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"education": {
"name": "Education",
"grouping": [
"education"
],
"type": "terms",
"id": "education",
"slug": "education",
"link": "/education",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"elections": {
"name": "Elections",
"type": "terms",
"id": "elections",
"slug": "elections",
"link": "/elections",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"events": {
"name": "Events",
"type": "terms",
"id": "events",
"slug": "events",
"link": "/events",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"event": {
"name": "Event",
"alias": "events",
"type": "terms",
"id": "event",
"slug": "event",
"link": "/event",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"filmschoolshorts": {
"name": "Film School Shorts",
"type": "terms",
"id": "filmschoolshorts",
"slug": "filmschoolshorts",
"link": "/filmschoolshorts",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"food": {
"name": "KQED food",
"grouping": [
"food",
"bayareabites",
"checkplease"
],
"type": "terms",
"id": "food",
"slug": "food",
"link": "/food",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"forum": {
"name": "Forum",
"relatedContentQuery": "posts/forum?",
"parent": "news",
"type": "terms",
"id": "forum",
"slug": "forum",
"link": "/forum",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"futureofyou": {
"name": "Future of You",
"grouping": [
"science",
"futureofyou"
],
"parent": "science",
"type": "terms",
"id": "futureofyou",
"slug": "futureofyou",
"link": "/futureofyou",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"jpepinheart": {
"name": "KQED food",
"relatedContentQuery": "posts/food,bayareabites,checkplease",
"parent": "food",
"type": "terms",
"id": "jpepinheart",
"slug": "jpepinheart",
"link": "/food",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"liveblog": {
"name": "Live Blog",
"type": "terms",
"id": "liveblog",
"slug": "liveblog",
"link": "/liveblog",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"livetv": {
"name": "Live TV",
"parent": "tv",
"type": "terms",
"id": "livetv",
"slug": "livetv",
"link": "/livetv",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"lowdown": {
"name": "The Lowdown",
"relatedContentQuery": "posts/lowdown?",
"parent": "news",
"type": "terms",
"id": "lowdown",
"slug": "lowdown",
"link": "/lowdown",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"mindshift": {
"name": "Mindshift",
"parent": "news",
"description": "MindShift explores the future of education by highlighting the innovative – and sometimes counterintuitive – ways educators and parents are helping all children succeed.",
"type": "terms",
"id": "mindshift",
"slug": "mindshift",
"link": "/mindshift",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"news": {
"name": "News",
"grouping": [
"news",
"forum"
],
"type": "terms",
"id": "news",
"slug": "news",
"link": "/news",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"newsletters": {
"name": "newsletters",
"type": "terms",
"id": "newsletters",
"slug": "newsletters",
"link": "/newsletters",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"perspectives": {
"name": "Perspectives",
"parent": "radio",
"type": "terms",
"id": "perspectives",
"slug": "perspectives",
"link": "/perspectives",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"podcasts": {
"name": "Podcasts",
"type": "terms",
"id": "podcasts",
"slug": "podcasts",
"link": "/podcasts",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"pop": {
"name": "Pop",
"parent": "arts",
"type": "terms",
"id": "pop",
"slug": "pop",
"link": "/pop",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"pressroom": {
"name": "Pressroom",
"type": "terms",
"id": "pressroom",
"slug": "pressroom",
"link": "/pressroom",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"quest": {
"name": "Quest",
"parent": "science",
"type": "terms",
"id": "quest",
"slug": "quest",
"link": "/quest",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"radio": {
"name": "Radio",
"grouping": [
"forum",
"perspectives"
],
"description": "Listen to KQED Public Radio – home of Forum and The California Report – on 88.5 FM in San Francisco, 89.3 FM in Sacramento, 88.3 FM in Santa Rosa and 88.1 FM in Martinez.",
"type": "terms",
"id": "radio",
"slug": "radio",
"link": "/radio",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"root": {
"name": "KQED",
"image": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/2020/02/KQED-OG-Image@1x.png",
"imageWidth": 1200,
"imageHeight": 630,
"headData": {
"title": "KQED | News, Radio, Podcasts, TV | Public Media for Northern California",
"description": "KQED provides public radio, television, and independent reporting on issues that matter to the Bay Area. We’re the NPR and PBS member station for Northern California."
