The death of San Francisco firefighter Ken Jones has renewed calls to reform Blue Shield, the city's designated insurance provider. The late firefighter’s battle to treat his stage 4 lung cancer first gained attention in January, with advocates now blaming delays in care for his premature passing.

According to NBC Bay Area, Jones died on Saturday from lung cancer following a public, four-month battle with his health insurance provider after Blue Shield of California denied the medical treatment requested by Jones’ oncologist on two separate occasions.

In a quote, former SFFD chief Jeanine Nicholson, a close friend to Jones for decades, voiced her belief that Blue Shield bears responsibility in Jones' death.

“I believe, wholeheartedly, that they expedited his death,” Nicholson said. “They should be ashamed.”

She also noted that it was Jones who drove her to medical appointments for six months after Nicholson was diagnosed with breast cancer over a decade ago.

The case of Ken Jones first sparked outcry earlier this year with news that the ailing former firefighter's efforts to get Blue Cross to cover treatments for his lung cancer recommended by his oncologist had twice been denied. Dr. Matthew Gubens, Jones’ oncologist, told NBC Bay Area that delays in obtaining approval for treatments likely cost his patient time he didn't have to spare.

“The time spent trying to get approval of a regimen that I requested, [Ken] lost ground – tumors are growing, pain is increasing, his appetite is going down,” Gubens explained.

The only silver lining is the possibility Jones' plight will lead to necessary changes.

Last month, Blue Shield confirmed they will assign "dedicated care managers" to help clients with complex claims, reports ABC 7. The cause is also being championed by non-profit watchdog group Protect Our Benefits, who confirmed on Monday that they plan to meet with Blue Shield to press for updates while working to secure additional reforms.

Related: Retired SF Firefighter Denied Cancer Treatment, Causing City to Question Blue Shield Health Plan

Image: GoFundMe

A new study found that about 16% of people who died from COVID-19 in the first two years of the pandemic weren’t counted in the official US tally, totalling about 155,000. This is on top of the 840,000 officially reported deaths, as many of these died outside of hospitals.

As the Associated Press and Fox LiveNow report, a new study published in the journal Science Advances has found that COVID-19 deaths in the United States were significantly undercounted in the first two years of the pandemic. The study, which used artificial intelligence to analyze mortality data, suggested about 16% of COVID-19 deaths during that period went unrecognized.

This translates to roughly 155,000 additional deaths beyond the 840,000 that were officially recorded in 2020 and 2021. Over the past six years, the report shows, there have been a total of 1.2 million COVID-19 deaths in the US.

The uncounted deaths disproportionately involved Hispanic people and other communities of color, particularly in states like Alabama, Oklahoma, and South Carolina, as the AP reports, as many died at home and were never counted in hospital death tolls.

In some areas, according to the report, elected coroners handle death investigations rather than medical examiners, but they often lack specialized training, which can affect how causes of death are determined.

Political views may have also influenced whether individuals sought testing, the reports suggests, and some coroners reported receiving pressure from families to keep COVID-19 off their loved ones' death certificates.

"Our antiquated death investigation system is one key reason why we fell short of accurate counts, particularly outside of big metropolitan areas," said Andrew Stokes of Boston University, the senior author on the paper.

Steven Woolf, a Virginia Commonwealth University researcher, told LiveNow that barriers remain for the same people now as they did six years ago.

"People on the margins continue to die at disproportionate rates because they can’t access care," he said.

Image: Ergin Yalcin/Getty Images

What's the first thing you do when your body starts acting weird? Duh. You Google your symptoms. WebMD that shit!

Sunbelt Staffing (yes, Sunbelt Staffing) took a gander at Google Trends to see which U.S. cities googled which medical problems the most.

Ew, San Francisco. Ew.

According to our Google searches, San Franciscans most regularly search for skin problems. Specifically, we're "curious" about dandruff and eczema. San Jose suffers similar flaky issues. In fact, according to Sunbelt Staffing's Google Trend research, San Jose is basically the dandruff capital of the world.

