Amid increasing concerns over the transmissibility of the omicron variant, many Santa Clara County residents in the South Bay are scrambling to find free COVID-19 testing during the holidays. “We were told that there would be a surge during the holidays, and we’re definitely seeing that surge now since at least (last) Thursday,” Sherie Call,...
San Jose mayor wants city workers to get COVID boosters
San Jose city employees may have another vaccine requirement coming their way. On Tuesday, Mayor Sam Liccardo introduced a proposal to require all city employees to get COVID-19 booster shots as a condition of employment. Visitors to city-owned facilities such as the SAP Center and San Jose McEnery Convention Center would also need a third...
Santa Clara County reports first COVID omicron infection
The omicron variant of the coronavirus has been found in Santa Clara County, prompting health officials to urge residents to get their booster shots. According to the county, the infected individual showed symptoms on Nov. 30 and got tested Dec. 1. The person, who traveled to Florida, is fully vaccinated, but did not receive a...
Santa Clara County businesses brace for COVID once again
After almost two years of struggling through the COVID-19 pandemic, businesses may not be able to survive another hit caused by the omicron variant. To help small businesses endure, the Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors unanimously approved $20 million in federal pandemic relief grants on Tuesday. The details are still being worked out. Join...
Santa Clara County braces as first omicron COVID case detected in California
Local health officials are racing to get ahead of a newly discovered COVID-19 variant, worried about a potential increase in transmissibility and vaccine evasion. On Wednesday, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention confirmed one omicron case detected by UC San Francisco. The person returned from South Africa last week, is fully vaccinated and has...
San Jose kids could get COVID shots in a few days
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends COVID-19 shots for children ages 5 to 11, opening the way to vaccination for approximately 167,000 children in Santa Clara County. A CDC advisory committee voted Tuesday to recommend the use of Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine for children. The agency’s director, Rochelle Walensky, has final approval, which experts...
UPDATE: San Jose delays vote on COVID-related funds
Millions of dollars in federal funds for emergency housing and food services still hang in the balance for San Jose. The San Jose City Council voted unanimously Tuesday to delay plans to give out COVID-related funds from the federal government. Nearly $40 million from the city’s $212 million American Rescue Plan money may go to...
In Silicon Valley, college students see hardship through COVID-19 pandemic
This story is being co-published with The Imprint, a national news outlet covering child welfare and youth justice issues. College students have long gone hungry and slept in their cars in Silicon Valley, one of the wealthiest enclaves in the nation. But many of the young people pursuing higher education this year face obstacles that...
San Jose business owners, nonprofit help provide COVID relief in Vietnam
As COVID-19 infections engulfed Vietnam and killed 10,000 people in September, two local Vietnamese-American brothers and a nonprofit sprung into action. David Duong, CEO of California Waste Solutions and a community leader in San Jose, has split his time doing business between the South Bay and the Southeast Asian country. A refugee who fled Vietnam as a...
San Jose school community wants students vaccinated for COVID
Students wearing masks poured out of James Lick High School in San Jose as classes ended for the day. Some stopped to chat with friends and others gathered around a student playing guitar. The mood was light-hearted and social. But not all of the students were vaccinated against COVID-19. That may change with Gov. Gavin...