COVID-19 AMA: Coronavirus Cases Surge, First Case of “Flurona,” How Omicron Should Affect Our Behavior, And More

In our continuing series looking at the latest medical research and news on COVID-19, Larry Mantle speaks with infectious diseases doctor and professor of medicine at UCSF Dr. Monica Gandhi.

Topics today include:

• The next few weeks are “absolutely critical” as coronavirus cases explode in California
• “Unprecedented surge” in COVID-19 cases among L.A. police, firefighters 
• L.A.’s first case of flurona discovered at Getty Center COVID-19 testing site 
• Omicron appears to be milder -- how should that affect our behavior? 
• Free at-home COVID-19 tests are available in L.A. County but supplies are limited  
• L.A. healthcare system hit with widening staffing shortages as workers get coronavirus 
• The C.D.C. resists pushback and says a test to get out of COVID isolation isn’t needed
• White House embraces a manage-not-contain Omicron plan
• Fourth Pfizer dose spurs a sharp jump in antibodies, according to early data from Israel
• How safe are indoor gyms during the Omicron surge? 
• Study finds developmental lag in babies born during the pandemic

Six Months Before The Primary, We Check In On The Race For L.A. Mayor

On June 7, voters in Los Angeles will get their first chance to weigh in on who should be the city’s next mayor. Current Mayor Eric Garcetti is term-limited; he’s also President Biden’s nominee to be the next ambassador to India. If no single candidate gets a majority of votes in the June primary, the runoff will be November 8, and - for the first time ever - that runoff will coincide with the big state and federal races in the midterm elections. Several big names are in the race – including Congresswoman Karen Bass, City Attorney Mike Feuer, and city councilmembers Kevin de Leon and Joe Buscaino – while businessman Rick Caruso and former LAUSD superintendent Austin Beutner are said to be considering runs. Whoever takes the helm at City Hall will have to deal with a slew of issues facing the city: rising homelessness, an affordable housing crisis, continuing drought, rising homicides, and more. Today on AirTalk, we look at the state of the L.A. mayoral race with Los Angeles Daily News reporter Elizabeth Chou and professor of political science and Chicano/Latino studies and director of the Center for the Study of Los Angeles at Loyola Marymount University Fernando Guerra. Guerra is also an emeritus member of the KPCC Board of Trustees.

The Evolution Of Domestic Extremism In The Year Since The Capitol Insurrection

One year after the insurrection in the U.S. Capitol on January 6th, 2021, how has domestic extremism changed and evolved? It’s a question at the center of a new report from the nonprofit think tank the Atlantic Council, which looks at how homegrown extremist movements have altered their structure, messaging and strategies in the year since. Their research found that extremist movements retreated immediately after the failed attempt to overthrow the democratic process of certifying states’ votes, laying low as arrests were made, suspected participants were investigated, and some groups deplatformed from major social media sites. However they’ve since re-emerged and instead of focusing their efforts on national messaging, they’ve begun operating locally in places like school board and city council meetings.

Today on AirTalk, the Atlantic Council’s Jared Holt, who authored the report, and Imran Ahmed of the Center for Countering Digital Hate join us to talk about what the report found about how the Capitol insurrection has changed the way domestic extremism operates and messages.

The Barriers That Exist For First-Generation College Students — And Their Families — And How To Fix Them

Getting into college and adjusting to campus life can be hard for kids, especially for those who are first-generation students. Navigating the process of applications, financial aid, and course work can be challenging for students whose parents don’t have institutional knowledge of how that process works. And for the parents - the rules, steps, and forms can seem like a mystery. Now a new program at Cal State Dominguez Hills is helping to demystify that process for families, and hopefully ease any tension points between first-gen students and their parents.

Today on AirTalk, Larry looks at the challenges facing first-gen students and their families, as well as how programs like the one at CSUDH can help with LAist and KPCC higher education reporter Julia Barajas and CSUDH school leadership program assistant professor Yesenia Fernández.

With files from LAist. You can read Julia’s piece here. 

‘The King Of The Blues’ Tells The Story B.B. King’s Life And Career From Those Who Knew Him Best

Riley “Blues Boy” King’s life has been chronicled endlessly, but a new biography of B.B.’s life from journalist Daniel de Visé carefully paints a picture of B.B.’s life through interviews and stories from surviving members of his inner circle, including managers, fellow musicians, life-long friends and even his ex-wife.

Today on AirTalk, Larry sits down with author and Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Daniel de Visé to talk about his new book, “King of the Blues: The Rise and Reign of B.B. King.”