},
"type": "terms",
"id": "root",
"slug": "root",
"link": "/root",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"science": {
"name": "Science",
"grouping": [
"science",
"futureofyou"
],
"description": "KQED Science brings you award-winning science and environment coverage from the Bay Area and beyond.",
"type": "terms",
"id": "science",
"slug": "science",
"link": "/science",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"stateofhealth": {
"name": "State of Health",
"parent": "science",
"type": "terms",
"id": "stateofhealth",
"slug": "stateofhealth",
"link": "/stateofhealth",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"support": {
"name": "Support",
"type": "terms",
"id": "support",
"slug": "support",
"link": "/support",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"thedolist": {
"name": "The Do List",
"parent": "arts",
"type": "terms",
"id": "thedolist",
"slug": "thedolist",
"link": "/thedolist",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"trulyca": {
"name": "Truly CA",
"grouping": [
"arts",
"pop",
"trulyca"
],
"parent": "arts",
"type": "terms",
"id": "trulyca",
"slug": "trulyca",
"link": "/trulyca",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"tv": {
"name": "TV",
"type": "terms",
"id": "tv",
"slug": "tv",
"link": "/tv",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"voterguide": {
"name": "Voter Guide",
"parent": "elections",
"alias": "elections",
"type": "terms",
"id": "voterguide",
"slug": "voterguide",
"link": "/voterguide",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"guiaelectoral": {
"name": "Guia Electoral",
"parent": "elections",
"alias": "elections",
"type": "terms",
"id": "guiaelectoral",
"slug": "guiaelectoral",
"link": "/guiaelectoral",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"news_tag_health": {
"isLoading": true
},
"news_18543": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_18543",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "18543",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "Health",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "Health Archives | KQED News",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 466,
"slug": "health",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/tag/health"
},
"source_news_11906868": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "source_news_11906868",
"meta": {
"override": true
},
"name": "CalMatters",
"link": "https://calmatters.org",
"isLoading": false
},
"source_news_11906215": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "source_news_11906215",
"meta": {
"override": true
},
"name": "CalMatters",
"link": "https://calmatters.org/",
"isLoading": false
},
"source_news_11904345": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "source_news_11904345",
"meta": {
"override": true
},
"name": "NPR",
"link": "https://www.npr.org/",
"isLoading": false
},
"source_news_11904111": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "source_news_11904111",
"meta": {
"override": true
},
"name": "NPR",
"link": "https://www.npr.org/",
"isLoading": false
},
"source_news_11904155": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "source_news_11904155",
"meta": {
"override": true
},
"name": "KHN",
"link": "https://khn.org/",
"isLoading": false
},
"news_457": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_457",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "457",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "Health",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "category",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "Health Archives | KQED News",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 16998,
"slug": "health",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/category/health"
},
"news_1169": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_1169",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "1169",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "Immigration",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "category",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "Immigration Archives | KQED News",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 1180,
"slug": "immigration",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/category/immigration"
},
"news_8": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_8",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "8",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "News",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "category",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "News Archives | KQED News",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 8,
"slug": "news",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/category/news"
},
"news_1054": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_1054",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "1054",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "health insurance",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "health insurance Archives | KQED News",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 1065,
"slug": "health-insurance",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/tag/health-insurance"
},
"news_2605": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_2605",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "2605",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "Medi-Cal",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "Medi-Cal Archives | KQED News",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 2621,
"slug": "medi-cal",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/tag/medi-cal"
},
"news_244": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_244",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "244",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "undocumented immigrants",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "undocumented immigrants Archives | KQED News",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 252,
"slug": "undocumented-immigrants",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/tag/undocumented-immigrants"
},
"news_18540": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_18540",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "18540",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "Education",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "category",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "Education Archives | KQED News",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 2595,
"slug": "education",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/category/education"
},
"news_26942": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_26942",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "26942",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "Berkeley Unified School District",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "Berkeley Unified School District Archives | KQED News",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 26959,
"slug": "berkeley-unified-school-district",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/tag/berkeley-unified-school-district"
},
"news_22221": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_22221",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "22221",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "cdc",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "cdc Archives | KQED News",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 22238,
"slug": "cdc",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/tag/cdc"
},
"news_27626": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_27626",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "27626",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "featured-news",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "featured-news Archives | KQED News",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 27643,
"slug": "featured-news",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/tag/featured-news"
},
"news_27350": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_27350",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "27350",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "coronavirus",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "coronavirus Archives | KQED News",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 27367,