San Franciscans also google sciatica, which is some kind of leg/butt-area pain and is most likely incurred from manspreading on public transportation.

The Bay Area is not a top city for mental health searches or respiratory ailments, although San Jose does pop up a lot when searching for "the common cold." At least we're not Nashville, whose residents have a whole lot of questions about diarrhea.

"A high level of searches for a specific ailment in any given area is not a definite science, but could give some indication of a shortfall with education or employment, a wider problem related to the geographical location of the city, or an indication of environmental factors in the area," explains Sunbelt Staffing of their research.

What geographical or environmental factor is causing our (your) dandruff? Is designer coffee drying scalp skin? Is it that funky Muni air? A WebMD article entitled, "Dandruff: Learn the Basics" says that fungus is involved. Scalp fungus.

"The internet is a great resource, but shouldn’t be used as a replacement for assessments by trained medical professionals," warns the folks at Sunbelt. It's also important to remember that Head and Shoulders has totally revamped their product and it smells a lot better now.

In the early 1950s, warning signs appeared that linked sugar consumption to coronary heart disease. But by the mid-1960s, the New England Journal of Medicine had published studies — secretly sponsored by industry trade group the Sugar Research Foundation — that pointed a finger instead at fat and cholesterol, citing these as the dietary factors causing coronary heart disease and obscuring the role played by sucrose.

That's the thrust of a paper published in Monday's JAMA Internal medicine, the result of research by lead author Cristin Kearns, a UCSF researcher and post-doctoral fellow. Covering the study, the Chronicle writes that the early information Kearns used was available in public archives, leading Kearns and her UCSF co-authors to publish a paper in the journal PLOS Medicine last year. That first paper had to do with dental cavities — Kearns was originally a dentist — and yesterday's paper focused on cardiovascular disease risks.

"[Our] findings suggest the industry sponsored a research program in the 1960s and 1970s that successfully cast doubt about the hazards of sucrose while promoting fat as the dietary culprit in [coronary heart disease]," the paper's abstract explains. That involved the Sugar Research Foundation paying the equivalent of $50,000 in today's dollars to Harvard researchers who published in the New England Journal of Medicine, all the while discussing their process and sharing drafts with the Sugar Research Foundation.

“They were able to derail the discussion about sugar for decades,” UCSF professor Stanton Glantz, an author on the paper, told the New York Times.

"We acknowledge that the Sugar Research Foundation should have exercised greater transparency in all of its research activities," reads a statement from that group, now called simply the Sugar Foundation. "[However] when the studies in question were published funding disclosures and transparency standards were not the norm they are today."

Ultimately, the foundation concludes, "Most concerning is the growing use of headline-baiting articles to trump quality scientific research—we’re disappointed to see a journal of JAMA’s stature being drawn into this trend." Sorry, this does make for pretty good headlines — and that's not really what's "most concerning," is it?

Related: Study: Berkeley Sugary Drink Tax Led To 21% Decrease In Soda Consumption Among Low-Income Residents

In its first full month on the market, according to one data source, the Apple Watch failed to outsell the already popular health monitoring device the Fitbit.

The SF Business Times reports the news via figures from Slice Intelligence, which tracked email receipts for the month of May. These only track online sales, of course, but they used the data to assert that the launch of the Apple Watch did not put a dent in Fitbit's sales, despite the watch's touted abilities to do the same health-related tracking. In May, 850,000 Fitbit devices were sold versus 777,000 Apple Watches.

Apple Insider scoffs at the doomsaying around the watch, saying JP Morgan expects Apple to ship 26 million watches by year-end. Bloomberg says that the consumer bases for Fitbit and Apple Watch "don't overlap much" because of the difference in price point.

These sales figures may or may not be such important metrics given the newness of the Apple Watch, but I'll just add a little anecdotal evidence here via a friend who purchased one of the first Apple Watches and has been using the health monitoring functions.

