Roughly 10 percent of the state’s coronavirus cases at nursing homes and long-term care facilities are in Santa Clara County, according to data released Friday. Throughout Santa Clara County, 164 workers and residents have tested positive at such facilities, including 114 residents and 50 staff members, according to Dr. Sarah Rudman, assistant health officer for...
San Jose homeless struggle to get necessities during COVID-19 shutdown
Everyone has been affected by the region’s stay-home mandate, but those in San Jose without homes say the order has left them without ways to meet their basic needs. Four homeless residents and several homeless advocates spoke to San José Spotlight this week to share how the shelter-in-place order, which went into effect March 17,...
San Jose closes some parks, parking lots ahead of Easter weekend
San Jose officials are proactively trying to tamp down on the number of people who flock to parks in the city over the upcoming holiday weekend. Nine regional parks and the parking lots at 19 city parks will be closed to the public this Saturday and Sunday, which is Easter Sunday, the city announced Thursday. Gatherings...
Dead lifts to blood draws: San Jose fitness center starts COVID-19 testing
Tucked in the back room of an otherwise empty Red Dot Fitness just west of Downtown San Jose, Adam Schafer averted his eyes when 5 mL of his blood was drawn Thursday afternoon. That small vial will be shipped overnight to Vibrant America Labs in San Carlos, where it will be tested for antibodies —...
People of color overrepresented in Santa Clara County COVID-19 deaths
People of color are overrepresented in Santa Clara County deaths from the novel coronavirus, according to new health figures released Thursday. Of the 47 COVID-19 deaths in the county, 36% are Latino while 4% are African Americans, though each group makes up about 25% and 2.8% of the county’s population, respectively, census data shows. Meanwhile,...
Moveable Feast feeds thousands of overworked San Jose health care workers
Hospital workers had a reason to smile as they pushed dollies into the parking lot in front of Regional Medical Center’s emergency room one recent afternoon. They were picking up donated meals from Moveable Feast, a San Jose-based food truck catering company known for its specialty American, Filipino, Indian and BBQ dishes devoured by foodies....
Surviving the pandemic: How to apply for unemployment benefits in California
The number of jobless Californians is on pace to reach historic highs, as reduced wages, shuttered businesses and self-quarantine precautions continue to dominate life during the coronavirus crisis. But even during a pandemic, bills and expenses don’t stop when paychecks do – highlighted by a recent failed attempt by some San Jose lawmakers to suspend rent for...
No hugs allowed: How the South Bay is mourning during coronavirus
Phu Tran’s death came as no surprise to his family. The 80-year-old Milpitas resident had dementia and was in poor health. What the family couldn’t anticipate was that his death would come in the middle of a pandemic that would limit how they could be there for each other in this somber time. Tran, a...
Bracing for COVID-19 surge, Santa Clara County mandates medical supply reporting
Anyone who has a large cache of medical protective equipment, like gloves, goggles and masks, should make an inventory list now because Santa Clara County officials are taking a tally. Businesses and people are required to report by April 15 to the county if they have a ventilator in any condition or more than 5,000...
Coronavirus LIVE BLOG: March 26 to April 8
Catch up on our current Coronavirus LIVE BLOG here. 5:30 p.m. April 8: Second inmate tests positive for COVID-19 The San Jose Police Department has confirmed a second inmate has tested positive for the fast-spreading coronavirus, though the first has already recovered and is no longer in custody. This time, a 25-year-old homeless man was...