VTA will potentially mandate COVID vaccinations for its workers starting next week—a policy that may have a dramatic impact on its workforce. Workers at the Santa Clara County public transit agency will have 60 days to comply with the policy once it goes into effect, according to a company-wide memo issued earlier this week. Workers...
San Jose libraries halt plans for in-person programs amid COVID surge
Local and regional libraries are halting plans to resume popular in-person programs amid rising COVID-19 infections in Santa Clara County. San Jose libraries hosted programs like the weekly children’s story time, language classes and mock citizenship naturalization interviews in person prior to the pandemic. Things went online in March 2020, and the city planned to...
Santa Clara County residents swamp emergency rooms for COVID tests
Santa Clara County residents are flooding emergency rooms throughout the region in search of COVID-19 tests amid the county’s biggest infection surge. Emergency rooms in hospitals across the South Bay are overwhelmed by the onslaught of seekers, tying up resources for those with imminent needs, county officials and hospital representatives said. “We have seen a dramatic increase...
Santa Clara County politicians want to dramatically expand COVID testing
With COVID-19 infections skyrocketing in Santa Clara County, officials want to make it easier for residents to get tested for the virus. The Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors voted unanimously Tuesday to have staff drum up ideas for how to expand the acquisition and distribution of at-home COVID-19 tests for the county’s nearly two million...
San Jose requires COVID boosters for workers, visitors at city facilities
San Jose is now the largest city in the state to require its employees and visitors of events at city-owned venues to show proof of a COVID-19 booster shot. The City Council voted unanimously Tuesday to impose a new mandate requiring city workers and visitors of city-owned facilities, such as the SAP Center and San...
These Silicon Valley agencies require workers to have COVID shots
The country is entering its third year of the COVID-19 pandemic and has moved from lockdowns and closures to vaccine mandates. Here’s a look at which Silicon Valley agencies have mandated COVID shots for their workers. Santa Clara County Santa Clara County was one of the first agencies in the South Bay to mandate vaccines for its roughly 22,000...
San Jose museum helps vaccinate children for COVID in playful setting
With California set to require K-12 students to be vaccinated against COVID-19 to attend in-person classes, pending full FDA approval, the Children’s Discovery Museum of San Jose is stepping to help—keeping vaccination rates for Santa Clara County kids consistent with the region. Museum Executive Director Marilee Jennings was concerned about some parents taking a wait and...
San Jose homeless shelter sees COVID outbreak as omicron spreads
A COVID-19 outbreak has made its way to the Julian Street Inn housing site in downtown San Jose. This week, seven out of the 54 residents who live at the congregate shelter for homeless residents tested positive for COVID-19. This comes as positive infections are climbing in Santa Clara County as the omicron variant spreads....
Santa Clara County leads region on COVID booster shots
Some Santa Clara County residents are rushing to get COVID-19 booster shots as infections from the omicron variant rise and the effectiveness of initial shots wanes. Following the announcement of the first omicron infection in Santa Clara County earlier this month, on Dec. 16 health officials reported 44% of eligible residents had received a booster...
Santa Clara County requires COVID boosters for workers in high-risk settings
Some workers in Santa Clara County will soon need a COVID-19 booster shot in order to continue working in high-risk settings. Santa Clara County health officials announced a new, limited health order Tuesday that requires some employees to have a booster shot as a condition of employment. The mandate will effect all public and private employees...