coronavirus

Silicon Valley water agency faces backlash over vaccine policy

Officials at Santa Clara County’s largest water supplier are on the defense after a whistleblower publicly accused the agency of retaliating against employees unvaccinated for COVID-19. An anonymous whistleblower calling himself “John Public” commented at a Valley Water meeting on June 28 and released a video on YouTube, which is no longer available, claiming the...

New COVID vaccine coming to Santa Clara County

Santa Clara County residents will soon have another COVID-19 vaccine option that may be more amenable to those who remain unvaccinated. The two-dose shot, produced by Maryland drugmaker Novavax, is the nation’s first so-called protein vaccine. The Centers of Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) approved its use for unvaccinated adults ages 18 and older. Compared to...

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UPDATE: San Jose council ends COVID mask mandate

UPDATE: San Jose council ends COVID mask mandate

San Jose’s COVID-19 mask mandate is coming to an end almost two years after it was adopted. The city’s masking guidelines now align with the county and state, which lifted mask mandates earlier this year in almost all public indoor settings. The City Council unanimously approved ending local restrictions Tuesday with no discussion. Residents, regardless...

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Outside the rotunda at San Jose City Hall

San Jose could toss its COVID vaccine mandate

A new proposal to switch from a COVID-19 booster vaccine mandate to a testing requirement is making its way through San Jose. The discussion was poised to happen during Wednesday’s Rules committee meeting. It moved to closed session after guidance from City Attorney Nora Frimann, who said personnel issues should be discussed in private. The...

Silicon Valley jail workers say short staffing led to attack

Staffing shortages at Santa Clara County’s main jail partly caused by COVID-19 may have created conditions that allowed for an inmate assault on a deputy in early January. Details about the attack are murky because the Sheriff’s Office will not release records of the assault. However, a sheriff employee did confirm the main jail was significantly short-staffed...