He said, following a day in which he ran several miles on a treadmill in the morning, walked to work in New York City, returned to the gym and did squats and weight training at the gym, he returned home to sit down to eat and check some email when, ten minutes in, his Apple Watch dinged him and said it was "Time to stand up."

"I just did five sets of squats!" he screamed. "I stood up more than anyone in the world today!!"

Anyhow, it looks like the watch may still have some kinks to work out, like all first-generation Apple devices have.

All Apple Watch coverage on SFist.

A giant wall will soon be at the beach to provide you shelter from the Sun's rays and a Wi-Fi signal to upload that beach bod selfie to Instagram.

The four-story Shadow Wifi is monolithic structure that'll provide beachgoers with shade and free Internet service, while also raising awareness of the dangers of skin cancer. Users will have access to the network when they are anywhere within the wall's shadow, and be sent an email with health tips. To stay connected through the day, users will have to follow the shadow and stay in the wall's shade. As demonstrated in the video above, the wifi is beamed from a directional antenna that moves along with a sensor that tracks the Sun.

It's like a friendlier version of the monolith from 2001: A Space Odyssey.

"It gives [people] a really good reason to actually seek some shade: free Wi-Fi. And at the same time we are of course informing them, and potentially preventing skin cancer," said Geoffrey Hantson of Happiness Brussels. The Belgian agency teamed up with the Peruvian League Against Cancer to install the first walls at Playa Agua Dulce, according to psfk. More will be coming soon to San Francisco and New Zealand.

And if you're worried that Shadow Wifi will give you brain cancer while protecting you from skin cancer—well, it won't.

Feeling frazzled by back-to-school season or stressed by summer's end? Lucky for you, it's the season finale of Yoga in the Park, which means a giant outdoor "ommm" for all involved. This Saturday morning at Fort Mason's Great Meadow, YTP is partnering with Om Records for the "Om Yoga Rocks the Park" CD release party in conjunction with the normal yoga proceedings.

It'll be the last Yoga in the Park for a while, so swing by to get your stretch on, meet likeminded yoga types and groove to the cool vibes of Om Record's Om Yoga, Vol 2. Here's a sampling of the yogic vibes that'll be on offer:

The special promo code "omyoga" will get you 10% off your 75-minute yoga class, which is going for $15. Class goes from 9:15 am - 10:30 am on Saturday.

Yoga in the Park
The Great Meadow at Fort Mason

An 80-year-old man who attended opening night of No Man's Land at Berkeley Rep on Sunday reportedly passed out with about 30 minutes left in the second act of the play. He was taken out to the lobby and given emergency medical attention, however he refused to let them call an ambulance until he could watch the end of the play, which stars Ian McKellen, Patrick Stewart, Billy Crudup, and Shuler Hensley.

According to the NY Post, the man continued to watch the end of the play on the video screens they have out in the lobby, and only afterward was taken to the hospital.

McKellen tweets in response today:

Best wishes for a most devoted fan: http://t.co/C7sVLnGEFa

— Ian McKellen (@IanMcKellen) August 14, 2013

You can still attempt to get cancellation tickets for the sold out run of the show by way of Facebook, or by calling by calling the box office at 510 647-2949 between noon and 7 p.m. each day.

Unrelated bonus photo above: McKellen in a photo from backstage that he tweeted out Sunday in which he's being greeted by John Waters, who was in attendance that night.

[NY Post]

Previously: SFist Reviews: 'No Man's Land' at Berkeley Rep

In the land of skinny jeans, the thin man is king. A new study by the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation at the University of Washington found that in 2011 (the year studied), men in San Francisco county had the lowest rate of obesity in the nation. S.F.'s 18.3% male obesity trumped second place New York's 19.1%. (For comparison's sake, Owsley, Kentucky has the most obesity among men, at 46.9%.)

