As COVID-19 numbers in the county slowly improve, officials gave Santa Clara County businesses the green light to begin operating indoors — but with caution. Starting Oct. 14, restaurants, churches, movie theaters and other businesses can open at 25% capacity or 100 people, whichever is fewer. They also can host outdoor gatherings of up to...
Coronavirus LIVE BLOG: September 13 to October 12
Catch up on our current Coronavirus LIVE BLOG here. 11 a.m. Oct 12: Gardner Health Center and county increase testing at Mexican Heritage Plaza COVID-19 Testing Coordinators at the School of Arts and Culture at the Mexican Heritage Plaza in East San Jose say they aim to increase testing as they have exceeded their initial capacity....
‘I know their pain’: Study confirms toll of shutdowns in San Jose
John Zamora, owner of Zamora’s Omelette House, served the last meal at his Alum Rock Avenue restaurant at the end of August, after almost 10 years in operation. “We were trying to hold on,” Zamora said. “We felt we had to give it a try.” Zamora’s experience illustrates the results of a recent economic report...
Exclusive Q&A: Santa Clara County health chief answers San José Spotlight readers
Santa Clara County Health Officer Dr. Sara Cody sat down Oct. 8 to answer San José Spotlight readers’ questions about the COVID-19 pandemic. Understanding of the virus has evolved considerably since Cody last answered reader questions in April. The advice, however, has been consistent: People should maintain physical distance from those outside their household, avoid...
Religious leaders plead to increase indoor services in Santa Clara County
Church members from across Santa Clara County are asking supervisors to reconsider restrictions that will limit services to 25 percent of capacity, even as the county moves into a less restrictive tier of pandemic restrictions imposed by the state. For nearly two hours Oct. 6, church members, pastors and representatives asked the Board of Supervisors...
Santa Clara County looks to allow indoor dining as early as next week
If Santa Clara County enters the lower-risk orange tier for reopening, all businesses, including restaurants and churches, can resume indoor gatherings at 25% capacity, health officials announced Monday. “The soonest the state may allow us to move into the orange tier is Oct. 13, meaning that this new order will take effect no earlier than...
Santa Clara County allows facial services to reopen
Santa Clara County is lifting restrictions on licensed estheticians and other skin care professionals who were previously prohibited from operating due to the coronavirus. County public health officials on Sunday afternoon made the change that will now allow facial services to resume. Previously, the county allowed hair and nails salons to reopen for both indoor...
South Bay legislator says ‘crisis of confidence’ in a vaccine could hurt nation
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Public confidence in the COVID-19 vaccination development process is of utmost importance, according to Rep. Anna Eshoo. “The goal must be to have a vaccine that is scientifically proven to be safe and effective,” she told San José Spotlight on Thursday. “Nothing and no one whatsoever should interfere with the scientists and...
San Jose’s minority-owned businesses face unique challenges with lingering shutdown
It has been six months since Liz Ruiz saw families skating around the floor of Aloha Roller Rink. The East San Jose-based business owner has watched other businesses reopen across the city without any idea about when she might be able to do the same, pay her employees or welcome back customers. Ruiz had occupied...
House committee investigation finds drug companies targeting US for price hikes
WASHINGTON, D.C. — A House committee investigation into the increasing costs of prescription drugs found that some of the largest global pharmaceutical companies are targeting the United States for the biggest price hikes, according to Rep. Carolyn Maloney (D-New York). “I was astonished to see some of the new documents we will be discussing today,”...