OC Hospital Using Plasma Treatment For COVID-19

In Orange County a hospital is experimenting with a way to help patients hit hard by COVID-19. They’ve successfully transferred plasma from the blood of someone who’s recovered from the illness into someone who still has it.
Reporter: Alyssa Jeong Perry, KPCC

Governor Announces Tax Relief For Small Businesses

Nearly two million Californians have filed for unemployment benefits over the last three weeks. The state has taken in an average of 111,000 claims each day this past week. A lot of those workers are employed by small businesses which can now apply for tax relief for the year ahead.
Reporter: Katie Orr, KQED

Transit Agencies Report 90% Drops In Ridership

Because of the pandemic and shelter in place orders, California's transit agencies, like L.A. Metro and BART have reported drops in upwards of 90%. In response, the agencies have reduced frequency of service, and cut operating hours for the few remaking passengers.
Reporter: Saul Gonzalez, KQED

California's Air Has Become Cleaner And Energy Use Is Down

The COVID-19 pandemic has left downtown Los Angeles virtually smog free! Is all this staying home and not commuting giving us a leg-up on climate change? We asked a former state energy regulator about energy use and demand.
Guest: Steve Weissman, UC Berkeley Center for Law, Energy, and the Environment

Some Hospitals Eerily Quiet As Nurses Wait For 'Tidal Wave'

The coronavirus pandemic is hitting hospitals in the Bay Area hyper locally. Medical centers in Santa Clara county are treating the brunt of serious cases. 36 people have died there. Other hospitals are eerily quiet. Douglas Frey, an emergency room nurse at Highland Hospital in Oakland, shared his audio diary with us.
Reporter: Lesley McClurg, KQED

Campus Life Is Suddenly Over For Graduating Seniors

Today, a lot of college students around the state wrap up their first week of doing school online. UCLA senior Noor Bouzidi is one of those students. At this point it’s all but certain she’ll graduate before the campus re-opens.
Guest: Noor Bouzidi, UCLA Senior