Convenience Big Store: New UC Davis study shows need to keep masking and testing for COVID-19 vaccinated people

New UC Davis study shows need to keep masking and testing for COVID-19 vaccinated people – Researchers at the University of California, Davis Genome Center and UC San Francisco say a new study further highlights the need to mask up, even if you’re vaccinated. The new data looked at viral loads among people who are vaccinated and unvaccinated who tested positive for the delta variant. It also looked at people positive with the variant who were symptomatic and asymptomatic also focusing on the viral load or the amount of virus that is detected. Dr. Coil says the study found that there’s statistically no difference in how much of the virus the symptomatic or asymptomatic people have or the vaccinated or unvaccinated. (Zach Fuentes, ABC10)

'Heartbreaking': Hundreds of California's giant sequoias may have been killed by wildfire – Northern California wildfires may have killed hundreds of giant sequoias as they swept through groves of the majestic monarchs in the Sierra Nevada, an official said Wednesday. “It's heartbreaking," said Christy Brigham, head of resource management and science for Sequoia and Kings Canyon national parks. The lightning-caused KNP Complex that erupted on Sept. 9 has burned into 15 giant sequoia groves in the park, Brigham said. Most saw low- to medium-intensity fire behavior that the sequoias have evolved to survive. (Robert Jablon, AP)

California becomes first state to ban 'stealthing' – California became the first state in the country to make it illegal for someone to remove their condom during sex without their partner's permission. Known also as "stealthing," the act refers to when someone removes or tampers with a condom during intercourse. Cristina Garcia, the co-author of the bill, said she's been working on the issue since 2017. She says these cases are usually "swept under the rug." Garcia called for other states to pass similar laws to make it clear that stealthing is illegal as well as immoral. (Joseph Daniels, ABC10)

TIP OF THE DAY

Electric cars are not worse than gas-powered cars...Energy experts say greenhouse gas emissions associated with an electric vehicle over its lifetime are typically lower than those from a gas-powered car. (TEGNA's Verify Team)

SMILE

Houston artists uses lipstick to honor women with breast cancer...Katherine Mason uses lipstick donated by breast cancer survivors and families of loved ones lost to bring her pieces to life and help raise money to find a cure. (Marcelino Benito, KHOU)