In our continuing series looking at the latest medical research and news on COVID-19, Larry Mantle speaks with Dr. Peter Chin-Hong, infectious disease specialist and professor of medicine at the UCSF Medical Center.

Topics today include:

California has opened up vaccine eligibility and it’s relying on the honor system 

Should we be worried about the Astrazeneca vaccine?

Did virus variants evolve in people with weakened immune systems?

A listener wrote to us saying she was experiencing vaccine guilt 

6 feet distance is the wisdom, but can kids at schools be seated closer together?

According to the DOH, three vaccinated people in Hawaii tested positive for COVID

Americans are pretty great at getting their second vaccine dose

LA County has partnered with Healthvana to create vaccine passports - what are the ethics and also how are other countries negotiating similar passport systems?

Guest:

Peter Chin-Hong, M.D., infectious disease specialist and professor of medicine at the UCSF Medical Center; he tweets @PCH_SF

Today on AirTalk, we break down the latest COVID-19 headlines. Also on the show, we learn more about COVID-19 vaccine passports, discuss racism in the Nextdoor app and talk about the closing of the 90-year-old Boyle Heights Sears location.

After 94 years serving the Boyle Heights community, the historic Sears store on the corner of Olympic Boulevard and Soto Street is holding its final sale.

What will happen to the building remains unclear— the company that owns Sears, Transformco, has not indicated whether a new renter has been found. The Boyle Heights Sears building still houses the department store on the ground floor, while the rest of the building sits largely empty. For the surrounding community, the loss of the Sears is both historical and practical; the store has long been a cornerstone for Latinos living in Boyle Heights, and is one of the only big-box stores in the area. But its closure is not particularly surprising, as in-store retail has declined in recent decades and developers began eyeing the property years ago. Izek Shomof, a Los Angeles-based developer, purchased the Sears building in 2013 as part of a project consisting of residential units, offices, restaurants and workspaces. The project has not advanced, however, and the residential idea has been scrapped. For community members wanting to keep gentrification at bay, redevelopment plans have raised concerns about rising prices and displacement in Boyle Heights. 

Today on AirTalk, we’re learning more about the history and local significance of the Boyle Heights Sears store and other community retail touchstones. Did you grow up going to the Boyle Heights Sears, or another store that served as a community hub? What do these store closures mean to you? Give us a call at 866-893-5722.

Guest:

Michael Lisicky, retail writer and contributor to many outlets including Forbes.com, where he authored the recent piece, “A 94-Year-Old Sears Store Has Never Given Up On A Los Angeles Neighborhood, But That May Soon Change”

As more people get shots of the COVID-19 vaccine in their arms, more parts of society and the economy can potentially open. But amid a massive vaccine rollout with lots of people making their case for why they should be at the front of the line, how will local and state officials keep track of who has been vaccinated, and what potential ethical issues could arise from giving out this kind of documentation?

Today on AirTalk, we’ll talk with the CEO of a company that is working with Los Angeles County to provide digital vaccine records, sometimes called “passports” to county residents, and we’ll look at some of the ethical concerns that may arise with opening certain parts of society to those who have been vaccinated.

Guests:

Ramin Bastani, CEO of Healthvana, a Los Angeles-based company that provides patient platforms to healthcare providers; Healthvana has partnered with Los Angeles County to provide residents with digital vaccine records

Nicole Hassoun, visiting scholar at the Mario Einaudi Center for International Studies at Cornell University, professor of philosophy at Binghamton University and author of  “Global Health Impact: Extending Access to Essential Medicines” (Oxford University Press, 2012); her recent piece in Scientific American is “How to Make ‘Immunity Passports’ More Ethical”; she tweets @kikseven2

Today on AirTalk, we learn the latest on COVID-19 headlines and Los Angeles' guidelines for reopening. We also talk about the Oscar's list of nominations that was released this morning.

In this morning’s Oscar nominations announcement, David Fincher’s Old Hollywood tale “Mank” emerged as the pack leader, with ten nominations including best picture and actor in a leading role.

