Medical Experts Say Delta Variant Will Delay California’s Ability to Reach Herd Immunity

Medical experts at the University of California San Francisco say the persistent delta variant will affect California’s timeline to reach herd immunity. At least one expert is estimating herd immunity will be delayed at least several months as COVID-19 infection rates and deaths increase throughout the state.

ABC-7 reports that UCSF epidemiologist Dr. George Rutherford claims the delta variant shifted expectations to reach herd immunity, which occurs when a large part of a population is immune to a virus. A previous report stated that California could reach herd immunity by mid-June 2021.

Restaurants are dealing with this new surge as best they can, only six weeks after the state fully reopened on June 15. A handful of restaurants have temporarily closed with employees testing positive for COVID-19, including Bottega Louie. KTLA reports that a fully vaccinated employee at Village Idiot tested positive, forcing the West Hollywood restaurant to briefly close its doors.

On Twitter, UCSF Department of Medicine chair Dr. Bob Wachter noted that increased vaccinations and masks can slow the spread.

In other news:

• LA Times restaurant reviewer Bill Addison published a review for A.O.C. Brentwood. He also wrote a profile on Black Smoke author Adrian Miller this week.
• Open since 1994, Glassell Park’s Polka Restaurant is one of the few Polish restaurants in Southern California, and the owners launched a GoFundMe to reach a $30,000 goal. Carson’s Mexican daytime diner Casa Mayoral is also looking to GoFundMe for additional help. Plus, an LA Times op-ed outlines how crowdfunding is a systemic and social failure.
• Long Beach mayor Robert Garcia hosted Gov. Gavin Newsom at Portfolio Coffeehouse yesterday afternoon, labeling the reopening as the “California comeback.”

• LA is in becoming the city to try Hainan chicken. Infatuation LA’s Kat Hong put together a handful of spots to visit.
• Mariscos el Garage owner Elsa Barragan has a new food truck and a glowing write-up about her father’s legacy and her business in L.A. Taco.
• Historic Filipinotown bar Genever reopened last weekend with new cocktails and new hours from Thursday to Saturday for now. Try The Big Lebowski-inspired the Dude in HiFi made with Lambanog, Bimini Coconut gin, Mr. Black Coffee Liqueur, horchata-infused coconut milk, and house-made coconut bitters. It’s like a tropical Filipino white Russian.
• There’s a new sandwich pop-up called Smokin’ Hot Grandma with a slight twist. There’s no fried sandwich to be found, only grilled harissa chicken thighs, cilantro, cucumbers, and baba ghanoush on a potato roll. They’ll be serving them from 5 p.m. until sold out at Tabula Rasa.

• CA’s timeline to reach herd immunity ‘delayed past the fall’ due to delta variant, doctors say [ABC-7]