A statewide indoor mask mandate goes into effect on Wednesday, as COVID-related cases and hospitalizations rise in California. As of this week, some 800,000 Americans have died of COVID-19, according to Johns Hopkins University. Hospitals are bracing for another winter surge amid a shortage of medical supplies, such as wheelchairs, crutches, syringes, and more. It’s another casualty of the supply chain crisis that’s clogging up global ports.