Daily Business Report-June 17, 2020
The research project is applying innovative technologies and screening strategies to paint a more comprehensive picture of how widely COVID-19 has spread—and continues to spread—throughout the San Diego area. (Courtesy of Scripps Research)
Scientific and medical institutes begin large-scale
research program to study spread of COVID-19
A consortium that includes many of San Diego’s top medical and scientific research institutes has launched a large-scale COVID-19 screening effort to better understand the spread and prevalence of the virus in the local community, with an initial focus on evaluating healthcare workers and first responders.
Known as the San Diego Epidemiology and Research for COVID Health (SEARCH) alliance, the cross-institutional collaboration is co-led by scientists and clinical researchers at Rady Children’s Hospital-San Diego, Rady Children’s Institute for Genomic Medicine, Scripps Research and University of California San Diego.
The research project is applying innovative technologies and screening strategies to paint a more comprehensive picture of how widely COVID-19 has spread—and continues to spread—throughout the San Diego area. All data collected will contribute to an epidemiological study that will encompass active cases of COVID-19 as well as its “silent spread” to people who never developed symptoms.
“For health officials to gain the upper hand on a virus in our community, they need more complete information about how it’s moving through the population,” says Lauge Farnaes, MD, assistant medical director at Rady Children’s Institute for Genomic Medicine. “Our goal is to fill those gaps of knowledge by leveraging San Diego’s unique expertise in science and medicine.”
As COVID-19 cases in San Diego began to rapidly increase in late March, the collaborators sprang into action. Through emails and Zoom meetings, they formulated a research proposal and created a scalable testing framework that would enable them to screen symptomatic individuals as well as people who may have COVID-19 without showing symptoms.
In the initial phase of the program, nasopharyngeal swabs are used to collect samples from study participants at a local drive-up site and the samples are screened at research laboratories at Scripps Research and UC San Diego. Any positive results are then confirmed by Rady Children’s Institute of Genomic Medicine’s nationally accredited and certified clinical laboratory.
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County says it could stop or scale back
reopening of economy if virus outbreaks persist
Community outbreaks of COVID-129 are one of 13 triggers the county is closely monitoring to determine whether to stop or dial back the reopening of the local economy.
If seven or more outbreaks occur over a seven-day period, the county would be forced to modify the local Health Officer Order and take additional measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19, officials said. An outbreak consists of three or more cases.
Over the past seven days, four outbreaks have been traced back to community settings, such as people’s homes, food manufacturers, churches and restaurants. The county is contacting anyone at those locations identified as close contacts of positive cases.
County health officials are asking the public and local businesses to adhere to the local public health guidance to prevent COVID-19 outbreaks.
“If we start to see an increasing number of community outbreaks, that would be a sign that COVID-19 is spreading at a faster rate because people are not following the public health guidance,” said Wilma Wooten, county public health officer. “That could result in the closure of businesses or certain sectors or even a full stop in the reopening of the local economy.”
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San Diego Marketing District to award
$32.3 million for destination marketing programs
San Diego Tourism Marketing District (SDTMD) will award $32.3 million in funding to the San Diego Tourism Authority for destination marketing programs for the 2021 fiscal year that begins on July 1.
The funds are made possible through a small assessment on each hotel room night that is for the sole purpose of funding tourism marketing for SDTMD member hotels.
With these funds, the Tourism Authority plans to support tourism recovery by focusing on marketing campaigns that target a leisure audience in the drive market. “Happiness is Calling You Back” will attract drive-in visitors using images of wide-open spaces and outdoor recreation. SDTA’s strategy also will include a “Stay Diego” campaign that encourages residents to enjoy staycations.
Typically, SDTMD also awards competitive grants to a variety of independent tourism generating events. Given the current uncertainty around large gatherings and reduced assessment collections due to the COVID-19 pandemic, funding for FY21 has been consolidated with the SDTA, according to Colleen Anderson, executive director of the marketing district.
