Health

Dr. Sara Cody—a nationally recognized public health official who was a leader and a pioneer in the Bay Area’s response to the Covid-19 pandemic—has announced her retirement from her position as Santa Clara County Health Officer.  Cody has served the county for more than 25...

Gov. Gavin Newsom and state Sen. Nancy Skinner announced a proposal Dec. 5 to penalize oil companies in an effort to deter gas price gouging. The proposal would make it illegal for oil companies to charge excessive refining margins—the price difference between the cost of...

More than two years after the Covid-19 pandemic started, hospitals and medical facilities throughout the region are still “desperate” for blood supplies for their patients, according to an American Red Cross representative. One way that many people, organizations and venues are committed to helping...

Transmission of the flu, Covid-19 and respiratory syncytial virus is increasing statewide simultaneously and could lead to overwhelmed hospitals this winter, one of the state's top health officials said Thursday. Covid test positivity and case rates have climbed by roughly 25% over the last two...

The scent of fresh-cut pine fills the air as Jorge Garcia watches his children, ages 2 and 5, weave between rows of evergreens with their mother, searching for the perfect Christmas tree. It’s their first time at Battaglia Ranch as a young family, but...

A non-native Aedes aegypti mosquito—an aggressive species that can spread certain diseases—has been discovered in a residential area of Gilroy, according to the Santa Clara County Vector Control District. A mosquito of the same species was also found recently in a neighborhood of east...

The American Red Cross is urging people to mark the fall season by donating blood or platelets to help the Bay Area’s supply strong.  Upcoming blood donation events are scheduled at locations in Gilroy and Morgan Hill in the coming weeks. From 10am-4pm Oct. 9,...

State and local officials celebrated the addition of 14.1 miles to the Bay Area Ridge Trail May 30, marking the largest single-day dedication in decades for the ambitious project to create a continuous 550-mile loop around the San Francisco Bay Area. The newly dedicated section...

Santa Clara County is moving forward with a series of actions to support family caregivers in response to a recent county survey that found caregivers need more resources.  The county Board of Supervisors accepted staff recommendations and instructed them to create ways to address caregivers'...

Food pantries across South County are experiencing unprecedented demand following the suspension of SNAP benefits due to the federal government shutdown, with lines wrapping around blocks and new families seeking assistance at rates not seen since the COVID-19 pandemic. The Reach Out Food Pantry in...