Silicon Valley voters this November will cast ballots in one of the region’s most consequential elections: From deciding who to send to Washington to a historic county supervisorial election, there is no shortage of major decisions up and down the ballot.
Santa Clara County calls on federal government to double COVID-19 vaccine allocation
South Bay health officials are calling on the federal government to increase COVID-19 vaccine production and distribution amid a sluggish vaccine rollout that led to thousands of canceled appointments. “We’re only seeing probably less than half of the vaccine that we need at this point,” said Marty Fenstersheib, Santa Clara County COVID-19 testing officer, at a town hall hosted by...
Newly-elected San Jose legislators pressed on COVID-19 vaccine rollout
California and Santa Clara County’s vaccine rollout — full of mixed messages and poor communication — have been widely criticized over the past few weeks. Conflicting numbers have led to confusion and a massive backlog for vaccine distribution, and have left residents looking for answers. Assemblyman Alex Lee (D-San Jose) and Santa Clara County Supervisor Otto...
Half of Santa Clara County sheriff’s employees have declined COVID-19 vaccines
Nearly half the employees at the Santa Clara County Sheriff’s Office have turned down a COVID-19 vaccine. According to a report presented Thursday, nearly 800 employees have refused or delayed getting vaccinated — out of 1,800 total employees. That includes both sworn and civilian staff. The reasons for turning down the vaccine include hesitancy, pregnancy...
New policy allows seniors to get COVID-19 vaccinations anywhere in Santa Clara County
Santa Clara County’s public health officials now say anyone 65 and older can get their vaccine from anywhere in the county. The county’s new “no wrong door” policy, announced Thursday morning, makes it possible for seniors to get vaccinated regardless of who their normal medical provider is. “A Kaiser patient can go to the county,...
COVID-19 vaccination clinic brings hope to East San Jose
The recent arrival of the COVID-19 vaccine at Mexican Heritage Plaza signaled the dawn of a new day in East San Jose, an area hit harder than any other in Santa Clara County by the pandemic. San Jose Councilmember Magdalena Carrasco said it’s critical to have a vaccination site “smack in the middle” of a...
Bay Area health leaders urge prioritizing people 65+ for COVID-19 vaccine
Amid statewide COVID-19 vaccine shortages, health officials in eight Bay Area counties are recommending that all health care systems prioritize shots for patients 65 and over. Those aged 65 and over account for the majority of COVID-19 deaths — 81% of deaths in Santa Clara County. The announcement comes as the Bay Area faces a...
Kaiser cancels thousands of COVID-19 vaccine appointments in Silicon Valley amid low supply
Kaiser Permanente canceled more than 5,200 vaccination appointments in Santa Clara County due to a lack of supply, leaving some of the South Bay’s most vulnerable patients confused and frustrated. Janet Gillis, a Kaiser patient, had her vaccination scheduled for Feb. 1 — but it was abruptly canceled. She and her husband both received an...
Good Samaritan unveils new screening measures, struggles to provide second COVID-19 vaccines
Good Samaritan Hospital unveiled new screening measures to ensure it complies with county vaccination rules, after its COO in January encouraged a select group of teachers to skip the line ahead of more vulnerable groups. The hospital submitted a plan Jan. 28 to county health officials outlining on how it will follow the rules, a...
San Jose official nearly dies from COVID-19, warns others in East Side
Rolando Bonilla woke up on a December morning finding himself gasping for air. “I couldn’t breathe,” the 42-year-old said during a recent phone interview. “Even the act of inhaling was difficult.” Bonilla, the vice chair of San Jose’s Planning Commission, had gone to bed the night before with a fever and aches. Then walking became...