In a historic move for the academy, two women are nominated in the best director category— Chloé Zhao for “Nomadland,” and Emerald Fennell for “Promising Young Woman.”  Viola Davis made history with her fourth Oscar nomination, becoming the most-nominated Black woman ever, and the only Black woman with two best actress nominations. Other best picture nominees include “Minari,” “Judas and the Black Messiah,” ” “The Father” and “Sound of Metal.” But films like “Malcolm & Marie,” Sam Levinson’s black-and-white quarantine-filmed saga starring Zendaya, and Spike Lee’s “Da 5 Bloods” failed to pick up any predicted acting nominations.

Today on AirTalk, we’re taking a look at this year’s Oscar nominations. Who was snubbed, who is favored, and how might it all shake out at the big ceremony? If you have thoughts, comment below or give us a call at 866-893-5722.

Guests:

Claudia Puig, film critic for KPCC and president of the Los Angeles Film Critics Association (LAFCA); she tweets @ClaudiaPuig

Thelma Adams, film critic and long-time expert awards predictor for Gold Derby - a foremost media outlet dedicated to entertainment awards; she tweets @thelmadams

Los Angeles County has officially entered the red tier of the state’s color-coded reopening blueprint, paving the way for restaurants, wineries, breweries to reopen for indoor service and gyms, retail and other businesses that have been closed due to the pandemic to return to operation at reduced capacity. 

The Los Angeles Times reports some restaurants in Southern California opened for indoor dining on Sunday, and said that the response was a mixed bag. Some establishments reported high traffic while others reported a slower return.

Today on AirTalk, we’ll talk about how the reopening process is going so far and hear from restaurant owners and employees whose places of business have already reopened or will be doing so in the near future. If you’re a restaurant owner or an employee at a restaurant that has reopened or in the process of reopening, join the live conversation by calling us at 866-893-5722.

For more on this from LAist food editor Elina Shatkin, including business-specific information and a link to the full reopening blueprint for Los Angeles County, click here.

Guest:

Farley Elliott, senior editor at Eater L.A.; he tweets @overoverunder

In our continuing series looking at the latest medical research and news on COVID-19, Larry Mantle speaks with Dr. Kimberly Shriner, infectious disease specialist at Huntington Hospital in Pasadena.

Topics today include:

Los Angeles, other SoCal counties enter red tier

What’s reopening on Monday, and what reopened over the weekend

Millions more Californians become eligible for vaccine today -- here’s how L.A. is handling it

Concerns about appointment system being flooded with so many newly eligible

More COVID-19 vaccination sites on the way in L.A. County

Who isn’t getting vaccinated, and why

L.A. Times op-ed: A doctor gave away expiring COVID vaccine doses. Should he have been charged with a crime?

SF Chronicle: A year in the pandemic: How we failed, how we adapted, and what lies ahead

Guest:

Kimberly Shriner, M.D., infectious disease specialist at Huntington Hospital in Pasadena

During the pandemic, many have struggled with the feeling that their days are blurring together as seasonal markers and annual events remind us that time is indeed still passing, even if we aren’t keeping track of it.

The World Health Organization reported that the pandemic has affected normal activities, routines, and schedules in most parts of the world. With a lack of routine and separation between work and home, it is understandable that the monotony of quarantine muddles our ability to concentrate and stay organized.

What events have made you double-check your calendar this year? Call us at 866-893-5722 and share your story about losing track of time.

Bob’s Burgers, Rick and Morty, Bojack Horseman, Big Mouth. Young adults are increasingly turning their attention toward animated shows like these, and developers are taking notice. A number of production studios, including HBO Max and Fox, are focused on producing more adult-animated series as the genre continues increasing in popularity. 

The adult animation genre hasn’t had a clear, defined category in the past, but developers have sharpened it’s focus over the last few years. It’s not just comedy that’s gaining popularity. According to experts following the genre, the number of upcoming non-comedy series is unprecedented. The pandemic has only accelerated the growing trend. Animation is cheaper than live-action productions and high-end talent has gravitated toward it. Today on AirTalk, we discuss the various factors at play when it comes to adult animation. Plus, we want to hear from you. Have you become an adult animation lover? What are your favorite shows and what do you love about them? What do you want to see from the genre in the future? Tell us your thoughts by calling 866-893-5722 or commenting below.

Guest: 

John Evershed, CEO of High Concentrate, which assists studios and individuals with the development of adult animated productions, he’s the author of a white paper titled “Adult Animation Finally Breaking Free of its Comedy Shackles”