COVID-19

The L452R variant of Covid-19—being identified by viral genomic sequencing in San Francisco, Monterey and Santa Clara counties—has been linked to the outbreak at Kaiser Permanente's San Jose Medical Center that led to several dozen infections and possibly one death, as well as other large outbreaks in Santa Clara County.

California will lift its indoor mask requirements Tuesday for unvaccinated people and March 12 for schools and child care facilities, Gov. Gavin Newsom said Feb. 28. The changes will mark the first time since the Covid-19 pandemic began that both unvaccinated people and students will...

With Covid-19 cases skyrocketing and hospital ICUs reaching capacity, health officials and community leaders are imploring the public to stay home during the Lady of Guadalupe day of celebration on Dec. 12. Case numbers in recent days have steadily broken records, with 1,700 recorded recently...

California will open Covid-19 vaccine access to all residents age 16 and up starting on April 15 based on expected increases in the supply of vaccine doses, Gov. Gavin Newsom announced Thursday.  Vaccine doses will first become available statewide to residents age 50 and over...

Gilroy has the highest rate of Covid-19 infections of any city in Santa Clara County, according to statistics released by the county’s department of public health.  “The rates in the city of Gilroy are actually higher than elsewhere,” Santa Clara County Public Health Officer Sara...

The Fourth of July weekend didn’t give Santa Clara County public health officials much to celebrate.

Santa Clara County officials said the county will not join the state's new centralized vaccine distribution plan that will be run by Oakland-based health insurance giant Blue Shield.  During the county board of supervisors meeting, County Executive Jeff Smith said the state's new program, known...

Throughout Santa Clara County, the daily numbers of Covid-19 cases and virus positivity rates have climbed so drastically since Halloween that public health officials on Nov. 13 announced more business closures are coming.

Deaths from fentanyl, a powerful opioid drug, are drastically on the rise in Santa Clara County this year, and public health officials think stress and anxiety resulting from the Covid-19 pandemic might be contributing to the increase.

New state and federal Covid safety guidelines that reduce the recommended minimum distance between students from 6 feet to 3 feet should make it easier for California schools to return students to classrooms full time, but most districts are not likely to make the...