COVID in California: Workers flee iPhone factory lockdown in China
Every county in California had “low” virus community levels as of Friday, based on hospitalization and case metrics used by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. But data is showing a rise in coronavirus hospitalizations and forecasts for a peak in December to January. Meanwhile, COVID experts including UCSF’s Dr. Bob Wachter are grappling with the question of whether to stay on Twitter after Elon Musk ’s takeover.
Workers bust out of iPhone factory lockdown in China
Workers forced into a lockdown at Apple’s largest iPhone assembly factory after a COVID outbreak fled during the weekend, the BBC reported. About 10 people were shown on video jumping a fence outside the plant in the central city of Zhengzhou to begin the long walk back to their hometowns to avoid being caught on public transportation . Factory owner Foxconn , a supplier to Cupertino-based Apple, has not disclosed how many of its workers are infected. The Taiwan-based company said Sunday it would not prevent workers from leaving. Chinese President Xi Jinping has maintained rigid zero-COVID policy, under which cities are empowered to act swiftly to quell any coronavirus outbreaks.
Wachter staying on Twitter , for now
UCSF Department of Medicine chair Dr. Bob Wachter, a prominent voice on Twitter for his COVID expertise, tweeted on Saturday that he is “staying put for now” on the platform despite concerns in the wake of Elon Musk ’s $44 billion purchase. The finalization of the deal Thursday reportedly led some users to jump ship to other social media services over fears that harassment, misinformation and hatred could increase under Musk ’s control. Wachter said he he still finds value in being on Twitter . “But the downsides are already obvious, and if they grow it’ll likely be time to find an alternative,” he tweeted. In a phone interview Sunday, he said that the main questions for him are whether the platform continues to be “valuable as a source of good information,” and “does anything get in the way of my tweeting about what I’m seeing?” While the answer so far is no, he added, “I’ll have to see how it goes.” Read the full story.
How to have the COVID conversation
A reader whose relative didn’t disclose COVID symptoms until after an in-person visit wrote to The Chronicle’s Pandemic Problems Advice team asking how to stay safe and encourage people to be more up-front. Experts consulted by The Advice Team said this problem tracks with a study published in JAMA Nework Open that found more than 40% of Americans lied or misled others about their COVID status or precautions. Read more about their recommendations.
Workers bust out of iPhone factory lockdown in China
Workers forced into a lockdown at Apple’s largest iPhone assembly factory after a COVID outbreak fled during the weekend, the BBC reported. About 10 people were shown on video jumping a fence outside the plant in the central city of Zhengzhou to begin the long walk back to their hometowns to avoid being caught on public transportation. The finalization of the deal Thursday reportedly led some users to jump ship to other social media services over fears that harassment, misinformation and hatred could increase under Musk’s control.