The ladies also made a strong showing, with San Francisco and Marin county women coming in 7th and 9th on the "least obese" list, among a cluster of Colorado counties (land of polar fleece). Actually, Marin women came in almost annoyingly high, scoring both the second most active and the longest life expectancy (85 years). San Francisco and San Mateo woman, as well as men in Marin and both genders in Santa Clara county, also landed in the top 10 for life expectancy.

While San Francisco county men were skinniest, they didn't figure in the top 10 "most active" list, pointing to diet and general lifestyle as the cause instead of hardcore calorie-burning (Paleo diet, anyone?).

[IHME]
[Jezebel]

On Wednesday we reported that beloved S.F. fixture The Tamale Lady was no longer welcome to sell her tamales at Zeitgeist, sparking a furor among her fans and supporters. Two days later, more options have emerged for Virginia Ramos, who was asked to desist from vending her tamales to hungry bar patrons on the grounds that she did not have a permit.

An annual health inspection went down at Zeitgeist recently, and as with other establishments that allow unpermitted food sales, Zeitgeist could face penalties. "They could close the kitchen, and if they do that, then we have to close down everything because we need a kitchen to sell alcohol,” Zeitgeist general manager Mareike Pittman told Uptown Almanac.

"Our health inspector has told her numerous times that she needed a permit," says Faye DeGuzman of the SFPHD, who points out that they are just enforcing their regulatory responsibilities. DeGuzman says that for Virginia to operate aboveboard, she will need a catering permit that costs $350 a year and a commercial kitchen to work out of, and she will have to sell her tamales at a restaurant or bar permitted for food service.

The may come as cold comfort to tamale fans, but take heart: District 9 Supervisor David Campos is on the case. Campos' office has vowed to find a solution to Virginia's predicament, even saying that they may have found a loophole involving corn husks as "prepackaging". (This sounds like a stretch to us.) The SFPHD confirms that Campos and other supervisors have contacted them in search of a solution.

We spoke to Virgina today, and she confirmed that Campos has reached out to her and is helping her to find a solution. Virginia says that they met yesterday and she will be attending a meeting on Thursday with Campos and others at City Hall. In the meantime, Mission-based non-profit food incubator La Cocina has reached out to her and she is aware that they represent a viable option for her business.

Virginia is cautiously optimistic about her future prospects, and appreciates the outpouring of support, even as the idea of changing her business operation is daunting. "I'm not young any more," she told us. "But I'm a strong woman and I'm a fighter so I hang on."

Virginia will be raising money for the future as well as celebrating at her 65th birthday party at the Eagle Tavern on June 21. "I want the city to come to my birthday," she says. "Chicken mole, tamales, live music and me!"

In the meantime, enjoy Our Lady of Tamale, a homegrown rockumentary about Virginia that shows just how much love she has from the city and how long she's been around. [h/t Uptown Alamanac]

Previously: Tragedy! Tamale Lady Can No Longer Sell at Zeitgeist

[Uptown Almanac]

Thirllist gets gay tonight for a good cause when editors Grant Marek and Joe Starkey guest mix at Blackbird for healthy prostates. And to get you drunk, naturally. But mainly for prostates. Your prostate. Your sparklingly healthy, cancer-free prostate. Not that healthy prostates have anything to do with being gay, but... tonight's benefit is at a gay (some say "mixed") bar. Anyway.

Anal proclivities aside, SFist talked to Starkey for more details about what's he's making tonight. He explained, "We will be serving The Adult Juice Box and The Unfortunate Body Type (it's got pear in it!)"

Why should we drink what you're pouring, Joe? He advises, "I spent two years out of college bartending at a Georgetown spot catering to privileged youths and European tourists (neither of whom tipped or had real-looking IDs). My specialty was a vanilla basil mojito, but I won't be making those because a) I'm not allowed and b) How could you not want a drink called the Adult Juice Box?"

Indeed. That is a mighty fine name for a cocktail. And a fine bar, too.

The fun and booze go down from 7-9pm tonight at Blackbird (2124 Market Street). Details.

