California to soon begin ‘endemic’ approach to pandemic

By DON THOMPSON
Associated Press

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — California health officials next week will outline a new approach to dealing with the coronavirus that assumes it’s here to stay. Gov. Gavin Newsom said Wednesday that the approach will emphasize flexibility. It will still include quarantines and testing of those who don’t show symptoms and other precautions. But those safeguards will vary based on what he said are more than a dozen “guideposts and measurements” designed to spot new surges and virus variants. He said it will also include a continued emphasis on vaccinations and booster shots. Newsom said California health officials will also outline their revised approach to school mask-wearing requirements no later than Monday.