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After a recent lifting of restrictions, the number of COVID-19 infections in Santa Clara County is rising. County Public Health Officer Dr. Sara Cody said schools and workplaces are reporting upticks in infection, and that the county is starting to see early signs that could signal a future increase in hospitalizations due to the virus....
San Jose transit workers face discipline for lack of COVID shots
VTA has mailed its first batch of disciplinary letters to workers who refuse to comply with the agency’s COVID-19 vaccine policy, and more are likely on the way. VTA sent out about 50 letters on Friday to workers who are not vaccinated or received an exemption, according to an agency worker. The letters propose termination for individuals...
San Jose city workers must wear masks once again
With concerns about COVID-19 infections on the rise once more, San Jose city workers are required to wear masks for the next two weeks. The temporary measure is in place from Friday until May 20 and only affects workers at city facilities. The decision comes one month after the City Council voted to rescind the...
COVID vaccine deadline hits Silicon Valley transit workers
Today marks the deadline for VTA employees to get vaccinated for COVID-19 if they want to keep their jobs, and scores of workers still haven’t submitted proof of vaccination. A VTA spokesperson told San José Spotlight that as of Wednesday, 1,851 workers have reported being fully vaccinated against COVID-19 out of the agency’s 2,142 employees—an 84.6% completion...
Travelers still masking on flights at San Jose airport
Travelers across the country can now drop their masks in airports, but some flying through San Jose said they’re keeping the protective layer on. “I’m very anxious going on this flight,” Silicon Valley resident Ashu Garg, who’s flying to San Diego with his family, told San José Spotlight. “It’s more comfortable to travel without a...
Silicon Valley’s VTA ends COVID-19 mask requirement
VTA is ending the COVID-19 mask requirement on its buses and light rail trains, making it one of the first major Bay Area transit agencies to change course. Agency officials announced the end of the mask mandate Wednesday, though strongly recommend passengers and employees wear masks aboard buses, light rail or paratransit vehicles. The agency ended its...
UPDATE: San Jose council ends COVID mask mandate
San Jose’s COVID-19 mask mandate is coming to an end almost two years after it was adopted. The city’s masking guidelines now align with the county and state, which lifted mask mandates earlier this year in almost all public indoor settings. The City Council unanimously approved ending local restrictions Tuesday with no discussion. Residents, regardless...
Santa Clara County COVID levels low, but virus sticks around
Two years after Santa Clara County announced its first shelter order to reduce the spread of COVID-19, the region is stable—but the foreseeable future remains uncertain, county officials said. “Our levels are relatively low,” said Dr. Sara Cody, county public health officer. “But we still are in the middle of the worldwide pandemic. Even though...
Santa Clara County slides into endemic stage of COVID
Two years into the COVID-19 pandemic, the South Bay appears to be at a turning point as restrictions are peeling back. Still, county officials and local health experts are wary of returning fully to pre-pandemic lives. “We anticipate that we will continue to see peaks and valleys (of infection) in the months and perhaps years ahead,” a...
San Jose schools say COVID masks can stay—if students want
While some San Jose school districts are allowing for optional masking in step with new state and public health mandates, others are still requiring them. Almost two years after Gov. Gavin Newsom closed schools due to COVID-19, he announced indoor masking in schools would no longer be required as of March 12. Although case rates and hospitalizations...