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California notches major victory
against Trump administration
CalMatters
California on Monday scored a major win against the Trump administration when the U.S. Supreme Court refused to hear a challenge against the Golden State’s “sanctuary” law limiting cooperation between local law enforcement and federal immigration agents. The move upheld a prior decision, written by the late Justice Antonin Scalia, that local and state authorities don’t have to help enforce federal law.
In other major Supreme Court news: The court on Monday ruled 6-3 to ban discrimination nationwide against gay, lesbian and transgender employees, a practice already prohibited in California and 20 other states. Later this month, the court is also expected to rule on DACA, the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program. The decision will affect 700,000 people brought to the U.S. as children, 25 percent of whom live in California.
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City of San Diego creates website to show
citizens how to become urban farmers
The city of San Diego has debuted a new website that provides information and assistance to become a successful urban farmer. As more people are spending time at home due to COVID-19 public health orders, urban farming has seen an uptick in popularity and the city is making resources available to support San Diegans in this effort.
Urban farming can come in many forms and sizes. It can be a community garden that covers one or more city blocks, or it can be vegetables grown in containers on a home patio. It can include raising chickens and goats or maintaining beehives.
The city’s new Urban Farming website includes:
- Resources for both home and community gardens.
- Information on raising bees, chickens and goats.
- Access to additional data from various local and national sources.
- Details about City programs for assistance with permits, composting, seed libraries and more.
“The Urban Farming website is a one-stop shop with a lot of great information to help San Diegans produce their own food,” said Erik Caldwell, the city’s chief operating officer for smart and sustainable communities.
Click here to visit the city’s Urban Farming website.
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Los Cabos reopening plan gains momentum
Will start welcoming flights from San Diego and other cities on June 20
Los Cabos Tourism Board started its phased reopening plan on Monday, enhancing its strict safety protocols, which are applicable statewide. The government of the state of Baja California Sur announced a new color-coded classification to be given to local establishments, such as hotels, restaurants, bars, tour operators, and convention centers, to name a few, that determine the level of safety they can offer and whether or not they are able to open to the public.
The color categorization will be based on density and capacity levels as well as the establishments’ ability to follow the social distancing protocols that were previously announced by the state.
On June 20, Los Cabos will start welcoming flights from San Diego, Los Angeles, San Jose, Dallas, Phoenix, Chicago, Charlotte, Houston, and Chicago with airlines including American Airlines, Alaska Airlines, Delta, Southwest and United Airlines with Spirit Airlines returning in July.
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Quidel to host free webinar addressing
prevention, detection, treatment of Lyme disease
A webinar addressing the prevention, detection and treatment of Lyme disease—an affliction that impacts as many as 400,000 Americans each year—will be held on June 25, coinciding with the annual early stages of “Lyme season” in the United States.
The webinar is being sponsored by San Diego-based Quidel Corporation, a diagnostic health care manufacturer and one of the nation’s leaders in developing rapid diagnostic health solutions.
Titled “Lyme Disease: An Epidemic Within A Pandemic,” the webinar will discuss the importance of early detection of Lyme disease, the various co-infections that are present with tick bites, and how Lyme disease may be mistaken for COVID-19 as some symptoms may be similar, including fever, achiness, chills and cough.
The free June 25 webinar will take place from noon to 1 p.m.
To register, click here
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InTeleLabs Inc. and Symbiotica launch first
at-home self COVID-19 antibody test
InTeleLabs Inc., a telehealth and personalized medicine company based in San Diego, and Symbiotica Inc., a clinical laboratory, announced they have launched their Serology COVID-19 Immune Response Antibody test, the first at-home self-collection antibody test for children and adults using a small amount of blood from a simple finger pinprick.
This milestone, the companies said, is a first in the U.S. market as consumers, with oversight from licensed health care professionals, now have the ability to purchase, collect, and receive results for a COVID-19 test all from the safety, privacy, and comfort of home.