"slug": "coronavirus",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/tag/coronavirus"
},
"news_27504": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_27504",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "27504",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "covid-19",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "covid-19 Archives | KQED News",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 27521,
"slug": "covid-19",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/tag/covid-19"
},
"news_29575": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_29575",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "29575",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "mask mandates",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "mask mandates Archives | KQED News",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 29592,
"slug": "mask-mandates",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/tag/mask-mandates"
},
"news_27989": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_27989",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "27989",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "covid",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "covid Archives | KQED News",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 28006,
"slug": "covid",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/tag/covid"
},
"news_20584": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_20584",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "20584",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "immigration detention",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "immigration detention Archives | KQED News",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 20601,
"slug": "immigration-detention",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/tag/immigration-detention"
},
"news_6266": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_6266",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "6266",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "Housing",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "category",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "Housing Archives | KQED News",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 6290,
"slug": "housing",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/category/housing"
},
"news_260": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_260",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "260",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "Alameda County",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "Alameda County Archives | KQED News",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 268,
"slug": "alameda-county",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/tag/alameda-county"
},
"news_1467": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_1467",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "1467",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "Contra Costa County",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "Contra Costa County Archives | KQED News",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 1479,
"slug": "contra-costa-county",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/tag/contra-costa-county"
},
"news_16": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_16",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "16",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "Gavin Newsom",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "Gavin Newsom Archives | KQED News",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 16,
"slug": "gavin-newsom",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/tag/gavin-newsom"
},
"news_4020": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_4020",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "4020",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"name": "Homelessness",
"slug": "homelessness",
"taxonomy": "tag",
"description": null,
"featImg": null,
"headData": {
"title": "Homelessness | KQED News",
"description": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogDescription": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"twDescription": null,
"twImgId": null,
"metaRobotsNoIndex": "index"
},
"ttid": 4039,
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/tag/homelessness"
},
"news_1775": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_1775",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "1775",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "housing",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "housing Archives | KQED News",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 1790,
"slug": "housing",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/tag/housing"
},
"news_28146": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_28146",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "28146",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "project roomkey",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "project roomkey Archives | KQED News",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 28163,
"slug": "project-roomkey",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/tag/project-roomkey"
},
"news_18481": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_18481",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "18481",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "CALmatters",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "affiliate",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "CALmatters Archives | KQED Arts",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 18515,
"slug": "calmatters",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/affiliate/calmatters"
},
"news_356": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_356",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "356",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "Science",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "category",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "Science Archives | KQED News",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 364,
"slug": "science",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/category/science"
},
"news_27660": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_27660",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "27660",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "pandemic",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "pandemic Archives | KQED News",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 27677,
"slug": "pandemic",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/tag/pandemic"
},
"news_28250": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_28250",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "28250",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "Local",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "category",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "Local Archives | KQED News",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 28267,
"slug": "local",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/category/local"
},
"news_1100": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_1100",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "1100",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "protest",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "protest Archives | KQED News",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 1111,
"slug": "protest",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/tag/protest"
},
"news_38": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_38",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "38",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "San Francisco",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "San Francisco Archives | KQED News",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 58,
"slug": "san-francisco",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/tag/san-francisco"
},
"news_3181": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_3181",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "3181",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "Tenderloin",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "Tenderloin Archives | KQED News",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 3199,
