Santa Clara County Public Health discontinued the last of its COVID-related regulations on Monday. Dr. Sara Cody, the county’s public health officer, issued an order eliminating remaining local requirements such as teleworking and social distancing, but businesses and governments will still need to determine the vaccination status of personnel through self-attestation. On Friday, the California...
Santa Clara County workers get revised mask rules
California’s workplace safety board has changed its rules on masks again—this time to align with the entire state which reopened Tuesday. Cal/OSHA ruled Thursday that vaccinated workers can shed their masks in the workplace—even if some of their colleagues are unvaccinated—except in places where they are required for everyone such as public transit. Workers also...
Silicon Valley’s top health leader reflects on lessons learned as COVID-19 rules lift
Even after death threats, Dr. Sara Cody stands tall. She especially stood tall Tuesday, the same day the state reopened, and for the first time publicly removed her mask. Fifteen months after Cody declared a shelter in place order — the first in the country to do so — the county’s top health official reflected...
What does California reopening mean for Santa Clara County?
Santa Clara County residents can return to life near normal as California officially reopens today following more than a year of COVID-19. Starting today, the majority of businesses can operate at full capacity and vaccinated people can mostly remove their masks while grocery shopping, eating at restaurants or working out at the gym. The relaxation of...
San Jose workers prepare for new mask rules
In a little over a week, the state will lift its mask mandate after nearly a year of requiring face coverings indoors. But in certain workplaces, employees will still have to cover their faces according to new rules adopted this week by the board of the California Division of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, or Cal/OSHA....
Demand for Silicon Valley food pantries remains high
As California recovers from the pandemic job loss, the demand for food pantries in San Jose remains at a record high with no signs of declining. “We are not seeing a significant decrease (in the need for food pantries),” said Cat Cvengros, spokesperson for local food bank Second Harvest of Silicon Valley. “The biggest reason...
Santa Clara County sweetens the deal to get vaccinated
Boba, professional athlete meet-and-greets, live music and Starbucks gift cards are a few things you might expect to see if you’re getting vaccinated nowadays in Santa Clara County. Now that more than 1 million county residents are fully vaccinated, officials are offering a carrot for the rest of the population to get at least 85%...
CDC mask guidance brings confusion to Santa Clara County
Differences between federal and local mask rules are creating confusion, frustration and in some cases hostile situations. Santa Clara County residents breathed a sigh of relief this week with the move to the least-restrictive yellow tier in California’s reopening plan, an indication that life might return to “normal” after more than a year of fear...
San Jose school districts still require masks for students
Sorry kids, but you still need to keep your masks on at school. Although the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) relaxed mask requirements for people fully vaccinated against COVID-19, it recommends K-12 students continue to wear face coverings and keep social distancing. The CDC based this decision on students not being fully vaccinated...
Where can kids get vaccinated in Santa Clara County?
Adolescents age 12 through 15 can now receive COVID-19 vaccinations in Santa Clara County, and they don’t even need an appointment. “Everything is lined up and in place to make getting a vaccine as simple and hassle-free as possible,” said Dr. Marty Fenstersheib, COVID-19 testing and vaccine officer. “We have the vaccine supply, we have...