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Amid increasing COVID-19 infections, VTA will require all 2,000 of its employees and contractors to be fully vaccinated by April 29. The public transit agency, which hinted a vaccine policy was in the pipeline last week, announced the mandate Thursday. Employees who get an approved medical or religious exemption must test negative each week in order...
COVID order poses staffing challenges for San Jose, county firefighters
With a countywide COVID vaccination deadline looming next week, local firefighters are bracing for more overtime demands and staffing challenges. Last month, Santa Clara County ordered workers in high-risk settings to get both COVID-19 vaccinations and booster shots by Jan. 24. Workers who don’t comply with the order may no longer work in high-risk settings...
Little known about new COVID variant detected in Santa Clara County
A new strain of the omicron variant of COVID-19 has been detected in Santa Clara County, but details about its transmissibility are scarce. Santa Clara County officials confirmed a strain known as BA.2 has been found in two people in the county. In a video shared with San José Spotlight, Deputy Public Health Officer Dr. George...
Santa Clara County’s VMC emergency workers stage walkout
Emergency workers at the Valley Medical Center walked off the job Tuesday to protest staffing shortages among physicians and unsafe working conditions during the biggest COVID-19 surge in the county. Roughly 30 health care workers showed up in front of the VMC emergency department in protest of a month-long issue that has driven doctors away and...
Santa Clara County schools stay open as COVID continues
South Bay schools are facing increased challenges with student and staff absences as the COVID-19 omicron variant spreads. Despite that, it’s unlikely schools will close like they did at the start of the pandemic. State law requires schools to continue with in-person learning or face funding cuts. Maria Clayton, spokesperson for the California Department of Education, told...
Where can you find at-home COVID-19 tests in Santa Clara County?
With the widespread outbreak of the omicron variant, at-home COVID-19 tests are vital but hard to locate. To help meet this need, Santa Clara County will start distributing 60,000 COVID-19 rapid antigen test kits Saturday at four drive-through locations: Hellyer County Park, Martial Cottle Park, Vasona County Park and Foothill College. Dr. Jennifer Tong, associate...
Santa Clara County transit agency to require COVID vaccines for workers
VTA will potentially mandate COVID vaccinations for its workers starting next week—a policy that may have a dramatic impact on its workforce. Workers at the Santa Clara County public transit agency will have 60 days to comply with the policy once it goes into effect, according to a company-wide memo issued earlier this week. Workers...
San Jose libraries halt plans for in-person programs amid COVID surge
Local and regional libraries are halting plans to resume popular in-person programs amid rising COVID-19 infections in Santa Clara County. San Jose libraries hosted programs like the weekly children’s story time, language classes and mock citizenship naturalization interviews in person prior to the pandemic. Things went online in March 2020, and the city planned to...
Silicon Valley lawmaker’s single-payer health care plan faces ‘uphill fight’
A bill proposing a state single-payer health care system, which would be the first in the nation if passed, has a swell of public support. But it’s unclear if that will be enough to make it over the finish line. Assembly Bill 1400, also known as CalCare, would address issues such as the lack of...
Santa Clara County residents swamp emergency rooms for COVID tests
Santa Clara County residents are flooding emergency rooms throughout the region in search of COVID-19 tests amid the county’s biggest infection surge. Emergency rooms in hospitals across the South Bay are overwhelmed by the onslaught of seekers, tying up resources for those with imminent needs, county officials and hospital representatives said. “We have seen a dramatic increase...