coronavirus

‘Forgotten heroes’: The plight of Silicon Valley homeless shelter workers

Employees who work at Silicon Valley’s homeless shelters are putting themselves on the frontlines of the pandemic to protect the county’s most vulnerable residents, even as many live on the margins themselves. Two homeless service providers in Santa Clara County told San José Spotlight that, between them, six of their hundreds of shelter workers have...

Poll: Most Californians support shelter-in-place orders

A majority of Californians support continuing to shelter in place to curb the spread of the coronavirus, according to a new poll, despite protests by some residents ready to get back to work and restart the state’s previously booming economy. About 71 percent of Californians polled by the California Health Care Foundation and survey firm...

COVID-19 testing sites open in East San Jose

After months of calls for more COVID-19 testing, a vulnerable San Jose area that is home to a large immigrant population now has two free testing sites. “This has been a population that has been vulnerable for so many reasons pre-COVID — due to rent, due to food insecurities, lack of job opportunities and educational...

Your COVID-19 questions answered: Part One

San José Spotlight two weeks ago hosted an exclusive Q&A webinar with Santa Clara County Public Health Officer Dr. Sara Cody, the driving force behind the nation’s first shelter-in-place order credited with flattening the curve on coronavirus infections and saving lives. We received nearly one hundred questions from Silicon Valley residents before and during the...

Surviving the pandemic: How can South Bay small businesses get help?

Businesses are struggling as the statewide and regional stay-home orders drag into the seventh week, and while there are many resources available, those programs are ever-changing and sometimes difficult to untangle. Health officials and elected leaders have also demurred on providing a timeline to reopen the economy. Though many retailers will be allowed to reopen for...

Coronavirus LIVE BLOG: April 23 to May 6

Catch up on our current Coronavirus LIVE BLOG here. 7 p.m. May 6: How is San Jose doing with COVID-19 outreach? The city of San Jose is asking for feedback on its public outreach amid the COVID-19 pandemic. “We are committed to providing you with timely, accurate information as we seek to save lives and livelihoods...

Animal shelters scramble to meet adoption demand absent volunteers, in-person visits

Adapting to the coronavirus pandemic has required staff members at Silicon Valley’s animal shelters to do work usually performed by volunteers as they rush to keep up with the heightened demand for animal adoptions amid shelter-in-place restrictions. While shelters struggle to retain volunteers, like many nonprofits, there is a silver lining. Sheltering-in-place has resulted in...