"slug": "tenderloin",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/tag/tenderloin"
},
"news_26731": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_26731",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "26731",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "The California Report Magazine",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "program",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "The California Report Magazine Archives | KQED News",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 26748,
"slug": "the-california-report-magazine",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/program/the-california-report-magazine"
},
"news_223": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_223",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "223",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "Arts and Culture",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "category",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "Arts and Culture Archives | KQED News",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 231,
"slug": "arts-and-culture",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/category/arts-and-culture"
},
"news_1849": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_1849",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "1849",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "9/11",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "9/11 Archives | KQED News",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 1864,
"slug": "911",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/tag/911"
},
"news_17725": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_17725",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "17725",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "criminal justice",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "criminal justice Archives | KQED News",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 17759,
"slug": "criminal-justice",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/tag/criminal-justice"
},
"news_66": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_66",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "66",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "Fremont",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "Fremont Archives | KQED News",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 67,
"slug": "fremont",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/tag/fremont"
},
"news_205": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_205",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "205",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "Media",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "Media Archives | KQED News",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 213,
"slug": "media",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/tag/media"
},
"news_17597": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_17597",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "17597",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "UC Berkeley",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "UC Berkeley Archives | KQED News",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 17631,
"slug": "uc-berkeley",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/tag/uc-berkeley"
},
"news_25409": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_25409",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "25409",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "Latinx",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "Latinx Archives | KQED News",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 25426,
"slug": "latinx",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/tag/latinx"
},
"news_2109": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_2109",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "2109",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "mental health",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "mental health Archives | KQED News",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 2124,
"slug": "mental-health",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/tag/mental-health"
},
"news_18538": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_18538",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "18538",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "California",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "California Archives | KQED News",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 31,
"slug": "california",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/tag/california"
},
"news_421": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_421",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "421",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "Kaiser Permanente",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "Kaiser Permanente Archives | KQED News",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 430,
"slug": "kaiser-permanente",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/tag/kaiser-permanente"
},
"news_20666": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_20666",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "20666",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "Medicaid",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "Medicaid Archives | KQED News",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 20683,
"slug": "medicaid",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/tag/medicaid"
},
"news_29029": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_29029",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "29029",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "Coronavirus Resources and Explainers",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "Coronavirus Resources and Explainers Archives | KQED News",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 29046,
"slug": "coronavirus-resources-and-explainers",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/tag/coronavirus-resources-and-explainers"
},
"news_21423": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_21423",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "21423",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "psychology",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "psychology Archives | KQED News",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 21440,
"slug": "psychology",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/tag/psychology"
}
},
"userPermissionsReducer": {
"wpLoggedIn": false
},
"eventsReducer": {},
"fssReducer": {},
"tvDailyScheduleReducer": {},
"tvWeeklyScheduleReducer": {},
"tvPrimetimeScheduleReducer": {},
"tvMonthlyScheduleReducer": {},
"userAccountReducer": {
"user": {
"email": null,
"emailStatus": "EMAIL_UNVALIDATED",
"loggedStatus": "LOGGED_OUT",
"loggingChecked": false,
"articles": [],
"firstName": null,
"lastName": null,
"phoneNumber": null,
"fetchingMembership": false,
"membershipError": false,
"memberships": [
{
"id": null,
"startDate": null,
"firstName": null,
"lastName": null,
"familyNumber": null,
"memberNumber": null,
"memberSince": null,
"expirationDate": null,
"pfsEligible": false,
"isSustaining": false,
"membershipLevel": "Prospect",
"membershipStatus": "Non Member",
"lastGiftDate": null,
"renewalDate": null,
"lastDonationAmount": null
}
]
},
"authModal": {
"isOpen": false,
"view": "LANDING_VIEW"
},
"error": null
},
"youthMediaReducer": {},
"checkPleaseReducer": {
"filterData": {
"region": {
"key": "Restaurant Region",
"filters": [
"Any Region"
]
},
"cuisine": {
"key": "Restaurant Cuisine",
"filters": [
"Any Cuisine"
]
}
},
"restaurantDataById": {},
"restaurantIdsSorted": [],
"error": null
},
"userAgentReducer": {
"userAgent": "Mozilla/5.0 AppleWebKit/537.36 (KHTML, like Gecko; compatible; ClaudeBot/1.0; +claudebot@anthropic.com)",
"isBot": true
},
"requestOutcomesReducer": {
"notFound": []
},
"navPromosReducer": {
"isFetching": false,
"fetchFailed": false,
"hasFetched": true,
"promos": {
"news": {},
"podcasts-radio": {},
"video-tv": {},
"events": {},
"support": {}
}
}
}
