Three Santa Clara County hospitals have run out of Intensive Care Unit beds while health officials reported 1,700 new COVID-19 cases in a single day this week. The county has hit a critical point in the pandemic, health officials said, and urged people to follow health orders, especially in light of this weekend’s Lady of...
Santa Clara County starts free COVID-19 workplace testing for transit employees
About 175 bus drivers, train operators, mechanics and administrators lined up to take COVID-19 tests at the Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority’s Guadalupe rail yard on Dec. 10. “Some of our folks weren’t getting tested for whatever reason,” said John Courtney, president of the Amalgamated Transit Union Local 265. “But when we bring it to...
Silicon Valley will recover faster from COVID-19, report says; local economists unsure
A Bloomberg report found that according to economic infrastructure and demographic metrics, Silicon Valley ranks first among the top 100 U.S. metropolitan areas most likely to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic the quickest. “Known for their information technology, electronics manufacturing, venture-capital funding and research universities, the economies in the Bay Area boast industries that have...
San Jose Councilmember Sylvia Arenas tests positive for COVID-19
San Jose Councilmember Sylvia Arenas tested positive for COVID-19 yesterday after falling ill during this Tuesday’s City Council meeting. The District 8 representative posted on Facebook this morning that both she and most of her family members contracted the virus and are exhibiting “somewhat mild symptoms compared to others.” “It appears that a member of...
Santa Clara County health officials fear immigrants may not take COVID-19 vaccine over privacy concerns
Santa Clara County officials worry a federal data sharing plan may spark distrust among immigrants and discourage undocumented people from taking the COVID-19 vaccine. “We’re very concerned about the fact that any information transfer may discourage people from participating in the vaccine program,” said County Executive Jeff Smith. Assistant County Counsel Douglas Press said his...
1,450 new COVID-19 cases as hospitals fill up in Santa Clara County
Santa Clara County saw 1,450 new COVID-19 cases over the past few days and hospital beds filled up as health officials announced a vaccine could be arriving next week. “We are clearly seeing increased levels of transmission in our community, and we know from historic data that about 10% of individuals diagnosed with COVID will...
Silicon Valley leaders ask for help solving the ‘poverty pandemic’
Santa Clara County elected officials, business and faith leaders are asking the community to help low-income people hit hardest by the pandemic. Through the new United Against the Poverty Pandemic coalition, formed during the pandemic by Brett Bymaster, executive director of Healing Grove Health Center, the group is working to find solutions for low-income families...
‘We don’t know what to do’: San Jose restaurants prepare to close in-person dining
Surrounded by patio heaters and tables filled with patrons dining on Mexican food, a three-person mariachi band played under the tent canopy outside Mendoza’s Taqueria in San Jose on Sunday – the last day of the year restaurants could seat people under Santa Clara County’s most recent health order. “I’m going to miss watching them...
Santa Clara County fines hospitals for failing to comply with COVID-19 testing order
Santa Clara County has issued more than $40,000 in fines to private health systems for failing to comply with its coronavirus testing order. HCA Healthcare’s Regional Medical Center in San Jose was fined $22,750 for failing to adequately notify patients of their right to a COVID-19 test. An enforcement officer inspected the center Oct. 20,...
Santa Clara County issues COVID-19 stay-at-home order
Health officials around the Bay Area accelerated a stay-at-home order that starts this weekend for most of the region, including Santa Clara County. The order goes into effect at 10 p.m. Dec. 6 and lasts until Jan. 4. It enacts the same restrictions as the state order, requiring all nonessential operations to shut down with...