Here in San Francisco, our workout options are somewhat limited due to the fact that it's a hell of a hilly town and it's freezing (for Californians, anyway). But going to the gym isn't thew most desirable option for those of us who cannot afford it or cannot stand the stares of fellow gym membership cardholders. And with that, take a few deep abdominal breaths and give it up for the city's best non-gym workouts.

LYON STREET STEPS: San Francisco is lousy with hills. As a local, you've probably figured out how to avoid them unless you happen to live at the top of one, but the same steep grades that have tourists sweating through their brand new polar fleeces can work to the advantage of anyone looking to increase their heart rate without shelling out for a gym membership. Of all the routes up San Francisco's hills, the Lyon Street Steps are a perennial favorite among the local fitness masochists.

With the Presido's eucalyptus groves on your right and Senator Dianne Feinstein's house on your left, the route rises a total of 244 steps (about 150 feet of altitude change) over two blocks from Green Street to the end of Billionaire's Row on Broadway in Pac Heights. At 20% grade, it's a thigh-burner for sure. Add in an extra block up the hill to Pacific Avenue, and you'll be rewarded with sweeping views from the Golden Gate Bridge to Mount Diablo.

Don't want to brave the Marina? A jog up the Telegraph Hill stairs from Washington Square Park to Coit Tower ends in postcard vistas if you're not worried about scores of tourists slowing you down. For a more secluded altitude change, head to Strawberry Hill in Golden Gate Park for a staircase winding up above Stow Lake and ending in wooded views of the city and the outerlands.

ROVING ATHLETICS PERSONAL TRAINING: Hiring a personal trainer was, quite literally, one of the best things we've done to improve both our physical and mental well being. Going to the gym—something we've done far too many times in the past—resulted in bogus fees, lines for equipment, and the unforgettable sight of saggy butts in the locker room. (Don't even get us started on the stench.) So, when we hired Tim Ehhalt of Roving Athletics to train us, we were surprised at not only the money we saved, but also the tailored workouts made to do around the house.

Coming up with programs for friends for years, he officially started training people in 2008. When asked to tell SFist if he thinks non-gym workouts are ideal, Ehhalt explained, "One thing isn’t necessarily better than the other, it’s what works for you. The pros of doing in-home/non-gym training are that you don't have to get yourself to your gym and back, which can save time and helps keep some people from procrastinating. Another benefit is that unlike the gym, if you’re working out at home you won’t ever have to wait for equipment, and you can use your own bathroom. But some people find working out at home too distracting (phone, kids, etc) and they need to get to the gym. So, really, what’s better is what gets you working out."

A couple of exercises that he considers important to feeling better each day? Ehhalt reveals, "If you had a gun to my head (please don't), I'd say the two exercises I would recommend are the psoas/hip flexor stretch and the squat.

Sure, Roving Athletics will still go to the gym to help you (if you must), but having a home-based experience is perfect for those of us who want to get tighter and leaner in private without the glaring eyes of 24 Hour Fitness members undressing us.

AIDS LIFECYCLE: This charity-based training program is certainly popular. Get those quads in shape and lose at least ten pounds by way of training for the AIDS ride, which happens every post-Memorial Day, the first week of June. There are so many people who do this around here that there are plenty of training group options involving pretty bike rides. And then you will have to beg all your friends and coworkers for money and spend seven days on a bike riding to LA.

JOGGING AROUND THE GOLDEN GATE PARK LOOP It doesn't have to be Bay to Breakers for you to take a run to the beach via the park, and the roads through Golden Gate Park are popular with running types. This is all well and good when it's clear and sunny to the coast, which we all know is a rarity. Most other days, you're going to be running into thick fog and back.

EMBARCADERO TO FORT MASON RUN: Another popular route—especially because there are no stop lights or curb breaks—is running along the piers of the Embarcadero, starting down around the ballpark. You can continue on past the Aquatic Park to Fort Mason and Crissy Field, but be aware of how you'll make the return trip, especially if you run out of steam by the time you hit the Marina.