“We are excited to be the first to offer an accurate home collection antibody test as the nation continues to fight this deadly virus,” said Erik Hennings, CEO of InTeleLabs. “Our test is an important tool to help identify children and adults who have been infected with the virus and developed an immune response to COVID-19. Whether or not an individual received a diagnosis or experienced symptoms, knowing if one has antibodies will be important as we begin to make decisions about returning to work, school, and the new normal.”
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$19 million grant to benefit study
of brain aging and cognitive change
Researchers at University of California San Diego School of Medicine, with colleagues at Boston University and elsewhere, will receive almost $19 million over five years to launch the fourth phase of the Vietnam Era Twin Study of Aging (VETSA 4).
Funded by the National Institute on Aging, the grant will support ongoing research, including large-scale behavioral genetics studies, of cognition, aging and the risk for mild cognitive impairment and Alzheimer’s disease.
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MCA Realty sells Escondido
industrial property for $8.25 million
MCA Realty, a real estate investment and management company based in Orange County, has sold a 40,968-square-foot multi-tenant industrial property in Escondido — Pinnacle Business Park — to Providence Capital Group, a San Diego-based owner and investor, for $8.25 million.
MCA Realty acquired the property in November 2018 for $5.9 million, and completed interior and exterior renovations to increase the income profile of the asset. MCA acquired the two building, 13 suite project, at 80 percent occupancy. MCA’s renovation program allowed the project to increase in-place rents to market rates and lease-up vacant space.
Pinnacle Business Park consists of two-buildings with a total of 13 individual units and is located at 2750 Auto Park Way. Tucker Hohenstein, Michael Kendall and Connor Boyle with Colliers International represented MCA Realty as the seller. Providence Capital Group, was represented by Evan McDonald with Colliers International.
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EPA honors San Diego company with
Green Chemistry Challenge Award
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced the nationwide winners of the 2020 Green Chemistry Challenge Awards, including San Diego-based company Genomatica.
Genomatica is being recognized for creating Brontide, a new brand of 1,3-butylene glycol, commonly used in cosmetics for moisture retention and as a carrier for plant extracts. Butylene glycol is traditionally produced from fossil fuels. However, Brontide is produced by fermentation of renewable plant-based sugars using an engineered strain of E. coli in a one-step production process.
Green chemistry refers to the design of chemical products and processes that reduce or eliminate the generation and use of hazardous substances. This year’s winners have developed new and innovative green chemistry technologies that turn potential environmental challenges into business opportunities, spurring economic development.
“Small businesses are essential in ensuring a sustainable future for our country,” said EPA Pacific Southwest Regional Administrator John Busterud. “Genomatica’s innovative technology is a great example of a San Diego company encouraging us to do our best to protect the environment every day.”
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Interior design group presents virtual Zoom
tour of beautifully remodeled homes
The American Society of Interior Designers’ Kitchens, Baths and More Tour” is going virtual on July 11, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. The Zoom tour will showcase eight beautifully designed homes in San Diego County. Participants will have the opportunity to live chat with each designer about their project.
“This tour shows how designers can create beautiful interiors while working within the budgets, lifestyles, and tastes of homeowners,” said Kathleen Kita-Palmer, chair of the event.“Mino Pro Media has created amazing interactive videos of the homes to fully experience the designs,” she said.
Participating designers include Marcia Bryan, Bryan Design Group; Renae Farley, Renae Farley Designs; Faye Fentin, Faye Fentin Interior Design; Judy Hallberg, Judy Hallberg Interior Design; Robin Kelley, Your Nest by Design; Lisa Koska, LtiDesign; Megan Siaso, M Studio Interior Design; and Laurie Stevens, LJS Design.
“The participating designers represent a broad swatch of the top design talent in San Diego County,” said Bertha Hernandez, president of the San Diego ASID chapter. There is a mix of accomplished design professionals with extensive experience and young designers who bring a fresh awareness and energy.”
Tickets are $20 and can be purchased at eventbrite.com