ROLLERSKATING: When all else fails, grab a pair of skates.

HONORABLE MENTIONS:

- Strolling from the Castro to Noe Valley

- Renting an apartment on Upper Market/Twin Peaks

Officials from Yosemite National Park are reaching out to an estimated 1,700 past visitors for fear they have been exposed to a rare rodent-borne disease.

In the wake of the recent diagnosis of hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS) in two Californians, one of whom died, the National Park Service warns that Yosemite visitors who stayed in “Signature Tent Cabins” at Curry Village from mid-June through the end of August could also be at risk for the illness.

HPS symptoms begin typically as fever and aches, and the rare but serious disease can progress rapidly; officials urge anyone with symptoms to seek immediate medical attention.

Little information has been released regarding those who fell ill with HPS, though they shared the commonality of having stayed at Curry Village in Yosemite between June 10 and 20 this year. The one fatality was a 37-year-old man from the San Francisco bay area, reports the Associated Press.

Hantavirus is spread through contact with the urine, droppings, or saliva of infected rodents--primarily deer mice. That contact often comes from breathing small particles of mouse urine or droppings stirred up in the air.

"The health of our visitors is our paramount concern and we are making every effort to notify and inform our visitors of any potential illness," said Don Neubacher, Yosemite National Park Superintendent.

Yosemite National Park has set up a general, non-emergency phone line for all questions and concerns related to hantavirus in Yosemite National Park. The phone number is 209-372-0822 and it will be staffed from 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. daily.

The city's tastiest, yet filthiest, place to grab cheap Vietnamese (as well as the greatest imperial rolls) could close for good. Today, the city revoked their permit after temporarily shutting it down two weeks ago for egregious health violations.

"Health officer Tomas Aragon, who conducted the hearing, decided that Tu Lan's extensive history of health violations justified shutting it doors permanently, " reports the Chronicle. "Tu Lan's violations include such things as cockroaches and mice in the kitchen, lack of hand-washing among employees and improper food storage."

Tu Lan is nestled in the heart of the city's infamous Sixth and Market vortex of grit and screeching. Its owner, Anthony Nguyen, can make one last-ditch effort to save his permit by appealing to the Board of Appeals. Fingers crossed.

Is your barbecue grill making you ill? Could be. Who knows. This handy chart by the FDA, CDC, Mayo Clinic, and International Food Council will tell you at what temperatures one should prepare their meats on the grill in order to prevent foodborne illness. Sure, some might disagree with the suggestions here. (We prefer our steaks barely introduced to the patio grill from the other side of the street. Rare is the only way to go.) But it's pretty good for those who don't abide by artisan law, or are unsure from where their meat came.

Here are some other less frightening suggestions for throwing your own BBQ fete this summer:

• Never use lean ground beef. Or pre-made patties.
• Do not start spraying lighter fluid after more than two cocktails -- ask a more sober friend to light the grill. We're not kidding.
• Please keep 2:1 ratio of beer to (white) wine. A lack of dry wine makes for unhappy blog editors.
• Classic barbecue sauce is only a suggestion, not a requirement.
• Please keep soft blankets at the ready. We enjoy sitting on the grass, but not on the grass. While we're at it, a colorful selection of parasols make for a lovely melanoma-free afternoon.
• Thighs and legs > breasts
• New Edition or En Vogue are ideal Pandora stations for barbecue under the sun. Dunno why. They just are.
• Clean your grill before using.
• Stop moving the meat around constantly like your dad did. Let it sit on the grill for a bit. Also, never press on your patties. The juice will run out and you will have dry burgers... and a dry frowny face.
• Got any weed?
• Screw it. Grilling, like math, is hard. Grab some ribs from Pican instead. Or, better yet, get some meat from B-Side BBQ in Oakland, care of chef Tanya Holland. She's a wizard when it comes to the art of barbecue.

Happy grilling, people!